How many SNES variations are there?

[stuffedmonkey]

Spun off from the SNES regular vs SNES Mini thread...

I have a release day SNES - which has a yellowed top half. For those who have never seen this - a large number of early SNES's were made with inferior plastic parts, that turn yellow over time. Some had yellow tops, some bottoms, etc. I had just won an ebay auction for a snes lot that had some cool stuff in it- so I figured that before I split up the lot I would swap the top of my SNES with the new looking one. Unfortunately the screw holes are in different locations. One side is the same, but the holes on one side are now a half inch closer to the side of the case. Blah.

Also the older one has a locking mechanism and the newer one has a sticker not to pull the cart when it's on. The two are very different inside - several components are consolidated and the new one has less shielding.


My question - are there only two variations of the model 1 SNES or are there more? I don't want to keep trying trial and error style to get a top half I can swap with mine..


Thanks!

[Jagasian]

Why not get a complete list of all SNES/SFC variations, as there are multiple PAL SNES variations, NTSC SNES variations, and SFC variations? Then there are the clones! Check out this audio mod project, which shows that the regular SNES has two variations that differ quite allot under the hood:
http://alpha-ii.com/Info/snes-spdif.html

In the original version, the SNES audio processing unit is a separate unit, but the newer variation of the original SNES has the APU built onto the main board. Some people claim that the older APU that is separate is an inferior design because it can come loose and cause problems.

The fact that there are so many variations makes me want to buy more SNES systems on Ebay to try to get a complete collection :)

[jajaja]

Afaik there is only 2 variations of the SNES. The normal one and the SNES jr. 3 if you count the european design.

[tonki]

I've personally seen the two different NA SNES model 1's that you're talking about. The original has "EJECT" raised above the plastic, while the second has it in white colored letters. I too tried to swap the yellow plastic for the nice looking plastic in the other snes, only to find that the screws don't match up for the two boards inside. The second model 1 snes also doesn't allow you to use a game genie, nor does the model 2. I suspect that may have been part of the reason for the change in the model 1's design, as Nintendo was quite anti-Game Genie for a while there in the 90's.

I haven't seen any other North American SNES models, but I haven't had that many pass through my hands either.

[stuffedmonkey]

Yeah, from everything I can find it's looking like there are only 2 different kinds of the full size ones - I guess I will call them the 1a and 1b. Now I need to hunt for a non-yellowed top part to a 1a. I'm sure I will come across one in the wild eventually :)

[Jagasian]

Yeah, from everything I can find it's looking like there are only 2 different kinds of the full size ones - I guess I will call them the 1a and 1b. Now I need to hunt for a non-yellowed top part to a 1a. I'm sure I will come across one in the wild eventually :)

Ok, so the full sized SNES is the SNES 1, with the first revision specifically called SNES 1A and the second SNES 1B? Sounds good. The mini SNES is then the SNES 2? Are we sure there is only one revision of the SNES 2? How many PAL SNES revisions are there? Is there even a PAL SNES 2?

According to the SPDIF audio mod guide, the NTSC SNES 1B is quite rare in North America. Do SNES 1Bs yellow at all? I'd love to have at least 1 of every kind, but I am afraid to buy on Ebay and just end up with more SNES 1As. The fact that some yellow ontop, some only on bottom, and some yellow all over implies that there are more than two revisions of the SNES 1, right?

Can you take pictures with a digital camera of the circuit board inside 3 differents SNES 1s, i.e., one pic of the circuit board inside a full yellowed SNES, another inside a top-half yellow, and a third pic inside of a bottom-half yellow. The best way to tell if there are differences is to look at the circuit boards.

[McBacon]

Is there even a PAL SNES 2?

Nope, we just got our one super Famicon and thats it.

[mills]

my SNES has no discoloring whatosever, my GF owned it since she was a kid.

[stuffedmonkey]

Can you take pictures with a digital camera of the circuit board inside 3 differents SNES 1s, i.e., one pic of the circuit board inside a full yellowed SNES, another inside a top-half yellow, and a third pic inside of a bottom-half yellow. The best way to tell if there are differences is to look at the circuit boards.

The above link to the digital audio mod has board pictures. I know those two pictures match the two machines I took apart. I think he is wrong on the rarity on the 1b...

Here is what I can come up with so far - please correct me if I am missing something.

The 1a:
Has a tab that locks carts into place when the Power button is on.

Has 4 rubber feet

FCC ID info on sticker.

Eject button has Eject written in white letters


The 1b:
Has a sticker underneath the power button saying "Power switch must be off before loading or removing a game pack."

Has 2 rubber feet - 2 plastic feet.

FCC info molded into case.

Eject button has Eject molded into the plastic.

[wyatt8740]

Ok, so the full sized SNES is the SNES 1, with the first revision specifically called SNES 1A and the second SNES 1B? Sounds good. The mini SNES is then the SNES 2? Are we sure there is only one revision of the SNES 2? How many PAL SNES revisions are there? Is there even a PAL SNES 2?

According to the SPDIF audio mod guide, the NTSC SNES 1B is quite rare in North America. Do SNES 1Bs yellow at all? I'd love to have at least 1 of every kind, but I am afraid to buy on Ebay and just end up with more SNES 1As. The fact that some yellow ontop, some only on bottom, and some yellow all over implies that there are more than two revisions of the SNES 1, right?

Can you take pictures with a digital camera of the circuit board inside 3 differents SNES 1s, i.e., one pic of the circuit board inside a full yellowed SNES, another inside a top-half yellow, and a third pic inside of a bottom-half yellow. The best way to tell if there are differences is to look at the circuit boards.
I got a SNES 1b without even knowing it used at Mcvans Video Games 2 weeks ago. I just realized it was a 1b tonight.

I can tell you that it does yellow, but not very severely. It runs games quite well, but needs re- insertion more often than in my friend's 1a. It's cool, because i got an official av top loading nes from the same store. It's a great place to look if you live or work in indiana.

And I don't have a security bit, so I'll have to get one to open it.

[Dirkfunk]

One variation also has a "Removable" sound ship. Where the other was integrated. . .

I don't know that much about it. . . I just know that I have opened 2 SNES consoles. One had a big "SVHC Sound" (or something along those lines) chip in the back right corner, the other did not.

[super nes]

This is one hell of a bump.

[skaar]

It's one hell of a console!

[Trebuken]

Anywho, I was under the impression that it is now possible to reverse the discoloring. I believe there is a product for it. Should save alot of conoles from cannibalism.

[Rick 2007]

This answers a question I have had for about 4 years.
My first SNES console died so I went to the flea market and bought a used console
from a woman that I really trusted. Well after maybe 3 to 4 months my 2nd console
died. It was only then that I noticed that the top Plastic was a different
color from the bottom. I thought for sure that I was sold a crap repaired unit.
Now I think that she sold me a unit that you describe.

Rick