View Full Version : Neat Super Famicom find
maxlords
07-17-2004, 09:03 PM
Found a neat Super Famicom controller today in the Asian mall in Toronto. Was collecting dust in a storefront...I'm told it was there for over two years too! Brand spanking new, but a rough box. Here's the pix:
http://img78.photobucket.com/albums/v251/maxlords/DSC00096.jpg
The darn thing has an AMAZING reception range! Almost unbelievable for an IR controller. I can point it vertical, almost away from the receiver! The dish shape makes for amazing reception! Anyone ever seen this thing before? I'm curious what it's worth! :D
Oh yeah...it also has a hookup for the original Famicom for that port in the front, and a switch on the back of the dish to use the Famicom cable. So I can use it as a wireless Famicom controller too! If I had a Famicom....
maxlords
07-17-2004, 09:10 PM
BTW...normal IR controllers get approximately a 30 degree range of reception. This one gets literally 180 degrees of reception. Amazing!
Querjek
07-17-2004, 09:13 PM
1. How much did you pay?
2. That's awesome!
3. I got your stuff today, thanks!
maxlords
07-17-2004, 09:19 PM
The whole setup, boxed like new...still has the manual and styrofoam... $20 Cdn! :)
evilmess
07-17-2004, 10:04 PM
SO.COOL! 8-)
Jasoco
07-18-2004, 02:21 AM
I'm not convinced the dish shape has anything to do with it. It's just there for looks. As you can see, the actual IR is the little square in the middle. The dish is plastic. Nothing to really help IR waves/signals. Purely cosmetic.
Still.. It's a pretty cool thing to have.
maxlords
07-18-2004, 08:53 AM
Photobucket is back up so here's an in-thread pic for those who tried to click!
Predatorxs
07-18-2004, 10:16 AM
It is a cool item! i remember seeing alot of these awhile back on ebay.co.uk the UK had alot of Jap/famicom import stuff when the snes was the daddy in the early to mid 9O's..
It's a nice collectors item too.. And i'm not surprised it has great reception it's made my Konami :-P
:vamp:..XS
Bratwurst
07-18-2004, 11:03 AM
I'm not convinced the dish shape has anything to do with it. It's just there for looks. As you can see, the actual IR is the little square in the middle. The dish is plastic. Nothing to really help IR waves/signals. Purely cosmetic.
IR signals bounce. Did it escape your attention that digital satellites work the same way with a central focal point?
Get off my boat!
Hologenic
07-18-2004, 11:14 AM
I have seen one of thoose before, but only on a picture. They have been auctioned for about $30, new. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that controller for the Super Famicom and not the Famicom?
Predatorxs
07-18-2004, 01:15 PM
I'm not convinced the dish shape has anything to do with it. It's just there for looks. As you can see, the actual IR is the little square in the middle. The dish is plastic. Nothing to really help IR waves/signals. Purely cosmetic.
IR signals bounce. Did it escape your attention that digital satellites work the same way with a central focal point?
Get off my boat!
Ditto! Bratwurst i was thinkin the same, Should have mentioned in my last post, plus the black area on the dish, may not be plastic?.. ;)
:vamp:..XS
Predatorxs
07-18-2004, 01:22 PM
I have seen one of thoose before, but only on a picture. They have been auctioned for about $30, new. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that controller for the Super Famicom and not the Famicom?
Maybe i confused you with my Jap/famicom remark, as i led on to talking about the snes, i should have said jap/sfc.. :roll: So yeah the pad is for the sfc "super famicom" ;)
:vamp:..XS
NathanG
07-18-2004, 01:26 PM
I have seen one of thoose before, but only on a picture. They have been auctioned for about $30, new. Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't that controller for the Super Famicom and not the Famicom?
maxlords said in his first post that there was an adaptor for the Famicom in it.
That is a pretty interesting find, but I kind of find it surprising (or at least different) that Konami made it. Maybe it's just me, though. I kind of doubt this, but was anything even remotely similar released for the US market?
I kind of doubt this, but was anything even remotely similar released for the US market?
I don't think so, but I swear I remember seeing the Hyperbeam in Nintendo Power or something years ago.
Hologenic
07-18-2004, 06:42 PM
I must have misunderstood this, so it was made for the Super Nitendo/Super Famicom, but it also works on the famicom/nintendo? Or am I still off track?
Predatorxs
07-18-2004, 07:07 PM
I must have misunderstood this, so it was made for the Super Nitendo/Super Famicom, but it also works on the famicom/nintendo? Or am I still off track?
Your Correct, it is made for the Super Famicom / Super Nintendo.. But also has the pad adaptor to be used with a Nes / famicom.
I might have to pick me one up soon, or when ever someone needs the cash, and sells it on ebay LOL
:vamp:..XS
Bighab
07-19-2004, 02:01 AM
Maxlords was over tonight and we tested the controller on my Famicom AV system. The controller works fine with Famicom games but when I used a NES game with an adapter the controller didn't work. I have had the same problem before when trying to use my famicom Arkanoid paddle with a copy of NES Arkanoid(It didn't work either)
maxlords
07-19-2004, 02:52 AM
Yup, the long and the short of it is that it works with both US and Jp SNES games, but only with Japanese Famicom games and not US NES games due to some sort of lockout on the Famicom.
And there may be a US release of it as well (sans Fami adaptor). I will have more data in a week or two and will post it then :)
Jasoco
07-19-2004, 01:21 PM
IR signals bounce. Did it escape your attention that digital satellites work the same way with a central focal point?
Get off my boat!Well, excuuuuse me, Princess! :P
Also, it's my boat now! Argh, Matey! :evil:
Still.. cool controller.
Also, that "Inline" image doesn't work.
Tom61
07-19-2004, 06:01 PM
I'm not convinced the dish shape has anything to do with it. It's just there for looks. As you can see, the actual IR is the little square in the middle. The dish is plastic. Nothing to really help IR waves/signals. Purely cosmetic.
IR signals bounce. Did it escape your attention that digital satellites work the same way with a central focal point?
Get off my boat!
Um, that parabola (sp?) would actually be reflecting things away from the IR port in the center... The focus point of a satilite dish is in front of the dish, pointed at it. Jasoco is right.
Bratwurst
07-19-2004, 06:41 PM
1. Infrared is line of sight.
2. The curvature of the dish isn't very extreme and signals do not always strike the surface at perfect 90 degree angles, so some points at some angles -will- strike the center surface.
3. You're defending Jasoco.
Jasoco
07-19-2004, 07:21 PM
3. You're defending Jasoco.Hey! I like the attention. :(
ClubNinja
07-20-2004, 10:14 AM
Instead of getting tangled up in radar and signal theory, I thought I'd transcribe this tidbit from the November 1993 Game Players (Page 52) that I stumbled upon yesterday.
"Konami's Hyperbeam
Only SNES players can use the Hyperbeam. This wireless controller is effective at 30 feet or more. Unlike the Dual Turbo [discussed in the previous paragraph], the Hyperbeam's infrared receiver must be positioned like a satallite on top of your game deck. It retails for around $30."
Hologenic
07-20-2004, 05:39 PM
Instead of getting tangled up in radar and signal theory, I thought I'd transcribe this tidbit from the November 1993 Game Players (Page 52) that I stumbled upon yesterday.
"Konami's Hyperbeam
Only SNES players can use the Hyperbeam. This wireless controller is effective at 30 feet or more. Unlike the Dual Turbo [discussed in the previous paragraph], the Hyperbeam's infrared receiver must be positioned like a satallite on top of your game deck. It retails for around $30."
$30! That's what I said. :)
maxlords
07-20-2004, 11:55 PM
Nice to know the original price point and confirmation of a US release. Guess that's one peripheral that needs entered into the DP guide! What do we think it's worth NOW tho? I'd happily pay $30 for another one...they're THAT good.
DasCrewShtool
07-21-2004, 02:17 AM
actually the round shape for dishes acts like a collector rather than pure reflection less signal loss, used mainly for analog signals, as parabolic dishes bounce the signal out to the center used mainly for digital signals because the digital equip can extrapolate most of what information is lost and is generally higher power therefore there is no reason to saturate the LNB or collector, and yes this same principal for IR devices.