Best default NES/FC video output

[gundamalpha]

The first place obviously goes to Famicom Titler, second goes to New Famicom with AV port? How about the rest? How would you rank them? Wish I could get an improved video over the AN-505 I'm using now, but Titler and the New FC w/AV port are no where to be found.

[Ed Oscuro]

I'm partial to the look of toaster (front spring-loaded) NES video myself. Sharp Twin FC has pretty good video too doesn't it?

[kamiboy]

My regular NES, fed to an XRGB-2 Plus via cheap composite cables and output to a CRT monitor looks really good.

I tried playing Mega Man 2 and 4 on it the other day and I was very satisfied. I played Mega Man 3 on Wii virtual console through component on the same setup and the differences were small. It is only apparent when the screen pans where there is some, I am not sure what to call it, colour noise, that gives the composite away. Otherwise very good looking.

I think I might get even better quality if I invested in some quality coaxial cables for getting the video out of the NES. If you plan to go all analogue I think you cannot go wrong with any NES revision.

[undamned]

My regular NES, fed to an XRGB-2 Plus via cheap composite cables and output to a CRT monitor looks really good.

I tried playing Mega Man 2 and 4 on it the other day and I was very satisfied. I played Mega Man 3 on Wii virtual console through component on the same setup and the differences were small. It is only apparent when the screen pans where there is some, I am not sure what to call it, colour noise, that gives the composite away. Otherwise very good looking.

I think I might get even better quality if I invested in some quality coaxial cables for getting the video out of the NES. If you plan to go all analogue I think you cannot go wrong with any NES revision.

I'm pretty sure this is a videophile troll.
-ud

[kamiboy]

Sorry, I am a troll now? For what reason again?

[Ed Oscuro]

No idea. On the subject of the issue when panning, I read some time ago (can't find a source, sorry) that to avoid some issues with NTSC video output that output is "cycled" or "buzzed" to create better vertical lines. When you move, that can be thrown off. Not a technical explanation, I know, but hopefully it gets some of the idea across.

[kamiboy]

If the NES indeed does this sort of trick then it sounds like it might be the source of the artifact that I was seeing. It is a bit annoying but short of an expensive RGB mod or playing on Wii VC exclusively then that is what you get, and I can live with it because otherwise the picture was stable and colours were good.

But take the same composite and component signals and plug those into my LCD TV and there is a world of difference. The composite signal suddenly looks horrid while the component is very tolerable. I had seen what composite looked like on my LCD so I was very surprised when I tried the same thing on my CRT monitor and the picture I got was worlds better.

I wonder how it would fare fed directly into a 29" or so CRT television proper.

[undamned]

Sorry, I am a troll now? For what reason again?

More of a joke really. I do believe you were being honest. To a videophile, saying you'll consider trying coax for better performance is kinda funny.

BTW, LCD's are notorious for destroying standard resolution video (and even then, I've seen some that don't even do well with 480p component ).
-ud

[kamiboy]

What I meant by coaxial for better performance was to swap out the cheap, thin, and unnecessarily long composite cables I am using to hook up my NES with a cable of better quality. I think that type of generic cables are called coaxial but I am not sure. The ones I have now I think are the official Nintendo ones because there is only a yellow lead for video and a red one for mono audio.

I had a couple of good thick cables I could have used in their place once, but in my folly of moving over to digital I got rid of all my analogue cables, a feat that I have since regretted.

But regardless, if the artefacts I see when the screen pans is the result of how the NES puts out its signal then there is nothing good cables can remedy.

[PC Engine Fan X!]

It's cool using those fat and thick Monster Cable composite video cable on the 1st gen NES console -- much better than using the official NES cables that came supplied with the system when bought brand new back in the day.

I even notice a bit of extra detail when using Monster Cable branded composite video cable with my TurboGrafx-16 console with the Turbo Booster accessory compared to using cheap-ass composite video cable setup. If you have sharp eyes for detail, this is not a bad way to upgrade your composite video cables. Of course, an RGB-modded PCE or TG-16 is the way to go.

PC Engine Fan X! ^_~

[undamned]

I had a couple of good thick cables I could have used in their place once, but in my folly of moving over to digital I got rid of all my analogue cables

Well, you are not alone and as a result you can find high quality analog cables on the cheap these days For example: New Monster 1000 series composite cable ~$5 shipped.
-ud