In Collecting

I'm looking to get a famicom system and I admit I don't know much about it so if anyone can give me any info that would be great. I've been looking on Ebay and seen a super famicom, a famicom, a famicom disk system and what look to be knock offs.

Hey man!

I really adVice you to get a FAMICOM AV 1993 model.
Avoid the classic Famicm Unit. Most of the times it is
a pain to get it working correctly in nowadays western televisions.
He uses RF through some kind of UHF sync... don't know exaclty.

Go for a Famicom AV 1993.
It is the brother of the famous official NES TOPLOADER console.
And the dogbone controller rocks.

About the Famicom Disk System, you can Hook it up in both
Famicoms. I adVice you to check carefully the Famicom Disk
System unit you are going to buy. Because if it is a very, very
very used unit, it might be possible to present some problems
in the future in its internal rubber belt.

Also, you can try to find a classic Famicom model
modified/hacked to modern AV output. This will let you
Hook up the unit in any modern television --- but be aware!
this trick of AV modifications must be made correctly,
otherwise it may present some color distortions.

I have a classic Famicom Model modified to AV that
presents some weird colors. Light yellow and light pink
just became white in the television!

Good luck!
Cospefogo.

As cospefogo already stated, try to get a model with AV output. It's a pain in the a**e to get a normal famicom working on a western TV (I only can talk of European ones, I don't know if it will work on US TVs..)


It's the left one. The old model looks cooler, but the av model is easier to use.

I think I'll try an experimient soon. I'll buy a $5 japanese VCR from a junk shop with AV out and Hook an old RF system up to the VCR and run the AV lines out to an american TV. It doesn't matter if the VCR doesn't play tapes, as long as I can use it for a tuner.

That should work.
Tell us if you can do that.

I think it *WILL* work!
C.

I've done that before. It works just fine, but still expect to have RF quality audio/video. RCA A/V is much clearer/sharper than RF when used as a direct connection, but the "tuner method" still makes for a playable Hookup.
Z.

Thanks guys now I just need to hunt one down

As cospefogo already stated, try to get a model with AV output. It's a pain in the a**e to get a normal famicom working on a western TV (I only can talk of European ones, I don't know if it will work on US TVs..)


It's the left one. The old model looks cooler, but the av model is easier to use.


Famicom's should work fine on a US TV, since they're both NTSC format: Us europeans use PAL, which is theoretically superior (more lines, at a slightly slower 50hz frequency) but in actuality about the same and irksomely incompatible.

Most newish Euro TV's will catch a PAL 60hz signal (output by say, the Gamecube), but I'm not too sure about how well they'd fare with an NTSC console.

Newer European TVs now just accept about every signal out there. I can plug in whatever I want in our TV and it displays well.

The problem with Japanese RF output is that the plug is different and won't fit into a German (European) RF input.
I don't know about US stuff though...

Is the classic famicom rf out two bare wires? If so, you can get a 300 to 75 ohm coaxial converter at an electronics store. Assuming you have an American/Japanese tv, of course. Or, you can just get a 198X vcr with uhf inputs on the back. Even 1984 top-loading VCRs have AV outs. If it doesn't play tapes, you can get the parts to fix it yourself along with online instructions at .

Ive also got the same problem with the original famicom.
apparently there are rf convertors?

Not too sure about them myself..

Thats why i got a Famicom twin sharp console..
That way get disks and carts in one..
With rca outputs..

Works on any telly.

Hey man!Also, you can try to find a classic Famicom model
modified/hacked to modern AV output. This will let you
Hook up the unit in any modern television --- but be aware!
this trick of AV modifications must be made correctly,
otherwise it may present some color distortions.

I have a classic Famicom Model modified to AV that
presents some weird colors. Light yellow and light pink
just became white in the television!

Good luck!
Cospefogo.

I am in the same situation; Original (first version) Famicom and newer US NTSC TV...no go.

You mention a method to MOD the Famicom for AV output. Can you lend some adVice or provide a URL with step-by-step instructions for doing this MOD?

Yesterday I got a 300Ohms to 75Ohms Transformer but that did NOT work for me.

Tutorial here:



Unfortunately, Japanese only.
But if you understand electronics, all the diagrams will be enough!

On the picture, inside the white frame, to the right is the OUTPUT,
and to the left, the INPUT.

Cheers,
Don't forget to play the tangos.
Cospefogo.

It works!!!!!!!!!!!

Someone on another board gave me a clue:

Using the RF-Switch, Tune the TV to channel 96 (plus or minus a few channels)... I got it to work on Channel 95 on my TV.

Thank you all for your help!

Here I go to play!

See you all in a bit!