What's the best video connection for PAL N64

[egparadigm]

Hey Guys

Just started playing Perfect Dark again, but in the hideous composite. Are there any options for improving picture quality - VGA maybe? I understand that it is not possible to RGB mod a PAL machine? Would S-video work/ is it worth bothering?

Thanks in advance!

mono.

[sj33]

May as well go S-Video. The cables are a mere few quid, and it's better than Composite by miles, even if it's no RGB Scart.

[egparadigm]

Thanks for the reply, Jake - annoyingly, I have a very strong memory of buying an svideo cable for my gamecube about three years ago, but I can't seem to find the damn thing!

I don't suppose there's a way to massacre a composite cable for svideo, is there?

[sj33]

I bought one last week from www.gamersgear.com (specifically their ebay store). Was about 3 quid or something mad.
It wasn't stunning on my screen, the N64 is a resolution most LCD don't like too much, but it was better than Composite, which is the point.

[HHarm]

Many PAL N64s have terrible s-video. The screen is way too bright with all the bright areas burnt totally white.

[egparadigm]

Just to check with you, Jake - yours is a European/PAL machine working OK with s-video? consoles and gadgets seems to think it wouldn't run s-video: http://www.consolesandgadgets.com/ca...roducts_id/256

[sj33]

I'm using an NTSC machine, but I did always assume S-Video worked from PAL N64's (but not PAL GC's or Wii's).

[Link83]

I know that my tranparent coloured PAL N64 doesnt support S-Video, if thats any help.

[egparadigm]

Yelp...

This person seems to be using s-video with their PAL 64:

So I decided to hook up my PAL N64 with s-video on my main telly so I can connect the RGB modded N64 on my JVC AV29FT1 (4:3, 50Hz), where both PAL and NTSC games look fine. Then I noticed PAL games on my PAL machine have interference as well on my main telly with s-video! Like wtf?!

http://tinyurl.com/3a8w5m

I've emailed gamergearUK to ask them if they know...

[charlesr]

[totally unhelpful]consider getting an rgb modded N64 and getting the ntsc version of perfect dark. Then you can play it at full speed/full screen.[/unhelpful].
I've not seen it, but as I understand it, svideo (on the models of pal N64s that support it) can look barely any better than composite. It's not like the Gamecube that had excellent svideo output.

[egparadigm]

Gamersgear got back to me. They seem to think it would work, so I've given it a punt for a fiver.

I would get a US N64, except I'm not sure how long the love affair will last. Every time I've gone retro before I've given up pretty quickly. I haven't even finished Zelda TP yet!

[Binary Defence Crimson]

Many PAL N64s have terrible s-video. The screen is way too bright with all the bright areas burnt totally white.

I've had that on one TV, but not another - must vary according to which TV one uses.

[Ryo Saeba]

Many PAL N64s have terrible s-video. The screen is way too bright with all the bright areas burnt totally white.

That's exactly my problem. I've tested it on two different tv sets and on both of 'em the picture is way too bright. Adjusting the brightness helped a little but I'm still considering another solution.. (us machine?).

I also heard that some version of the japanese N64 are rgb compatible?

[totally unhelpful]consider getting an rgb modded N64 and getting the ntsc version of perfect dark. Then you can play it at full speed/full screen.[/unhelpful].

This is really unhelpful cause the pal version of Perfect Dark is already running full speed/full screen on pal consoles.

[egparadigm]

Just got my svideo cable and I must say - it's astonishingly better! The text is sooo much more crisp. Well worth five pounds.

Initially I was a little annoyed because the pins of the cable were all bent. A little work with a tweaser managed to sort it out though. Next problem was a massive amount of interference - this was solved by switching the tv from AV2 to the Y/C channel. Get in!