So, I've been slowly upgrading my Super Nintendo set up, in the quest to get things as clear and visually satisfying as possible.
I never set out to do this but when I started getting seriously back into my SNES a year ago, I made the jump to a basic 21" CRT and was blown away by the jump in visual and lag free play.
That soon stepped up sourcing and getting a PVM, then going full RGB, then getting a Super Famicom to get the full 60hz.
The only real way for me to go after that, was to get a later produced Super Famicom. As with most consoles, as they age they go through certain revisions, some are visual, some are internal, some are both. Most designed to save on production costs as technology develops over time.
In the Super Nintendo's instance, towards the late years, Nintendo condensed the multiple chip sets, into a single chip, referred too as the 1CHIP consoles. There were then 3 revisions to that chip 01, 02 & 03.
It turns out that these later 1CHIP consoles give a considerably sharper RGB display. Nintendo probably didn't strive for this result but was a side effect of using newer, better, chips.
Getting hold of a 1CHIP console is a bit of a lottery, there are a few clues but the only real way to know is by looking at the circuit board inside.
I was after a 02 variant of the 1CHIP as this best suited my PVM (Professional Visual Monitor) set up.
I'd gambled a few times on consoles that came up cheap and I suspected them to be a 1CHIP but alas none were, so I eventually went the more expensive route and bought one straight out.
It gives a sharper image, even to the uninformed eye but to the informed eye and knowing what to look for it's a decent jump in visual sharpness.
I understand that to most this will seem silly and a bit OTT but to someone like me, who has thoroughly enjoyed this adventure in achieving a super crisp and clear way to play my SNES games on original hardware, it's wonderful.
It's something that doesn't really come across very well in pictures and due to the way that CRT's work is almost impossible to capture. You really have to see it to believe it.
Anyway, I think I can finally relax now and get back to enjoying the games, which is what it's really all about
, although having it look nice is enhances that experience !!
These are some of my actual boards.
This is a older, multi chip SNES board.
This is later 1CHIP console.
Sounds like a pretty amazing Christmas ahead for you.
I had no idea! Thanks for the link as well... that would be the most affordable version now!
