How to hook up a Famicom?

[Gapporin]

Hey,

I posted this in the Technical Forum before, but it didn't very many views after I posted yet, so I thought that might get more help if I post it in the main forum. Please forgive me if it is not supposed to belong here.

I've got a old '83 style Famicom that I just recently bought, and I have no clue how to make it work. I've read somewhere on the web that if you use the NES switchbox and set your TV channel to 95, and your Famicom's channel to 1, that it should work. Which is what I did. Except, channel 95 on the TV is picking up a radio station (), so that interferes with the Famicom. So now, I've switched the TV channel to 96, and the Famicom channel to 2, and all I get is a black screen. I've verified that it works, though, because I blew into the microphone, and the sound was picked up by the television.

If anybody can help me out here, I'd greatly appreciate it! Thank you!

[rbudrick]

Newer TVs usually will work on 95 or 96, but on my older TV I have to adjust the fine tuning to get the station to come in properly, as it is all fuzz if I don't. Newer TVs usually automatically adjust for this, in my experience. The other thing you may want to consider is a composite mod.

Also, make sure your contacts are clean...the black screen may indicate the cart isn't inserted properly.

Are you going through a VCR or anything, or straight to the TV?

-Rob

[yuppicide]

I had a Famicom once. I plugged it in just like an NES and it worked fine.

[Zach]

And don't forget that you might have better results by simply switching to a different TV. Since the Famicom is not matching up perfectly on one of our US channels, any little variation in the tuning can hurt or help.

Rob gives the best advice, though. An older TV with fine tuning could be your best bet.

[Immutable]

When all else fails... buy a famiclone at your local flea market.

[Gapporin]

Are you going through a VCR or anything, or straight to the TV?

Straight to the TV via the NES switchbox.

Thanks for all the help thus far!

[FABombjoy]

I use my Famicom on channel 3 or 4. The channel setting on the Famicom makes little difference since the TV (Sony) uses it's auto fine tuning and locks on to the signal.

[rbudrick]

I use my Famicom on channel 3 or 4. The channel setting on the Famicom makes little difference since the TV (Sony) uses it's auto fine tuning and locks on to the signal.

Wow, that's the first I've time I've heard of this working!

BTW, you don't have your cable TV connection connected at the same time or daisy chained, do you?

-Rob

[Gapporin]

BTW, you don't have your cable TV connection connected at the same time or daisy chained, do you?

Not at the moment, no. But there is a new-ish Sony TV elsewhere in the house, I might try hooking it up to that soon to see if it does the auto tuning that FABombjoy speaks of.

[FABombjoy]

I have it hooked through an old-school RF multi-input switchbox. Awesome for RF-only systems.

Actually, I have mine modded for composite too, but with the freakin' 2-foot controller cord it just isn't practical with my primary gaming TV setup. I have all my systems divided up into RF and non-RF, and a TV for each type. The non-RF setup is far smaller, and you can actually sit the 2 feet from the TV to make it work comfortably.

[XxMe2NiKxX]

I have my famicom daisy-chained, and 3 works fine for me.

[rbudrick]

Lik Sang sells a great adapter to allow you to plug PlayStation controllers into the Famicom. No more two foot cord problems!!

-Rob

[FABombjoy]

Lik Sang sells a great adapter to allow you to plug PlayStation controllers into the Famicom. No more two foot cord problems!!

Are these are for the hardwired controllers, or the detachable A/V Fami ones?

[Jibbajaba]

Bumping this one back up. Can anyone link me to a RELIABLE, PROVEN method for A/V modding my Famicom?

Thanks

Chris

[rbudrick]

Jibba, I have some html instructions I saved at home on how to do a composite mod (saved from a few Japanese websites). Email me at rbudrick at hotmail d0t [om, and I'll send em your way when I get home from work. Another forum goer found them useful, though they are in some nasty Engrish. The pics and diagrams are simple as all hell though, so it's not really a problem. It's really simple even for those who barely can use a soldering iron.

-Rob

[Jibbajaba]

Jibba, I have some html instructions I saved at home on how to do a composite mod (saved from a few Japanese websites). Email me at rbudrick at hotmail d0t [om, and I'll send em your way when I get home from work. Another forum goer found them useful, though they are in some nasty Engrish. The pics and diagrams are simple as all hell though, so it's not really a problem. It's really simple even for those who barely can use a soldering iron.

-Rob

You have been e-mailed. Thank you, sir.

Chris