Top-Loader questions

[Emily]

I just heard that the picture quality of the Top-Loading NES is inferior to the original NES. Is this true!? I always thought it was a superior model... :hmm:

[kai123]

The only output that it has is RF. The toaster NES systems have composite output which is a much bettter output. You can modify the top loader to have composite but it can be a pain to do.

[davidleeroth]

I've heard even the RF picture has vertical lines in it. Something that I've never noticed on a toaster.

[Emily]

Huh...I never noticed...Ill have to go check that out on my top loader.

[Barbarianoutkast85]

I have a top loader and the lines thing i think is there but the only time i ever noticed was when i was playing duckhunt but maybe it was the game i dont know.

[Nesmaster]

nope, those lines are always there. i knew about them prior to buying a toploader, and i noticed them the first thing when i played my first game on it. while i got used to it and hardly notice them anymore, theres also a color issue. the colors are brighter and more vibrant on a toaster, while the toploader has dimmer colors. i especially noticed this in skykid. anyone else with a toploader and a toaster notice this?

[The Manimal]

i have both and the picture is far better on the toaster than the top loader. it sucks because the top loader is a much better looking and smaller system, PLUS the thing is top loading and doesn't have that spring-load mechanism which I sometimes have to fidget around with to work. :(

the top loader has horrible lines that make playing a game like RBI BASEBALL where the screen is all one color for the most part unbearable. you really won't notice it on very busy screens, but on a screen where the color is constant it will be very visible.

as far as modding the top loader goes, i would do that for composite outputs but then those lines are still there.

[tholly]

I've heard even the RF picture has vertical lines in it. Something that I've never noticed on a toaster.

i dont own one, but i have played on one...and the lines drove me crazy....i know they are minimal....but, still, they bothered me

i still want to own one, but i will always play on a toaster over a top loader

[jaybird]

I sold mine about a year ago because I couldn't stand the lines.

Seems like I remember reading that it's caused by the shielding (or lack of shielding) inside the toploader.

[dojosky]

get an AV top loader famicom and get a converter for it to use nes games on it !!! I have one on its way !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! :D can't wait !!!! one time i bought a brand new top loader nes system from good guys for only $1 i aint kiddin !!! but traded it away for alot of good stuff !!!

[klausien]

Does anyone know if there is any way to modify the machine to add some extra shielding of some kind to nullify the lines? They drive me crazy too.

[davidleeroth]

It's possible of course but it would require some delicate craftmanship.

Maybe adding capacitors on the RF cable signal and ground could do the trick? I'd try it out but I don't have a topper. :/

[christianscott27]

the picture looks better on toploader simply because its not a flashing blue screen. i've used a toploader for years and never noticed the lines that so many people talk about, i think its the power of suggestion. for example if i told you that tomatoes have salmon genes in them you might find they taste a little fishy but if you dont know you'd never pick up on the fish taste...make any sense?

[studvicious]

the picture looks better on toploader simply because its not a flashing blue screen. i've used a toploader for years and never noticed the lines that so many people talk about, i think its the power of suggestion. for example if i told you that tomatoes have salmon genes in them you might find they taste a little fishy but if you dont know you'd never pick up on the fish taste...make any sense?

no, because the lines are definately there. Even my girlfriend noticed it when we were playing Super Mario 3. It's a well-documented occurance.

[Captain Wrong]

the picture looks better on toploader simply because its not a flashing blue screen. i've used a toploader for years and never noticed the lines that so many people talk about, i think its the power of suggestion. for example if i told you that tomatoes have salmon genes in them you might find they taste a little fishy but if you dont know you'd never pick up on the fish taste...make any sense?

no, because the lines are definately there. Even my girlfriend noticed it when we were playing Super Mario 3. It's a well-documented occurance.

Yeah, I too noticed the lines and dull colors before I ever read about it. In fact, I think I posted here about the lines because I'd never seen anything about that anywhere and this is the first time I'm seeing anything about dull colors. I always thought that was my imagination.

The top loader is a very over-hyped piece of kit, though I can't complain too much as I managed to turn a nice profit on mine. :D

[8bitnes]

If you want a really good picture on the Nintendo, get ahold of one of the toasters with its serial number as low as possible. Something like N0123456 or N1234567, that is, within the first one or two million out the door. The pictures on those are amazingly vibrant, but the sound isn't as good. It's definitely worth checking out if you have a pile of systems laying around. I've also found that these don't suffer from the blink as often either.

[Melf]

...or you could just get a new pin connector for your toaster off eBay for $7 and replace it, thereby eliminating the blink. ;)

[Ed Oscuro]

Lines are probably there because Nintendo just did a poor hack job on the A/V Famicom. Why they went RF-only I won't be able to fathom, even though it was apparently to hold down costs. Cynicism to the extreme!

[postulio]

honestly i believe the toaster is a far superior game playing machine to the much hyped top loader, i replaced the 72pin in my toaster and works great, i have 2 spare brand new 72pin connectors for the future because i heard they wear off after 3 or so years of constant use. i dont use mine that often so it should last a loooong time

yes, the video is much much nicer on the toaster, i have personally compared the images on 2 tvs side by side, i took some pics but they all looked like ass, takings pics of tv is useless =[

i try to avoid RF connection like the plague. A/V for the win. its especially usefull when you have 2 3-console switchboxes.

last but not least, the thing i love about the toaster is that its stackable, front loading consoles are my favorite, i have a Gennesis 1 w/ Sega CD 1 on top of my toaster nes. =]

[o2william]

i've used a toploader for years and never noticed the lines that so many people talk about, i think its the power of suggestion.

I used to feel the same way. But in my case, I never noticed the lines because I was playing on a small TV. Up to about a 19-inch screen, I don't think the lines are that noticeable. Once I went beyond that though, they became very annoying -- particularly on games that have wide fields of solid color. It got to the point where I wouldn't even play NES games anymore because of the lines, and I'm typically not much of a video-quality nut... although I seem to be becoming more of one lately. The old eyes must be going. LOL

I just got my hands on an A/V Famicom, loaded it up with an NES cart converter courtesy of a trade with our very own Chunky, and I couldn't be happier. It has really sharp composite output and vibrant colors (and extra sound hardware of course). If you have a toploader and the vertical lines bother you in the slightest, I *highly* recommend trading up to an A/V Fami. It's no contest.

BTW, My old toploader will be up for sale soon in the B&S forum.[/plug]

[theoakwoody]

The AV Famicom (aka Japanese Toploader) doesn't suffer the same line problem's as the US toploader. I got mine brand new for $ 50 off ebay and I have been playing it without any problems ever since. So why should you buy a AV famicom again? # 1 Way cheaper than the overhyped toploader which usually can cost you over $ 100. # 2 You don't have to modify it to output AV. # 3 You can play import games and actually hear their amazing music the way it was intended(you know like CV3 with its customized Konami Sound chip that we never got here in the US). Now I guess I shouldn't mislead people as I paid another $ 12 for shipping and $ 10 for the ac adapter and $ 8 for the nes/famicom convertor so I really paid closer to $ 80 but it's totally worth it. It also came with two dogbones that I love but the cords are so short that I have to use a 4score so I can sit far enough away from the tv to see anything. So yes, there are downsides to the famicom AV but not enough to overshadow the shortcomings of the US toploader.

[Ed Oscuro]

Biggest downside to the A/V Famicom: Nintendo never released a matching FDS unit LOL

Actually, that's always sort of mystified me. The FDS doesn't match the original Family Computer, either.

[jaybird]

I tried to find one of the AV Famicoms on eBay & didn't have any luck. Do they not show up very often or are my search skills lacking?

[The Manimal]

I tried to find one of the AV Famicoms on eBay & didn't have any luck. Do they not show up very often or are my search skills lacking?

they show up maybe once a month

[Emily]

Ive played the toaster for years and finally replaced it with the top-loader.I ignore the lines completely, and have a larger tv.Being able to play games when you want to is much better than having to fuck around with the system for 30-40 minutes to get the games to work(even with the stupid pin replacement :angry: ) Lazy gamers unite! Top-loader rules!!!

Plus certain games NEVER(in 18 years) load on my original system :/
Castlevania is one.

[The Manimal]

I have trouble getting my CLASH AT DEMONHEAD to work on my top loader. I sometimes get a blank white screen. A few tries and I'll get it working. Only cart I haven't been able to work on it...perhaps ATHENA also.

[postulio]

Ive played the toaster for years and finally replaced it with the top-loader.I ignore the lines completely, and have a larger tv.Being able to play games when you want to is much better than having to fuck around with the system for 30-40 minutes to get the games to work(even with the stupid pin replacement :angry: ) Lazy gamers unite! Top-loader rules!!!

Plus certain games NEVER(in 18 years) load on my original system :/
Castlevania is one.


im honestly surprised, you sure you didnt mess anyting up when you switched the 72pin?

my console loads every games everytime from the first insertion, no fondling/blowing etc.

[omnedon]

Some new 72 pin connectors suck. About 1 in 4 don't pass with the Nintendo NTF2 diagnostic cartridge.