A commercial console modder by the name of Will’s Console Modifications has announced a new toggle switch that will enable owners of 20-Pin Saturn Optical Drive Emulators (such as Fenrir, Rhea & Phoebe) to select between the use of their Saturn’s Optical CD Drive and their installed ODE of choice. He’s calling it the “Sega Saturn Switcher“.
While at present, this mod is only designed for 20-pin consoles & ODEs, there may be plans in the near future to develop a 21-pin option.
Based on comments from Will in the post threads, it sounds like this mod might even be able to work (in theory) for the TerraOnion M.O.D.E. ODE, however, it would be a “very tight squeeze” and getting it all to fit would be entirely up to the owner, so this sounds like a “proceed at your own risk” type of scenario…
Anyway, this really is going to be a GAME CHANGER (pun intended) for many Saturn fans, as what was previously a perk exclusive only to Professor Abrasive’s Satiator (as a flash cart leaving Saturn’s optical drive intact), folks will now have the option of purchasing solutions that are not only less expensive but (in some cases) also offer exclusive features of their own (I’m looking at you, Fenrir, with your game loading from network over WiFi and MPEG card support).
If this solution becomes readily available and relatively inexpensive, then it really could mean that the Satiator would need to come down in price in order to hold on to its competitive edge. That said, there are still several folks out there who have no interest or desire in opening up their console and making even the simplest of modifications. So at least its comforting to know that there are options out there that will meet everyone’s individual needs at varying price points.
Stay tuned, as SHIRO! will continue to follow this story and report on any significant future updates.
A massive Saturn fan since Christmas ’96, Dave is enthusiastic about growing the community and spreading Saturn love and knowledge to fans old and new. Co-founding the SEGA SATURN, SHIRO! podcast back in 2017 and creating the SHIRO! SHOW in 2020, he seeks to create interesting and engaging Saturn-related content for the community. Dave’s interests circle around game preservation, and he is a huge fan of game magazines and developer interviews.
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