![]() Deblur – which can be toggled by the user via a joypad combination – gets around one of the console's most common visual quirks. One of the more recent revisions is the Deblur function, created by electrical engineer Peter Bartmann – also known as bori4938. What makes this particular mod even more interesting is that the firmware on the board can be upgraded with new features. "The mod opens up the system to modern HDMI-only setups as you can now run the console through an upscaler like the OSSC, which in turn connects to the HDMI input on your modern HDTV," Cornish adds. ![]() Not only does the mod make the N64 look better when plugged into anything with a SCART socket, it also means you can use it with upscalers which require a pure RGB signal. ![]() If you're a serious purist, then this mod offers the perfect image output for vintage Personal (PVM) and Broadcast Video Monitors (BVM), which are currently enjoying a revival thanks to the fact that they're arguably the best option when it comes to experiencing standard definition systems the way they were originally intended. "The Tim Worthington N64RGB upgrade provides the best quality picture you can get out of your N64 natively, or as intended for technology at the time, and is compatible with all N64 models, both PAL and NTSC," explains Old Skool's David Cornish. ![]() The mod in question is created by a talented fellow by the name of Tim Worthington, and is widely sold by various modders around the world in my case, the modification work was undertaken by Old Skool Consoles, a UK-based firm which specialises in retrofitting cool tech to vintage systems. Images: Damien McFerran / Nintendo Lifeįast forward to the present, and I've finally managed to overcome this issue thanks to a fantastic RGB modification which – when twinned with the aforementioned OSSC – gives me the kind of N64 image clarity I've only dreamed of previously. We've got a Japanese system with the N64RGB mod fitted, running through an OSSC via RGB SCART and then into our Sony Bravia LCD TV via HDMI. Even today, I remember being depressed at how disappointingly soupy games looked. The story goes that early models did indeed have the DAC chip required to output RGB, but it was unamplified and disconnected, indicating that Nintendo intended to include support for RGB but changed its mind early on, perhaps to save on manufacturing costs. However, a more pressing concern was the dreadful image quality you'd get from the console while its Sony and Sega-made rivals outputted gorgeous RGB signals, the N64 was saddled with fuzzy composite or RF visuals which were exacerbated by the console's (otherwise impressive) anti-aliasing system. There were a few reasons for my slight ambivalence towards Nintendo's 64-bit wonder, one of which was the sad fact that the N64 was starved of quality software in comparison to the amazingly popular PlayStation and even the underdog Saturn, both of which enjoyed a raft of RPGs, shmups and fighting games – three genres in which Nintendo's machine was surprisingly deficient, and three genres I was obsessed with at the time. The poor old N64, while not being totally ignored, was certainly sidelined – although games like GoldenEye 007, Sin & Punishment, Zelda: Ocarina of Time, NBA Hangtime, J-League Perfect Striker and Banjo-Kazooie still soaked up many, many hours of my life, it should be noted. When it launched I was in the grip of PlayStation fever – much like everyone else on the face of the planet – and as that particular hardware generation rolled on I (perhaps quizzically, depending on your viewpoint) increased my interest in the Sega Saturn and its incredible library of Japanese exclusives. Speaking from a personal viewpoint for a moment, I never really connected with the N64 as much as I probably should have done. Not a week goes by where we don't find ourselves looking for the next retro AV challenge, and this week it's the turn of one of Nintendo's most underrated machines: the N64. Those of you with long memories may recall our early experiments with upscaling and scanline-generating devices many years ago, and more recently we've looked at the benefit of HDMI mods and next-level scalers, like the utterly superb Open Source Scan Converter. You'll have to forgive us, but we're a little obsessed with getting the best picture quality out of dusty old game hardware here at Nintendo Life.
0 Comments
Leave a Reply. |