Guide for installing the N64RGB into all models of Nintendo 64



Note: This guide is for version 1.1 (marked N64RGB11) hardware.

Tools and materials required:

Click on the pictures to make them bigger.


 The following parts are included with the kit.
  • N64RGB board.
  • Thick ribbon cable 1.27mm pitch.
  • Thin ribbon cable 0.635mm pitch.
  • Length of 0.4mm solder wire.

Start by removing six Nintendo head (gamebit) screws from the base of the console.
Inside the motherboard is protected by a large RF shield/heat sink assembly. The weak points are circled.

Off in (almost) one piece.

The large IC in the centre of the motherboard is the graphics processor. Immediately to the right is the video encoder/DAC. There are four different types: DENC-NUS, VDC-NUS, AVDC-NUS, MAV-NUS. With the latter two being the same for the purposes of this installation.

The signals D0-D6, DSYNC# (DS#), CLOCK (CLK) carry the digital video data into the N64RGB board. 3V3 is for power and GND is the return path for all signals.

The DENC-NUS and VDC-NUS chips have a pin spacing of 1.27mm.

The AVDC-NUS and MAV-NUS chips have a pin spacing of 0.8mm.
 
Use the appropriate size ribbon cable to connect the 12 (VDC, DENC) or 13 (AVDC, MAV) pins between the video encoder/DAC and the N64RGB board.

If your Nintendo 64 console has a DENC-NUS or VDC-NUS chip then jump to Input Wiring Method #2.

Otherwise if it has a AVDC-NUS or MAV-NUS then read on.

Input Wiring Method #1 - Fine pitch ribbon cable.

For MAV-NUS and AVDC-NUS.
Hold the ribbon cable over the MAV/AVDC pads on the NESRGB board  and you will see the pads an wire line up perfectly. The spacing is 0.635mm.
Hold the ribbon cable over the DAC chip and it doesn't line up. The wire spacing is 0.635mm and the pin spacing is 0.8mm. It's no trouble though, it just needs a bit of preparation first.

Start by stripping the insulation off the end of the ribbon cable. This should be as easy as it looks. Cut through the insulation with the side cutters an pull. All wires are stripped at once.

If you have difficulty with this part you may have some blunt side cutters. Throw them away and buy some sharp ones.

Insulation removed.

Now tin the exposed wires with the soldering iron. The insulation will melt a bit, don't worry about that. Do the same to the other end of the ribbon cable.

This end will solder to the DAC chip on the motherboard. It's best to do this end first as it's the more difficult one.

Cut the exposed wires a bit shorter, but make sure the tinned part is still exposed.

Use the side cutters to separate the wires a bit.

Spread the wires out and align them with the pins on the DAC chip. Play with it until it looks like it will match.

Add extra solder to pins 1 to 13 of the DAC chip.

Solder the 13 pin ribbon cable to the chip. Take it easy, one wire at a time. Move the wire over the pin, apply pressure with the soldering iron. You can use a pair of tweezers to wiggle the wire and make sure it's stuck down. If it's not, try again. Solder wick is good for removing excess solder.

Bend the ribbon cable like so.

Tin the MAV/AVDC solder pads on the NESRGB board.

Solder the wires to the board. It's quite easy, just apply pressure with the soldering iron to each wire in turn. Wait for the solder joint to cool before soldering the next one.

Now the input wiring done. Jump to Finishing Off.

Input Wiring Method #2 - Thick, colourful ribbon cable.

For MAV-NUS and AVDC-NUS.

The ribbon cable has a wire spacing of 1.27mm. This matches the pin spacing of the MAV-NUS and AVDC-NUS chip, as well as the pad spacing on the NESRGB board.

Here's how to prepare it.

Separate the end into three groups of four wires.

Strip the insulation off the end of the ribbon cable. This should be as easy as it looks. Cut through the insulation with the side cutters an pull. All wires are stripped at once.

Insulation removed.

Tin the wires with solder.

Repeat for the other wires and the other end of the cable.

Add some extra solder to pins 1-12 of the DAC.

Solder the 12 pin ribbon cable to the chip. Take it easy, one wire at a time. Move the wire over the pin, apply pressure with the soldering iron. You can use a pair of tweezers to wiggle the wire and make sure it's stuck down. If it's not, try again. Solder wick is good for removing excess solder.

Take note which colour wire is on pin 1. Ignore the missing wire on pin 12 of this picture.

Bend the ribbon cable like so.

Tin the either the VDC or DENC solder pads on the NESRGB board (depending on which DAC you are connecting to). In this case it's the DENC.

Solder the wires to the board. It's quite easy, just apply pressure with the soldering iron to each wire in turn. Wait for the solder joint to cool before soldering the next one.

Now the input wiring done. Jump to Finishing Off.


Input Wiring Method #3 - Your own wire.


You may prefer to use your own wire to connect the input signals. If so, please do not attempt to solder you own wire to the MAV/AVDC solder pads. They are too small and there is no need to do this. All signals are available on the larger VDC and DENC solder pads. Also, please make use of the large pads for DSYNC# (DS#), CLOCK (CLK), +3V3, and ground (GND).

I recommend at least two ground wires for a more reliable operation. Keep wires to 250mm.

Finishing Off

Here's the output section of the N64RGB board.

The pads are
BLU - Blue video.
GRN - Green video.
RED - Red video.
GND - Ground.
CS# - Composite Sync TTL.
CS75 - Composite Sync 75 ohm.

Jumpers J1, J2, J3 select the cable type
  • All open for Gamecube SCART, Super Nintendo NTSC SCART, Super Famicom RGB21 (Japanese).
  • All closed (soldered) for Super Nintendo PAL SCART.
A standard installation has four wires soldered between the N64RGB board output pads and the Nintendo A/V output socket. Red, Green, Blue, Ground. Use the extra wires from the colourful ribbon cable.

The original composite video signal is normally used for sync. Some people claim this causes a small amount of interference to the RGB video (particularly with cheap cables). There are two ways to solve this problem.
  • The first is to cut the track to the composite video (V) pin of the A/V output socket and connect a the CS75 signal to this pin. The disadvantage is the console will no longer output compostie video.
  • The second solution is to rewire the cable to use the luma (L) signal for sync.

Now it's a good time to test the installation. Don't run the console for more that a few minutes without the heat sink attached.

Before putting the heat sink / RF shield assembly back on, bend this tab out so the ribbon cable may pass through.

The are a pair of small tabs that sit either side of the memory expansion slot. Make sure they are fitting in place correctly when re assembling.

There is some adhesive tape on the back of the N64RGB board. Once the heat sink / RF shield assembly is in place and screwed down, peel the blue plastic off and stick the board down as shown in the picture below. The corner of the board is cut off to allow access to the screw under the heat sink.

The tape is designed for higher temperature environments and will not degrade with heat like ordinary double sided tape.

The N64RGB board is stuck to the heat sink. It's best to keep the analog video output wires away from the digital input wires. Put the top half of the shell back on and the installation is complete.

Change Log
9/10/2015 - Rewrote the guide entirely, including extra details about wires and soldering.
18/2/2015 - Added some details about V1.1 hardware.
11/10/2014 - Page created.