No sound on famicom

[Stringfellow]

I recently got a famicom and the picture displays very nicely but I have no sound on any games. I am using an NES RF adapter and a genesis model 1 ac adapter. Any help is appreciated.

[alec006]

This is a fun one since Japanese NTSC and American NTSC are entirely different. What you need to do is get rid of the NES RF switchbox because the Famicom is not going to broadcast audio and video on channel 3 or 4.

Set the channel switch on the Famicom to output on Channel 1. Then get one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/StarTech-com-RCACOAXMF-Type-Coaxial-Adapter/dp/B003K1V99C/ref=pd_cp_e_2

and connect it to the RF Switch connector on the back of the Famicom. Connect that to a coaxial cable that goes directly to either your TV or a VCR. Go to CABLE channel 95 and there should be a picture with sound.

If your TV and/or VCR doesn't go to channel 95, then see below:

If it's a CRT, just set it to cable channels in the menus. If it's an modern TV (Flat Screen) set the tuner to NTSC and then Cable in the menus. If it's a VCR, set it to Cable in the menus.

If it's an older TV with only VHF and UHF, then your shit out of luck, use a VCR.

There's is always the option to mod the system to have AV outputs, but if you wanna keep it original then use the solution above.

[FoxNtd]

What you need to do is get rid of the NES RF switchbox

Hey that's funny. My RF FC with an NES RF box outputs just fine to my CRT NTSC TV on Ch95.

[alec006]

Hey that's funny. My RF FC with an NES RF box outputs just fine to my CRT NTSC TV on Ch95.

I'm willing to bet it does, only thing is, switch boxes can sometimes introduce more interference than just a point to point connection from the system to the TV/VCR. But knowing that, he now has two options for wires as long as it broadcasts on Channel 95.

[Stringfellow]

well I am using channel 95. I knew from somewhere (probably here) that it had to be 95. I would prefer not to mod the system because I don't trust myself enough yet to do it. I will try using the rf cable from my colecovision first before I buy anything else.

[Stringfellow]

well the colecovision rf didn't work. what would be the easiest rf mod?

[FoxNtd]

How come we've assumed the issue has something to do with the RF connection and not considered that the Famicom is defective? If you're willing to modify it, just give it an A/V mod and forget about RF. It might be possible to get around whatever may possibly be wrong with the RF out, too. At the very least you could verify if sound output is working in the first place...

As for RF boxes potentially adding interference, I wouldn't know if they can or not, though I suppose they could. Never thought of it actually.

[Gameguy]

As for RF boxes potentially adding interference, I wouldn't know if they can or not, though I suppose they could. Never thought of it actually.
It's really a minor problem and barely noticable, for some reason a lot of people think this way with older pre-NES systems and use direct connections instead of older switchboxes that came with the systems originally.

I'd take a guess that most people using a direct connection are using cheap cables anyway which are still vulnerable to interference, instead of high end audiophile/videophile quality cables which are better shielded.

[Stringfellow]

I don't have the rf box that came with the famicom and I had heard that the NES one was compatible which is why I tried it.

[Gameguy]

That's fine, I was mostly commenting on the advise to get rid of the NES RF switch and buy a new aftermarket connector because apparently the NES RF switch would somehow be incompatible. It's basically a regular cable, it doesn't convert any signal so it should work fine. There's only problems if the switchbox is wearing out, then I can see a reason to use something else.

The Famicom should work on either channel 95 or 96, did you try 96 too? Just set the Famicom to channel 2 on the back and try 96 on your TV. By the way, how old is your TV?

[Stringfellow]

That's fine, I was mostly commenting on the advise to get rid of the NES RF switch and buy a new aftermarket connector because apparently the NES RF switch would somehow be incompatible. It's basically a regular cable, it doesn't convert any signal so it should work fine. There's only problems if the switchbox is wearing out, then I can see a reason to use something else.

The Famicom should work on either channel 95 or 96, did you try 96 too? Just set the Famicom to channel 2 on the back and try 96 on your TV. By the way, how old is your TV?

I have tried both channels with the same result. The TV is a flat crt someone gave me made by KLH.

[Stringfellow]

so i decided to try it out on an older tv that I have and I got the static humm type of noise. I am starting to think more and more that it is the famicom.

Anyone wanna av mod it for me?

[Gameguy]

There's another way to test out the sound for sure, you don't even need to hook it up to a TV to do it. You'll need an FM radio.

http://famicomworld.com/workshop/articles/famicom-fm/

If there's still no sound then there's a problem with the system. There is a chance that there's no sound with the TV because the sound frequency in Japan is different to ones used in North America(for that TV channel), meaning that the sound won't be on the same channel that the video is on. This apparently can be adjusted so both video and audio signals will be on the same North American channel, but it's best to make sure if the system is working before trying to adjust anything. I don't know how common a problem this is but I've seen a few threads on google mentioning this.

[Stringfellow]

interesting I'll try that a little later today.

[Stringfellow]

Well I tried the radio test with no luck. I then tried hooking it up through a vcr and got nothing but static. Is it possible that the microphone in controller 2 is interfering?

[APE992]

Try turning your TV up as high as it will go and see if you can hear anything.

I had a NES do the same exact thing and I had to max my amplifier to get reasonable levels of sound out of it. Replaced the capacitors on the board next to sound output and it has worked fine since.

[Gameguy]

Is it possible that the microphone in controller 2 is interfering?
It could be this too, I remember seeing some threads mentioning this as a problem as well. I'll try to find them again.

[RP2A03]

The only trouble I ever had with the microphone was feedback.

[Gameguy]

I found the thread mentioning the microphone.

http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=7151.0

[Stringfellow]

I'm probably going to do the av mod but I was wondering if I could use a port like what the snes uses for the av cables. If so where would I get one?

[APE992]

I'm probably going to do the av mod but I was wondering if I could use a port like what the snes uses for the av cables. If so where would I get one?

A SNES or N64 would be your only bet. You'd be better off putting proper jacks on there so you never have to worry about needing to source the proprietary cable.

[Stringfellow]

it was just a thought for a cleaner (imo) look.

[Stringfellow]

well I got one of those Hudson Soft controllers with the headphone jack and the sound worked through that although nothing else on the controller did.

[APE992]

My money is still on bad caps.

[Stringfellow]

My money is still on bad caps.

I hope not since I am such a novice. I am nervous soldering and don't know how to check the caps.

[Stringfellow]

I'm sure which caps but if it were them I am willing to try it. I just got an rf demodulator for cheap and tried it. With that I get sound but low and with a lot of static.