SNES Mini/Super Famicom Jr. only $40. Clones?

[Cloud121]

Okay, so I'm seeing all these Super Famicom Jr's on eBay and Amazon and such. I always thought these should be more expensive than the $40. I always saw them hover around the $60.

Then I found this: http://gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=counterfeit_snes

So what's our best bet on getting an authentic Jr? I'd assume just trying to get one from a mom & pop store and closely examine it?

Anybody own one of these clones? What games are incompatible with the clone?

[StetsonGraves]

According to the site above mine is legit and I paid about 40 dollars for it through a seller on Amazon.

[Poofta!]

buy.com has them for cheap too.

[HappehLemons]

woot, mines real.

[ooXxXoo]

Why would anyone want a SNES Jr?....It has no native s-video, no RGB, and is not even fully compatible with the Game Genie.....I use mine for modding only really, other than that :-/ ....I rather have the clone instead, those IC are capable of wonders
....
....

[Gameguy]

Why would anyone want a SNES Jr?....It has no native s-video, no RGB, and is not even fully compatible with the Game Genie.....I use mine for modding only really, other than that :-/ ....I rather have the clone instead, those IC are capable of wonders
....
....
They're smaller and take up less space, they don't turn urine yellow(at least I've never seen one that colour), they're more uncommon than regular systems so some people want them because they're "rarer", etc. I've got one as I've found it at a thrift store and it was well priced, I wouldn't get one otherwise since I already had a usable system. I only hook up my systems using the original outputs so I don't care about s-video or RGB, I use RF or standard AV cables. As for clones, I'd rather have an official system than a clone.

Pretty much the only reason the Genesis 3 is in demand is because it's smaller and somewhat less common compared to other models. I don't see any other reason to get one as it's not compatible with all games, it can't use a Sega CD, etc.

[ooXxXoo]

They're smaller and take up less space, they don't turn urine yellow(at least I've never seen one that colour), they're more uncommon than regular systems so some people want them because they're "rarer", etc. I've got one as I've found it at a thrift store and it was well priced, I wouldn't get one otherwise since I already had a usable system. I only hook up my systems using the original outputs so I don't care about s-video or RGB, I use RF or standard AV cables. As for clones, I'd rather have an official system than a clone.

Pretty much the only reason the Genesis 3 is in demand is because it's smaller and somewhat less common compared to other models. I don't see any other reason to get one as it's not compatible with all games, it can't use a Sega CD, etc.

Well, at least you aren't picky.....There's no way I'm playing any system with the RF Modulator in the new millennium, full of bleeding, artifacts and interference....The Plastic is still ABS, so is not very promising....

And by the way, my Genesis 3 is compatible with all the attachments, including the 32X, Sega Master converter, Game Genie and currently working in the Sega Cd compatibility mod :D ...
....
....
....

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Probably the same HK company that has been selling (fake) Nintendo branded boxed clones of SNES controllers for YEARS & YEARS.

[BetaWolf47]

Well, at least you aren't picky.....There's no way I'm playing any system with the RF Modulator in the new millennium, full of bleeding, artifacts and interference....

Don't they all have AV cables available? One of the Sega CD manuals shows a model 1 Gen with a mono AV cable. Also, Gen 2 & 3 have the same pinouts, right? So if you're picky, why not just use a model 2 with an AV cable?

[ooXxXoo]

Don't they all have AV cables available? One of the Sega CD manuals shows a model 1 Gen with a mono AV cable. Also, Gen 2 & 3 have the same pinouts, right? So if you're picky, why not just use a model 2 with an AV cable?

Don't really know what the heck you been talking about... :?

My main Genesis setup runs in component video, while the other Genesis 3 in s-video mode...
....
.....Really off topic though
....

[Ed Oscuro]

I only hook up my systems using the original outputs so I don't care about s-video or RGB,
:duh:

S-Video isn't original now? :?

As mentioned, Game Genie compatibility sucks. I can use it as a pass-through but that's it. Also, whatever Donkey Kong Country (1 or 3) cartridge I tried doesn't work. Cool stuff right there.

So that leaves us with the form factor.

It isn't much narrower (about an inch) than the original SNES, nor any shorter top to bottom (within millimeters of each other). It's a bit less deep, essentially as if the SNES had all the plastic behind the cartridge slot hump cut off. The cartridge slot is just about one cartridge width closer to the front of the machine than before, although the lighter console is probably just as likely to get dragged off its perch by clumsy cartridge swappers.

Some useful ergonomics fixes on the whole, but no real show-stopper. The lack of mass does make it less worrisome if it drops though.

Admittedly the yellowing of the SNES isn't nice, but that's to let you know it's working hard at keeping you from burning to death in a fire, just like a NES.

[Gameguy]

:duh:

S-Video isn't original now? :?

Last I checked I couldn't hook up an SNES or Genesis using s-video unless it was modded, am I wrong about that somehow? :-/

I don't really notice a problem with RF, I did notice with some systems I tried that the colours were off and the picture wasn't that sharp, but it was caused by the RF switch wearing out. I changed it to another one I had and it looked as good as using AV cables. How many people still use cable television? Is it worth the bill every month since it's just using a standard coaxial cable?

I prefer using the original outputs as you get to see the game as originally intended, some games have effects designed to take advantage of the poorer output like shadowing, when you use better outputs it doesn't show up as it's supposed to. I don't have examples at the moment but I remember reading an article that compared the different outputs with the Genesis and mentioned that while the colours looked a bit sharper the effects didn't get shown as well. I actually have my DVD player hooked up to RF as well, it looks great. I should mention that I still have a standard CRT television, old stuff doesn't look good on a new TV.

I didn't mean to drag this off topic so much, sorry about that. I mainly mentioned the Genesis to give another example why some systems are in more demand even though they're less capable compared to other versions. Same with the NES toploader without AV output, of course it's better with games as there's no blinking and it's PAL friendly but the outputs aren't as good.

[ooXxXoo]

@Gameguy: Please don't spread the misinformation..The American SNES model 1, they all have native s-video and RGB through the built-in AV port....While the SNES 2(Jr.) lacks these features....And, "The way it was meant to be connected" usual statement, is totally inaccurate....The SNES has RF modulator, composite video, s-video and RGB.....Even in the early days of the NES, there is a youtube video somewhere, where it shows the Nintendo hot-line consumer service employees assisting calls, having all of their NES'es hooked via composite video at their command center, while at that time, at home, mostly everyone had their NES in RF modulator signal.....
Same goes for the Genesis & SMS, they can do RF modulator, composite video and RGB through the 8 pin din AV port connector...Infact, I believe that, if not all, but most of the picture scans on the back of the game cases, showing scenes of the actual game play, were taken from RGB...
...
...
...

[InsaneDavid]

...
...
...

Thanks for the share...

[Ed Oscuro]

Thanks for the share...
Thanks for the +1...wait...space warp forming...

http://www.ianandstar.com/2008/08/19/2625223578_fddb78423b_o.jpg

FREE KRISPY KREME CHEZEBURGER FOR EVERYONE!!!

But yeah, SNES model 1 can connect via S-Video.

[Gameguy]

@Gameguy: Please don't spread the misinformation..The American SNES model 1, they all have native s-video and RGB through the built-in AV port....While the SNES 2(Jr.) lacks these features....And, "The way it was meant to be connected" usual statement, is totally inaccurate....The SNES has RF modulator, composite video, s-video and RGB.....Even in the early days of the NES, there is a youtube video somewhere, where it shows the Nintendo hot-line consumer service employees assisting calls, having all of their NES'es hooked via composite video at their command center, while at that time, at home, mostly everyone had their NES in RF modulator signal.....
Same goes for the Genesis & SMS, they can do RF modulator, composite video and RGB through the 8 pin din AV port connector...Infact, I believe that, if not all, but most of the picture scans on the back of the game cases, showing scenes of the actual game play, were taken from RGB...
...
...
...
I stand corrected, I didn't know that official S-video and RGB cables were available for the SNES and Genesis in North America but I guess they were. Did anyone here get them from back in the day? I've never seen any so I assume they'd have to be rare.

I was aware that the games were programed on computers using RGB computer monitors, that's probably why the pics for magazines were taken in RGB. As for the Nintendo hot-line employees using composite monitors, that's standard AV output that came with the system so that would still be as intended. I'm not sure how that's different from what I said, it's using the outputs that came with the system.

I'm still surprised about the S-video and RGB being supported, I learned something new. I might have heard that before but forgot it, I really can't remember. :beaten:

I did find one of the articles that I talked about earlier;
http://sega.wikia.com/wiki/Sega_Mega-CD


The most common way of displaying extra colors is with the use of raster effects, which involve simply changing the on-screen color palette in between TV scanlines as the picture is being drawn. Sonic games use this to make underwater effects. A lesser known trick is to use the priority bit of a pixel for color purposes, allowing any color to have 3 shades (normal, bright and dim) and effectively tripling the number of colors available onscreen. However, this trick compromises the video display processor's capabilities so drastically that it was rarely ever used, especially for in-game graphics. Finally, many developers simply relied on dithering, a simple artist's method of drawing pixels of two similar colors in an alternating, checkerboard-like manner, and relying on the inaccuracy of composite or RF video signals to blend the colors together into a third color. On a side note, this same method could be used to make a fake transparency just by leaving every other pixel blank.

[mobiusclimber]

Yeah that's why old games look like crap (usually) on HD TVs. The artists on those games used all kinds of tricks to blend colors and get more out of the hardware than what would normally be possible simply by using the fact that the image wasn't going to be displayed very "sharp" due to the technical limitations of people's televisions and the signal produced.

BTW, where can I get a Sufami Jr for $40?

[scottw182]

I found that site a long time ago and had been meaning to check and see if my SNES mini was legit, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. I finally went to check, but realized all of the picture links on that site are broken now. Does anybody know of another site that shows the differences? Thanks.

[scottw182]

bump?

[PSony]

I found that site a long time ago and had been meaning to check and see if my SNES mini was legit, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. I finally went to check, but realized all of the picture links on that site are broken now. Does anybody know of another site that shows the differences? Thanks.

This thread still has the comparison pics:

http://www.insertcredit.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=10259&sid=33d5f32cc42d9f0abcd2092412a1dbaa

There are also pics of a counterfeit Megadrive 2.

[theclaw]

I stand corrected, I didn't know that official S-video and RGB cables were available for the SNES and Genesis in North America but I guess they were. Did anyone here get them from back in the day? I've never seen any so I assume they'd have to be rare.

At least with SNES, S-video indeed works. However I'm not sure whether they were a commercially release. The cable of mine was second hand. So I don't have any idea about its age or distribution method.

It's possible such cables didn't hit shelves until N64. As I'd imagine very few TVs in 1991 would've had an S-video connector.

[spongerob]

I found that site a long time ago and had been meaning to check and see if my SNES mini was legit, but hadn't gotten around to it yet. I finally went to check, but realized all of the picture links on that site are broken now. Does anybody know of another site that shows the differences? Thanks.

I'm also wondering this.

[Kiddo]

I don't know about what was sold at the SNES's time, but Nintendo systems had the same compatible cable line for SNES, N64 and Gamecube, and the latter at least had S-Video cables commonly, which could be used on the SNES if desired.

[mario2butts]

On the "Consumer parts list & order form", the last page of the SNES Model 1 instruction manual, Nintendo does have an "S-VHS" cable listed, part # 22425 for $19.95.

As for RGB, there was an official cable released in Japan for the SFC, which naturally didn't make it to the US.