Can anyone recognise this strange and unusual Famicom and included device?

Started by SSMario, September 02, 2021, 02:55:57 am

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SSMario

Hello everyone, I wonder if any of the knowledgeable folks here may be able to help me identify what, at least to my knowledge, is a strange and unusual Famicom, and also an unknown device that comes with it? I have some photos:







I bought some items from a Japanese seller and he sent me these photos and asked me if I was interested in this too. I noticed some differences to the regular Famicom which I'm familiar with, such as:

Image 1 shows Japanese text instead of "Family Computer", also the "infrared receiver". Image 2 of the rear shows different connections than I'm aware of. In image 3 I'm used to seeing a HC code, whereas this one omits the C and has an H only, also the "VCI" logo is missing from tab above. And finally the infrared controller device in the remaining 2 images.

I'm struggling to communicate with the seller through google translate, the only information I have from him is that the console is an official Nintendo 'test' console. He's asking a big chunk of change for it so it's definitely a considered purchase and it's difficult to consider, considering I have no idea what it is.

I noticed the infrared device says "Famicon" instead of Famicom, which makes me think it could be a third party device, though the 'infrared' console that comes with it appears genuine.

Does anyone have any idea what this is?

FAMICOM_87

Ask for photoes inside. Endeed very interesting. I think that this is home made or some kind of an early prototype concept :)

The power supply mod is recent work I am sure that inside there is impulse little modern supply

SSMario

Quote from: FAMICOM_87 on September 02, 2021, 03:30:49 amAsk for photoes inside. Endeed very interesting. I think that this is home made or some kind of an early prototype concept :)

I asked the seller, but unfortunately he isn't willing to take it apart.

Quote from: FAMICOM_87 on September 02, 2021, 03:30:49 amThe power supply mod is recent work I am sure that inside there is impulse little modern supply

I thought that too, but even if that modification is disregarded, there are still some unusual things about the console which have almost certainly been done by Nintendo... puzzling 🤨

ericj

It looks like something someone made. Is there only one controller with it? Batteries must go inside the white box. I'd like to see if this is a prototype of some sort or if someone hacked up and adapted an Acclaim NES IR controller.

I wonder how well it works since the IR transmitter and receiver would have to be decently aligned.

What's the price?

P

Looks like a fancy AV-mod and controller mod, but the different labels are strange and makes it seem like a clone. Unless Nintendo really used those labels too on some models?
The Japanese label on the front says "Famirii Conpyuuta" in katakana.

T

Katakana and the Famicon/Famikon is accurate. The AVS was supposed to have everything wireless, maybe it's the prototype controller for that, if it was early Famicom it would have had the square button controller. A lot of things weird about it.

Looking closer at the katakana-logo sticker it's perhaps not even a sticker, it seems to have a thickness to it, or the glue holding it in place has failed, but it doesn't seem like the text appears as if on a bulging surface.

I guess you never bothered getting it, would have been interesting to see what the button on the left on the wireless box did, reset? shift? can't see what it says (in english, just not the greatest resolution picture) and of course what it looked like inside. I'm leaning towards it being genuine.

If you could get the person to take more pictures I'd like to see a photo of the console a little further away so you can see if it is a piece of plastic instead of a sticker. And a closer look at the unreadable text mentioned above.