Tito from Macho Nacho Productions recently released a video about restoring a rare HiSaturn. Tito showed some cleaning tips and also showed an improved way to perform the FRAM mod via a flex cable from Zaxour. He also compared three Optical Drive Emulators: A new version of the Saroo from JT Studios / Retro Game Restore, the Satiator and Fenrir. While I’d recommend this video to any fan of the Sega Saturn, I’d consider it a must watch for people interested in no-mod, plug and play solutions that can be used on any Saturn. More info after the links:
Saroo (improved hardware, coupon code: gt3yrqyj): https://jt-studios.com/product/saroo/
Fenrir: https://retrorgb.link/fenrir
Satiator: https://www.satiator.net/satiator.html
Rings Menu: https://github.com/retrohead/satiator-rings/releases
FRAM Mod (Message Zaxour): https://x.com/zaxour
Saturn Switcher: https://www.willsconsolemodifications.co.uk/
Some quick thoughts – First and most importantly, I’m really impressed with JT Studios / Retro Game Restore’s version of the Saroo. It’s functionally the same, but using modern parts and has a properly beveled-edge…something most of the cheap Aliexpress junk ones don’t have. And since there’s no reconstituted parts it in, chances are it’ll last much longer. Plus, it comes with that awesome, high-quality shell and should be compatible with all the same software builds for it (the Shiro! crew should have more details on this soon!). It’s definitely my go-to recommendation for most Saturn owners.
I also really liked how Tito showed off the alternative menu firmware for the Satiator called the Rings menu. It doesn’t just look a bit nicer, it also allows for per-game saves, right on the SD card – Something the official Satiator menu doesn’t currently support.
…and of course, the Fenrir is still a great choice if you have a dead optical drive, or if you also install the Saturn Switcher, which Tito showcased here:
