Need help deciding which Snes to get

[andykara2003]

Hi - I'm looking to buy a 1-chip SNES. I'd like a machine that is in the style of the UK snes, not the US one, that plays games at full screen/60Hz and that has text in English. I gather my only option in this case is to get a UK snes and have it modded with a 50/60Hz switch so it will play my UK games full screen full speed. I know that some games have problems with this (Mario RPG etc) but can be played in 50Hz. I'd rather not cut cases or use aqdapters.

Is anyone able to say whether this works well or if there's some reason that this solution is undesirable?

[blizzz]

A modded PAL machine is not the best solution because of a couple reasons:
1. It will not output at exactly the same frequency / speed as a true NTSC machine. This is mostly a problem if you try to play on an LCD.
2. Many games will have speed differences. For example A Link to the Past had faster monsters in the PAL release to make up for the 50Hz slowdown.
3. You're missing out on several great games unless you buy repros. Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger are two examples.

But if you don't want to widen the cartridge slot on a Super Famicom (or use a Super Everdrive / SD2SNES) then it's a good enough solution.

[andykara2003]

A modded PAL machine is not the best solution because of a couple reasons:
1. It will not output at exactly the same frequency / speed as a true NTSC machine. This is mostly a problem if you try to play on an LCD.
2. Many games will have speed differences. For example A Link to the Past had faster monsters in the PAL release to make up for the 50Hz slowdown.
3. You're missing out on several great games unless you buy repros. Final Fantasy VI, Chrono Trigger are two examples.

But if you don't want to widen the cartridge slot on a Super Famicom (or use a Super Everdrive / SD2SNES) then it's a good enough solution.

Cheers for that so which of the super everdrive and SD2SNES is better?

[blizzz]

The Super Everdrive is cheaper and works well for the games it supports. The SD2SNES is more expensive and some people have problems with some games. The SD2SNES uses an FPGA, which was intended to emulate the SuperFX chip but the dev didn't manage to do that. In the end the SD2SNES supports a few games more than the Super Everdrive, but nothing that justifies the price. I've got a Super Everdrive, but I've also got basically all games as physical copies (with the exception of Magical Pop'n).

Check the list on Wikipedia.
The SuperEverdrive will support only the DSP games if you solder a DSP chip onto the PCB. The SD2SNES will support DSP and CX4. I think you can also play Star Ocean on the SD2SNES with an uncompressed rom, which doesn't fit on the Super Everdrive.
The standard games without special chips will run on both carts.

[andykara2003]

The Super Everdrive is cheaper and works well for the games it supports. The SD2SNES is more expensive and some people have problems with some games. The SD2SNES uses an FPGA, which was intended to emulate the SuperFX chip but the dev didn't manage to do that. In the end the SD2SNES supports a few games more than the Super Everdrive, but nothing that justifies the price. I've got a Super Everdrive, but I've also got basically all games as physical copies (with the exception of Magical Pop'n).

Check the list on Wikipedia.
The SuperEverdrive will support only the DSP games if you solder a DSP chip onto the PCB. The SD2SNES will support DSP and CX4. I think you can also play Star Ocean on the SD2SNES with an uncompressed rom, which doesn't fit on the Super Everdrive.
The standard games without special chips will run on both carts.

Thanks mate, great info! I might just go with the Jap snes & get an adapter for US games instead of cutting the case. I think I prefer real carts for some reason - just feels authentic..

[Unseen]

A modded PAL machine is not the best solution because of a couple reasons:
1. It will not output at exactly the same frequency / speed as a true NTSC machine. This is mostly a problem if you try to play on an LCD.

Does this really apply to modified 1-Chip-SNESses? After all the mod for them requires the installation of a second crystal with an "NTSC-derived" frequency (six times the color carrier frequency).

[blizzz]

Hmm, I don't know that mod. But if it installs a second crystal it should be fine.