Modding a PAL French N64 for RGB. Also, what cable do I need?

I find it pretty surprising that's all it takes, were 3 resistors that expensive that Nintendo decided that not including RGB would save them money?

One other thing, why doesn't the original composite signal interfere with the RGB signal? After all, there's two signals arriving at the cable, one from the RGB mod, and the other being the signal the system normally produces.

 

N64 internally is not composite based. Its graphics chip generates digital video of some form, why it needs a DAC to be useful for mass market TVs. Whether encoded into composite or RGB.

 

3 resistors * hojillion consoles * time it takes to place and solder the extra parts=$$$

 

I see. Though again, wouldn't the N64 still be trying to generate video the way it normally does and sending it to the video cable?

 

There are multiple connections in the N64 AV connector. If you have 10 different connections, you can run 10 different things without them even knowing about each other.

(over simplification, but you get the idea)

 

Not to mention you can't just mod any N64 with 3 resistors... the French N64 is an exception in PAL machines...
Nintendo sure makes some pretty dumb moves (from a consumer POV since for N even a capacitor less is money) from the N64 and onwards... even the wii falls in that category for being limited to component (and 480p)

 

Ah OK, thanks! Now that I think about it, the N64 would normally be generating multiple signals anyway, since the composite, RF and S-video cables all plug into the same port.

 

That's pretty standard practice for consoles. As soon as sound was introduced to home TV gaming in the early 70s, they put it alongside video through RF.

 

While I wait for the resistors to arrive, I've decided to draw up a diagram on what I think the mod Bad_Ad has been describing looks like, let me know if I've got it right!


The black wire is the "sync" wire, and from what Bad_Ad has been saying, you get better quality if you use csync from the S-RGB chip. I take it that this is how it should be wired up in that case?

 

Technically yes. But I doubt your RGB cable will have a connection for pin 3. It will probably be using pin 9 (composite video). You will need to cut the trace going to pin 9, then connect csync to the pin.

 

So solder the csync leg to the pin marked "V" in this case? As to cutting the trace, is the current flowing in a clockwise direction? So I should cut the trace on the left side of the pin then?

 

There is only 1 connection to the pin...?

trace is light green, dark green is nothing.

 

*slaps forehead*
D'oh! Of course! Thanks for the enlightenment

Okay, so here's a new diagram, have I got it right this time?

(small red line is a cut trace)

 

^ that's exactly what I did , it works

 

Awesome, thanks!

I notice before you were messing around with your N64 trying to improve the quality. Were you able to reach a satisfactory level when you modded it like this?

 

well, today I am going to try installing a 7314 amp I got yesterday from Bad_Ad84 , so I will be able to report back later if it works better than nintendo's amp or not... stay tuned

 

So you're going to be wiring up this amp in place of the S-RGB A?

 

yes, I tried all 3 possible solutions I have atm:

a. 7314 with unamplified signals from vdp
b. pce-style handmade rgb amp with the same unamplified signals from vdp
c. signals from S-RGB via 75ohm resistors

All 3 produce the same image quality. I did not see any real difference and if there one then it's so small that it goes unnoticed. So basically the best and easiest solution is to follow the diagram you posted above fireaza , I will do the same for my n64, no need to use extra components that offer nothing I can notice

 

"Told you so"

 

^ yep , but it doesn't hurt to experiment
next station is pce with 7314