Hi-Def NES - a 1080p HDMI mod kit!

[Game-Tech.US]

Initial stages of fitment of kit to front loader NES.

[Arkhan]

I really would like to invest in an upscaler, but Turbokun's offer is likely what will be my go to.

they make cheaper upscalers that only do Composite, and you can use a composite amp to help increase the signal.   Those things run like 40 or so bucks.

If you never plan on doing any RGB stuff, they're a good alternative.

[SmokeMonster]

Extron DVS-204 or the Hall TVB-200 are cheap and look identical to Arkhan's captures. The problems are identical too though. Both have VGA out for scanlines, which gives the impression of better sharpness at least. I only use the NES with a CRT because scaled composite doesn't look good at all to my eyes.

[Desh]

Welcome to NeoEngineFX.com.  The flames here are so ridiculous.  If you don't like the work Kevtris and Game.Tech are peddling don't buy it.  Hasn't mommy ever told anyone here if you don't have anything nice to say don't say it at all? 

In any event, I personally love my RGB NES on my Wega.  In fact, almost all of my systems are minimally running s-video which is a vast improvement over composite.  I think this HDMI kit is pretty cool and admittedly I am bummed I can't purchase one right away.  I am dying to see one side by side with an RGB NES through a Frameister and this HDMI kit.

My biggest issue is there seems to be a bit of input lag on some TV ' S with the frameister so I want to see if there is with this kit.  Also, there are plenty of folks out there that only mainly play NES and don't care as much about other platforms.  This kit (even at $150) is a steal compared to frameister ($400) plus RGB kit ($85).  I personally am not a fan of composite even when upscaled.  It's all in personal preference.

[DarkKobold]

For some reason, NES composite seems to be good enough.   I wasn't convinced of the quality vs. cost increase for RGB NES, and certainly not for HDMI NES.   

I'm currently having my AV fami upgraded with the RGB kit. I'll be using svideo out. I'm fairly excited to see how it turns out. It may turn out that I just wasted money for a very minor upgrade, or I may be blown away at how Mega Man looks.

At the end of the day, it is all what you can afford, and what you value. Back when people did the PC10 mod, it made no sense to me, because the palette was wrong. That said, I wouldn't have disparaged them for doing what they wanted with their money.

If people are financially secure, can afford the HDMI nes mod without starving or going into debt, then more power to them.

[Black Tiger]

For some reason, NES composite seems to be good enough.   I wasn't convinced of the quality vs. cost increase for RGB NES, and certainly not for HDMI NES.   

I'm currently having my AV fami upgraded with the RGB kit. I'll be using svideo out. I'm fairly excited to see how it turns out. It may turn out that I just wasted money for a very minor upgrade, or I may be blown away at how Mega Man looks.

At the end of the day, it is all what you can afford, and what you value. Back when people did the PC10 mod, it made no sense to me, because the palette was wrong. That said, I wouldn't have disparaged them for doing what they wanted with their money.

If people are financially secure, can afford the HDMI nes mod without starving or going into debt, then more power to them.

If you are using NESRGB, then it looks as perfect as emulation, without any of the imperfections. Just make sure it's being set to the authentic palette or that a palette swpping switch is being installed.

I felt the same way about RGB-based mods before this and was on the fence for a bit about the palette part, but after researching I found that it was not only authentic enough for me, but even more so for everything that is restored by methods like this. After playing it in person, it exceeded my expectations.

I can't be bothered to read up on all of the features of the hi-def NES kit, since the main difference is adding things I don't want, but it would be cool if you could disable things like the digital audio and if you can line out s-video or component when playing on a crt.

[ProfessorProfessorson]

Granted, I have kind of a crap camera, so it is hard for me to get any really quality shots. It doesn't handle the contrast and black levels off of my LCD very well, but here goes:

Av modded Famicom via iScan Plus V2:









Av modded Famicom via Toshiba composite in on "Game Mode":





As is I have been fairly happy with the Toshiba on it's own. It has decent hardware built in to handle composite and svideo sources via its "Game Mode". I really got the iScan stuff to use on crt vga monitors, though they will output both VGA and component video, and can be used with a mini SLG, though I have not bothered to buy or make one yet.

I mean, if I had to game with just using my Toshiba, I would be fine between its decent internal hardware and the iScan paired with it. The Toshiba doesn't have issues with 240P signals, nor does it have any sucky deinterlacing issues or problems with shadow effects in games thankfully. The Toshiba set me back around $500 or so way back when I picked it up. It was one of the more expensive 26inch lcds at the time, and one of the few available with a legit game mode. Well worth the money I spent by far.

[Arkhan]

I could afford all of this high end crap. 

The thing is, I'm not into wasting money on things for marginal improvements at best, or buying devices specifically for the penis waving audiophile-esque thing like the AnalogueNT.     I'll admit it's a nice looking device, but, I don't have a need for it.  Especially for the price.   I'm all set at Fort Famicom already.

I've still got my toploader from when I was like 5 and we had to replace the front loader because my dumbass sister kept pulling it off the shelf since she's convinced leaning into jumps actually makes Mario jump farther.   It's just got AV out now.   Got a Famicom with the same treatment.   Totally set.

If I wanted, I could go pop a composite amp on the line and probably enhance the picture.  Or I could give more of a shit and go mess with the XRGB3's settings.  They're basically on stock settings.

I don't think I'll ever be impressed by any RGBNES setup.   I'm waiting for someone to prove me wrong.  I've seen't it on PlayChoice 10, XRGB outs, PVM... it's whatever. 

Just like how the MSX RGB out is like "eh whatever" for the MSX1 titles.

It's important for the MSX2 titles, really.    That's where the pixel smudgery and text bleeding becomes a problem.   You can't really play Hydlide 3 on an MSX with composite out through an upscaler.  The text is all idiotic looking.



Now, like I said, the HDMI mod we have here is not a bad thing.  It's pretty useful for people who mostly just play NES, and have no intention of ever getting an upscaler.

The price is what's blowing my mind.  Didn't one of the auctions cap out at like 750$?   Why?   I get that it's a bid and this essentially means someone out there is a f*cking retard with their money...

but why not just do BINs with a fair price and establish a sane market for the mod?

This sort of thing is only going to help contribute to the rapidly increasing prices of things for no good reason.   We're letting spazzes with poor financial self control do all of the price establishing.   These people are not the people you want to establish prices.   


I personally just see no justification for spending that much when you could spend less and get an RGB'd NES.

Shit, for the 750$ or whatever, I could literally spend an extra 100, and go get a Playchoice 10 cabinet at the arcade shop down the street....

This is why I am like

[DarkKobold]

   We're letting spazzes with poor financial self control do all of the price establishing. 

This is where I think we disagree. "Let" suggests that you or I have some form of control over how these people spend their own hard-earned money. We don't, and shouldn't.

Auctions, to me, seemed like a fair way to sell the units. Its not kevtris's fault what people decided they wanted to spend.

[Arkhan]

Auctions, to me, seemed like a fair way to sell the units. Its not kevtris's fault what people decided they wanted to spend.

Which is why I *literally* said "but why not just do BINs with a fair price and establish a sane market for the mod?"


mitigating collectard-itis is pretty much everyone who's doing these sort of thing's obligation.

Why do you think the games I make don't come sealed?

[DarkKobold]

Auctions, to me, seemed like a fair way to sell the units. Its not kevtris's fault what people decided they wanted to spend.

Which is why I *literally* said "but why not just do BINs with a fair price and establish a sane market for the mod?"


mitigating collectard-itis is pretty much everyone who's doing these sort of thing's obligation.

Why do you think the games I make don't come sealed?

You raise a good point, just having a selling price would have been better for the community. Don't get me started on the LE homebrew auctions that NA goes ga-ga for.

Good advice for my potential future release. I'll keep this in mind.

[Black Tiger]

If the kits are sold for what's been mentioned, I think it's a great deal for what it does, even though I personally think that some of the features do more harm than good and would like the option of turning them off if this was the only product of its kind.

[xelement5x]

Auctions, to me, seemed like a fair way to sell the units. Its not kevtris's fault what people decided they wanted to spend.

Which is why I *literally* said "but why not just do BINs with a fair price and establish a sane market for the mod?"

I agree that there should be some personal responsibility involved in helping establish a set price point, but it's possible that maybe since these are early units and he didn't have enough right now to sell them he just wanted to run them as auctions to drum up some press on the product? 


It's all conjecture on my part, but we are all talking about them so if it was about getting some free press than it is definitely working. 

[Arkhan]

The problem is, like any other retro-game-related-thing, once the idiots with credit cards / poor financial decision making come out of the woodwork, there's no turning back.

[esadajr]

I may be late to the game here, but why spend all this $$$ just to turn your nes into displaying 1080p and digital sound? Kind of scratching my head here on that one..

you're not alone, I thought this was it