N64 Import Question

[sj33]

Just picked up and US RGB Modded N64 off a user on the forum, mainly for the RGB output.
The machine is US, I already have a collection of PAL games. tbh, I don;t really care enough about the B64 to buy them all over again, so I'd just like an easy way to use them on the N64 and play them in RGB.

1) How to play PAL games on US N64? Am I right in saying the Passport II thing is the best solution? Where would I get the newest revision of this?

2) Do PAL games run in their native screen mode on a US machine, or do they end up being forced into NTSC? I'd prefer the former really, as I assume the games will overscan if forced into NTSC.

3) I assume I can just use the PSU from my PAL machine, so I won't need a stepdown?

4) Anything else I should know? Hurdles I'll have to jump?

[randombs]

3) yes

4) you may wanna do the amplification mod as the rgb will be crap otherwise. go to www.mmmonkey.co.uk. it's easy to do - just solder a wire between two points and that's it - but it messes up the composite output (and possible s-video if the us/jap ones do s-video). you could fit a switch if you want.

[sj33]

Cool, I'll bear in mind.

Am I right in saying the Passport Plus III Version 2 is the newest cart? Does anyone know where to get this (if I'm gonna bother getting a cart, I'd like the newest y'know).

I hear you need a cart of the same region of your N64 plugged into the back... are US and JPN carts interchangable? As I read they only had a physical difference.

[markpsych]

http://www.play-asia.com/paOS-13-71-...n64-70-2q.html

This is the latest Passport. Works a treat with NTSC via PAL.

However....not so sure about PAL via NTSC.

The odd PAL game just boots up regardless, but the couple of codes I've found on the net didn't work at all .

If you want me to try any games in particular, before you buy, let me know.

[Hammie]

if you are patient, you can probably replace your pal games with US versions for next to nothing, it really is worth doing, the difference is huge

3) yes

4) you may wanna do the amplification mod as the rgb will be crap otherwise. go to www.mmmonkey.co.uk. it's easy to do - just solder a wire between two points and that's it - but it messes up the composite output (and possible s-video if the us/jap ones do s-video). you could fit a switch if you want.

this is probably irrelevant since yours is already modded but...

i'm no modding expert but i have successfully rgb modded 2 n64's. i found the amp mod, while achieving a brighter image creates a lot of noise on the screen and it's really offputting once you notice it

the way i did the mod was to lift the 3 chip legs away from the motherboard and solder the wires from the legs to the av out, both times the result was a bright, totally noise free image with no internal or external amp mod required.

i always see links to the mmmonkey site for the rgb mod but......and i may be missing something, it seems to me that it's not the best method. i could be wrong though and the 2 n64's i modded were a particular revision that this method works on, who knows. i am a perfectioninst though and i found the internal amp mod to be pretty nasty, although it's still better than composite

anybody who knows more about this sort of thing have any input?

[sj33]

Picked it up from Likky in the end They had a pic of Passport Plus III Version 3, which seems to be the newest.

There are some codes on here, I can try them http://www.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/N64_htm/n-pass.htm

If the odd game doesn't work, it's no bother, I'll rebuy in NTSC. I'd just rather my collection of 7 or so PAL games worked.

We'll see I guess

Hammie - Sounds like you did the version of the RGB mod that Gamesx has. I've no idea which this machine has, I'll only bother with the amplification mod if I feel it needs it.

[vertigo]

this is probably irrelevant since yours is already modded but...

i'm no modding expert but i have successfully rgb modded 2 n64's. i found the amp mod, while achieving a brighter image creates a lot of noise on the screen and it's really offputting once you notice it

the way i did the mod was to lift the 3 chip legs away from the motherboard and solder the wires from the legs to the av out, both times the result was a bright, totally noise free image with no internal or external amp mod required.

i always see links to the mmmonkey site for the rgb mod but......and i may be missing something, it seems to me that it's not the best method. i could be wrong though and the 2 n64's i modded were a particular revision that this method works on, who knows. i am a perfectioninst though and i found the internal amp mod to be pretty nasty, although it's still better than composite

anybody who knows more about this sort of thing have any input?

I've got two, one that's soldered directly to the chip and one that's soldered to the resistors. The 2nd one I did was too dim (I didn't do the resistor one) so I did the little joining the points quick and dirty boost mod to it. The screen is a little flickery on bright screens. Same with the other one which also has the join the points mod instead of building a booster. When I can be bothered (this week maybe) I'll be opening the one I just did (direct to the chip) back up and lifting the pins and I'll see how bright it is then and get back to you. If nothing else works and they're still too dim without the flickery mod, I'll build the seperate RGB amp and see what happens then coz if I get a clear picture with soldering directly to the chip and then amplifying it, mmmonkey's page is right.