The not-so-new Saroo. The ODE cartridge for your Sega Saturn.
To skip the test footage jump from 7:11 to 11:32
Read more about Saroo at the tpunix update page:
github.com/tpunix/SAROO
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Opening "Sega" jingle is from Astal for the Sega Saturn.
Ending Music during the credits is from Batman for the Sega Genesis.
SLX Logo
By: Jan Neves
KZhead Page - / jan3d
Intro by Evan S.
portfolio.tsestudios.com/
Outro Animation by Kevin Bhall
KZhead Page - / nigh11
Episode Notes:
1. All footage from Saturn running a Saroo.
2. I used the newest board(1.2) and fw update(0.4) at the time of this capture.
3. Most games seemed to run fine. Some still need tweaking that's gonna take time. Most of those issues are small, like cinematics being truncated or little sound issues like popping or static.
4. Of course, my overall testing of the Saturn library has just begun. I have no idea if some games that work early, crash in the later stages or levels.
5. If I had any real feedback for the developers I think there needs to be a global option that mimics the speed of the default Saturn CD performance so every game at least works. Speed and improvements are all nice, but I would much rather have a stable product without any hiccups.
Can we just take a moment to appreciate how INCREDIBLE Sega Rally's Saturn soundtrack is?
2:56 Wow. When I was a kid I used to make calls to Sega to ask them about their upcoming games (yes that was a thing for me back then). The music for Bug was their hold music, but I never knew where that song came from until today! That brings me back.
I done same but to uk software houses in the 1980s, used to get loads of demo tapes sent through to review for my fanzeen lol .nd I got loads of posters aswell , that I still.have
@@mehere3013😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊😊
@@mehere3013 That's awesome! UK software houses of the 80s and early-mid 90s were the best! Other European ones were great, too, although less of them existed, and most/biggest were in France (and are the only ones to have survived to this day, TTBOMK. I was, and still am, a stateside Atari HCS (400, 800XL), ST, and Amiga owner.
This is amazing. Can't wait for this thing to get its bugs fixed.
The bugs can mostly be fixed by altering the configuration file.
My modded Saturn is still going strong and I just picked up a 100 pack of CD-R's at Goodwill today for $3.99. Still this is an intriguing product.
I had to get my cartridge to play my burnt games because I was not trying to risk my Sega Saturn getting modded
For many games, this is way better than CD-ROM solution because of cutting down the loading time like crazy. Fighting games probably can benefit the most.
I have a chipped Saturn that can read any region games and CDRs yet this was a good purchase. The short load times are worth the £60 I paid.
Mine too. I actually like to make my own cd's and cases. Feels more old skool.
@@randallgoeswhere Cool. I have a cd printer
Got mine in feb. With the hdmi video adapter, wireless 8-bit do and a finger bot to remotely power on and off the device, it’s the perfect combo. Glad to see you covered this. The Saroo deserves more recognition.
Is it cart on top or goes in rear vcd slot?
Saroo = Cart Satiator = VCD
@@SkipsTinyBeard thank you. So this saroo basically makes saturn a jupiter. Be awesome if somebody makes mega drive or 32x emu for this
What is a "finger bot to remotely power on and off the device" ?
@@cajampaMaybe a Switchbot
Sega Saturn time with Sega Lord X
Saroookenn!
I ordered mine w my first Saturn about a week ago. In large part to channels like yours who showed me what I missed as a teen.
It’s pretty cool to think about expanding your Saturn through a cartridge, and on top of that it’s going through the memory card slot. What seemed like the most insignificant port is actually the pathway to almost limitless Saturn fun and convenience! :3
Stunning! highly appreciate the 4k it really pops brilliant conversions SLX.
No problem 👍
Thanks for sharing your impressions on the device. Can’t wait to see how it will mature.
Been through this before, always regret getting these things early.
You'll want to let it mature if you are wanting no headaches.
Fantastic video as always my friend, this project looks VERY exciting!
Thank you for another wonderful video, Sega Lord! 🎉
Damn what a pleasure to view this before bed! Love your videos bro.
I got a sega satiator, paid $200 for it but no regrets, works great and doesn't mess with the regular slots, just straight to bus through the back video slot.
Great video! One funny thing I noticed was @6:40 you say “…the Saru will also boot your reproductions and burn games.” KZhead’s auto captions said “the Saru will also butcher reproductions” instead of ‘boot your’. Just found that humorous 😅
Along with always doing a great job on your videos, I just wanted to say I really enjoy the new animations at the end, spanning the various popular Sega franchises! 🤘🤘
Glad you like them!. Thanks for the feedback.
@@SegaLordX You’re welcome! 👍
With all this technology out in the wild you’d think Sega could give us an official Mini Saturn at this point
This is an interesting piece of tech! Awesome video! This was a great look at the Saroo! I like how you spoke about the Good and bad! Great job!
This was a fun little ride to memory lane! SLX never disappoints!
In my experience, aging Saturn CD drives are way more reliable than Saturn cartridge slots. The humble modchip & using CD-Rs is mad underrated.
and honestly the easiest modchip in existence to install.
It really is. Following a guy that said "hey stop trying to replace your Saturn CD lasers and just recap them" , lo and behold he was right.
I bought two brand new Saturns in '97 ($49.99 at Kmart clearance), modded them for import/cdr around 2000. One still plays amazingly well...the other, my backup unit, has never even been used. The cart slot on the one I use a lot is a little tricky but still works.
No matter how many CD-Rs I waste I can't get any version or region of Sega Rally Championship Plus to work on mine. The original Rally Championship works fine but I probably threw 10 CD-Rs in the trash trying to get Plus to work, doesn't seem to matter what I do.
thanks for a more honest review on this. it seems a lot of people left out some details on this thing like slowdown issues along with games not working as well. they were too quick to run out with a video as opposed to doing more thorough testing. i'll just be on the fence about this til more updates drops and makes this worth grabbing
Your timing is perfect, I've been looking into this recently as my Saturn has started to struggle to read discs. Exhumed isn't loading the main map and Daytona drops to the bios screen. Watching in anticipation 😊
Loaded deserves more respect. I still love that game.
“At Last, they finally got their Saroo.”
Ali express even sell some saturn boards without the reader to use the Saroo.
Is it possible use saroo even without working disc drive?
Very interesting product. Personally, I own and prefer the Satiator with a good Action Reply or Pseudo Saturn cart if needed (assuming I'm not putting in an authentic CD game), but the Satiator is also MUCH more expensive and has been out for a longer time allowing it to mature more. I'm sure, with more time in the oven, the Saroo can turn into a very nice all-in-one budget option for an upcoming Saturn enthusiast. It probably won't get to the same level of a Satiator or a straight-up ODE that replaces the entire disc drive, but every product has a chance to carve out its own place and target audience.
Yea my saroo arrived 2 weeks ago, works great the seller send me the config file for all the problematic games, and its been great so far, with a 128gb sd about 279 games, loads waaay faster than the psio or xstation in comparison, I highly recommend it for the price and convenience
Where did you get it if I may ask?
@@r2-2d Where did you buy from?
Would you also mind sharing those config files with others? That would make the growing experience for this product so much better/easier for others 👍
I've been having my eyes on getting this for the past month. I have a Sega Saturn that's been sitting in my storage for almost a decade that was given to me from my cousins and I've been wanting to tinker with it for a long time in regards to having a method available to play games on it easily without having to fork a lot of cash on the library and an alternative controller solution like a BT adapter.
Personally, I’d just save your money and spring for a Fenrir Duo. I have the older 21 pin model in my Japanese Model 2, and alongside my 4MB Ram cart, it runs like a dream.
@@sdragon21 I mean I did originally had my eyes on a Psuedo Saturn Kai cart since the drive still works
Sounds like it's not quite ready yet for the people who want things that "just work" but it's a work in progress and it should get there eventually. Thanks for the video!
I'll wait until Saroo has fully matured before I can buy one (plus, it could use a cheat feature). For now, I'll settle for my Pseudo Saturn-flashed Action Replay Plus.
I'm definitely going to wait but I appreciate that there was actually an update done. On the news of Saturn they actually have a few shops that actually have a case replacements which is pretty helpful. Though I ended up 3D printing a battery cover for the back of one of the Saturns!
bought mine 6 months ago and im having a blast with the saroo! as i was one of the early adopters ive got a version with a limited update support, and i have to patch manually,but the games i can play it already worth its value
Just got mine today. what an awesome device
You’re the man SLX. It’s really great that you honor the legacy of this most unique period in history. This is very generic praise, but well deserved no less. Thank you!
First time i heard about that! So cool to see!
That intro makes me have tears come out of my eye
I'd buy it for the save feature alone. Hope the compatibility issues get fixed quickly.
Funny. I just got mine in today. Love it!
I love my SAROO. For me it's given me everything I need. You should show the difference 1 to 1 loading off a CD vs off the Saroo. It loads so much faster! Great video, you're the best!
How many games have you had issues with. Am wondering if these issues really will be fixed, and if maybe the extra loading speed can be turned off to fix some games?
Ive got a fenrir and im seriously tempted to pick up a saroo just for the loading times. It doesnt get a lot of use but, it would awesome getting rid of those load times on the 2d fighters.
@@wan5atwan5 I also own a Fenrir and also grabbed a SAROO 😁. I hope the dev continues to improve it as it has major potential!
All hail sega lord x!
cool project glad I have my satiator though
I've had my eye on this for a little while now, and watched the small handful of reviews for it on KZhead, but this is by far the most in depth review I've seen thus far. I had a few suspicions after the others that you've confirmed. For example the others mentioned the sped up load times and I worried some games wouldn't like that and it seems I was correct in that assumption. I have to say it's frustrating sometimes being a Saturn owner. You got devices like the Satiator that's almost perfect, but still has a few hick ups, but it's the price point of over $200 in particular that keeps me from pulling the trigger on that. Then you've got this that's around $100 and is a far easier plug and play solution but it's not unified to a set standard or ready yet. It's like wishing on a Monkey's Paw. You get something with lots of features you absolutely want, but there's always a catch or 10. It's never simple.
Perfection right now is a mod chip+CDRs. I have maybe, 4-5 different Saturns and I play Saturn the modt right now on my MISTer and my Anbernic Arc-D to be honest. I have a Saroo but havent loaded up an SD card for it yet
This is really cool, my Saturn has issues reading burned discs so this might be exactly what I need. Hopefully they get it 100% finished soon.
The 4mb games run weird on my Saroo. Random frame drops and occasional audio sync issues. Radiant Silvergun audio would suddenly cut out at seemingly random points too. Luckily no modding was necessary so no damage to my Saturn. Oh well.
Are you keeping up with firmware updates?
Shout out Dragonforce. Greatest game on the Saturn.
Appreciate the info!
You bet!
Loaded im sold
Planning to get this
Thanks!
Seems cool if they get everything working correctly, right now I’ll stick with the Satiator.
I already have a MODE, but this thing is still cool as hell. I'll probably wait another year and see if the firmware becomes more fleshed out and maybe a reliable vendor starts building units that we know are always quality. Then I'll be definitely grabbing one for my second Saturn.
thank you
i have the satiator which does the same thing but not as buggy as this seems to be, but this definitely looks cool and would be fun to tinker with
looks really promising
Saroo runs most of commercial titles, and for the games that are not compatible, we can simply use saturn kai + burn discs. For the saturn owners that don't want a modchip and wanted to keep the mpeg card & cd drive available, saroo & saturn kai are the perfect solution imo
One thing I wish is that an ODE could somehow support save states. So many great games of this generation that I just don't have the time to grind on anymore but would love to play the later stages. I normally only play for 15 min here and there.
Looks very interesting
Great honest video.😃
Last year I got the Satiator along with a "Saturn All-In-One" which has both a cartridge-accessible 8mb memory card and the 4mb RAM included. I'm glad the Saroo exists, but I wouldn't want to rely on the often-precarious Saturn cartridge slot for games directly. Between those two, a Retro-Access C-Sync Scart RGB cable, and a Retrotink 5x, it's honestly pathetic how much money I've spent just to get my Saturn to where I want it.
Should've stuck with playing it on a crt
I use the 2-in-1 cartridge that has 1MB/4MB RAM and memory save l and installed Psuedo Kai on the Satiator to add cheats and save management in the mix. Plus I have a feeling that I’m gonna invest into a netlink cartridge and you won’t be able to play games online with Saroo.
I think this is inevitably going to become the de facto “Everdrive” for Saturn. Now that it’s gaining traction I dont see how the issues won’t be resolved. It’s literally all in one for Saturn. RIP Satiator and Fenrir.
Wouldn't quite count those eggs before they've hatched there buddy.
Mode has a nice cover art feature
Lol well let's see how it develops first before we make bold claims like this...
Exactly. The Saturn cartridge port is very unreliable. This would be a much better solution if that wasn't a factor. I will stick with Fenrir or if I want the CD Drive intact: Satiator
What we do need is that virtual save feature as a standalone catridge, with all the ram stuff as well.
This has amazing potetntial to become the best allround solution but im going to wait until a clear leader appears in the manufacturers
I bought the psuedo saturn kai. It works great. Just burn a disc, pop it in, and go. When they get the Saroo matured and working with most games I'll probably pick one up.
So the saturn becomes the Jupiter. Plus i can still use vcd rear slot (watch vcd) unlike with other "sd" solutions!
Love all your videos and stuff you do. May i ask you to check the audio on this one. Something seems to be off, it sounds loud, in areas gets crackle. All the best
Mine came today from Ali Express. Looking forward to playing with it on my days off.
Sounds like a great cartridge to use it as ram expansion and to save but for compatibility you still have to load the games normally. It has a lot of potential. By the way, maybe you already did it so i'll search for it, but a video about Saturn games ported to other systems and the differences would be cool, like Panzer Dragoon and Virtua Fighter are on PC and PS2 too, I think there are more Saturn games on the "sega ages" PS2 line.
I bought one a few months ago but it's just a board without a case, would like to get a nice one that matches my "This is Cool" Saturn
I got a Fenrir so I'll wait before picking one of these up. The faster load times is very enticing.
I have quite enjoyed mine since buying sometime before the holidays last year. I will say despite some issues, alot of them are mostly ironed out or as mentioned, adjusting via config ini. If you're on the fence, its still a solid buy for the as low sub-$70 you can nab them for. People that are hanging on with Kai carts...i say use the Saroo as the primary booting method, anything else troublesome, by all means use the Kai for those games & cheats as a standby. That's been my method to success.
This came just a bit too late for me! I had a Saturn with what I thought was a dying laser, bought a Fenrir and second Saturn… but the first is still kicking! 😆 Really cool product though! If they can get the quirks ironed out (and the cartridge slot doesn’t wear out) this could become the standard.
Honestly, I'm thinking about picking up a Saturn and one of these, and that's it.. Think it would be a good enough solution to experience what I missed by not having the system before. And with what Saturn games cost even if I have to buy a better version later on I'll still be ahead.
I'll stick with my Satiator + Action Replay combination for now
Same! Psuedo Kai is clutch for the Satiator and we can still use Netlink too!
Sheesh, you don't have much concept of value do you? You grossly overpaid for that setup. Far too many ppl need to take an economics class so they can learn how to be better with their money. Far too many don't care how much they spend on something or what the best bang for the buck might be.
@@skins4thewin Nothing really wrong with the Satiator, though. Seems to take less general setup than the Saroo, is built more consistently than the Saroo, and seems to have fewer compatibility issues than the Saroo. And for that, considering that, last I checked, the Saroo turned into a few different forks of the same initial incomplete product with different manufacturers, the Satiator is a higher priced product. "Best bang for the buck" is a good rule of thumb, don't get me wrong, but it doesn't cover every use case. That said, if cost is that much of an issue, you are better off emulating.
@@RippahRooJizah You're stating the clearly obvious stuff. We all know the Saroo isn't a completed project yet. The only thing wrong w the Satiator is the price, and that's enough. There are other products that can do much of the same for much cheaper. The moment I saw the Satiator price I immediately wrote it off, that is an absurd price to pay for an ODE. The creator for that is being greedy, & the fact that Patreons got screwed over after paying to be a patreon for years and still had to pay full price for one is reason enough not to give the Satiator dev your money.
@@skins4thewin I'm not one to call someone 'greedy' without an reason beyond "Wow this thing seems kinda expensive". Granted I've also had some light chats with him and seen others chat with him. You're going to give some actual hard reasoning for me. Besides, what are the other options for ODEs? The ones where you would have to replace the disc drive, something that not everyone wants to do? The Saroo which product quality may be kinda random depending on where you get it? These are all different options for different price points and there really isn't anything around that makes the Satiator completely pointless outside of personal tastes.
I still have my Saturn and a bunch of games, but this is a cool alternative.
Got one, its great!
I'm still using Pseudo and so far it's still doing an amazing job. Guess ill wait for more development on Saroo before I pull the plug
You should consider a comparison of the various ODE solutions for the Saturn with everything they offer including compatibility with Action Replay for cheats and other add ons for save backups. I’m looking to get a Saturn with the best solutions.
Be careful, Saroo could be short for Saruman and you know how helping him ended for his supporters ;) Sarooman the multi manufactured.
You should do a face off between Satiator and Saroo and let others see how they compare.
Im starting to like the saturn more then the dreamcast now
That is honestly absurd, Genesis and Dreamcast were the only thing that Sega made that was worth the asking price. Everything from 32x to Saturn was a scam.
@@jabrondestoroyahnot if you include the Saturn imports. I know one thing, I’d rather play fighting games on a Saturn controller.
I got the SAROO too. Almost every game work fine if the ISO/BIN settings is correct. Only one game crash when loading is Daytona USA (first edition). The demonstration cannot continue after the first demo. However the gameplay is fine without problem.
looking forward to a completed version
Nice vid!
This sounds awesome since saturn fenrir switchers are not being made anymore and really wanted one to use my drive.
Great solution, hope it will become better with compatibility
Great video. Still on the fence due to the fragmented nature of the suppliers, firmwares, etc.
Anything Sega related I instantly come here. I never owned a Sega Saturn I was thinking about buying one but hacked tho. Do you recommend I do that?
Get a satiator with an action replay plus you can flash the action replay Plus to work even better with it. You can have per game saves on the SD card and the amazing Saturn rings menu with box art and you can still use your disk drive.. and just about complete compatibility with every game. And believe me I've tried them all. This is pretty cool and convenient but personally I would go with the satiator.
I thought about getting a saroo.. especially for the game save feature But I really like my pseudo Saturn cart. (Man I love the Saturn. I can't put my finger on why. I own many consoles but my Saturn stays hooked up) DC and Saturn ❤ and this is from a life long Nintendo guy lol
Hey Sega Lord X! Would love to see you do a video about Segata Sanshiro.
Own a MODE, Fenrir and a Pheobe but Looking to order one of these soon.
I feel like Metal Slug & Loaded are two games that could benefit from a 4MB RAM patch to reduce slowdown & maybe even improve animations! Would love to see that one day as I love both of those games on the PS1 and Neo Geo respectively.
Wanna try this out soon
Just buy a decent PC/steam deck and emulate things and have something of worth instead.
Cool project. The loading times are basically as fast as on a cartridge system. But I'll probably stick with my Fenrir, as it works perfect, with all games, I've played to far. But I might pick up one of those carts, in the future, when all the bugs are fixed 👍
Damn you're good at what you do Lord X. You are always so objective, and it really makes your videos more engaging because of it. Keep up the great work!
I installed modchip on my saturn a while ago, but if it wasnt modded already i probably wouldve tried this out. I also got a action replay. Maybe if my disc drive ever goes south ill get one of these.
I was really interested in this but saw lots of reviews about compatibility issues with many titles so i went for the fenrir ode instead much more reliable
The _Satiator_ seemed like the most convenient ODE option, but the _Sawoo_ is even more convenient, much cheaper, & might mean we can still use the VCD/MPEG decompression expansion card! As a fan of free/libre & open-source software (F/LOSS) & hardware, I hope to see it continue to improve.
i finally secured me a saturn, and thinking about either this or a saitiator when i get the funds. so if you run games from disc i take it there is no compatibility issues at that point, since the issues it has is tied to fast load speeds? that could top the scales considering the saitiators high price point, also compared to the liked of a fenrir
ended up going with saroo from timeharvest, i'll update here how that goes but i got an elite and i've read good things about the vendor