Difference between revisions of "Saturn region converter cartridges"

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m (Black Squirrel moved page Saturn Region Converter to Saturn region converters)
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Unlike [[Mega Drive Region Converter|Mega Drive region converters]], it is usually easier for Saturn region converters to enable playing of games from all regions at once, rather than unlocking one specific region. They are, however, similar in the sense that they cannot solve all regional issues. A game programmed for 60 Hz display on NTSC televisions will run slower, at 83.3% of its correct speed, on the 50 Hz televisions used (at least then) in PAL territories, due to the difference in refresh rate. Conversely, a European game running on an NTSC TV will run too fast – that is, if it was correctly adjusted for 50 Hz display during localisation for Europe, which many were not<!-- ; see [[List of Sega Saturn games by native refresh rate]] HELP WE NEED THIS PAGE AND WHAT SHOULD I CALL IT AND WHAT IS TIHS -->. Finally, and for obvious reasons that do not constitute a flaw in the region converter, games cannot be automatically translated; a converter may enable you to play a Japanese game on your Western Saturn, or ''vice-versa'', but it will not guarantee that you can understand any of its text.
 
Unlike [[Mega Drive Region Converter|Mega Drive region converters]], it is usually easier for Saturn region converters to enable playing of games from all regions at once, rather than unlocking one specific region. They are, however, similar in the sense that they cannot solve all regional issues. A game programmed for 60 Hz display on NTSC televisions will run slower, at 83.3% of its correct speed, on the 50 Hz televisions used (at least then) in PAL territories, due to the difference in refresh rate. Conversely, a European game running on an NTSC TV will run too fast – that is, if it was correctly adjusted for 50 Hz display during localisation for Europe, which many were not<!-- ; see [[List of Sega Saturn games by native refresh rate]] HELP WE NEED THIS PAGE AND WHAT SHOULD I CALL IT AND WHAT IS TIHS -->. Finally, and for obvious reasons that do not constitute a flaw in the region converter, games cannot be automatically translated; a converter may enable you to play a Japanese game on your Western Saturn, or ''vice-versa'', but it will not guarantee that you can understand any of its text.
  
==Physical scans==
+
{| class="prettytable sortable"
{{Scanbox
+
!Box
| console=Saturn
+
!Name
| region=Pro Universal Adapter, by [[Datel]]
+
!Brand
 +
!Date & Price
 +
!Images
 +
!Documentation
 +
|-
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 +
| front=CDPlus Saturn Box Front Blaze.jpg
 +
| square=yes
 +
 
 +
| name=CD Plus
 +
| brand=[[Blaze]]
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=CDPlus Saturn Blaze.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 +
| front=
 +
| square=yes
 +
 
 +
| name=Pro Universal Adapter
 +
| brand=[[Datel]]
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=ProUniversalAdapter Saturn Alt.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 +
}}
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 
| front=ProUniversalAdapter Saturn Box Front.jpg
 
| front=ProUniversalAdapter Saturn Box Front.jpg
 
| square=yes
 
| square=yes
| cart=ProUniversalAdapter Saturn.jpg
+
 
 +
| name=Pro Universal Adapter
 +
| brand=[[Datel]]
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=ProUniversalAdapter Saturn.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 
}}
 
}}
{{Scanbox
+
 
| console=Saturn
+
{{AccessoryRelease
| region=ST Key
+
| front=
 +
 
 +
| name=CD Plus
 +
| brand=??
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=CDPlus Saturn Unknown.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 +
| front=
 +
 
 +
| name=Multi-Game Adaptor
 +
| brand=??
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=MultiGameAdaptor Saturn.jpg
 +
| image1name=SS-239
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 +
| front=SegaSatellite Saturn Box Front.jpg
 +
 
 +
| name=Sega Satellite
 +
| brand=??
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=SegaSatellite Saturn.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 +
| front=SSKey Saturn KR Box Front.jpg
 +
| back=SSKey Saturn KR Box Back.jpg
 +
| spine=SSKey Saturn KR Box Spine.jpg
 +
| spine2=SSKey Saturn KR Box Spine2.jpg
 +
 
 +
| name=S-S Key
 +
| brand=??
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=KR: (>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=SSKey Saturn KR.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
 
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 
| front=STKey Saturn Box Front.jpg
 
| front=STKey Saturn Box Front.jpg
| cart=STKey Saturn.jpg
+
 
}}{{Scanbox
+
| name=ST Key
| console=Saturn
+
| brand=??
| region=Ultra Madness ST Key
+
 
| front=
+
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
| cart=UMSTKey Saturn.jpg
+
 
 +
| image1=STKey Saturn.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 +
}}
 +
 
 +
{{AccessoryRelease
 +
| name=Ultra Madness ST Key
 +
| brand=??
 +
 
 +
| dateprice1=(>=1995)
 +
 
 +
| image1=UMSTKey Saturn.jpg
 +
| image1name=
 
}}
 
}}
 +
 +
|}
 +
  
 
{{Saturn}}
 
{{Saturn}}
  
 
[[Category:Saturn accessories]]
 
[[Category:Saturn accessories]]

Revision as of 06:10, 19 June 2014

The Sega Saturn is region-locked, meaning that games can only be played on hardware from the same region. Various factors led to the Saturn being under-supported in the West. Thus, in order to play the plethora of Japanese releases, to play American games in Europe, or vice-versa of either scenario, one requires a region converter.

Saturn region converters are cartridges which plug into the Saturn's cartridge slot. The majority of converters start working as soon as the console is swiched on, i.e. there is no need to swap cartridges and discs to play games (unlike later consoles such as the Sega Dreamcast). Converters come in all shapes and sizes, most notably the Action Replay Plus, which bypasses region locking as well as offering storage space and cheat facilities. But before the Action Replay Plus became the de facto accessory for Saturn collectors, consumers had to make do with a basic region converter, which offered no additional features.

Unlike Mega Drive region converters, it is usually easier for Saturn region converters to enable playing of games from all regions at once, rather than unlocking one specific region. They are, however, similar in the sense that they cannot solve all regional issues. A game programmed for 60 Hz display on NTSC televisions will run slower, at 83.3% of its correct speed, on the 50 Hz televisions used (at least then) in PAL territories, due to the difference in refresh rate. Conversely, a European game running on an NTSC TV will run too fast – that is, if it was correctly adjusted for 50 Hz display during localisation for Europe, which many were not. Finally, and for obvious reasons that do not constitute a flaw in the region converter, games cannot be automatically translated; a converter may enable you to play a Japanese game on your Western Saturn, or vice-versa, but it will not guarantee that you can understand any of its text.

Box Name Brand Date & Price Images Documentation
CDPlus Saturn Box Front Blaze.jpg
CD Plus Blaze (>=1995)
CDPlus Saturn Blaze.jpg


Pro Universal Adapter Datel (>=1995)
ProUniversalAdapter Saturn Alt.jpg


ProUniversalAdapter Saturn Box Front.jpg
Pro Universal Adapter Datel (>=1995)
ProUniversalAdapter Saturn.jpg


CD Plus ?? (>=1995)
CDPlus Saturn Unknown.jpg


Multi-Game Adaptor ?? (>=1995)
MultiGameAdaptor Saturn.jpg
SS-239


SegaSatellite Saturn Box Front.jpg
Sega Satellite ?? (>=1995)
SegaSatellite Saturn.jpg


SSKey Saturn KR Box Back.jpgSSKey Saturn KR Box Spine.jpgSSKey Saturn KR Box Front.jpgSSKey Saturn KR Box Spine2.jpg
S-S Key ?? KR: (>=1995)
SSKey Saturn KR.jpg


STKey Saturn Box Front.jpg
ST Key ?? (>=1995)
STKey Saturn.jpg


Ultra Madness ST Key ?? (>=1995)
UMSTKey Saturn.jpg



Sega Saturn
Topics Technical Specifications (Hardware Comparison) | History (Development | Release | Decline and legacy) | List of games (A-M) | List of games (N-Z) | Magazine articles | Promotional material | Merchandise
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Development Hardware Programming Box | Sound Box | E7000 | CartDev | SNASM2 | Address Checker | PSY-Q Development System | MIRAGE Universal CD Emulator
Misc. Hardware 6Player | SBom Multitap‎ | Saturn region converter cartridges | Action Replay | Pro Action Replay | Action Replay Plus | X-Terminator (Version 3) | S-S Promoter | Other cartridges