Playing an N64 on a modern HDTV

[dimforest]

I've seen a bunch of converters online but I've read a ton of mixed reviews on them stating audio might not work or the picture is super dark. I noticed there are mods out there but I'm not lookign to get that crazy... I just want to be able to hook up the N64 and have it be playable. 

 

What are the go-to options to make old systems work? I figured 8bitdo would have had something but I didn't see anything.

[Alex Atkin UK]

11 minutes ago, dimforest said:

I've seen a bunch of converters online but I've read a ton of mixed reviews on them stating audio might not work or the picture is super dark. I noticed there are mods out there but I'm not lookign to get that crazy... I just want to be able to hook up the N64 and have it be playable. 

 

What are the go-to options to make old systems work? I figured 8bitdo would have had something but I didn't see anything.

Generally if you want it to look decent you HAVE to go crazy, as you saw the cheap options tend to have their quirks.

Personally I stick to emulation.

[maxithefox]

ive herd that the open source scan converter (ossc) is quite good but ive not tried it nor know where to point you to get one

[emosun]

If your tv has an analog input jack on the back in the form of a yellow 3.5mm jack then you just plug the 64 into that. Thats how mine is connected and it works perfect.

[IPD]

Well the best method--short of soldering on the board directly--is probably RetroTink + M-Classic.  I think with S-Video cables.  Don't quote me on it, but I'm pretty sure this is my setup.

 

Short of that, maybe EON or the individual cables that RetroTink is based on *edit* the Rad2x.

 

p.s.

the general consensus is that composite > S-video = clarity.  s-video > RGB = color accuracy.

[maxithefox]

1 minute ago, emosun said:

If your tv has an analog input jack on the back in the form of a yellow 3.5mm jack then you just plug the 64 into that. Thats how mine is connected and it works perfect.

that'll only get you 480p/i tho

[emosun]

6 minutes ago, maxwastaken said:

that'll only get you 480p/i tho

Dont know if you know this but the n64 is a 480p/i console.

 

Unless they value anti aliasing an environment that has no way of adding geometry or texture resolution , then 480 is acceptable for most people playing an extremely old console. Similarly to me i also find little to no value in rending scenes at higher resolutions when theres absolutely nothing to see

[IPD]

11 minutes ago, emosun said:

Dont know if you know this but the n64 is a 480p/i console.

 

Unless they value anti aliasing an environment that has no way of adding geometry or texture resolution , then 480 is acceptable for most people playing an extremely old console. Similarly to me i also find little to no value in rending scenes at higher resolutions when theres absolutely nothing to see

There's a few vids on youtube about using an M-Classic with the RetroTink on N64.  The results are amazing.  480 is definitely not the limit.

[emosun]

4 minutes ago, IPD said:

There's a few vids on youtube about using an M-Classic with the RetroTink on N64.  The results are amazing.  480 is definitely not the limit.

Nobody claimed 480 was the limit

[dimforest]

I'm not looking to improve picture quality or do anything crazy. I just want the system to display and be functional, really. 480p is absolutely fine for this case. I just don't have an older TV with the correct inputs.

[emosun]

what tv is it

 

[dimforest]

8 minutes ago, emosun said:

what tv is it

 

So you asked this and I don't know why the hell I didn't just check this before... but both of the TV's it'd be plugged into actually have the appropriate RGB inputs.... 

 

Well I'm a moron.

 

Thanks for prompting me to check, LOL

[IPD]

*Note* This is not my vid ^.  This is just something I used as research when buying.

 

My setup:

-Insurrection Industries S-Video Cable

https://insurrectionindustries.com/product/nintendo-s-video/

 

-RetroTink x2 Pro

https://www.retrotink.com/product-page/retrotink-2x-pro

 

Marseille mClassic

https://www.marseilleinc.com/mclassic/

 

I also have a Pellican switcher box with s-video input that I also have my SNES hooked to.