Hi,

Does anybody know how to 'chip' a NES so that it will accept carts from any region? I know the carts are different shapes, but I want to get past this hurdle first ;) Somebody tells me it's a very simple one-snip on the circuit board operation, but doesn't know any more than that. Anyone know how it's done, or of a good NES site that may have the info I need?

Cheers,

Jay

[ www.mameworld.net/retroview ]

ok, i might be way wrong here..
but i will base my opinion on a NES clone that i have..
and have 2 cart slots (which cant be used at same time, 1 60 pin and another 72 pin slot.) and he works perfectly.. with both american and japanese games..
and also a nes that a friend of mine "did", he took his normal nes and added a 60 pin cart slot (no changes other than that.., 2 slots.. pretty bizarre looking console :), and both us and jap carts works for him.. and there are adaptor to us->jap, and vice-versa.. or i ask.. does the NES have smoething as a region switch, or something? if does, why none of the emulators i know do have an option to a different region ?

just wondering..
any trustfull info will be welcome. :)



> Hi,
>
> Does anybody know how to 'chip' a NES so that it will accept carts from any
> region? I know the carts are different shapes, but I want to get past this
> hurdle first ;) Somebody tells me it's a very simple one-snip on the circuit
> board operation, but doesn't know any more than that. Anyone know how it's
> done, or of a good NES site that may have the info I need?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jay
>
> [ www.mameworld.net/retroview ]
>



Worse than the lost, is the humiliation.
Fly V

If you just want to play Famicom games all you need is an converter (something that will fit the 60 pin game into the 72 pin slot). There is no need for any hardware modification since the Famicom does not have any lock-out mechanism.

If you want to play PAL / European on a American system or vice versa you could try this http://nesworld.parodius.com/unines2.htm


> Hi,
>
> Does anybody know how to 'chip' a NES so that it will accept carts from any
> region? I know the carts are different shapes, but I want to get past this
> hurdle first ;) Somebody tells me it's a very simple one-snip on the circuit
> board operation, but doesn't know any more than that. Anyone know how it's
> done, or of a good NES site that may have the info I need?
>
> Cheers,
>
> Jay
>
> [ www.mameworld.net/retroview ]
>

The NES has the infamous lockout chip, the cause of many lawsuits back in the '80s with Nintendo vs. whoever. The Famicom doesn't have the lockout chip, which is why there's so many pirated Famicom games and almost no pirated NES games, cuz of the pesky lockout chip. The lockout chip is in the NES console, and in the game too, which is why if you open a Famicom-to-NES converter you will see a chip in there, instead of just only rewiring with no chip, the chip either fools the NES into thinking the famicom game is american or it disables it. The lockout chip also prevents European games from being played on an American NES and vice versa. And I think in Europe, theres different regional lockout chips too. Well, thats what I know.

> ok, i might be way wrong here..
> but i will base my opinion on a NES clone that i have..
> and have 2 cart slots (which cant be used at same time, 1 60 pin and another 72
> pin slot.) and he works perfectly.. with both american and japanese games..
> and also a nes that a friend of mine "did", he took his normal nes and added a
> 60 pin cart slot (no changes other than that.., 2 slots.. pretty bizarre looking
> console :), and both us and jap carts works for him.. and there are adaptor to
> us->jap, and vice-versa.. or i ask.. does the NES have smoething as a region
> switch, or something? if does, why none of the emulators i know do have an
> option to a different region ?
>
> just wondering..
> any trustfull info will be welcome. :)
>
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Does anybody know how to 'chip' a NES so that it will accept carts from any
> > region? I know the carts are different shapes, but I want to get past this
> > hurdle first ;) Somebody tells me it's a very simple one-snip on the circuit
> > board operation, but doesn't know any more than that. Anyone know how it's
> > done, or of a good NES site that may have the info I need?
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Jay
> >
> > [ www.mameworld.net/retroview ]
> >
>
>
>
> Worse than the lost, is the humiliation.
> Fly V
>

.. thanks! Looks like a tricky process, but hey, how much a new NES? ;)

Cheers,

Jay

> If you just want to play Famicom games all you need is an converter (something
> that will fit the 60 pin game into the 72 pin slot). There is no need for any
> hardware modification since the Famicom does not have any lock-out mechanism.
>
> If you want to play PAL / European on a American system or vice versa you could
> try this http://nesworld.parodius.com/unines2.htm
>
>
> > Hi,
> >
> > Does anybody know how to 'chip' a NES so that it will accept carts from any
> > region? I know the carts are different shapes, but I want to get past this
> > hurdle first ;) Somebody tells me it's a very simple one-snip on the circuit
> > board operation, but doesn't know any more than that. Anyone know how it's
> > done, or of a good NES site that may have the info I need?
> >
> > Cheers,
> >
> > Jay
> >
> > [ www.mameworld.net/retroview ]
> >
>

If you have any older NES games, you should open them up and look inside. When NES was first released, sometimes Nintendo would use Famicom chips and put converters on them, then put them in NES casings because they couldn't meet the demand I guess. So if you open it up and pull off the converter, well, you have a free converter that you can use for Famicom games.


I love Morrigan

> If you have any older NES games, you should open them up and look inside. When
> NES was first released, sometimes Nintendo would use Famicom chips and put
> converters on them, then put them in NES casings because they couldn't meet the
> demand I guess. So if you open it up and pull off the converter, well, you have
> a free converter that you can use for Famicom games.

Yep. I have a stack of Gyromite games that had those (official, Nintendo-built) Famicom adaptors inside of them. I used one to hook up my Dragon Quest IV cart. (AWESOME RPG, hope you like Katakana and Hiragana. :) )

If anyone is looking for one of these adaptors, I could try to find my stash somewhere in the basement. The cost would be very reasonable. I think I have about 5 or 6 of them left.

> > If you have any older NES games, you should open them up and look inside.
> When
> > NES was first released, sometimes Nintendo would use Famicom chips and put
> > converters on them, then put them in NES casings because they couldn't meet
> the
> > demand I guess. So if you open it up and pull off the converter, well, you
> have
> > a free converter that you can use for Famicom games.
>
> Yep. I have a stack of Gyromite games that had those (official, Nintendo-built)
> Famicom adaptors inside of them. I used one to hook up my Dragon Quest IV cart.
> (AWESOME RPG, hope you like Katakana and Hiragana. :) )
>
> If anyone is looking for one of these adaptors, I could try to find my stash
> somewhere in the basement. The cost would be very reasonable. I think I have
> about 5 or 6 of them left.
>

i 'made' mine from excitebike. the trick is to find older games which are a bit heavier than normal. they generally have fun, happy converter parties going on inside. invite yourself.

But unfortunately I don't believe you will get the enhanced sound that the Famicom is capable of, correct?

There's no way to do this on the NES?

> But unfortunately I don't believe you will get the enhanced sound that the
> Famicom is capable of, correct?
>
> There's no way to do this on the NES?
>
interesting, I was always under the impression that the Famicon and NES hardware were identical.


"mmm...forbidden donut"