HELP! Too much blocky, pixelated games when compared with original game

Hi, I have a brand new Everdrive 64 and it works just fine, except for the games looking very pixelated, blocky.
I know, they are old games, but when using Everdrive 64 v2 they are blockier, more pixelated than with my original cartridge.

I compared both Banjo Kazooie (U) V1.0 [f1].z64 and my original cartridge I bought years ago. And clearly when playing the ROM with Everdrive 64 the image is worse, more pixelated.

I have a Brazilian Nintendo 64. Some say it works like an american NTSC, although it's PAL-M. So i bought the ED64 with CIC-6102. The ED64 works and in colors, but with this problem I just said. Maybe I should have bought CIC-7101?

It's not a problem with my TV. The same happens in my LCD Full HDTV (in this case, the image is even worse, but I think that's just because I'm playing an old console in a HD TV).

So, my setup is:

Brazilian PAL-M Nintendo 64
Everdrive 64 v2 with CIC-6102
OS 1.28
Firmware 2.24
AV cable
2 GB microSD card with adapter (almost full, maybe I should free up some space?)

Does anyone know how to solve my problem?

 

the ed64 itself would do nothing to make the games look morem pixelated, I guess it could be an NTSC/PAL issue given the scanline difference..

 

Color crystal should be its only change. Otherwise internally the same as a US/Korea/JPN console. After all Brazilian N64 games are US shaped, and PAL-M is 60hz with NTSC scanlines.

 

Hmm, it's difficult taking pictures of the same frame, but I tried to.
Here:
Everdrive 64 v2:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6230.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6240.JPG

Original cartridge:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6239.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6245.JPG

I think these pictures don't show well the problem... =/ But believe me =)

I forgot to say: My BK cartridge is also brazilian, and I'm using a Power Pak.

 

Have you tried Banjo Kazooie (U) V1.0 [!].z64? weird numbers like [f1] usually indicate hacked roms...

in your case any cartridge with an NTSC version CIC is supposed to look alike.

 

Lum, this difference is visible in any game, any ROM file. I was using (U) V 1.0 [!] at first, but then tried this hacked one because the FAQ in this forum suggested to use it.

Here more photos, I think it's clearier now. Just look at the letters!

Everdrive 64 v2:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6249.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6251.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6252.JPG

Original cartridge:
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6254.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6255.JPG
https://dl.dropbox.com/u/10838968/DSCF6256.JPG

 

Hmm. Looks like composite video blurring has been turned up. Oversaturated colors or something.

I wonder if an RGB mod would fix the issue (I don't know)? But even if it did, that wouldn't help you without a SCART input TV.

 

I'm still strugglin with that. I tried ED64 with another SD card (this time a real SD card, not a microSD with adapter), formated it as FAT32 and put only the OS64.v64 and the Banjo-Kazooie game. I tried older versions of the OS and even used the Jumper Pak (I was using Expansion Pak before). But the problem won't go away: the image is still more pixelated.

I don't think it's a problem with my console or the composite cable as the original cartridge still plays well, with a better image, the same as ever. I still wonder if CIC-7101 would work well in my brazilian PAL-M N64.

I think i'll try formating the SD card as FAT16. Any suggestion for allocation size?

Krikkz, help me, please!

EDIT: I now tried an European ROM. The game is black & white, as all (E) roms, but I think the "pixelated" problem is gone in this case. But I can't play in B&W... any suggestions?

 

PAL-M is different from regular PAL. Unpatched European ROMs will get you 50hz with incorrect color.

CIC-7101 shouldn't work. brazilian n64 uses the NTSC lockout code, otherwise American cartridges would not play.

 

PAL-M is not a PAL and not NTSC, i gues it is the reason of differences. Cart runs ntsc games in ntsc mode, pal games in pal mode. pal-m is something unknown for me.

 

unless everdrive can affect color mode, ntsc games are supposed to run same as the original cart.

 

I read about different region problems for some days and i might have some info for the subject.

First PAL-M is not PAL as people mentioned here. It is 60 hz and 480i like NTSC but the color carrier is different from NTSC.

So you did the right thing to buy the one with CIC-6102. Else it wouldn't work.

Color carrier mode is buried in the hardware. It might be NTSC,PAL-M or PAL. NTSC and PAL-M both might be output on consoles in Brazil if i am not wrong, but PAL might only be output via PAL region consoles.

But resolution and video frequency is buried in software. So if the game is 50 hz, it will be output 50 hz on whatever console you play.

So here are some examples.

Let's say i have a PAL N64 and i am playing a NTSC game with help of everdrive. N64 will output PAL as color carrier but at 60 hz video frequency. That is called "PAL60" a fake video mode. Most modern TVs in PAL region will know this format and output well (except my samsung D series HDTV)

Needless to say if you load a PAL rom, PAL N64 will output normal standart PAL which is PAL50.

If i have a NTSC N64 and load a PAL rom, N64 will output NTSC50 again a fake standart but most NTSC TVs show black and white video for this standart.

For PAL-M and NTSC things are a bit different. If Brazilian N64s can output both PAL-M and NTSC in hardware, this explains your problem. Your rom is NTSC and the original cartridge is PAL-M and this might be the issue. Though i am not sure at this. You might try "PALadin" to force PAL-M timetable on a ntsc rom with the parameter "/m" and this might solve your issue.

A RGB mod will solve your issue as it is independent from PAL and NTSC bullshit.

 

PAL60 isnt a fake video mode.

 

It is a standart invented for compatibility with 60 hz programs in Euro region. It is not a broadcasting standart. It is a compatibility trick.

Though it is used in a lot of places. VCRs, XBOX etc.

 

Yes, but it is a standard and is in use - not fake.

NTSC/50 however is not and is very much a non standard unsupported video mode.

 

Does N64 even have a way for games to identify which color is being used, let alone change it? I thought N64 was the same as SNES and Saturn.

As reprep suggests PAL-M will unfortunately display B&W on either an NTSC-only or PAL-only TV. For example brazilian N64 on my CRT would run (being 60hz), just minus colors...

 

Depends on what side you are looking at. If you only accept broadcasting standarts as not fake ones. It is fake. I agree about the compatibility, it is much more common than NTSC 50. Though it is meaningless to argue on this. I hope PAL dies a painful death.

Blurays have mostly solved our 25 fps issues but HDTV broadcasts are still 1080i@50hz which mean 4% faster movies and high pitched sounds. Even HD revolution doesn't solve our PAL problems.

 

PAL is actually technically better, just the borders and slowness is the problem. Which PAL60 resolves.

But yes, obviously not helpful for broadcasts.

 

Speaking in other words, I think the problem is everdrive 64 is in a lower resolution. I tried converting with Paladin using the parameter /m but it still
It says:

Converting videotables to MPAL
Processing file...
Converting Video-Tables
... none found!
Finished.

I don't know if converted, but the problem is not gone, PAL games are still b&w... I don't know about RGB mod, searching in this forum I found people with color problems...

I tested an original american cartrigde NTSC Goldeneye 007, and the problem is the same. In this case, the target icon before I selected a stage is kind of moving. I don't know how to explain, but it's like it's underwater and you can see the flow in the water. But when I play (U) rom with everdrive, everything is static, but with a lower resolution! =/

 

NTSC is called "Never twice the same colour" and PAL is technically better but poor conversions of both games and movies always made us envy of the other continent.

On the subject, to download PALadin google "PALadin n64". The exact command line to transform NTSC timetable to PAL-M timetable should be: "paladin /m romname.z64". Worth a try, i guess.