Nintendo 64

[Rob64]

I wish but I don't own a digital camera... or a dsi.

The only way I know of describing it (even though it's probably wrong) is that it looks like an rf shield that you would find in an NES but smaller so it fits around the board in the cart.

It comes in two sizes, small, and big. The small one takes up half the cart because the board is that small in games such as Tony Hawks Pro Skater. The big ones would cover boards for games like Paper Mario/Mario Story and take up the majority of the cart.

[133MHz]

You've got it spot on - it's an RF shield. N64 cartridges work at higher frequencies than their NES or SNES counterparts because of the faster memory access times, in consequence they produce a lot more interference and thus need shielding just like the console in order to pass FCC regulations and avoid annoying other electronic devices.

Some SNES carts come with RF shielding too, particularly those with the SuperFX chip, because of the high operating frequency of that processor (21 MHz).

[manuel]

Interesting.

I think I have never seen an opened N64 cart.

[Cam3ron@FW]

I had a similar issue with a VMU stuck in a 3rd party DC controller, it took me months to get it out :-/

[Rob64]

Is the rf shielding necessary? Can I take it out of the cart and out of any console that I have that doesn't use rf (my NES and SNES for example)?

[cubelmariomadness]

I guess, but if someone walks by with a radio or some heart helper thing, it'll interfere with it. If you're using rf.

[Rob64]

Will they intefere with it if I am not using rf? Also, will hearing aids interfere wih it?

[cubelmariomadness]

If you're not using rf, it doesn't matter. If you are it'll interfere.

[133MHz]

If you're not using rf, it doesn't matter. If you are it'll interfere.

This is wrong.

Using the RF output or not won't make any difference. The interference comes from every part of the system. The information sent and received by the CPU and other chips make for good carrier waves at high frequencies, and the circuit board traces interconnecting everything together make for excellent antennas. Basically the system turns into a chaotic radio transmitter spewing all sorts of crap into the air, and you can think of the RF output as a miniature broadcast TV station. That's why the RF shielding covers the entire console, and the RF modulator box comes with its own separate shielding.

Yes, you can take the metal shielding off your consoles and it won't be the end of the world. In fact I've done that to my NES because of all the mods I've done to it and it works just fine, doesn't seem to pollute the airwaves too much, but YMMV. You might get anything from squiggly lines on certain TV channels, buzzing on computer speakers / wireless audio transmitters / hearing aids, to an accelerated heart rate in Grandpa . The only way to know for sure is trying it out.

[cubelmariomadness]

This is wrong.

Sorry I didn't have my facts straight. I was 95% sure.

[nintendodork]

Instead of making another thread, this might as well serve as the main Nintendo 64 thread.


So...how about that Perfect Dark?  I played it for the first time ever yesterday, and it's a great FPS.

[cubelmariomadness]

Really, I'm not into fps. I should probably try it though. It's got loads of awesome reviews.

[Nightstar699]

I was actually looking to buy some n64 games. Any recomendations, anyone? The two games i have now are mortal kombat 4 and duke nukem 64.

[UglyJoe]

Mischief Makers!

[manuel]

Mario 64, Donkey Kong 64, the 2 Zeldas, Wave Race, Mario Kart 64... just to name a few.