FYI: That checkerboarding on my S-Video footage may be caused by my multi-cable that does both composite & S-Video. I have two of them and they both do it, but there are reports that if you buy more expensive dedicated S-Video cables the results should be better. You still won't get the benefits of the de-blurring however...
Definitely this is caused by an improperly wired S-Video cable. Most of the cheap 3rd party cables are like this. A genuine N64 S-Video should be about $25 on eBay, and looks a heck of a lot better. Even compared to an RGB modded N64, the S-Video is fairly close.
Most cheap standalone S-video cables do this too. The reason is because they use composite for chroma. The reason they do that is because the smaller SNS-101 “SNES Junior” doesn’t support S-video. This lets the cable work with both, though it isn’t true S-video quality without chroma and luma.
Mike Flynn N64 emulation has never been “excellent” on anything. It’s what I think of immediately when I want to show the problems with emulation versus the real thing. In particular, translating the filtered textures to your native GPU creates unsightly seams where two textures are supposed to meet and the edges of 2D objects get a bloom. The GPU microcode is programmed on the fly and but the graphics are translated so there is no emulated GPU for the game software to access via microcode. This causes missing special effects, like motion blur or particles. Mario might fade out when he warps instead of disintegrating, for example. I was beta testing UltraHLE hacks to add authentic N64 controller since before they were released. Without going through extreme measures (Adaptoid), you can’t even properly quick-spin in Zelda due to emulators and their operating systems double-translating the analog axes.
Mike Flynn I will say that N64 emulation is good for one thing: increasing the resolution. UltraHDMI can’t do that. Last I checked, serious Smash Bros tournaments were not played on emulators, so the die-hards are going to stick with UltraHDMI!
To be clear: I didn't pay $400 (those are ebay prices). I paid for the kit and had Michael Smith of the Seattle Retro Gamers Group install it for me. HE ROCKS!
MetalJesusRocks Does he have a website or contact info? I want mine done and want to send it to someone who I trust. And since you have built that trust subscribers, then he must be good.
MetalJesusRocks I just left a comment on your switch accessories video. That controller adapter that was released for the wii u to use gamecube controllers, actually works on the switch as well! ua-cam.com/video/MxRTq2mV2Ek/v-deo.html
You were using a very poor quality S-video cable from the looks of it fyi. A decent to good one won't have that almost grid-like looks you see when looking close on yours. Nintendo branded one's and monster s-video cables are the most reliable for s-video. Just a heads up because it's not really an accurate comparison to compare an uber expensive mod to a rinky dink s-video cable that doesn't carry the signal properly.
I never thought the N64 could look so clear. I always just assumed that blurriness was due to low resolution and old TVs. I would have loved to have my N64 output quality graphics like this back in the day.
S-video was the way back then. You missed-out. It's just as good. But with these newer high definition TV screens of today, connecting your S-video to through the RetroTink 2X is the way to go. The RetroTink 2X is so much cheaper.
It’s lack of dithering or alaising that causes that it was totally optional by Nintendo though some games allow to disable it like quake 64 so textures are more visible and everything more vivid. Thier is a tool that patches roms to do this for every game
just wanna throw it out there that its 150 for the parts to do this mod yourself... n64 could run 50-100$ and then theres the work of doing the actual mod.
I'm an uber N64 fan and I collect for it, but I could not bear to spend $400 for HDMI. I can solder, but I still don't really want to tweak my N64's internals add a hole in the back. My solution: i bought a cheap CRT on Craiglist for $25 and i just use composite. So I have a special little N64 station in my game room. It is the authentic N64 experience and it looks fine to me.
Hell yeah, playing an N64 on an HDTV is like using a game controller to play PC games when you got a keyboard right in front of ya. Sure the controller might be "technically better" but the keyboard just completes the experience and it just isn't the same without it
I was looking to get a CRT screen for my older game systems a year or so ago, and then by coincidence I was looking for something in my shed and stumbled upon some TVs that were left behind by some previous tenants who skipped out on rent and then disappeared. a 27" RCA from 2002 and a smaller RCA TruFlat from 2007. They aren't some super sought-after screens but they were free.
Turok is on Xbox One and the remastered it like two years ago so I see no point in this plus Project64 has Turok and I’m sure there’s an HD texture pack for it, but at the very least you know they remastered Turok on PC as well 😉.
Great video! I was hoping that someone would show an easy way to get to the menu screen. Super helpful, and I too have this installed on my N64. After playing on it, there is no going back.
MyLifeInGaming demonstrated the easy way too. Many people misinterpret the label and think that it requires Z and/or stick Right too. Z and Right on the control stick are just alternatives to L and right on the D-pad.
s-video on a high quality CRT is still about as good, perhaps better in some cases depending on a persons preferences. (NOTE: the svideo cables he showed do not carry the signal properly, resulting in a grid pattern you don't see with halfway decent cables, which cost a little more).
*Then say the product is faulty when the manufacturer of the product admits that it's faulty and that he's upgrading everyone who hasn't had their pre-order filled yet to a newer, non-faulty version of the product
The GC was fried before it hit the floor. Would not have happened with an original Nintendo cable or component/D-sub cable. The design only needed to make the power pins shorter even with all of the other flaws. You can definitely blame the adapter for his GC dying. Controller cords getting tugged is expected and not supposed to kill a GC. Again: It was dead before the impact so the impact did not kill it. The tug alone killed it (connector shifted and shorted power into the wrong pins). For UltraHDMI I have always expressed concern with the people using rigid dongles to convert miniHDMI to standard HDMI. The rigid part of the standard HDMI cable will extend the rigid adapter so that you have an unsafe and awkward protrusion that can wrench directly on the UltraHDMI board. Not cool. I make sure to include an actual mini to HDMI CABLE with the premodified consoles I sell. If the cable isn’t long enough, extending off the other end is much safer.
N64 emulation is just very inconsistent imho and for me (as someone who owned an N64 since launch and bought all the major games) it doesn't feel right. Part of it is putting in that original cart, seeing my old trusty N64 come alive in al it's low res 90's glory. Call it nostalgia, it's just my favorite console of all time.
The Tim Worthington RGB mod board is worth checking out too; it's cheaper, a bit easier to install and newer versions are also capable of de-blurring the output image and it looks stellar. The main issue is that it is going to output RGB over the analogue video output, so if your TV doesn't have a good Analogue-to-Digital converter you'll need an external converter/upscaler; but I use the OSSC so that's perfectly fine for me.
Glad to see you direct people to My Life In Gaming. For a lot of people, you gave all the info they’d need. For a video quality obsessed nerd like me, I love having the almost engineering level info. What you do that is better than most, is give an honest user opinion that both a techie and a newbie can appreciate and use. Keep up the good work.
As someone who sells pre-installed UltraHDMI and has broken $600 several times, I can tell you that the price is purely the result of the kits’ limited availability. If there were enough $130 kits to go around then everyone would just pay an installer $40-$80 for installation. I’m doing my part to fill demand and bring prices back down but MarshallH (the creator) keeps doing strange things, like dictating limited preorder amounts to GameTechUS (what’s the point?!). If they had just allowed an ongoing preorder + backorder until demand was sated, we’d be much better off by now.
Firmware 1.07 will be out New Year! The preorders are usually short or the folks that got in would be waiting even longer. Other thing is that each order alone is moving 2018 Corvette ZR1 type of money because the parts cost is so high (when the parts are available). Makes my butt pucker up every time I go to wire to some company in China I only talk to on hotmail :)
marshallgs Yeah, but that’s just even more incentive to let people continue to line up and throw money at you throughout the process! ;) When Jason was saying things like that you would allow 200 more preorders, all I could think of was “why not allow as many more as people will pay for and then order that many?” Even if you can’t get that many in the first batch, processing them first come, first serve, will let you get an even bigger batch the next time and gauge the demand accurately. You would knock out the bulk of the demand in about two big batches.
Yup, working that direction as much as parts availability will allow. Volume exceeds what one fab can handle, so with multiple fabs each one has its own quirks -- but they will all lie to get business. One time I bought $2k of chips to find they were all production rejects...
I think people forget its the CHARM of nostalgia and the less than stellar graphics that is the hook. Play it in composite and get the full nostalgic charm of days past.
But that's the thing... playing in composite upscaled on your HDTV doesn't look the way you remember it. You'd have to play it on a old CRT to get the full effect.
david g In case you didn’t know, playing in composite looks WORSE than it did in the past on modern TVs. They usually treat 240p as 480i and it totally screws up the image. Scan lines also let your brain interpolate missing detail so things look sharper. Many modern TVs have dropped composite and component inputs (no analog inputs) so you couldn’t play in composite if you wanted too. Also, I played in S-video back in the day *coolshades*
Torgo Gorgo Doesn’t help you capture or stream in decent quality. Text looks terrible on a CRT with composite. VI Deblur will help even on a CRT. Hi-Def NES, UltraHDMI, UpperGrafx, GC Video, etc are all much appreciated.
I use s-video and do not stream. I can see the use if you stream, most gamers do not in my experience, so that's the perspective I'm approaching it. Text on N64 and gamecube look good in s video to me on crt and I have no real issue reading them in composite even. For me personally, the improvement in quality is not worth the increase in cost. It just doesn't improve the quality of the gaming experience enough for me.
Well a N64 RGB + an Hdmi Upscaller with a scart input (even a cheap one), are a really good and affordable solution. It seems natural to me, maybe because i am european and most of our retro consoles are natively RGB (with scart)... This is what we do there, most of the time... You buy the upscaller one time, then you can use all your consoles on it...
I still play my old systems on a CRT TV. I use a Composite to RF switching box. The games look a heck of a lot better on the CRT than they do on my 1080P tv.
I hope it's a GBA or something. N64 barely has any games they can put onto it. No 007, no RARE games aside from DK, probably a few more licensing nightmares.
Hijynx87 Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time Legend of Zelda Majoras Mask Mario Kart 64 Super Mario 64 F-Zero X Some of the Mario Party games Starfox 64 Pokemon Snap Waverace 64 Super Smash Bros. Starwars Shadows of the Empire so on.
Hijynx87 I am a huge Rare fan and I mostly played Rare games on the N64 but there is definitely some good games besides just Rareware games. Also 007 could be possible. 007 is not a Rare IP despite Rare having worked on it back when they were Rareware. Basically like DK except it isn't owned by Nintendo either but Nintendo is putting 3rd party games on these classic editions so it can be a possibility.
MetalJesusRocks I've been looking for a video on this even though I can't afford it yet. How did you get yours at a good price? Well I mean where... Well I mean who? XD I want someone to help me with this for atleast a fair price. 400 dollars is absolutely insane and I would never be able to get that mod.
disregard his S-video comparison section, it's very inaccurate. He's using a garbage s-video cable that creates a grid pattern as it doesn't seperate two different signals that it is supposed to. Real s-video looks MUCH better than what he was showing, making the comparison useless.
1:36 I literally did a double take. I love finding youtubers from my home state! Greetings from Olympi, Washington! You got yourself a sub! I’d also love to play Conker’s Bad Fur Day on this and see how it looks, that was one of my favorite 64 games.
have you tried asking at these stores or do you not see it on shelves and assume it's out of stock? some GameStops keep them in back and only bring them out for whoever asks. try your luck now and then, doesn't hurt.
A Few years back I got lucky with getting a double Modded N64 with RGB/Overclocked 2x switch($90). What a differance it makes on chugging frames(on certain games) and the quality of the picture at the same time. I use a Scart cable on my HDTV with a decent RGB/hdmi upscaler. The N64 now gives a extra clear look for my older eyes, it helps me out with the AA-on effect, also I think some games look better with AA-off. Then if I want a smoother feel on high demanding 3d games, i'll flip the overclock on for a bunch of games that need it like Hydro Thunder or GoldenEye 007 so now they play much better IMO^^
Yep it sure can heheh, 2x speed boost for those 4 players/intense 3D multiplayer games on a overclocked N64 now can keep up with the action! The mod pushes through the Chugging slow downs you would usually notice in most games are now minimized/improved making your old games just slightly more speed up in gameplay(in a good way). The extra speed is worth It for me to get the best out of the real hardware and to feel the difference while gaming will make you never want to go back to playing how you use to be^^ Too bad we didn't get the true ULTRA N64 I bet was a powerhouse for it's time at 125mhz, but the CPU was under-clocked by R&D most likely because due to overheating problems so N64 was set to a cooler 93.75mhz. Thanks to the Gaming Mod community for unlocking whats inside!
Dude you gotta try control style 1.2 in perfect dark, it lets you walk with the D-Pad and aim with the analog stick. It feels right at home if you’re used to dual analog sticks.
I never tried it but I heard there was a control scheme for two controllers, one player on Goldeneye. Is it regular or legacy controls? You hold both controllers in the middle so it is like a modern controller split in two pieces.
Oh look the n64 mini has been released! And its gone! I still never had the chance to buy a nes or snes mini. Nintendo is too lazy to produce them. "we will stock them before christmas".
The Trust ill sell you mines for 110, that covers fees, shipping, packing and gas and the taxes i paid for it. Its only missing a bag of the controller wich idk what happen to it
I grew up with the Genesis and the SNES. Once the PS1 and N64 arrived I was obsessed with Guitar playing and Guitar Playing only. I just got back into video games back in 2010. Nice video but I guess I would play it old school without the HD.
Yea like some people have said, emulation is generally even better. You can modify the graphics and whatnot. Not saying emulation is necessarily better, I personally go back to my console to get that classic look which kinda makes me wonder why you would do this mod to begin with. If your playing on a console, and not pc emulators or a Nintendo Virtual Console, you also probably want that original style and solid play.
I totally agree with you, simplifying everything to HDMI whine upgrading at the same time is definitely a cool option! I can't wait to look into this for all of my consoles!
I love how you still got this stuff. Ive had to get the usb n64 controller and then use a usbc adapter to play these games on my android tablet. Awsome how it feels to play them on android with a real 64 controller
Should point out 480p mode is a simple line doubler and won't add any extra lag. So for those that still want an upgrade, but the least amount of lag, stick with 480p.
7:28 "Please forgive my lack of skill when I'm capturing this footage..." Or...ya know you could, like, put it on easy mode, capturing yourself utterly destroying everything that moves and making yourself appear unstoppable in Perfect Dark 64...thats an option here
I'm not sure why people are complaining about the 400$ price, it includes the price of the console, the hdmi mod kit and the labor for installing the kit.
bakerXderek In case you didn’t realize, the $400 was for a lot more than just the “simple soldering.” It includes the console and a ~$150 kit plus the fine-pitch soldering, guarantee, etc. The soldering part of the procedure is actually very risky so that expense is also rolled into the price. An experienced modder can also make a clean and tight cut out (important for UltraHDMI as it requires structure from the bottom). The $400 consoles often include refurbished controllers, mini HDMI to HDMI cables, cleaning. Heck, some installers are even recapping the system and PSU though neither has really been shown to be a problem.
Jim Shoos You don’t know what you are talking about. Those adapters do not work properly with 240p and will be as bad or worse than your TV’s built-in composite video. Only the absolute latest flat panels have dropped composite, but even the ones that have it are terrible. You can usually connect it to one of the component jacks or to a squid/Medusa dongle that was included with the TV. Those AV to HDMI adapters are a huge scam. Do not encourage people to buy them.
Jim Shoos No. this has been discussed to death. There is absolutely ZERO point to those. They are just as bad as letting your TV scale/adapt analog and are often WORSE. Evans has been setting up home theaters daily for 13 years and he knows what he’s talking about. Watch a MyLifeInGaming or RetroRGB video where they discuss these horrible adapters.
Jim Shoos “Do not work properly with 240p” means “treats 240p as 480i and makes the quality worse.” It seems that you misunderstood that to mean that you won’t have an image at all. Regardless, you have a lot of reading/watching to do. The simplest advice is DO NOT BUY those AV to HDMI adapters. They are absolute JUNK and will not improve 240p games.
Finally subscribed after watching tons of videos. Despite not really having the urge to buy retro tech, I love your content and seeing old tech pushed to its extremes.
I had a funny moment where my sister watched Dreamcast video online on UA-cam. Decided to play one herself. I lend her my Dreamcast and CRT TV, she asked why the game looked blurry compared to what she saw on UA-cam. I told her she was misled with people using VGA capture versus the composite connection she got. She even told me there are vague invisible lines on the screen when the game trying to access data from the console. I told her that's normal, it's called interference. I thought it was funny that she thought we experience gaming like on the UA-cam and just finding out it wasn't like that in the real world. I think it's up to us older folks to set the record straight and tell those younger kids that games we all played were not digital clear like they see on emulators and UA-cam videos.
@@josceola8979 you hav e absolutely no idea about the reto set up if you think people throw tvs out on the side of the road. a nice vga screen is all you needed for dedicated equipment and the rf cable is a nice combination of devices I also use a double plug to powerboth my vga and 64 at the same time that runs it at a good rate no power problems yet so i dont know what system you refer to and place that vga tvs are on road but I believe you have made thde foolish hobby this time.
Dear MetalJesusRocks, have you ever accidently dropped your consol or something? Do you have Blooper videos? I love seeing those and was wondering if you ever thought about keeping your raw videos and making a blooper reel lol
I don't care for emulators. Putting the physical game in the system is part of the experience to me. That being said, I can see forking out the money for mods like these. I'm glad that there are people out there smart and passionate enough to create these!
jvalex18 I don't think he ever said that games necessarily play better on the real system. Some people just get a warm and fuzzy feeling from running original hardware, with occasional improvements as the cherry on top.
Emulators give you the same experience on 0% of the games... there's tons difference about the experience. N64 emulation is bad so most games play and look different, assuming they work at all. They're going to look different because you're emulating them on a modern progressive display rather than playing on them an analog television over composite/s-video cables. If you're on PC over an emulator you're probably not going to be using the N64 controller which is a very unique feeling controller being the first ever analog controller for a home console. Having to physically insert cartridges and turn on / reset the console, etc, all that stuff is part of the experience.
Space Kitty Obviously the actual console is better if you enjoy the physical aspects and limitations of it, but not everyone does. If your playing for the games alone, emulation will make them look far better and usually run better. Just boot up Super Mario 64 in native 1080p and take a look. For the record, I much prefer my real N64 but also have an emulator setup for games I can't reasonably aquire, like Conker's Bad Fur Day.
jvalex18 Ultra HDMI takes the video signal right from the GPU. If anything, with processing turned off it's closer to what the N64 is actually rendering than the mess created by composite. I can see why someone would prefer an RGB mod with a CRT, but this is for people who such a setup isn't practical for and/or future proofness. Not to mention that you could have both if you still want to use a CRT sometimes.
jvalex18 Technically it might not be, but as argument it doesn't make any difference, as that's not what most people mean with original hardware. The important part is that the game is running on the real system exactly as it always did, with the full physical experience and none of the hitches of emulation. The only difference is that you're sending the picture to your modern screen in a more effective way.
There was one N64 game that haunted me when HDMI took over because of the input delay, and that was Mario Golf. If something like this would fix that, I would be relieved, even with the heft price tag you'll spend just about that much on finding a Framemeister upscaler.
DOFUS agreed. I get it takes work to install it but don’t understand. Hope retro doesn’t turn into something only the rich or sponsored people can afford.
$400 is a made-up number since only the market can set the price of a pre-installed system. Supply hasn't caught up with demand. A standard charcoal system sold for almost $500 just before my most recent Jungle Green sold for $600 (eBay auction). I've had multiple Jungle Green and Ice Blue N64 UltraHDMI systems sell for over $600 when I put them up for bids on eBay. I offer a warranty, include the mini HDMI cable, and add a 3D printed cartridge tray that allows Japanese games to fit. The warranty is probably what people want. After doing something like 30 N64 systems, I haven't had any warranty claims. One owner did report a compatibility issue with some Vizio TVs.
jsanders031 price for this mod will come down when supply catches up with demand. Right now, retro game enthusiasts are competing with live-streamers and UA-camrs for these kits. Those guys feel like they MUST have the highest quality stream/capture possible, so most are paying the current market price for it.
An RGB modded N64 with a RAD2X (Nintendo version of RAD2X), which converts the RGB signal to HDMI, will give you a very similar experience, as it has a deblur option which many seem to say is as good or even slightly better than the deblur from this HDMI mod, and it's a lot easier to do the RGB mod than the HDMI mod, as long as you have a version of the N64 console which is compatible with the cheap and (relatively) easy to install RGB mods. The RAD2X is pretty expensive, at about 80 USD iirc, but it will also work with Snes, Gamecube, and even some versions of the NES, and will still work with systems that don't support RGB, doing a very good job of converting the composite signal to HDMI. Some systems will require a more expensive RGB mod which is more difficult to install, though I think those ones will come with a bunch of the features that you would get with an HDMI mod.
It’s probably sharper. But, if it’s even just brighter then it’s worth it. I played Doom 64 on a HD tv, it’s sooo dark the game is unplayable!!! Also, Duke Nukem zero hour. Crazy dark it ruins the whole game. I’m going hdmi homie ✌🏻
Thanks for the video. We need to know these mods exists and how they perform. The difference is night and day. i can understand you would not go back. 400$ is a lot of money though. I wonder how's that device translates to PAL region N64... I agree this mod is for hardcore collector or one who can solder. I think my only hope is N64 Classic Mini if that ever happens.
As someone who has personally heard and seen the difference between cheap-o cable and higher end mosnter cable. Listening to systems worth $50K+, there is a difference but, it all depens on how much the watcher or listener cares.. If you really care about the best quality, you would know not to buy the cheapest thing you can find. It does make a difference but, very moderate at under $20 cables.
I want a Nintendo 64, BADLY. I know one of my cousins has one. My brother and I used to play it when he was still living at home whenever my family would visit. My favorite game of what he had was Episode I Racer. He also had an SNES. He took both when he moved out about 6 or so years ago. He still has them. I would love to buy them from him.
Hi, Metal Jesus. Thank you for the great videos! I live in the Olympia area and I was just curious who in the Seattle area did you use for installing the mod? I just purchased a Pixel FX retro gem HDMI kit, and I am looking for a qualified installer.
I used the old TVs lol. Most friends say why not put the games on your other TVs lol. Then I show them the difference lol. But it keeps the games looking great and have the same feeling as back in the day. but I have to say is pretty cool and is making me want to buy another 64 and have this put in it lol.
It's mostly luck that SCART became popular in Europe. The basic reason is that the French came out with an early videotex system called Minitel - originally it used stand-alone terminals, but later was adapted to use a TV for display purposes - the SCART standard was developed by the French TV manufacturers industry association (called Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs - hence SCART) for connection of these videotex terminals, and it was eventually mandated for all new TVs by the French government. Since the TV makers had it provide it anyway for the French market, they figured they might as well put it on all Euro-spec TVs. It also provided a convenient way for AV equipment makers to get around the proliferation of different transmission standards in Europe - although pretty much everyone used CCIR frame rates and PAL color encoding (well, except the French who used SECAM for color) there was quite a bit of variation in sound subcarrier frequencies which made RF an unattractive option since you needed many different RF modulators. As most even vaguely modern TVs already had SCART, it was the obvious choice for better quality video - especially since using RGB also sidestepped the issue or encoding system allowing the same consoles to be sold in France as in the places using PAL.
TrimeshSZ Interesting i didnt know that.Well i'm still glad we have it here.even newer tvs still have the SCART port.ofcourse it still doesnt look as good when i hook up an old console to that like Component for instance but better than composite for sure.
SCART was sort of a "multi" port. It was basically Composite, S-Video, Component, and RGB available through one connector. Some devices will give you identical output with SCART as with Composite if they only actually supported Composite out or if the Cable is a Composite SCART cable. In the latter case ,the cable would be literally missing the pin connections for S-Video, component, and RGB and would only have audio and Composite; in the former case even if the pins are present the device only supplies information via Composite if it doesn't support otherwise.
Does the same concept apply to something like the PS2? A while ago I set up my ps2 for the first time in years and the graphics on a more modern TV were too blurry to even play. I don't remember those games looking so bad when I was a kid, unless my eyes have gone bad.
Ron Johnson I think the best option would be to probably get yourself a tower ps3 with backwards compatibility, reckon something like this for a ps2 would be more than $400? Hope that helps.
Make sure you are using component cables for a Hdtv, so you can get 480p (or higher if the game allows) as well as better signal. However, you will only go so far with PS2 games on a Hdtv, even when playing on BC PS3. I still keep anything before PS3/360 era on a CRT I have. Though some of hte PS2 games they have for download on the PS4 do not look too bad. Otherwise, see if there were HD remasters on the PS3/PS4 for those games you want to play.
I use component cables for PS2. It looks really good! I noticed instantly the difference from the original cables. There was a huge improvement in image clarity, and it's certainly good enough. If you're playing PS2 games these days, it makes no sense to be overly picky about graphics.
Tim Walden i suppose it is when you're dead broke; indeed, a child, as you say. was for me til i started making money, anyway. not to say the price tag on this is or is not worth it, just saying in general
I'm 26( therefore not a child) and I emulate a lot of games . its more of a convince factor for me. I mean I have plenty of disposable income ( I own a 2016 BMW m3) I just don't care if I own the cartridge or not. I would rather leave them out in the wild for some one who would actually appreciate them.
Because it is? Emulation runs your games better, has mod support, can use any controller you want, and can run at any resolution you need. Some people are just blinded by nostalgia. Go back and actually play games like Goldeneye on the original hardware with it's single-digit framerate in multiplayer and you'll come running to emulation, lol.
BOSS ROSS that's so stupid. A lot of people like playing old games and love the feel of the limitations. Like me hitting the reset buttons a lot if times on the NES or pulling out the cartridges to clean then. You think we will whine over minor graphic problem? Nothing beats original. I will still play my old systems and yes they have a slower framerate and resolution,but that what it makes it feel good. Oh and using different controllers for PC for emulation it just shows you guys cannot adapt to old Nintendo controllers. I do like playing Legend of Zelda art I was a game controller but nothing beats the feel of it with a N64 controller. call Nostalgia if you want but people like me love playing authentically. Also in what world you think you are correct? If we were talking about this in front if a judge of federal law,you be in the wrong. But because you're you on the internet and 1 of many. You are just another tiny insect the law just can't bother with right noa. But if you were in their face,you be smashed. So suck it!
Since last year I'm using an Rgb modded N64 with the original Gamecube Rgb scart connected to a hdmi adaptor that upscales the output to 1080p and the result in term of video quality is really cool. I can even upscale the signal once again with a Lindy 1080p to 4K adapter and the graphics looks ultra-sharp. I spent 100€ for the console already modded, 50€ for the scart to hdmi adapter and 60€ for the Lindy one (I already had the original cable since I bought it together with my first Gamecube when it came out), I bought everything of those on eBay.
That's a pretty big price. If the HDMI mod tabs into the RGB signal, it would be way cheaper to buy a pre-modded RGB N64 and the Open Source Scan Converter, that you'd also be able to use for your other stuff. A pre-modded N64 can be around 100$ and the OSSC is currently 125$.
The mod does not simply grab the analog RGB signal and digitize it. It grabs the signals right off the graphics processor before they are converted to Analog RGB.
The signal is digital first anyway. So you only have to grab the digital signal and convert it to HDMI. Theres no point in using any analog signal because the quality is already lost at that point.
Always love your videos MetalJesus, just a huge huge fan of yours, so happy you do this UA-cam channel. If i were you, I might have focused a few more sentences about the latency. The real reason this appeals to me isn’t the visuals; it’s because those flatscreens add so much lag, and composite-to-HDMI converters make it even more drastic. Input lag ruins Smash Bros and SM64 and probably most games. The way I see it, you either need a CRT or I guess you go the emulation route - or you can get this HDMI mod and solve it all! Finally get to play some proper old school mario party with my sisters again.
Good video, I would appreciated having picture in picture of both so I could look between then both, real time using the same footage so I could actually appreciate a bit more what's going on there.
FYI: That checkerboarding on my S-Video footage may be caused by my multi-cable that does both composite & S-Video. I have two of them and they both do it, but there are reports that if you buy more expensive dedicated S-Video cables the results should be better. You still won't get the benefits of the de-blurring however...
Definitely this is caused by an improperly wired S-Video cable. Most of the cheap 3rd party cables are like this. A genuine N64 S-Video should be about $25 on eBay, and looks a heck of a lot better.
Even compared to an RGB modded N64, the S-Video is fairly close.
Most cheap standalone S-video cables do this too. The reason is because they use composite for chroma. The reason they do that is because the smaller SNS-101 “SNES Junior” doesn’t support S-video. This lets the cable work with both, though it isn’t true S-video quality without chroma and luma.
Check out RetroPie - N64 emulation on it is excellent. Costs < $100 to make one.
Mike Flynn N64 emulation has never been “excellent” on anything. It’s what I think of immediately when I want to show the problems with emulation versus the real thing. In particular, translating the filtered textures to your native GPU creates unsightly seams where two textures are supposed to meet and the edges of 2D objects get a bloom. The GPU microcode is programmed on the fly and but the graphics are translated so there is no emulated GPU for the game software to access via microcode. This causes missing special effects, like motion blur or particles. Mario might fade out when he warps instead of disintegrating, for example. I was beta testing UltraHLE hacks to add authentic N64 controller since before they were released. Without going through extreme measures (Adaptoid), you can’t even properly quick-spin in Zelda due to emulators and their operating systems double-translating the analog axes.
Mike Flynn I will say that N64 emulation is good for one thing: increasing the resolution. UltraHDMI can’t do that. Last I checked, serious Smash Bros tournaments were not played on emulators, so the die-hards are going to stick with UltraHDMI!
I swear he says “one of my favorite games” for every game he plays haha, good video metaljesus
To be clear: I didn't pay $400 (those are ebay prices). I paid for the kit and had Michael Smith of the Seattle Retro Gamers Group install it for me. HE ROCKS!
MetalJesusRocks Does he have a website or contact info? I want mine done and want to send it to someone who I trust. And since you have built that trust subscribers, then he must be good.
Well your friend needs more advertisement especially if they're charging a fair price. Because $400 is way over priced.
MetalJesusRocks I just left a comment on your switch accessories video. That controller adapter that was released for the wii u to use gamecube controllers, actually works on the switch as well! ua-cam.com/video/MxRTq2mV2Ek/v-deo.html
You were using a very poor quality S-video cable from the looks of it fyi. A decent to good one won't have that almost grid-like looks you see when looking close on yours. Nintendo branded one's and monster s-video cables are the most reliable for s-video. Just a heads up because it's not really an accurate comparison to compare an uber expensive mod to a rinky dink s-video cable that doesn't carry the signal properly.
He installed mine too. He did an awesome job.
I really, really, really love the life you're living Metal Jesus. It brings me joy to see you do your thing.
I never thought the N64 could look so clear. I always just assumed that blurriness was due to low resolution and old TVs. I would have loved to have my N64 output quality graphics like this back in the day.
S-video was the way back then. You missed-out.
It's just as good. But with these newer high definition TV screens of today, connecting your S-video to through the RetroTink 2X is the way to go. The RetroTink 2X is so much cheaper.
It’s lack of dithering or alaising that causes that it was totally optional by Nintendo though some games allow to disable it like quake 64 so textures are more visible and everything more vivid. Thier is a tool that patches roms to do this for every game
400 is way to much.
*too
just wanna throw it out there that its 150 for the parts to do this mod yourself... n64 could run 50-100$ and then theres the work of doing the actual mod.
cheap.
ye you can get a nintedo switch and more for that amount
can emulate it for free lol. why bother with all this.
seriously, why the hell don't you have any split screen, showing off composite and HDMI side by side
@@juice6521 clearly it is *not*
By splitscreen you mean side by side comparison?
@@juice6521 Fuck off already. Also clearly: he's not talking to you.
@@peterhopqk side by side or one on top of the other..... yes
@@MarCuseus OK thanks. At first I thought you meant splitscreen as games with 2 player mode.
This is GLORIOUS! Great video as usual man. Sooo much nostalgia REBORN!
I'm an uber N64 fan and I collect for it, but I could not bear to spend $400 for HDMI. I can solder, but I still don't really want to tweak my N64's internals add a hole in the back. My solution: i bought a cheap CRT on Craiglist for $25 and i just use composite. So I have a special little N64 station in my game room. It is the authentic N64 experience and it looks fine to me.
it's über
copy and paste if you miss the äÄöÖüÜß
you should find a PVM then! you'll love the quality!
You aren’t even a bit curious about the anamorphic widescreen options in Goldeneye 007, DK64, Perfect Dark, etc? ;)
Hell yeah, playing an N64 on an HDTV is like using a game controller to play PC games when you got a keyboard right in front of ya. Sure the controller might be "technically better" but the keyboard just completes the experience and it just isn't the same without it
I was looking to get a CRT screen for my older game systems a year or so ago, and then by coincidence I was looking for something in my shed and stumbled upon some TVs that were left behind by some previous tenants who skipped out on rent and then disappeared. a 27" RCA from 2002 and a smaller RCA TruFlat from 2007. They aren't some super sought-after screens but they were free.
That Fog in Turok is so much clearer now!
You can finally breathe again! (Fallout 4 reference :p)
Playing Turok on an N64 would be idiotic when there is a full HD PC version with all kinds of video options to fix issues that the N64 version has.
∞Phantasm some people just like nostalgia
Turok is on Xbox One and the remastered it like two years ago so I see no point in this plus Project64 has Turok and I’m sure there’s an HD texture pack for it, but at the very least you know they remastered Turok on PC as well 😉.
Yea totally
FORSAKEN! Wow you just flooded my brain case with nostalgia! My Father and I played the heck outta that on PS1. What a classic
Literally looks like you just intensified the brightness and that is absolutely it.
Great video! I was hoping that someone would show an easy way to get to the menu screen. Super helpful, and I too have this installed on my N64. After playing on it, there is no going back.
MyLifeInGaming demonstrated the easy way too. Many people misinterpret the label and think that it requires Z and/or stick Right too. Z and Right on the control stick are just alternatives to L and right on the D-pad.
Absolutly fenomenal colour Upgrade...
s-video on a high quality CRT is still about as good, perhaps better in some cases depending on a persons preferences. (NOTE: the svideo cables he showed do not carry the signal properly, resulting in a grid pattern you don't see with halfway decent cables, which cost a little more).
Yikes, it definitely looks good!
Where did you get yours? If you mind asking. And that is if you didn't pay the rich guy price. Because I can't afford a 400 dollar system.
Careful with this at parties, MJR! I wouldn't want anyone tripping over a $400 mod lol. GREAT work on this video. Thanks!
Then say the product is faulty when it was his friends stupidity...
*Then say the product is faulty when the manufacturer of the product admits that it's faulty and that he's upgrading everyone who hasn't had their pre-order filled yet to a newer, non-faulty version of the product
The GC was fried before it hit the floor. Would not have happened with an original Nintendo cable or component/D-sub cable. The design only needed to make the power pins shorter even with all of the other flaws. You can definitely blame the adapter for his GC dying. Controller cords getting tugged is expected and not supposed to kill a GC. Again: It was dead before the impact so the impact did not kill it. The tug alone killed it (connector shifted and shorted power into the wrong pins).
For UltraHDMI I have always expressed concern with the people using rigid dongles to convert miniHDMI to standard HDMI. The rigid part of the standard HDMI cable will extend the rigid adapter so that you have an unsafe and awkward protrusion that can wrench directly on the UltraHDMI board. Not cool. I make sure to include an actual mini to HDMI CABLE with the premodified consoles I sell. If the cable isn’t long enough, extending off the other end is much safer.
I haven't watched a MJR vid in awhile and people are still referencing this lol
that footage is unreal!!! I got the N64 Digital and am really looking forward to having it installed!
That was the worst Corneria run ever
I feel embarrassed to whomever played for that clip. Hopefully a 4 year old.
Ever notice a lot of these youtube retro video gamers suck at actually playing the games?
Maybe he was more focussed on showing us the quality of this modded console? Shut your pieholes ya nerds
Didn't even try to save Falco. What a noob!
Well, someone had to say it.
I think i would rather use an emulator and adjust the resolution instead of paying $400 for a mod
Honesty cheaper and more games!
Man I bought a $400 laptop that runs this stuff at 1080p 120hz +Texture filtering with anti-aliasing.
Ever heard of Project64 🙂? Best way to play n64 games plus you can find full HD texture packs! I hope that helps save people hundreds 😉!
N64 emulation is just very inconsistent imho and for me (as someone who owned an N64 since launch and bought all the major games) it doesn't feel right. Part of it is putting in that original cart, seeing my old trusty N64 come alive in al it's low res 90's glory. Call it nostalgia, it's just my favorite console of all time.
i agree. i cant justify it. especially because i already emulate in 1080p/60fps with AA/AF
I celebrated your birthday on Christmas Jesus
LOL --- Bless you, my child
Soupy Chang - Hahaha!
R.i.p GameCube was crucified
He didnt fix them ?
MY RETRO DAYS Nah, God didn't wanna do it. He rather bring his son to save us rather then actually fix any thing 😉
The Tim Worthington RGB mod board is worth checking out too; it's cheaper, a bit easier to install and newer versions are also capable of de-blurring the output image and it looks stellar. The main issue is that it is going to output RGB over the analogue video output, so if your TV doesn't have a good Analogue-to-Digital converter you'll need an external converter/upscaler; but I use the OSSC so that's perfectly fine for me.
There's also the RAD2X
Looks awesome
Glad to see you direct people to My Life In Gaming. For a lot of people, you gave all the info they’d need. For a video quality obsessed nerd like me, I love having the almost engineering level info. What you do that is better than most, is give an honest user opinion that both a techie and a newbie can appreciate and use. Keep up the good work.
Excellent! You answered all of my questions, especially about latency.
Lon.TV umm who the fuck are you
RagedUnicycle 11 he's actually relevant. So who are you?
Who the fuck am I?
Jeff Gordon who the fuck are you
480p mode has no extra lag.
I'm gonna beat Star Fox on composite, S-Video, and HDMI
This video is a couple years old, now there is the retrotink 2x pro, which works for all your consoles, and gets you probably 90% of this quality.
As someone who sells pre-installed UltraHDMI and has broken $600 several times, I can tell you that the price is purely the result of the kits’ limited availability. If there were enough $130 kits to go around then everyone would just pay an installer $40-$80 for installation. I’m doing my part to fill demand and bring prices back down but MarshallH (the creator) keeps doing strange things, like dictating limited preorder amounts to GameTechUS (what’s the point?!). If they had just allowed an ongoing preorder + backorder until demand was sated, we’d be much better off by now.
Thanks for your perspective... really interesting to hear some of the backstory.
Firmware 1.07 will be out New Year! The preorders are usually short or the folks that got in would be waiting even longer. Other thing is that each order alone is moving 2018 Corvette ZR1 type of money because the parts cost is so high (when the parts are available). Makes my butt pucker up every time I go to wire to some company in China I only talk to on hotmail :)
marshallgs Yeah, but that’s just even more incentive to let people continue to line up and throw money at you throughout the process! ;) When Jason was saying things like that you would allow 200 more preorders, all I could think of was “why not allow as many more as people will pay for and then order that many?” Even if you can’t get that many in the first batch, processing them first come, first serve, will let you get an even bigger batch the next time and gauge the demand accurately. You would knock out the bulk of the demand in about two big batches.
Can’t wait to see what’s new in 1.07. :)
Yup, working that direction as much as parts availability will allow. Volume exceeds what one fab can handle, so with multiple fabs each one has its own quirks -- but they will all lie to get business. One time I bought $2k of chips to find they were all production rejects...
I think people forget its the CHARM of nostalgia and the less than stellar graphics that is the hook. Play it in composite and get the full nostalgic charm of days past.
But that's the thing... playing in composite upscaled on your HDTV doesn't look the way you remember it. You'd have to play it on a old CRT to get the full effect.
david g In case you didn’t know, playing in composite looks WORSE than it did in the past on modern TVs. They usually treat 240p as 480i and it totally screws up the image. Scan lines also let your brain interpolate missing detail so things look sharper. Many modern TVs have dropped composite and component inputs (no analog inputs) so you couldn’t play in composite if you wanted too. Also, I played in S-video back in the day *coolshades*
A 20" crt is cheap and easy to store. Seems pretty simple to me. At least more simple than spending 150-300 on a mod for one single console.
Torgo Gorgo Doesn’t help you capture or stream in decent quality. Text looks terrible on a CRT with composite. VI Deblur will help even on a CRT. Hi-Def NES, UltraHDMI, UpperGrafx, GC Video, etc are all much appreciated.
I use s-video and do not stream. I can see the use if you stream, most gamers do not in my experience, so that's the perspective I'm approaching it. Text on N64 and gamecube look good in s video to me on crt and I have no real issue reading them in composite even. For me personally, the improvement in quality is not worth the increase in cost. It just doesn't improve the quality of the gaming experience enough for me.
that's really cool that you gave My Life in Gaming a shout! Love those guys.
I love how you're making money and enjoying life doing something you love!
Well a N64 RGB + an Hdmi Upscaller with a scart input (even a cheap one), are a really good and affordable solution. It seems natural to me, maybe because i am european and most of our retro consoles are natively RGB (with scart)... This is what we do there, most of the time... You buy the upscaller one time, then you can use all your consoles on it...
My Life In Gaming is simply awesome.
Agreed.
True
Yes! also Bob at retroRGB and the members of the round table disscusions!
That is one of the best improvements I have seen on any system with an HDMI mod.
There’s a cheap HDMI Converter on Amazon that’s works alright. Costs around $15-20.
Link?
Link or it a lie
Dave Houston bro there all over eBay works fanstastic
@@ZenDonn I need to get me one. What's the name?
Well yeah, for a plug-n-play solution that does the trick. But for a proper digital signal this mod is the only way unfortunately.
I still play my old systems on a CRT TV. I use a Composite to RF switching box. The games look a heck of a lot better on the CRT than they do on my 1080P tv.
... Until the N64 Classic comes out next year.
n64 emulation is already perfect pretty much, i have no moral qualms about emulating old consoles
I hope it's a GBA or something. N64 barely has any games they can put onto it. No 007, no RARE games aside from DK, probably a few more licensing nightmares.
Jimmy Panda Emulation is not perfect for the N64 plus not everyone can afford a pc.
Hijynx87 Legend of Zelda Ocarina of Time
Legend of Zelda Majoras Mask
Mario Kart 64
Super Mario 64
F-Zero X
Some of the Mario Party games
Starfox 64
Pokemon Snap
Waverace 64
Super Smash Bros.
Starwars Shadows of the Empire
so on.
Hijynx87 I am a huge Rare fan and I mostly played Rare games on the N64 but there is definitely some good games besides just Rareware games. Also 007 could be possible. 007 is not a Rare IP despite Rare having worked on it back when they were Rareware. Basically like DK except it isn't owned by Nintendo either but Nintendo is putting 3rd party games on these classic editions so it can be a possibility.
“Alright, enough fartin around, let’s play Star Fox 64.”
My favorite part, sounds like something James Rolfe would say lol
You should know that perfect dark DOES have a twinstick mode, but you have to have two controllers, and you hold one controller in each hand.
I almost want to get the game just to try that. It also supports the N64 mouse but with the lack of buttons on the mouse it doesn't really work
Super helpful video MJ. I know you put a lot of work into this and we appreciate it!
Yes, this video was a ton of work...but also a lot of fun. Thanks for noticing!
MetalJesusRocks I've been looking for a video on this even though I can't afford it yet. How did you get yours at a good price? Well I mean where... Well I mean who? XD I want someone to help me with this for atleast a fair price. 400 dollars is absolutely insane and I would never be able to get that mod.
disregard his S-video comparison section, it's very inaccurate. He's using a garbage s-video cable that creates a grid pattern as it doesn't seperate two different signals that it is supposed to. Real s-video looks MUCH better than what he was showing, making the comparison useless.
N64 Classic incoming
I would love to have this but that's way out of my price range.
1:36 I literally did a double take. I love finding youtubers from my home state! Greetings from Olympi, Washington! You got yourself a sub!
I’d also love to play Conker’s Bad Fur Day on this and see how it looks, that was one of my favorite 64 games.
I'm still waiting for my SNES Classic. Every single time I try to get it at a store, it's sold out.
Ксения Ковалевская try checking now. Everyone seems to be finding them easily. I found some yesterday at Best Buy.
Excuse me ma'am but are you tryimg buying online or at local store retailers?
I go to Walmart and Gamestop and they never have it in.
just use a snes9x emulator
have you tried asking at these stores or do you not see it on shelves and assume it's out of stock? some GameStops keep them in back and only bring them out for whoever asks. try your luck now and then, doesn't hurt.
A Few years back I got lucky with getting a double Modded N64 with RGB/Overclocked 2x switch($90). What a differance it makes on chugging frames(on certain games) and the quality of the picture at the same time. I use a Scart cable on my HDTV with a decent RGB/hdmi upscaler. The N64 now gives a extra clear look for my older eyes, it helps me out with the AA-on effect, also I think some games look better with AA-off. Then if I want a smoother feel on high demanding 3d games, i'll flip the overclock on for a bunch of games that need it like Hydro Thunder or GoldenEye 007 so now they play much better IMO^^
Can it play Perfect Dark multiplayer over 10fps?
Yep it sure can heheh, 2x speed boost for those 4 players/intense 3D multiplayer games on a overclocked N64 now can keep up with the action! The mod pushes through the Chugging slow downs you would usually notice in most games are now minimized/improved making your old games just slightly more speed up in gameplay(in a good way). The extra speed is worth It for me to get the best out of the real hardware and to feel the difference while gaming will make you never want to go back to playing how you use to be^^
Too bad we didn't get the true ULTRA N64 I bet was a powerhouse for it's time at 125mhz, but the CPU was under-clocked by R&D most likely because due to overheating problems so N64 was set to a cooler 93.75mhz. Thanks to the Gaming Mod community for unlocking whats inside!
That's cool. I still play N64 with friends occasionally, but mainly Mario Kart since the FPS games runs too poorly, Perfect Dark especially.
Dude you gotta try control style 1.2 in perfect dark, it lets you walk with the D-Pad and aim with the analog stick. It feels right at home if you’re used to dual analog sticks.
I never tried it but I heard there was a control scheme for two controllers, one player on Goldeneye. Is it regular or legacy controls? You hold both controllers in the middle so it is like a modern controller split in two pieces.
Absolutely not.
stick to your stupid playstations and get your wussy millenial asses out of here....
I was born in 1975, so I'm safe, yeah? Lol
LOL :D :D :D
MrsSharkBait
Millennial birthdates start in the early to mid 80s. They end in 1996. Everyone after 1996 is Gen Z.
Acutally millennial gen starts in 1982 dummy. Glad i was born in 81
The HDMI mod rocks. I've had it installed on my system for nearly a year and i never regretted it.
Waiting for N64 Mini
You know it's coming
Or lakka.tv, it's already here! :3
Oh look the n64 mini has been released! And its gone!
I still never had the chance to buy a nes or snes mini. Nintendo is too lazy to produce them. "we will stock them before christmas".
The Trust ill sell you mines for 110, that covers fees, shipping, packing and gas and the taxes i paid for it. Its only missing a bag of the controller wich idk what happen to it
Ice Man hiiiiiiiuuu
Hiiii
8:52 that transition made me reach out and grab my monitor like it was falling
I grew up with the Genesis and the SNES. Once the PS1 and N64 arrived I was obsessed with Guitar playing and Guitar Playing only. I just got back into video games back in 2010. Nice video but I guess I would play it old school without the HD.
I freaking love your N64 updates man
Awesome video :) The difference between them is night and day!
ThePSXcollector really don't see the difference, there's even more of a difference if played with an emulator
looks the same to me lmao
ThePSXcollector love your logo
Anyone that thinks there's no difference needs to go see a doctor immeditately.
Yea like some people have said, emulation is generally even better. You can modify the graphics and whatnot.
Not saying emulation is necessarily better, I personally go back to my console to get that classic look which kinda makes me wonder why you would do this mod to begin with.
If your playing on a console, and not pc emulators or a Nintendo Virtual Console, you also probably want that original style and solid play.
I totally agree with you, simplifying everything to HDMI whine upgrading at the same time is definitely a cool option! I can't wait to look into this for all of my consoles!
I love how you still got this stuff. Ive had to get the usb n64 controller and then use a usbc adapter to play these games on my android tablet. Awsome how it feels to play them on android with a real 64 controller
The emulators can be ran with texture pack updates made to bring the game into hd. I play perfect dark with an additional texture pack to go with it.
Should point out 480p mode is a simple line doubler and won't add any extra lag.
So for those that still want an upgrade, but the least amount of lag, stick with 480p.
Specifically its the Direct Mode option you want enabled.
a 720 or 1080P TV will still need to upscale that and add the lag.
I like the N64, but 400$ and N64 don't even belong in the same sentence.
Yet people buy them for even more than $400. I recently sold one for $500 after installing mine.
Not yet, anyways. Once they break down beyond repair and finally die, the few that remain functional will be collectors items worth hundreds.
It'd be nice if 64DD cost about 400
7:28
"Please forgive my lack of skill when I'm capturing this footage..."
Or...ya know you could, like, put it on easy mode, capturing yourself utterly destroying everything that moves and making yourself appear unstoppable in Perfect Dark 64...thats an option here
I'm not sure why people are complaining about the 400$ price, it includes the price of the console, the hdmi mod kit and the labor for installing the kit.
Not even REMOTELY worth $400 for a simple solder job. $50-$100 max i'd say for the persons time is more reasonable.
bakerXderek In case you didn’t realize, the $400 was for a lot more than just the “simple soldering.” It includes the console and a ~$150 kit plus the fine-pitch soldering, guarantee, etc. The soldering part of the procedure is actually very risky so that expense is also rolled into the price. An experienced modder can also make a clean and tight cut out (important for UltraHDMI as it requires structure from the bottom). The $400 consoles often include refurbished controllers, mini HDMI to HDMI cables, cleaning. Heck, some installers are even recapping the system and PSU though neither has really been shown to be a problem.
Jim Shoos You don’t know what you are talking about. Those adapters do not work properly with 240p and will be as bad or worse than your TV’s built-in composite video. Only the absolute latest flat panels have dropped composite, but even the ones that have it are terrible. You can usually connect it to one of the component jacks or to a squid/Medusa dongle that was included with the TV. Those AV to HDMI adapters are a huge scam. Do not encourage people to buy them.
Jim Shoos LOL! No. Worst thing you can do.
Jim Shoos No. this has been discussed to death. There is absolutely ZERO point to those. They are just as bad as letting your TV scale/adapt analog and are often WORSE. Evans has been setting up home theaters daily for 13 years and he knows what he’s talking about. Watch a MyLifeInGaming or RetroRGB video where they discuss these horrible adapters.
Jim Shoos “Do not work properly with 240p” means “treats 240p as 480i and makes the quality worse.” It seems that you misunderstood that to mean that you won’t have an image at all. Regardless, you have a lot of reading/watching to do. The simplest advice is DO NOT BUY those AV to HDMI adapters. They are absolute JUNK and will not improve 240p games.
I think I'll wait for the n64 classic😂
Eamonn Kearns Some say its already sold out...
Eamonn Kearns What he said ^
but itll have no Rare games on it
girlsdrinkfeck
But the system itself will be Rare
Retro mode: Pay 400 dollars to make your N64 look like crap again
smooth crap tho
Silky smooth crap
haha yeah.. Thought the same thing!
lol
Hahahaha that comment made me laugh lol so good
Finally subscribed after watching tons of videos. Despite not really having the urge to buy retro tech, I love your content and seeing old tech pushed to its extremes.
I had a funny moment where my sister watched Dreamcast video online on UA-cam. Decided to play one herself. I lend her my Dreamcast and CRT TV, she asked why the game looked blurry compared to what she saw on UA-cam. I told her she was misled with people using VGA capture versus the composite connection she got. She even told me there are vague invisible lines on the screen when the game trying to access data from the console. I told her that's normal, it's called interference. I thought it was funny that she thought we experience gaming like on the UA-cam and just finding out it wasn't like that in the real world.
I think it's up to us older folks to set the record straight and tell those younger kids that games we all played were not digital clear like they see on emulators and UA-cam videos.
yeah they idiots
@@josceola8979 you hav e absolutely no idea about the reto set up if you think people throw tvs out on the side of the road. a nice vga screen is all you needed for dedicated equipment and the rf cable is a nice combination of devices I also use a double plug to powerboth my vga and 64 at the same time that runs it at a good rate no power problems yet so i dont know what system you refer to and place that vga tvs are on road but I believe you have made thde foolish hobby this time.
you show me tv on road I love you
You should have let her play on a Atari 5200.
Lords of Thunder shirt is awesome! I love that game.
Check my site out if you liked that Lords of Thunder shirt & there are many more! metalgamertees.com/
Dear MetalJesusRocks, have you ever accidently dropped your consol or something? Do you have Blooper videos? I love seeing those and was wondering if you ever thought about keeping your raw videos and making a blooper reel lol
Great editing, love the transitions between ultra hdmi / regular 64
do 1 video on how YOU TREAT your HAIR. shampoos, combs, all that.
i wanna know
I don't care for emulators. Putting the physical game in the system is part of the experience to me. That being said, I can see forking out the money for mods like these. I'm glad that there are people out there smart and passionate enough to create these!
jvalex18 I don't think he ever said that games necessarily play better on the real system. Some people just get a warm and fuzzy feeling from running original hardware, with occasional improvements as the cherry on top.
Emulators give you the same experience on 0% of the games... there's tons difference about the experience. N64 emulation is bad so most games play and look different, assuming they work at all. They're going to look different because you're emulating them on a modern progressive display rather than playing on them an analog television over composite/s-video cables. If you're on PC over an emulator you're probably not going to be using the N64 controller which is a very unique feeling controller being the first ever analog controller for a home console. Having to physically insert cartridges and turn on / reset the console, etc, all that stuff is part of the experience.
Space Kitty Obviously the actual console is better if you enjoy the physical aspects and limitations of it, but not everyone does. If your playing for the games alone, emulation will make them look far better and usually run better. Just boot up Super Mario 64 in native 1080p and take a look.
For the record, I much prefer my real N64 but also have an emulator setup for games I can't reasonably aquire, like Conker's Bad Fur Day.
jvalex18 Ultra HDMI takes the video signal right from the GPU. If anything, with processing turned off it's closer to what the N64 is actually rendering than the mess created by composite.
I can see why someone would prefer an RGB mod with a CRT, but this is for people who such a setup isn't practical for and/or future proofness. Not to mention that you could have both if you still want to use a CRT sometimes.
jvalex18 Technically it might not be, but as argument it doesn't make any difference, as that's not what most people mean with original hardware. The important part is that the game is running on the real system exactly as it always did, with the full physical experience and none of the hitches of emulation. The only difference is that you're sending the picture to your modern screen in a more effective way.
These modded hdmi n64 consoles are like 800-1000$ on ebay too expensive!! I just bought the Eon Super 64 and happy with that!
There was one N64 game that haunted me when HDMI took over because of the input delay, and that was Mario Golf. If something like this would fix that, I would be relieved, even with the heft price tag you'll spend just about that much on finding a Framemeister upscaler.
I only ever had two games for my N64
400$ are u crazy
DOFUS agreed. I get it takes work to install it but don’t understand. Hope retro doesn’t turn into something only the rich or sponsored people can afford.
$400 is a made-up number since only the market can set the price of a pre-installed system. Supply hasn't caught up with demand. A standard charcoal system sold for almost $500 just before my most recent Jungle Green sold for $600 (eBay auction). I've had multiple Jungle Green and Ice Blue N64 UltraHDMI systems sell for over $600 when I put them up for bids on eBay. I offer a warranty, include the mini HDMI cable, and add a 3D printed cartridge tray that allows Japanese games to fit. The warranty is probably what people want. After doing something like 30 N64 systems, I haven't had any warranty claims. One owner did report a compatibility issue with some Vizio TVs.
jsanders031 price for this mod will come down when supply catches up with demand. Right now, retro game enthusiasts are competing with live-streamers and UA-camrs for these kits. Those guys feel like they MUST have the highest quality stream/capture possible, so most are paying the current market price for it.
Scott 1 Even an old CRT would benefit from 240p de-blur. I really don't understand why the N64 RCP (graphics chip) forces it.
jsanders031 a crt and a s-video cable might set you back 30$ not expensive. Gaming in general is one of the cheapest hobbies to have.
An RGB modded N64 with a RAD2X (Nintendo version of RAD2X), which converts the RGB signal to HDMI, will give you a very similar experience, as it has a deblur option which many seem to say is as good or even slightly better than the deblur from this HDMI mod, and it's a lot easier to do the RGB mod than the HDMI mod, as long as you have a version of the N64 console which is compatible with the cheap and (relatively) easy to install RGB mods. The RAD2X is pretty expensive, at about 80 USD iirc, but it will also work with Snes, Gamecube, and even some versions of the NES, and will still work with systems that don't support RGB, doing a very good job of converting the composite signal to HDMI.
Some systems will require a more expensive RGB mod which is more difficult to install, though I think those ones will come with a bunch of the features that you would get with an HDMI mod.
you said it night and day difference all i really notice is the brightness , comon tbh clarity actually hasn't changed at all
It’s probably sharper. But, if it’s even just brighter then it’s worth it. I played Doom 64 on a HD tv, it’s sooo dark the game is unplayable!!! Also, Duke Nukem zero hour. Crazy dark it ruins the whole game. I’m going hdmi homie ✌🏻
He should make one for the dreamcast
I enjoy playing n64 or any old console on a CRT tv. The Nintendo minis they are releasing have been great for the money and the hdmi support.
PLEASE DO WORLD DRIVER CHAMPIONSHIP!!!
It's one of those rare gems on the N64. It's impossible to emulate. I'd love to see it in 1080!
HDMI is amazing but using a CRT with composite still have a place in my heart.
Thanks for the video. We need to know these mods exists and how they perform. The difference is night and day. i can understand you would not go back. 400$ is a lot of money though. I wonder how's that device translates to PAL region N64... I agree this mod is for hardcore collector or one who can solder. I think my only hope is N64 Classic Mini if that ever happens.
ok thanks for the info.
It works OK on PAL consoles, but you should go into the setup menu and set the refresh rate to 50Hz for the best results.
A good crt tv and a Monster S-video cable is a good way to go
Monster is overpriced and S video with blur looks shit man...
Cable is cable whether it's monster or Walmart knockoff brand
As someone who has personally heard and seen the difference between cheap-o cable and higher end mosnter cable. Listening to systems worth $50K+, there is a difference but, it all depens on how much the watcher or listener cares.. If you really care about the best quality, you would know not to buy the cheapest thing you can find. It does make a difference but, very moderate at under $20 cables.
I want a Nintendo 64, BADLY. I know one of my cousins has one. My brother and I used to play it when he was still living at home whenever my family would visit. My favorite game of what he had was Episode I Racer. He also had an SNES. He took both when he moved out about 6 or so years ago. He still has them. I would love to buy them from him.
Love your channel man, keep up the good work!
Opeth poster in the back, good shit
Just wait for n64 mini
Or just get lakka.tv on something :3
Hi, Metal Jesus. Thank you for the great videos! I live in the Olympia area and I was just curious who in the Seattle area did you use for installing the mod? I just purchased a Pixel FX retro gem HDMI kit, and I am looking for a qualified installer.
4 years later, looking into it, and saw "UltraHDMI kits are not sold direct to consumers" on his website.
$400 just to make it brighter.
miniontm69 Yeah that gamma boost option honestly seems like the biggest difference.
I mean that isn't what's happening but ok
No it's not worth it
emulation FTW
Adventures in Nostalgia While ya there. By the 64DD XD
Not worth it but it does look great
Nope just play it on an old television .
You just have to answer the question for yourself.
I used the old TVs lol. Most friends say why not put the games on your other TVs lol. Then I show them the difference lol. But it keeps the games looking great and have the same feeling as back in the day. but I have to say is pretty cool and is making me want to buy another 64 and have this put in it lol.
*N64 Emulator: Hold my beer..*
Hi res textures at 3840 x 2160? yes please.
Honestly 😂
The people who are gonna buy mods like this don't care about emulation. Besides it being y'know......illegal
N64 emulation is disappointing.
Some people are purist and want the true original hardware.
I never understood why in america there was only composite.in Europe we have SCART which looks way better on a crt.
You and me both. Never heard of SCART until I got into collecting in the 2000s...
It's mostly luck that SCART became popular in Europe. The basic reason is that the French came out with an early videotex system called Minitel - originally it used stand-alone terminals, but later was adapted to use a TV for display purposes - the SCART standard was developed by the French TV manufacturers industry association (called Syndicat des Constructeurs d'Appareils Radiorécepteurs et Téléviseurs - hence SCART) for connection of these videotex terminals, and it was eventually mandated for all new TVs by the French government. Since the TV makers had it provide it anyway for the French market, they figured they might as well put it on all Euro-spec TVs.
It also provided a convenient way for AV equipment makers to get around the proliferation of different transmission standards in Europe - although pretty much everyone used CCIR frame rates and PAL color encoding (well, except the French who used SECAM for color) there was quite a bit of variation in sound subcarrier frequencies which made RF an unattractive option since you needed many different RF modulators.
As most even vaguely modern TVs already had SCART, it was the obvious choice for better quality video - especially since using RGB also sidestepped the issue or encoding system allowing the same consoles to be sold in France as in the places using PAL.
TrimeshSZ Interesting i didnt know that.Well i'm still glad we have it here.even newer tvs still have the SCART port.ofcourse it still doesnt look as good when i hook up an old console to that like Component for instance but better than composite for sure.
SCART was sort of a "multi" port. It was basically Composite, S-Video, Component, and RGB available through one connector. Some devices will give you identical output with SCART as with Composite if they only actually supported Composite out or if the Cable is a Composite SCART cable. In the latter case ,the cable would be literally missing the pin connections for S-Video, component, and RGB and would only have audio and Composite; in the former case even if the pins are present the device only supplies information via Composite if it doesn't support otherwise.
Does the same concept apply to something like the PS2? A while ago I set up my ps2 for the first time in years and the graphics on a more modern TV were too blurry to even play. I don't remember those games looking so bad when I was a kid, unless my eyes have gone bad.
Ron Johnson I think the best option would be to probably get yourself a tower ps3 with backwards compatibility, reckon something like this for a ps2 would be more than $400? Hope that helps.
Ron Johnson ive thought the same....looks like shit how did we play like that lmao
Make sure you are using component cables for a Hdtv, so you can get 480p (or higher if the game allows) as well as better signal. However, you will only go so far with PS2 games on a Hdtv, even when playing on BC PS3.
I still keep anything before PS3/360 era on a CRT I have. Though some of hte PS2 games they have for download on the PS4 do not look too bad. Otherwise, see if there were HD remasters on the PS3/PS4 for those games you want to play.
I use component cables for PS2. It looks really good! I noticed instantly the difference from the original cables. There was a huge improvement in image clarity, and it's certainly good enough. If you're playing PS2 games these days, it makes no sense to be overly picky about graphics.
Just play on a CRT
I kept a late 90's 28inch crt just for retro gaming and VHS. Glad I didn't get rid of it.
Always enjoy your videos MetalJesus! Thanks for your reviews
Idk man s video looks good enough for me.
Well it is 400$, good enough for you but maybe not for those looking to go a bit further.
Look at all the children who think emulation is always the answer.
Tim Walden i suppose it is when you're dead broke; indeed, a child, as you say. was for me til i started making money, anyway. not to say the price tag on this is or is not worth it, just saying in general
Tim Walden i know right? They think PC and emulators the best. Nothing beats the feel of a NES controller in your hand.
I'm 26( therefore not a child) and I emulate a lot of games . its more of a convince factor for me. I mean I have plenty of disposable income ( I own a 2016 BMW m3) I just don't care if I own the cartridge or not. I would rather leave them out in the wild for some one who would actually appreciate them.
Because it is? Emulation runs your games better, has mod support, can use any controller you want, and can run at any resolution you need. Some people are just blinded by nostalgia. Go back and actually play games like Goldeneye on the original hardware with it's single-digit framerate in multiplayer and you'll come running to emulation, lol.
BOSS ROSS that's so stupid. A lot of people like playing old games and love the feel of the limitations. Like me hitting the reset buttons a lot if times on the NES or pulling out the cartridges to clean then. You think we will whine over minor graphic problem? Nothing beats original. I will still play my old systems and yes they have a slower framerate and resolution,but that what it makes it feel good. Oh and using different controllers for PC for emulation it just shows you guys cannot adapt to old Nintendo controllers. I do like playing Legend of Zelda art I was a game controller but nothing beats the feel of it with a N64 controller. call Nostalgia if you want but people like me love playing authentically. Also in what world you think you are correct? If we were talking about this in front if a judge of federal law,you be in the wrong. But because you're you on the internet and 1 of many. You are just another tiny insect the law just can't bother with right noa. But if you were in their face,you be smashed. So suck it!
Since last year I'm using an Rgb modded N64 with the original Gamecube Rgb scart connected to a hdmi adaptor that upscales the output to 1080p and the result in term of video quality is really cool. I can even upscale the signal once again with a Lindy 1080p to 4K adapter and the graphics looks ultra-sharp.
I spent 100€ for the console already modded, 50€ for the scart to hdmi adapter and 60€ for the Lindy one (I already had the original cable since I bought it together with my first Gamecube when it came out), I bought everything of those on eBay.
I like to have a modern tv for newer stuff as well as having a crt for older stuff.
Man that looks good.
That's a pretty big price. If the HDMI mod tabs into the RGB signal, it would be way cheaper to buy a pre-modded RGB N64 and the Open Source Scan Converter, that you'd also be able to use for your other stuff. A pre-modded N64 can be around 100$ and the OSSC is currently 125$.
Best comment here and most valuable recomendation. This is the best solution now days thinking in quality and price.
The mod does not simply grab the analog RGB signal and digitize it. It grabs the signals right off the graphics processor before they are converted to Analog RGB.
Man, at this pace by the end of 2018, we'll have mods that beams Miyamoto's dreams and memories directly into an 8k HDMI dongle
The signal is digital first anyway. So you only have to grab the digital signal and convert it to HDMI. Theres no point in using any analog signal because the quality is already lost at that point.
Always love your videos MetalJesus, just a huge huge fan of yours, so happy you do this UA-cam channel.
If i were you, I might have focused a few more sentences about the latency. The real reason this appeals to me isn’t the visuals; it’s because those flatscreens add so much lag, and composite-to-HDMI converters make it even more drastic. Input lag ruins Smash Bros and SM64 and probably most games. The way I see it, you either need a CRT or I guess you go the emulation route - or you can get this HDMI mod and solve it all! Finally get to play some proper old school mario party with my sisters again.
Good video, I would appreciated having picture in picture of both so I could look between then both, real time using the same footage so I could actually appreciate a bit more what's going on there.