SNES2 "Mini SNES" Questions...

[maz4ruth]

Hey guys, I'm new to this site and to be honest it's fantastic! Very intersting things going on!

There's just a couple of things I'd like to point out about the SNES2, mini SNES...

On this site you say that the SNES2 does not support RGB output. Well I was just confriming this yesterday and when I hooked it up to the TV there was definitely and RGB output there! The particular TV I used even reported this as RGB too (It's a Sony, it show's three dots when connected to a proper RGB source).

Another thing: My European (UK) SNES pads also worked on this system. I have yet to try the SNES2 USA pads on my PAL UK SNES, but I will do and let you lot know.

I'm from the UK you see and I just got hold of one of these Mini SNES's off ebay the other week. Love playing battle mode on Mario Kart so I thought I'd get hold of one of these babies to play at a full screen, 60Hz!

I also tried my PAL Gamecube and that also provided an RGB signal. interestingly, when I hooked up my PAL N64 it just showed a really dark image. Too dark to see anything.

Anyway, if anyone would like to try their SNES2 consoles please let me know what you found out... I love this site!

Thanks

BTW: The SNES2 I bought has definitely not been modded, when I bought it it was boxed and factory sealed. I even took it apart just to make 100% sure. To my surprise though, the console just used normal philips screws, not the usual security screws Nintendo so like to use...

[atom]

Factory sealed? That doesnt mean anything, your dealing with the general public  who loves to make a few bucks. What do you mean by sealed... plastic wrap? A sticker? Please upload some pictures.

[maz4ruth]

The usual... Two circular clear stickers covering each tab on the box.

The equipment was also immaculate, and sealed in the usual plastic bags...

There is no doubt that this isnt the real deal.

Can't take pics because I've opened it all now and besides, this is not the point of this post!

[kendrick]

Maz, if I had to hazard I guess I'd say that you got one of the very first of the SNES2 units. It wouldn't surprise me to discover that there was an initial run of SNES2 consoles that supported all the features of the original hardware, and then a larger subsequent run of dumbed-down gear that the rest of us got. I don't know for sure, of course. Without primary source information, we can't know for certain. And we all know how Nintendo feels about sharing manufacturing or print run information. But in the spirit of not singling them out, all manufacturers look for ways to cut costs (especially near the end of a console's manufacturing lifetime.)

Either way, consider yourself privileged. Note however, that not all N64 units support RGB either. So you're batting .500 here.

-KKC, now questioning the wisdom of using baseball metaphors on a nominally international website. :)

[maz4ruth]

That could be possible you know (especially with the unit having "normal" screws)

I do remember having an early gameboy all those years back which also had normal screws, as opposed to the weird ones that they have now...

The screw thing is probably totally irrelevant but I thought I'd just point it out!

Will post the serial number when I can be bothered to look!

Also some pics if you like?

[Chuplayer]

I also have a Game Boy with phillips head screws, but I got that back in the very early 90s. My NES from a year or two earlier also has phillips head screws. It seems even though the games used the security bits, the systems used normal screws up until around 1993.

[atom]

I think all of the first model NES's used phillips. They were more worried about people copying roms then overclocking their cpu's. Not that that was even done much back then.

I know you have had phillips screws in your systems, but did you buy them second hand? I have a gameboy with normal screws, but thats because I worked at a Kay Bee Toys and it was the display! I also bought a gyromite cart at the pawn shop to steal out the adapter, it had phillips screws. But i bought it at the pawn shop and its possible some other nintendhacker removed the gamescrews.

Maz, what i really wanted was a picture of that baby's guts. And yes serial numbers too would be cool. We will get to the bottom of this! It looks like its real, but I just wanna see it for sure, you know? A picture of both the top and bottom of the motherboard would be appreciated. Have you tried S-Video on it?

[maz4ruth]

I'll blow the dust of my digital cam and take as much pics as you fellas would like! I'll also get hold of an S Video cable and let you know the results

BTW: I also have a NES with philips screws but I bough it in the mid 90's so I doubt it was an "Early" one!

It came with Super Mario Bros and I've still got it boxed and everything in the plastic bags, all sealed as new! Wonder if it will be worth much in the future?

EDIT: Just wanna add that my PAL UK game cartriges fit into the SNES2 without any obstruction but of course when I switch it on they do no load. I get a "This game is not designed for your system" screen...

[Chuplayer]

I know you have had phillips screws in your systems, but did you buy them second hand?

No. They were new minty in box.

[maz4ruth]

Just to add aswell all three systems of mine were new too

1) Gameboy, christmas present as child, came with tetris (I got it the christmas Mario Land 2: Six Golden Coins came out in the UK, 1991/2?). - I Don't have it anymore though!

2) NES - Bought myself in 95? - Still have it!

3) SNES2, just bought via ebay - Second hand although certain it is "new"!

[maz4ruth]

I've just tested the US SNES2 joypads on my UK PAL SNES. They did not work!

So... The UK pads work on the US SNES2, but the US pads do not work on a UK SNES, what the hell...!?

Also, the pads I got with the SNES2 felt really cheap and crap to play with, the cables were also really short! That's why I tried my pal pads on it in the first place.

At least this site was right about the pad thing, although I don't know why on earth Nintendo would do this!

Maybe they though us Europeans would get confused seing purple buttons...  :rolleyes:  

[atom]

Anything post SNES should have gamebit screws in them. This includes gameboy pocket, and mini SNES. I have sitting next to me an SNES bought at launch, (for $200 or so if i remember correctly), yellow and crusty, and it has GAMEBIT screws. I also have the empty box with the seals in place.

Im not saying its not possible, I just thirst to see those pics! A mini SNES with working RGB and S-Video would be the best version of the SNES.

[maz4ruth]

Ok ok, pics coming real soon (too early in the morning to do much now!)

[atom]

delays...

[maz4ruth]

I'm very sorry about this!

You see, my digital camera sucks and I'm waiting on a new phone coming (Samsung D500) so I will take the pics using that.

Should be here this week though!

By the way, this is where I got mine from:

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?Vie...ssPageName=WD2V

[maz4ruth]

Camera phone came so I'll get the pictures took later on for yas (when I can be bothered!)

I can confirm that the SNES2 I have is DEFINITELY RGB! The picture is so much sharper than the alternatives (RF, Composite Scart), so sharp that you can see the pixels almost too clearly, making the sprites a little blocky!

The cable I am using is an official Nintendo one, DOL-005 (For the gamecube).

This was my third attempt at getting a good --RGB-- SCART lead (beware, some claim on the box that they are RGB but are not!).

The first one I bought was a really cheap one from lik-sang.

This seems to be an actual RGB cable but was faulty so the picture was purple and dark!

The second cable I bought was a "Blaze ULTIMATE SCART CABLE" - Ultimate my arse, nice looking cable but it isnt RGB!

If you want some cable advice, just fork out the extra cash and get the official Nintendo one!


I used this cable on my other Nintendo consoles, here are my results:

SNES1 (PAL, UK) - No picture (Or extremely Dark!)
N64 (PAL, UK - Same as SNES1, No picture.
Gamecube (Pal, UK) - RGB BABY!!! Excellent RGB picture! AMAZING QUALITY!

Playing Mario Kart on the Gamecube was stunning through RGB, the colours were so rich and the definition was crystal clear, made my T.V. look like a monitor!

PICS of SNES2 Mobo coming shortly ok?

Marrtin

[Martin]

Off Topic
WTF BBQ
You name stealer :angry:
I get called Maz as well.  

[maz4ruth]

Off Topic
WTF BBQ
You name stealer :angry:
I get called Maz as well.

Check out my number plate

[maz4ruth]

Gonna take the pics of the mobo now (sorry for taking soo long!).

Two things I noticed:

1: The Snes does not have those tabs that block non-US carts, meaning it'll probably run Jap games.

2: On the mobo there is three bits of solder (looks like where a jumper switch can go) saying 50H and 60H. An easy PAL mod perhaps?

You'll see in the pics anyway...

[Jagasian]

Hey guys, I'm new to this site and to be honest it's fantastic! Very intersting things going on!

There's just a couple of things I'd like to point out about the SNES2, mini SNES...

On this site you say that the SNES2 does not support RGB output. Well I was just confriming this yesterday and when I hooked it up to the TV there was definitely and RGB output there! The particular TV I used even reported this as RGB too (It's a Sony, it show's three dots when connected to a proper RGB source).

Another thing: My European (UK) SNES pads also worked on this system. I have yet to try the SNES2 USA pads on my PAL UK SNES, but I will do and let you lot know.

I'm from the UK you see and I just got hold of one of these Mini SNES's off ebay the other week. Love playing battle mode on Mario Kart so I thought I'd get hold of one of these babies to play at a full screen, 60Hz!

I also tried my PAL Gamecube and that also provided an RGB signal. interestingly, when I hooked up my PAL N64 it just showed a really dark image. Too dark to see anything.

Anyway, if anyone would like to try their SNES2 consoles please let me know what you found out... I love this site!

Thanks

BTW: The SNES2 I bought has definitely not been modded, when I bought it it was boxed and factory sealed. I even took it apart just to make 100% sure. To my surprise though, the console just used normal philips screws, not the usual security screws Nintendo so like to use...

Super Mario Kart battle mode, huh?  I am the second best player in the world.  The best player is a guy named "Dr Mario Kart".  I can do things in that game that you wouldn't even think were possible.

[phreak97]

unless you can mod it then we most likely dont care.. im sure theres a brag board on some mario kart site where you would be much more at home;)

[maz4ruth]

Super Mario Kart battle mode, huh?  I am the second best player in the world.  The best player is a guy named "Dr Mario Kart".  I can do things in that game that you wouldn't even think were possible.

Thanks for that very inappropriate bullshit, and well done.

Now back to topic:

Now the reason the pics aren't online is because they are soooo blurry I didn't really see the point in upping them until I got hold of a high quality digital camera.

The ZIP file was also too big to attach to the board and I was too lazy to upload the pics seperately.

If anyone would like the ZIP file just PM me with their email address and I could send it over.

It'll give a rough idea until I get a good cam.

Thanks,

Martin.  B)

[maz4ruth]

Just realised, after reading another more recent post, that this SNES2 is indeed a pirate!

To be honest, I did have a suspicion, here are the facts:

1. Joypads were awful! Really tacky, and the cable was very short!
2. SNES shell wasn't upto Nintendo standard. Again, tacky and had a gap at the front!
3. Just realised that some older PAL games work! (Later, "lock-out" games require a mod...)
4. Euro pads work (thank god!) Although the cheap crappy pads did not work in my PAL system.
5. (Fussy this one) The packaging seemed a little "cheap" - Polystyrene was flaky...
6. RGB output, actually a good thing though! But to be honest composite is good enough for me with SNES!
7. Obvious clue, philips screws! - Not the usual gamebit thingies...
8. Tacky power supply and composite cables bundled wih unit.

Anyway, I know this post isn't eally important, just wasnted to make it clear for people who buy in the future to identify the legitimacy of their SNES 2...

[phreak97]

im actually suprised nobody said it was pirate after the phillips screws were mentioned..

[Guest]

Just played Mario Kart (PAL) on this:

God, it's crazy, soo fast!

It's a bit glitchy though (the occasional flicker, little gfx errors etc) buit I think that'll be due to the fact the game uses a DSP chip...

One question:

When I run a PAL game in this, does it run at 60Hz?

If so (it's full screen) does that in effect mean the ROM virtually identical to it's US counterpart?

Weird stuff, but cool

[maz4ruth]

Sorry, the abovce post was me (forgot to log in!)

BTW, I finally got a good digital camera!

If you would like some nice high-res piccies of the mobo etc, just let me know and I'll post them one by one!

[phreak97]

when you play a pal game on that console, it outputs at 60hz, which means it runs 16.67% faster than on a pal console. some games are speed fixed for pal, so youll get uber speed at 60hz, some are not, so you will get the propper speed at 60hz.