AV Famicom with RGB mod - where to turn?

[Shining]

I've been wanting a RGB modded AV Famicom for a long time now but i don't have the skills to do it myself. Now for my questions:

1.
Where do i turn? Is there someone on this board willing to do it? Sending my console away to get modded is too much of a hassle, i'll gladly pay for an already modded one.

2.
Are there any downsides in doing this mod? I know the color palette gets messed up but is it really that bad?
Are jail bars unavoidable?
Are there games that become unplayable?
Will i still be able to use a converter to play US games?

3.
I'll buy it at a high price. But what are we talking about here, $250-300 including the console?


Thank you

[Fudoh]

Where do i turn? Is there someone on this board willing to do it?

Moosmann over here in Bavaria. He did so much work on the NES RGB mods. Great results! Usually you get the RGB PPU and the system yourself and send both to him for modding. Of course he did my RGB NES and Famicom as well.

Are there any downsides in doing this mod? I know the color palette gets messed up but is it really that bad?

I have a RGB modded NES and a RGB modded AV Famicom and while the colors are different to what you see via composite, I really don't mind the differences. It's a hundred times better in RGB.

Are jail bars unavoidable?

a good mod will hardly show any jailbars on physical carts. The jailbars are increased when using a powerpak. We'll have to see about Krizzk's new flash cart.

Are there games that become unplayable?

a handful, yes.

Will i still be able to use a converter to play US games?

of course.

I'll buy it at a high price. But what are we talking about here, $250-300 including the console?

$400. The PPUs have become expensive.

[undamned]

Where do i turn? Is there someone on this board willing to do it?

Moosmann over here in Bavaria. He did so much work on the NES RGB mods. Great results! Usually you get the RGB PPU and the system yourself and send both to him for modding. Of course he did my RGB NES and Famicom as well.

This. I love Moosmann. If I were not modding my own stuff, I would definitely have him do it. Super helpful, humble, and does very clean work.
-ud

[Shining]

You guys have been most helpful. I will contact this Moosmann!

[Shining]

What about this guy Drakon: http://16bitgamer.forumotion.ca/t44-dra ... rice-guide

"The rgb chip has all kinds of video issues going on and the only method I found of fixing the issues is ordering a kit from japan. This kit has the option of coming with or without audio upgrade parts. The kit costs 120$ with just video upgrade parts and 150$ with both video and audio upgrade parts. If you paypal me the money I will order the kit for you. Building and installing the kit is 250$ whether or not you get the audio parts."

That audio upgrade sure sounds interesting. Anyone had any experience with this guy?

[undamned]

What about this guy Drakon: http://16bitgamer.forumotion.ca/t44-dra ... rice-guide

His name comes up when looking around at various forums regarding RGB NES mods. I don't have any first hand experience with him, but his ego turns me off to the point that I would never deal with him or point anyone his way.

I imagine Moosemann can do the audio mod as well. The circuits I've seen are pretty basic, so as long as he has the time, he could likely set you up proper.
-ud

[robivy64]

Agreed on the Drakon ego. He is also rather new to the console modding scene.

[Shining]

Alright, thanks.

As i understand it the RP2C03B PPU version is the one that is prefered? Will RC2C03B or RC2C05-04 work as just as well?

[undamned]

Alright, thanks.

As i understand it the RP2C03B PPU version is the one that is prefered? Will RC2C03B or RC2C05-04 work as just as well?

I've yet to get around to modding mine, but in a discussion on the gamesx forum, Moosemann says that Rx2C03x (where "x" doesn't matter) is the desired PPU. Supposedly RC2C05-04 can also be used if you swap 2 address signals (can't drop it directly into the system like the Rx2C03x).

If you are curious about color issues:
http://nesdev.parodius.com/bbs/viewtopi ... aa8f#82974
-ud

[Fudoh]

For my two units I've used a Playchoice PPU for one (Playchoice PPUs are the ceramic ones) and one from a Versus kit (those are the white plastic PPUs). I think it was Duck Hunt.

[zaphod]

THe major issue with rgb modding a NES/Famicom is that the color emphasis bits work differently.

On the NES/Famicom, then bits dim the other two channels. turning them all on dims everything across the board, to cause darkness.

On the RGB mod, instead they force that channel to $FF. Turning all three on gives you a solid white screen.

This very definitely breaks certain games, making them unplayable but i don't know which ones.

[Shining]

I just won myself a rc2c03b on ebay. Yay.

The games that are unplayable are, as stated, rather uninteresting. I've been testing out some games using the RGB palette in the Nestopia emulator though. I dont know how accurate that is but a lot of games sure loose some detail due to the color changes. In Mega Man 5 and the Napalm Man stage, some of the bushes in the background vanishes because of this and make the game look rather flat. But this downside of the mod is of course well known and it all comes down to wheter you want that RGB sharpness or not. I'm ready to give it a try at least

Have any of you guys experienced any kind of NES/Famicom stereo mod? Is it pointless to get one done because of the original mono design?

[panzeroceania]

a friend of mine has a stereo mod, it really depends on the game, some sound good, others sound strange, others don't really sound different at all. It depends on how much of an audio geek you are and how much you're willing to fiddle with it.

[Drakon]

Agreed on the Drakon ego. He is also rather new to the console modding scene.

Oh thanks a lot robivy64. I've been running around mentioning how helpful a friendly you've been yet you think I have an ego. Anyway people can hire whoever they want I don't mind.

[Ed Oscuro]

Agreed on the Drakon ego. He is also rather new to the console modding scene.

Oh thanks a lot robivy64. I've been running around mentioning how helpful a friendly you've been yet you think I have an ego. Anyway people can hire whoever they want I don't mind.

No good deed goes unpunished as they say

[Shining]

All i can say is that i have been in contact with both Moosmann and Drakon and they have both been very informative and helpful. Moosmann lives much closer to where i am and is more in my price range so in this case i will be ordering from him. My thanks goes out to you both for taking your time replying to my questions.

[robivy64]

No good deed goes unpunished as they say

I walk alone.

[Ed Oscuro]

No good deed goes unpunished as they say

I walk alone.

Hey Rob, I was interested to find out more about your N64 overclock mod...I guess I better start a new thread for that one though.

[robivy64]

Shoot me a PM with what question you have.

Hopefully I remember it, it has been nearly 10 years since I have overclocked one of those...

[Ed Oscuro]

Shoot me a PM with what question you have.

Hopefully I remember it, it has been nearly 10 years since I have overclocked one of those...

Generally, I was wondering about who has a version online of the "best" version of this mod.

GameSX has an article; your GeoCities page is down; there's a short-form (no pics) guide here; and there is this page which I guess is originally by Epicenter, the guy who took a bunch of money to overclock a NES and never quite got around to it

It would be great if you'd have a look-over of the various mods and see if the ones being saved for posterity are the best.

[Shining]

I just wanted to say that Moosmann has done a terrific job in modding my AV Famicom and i couldn't be happier with the result! Noise-free picture and with only slight jailbars (which is pretty much invisible with the XRGB-Mini). Really helpful and answered a lot of my annoying questions! THANK YOU!

[Ex-Cyber]

This very definitely breaks certain games, making them unplayable but i don't know which ones.

I recall hearing of two where it's observed: Super Spy Hunter and The Immortal. IIRC, The Immortal is supposedly unplayable but it's just an annoyance on Super Spy Hunter (it uses the bits to dim the screen when paused). There's probably a couple others.

[RGB32E]

This very definitely breaks certain games, making them unplayable but i don't know which ones.

I recall hearing of two where it's observed: Super Spy Hunter and The Immortal. IIRC, The Immortal is supposedly unplayable but it's just an annoyance on Super Spy Hunter (it uses the bits to dim the screen when paused). There's probably a couple others.

Maniac Mansion has color issues as well with the RGB PPUs - any unlit rooms are completely black, and certain colors turn to black (floor inside entrance, ect).

[Shou]

Magician is unplayable as well. I used to have a list of these somewhere in one of the threads...

[cyborc]

Can an SNES scart cable with 220uf caps on the RGB lines be used on an RGB modded AV fami or do the caps need to be removed?

[Fudoh]

that depends on the mod, but it certainly makes sense to design the mod the way that the standard NTSC SNES RGB cables can be used.