Help with N64RGB Installation on NUS-CPU-04

[Jordino]

As the title says, I have an CPU-04 N64 that I've read had missing csync components. I have SNES HD Retrovision Component cables that I will use once I install Tim Worthington's RGB board. The cable uses sync over composite and I believe has 75 ohm resistors. Do I need to wire CS# to pin 3, 7, or just leave it untouched? I'm completely confused as to what to do.

[unmaker]

As the title says, I have an CPU-04 N64 that I've read had missing csync components. I have SNES HD Retrovision Component cables that I will use once I install Tim Worthington's RGB board. The cable uses sync over composite and I believe has 75 ohm resistors. Do I need to wire CS# to pin 3, 7, or just leave it untouched? I'm completely confused as to what to do.

Like you've mentioned, HDR cables use sync on composite (not to be confused with composite sync) so you don't need to worry about CSYNC at all if you will be using only HDR cables. Just wire up the R, G, B, ground lines from the N64RGB board and you'll be done. Also I believe HDR cables already have a low-pass filter built into the cable so you might want to close the jumper J4 on the N64RGB board. This will turn the N64RGB's LPF off and will make your video output just a hair sharper.

An alternative is you can use csync by isolating pin 3 (either by cutting the trace or removing a few components) and connecting it to CS75 from the N64RGB board. Then you will need to open up the multiout connecter on the HDR cable and switch it from sync on composite to csync. There's really no need to do this if you're using Tim's board but it is required if you want the line-doubling capabilities if installing borti's N64Advanced board.

[nmalinoski]

As the title says, I have an CPU-04 N64 that I've read had missing csync components. I have SNES HD Retrovision Component cables that I will use once I install Tim Worthington's RGB board. The cable uses sync over composite and I believe has 75 ohm resistors. Do I need to wire CS# to pin 3, 7, or just leave it untouched? I'm completely confused as to what to do.

Like you've mentioned, HDR cables use sync on composite (not to be confused with composite sync) so you don't need to worry about CSYNC at all if you will be using only HDR cables. Just wire up the R, G, B, ground lines from the N64RGB board and you'll be done. Also I believe HDR cables already have a low-pass filter built into the cable so you might want to close the jumper J4 on the N64RGB board. This will turn the N64RGB's LPF off and will make your video output just a hair sharper.

An alternative is you can use csync by isolating pin 3 (either by cutting the trace or removing a few components) and connecting it to CS75 from the N64RGB board. Then you will need to open up the multiout connecter on the HDR cable and switch it from sync on composite to csync. There's really no need to do this if you're using Tim's board but it is required if you want the line-doubling capabilities if installing borti's N64Advanced board.

Since you're already going to be mucking around inside your console, I would recommend wiring up CSync to the CSync pin while you're in there, just in case you decide/discover later on that you need clean composite sync for something.

Also, I personally would not disconnect composite video in favor of CSync; it's useful to have around if you're having video problems and need to determine whether it's just the RGB board or your console, or if you decide you want to play on a consumer CRT that lacks RGB.

[unmaker]

Also, I personally would not disconnect composite video in favor of CSync; it's useful to have around if you're having video problems and need to determine whether it's just the RGB board or your console, or if you decide you want to play on a consumer CRT that lacks RGB.

I don't know if you're referring to my earlier post but I made no mention of disconnecting composite video. I'm saying he can open up his HDR cable and rewire sync on composite to CSYNC, assuming he's also wired CS75 to pin 3 of the multiout.

[nmalinoski]

Also, I personally would not disconnect composite video in favor of CSync; it's useful to have around if you're having video problems and need to determine whether it's just the RGB board or your console, or if you decide you want to play on a consumer CRT that lacks RGB.

I don't know if you're referring to my earlier post but I made no mention of disconnecting composite video. I'm saying he can open up his HDR cable and rewire sync on composite to CSYNC, assuming he's also wired CS75 to pin 3 of the multiout.

Erm, yes, I was, but I ended up generalizing.

If anyone does modify their HD Retrovision cables like that, just make sure to never connect them to PAL consoles, or you'll send 12V down the sync line. :/

[Jordino]

As the title says, I have an CPU-04 N64 that I've read had missing csync components. I have SNES HD Retrovision Component cables that I will use once I install Tim Worthington's RGB board. The cable uses sync over composite and I believe has 75 ohm resistors. Do I need to wire CS# to pin 3, 7, or just leave it untouched? I'm completely confused as to what to do.

Like you've mentioned, HDR cables use sync on composite (not to be confused with composite sync) so you don't need to worry about CSYNC at all if you will be using only HDR cables. Just wire up the R, G, B, ground lines from the N64RGB board and you'll be done. Also I believe HDR cables already have a low-pass filter built into the cable so you might want to close the jumper J4 on the N64RGB board. This will turn the N64RGB's LPF off and will make your video output just a hair sharper.

An alternative is you can use csync by isolating pin 3 (either by cutting the trace or removing a few components) and connecting it to CS75 from the N64RGB board. Then you will need to open up the multiout connecter on the HDR cable and switch it from sync on composite to csync. There's really no need to do this if you're using Tim's board but it is required if you want the line-doubling capabilities if installing borti's N64Advanced board.

So I just connect J4 to 3V3 to disable the LPF? Also is the LPF different than the De-Blur feature or is it referring to the same thing? I'm going to connect pad A to G to enable de-blur, so having both enabled won't affect image quality will it?

[unmaker]

So I just connect J4 to 3V3 to disable the LPF? Also is the LPF different than the De-Blur feature or is it referring to the same thing? I'm going to connect pad A to G to enable de-blur, so having both enabled won't affect image quality will it?

If you look at J4 there are 2 pads. You want to put solder so that you bridge the 2 pads. LPF and de-blur are completely different. With LPF off on the N64RGB board the difference will be so small you really won't notice any difference. With de-blur on you will notice a difference.

I recommend you flash the board with borti's IGR (In-Game Routines) firmware. This way you can turn de-blur on or off at any time along with a few other features.

https://github.com/borti4938/n64rgb/tre ... es/viletim

https://github.com/borti4938/n64rgb/tre ... eralRGBmod

[Jordino]

So I just connect J4 to 3V3 to disable the LPF? Also is the LPF different than the De-Blur feature or is it referring to the same thing? I'm going to connect pad A to G to enable de-blur, so having both enabled won't affect image quality will it?

If you look at J4 there are 2 pads. You want to put solder so that you bridge the 2 pads. LPF and de-blur are completely different. With LPF off on the N64RGB board the difference will be so small you really won't notice any difference. With de-blur on you will notice a difference.

I recommend you flash the board with borti's IGR (In-Game Routines) firmware. This way you can turn de-blur on or off at any time along with a few other features.

https://github.com/borti4938/n64rgb/tre ... es/viletim

https://github.com/borti4938/n64rgb/tre ... eralRGBmod

I would flash the IGR software to the board, but it seems too complicated to do, as I would have to buy a usb blaster, figure out how to attach it to the n64rgb, and figure out how to use the software. Plus, I have a Retrotink 2x which has a smoothing filter mode similar to Anti-Aliasing.

[unmaker]

I would flash the IGR software to the board, but it seems too complicated to do, as I would have to buy a usb blaster, figure out how to attach it to the n64rgb, and figure out how to use the software. Plus, I have a Retrotink 2x which has a smoothing filter mode similar to Anti-Aliasing.

Any cheap usb blaster clone will do:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/altera-Mini-Us ... ctupt=true

Tim has a tutorial for programming:

https://etim.net.au/n64rgb/tech/

And here are the pinouts for the USB Blaster:

http://www.firebrandx.com/graphics/Alte ... Pinout.jpg

[Jordino]

I would flash the IGR software to the board, but it seems too complicated to do, as I would have to buy a usb blaster, figure out how to attach it to the n64rgb, and figure out how to use the software. Plus, I have a Retrotink 2x which has a smoothing filter mode similar to Anti-Aliasing.

Any cheap usb blaster clone will do:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/altera-Mini-Us ... ctupt=true

Tim has a tutorial for programming:

https://etim.net.au/n64rgb/tech/

And here are the pinouts for the USB Blaster:

http://www.firebrandx.com/graphics/Alte ... Pinout.jpg

I've ordered a usb blaster, and since I'll have to have my N64 open again, I'm going to wire pin 14 of the VDC chip with a 680K resistor to pin 3 in order to get csync, wire pin 3 to CS75, and flip the two wires around on the video cable. The only problem is that the csync won't be buffered, but it should be better than Sync on Composite.