diff --git a/src/mame/drivers/saturn.c b/src/mame/drivers/saturn.c
index 2365065c646..5d99af98a4e 100644
--- a/src/mame/drivers/saturn.c
+++ b/src/mame/drivers/saturn.c
@@ -2712,6 +2712,11 @@ static MACHINE_RESET( saturn )
 		machine.device("maincpu")->memory().space(AS_PROGRAM)->install_legacy_readwrite_handler(0x02600000, 0x027fffff, FUNC(saturn_cart_dram1_r), FUNC(saturn_cart_dram1_w));
 		machine.device("slave")->memory().space(AS_PROGRAM)->install_legacy_readwrite_handler(0x02600000, 0x027fffff, FUNC(saturn_cart_dram1_r), FUNC(saturn_cart_dram1_w));
 	}
+
+	/* TODO: default value is probably 7 */
+	state->m_scu.start_factor[0] = -1;
+	state->m_scu.start_factor[1] = -1;
+	state->m_scu.start_factor[2] = -1;
 }
 
 
@@ -2740,6 +2745,11 @@ static MACHINE_RESET( stv )
 
 	state->m_stv_rtc_timer->adjust(attotime::zero, 0, attotime::from_seconds(1));
 	state->m_prev_bankswitch = 0xff;
+
+	/* TODO: default value is probably 7 */
+	state->m_scu.start_factor[0] = -1;
+	state->m_scu.start_factor[1] = -1;
+	state->m_scu.start_factor[2] = -1;
 }
 
 static MACHINE_CONFIG_START( saturn, saturn_state )
diff --git a/src/mame/includes/stv.h b/src/mame/includes/stv.h
index 47fba5e2c4c..3d4e3f31c62 100644
--- a/src/mame/includes/stv.h
+++ b/src/mame/includes/stv.h
@@ -29,7 +29,7 @@ public:
 		UINT32    dst_add[3];	/* Destination Addition for DMA lv n*/
 		INT32     size[3];		/* Transfer DMA size lv n*/
 		UINT32    index[3];
-		UINT8     start_factor[3];
+		int       start_factor[3];
 		UINT8     enable_mask[3];
 	}m_scu;
 
diff --git a/src/mame/video/stvvdp1.c b/src/mame/video/stvvdp1.c
index 048980cbd50..87961aacd1a 100644
--- a/src/mame/video/stvvdp1.c
+++ b/src/mame/video/stvvdp1.c
@@ -299,8 +299,9 @@ WRITE16_HANDLER( saturn_vdp1_regs_w )
 		case 0x06/2:
 			if ( VDP1_LOG ) logerror( "VDP1: Erase data set %08X\n", data );
 
-			if(data)
+			if(data && data != 0x8000)
 				popmessage("EWDR set %08x, contact MAMEdev",STV_VDP1_EWDR);
+
 			break;
 		case 0x08/2:
 			if ( VDP1_LOG ) logerror( "VDP1: Erase upper-left coord set: %08X\n", data );