Pal N64 Woes

Hi there im currently running a PAL N64 on my HDTV and it looks poop is there a RGB mod or any way to improve picture quality

 

I havent tried it yet, but there is a RGB mod out there.

http://www.gamesx.com/rgbadd/rgbn64.htm

 

hmm NTSC only though i wonder why nintendo dont allow rgb on a pal system

 

Missed that part sorry >.<

 

no worries

 

You cant get RGB out of the PAL consoles.

You will need to do what I intend to do - buy a NTSC console (and possibly swap the lockout chip to convert to PAL??)

 

i mean no mercy plays fine full screen so does wcw/nwo revenge and wrestlemania 2000 but fzero x is bordered

 

You can if you get the French model, which needs similar modifications as the early NTSC console.

I'm sure it's just the European and also some later revisions of the NTSC console that don't have the RGB DAC.

 

I probably should have mentioned that too, but I think locating an RGB capable NTSC model will be easier than the French one?

Are there any known good serial ranges for the french consoles?

Edit:

Change of plan, might build this:

http://members.optusnet.com.au/eviltim/n64rgb/n64rgb.html

Could obviously replace all those resistors with SMD on a custom board to make it clean.

Edit2:

Actually, its not worth it - N64's are cheap on ebay.fr

 

i might just buy a good old Retro CRT tv for my older consoles

 

I've not seen any serial lists but as far as I know, as long as the model no is NUS-001(FRA), then it should be moddable. I think after a while, they started selling the standard European console in France.

I managed to get one from ebay.fr, serial no: NUP11707600

I've not got round to modding it yet, but i've read that it outputs amplified RGB.

 

Yeah, my researched pointed towards all (FRA) ones being moddable, but with no 100% answer.

However, I have found a bunch cheap on ebay.fr, cheaper than just buying the chip in the mod I linked to.

 

i just find it baffling why nintendo failed to put a RGB signal on all the n64s

 

Waste of money when most people weren't using it. Europe is a smaller market than Japan and the US combined, why bother?

Cost cutting measures, how do they work?

 

good point dude

 

Japan and America got the N64 before the EU. Even by the time the US got it, they had already started removing components. by the time a EU release came, they were already using the boards without RGB and thats what we got.

We always get screwed on release dates.

Little to do with the size of Europe, it was a cost cutting measure across the board really.

 

Definitely didn't help thats for sure. Out of the ~10-15 N64s I've had open in front of me (all of them NTSC-U systems as well) not a one was RGB capable. My brother owns one from early in the life cycle that might be RGB capable and a friend of mine had one from launch year that must've done RGB.

 

Got my hands on a couple of NUS-001(FRA).

Just waiting to see how much he is going to discount me for not wanting the power/rf/pads/games and how much that decreases shipping by.

But if its not much, ill take them as they are. they are cheap even with the bundle, but shipping is 20 euro

 

The French N64's can be RGB modded (as mentioned above), and also Australian ones too; both are PAL.

Not all NTSC ones can be RGB modded.

PAL N64's can output as standard not only composite but also S-video. From what i've read, there is little extra image quality benefit with RGB on the N64.

Try S-video, it might be all you need!

 

It doesn't look too bad through S-Video IMO, maybe try that first?