NESRGB board available now

[Skips]

While on the subject of audio, here are some recordings from the Power/Audio board for the original Famicom. The CH1<>CH2 switch now selects between normal cartridge and Everdrive audio level for expansion audio.


aku-everdrive.mp3
aku-real-cartridge.mp3

There is a potentiometer on the board which can be used to adjust channel separation (fake stereo) from none to total. The following were recorded with moderate separation.

aku-everdrive-simulated-stereo.mp3
silius-simulated-stereo.mp3

Wow that Famicom PCB is looking spiffy. I can't wait to see how the Famicom version of the kit is installed. Is everything located in the back on that PCB or will there be two parts to the kit? Is that the final kit you have in there or a prototype? Can't wait for this version, I plan to buy one the day they go live. The original Famicom is still my favorite version of the NES.

[RGB32E]

While on the subject of audio, here are some recordings from the Power/Audio board for the original Famicom. The CH1<>CH2 switch now selects between normal cartridge and Everdrive audio level for expansion audio.

Looks and sounds great! When should we expect the PA and NESRGB adapter boards for the original Famicom to go on sale?

[Artemio]

In case anyone remembers, on p.80-81, we were talking about mixing and levels for Famicom audio. After having tried post-amp mixing, I've finally gotten around to trying the pre-amp method as recommended by several people, including Tim. I found that it works well, and doesn't seem to introduce any noise that isn't already there prior to adding the extra audio.

I did find the recommend level using a 100k resistor on the Famicom audio to be a little off though. At this level the Famicom audio was way too strong, really drowning out the regular audio. After testing several other values I found that 150k provided a much better balance. I know that the waveforms Artemio shared seemed to support 100k pretty definitively, but I have a pretty good ear and a sound system with a fairly full and flat response. 150k sounds much more balanced and pleasing. Maybe something else is different in my setup, I don't know. I was testing with a batch 1 NES-RGB modded US front loader and a legitimate Akumajou Densetsu cart, and went through the tracks in the sound test for a few hours.

The target of the test was to get the exact same balance as when using a Famicom, which is what Tim provided when using the 100K resistor it seems. Same setup here, a good sound system, a first batch NES-RGB in a front loader, a Famicom with RCA audio out, and a scope + M-Audio 192 card without modifying levels for recording.

it is good to know there is a probably more pleasing setting, I find the defult quite good in both setups as well.

[lettuce]

So today i decided to fit a NESRGB to my childhood NES, have done about 6 in the past but none held as much sentimental value to me as this one, and thankfully everything was clean and went off without a hitch, was really happy with the cut out for the multiout socket which can be a pain to get it looking good and also hide the palette switch away nicely.....



Also as i had it apart i replaced all the caps, replaced the regulator with a 1.5amp version and also fitted a new cart connector....



So basically the NES hasnt been as good condition since it was new!

[ms06fz]

Nice. Totally worth cutting the case for this mod IMO.

AV Multi-out connector though... Do you have cables already? Third party multi-out cables are such trash...

[lettuce]

Nice. Totally worth cutting the case for this mod IMO.

AV Multi-out connector though... Do you have cables already? Third party multi-out cables are such trash...

Yeah, i got a SNES cable from retrogamingcables here in the UK, it uses RAW Sync (csync)

[lettuce]

While on the subject of audio, here are some recordings from the Power/Audio board for the original Famicom. The CH1<>CH2 switch now selects between normal cartridge and Everdrive audio level for expansion audio.

Yeah actually you can here a fair bit of difference from this...

aku-everdrive-simulated-stereo.mp3

to mine.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd-s5cmKJOQ

at around 30 seconds in and also 1min 7, the instrument in the background is alot quieter on mine.....i guess i should try a 100k resistor then maybe, i think 150k would be too much however

[ApolloBoy]

BTW, if anyone in the US wants to have their NESRGB reprogrammed to the 1.7 firmware I can do so now. Just got a USB Blaster in the mail yesterday and successfully reprogrammed a few today.

[CkRtech]

Don't know if I missed this a few pages back or not, but Tim made some updates the background fault/firmware page a few weeks back and added information including identifying which batch certain boards came from as well as a changelog for each version of the firmware. Most of you that work on these boards probably already have this page bookmarked, but here it is in case you need it: http://etim.net.au/nesrgb/background_fault/

EDIT: I guess that is what I get for ignoring mention of releases post 1.4...

[rCadeGaming]

Guess it's hard to compare without the real famicom hardware. Have you posted videos of the 100k and 150k resistors for comparison?

I could upload an audio recording (no good capture hardware for video) if anyone would like me to. I would recommend anyone that is that interested to try tuning it to their own ears and hardware though.

The target of the test was to get the exact same balance as when using a Famicom ... Same setup here ... it is good to know there is a probably more pleasing setting

Of course. The original balance on a Famicom is not necessarily perfect.

Yeah actually you can here a fair bit of difference from this... to mine... at around 30 seconds in and also 1min 7, the instrument in the background is alot quieter on mine...

Yeah that part around 1:07 was what I was talking about

...i guess i should try a 100k resistor then maybe, i think 150k would be too much however

Yeah, since you're using a flash cart you'll need a different resistance to find the best balance. Yours didn't sound that far off, so yeah doubling the resistance to 150k would probably make the expansion audio too soft. Just try a bunch of values. Better yet, run it through a pot, tweak it to perfection, then measure the pot to get your resistance level.

[Einzelherz]

How difficult is it to pop off the power/av box on the back of the motherboard?

[Pasky]

Not difficult at all if you got a real hot iron. Just heat one leg molten, pry it a bit. Do the next leg, repeat until it's out. Probably take about 4-5 times for each leg going in a circle.

It's easier if you cut the legs I suppose, but each one I did, I kept intact.

[ApolloBoy]

EDIT: I guess that is what I get for ignoring mention of releases post 1.4...

Heh, the NESRGB in my Twin Famicom was still on the 1.3 firmware and I didn't get around to updating it to 1.7 until earlier today. I did encounter a weird problem with 1.3 and Thexder though, the colors become very strange once you get to the second level. It might have been related to that Castlevania II hack since it doesn't show up with 1.4 and up.

[leonk]

Tim. Please let us know when you'll be ready to take our $$$ for the famicom NESRGB. System and FDS ready and waiting

[mvsfan]

all this talk of people having to upgrade firmware with each batch makes me glad i have a usb blaster.

luckily my batch 3 board already came with version 1.7.

but now im expecting more upgrades in the future as more problems are found.

lettuce - that nes work looks nice the hole for the multi-out came out great and the wires are nice and neat.
Im glad that the nes youve had forever came out good.

I got my new board today.

I noticed On the new boards Tim added a pad for the expansion audio (Nice improvement) as well as some pads right above the jtag connector.

the ones above the jtag connector - three of them look like they are to bypass the built - in caps on the rgb lines for when you use a cable that already has them in it. One is ground.

what is the fifth pad for?

[Einzelherz]

For some reason I was under the impression a small set of instructions/diagram of the board would come with the unit, but it didn't. Are the instructions on the OP and on Tim's site still adequate to get this thing up and running?

Also, are the photos upside down cause Tim's in Australia?

edit: never mind, I found what I was looking for on the site.

[mvsfan]

it looks like the site still has old pictures of the v 1.0 board.

[lettuce]

Anyone wanting their Frontloader consoles modding in the UK but lack the confidence/experience i will now offer my services, customer to supply there own parts (apart from caps and regulators)

I offer the following

Standard NESRGB Install
Standard NESRGB+Multiout Install
Standard NESRGB+Multiout+Expansion Audio Install
Standard NESRGB+Multiout+Expansion Audio+Cap kit & Regulator Upgrade replacement Install

PM me for prices

PS. I guess i could do top loaders or though i havent done one yet, but this would be just the basic install option. Are the Top loaders more difficult than the Frontloaders?

[mvsfan]

top loaders cost more to buy initially -
and the only real difference is that there are a lot more socket connections to make for the top loader adapter - so it will take you a bit longer.

on the top loader there are 200 connections between the ppu and the motherboard as opposed to 120 for the front loader.

[bobrocks95]

The target of the test was to get the exact same balance as when using a Famicom, which is what Tim provided when using the 100K resistor it seems. Same setup here, a good sound system, a first batch NES-RGB in a front loader, a Famicom with RCA audio out, and a scope + M-Audio 192 card without modifying levels for recording.

it is good to know there is a probably more pleasing setting, I find the defult quite good in both setups as well.

I remember seeing a video that showed that different revisions of the original Famicom had, at one point, a drastic difference in sound balance with FDS games. Is the same applicable to expansion audio in cartridges perhaps, or just the FDS?

[mvsfan]

of all the NESRGB mods for different consoles out there there is still one i havent seen anybody do yet.

Jason even put one in a nes test station.

But....

I still havent seen anyone try to put one in a playchoice 10 board.

[ms06fz]

of all the NESRGB mods for different consoles out there there is still one i havent seen anybody do yet.

Jason even put one in a nes test station.

But....

I still havent seen anyone try to put one in a playchoice 10 board.

I would totally do it if I had a Playchoice, and a scrap NES system to salvage a PPU from...

[mickcris]

of all the NESRGB mods for different consoles out there there is still one i havent seen anybody do yet.

Jason even put one in a nes test station.

But....

I still havent seen anyone try to put one in a playchoice 10 board.

Not sure that would work as its has a differnt PPU. Has someone done a famicom titler that has the same PPU as the PC10? If so, then it might work.

[lettuce]

So i understand for a PAL system you need both Jumper pads, J4 and J7 shorted?

[ms06fz]

I still havent seen anyone try to put one in a playchoice 10 board.

Not sure that would work as its has a differnt PPU. Has someone done a famicom titler that has the same PPU as the PC10? If so, then it might work.

You would have to use a NES PPU (since the RGB PPUs don't have the EXT lines), and hook up the RGB outputs to the proper pins on the motherboard (and invert them) but it should work.

[mvsfan]

i believe it would go something like this.

You would have to use the composite ppu in a playchoice nesrgb installation - not the rgb one.

It almost doesnt make sence until you think about it.

The nesrgb uses the composite ppu to generate rgb. It wont work with the rgb ppu because it outputs rgb on the ext pins instead of digital data like the nesrgb needs to work.

then somehow - you would have to cut some traces on the pc10 motherboard and tie in the nesrgbs rgb output to the right spots on the motherboard - to invert it.

However if its not going back into a playchoice cab but instead into a regular old jamma one - then you could just skip the inverting part and tie in the nesrgb output to the rgbs lines on your monitor and be done with it.

I dont have a playchoice cab but i do have a couple empty playchoice boards from when i built my rgb ppu nes.

Ive been meaning to buy another empty dynamo cabinet. I sold my last one when i left florida.

[lettuce]

While on the subject of audio, here are some recordings from the Power/Audio board for the original Famicom. The CH1<>CH2 switch now selects between normal cartridge and Everdrive audio level for expansion audio.

Yeah actually you can here a fair bit of difference from this...

aku-everdrive-simulated-stereo.mp3

to mine.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jd-s5cmKJOQ

at around 30 seconds in and also 1min 7, the instrument in the background is alot quieter on mine.....i guess i should try a 100k resistor then maybe, i think 150k would be too much however

Ok so i tried a 100k resistor.....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkL9DVm-L3M

sound better???

[Voultar]

Well, I now know and understand the problems that people are having with CS and the Framemeister.

Most games operate quite well. Interestingly enough, Ninja Ryukenden (Ninja Gaiden) 2, and 3 drop out continously.

Adjusting the sync level made very little difference, it still cuts out. I may have to swing back to composite video, though I really don't want to do that..

[Pasky]

Just played NG II for about 20 minutes. No sync problems at all, using composite sync and playing through the xrgb mini at sync level 9.

[mickcris]

Just played NG II for about 20 minutes. No sync problems at all, using composite sync and playing through the xrgb mini at sync level 9.

It only seems to be a problem on some setups so yours is probably fine. CS works fine on my toploader NES (1st batch NESRGB), but does not work well on my AV Famicom (2nd batch board).