Question about NES toploaders

[erehwon]

I picked up this nes top loader this weekend for $5. It's in excellent condition, but it is missing the power adapter. I was wondering if it uses the same adapter as the regular model? Anything else about the toploader I should be aware of? I've only used the regular nes model.

[Aussie2B]

Wow, congrats on the great find. Reminds me of when I found a like new boxed toploader several years ago for $10.

Toploaders use the same plug as the standard model, yeah. The only thing to really know about the toploader is that it's RF-only, and it's not uncommon to also see vertical bars (like jail bars) in the picture. Unfortunately, without modifications, there is no perfect US NES. It's a choice between better picture quality with the original model or better reliability in terms of getting games to work with the toploader.

[Tanooki]

You really can't mod the bars off a top loader entirely anyway, just mostly.

The classic system though, you just need to pull the pin out (if original) and boil it until it's entirely clean of crap in a pot of water then clean the pins out using a NES cleaning kit pad until the gray goo stops showing up. Time I did that, the system worked as well as a top loader and locking the game down was optional too as it really tightened things up. In that cast snipping pin4 on the security chip removes the PAL lockout and the blinky garbage too.

The top loader you'd have to get someone (or you do it?) adding a rca jack to it, a stereo separation wheel as a choice, and also a choice would be a little led under the on part of the red switch there so it glows when the power is on.

It's kind of a give and take, but the classic one is a free update, the other is costly if you have someone do it.


I will say this the first top loader I had, I did remove the bars, used a RCA proscan VCR as a passthrough for the NES. TV ON, VCR ON, Top Loader RF through VCR's RF port, bye bye distortion.

[calgon]

Wow, congrats dude! 5 bucks with box is an incredible find

[erehwon]

Thanks for the reply. It's good to know that it doesn't use some unique power adapter. Now I just got to find a power adapter.

That was a good find. It was one of the only things I found that day. I don't find much game stuff at garage sales anymore.

[Niku-Sama]

ugh, I have yet to find one of those out and about