Pseudo Saturn Kai - Howto

Pseudo Saturn Kai - Howto

Don't know how to setup/use/whatever your Saturn cartridge with Pseudo Saturn Kai ? This is the right place for you
This page contains tutorials for Pseudo Saturn Kai usage and maintenance. I hope it will be as useful as possible.
Many thanks to Darius, for preparing the tutorials on this page

SD Card Setup

If you're using a Gamer's Cartridge, SD card is mandatory in order to make your cartridge working.
Recommended SD card :

- SDHC type (SDXC is untested)
- 4 GB (or more) capacity.

Supported file system is FAT32 only. No FAT, no exFAT, no NTFS, no anything else.
If your SD card is larger than 32GB, and Windows don't want to format it in FAT32, it's still possible to use third party formatter, for example this one.

Supported partition scheme is "Master Boot Record" only. "GUID Partition Table" or anything else won't work.
For Mac users : please refer to theses two screenshots when formating your SD card : format menu, then partition scheme selection. (More informations available here.)

In order to verify if your SD card is recognized by your Gamer's Cartridge, please boot your Saturn with your Gamer's Cartridge and SD card inserted : if "SD card init error" screen is displayed, then SD card is not recognized so please verify that you formatted it correctly, or give another try with a different SD card.
Else, if Pseudo Saturn Kai main menu is displayed, then your SD card is recognized correctly by your Gamer's Cartridge.

Note #1 : in order to optimize write perfomances, it's recommended to format your SD card before first use, even if its file system is already FAT32.

Note #2 : 4KB cluster size (usually) gives the best performance with Gamer's Cartridge.

Note #3 : more informations can be found in the readme file.

Disclaimer : I tested some spare SD cards here : some SD cards were recognized, some other not, and I can't guarantee your SD card will be recognized. If it doesn't works, please try with another SD card.

If you want to install ready to import save data on your SD card, please extract this archive to the root of your SD card :

- APPS folder contains some homebrew applications that can be executed from "Start Homebrew" feature in main menu.
- SAVES folder contains save data dumps that can be copied to your Virtual Memory Cartridge from "Save Data Manager" → "Save Data Import" feature.

Please note that the archive above may not contain latest files : latest files can be found in Pseudo Saturn Kai firmware archive.

Play Homebrew Games with Gamer's Cartridge

Gamer's Cartridge can play homebrew games or applications from SD card if the following conditions are met :

- CD-ROM is not used.
- Game or application start address is 0x06004000.

Copying homebrew executable file (typically in .BIN file extension) anwyhere on SD card, then selecting "Start Homebrew" feature (B button from boot menu, then second item from main menu) and selecting from file selection menu should make it starting.

Examples :

- Mic's applications : can be launched from SD card
- Rockin'-B's applications : must be burned to CD-ROM

Save Data Export / Dump

This section will only describe how to backup saves from your Saturn's internal memory to your SD card.

From Pseudo Saturn Kai main menu, please select "Save Data Manager" → "Save Data Export" feature, then select "Export Saturn Backup RAM" item.
Then select "SDcard" in "Select Device" menu and wait until Data dump finishes.

Note : Internal backup memory is dumped in SAVES → YYYYMMDD folder → BRAM_(ID).BIN file. So please don't forget to setup your Saturn's clock before dumping your internal backup memory

Want to restore saves from the internal backup memory you dumped a while ago ? No problem, that's simple to do
From Pseudo Saturn Kai main menu please select "Save Data Manager" → "Save Data Import" → dump date folder (YYYYMMDD format) → BRAM_(ID).BIN file.
More information can be found in Save Data Import section.

Save Data Export from Saturn FDD

Want a digital copy of saves stored in Saturn FDD ?
This is possible and detailed here on my blog !

Save Data Import

First, let's answer a question you're probably wondering about : Why do I need to import save data before using them ?
Basically, that's because save data for a given game may exist in several versions from several contributors, hence it's not possible to import them all under the same save file name.

So before importing save data, please be sure you copied some save data to import in your SD card, as described in SD card setup section above.
Then, from Pseudo Saturn Kai main menu please select "Save Data Manager" → "Save Data Import" feature, and select a save data dump file.
After a save data dump file is selected, please select one or several save data within this file. (Multiple selection is possible with X button, and selecting all saves is possible with Y button)
Finally, please confirm and wait until your save data are imported to your SD card.

Cartridge Firmware Installation

This section describes how to install or update Pseudo Saturn Kai on your Saturn cartridge : Action Replay (and their clones), USB dev cart, Gamer's Cartridge.

Firmware installation is performed directly from your Saturn and consequently requires a blank CD-R in order to burn firmware flasher utility.
(If your cartridge's previous firmware doesn't supports Pseudo Saturn features, you may need to perform swap trick in order to boot firmware flasher utility.)

Note #1 : If you want to see what installation looks like in video, then Youtube is the best place for this
Note #2 : installation steps (but without screenshots) can be found somewhere in Pseudo Saturn Kai readme file.
Note #3 : Quelques tutos en Français sont disponibles sur le forum à Darius

Disclaimer : Please flash your cartridge at your own risks ! I'm NOT responsible to any damage caused to your cartridge and your Saturn !

Case 1 : new install on Action Replay cartridge. For example from legacy firmware, or on a bricked cartridge. >>> Refer to Pseudo Saturn Kai install tutorial <<<

Case 2 : upgrade from previous version of Pseudo Saturn (Kai or not). >>> Refer to Pseudo Saturn Kai upgrade tutorial <<<

Cartridge Firmware Installation

(Under construction, please be patient !)

Cartridge Firmware Upgrade

This section describes how to install or update Pseudo Saturn Kai lite on Action Replay cartridge (and their clones) and USB dev cart.

Firmware installation is performed directly from your Saturn and consequently requires a blank CD-R in order to burn firmware flasher utility.
And, it pre-requires that your cartridge contains and old version of Pseudo Saturn (Kai or not) so that loading firmware flasher CD-ROM can be done without the need of swap trick method.

Step 1 : download and burn latest firmware flasher utility. If you're using a Gamer's Cartridge, please insert a SD card correctly set up. When everything is ready, turn on your Saturn.

Step 2 : push A button in order to select "Start Game" entry.

Step 3 : push A button in order to select "CWX (PS 0.831)" loader.

Step 4 : push A button in order to disable ROM hacks. If your CD-R is correctly burned, following menu is displayed :

Step 5 : push R shoulder button in order to display sub menu.

Step 6 : select "Firmware Flasher" entry and push A button in order to confirm.

Step 7 : Choose "Pseudo Saturn Kai" if you're using Gamer's Cartridge, "Pseudo Saturn Kai lite" else. ("beta" is removed from firmwares name in latest installer) After selecting firmware with A button, following confirmation screen is displayed :

Step 8 : push A+B+C buttons in order to start cartridge flashing. Just after that, flashing progress is displayed : please wait patiently until following screen is displayed. (IMPORTANT : DON'T TURN OFF YOUR SATURN UNTIL FLASHING FINISHES.)

Step 9 : If "write verification success" is displayed in green color, then everything was OK and you can push Start button in order to show the following menu :

Step 10 : Select "System Reset" with A button in order to return to firmware main menu.

Step 11 : After inserting a CD-R game, you can push A button in order to start playing