Famicom World

Family Computer => Famicom / Disk System => Topic started by: i heart yuna on January 18, 2008, 05:48:55 pm

Title: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: i heart yuna on January 18, 2008, 05:48:55 pm
will the NES RF Switch with the Famicom? I can't seem to get anything on any of my three TV's using one, should it matter? I've tried all the channels from about 80 to 100.

Anyone have any tricks on strengthening the signal?
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 133MHz on January 18, 2008, 06:03:16 pm
Yes, it will work perfectly. If in doubt, get a short coax patch cable (like the one you use to connect your VCR to your TV through the antenna input), cut off one of the connectors, and solder a male RCA connector on the snipped end. Then connect the RCA plug to your Famicom and the coax plug to your TV. This direct connection will also work and will let you see if the Famicom has some kind of signal problem which is preventing normal RF switch operation.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: i heart yuna on January 18, 2008, 07:21:24 pm
thanks, man, it turns out i got it to work perfectly on all three of my TVs on channel 7 (??)
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 133MHz on January 18, 2008, 07:24:32 pm
Nice! I had a Famiclone which worked on channel 12 so it's no surprise :P. In fact it sounds plausible since lots of cable channels are located between antenna channels 6 and 7.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: satoshi_matrix on January 18, 2008, 09:23:44 pm
for me, it works on channel 3 LANE.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: JC on January 24, 2008, 04:14:18 pm
I actually prefer using the NES RF instead of the Famicom one, because it works better on my US TVs and because the Famicom one (white) will fade in light.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: Nintega on January 24, 2008, 07:31:01 pm
If the swtich is on CH1 on the back of your Famicom,. put on Ch 95.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aP2eLAottWs
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: Har the cat on January 25, 2008, 01:59:20 pm
Awesome clips on youtube Nintega! :D
I love that pc engine controler and youre splatterhouse collection! Its great!
btw Ive never seen such a bad game like cheetah man, no way hose ;D
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: MarioMania on January 27, 2008, 01:08:13 pm
By using the NES RF on a Famicom..you have Video & Sound on one Channel
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 2A03 on January 31, 2008, 10:03:00 pm
Back when I had an original Famicom, I used one of these: http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=31&products_id=42 (http://www.atariage.com/store/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=31&products_id=42)

It should give you better picture quality than using an RF switchbox, since the cable goes directly into the cable input.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 133MHz on January 31, 2008, 10:05:27 pm
I use one of those with my Atari 800, but if you use the TV regularly it's a pain in the ass since you have to unscrew it and screw your coax/antenna on the back every time you want to watch TV or play another thing. Automatic RF switching (like the NES RF switch) FTW ;D!
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 2A03 on January 31, 2008, 10:11:02 pm
Quote from: 133MHz on January 31, 2008, 10:05:27 pm
I use one of those with my Atari 800, but if you use the TV regularly it's a pain in the ass since you have to unscrew it and screw your coax/antenna on the back every time you want to watch TV or play another thing. Automatic RF switching (like the NES RF switch) FTW ;D!

The nice thing about my setup is that all my RF-only systems share the same cable. I don't plan on having it like that for long, considering I'm thinking of doing composite/S-video mods on all my RF-only systems.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 133MHz on January 31, 2008, 10:13:29 pm
Cool, I don't like how Atari systems have a very weak RF signal which is not enough to trigger the switching mechanism inside the (S)NES RF switches, so for Atari you're stuck with the TV/GAME mechanical RF switch or the RCA to coax thing.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: paletti on October 27, 2008, 07:20:50 am
Hi guys, I need your help  ??? please!

Last month I bought an original rf famicom (incl. a rare japanese rf switch and a ac>dc converter) in Japan! At first it was all great, i connected it to a tv over at my friends house in japan and everything worked perfectly. I was quite happy but already realised that the rf switch might not fit in my tv back in Holland(it has some kind of rca connection if i'm correct).

At home I realised in fact it's quite impossible to connect it to my tv (which support both ntsc and pal) without some adjustment or other connector. Fortunately, I also found an old NES rf switch (it says PAL on it) so I decided to connect it via this way. I actually got a video signal (not very clear but good enough) but no audio at all. I manually searched for all kinds of channels between 90-100 and switched between CH1-2 on the back of the famicom but still no audio.

So now I'm guessing I should use the Japanese rf switch (i know this one worked back in japan), and connect it by removing the short cable with that weird plug with the tiny needle inside (see photo 2) and connecting the male plug of the cable that they used to use for connecting vcr to tv (see photo 3). However, I opened the rf switch and it looks like it not so easy to remove the cable. I don't want to make things worse and as I'm not a pro with electronics I ask you: what should I do?

See photos http://picasaweb.google.com/paletti/Paletti?authkey=ReGnARRxYng (http://picasaweb.google.com/paletti/Paletti?authkey=ReGnARRxYng).

Thanks so much  :)
Patrick
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 133MHz on October 27, 2008, 09:35:48 am
Well, it seems like Holland uses the Belling-Lee (IEC 169-2) antenna connector instead of the more common F-connector used in Japan and the rest of the world. You can probably buy an adapter at your nearest electronics store that would allow you to connect your Japanese RF switch to your European TV. As a last resource I'd replace the cable on the Japanese RF switch (F-connector to Belling-Lee) but that requires soldering knowledge and equipment.

As for the no-audio issue, it may be possible that your TV is in the wrong sound mode. PAL has so many variants and the main difference between them is the sound subcarrier, so using the wrong PAL variant would give a color, steady picture, but without sound. Most European TVs have a way to correct this, look for an option called Sound Mode or something like that around the menus, fiddle with it until you get sound. The Famicom's sound mode should be M or J.

Another thing, it's possible that your TV only supports NTSC through its AV inputs, not through the antenna connection. If that's the case, you'll have to AV mod your Famicom.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: paletti on October 27, 2008, 10:01:35 am
Thank you for your help!!! I'll see if I can get that connector first.

To be continued ;)
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: paletti on October 30, 2008, 09:46:46 am
Well I got one of those F -> Coax connectors and managed to hook it up to my TV but still the same: black/white video (decent quality) but no audio at all. Also found the TV manual and it said NTSC support only for AV :(  so I guess it's time for an AV mod. Hmm, that's going to be a challenge  :-\
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: vgthing on November 06, 2008, 06:46:02 pm
Hi, I know it was probably mentioned on some other post somewhere, but is it ok to use a NES RF cable on an original famicom? I just don't want to fry anything.  :P
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: NintendoKing on November 06, 2008, 06:48:42 pm
RF signal broadcasts, it doesnt receive anything.

Actually NES rf is perfect working on Famicom, as it broadcasts in US signal for channel 95.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: vgthing on November 06, 2008, 06:50:45 pm
So I can use my NES on my fami and it will be fine?
Cool. Thanks lots!
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: NintendoKing on November 07, 2008, 01:01:09 pm
Quote from: vgthing on November 06, 2008, 06:50:45 pm
So I can use my NES on my fami and it will be fine?
Cool. Thanks lots!

Yes, and no problem.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: SeanOrange on November 08, 2008, 02:57:01 am
Yup, it's true.  I do this all the time.

The only thing you need to worry about is to NEVER use an NES power adapter on a Famicom; the NES adapter outputs AC power, which will fry a Famicom (which expects DC).

Also little-known compatability fact: the AV Famicom controllers are cross-compatible with the NES/NES 2.  Wild, eh?
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: Jedi Master Baiter on November 08, 2008, 05:40:12 am
Quote from: SeanOrange on November 08, 2008, 02:57:01 am
Yup, it's true.  I do this all the time.

The only thing you need to worry about is to NEVER use an NES power adapter on a Famicom; the NES adapter outputs AC power, which will fry a Famicom (which expects DC).

Also little-known compatability fact: the AV Famicom controllers are cross-compatible with the NES/NES 2.  Wild, eh?

Good for me. ;D
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: NintendoKing on November 08, 2008, 09:54:22 am
Quote from: SeanOrange on November 08, 2008, 02:57:01 am
Yup, it's true.  I do this all the time.

The only thing you need to worry about is to NEVER use an NES power adapter on a Famicom; the NES adapter outputs AC power, which will fry a Famicom (which expects DC).

Also little-known compatability fact: the AV Famicom controllers are cross-compatible with the NES/NES 2.  Wild, eh?

Sadly AV Famicom controllers are just as short as original famicom controllers, might as well use NES controllers on the AV Famicom.
Title: Re: NES RF switch with Famicom?
Post by: 133MHz on November 08, 2008, 05:41:10 pm
Swap the cables! The connectors are the same even inside, so you can swap a short AV Famicom controller cable with a long NES controller cable.