What Is The Best NES Console/Hardware Platform?

[daskrabs]

@Takumaji

It all depends on what's important to you:

• Carts or ROMs, or both
• FPGA or not
• NES or Famicom cart slot, or both
• HDMI or RGB or other video
• Disk system or not
• NES controller ports or not
• 2 or 4 controllers

The bottom line is that there's a solution for whatever you need. I personally prefer being able to play my original carts both FC and NES on original hardware and controllers without adapters in RGB. That makes it the most fun for me. I know this by trial and error over the years. I thought the solution was going to be the Analogue NT Mini, but both versions suck at playing original carts, so I went back to real hardware and haven't looked back. If you pick from the list above we can make a recommendation. There's just too much out there to list every possible option. As previously mentioned, boiling the 72-pin is the cheapest solution.

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

deathgrip

https://www.amazon.com/-/en/dp/B08LZYC77X/

 

[kernow]

Mister ffs

 

[Takumaji]

Mister is a great option but not what I want in this case, I want to play my og carts.

 

[Neo Alec]

I took out the FTW/BLW/etc. thing. I hated the death grip of the cartridge slot and I liked the spring push down mechanism. If you just replace the old cartridge slot, it will work perfectly. Just replace it with a new one. You have to make sure your carts are clean but I mean that's with any setup. The replacement part is cheap online.

You should sell it. They are hard to get now.

Yes, replacing it with a new standard connector will probably work fine for as long as you need it to. You just can't beat the reliability of the BLW though.

I just remembered the NES lockout chip. It has a special name, I'm sure you can google it. But that is a copyright protection chip or something like that which is what causes the blinking light. You can remove it altogether by desoldering it, but that isn't necessary. All you have to do is cut a wire or a trace, I forget which. I'm sure there are youtube videos about it nowadays. In the 00s, this was one of those things that was discussed on the old now-defunct nintendo forums.

Disabling the lockout chip will not magically make your games work, but it does remove a step in the startup process and can improve things a bit. The resetting of power is eliminated, no more blinking power light. If a game isn't read, you'll just get a solid screen now.


Edit: found a tutorial

Make a Region Free NES / Lock-Out Chip Mods

The Art of Restorations, Modifications & Preservation. Specializing in Retro Gaming, Vintage Computers & Circuit Bending.

www.retrofixes.com

You just have to cut pin 4 of the 10NES lockout chip and tie it to ground. Everyone should go ahead and do it if possible

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

Mister is a great option but not what I want in this case, I want to play my og carts.

I'm fine with my MiSTer and want to sell my NES stuff. 2 PAL, Famicom with composite, US with BLW, 27 games all together and an Everdrive N8 Pro.

Hit me up when you decided what to do and which NES you want or if you want a more modern solution.

 

[RAZO]

Tak, when I owned a toaster the blinking light win was the truth. It's pretty easy to install and every cart I inserted almost worked on the first try unless the contacts on the game needed a good cleaning. Keep your toaster and get a blw if you could find one.

Edit

It was mentioned though. The blw puts this death grip on your carts and sometimes it's a pain to pull out. I guess over time it will be easier to pull them out as the pins on the connector get broken in. I would slap some deoxit on the cartridge edge connector and slide it in and out of the blw just to lube it up lol.

 

[kernow]

I'm fine with my MiSTer and want to sell my NES stuff. 2 PAL, Famicom with composite, US with BLW, 27 games all together and an Everdrive N8 Pro.

Hit me up when you decided what to do and which NES you want or if you want a more modern solution.

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

Pub closed early today.

 

[CORY]

Don't replace the original pin connector. The only good replacement is a Blinking Light Win from Arcadeworks.

Boil the original one for 15-20 minutes and clean it with isopropanol. It worked fine with my 2 PAL NES after some additional bending with a needle.

This.

Boiling the connector and slightly bending the pins worked just fine for me.

 

[wyo]

I recommend a Super NES.

 

[ggallegos1]

I used a front loader modded for RGB and with a BLW, the death grip is starting to loosen a smidge but it's still noticable enough.

I just picked up an AVS since I'm slowly embracing HDMI solutions and getting tired of up scalers and scart cables and just meh. Moving always makes me want to sell all my stuff and go Mister, it's a ball ache each time.

 

[Tron]

My current setup is still a famicom av and with an nes to famicom adapter.It's still the ideal setup for playing on original hardware.Other then that i've heard how good the retrousb,avs is if you can get one there's talk it may be having it's final run.

 

[Raph4]

Retroflag NESPI Case + 8bitdo NES controller
or original Nintendo NES controller w/ USB to NES adaptor

 

[Dr Shroom]

NES Mini if you hack it and put more games on it.

Savestates, 720p output, HDMI, proper pads.

or get a RGB modded NES 2/AV Famicom or any variation of it if you really need to play original carts

 

[SpamYouToDeath]

Power Player Super Joy from the flea market. Bonus 99999-in-1 cart included.

 

[Niko]

The RetroUSB AVS is a good choice, the only downside is the Famicom and its accessories where obviously an after thought. Though if you've been happy with a toaster, i imagine this wont be a concern for you.

 

[roker]

I just picked up an AVS since I'm slowly embracing HDMI solutions and getting tired of up scalers and scart cables and just meh. Moving always makes me want to sell all my stuff and go Mister, it's a ball ache each time.

Yeah, the AVS is the only HDMI FGPA solution I currently have and I get more use out of it because it's always hooked up to my living room TV. The NES is the only one I have in my collection with a decent number of carts. I don't even think I'd get that much money if I sold it, so it's not like I'm sitting on some goldmine either. I just like having those grey carts around. Piece of my childhood.

 

[Burning Fight!!]

Not even joking.

 

[Takumaji]

@Takumaji

It all depends on what's important to you:

• Carts or ROMs, or both
• FPGA or not
• NES or Famicom cart slot, or both
• HDMI or RGB or other video
• Disk system or not
• NES controller ports or not
• 2 or 4 controllers

The bottom line is that there's a solution for whatever you need. I personally prefer being able to play my original carts both FC and NES on original hardware and controllers without adapters in RGB. That makes it the most fun for me. I know this by trial and error over the years. I thought the solution was going to be the Analogue NT Mini, but both versions suck at playing original carts, so I went back to real hardware and haven't looked back. If you pick from the list above we can make a recommendation. There's just too much out there to list every possible option. As previously mentioned, boiling the 72-pin is the cheapest solution.

I want a reliable system that runs in 60Hz and outputs RGB and Composite, all my carts and the SD cart are US versions. I mostly play og carts with a friend so I need two NES controller ports. I don't need a disc system.

It's a pity the NES is so restricted in terms of hardware mods, most other consoles of that time or later are way more open in that regard. Take the Neo or the Mega Drive for example, modding these consoles with 50/60Hz and region switches is easy, even a mod/solder n00b can do it with a bit of care.

 

[Neo Alec]

My current setup is still a famicom av and with an nes to famicom adapter.It's still the ideal setup for playing on original hardware.Other then that i've heard how good the retrousb,avs is if you can get one there's talk it may be having it's final run.

I want a reliable system that runs in 60Hz and outputs RGB and Composite, all my carts and the SD cart are US versions. I mostly play og carts with a friend so I need two NES controller ports. I don't need a disc system.

It's a pity the NES is so restricted in terms of hardware mods, most other consoles of that time or later are way more open in that regard. Take the Neo or the Mega Drive for example, modding these consoles with 50/60Hz and region switches is easy, even a mod/solder n00b can do it with a bit of care.

Then go for an NES toploader with NESRGB.

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

Not even joking.

That's definitely a Master System light gun. Clone looks like an Atari. Interesting only knew the Russian Dendy clones.

 

[daskrabs]

I want a reliable system that runs in 60Hz and outputs RGB and Composite, all my carts and the SD cart are US versions. I mostly play og carts with a friend so I need two NES controller ports. I don't need a disc system.

It's a pity the NES is so restricted in terms of hardware mods, most other consoles of that time or later are way more open in that regard. Take the Neo or the Mega Drive for example, modding these consoles with 50/60Hz and region switches is easy, even a mod/solder n00b can do it with a bit of care.

A US NES Toploader w/ NESRGB is what you need.

 

[Takumaji]

That's definitely a Master System light gun. Clone looks like an Atari. Interesting only knew the Russian Dendy clones.

The Brazilian company behind the system originally wanted to release a clone of the Atari 7800 and had already commissioned the manufacture of the cases when the management decided to drop the idea due to low 7800 sales figures in the US and other regions and instead go for a clone of the NES which was in much higher demand.

The machine would be nice to have but I guess it has become a collectors' item by now, currently there's one for sale on ebay for $339.90.

 

[Hattori Hanzo]

Toploader NES always felt wrong for me even if you don't have to deal with the notorious pin connector. The price for the clone is just insane.