NES top loader

[Shephda]

So I finally scored a near perfect Nintendo NES-101 "Top Loader" last night from a local dealer!

I love wheeling and dealing. Works great, all I need is a pair of the original dog bone controllers, came with a standard one.

 

This makes my Nintendo collection (except for a couple of the colored N64's) complete.

[Eltigro]

So I finally scored a near perfect Nintendo NES-101 "Top Loader" last night from a local dealer!

I love wheeling and dealing. Works great, all I need is a pair of the original dog bone controllers, came with a standard one.

 

This makes my Nintendo collection (except for a couple of the colored N64's) complete.

 

Gratz! I got mine a while back, not in perfect condition though. It looks like someone laid a soldering iron on one part and the plastic is a little melted there. I got it when my front loader went kaput. (I thought it was the pin connector so I ordered a new one, while waiting for the parts to arrive, the cat pissed on it. Cleaned it up as best as I could and replaced the connector but still didn't work.) My Nintendo collection is far from what you may consider complete though. I still don't have all the handhelds, game and watches, foreign systems or other variations on systems (like the colored 64's), but I'm pretty happy.

[Emehr]

I found a top loader at a garage sale about a month ago. It came with a Racermate II cart, the interface thing that plugs into the controller ports, and a Racermate sticker. Unfortunately it only came with standard NES controllers.

 

I gotta say, I was indifferent about the top loader before but it's kinda nice. My only gripe is the RF-only output. I guess that's where a mod comes in but I don't like cutting anything unless I have a spare.

[Shephda]

So I finally scored a near perfect Nintendo NES-101 "Top Loader" last night from a local dealer!

I love wheeling and dealing. Works great, all I need is a pair of the original dog bone controllers, came with a standard one.

 

This makes my Nintendo collection (except for a couple of the colored N64's) complete.

 

Gratz! I got mine a while back, not in perfect condition though. It looks like someone laid a soldering iron on one part and the plastic is a little melted there. I got it when my front loader went kaput. (I thought it was the pin connector so I ordered a new one, while waiting for the parts to arrive, the cat pissed on it. Cleaned it up as best as I could and replaced the connector but still didn't work.) My Nintendo collection is far from what you may consider complete though. I still don't have all the handhelds, game and watches, foreign systems or other variations on systems (like the colored 64's), but I'm pretty happy.

 

Thanks.

I've had cats chew up cords but never piss on one yet.

My collection is no where near complete if you factor in the watches, foreign units, and hand helds.

Mine is mostly the consoles and most of the hand helds. I don't have the more recent ones but it's all a matter of time.

 

I'm not the "NRFB" collector, all my games are setup to be played with. I don't have room for box collecting.

Also I love the reaction from my kids friends when they see my collection for the first time. Priceless!

Funny thing, with all the Playstations, X-boxes, and Wii systems, they almost always pop in either Mario Cart 64, or Mario Party.

[Shephda]

I found a top loader at a garage sale about a month ago. It came with a Racermate II cart, the interface thing that plugs into the controller ports, and a Racermate sticker. Unfortunately it only came with standard NES controllers.

 

I gotta say, I was indifferent about the top loader before but it's kinda nice. My only gripe is the RF-only output. I guess that's where a mod comes in but I don't like cutting anything unless I have a spare.

 

Nice score. I've found the SNES top loaders in the wild but so far never an NES one.

 

I'm a purest when it comes to modding. I like to keep mine original.

But I do love some of the case mods, and wild things people do. Might give that a try sometime.

[Emehr]

I found a top loader at a garage sale about a month ago. It came with a Racermate II cart, the interface thing that plugs into the controller ports, and a Racermate sticker. Unfortunately it only came with standard NES controllers.

 

I gotta say, I was indifferent about the top loader before but it's kinda nice. My only gripe is the RF-only output. I guess that's where a mod comes in but I don't like cutting anything unless I have a spare.

 

Nice score. I've found the SNES top loaders in the wild but so far never an NES one.

 

I'm a purest when it comes to modding. I like to keep mine original.

But I do love some of the case mods, and wild things people do. Might give that a try sometime.

 

Thanks, yeah I hit a dry spell for a couple years then *bam*. I hit this one garage sale and this guy had a plethora of stuff from Atari 2600's to Xbox's. It was pretty sweet. Now I suppose it's downhill from here.

 

And I'm the same way with modding. Unless the console has some major cosmetic damage I don't like cutting into them. I have a few 2600's now and one has a couple broken switches so I feel like I can take the plunge with that and not feel bad about it.

 

I bought two Flashback 2's a couple years ago with the intent of modding one for a cart slot. Never did it. I couldn't bring myself to do it. They were so fresh out of the box I just couldn't take a Dremel tool to either one. Finally, earlier this year I found one in a garage sale that was well-used. I quickly tore into it once I got home and hacked it.

[Sonic R]

I picked up my top loading NES back in 2002… set me back $50 at the time it was near complete in the box, but the box was a bit worn and didn't have the documents. my gripe is not RF, but rather the lines that come through in some games… but I enjoy it none the less… I have an old television which only accept RF and on this TV, I have hooked up the NES top loader, SMS II, and the 7800. it provides me with an authentic experience

 

I am also one of those in the camp of not desire to mod my consoles, keeping them pure… it is my personal preference, and I'm ok with others who enjoy modification… though some older console may look better with more modern connection, I quite enjoy the authentic feel of RF and brings me to the days and times I played these games in my childhood…

[SRGilbert]

It's nice that the cart slot was redesigned, and the Dogbones are now my favorite NES controllers, but I just can't get past the RF issue not to mention the video issues other have described.

[SoulBlazer]

It's nice that the cart slot was redesigned, and the Dogbones are now my favorite NES controllers, but I just can't get past the RF issue not to mention the video issues other have described.

 

I never had a RF issue for the year or so that I owned a system. You can mod them anyway, from what I understand.

 

Leaps and bounds, this was a superior system in every way to the original NES. Better design, easier loading carts, no blinky issues, and much better controllers. I use a dogbone to play NES games on emulation.

[DracIsBack]

Leaps and bounds, this was a superior system in every way to the original NES. Better design, easier loading carts, no blinky issues, and much better controllers.

 

I get grey screen ALL THE BLOODY TIME on my top loader. Sigh.

 

I love the NES for games but I've always had such an awful time with systems. Built for longevity, they are not.

[+wood_jl]

I agree the top load cart slot was more reliable than a blinky toaster. Dogbone is tops in NES controllers.

 

I just can't stand RF unless I have no choice. I didn't think I had the knowledge/experience to mod it myself; I don't know how common it is to mod, but I never saw DIY instructions nor any advertised service to do it. If I could find a person or firm to do it, and paid them generously to do it plus shipping both ways....just got to be too much. Plus, there were vertical lines (that I understand get worse with a/v mod) and I like the Gameshark now and then.

 

So I kept my dogbone controllers and put std. old controllers with it and sold it on Ebay for a good price. I bought 2 craigslist Toasters, and 2 72-pin replacements from Ebay - all for about what I got for my Toploader. Washed the cases when installing the 72-pins. Now I have the video out, no blinking, and a mint, working spare backup system to boot. I also thought the toploader was ugly and lacked the retro-feeling the Toaster gave me. To each his own, but this worked out great for me. Replacement 72-pin connectors make it all worth the while.

[PsychoKittyNet]

I like my toploader, its reliable and the lines don't bother me. I had to get a dogbone seperate though, but I prefer to use the original.

[SRGilbert]

Repairing a blinking NES is probably the easiest and most misunderstood procedure in the history of video gaming. It's by far the most common issue, yet it's the only system I know of that has a pin connector that can be replaced without using a soldering iron. It's almost like Nintendo did it on purpose for some weird reason. It's like they said, "Because of this stupid zero force design, we are going to have to fix these things all the time, might as well make it as easy as possible."

 

It also the reason why it's so cheap and easy to find NES systems in the wild, people practically throw them away. They don't realize that for a $10 part and 15 minutes, they can have a system that will be ok for another 30 years.

 

Another reason why the toaster is better than the top loader? It's flat on top which means you can stack a SNES on top of it!

Edited July 8, 2010 by SRGilbert

[Tr3vor]

Aww, come on, what's a NES game without a case of the blinkies?!

 

Just fix the connectors then its superior to the toploader, with composite. I actually like the old square NES controllers over SNES, etc. It just fits in my hands better, probably because I spent half my life playing with that controller. I also actually like the square design of the console, you can stack stuff, and it isn't curvy, I hate curvy. If thats where technology is going, to curves, then I will stick with my old stuff.

[MagitekAngel]

I have read of a rare version of the toploader floating around with composite video outputs in it's stock configuration - not a mod. Can anybody confirm?

[kool kitty89]

2 downsides to the toploader 1: RF only 2: if you mod it for composite video you still get added video noise (vertical lines) due to poor shielding of the components on the board which isn't fixable afik.

 

Benefits are no lockout chip to both with disabling and general reliability. (no finicky connector, though from my experience cleaning/polishing the 72-pin connectors does wonders, that and learning the best tricks in properly seating the contacts for certain games with thinner PCBs)

 

 

It's a nice looking unit of sure, not quite as nice as the AV famicom, but better than the Famicom and even the NES in some respects. (don't care for the dog bone gamepads though)

Edited July 8, 2010 by kool kitty89

[godslabrat]

I have read of a rare version of the toploader floating around with composite video outputs in it's stock configuration - not a mod. Can anybody confirm?

 

I too have heard of this, but cannot confirm. Here are the two explanations I can suggest:

 

#1) It was a misidentified AV Famicom

 

#2) I heard one story that said someone sent in their top loading NES to be repaired, and Nintendo no longer stocked the RF components used in the system. So, they put their "Multi-out" port on it... which makes some sense, since it's the same port they used on every system since the NES. Unfortunately, if this were true, it would limit such systems to only those top loaders sent in for repair after Nintendo ran out of old-school RF components. How many could that possibly be? A few dozen, at most?

[AtariLeaf]

 

#2) I heard one story that said someone sent in their top loading NES to be repaired, and Nintendo no longer stocked the RF components used in the system. So, they put their "Multi-out" port on it... which makes some sense, since it's the same port they used on every system since the NES. Unfortunately, if this were true, it would limit such systems to only those top loaders sent in for repair after Nintendo ran out of old-school RF components. How many could that possibly be? A few dozen, at most?

 

That's the story I heard too so there are apparently composite top loaders out there from Nintendo but I would imagine they would be extremely rare.

[SoulBlazer]

 

#2) I heard one story that said someone sent in their top loading NES to be repaired, and Nintendo no longer stocked the RF components used in the system. So, they put their "Multi-out" port on it... which makes some sense, since it's the same port they used on every system since the NES. Unfortunately, if this were true, it would limit such systems to only those top loaders sent in for repair after Nintendo ran out of old-school RF components. How many could that possibly be? A few dozen, at most?

 

That's the story I heard too so there are apparently composite top loaders out there from Nintendo but I would imagine they would be extremely rare.

 

I've seen that same story, and it's very possible that happened.

 

I don't know, the original NES controllers are good -- lightweight, good design, easy to fix -- but the squareness makes them hard to hold if your hands are the wrong size, plus after several hours of using them my hands always started hurting and cramping up. The redesigned dogbone controllers are much better -- they have the rounded shape like the SNES ones, so none of those issues. I was lucky to buy a new one from Nintendo shortly before they stopped selling them.

[kool kitty89]

#2) I heard one story that said someone sent in their top loading NES to be repaired, and Nintendo no longer stocked the RF components used in the system. So, they put their "Multi-out" port on it... which makes some sense, since it's the same port they used on every system since the NES. Unfortunately, if this were true, it would limit such systems to only those top loaders sent in for repair after Nintendo ran out of old-school RF components. How many could that possibly be? A few dozen, at most?

 

You mean every system up until the Wii. (wii got a new, incompatible connector including Y'PbPr outputs)

 

 

 

 

 

I don't know, the original NES controllers are good -- lightweight, good design, easy to fix -- but the squareness makes them hard to hold if your hands are the wrong size, plus after several hours of using them my hands always started hurting and cramping up. The redesigned dogbone controllers are much better -- they have the rounded shape like the SNES ones, so none of those issues. I was lucky to buy a new one from Nintendo shortly before they stopped selling them.

The D-pad is better on the dogboen but that's it IMO... diagonally oriented convex buttons are not as easy to use, and the curved sides are less desirable than slab sides, well, unless you have small hands... My hands are big enough that I only grip the edges, pressing the edges of my palms against the slab sides of the brick controller.

NES Max is worse than either though, and I'm talking shape and not D-pad. (the turbo buttons really are uncomfortable though)

 

Slab sides isn't ideal, but not too far off: the 3-button genesis pad is almost perfect for me (a bit big for kids with little hands though), the 6-button isn't bad either, definitely better than the too-small SNES controller. (Nintendo finally got the balanced egonomics for a wide hand size range with the GC controller... though I do get a bit sore from the analog stick -mainly due to pushing against the rather thin/sharp mushroomed bottom edge)

Edited July 9, 2010 by kool kitty89

[chrisbid]

the difference between good rf (using a phono adapter rather than a switch) and composite isnt that great. if you could mod s-video out of it, that would be a different story. but its not worth the money nor chopping up your system for a simple composite mod.

[+wood_jl]

the difference between good rf (using a phono adapter rather than a switch) and composite isnt that great. if you could mod s-video out of it, that would be a different story. but its not worth the money nor chopping up your system for a simple composite mod.

 

That's highly subjective. I suppose there are a lot of variables - how well the modulator works as well as the tuner in your TV set. I have never seen RF hookup that did NOT lose sharpness, even if you were "lucky" enough to have a completely interference-free picture.

 

The difference is whether or not an individual minds the difference. Personally, I can't stand RF and I've never seen one look as good as a composite hookup - how could it? Sure I'll take S-video, but most people would still take composite over RF.

[kool kitty89]

the difference between good rf (using a phono adapter rather than a switch) and composite isnt that great. if you could mod s-video out of it, that would be a different story. but its not worth the money nor chopping up your system for a simple composite mod.

 

That's highly subjective. I suppose there are a lot of variables - how well the modulator works as well as the tuner in your TV set. I have never seen RF hookup that did NOT lose sharpness, even if you were "lucky" enough to have a completely interference-free picture.

 

The difference is whether or not an individual minds the difference. Personally, I can't stand RF and I've never seen one look as good as a composite hookup - how could it? Sure I'll take S-video, but most people would still take composite over RF.

 

At best there's almost no interference, but always some ghosting.

 

Also, using a direct phono connector is usually worse than a switchbox: aside from systems like the 2600 with built-in cables, using standard RCA cables often weaken the video quality.

If you can find good heavily shielded cables it's OK, but otherwise it's often worse than even using cheap manual switchboxes. This is particularly bad for consoles like the 2600 jr and 7800 which can't use autoswitchboxes and thus can only use separate cables.

Going direct has no advantage over good auto switchboxes for consoles that support such switches. (NES, genesis, Jaguar, etc: I initially used a standard composite video RCA cable for my Genesis and it looked really horrible, even worse on another genesis, but both looked great with auto switchboxes: both Nintendo and a cheap radio shack one)

 

However, one foolproof option is "going direct" and NOT using an RCA cable, but a male RCA to female coaxial connector like this:

http://www.summitsource.com/images/products/CFTR2P.jpg

And using a standard coaxial RF cable to hook it up. (probably the best option for the 7800 and 2600 Jr; otherwise you'd probably need a specific switchbox for those consoles or a heavily grounded/shielded RCA cable)

[Video]

Cool that you got one. I know the RF issue is far overblown, I've never had problems the few times I've used it, though it seems every toplaoder around here had MVO ports on them so it's not like we were locked into using it anyways. (I'm told that's supposedly rare, but I see WAY to many of them)

[godslabrat]

Cool that you got one. I know the RF issue is far overblown, I've never had problems the few times I've used it, though it seems every toplaoder around here had MVO ports on them so it's not like we were locked into using it anyways. (I'm told that's supposedly rare, but I see WAY to many of them)

 

MVO? Multi-Video Out? Mind posting a few pics? I'd love to see a stock NES2 with a Nintendo-issued A/V port.