Saturn (Japan)

Console published 31 years ago:

Sega Saturn (c) 1994 SEGA Enterprises, Ltd.

A 32-bit home video game console developed by Sega for the fifth-generation of consoles.

- TECHNICAL -

Model HST-0001

Featuring a total of eight processors, the Saturn's main central processing units are two Hitachi SH-2 microprocessors clocked at 28.6 MHz and capable of 56 MIPS.

The system contains a Motorola 68EC000 running at 11.3 MHz as a sound controller, a custom sound processor with an integrated Yamaha FH1 DSP running at 22.6 MHz capable of up to 32 sound channels with both FM synthesis and 16-bit PCM sampling at a maximum rate of 44.1 kHz, and two video display processors, the VDP1 (which handles sprites, textures and polygons) and the VDP2 (which handles backgrounds).[

Its double-speed CD-ROM drive is controlled by a dedicated Hitachi SH-1 processor to reduce load times.

The Saturn's System Control Unit (SCU), which controls all buses and functions as a co-processor of the main SH-2 CPU, has an internal DSP running at 14.3 MHz.

The Saturn contains a cartridge slot for memory expansion, 16 Mbit of work random-access memory (RAM), 12 Mbit of video RAM, 4 Mbit of RAM for sound functions, 4 Mbit of CD buffer RAM and 256 Kbit (32 KB) of battery backup RAM.

Its video output, provided by a stereo AV cable, displays at resolutions from 320×224 to 704×224 pixels, and is capable of displaying up to 16.77 million colors simultaneously.

Physically, the Saturn measures 260 mm × 230 mm × 83 mm (10.2 in × 9.1 in × 3.3 in).

- TRIVIA -

Development of the Saturn began in 1992, the same year Sega's groundbreaking 3-D Model 1 arcade hardware debuted. Designed around a new CPU from Japanese electronics company Hitachi, another video display processor was incorporated into the system's design in early 1994 to better compete with Sony's forthcoming PlayStation.

The name Saturn was initially the system's codename during development in Japan, but was eventually chosen as the official product name.

The Sega Saturn was released on November 22, 1994 in Japan at a price of 44,800 Yens. 5 millions units were sold in Japan.

Official re-Editions:
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0004]"
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0005]"
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0014]"
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0017]"
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0019]"
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0020]"
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0021]"
[JP] "Sega Saturn [Model HST-0022]"

Licensed releases:
[JP] "Hi-Saturn [Model MMP-1]"
[JP] "Hi-Saturn [Model MMP-11]"
[JP] "V-Saturn [Model RG-JX1]"
[JP] "V-Saturn [Model RG-JX2]"

Export releases:
[US] "Sega Saturn [Model MK-80000]"
[US] "Sega Saturn [Model MK-80001]"
[EU] "Sega Saturn [Model MK-80200-50]"

- STAFF -

Development of the Saturn was supervised by: Hideki Sato

- CONTRIBUTE -

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