SNES Sharp Pixel mod

Discussion in 'Modding and Hacking - Consoles and Electronics' started by Armorant, Jun 24, 2016.

  1. Armorant

    Armorant Spirited Member

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    Hello everyone.
    A week ago I find a very interesting and awesome mod for SNES. It makes the picture more pixelized and more attractive. I fought it was pretty well known mod that might be called "SNES Sharp Pixel mod" or something like it, but no - it was pretty hard to find using these words, even if I know what I am looking for. Thanks to the Firefox history I was able to restore the link:
    http://vaot.mydns.jp/fc/sfc_sharp2.htm
    You have to translate japaneese to be able to read this.
    Some other info:
    https://twitter.com/arcadetv/status/672049155800506368
    Seems the @taivatri is the author of this mod.
    ###
    I am not so well-informed with Nintendo stuff and that is why I will be gratefull if anyone will say:
    1. Does this mod have any name?
    2. Is there any information how can I apply this mod to my SNS-CPU-GPM-02 (1993) or to any other SNES?
     
    Last edited: Jun 25, 2016
  2. citrus3000psi

    citrus3000psi Housekeeping, you want towel?

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  3. Atolm

    Atolm Spirited Member

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    good lord, I'll just stick with the SNES jr, thanks.
     
  4. Jackhead

    Jackhead Site Soldier

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  5. Bad_Ad84

    Bad_Ad84 The Tick

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    I'm sure a discussion happened on this recently and the consensus was that it made the picture worse.
     
    Mord.Fustang likes this.
  6. ASSEMbler

    ASSEMbler Administrator Staff Member

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    Believe it or not, a lot of electronics from the 1940's-1970's were like that, no pcb, just soldered together components.

    It makes me think whoever did that is old.
     
  7. Mord.Fustang

    Mord.Fustang My goodness, it's nipley out!

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  8. Ronnie

    Ronnie Spirited Member

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    I really believe the OP is onto something. For years I've notice that early SNES/SFC board revisions lack some color and they are very noisy. I'll have to give this a go and the only other thing I'll say , is to not go crazy with flux :D
     
  9. PixelButts

    PixelButts Site Soldier

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    Gonna need a schematic for this
     
  10. -=FamilyGuy=-

    -=FamilyGuy=- Site Supporter 2049

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  11. PixelButts

    PixelButts Site Soldier

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    I dont understand electronics. I barely understand software. But what I do understand is that this should be very prone to shorts unless they've made a method to stop it.
     
  12. -=FamilyGuy=-

    -=FamilyGuy=- Site Supporter 2049

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    I was kinda joking ala old school engineer. You see a yellow film between the PCB and the solder-component bread, that's Kapton and it's a good insulator. Elsewhere he seems to rely on the green vanish that protects the PCB for basic insulation against touch-contact. The real challenge with such a construction is not to liquefy all the solder at once and unsolder everything while trying to add a component.

    Beautifullly ugly deadbug electronics that's actually like that for a reason (smallest possible distance between components in high frequency applications): http://cds.linear.com/docs/en/application-note/an47fa.pdf
     
    Last edited: Jun 24, 2016
  13. Armorant

    Armorant Spirited Member

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    I think all schematic is given by the author of this mod, but you have to repeat scheme 3 times for each color.
     
  14. rama

    rama Gutsy Member

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    On this forum even ;p

    Anyway, the mod works but it causes new problems that are worse to look at.
    For now it looks like the best way to mod a 3 chip SNES is an RGB bypass mod that uses the THS7314 amplifier.
    The picture will have less noise and look decent, if still very blurry.
     
  15. RetroSwim

    RetroSwim <B>Site Supporter 2013</B><BR><B>Site Supporter 20

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    It's kinda bugging me these days, people want to "relive their memories" (i.e. play popular franchises' early entries for geek cred), but are disappointed that real systems don't have that sterile "emulator look".
     
  16. segasonicfan

    segasonicfan Robust Member

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    yeah, the "Geek Cred" is really annoying. I've been a video OSD nut since the 90s though and I am always striving to get the best, most crisp, video and sound from consoles. It's a fun way to learn electronics.

    I used to deadbug like that ALL the time. Variable temp irons are a must. It's a fun skill to have and I will use it still in applications with home made enclosures and such where perf board won't fit or isn't needed. deadbugging always looks scary ugly though haha.

    -Segasonicfan
     
  17. RetroSwim

    RetroSwim <B>Site Supporter 2013</B><BR><B>Site Supporter 20

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    The trouble is that "crisp" isn't necessarily always the best. Lots of N64 games used the system's built-in filtering and AA to fake having more colour depth than they actually had, but people actively try to undo it because GOTTA SEE PIXELS.

    The same went on with SNES and Mega Drive, too

    FWIW, I rock a full Sony PVM setup in my retro den, but occasionally having the best fidelity doesn't always equal having the best experience. :)
     
    rso likes this.
  18. MrMario2011

    MrMario2011 Robust Member

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  19. rso

    rso Gone. See y'all elsewhere, maybe.

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    Ew. That looks like someone digested and shat out a bowl of random components, with some candy on top for good measure... But hey, whatever works. And deadbugging rarely looks great anyways imho.

    Speaking of "it works"... The very first link in this thread is supposed to have comparison pics, but it won't work for me. Anyone happen to have a copy of those? (edit: Opening that Twatter link the second time, it now(...wtf?) shows a preview of a comparison of part of the screen, which makes it seem like a huge difference, but I'd prefer a full screen comparison if that's available anywhere?)
     
  20. CkRtech

    CkRtech Spirited Member

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