Famicom disk newbie

[da66en]

Sorry if my google skills suck..

Does the FDS really just connect to the Famicom using the cartridge slot? If so is it possible to connect FDS to an American NES?

[MrPopo]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Com ... isk_System

It does connect through the cart slot, but in a way that is totally incombatible with the NES model 1, and I'd be shocked if it worked on the NES model 2.

[sega dude]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Family_Com ... isk_System

It does connect through the cart slot, but in a way that is totally incombatible with the NES model 1, and I'd be shocked if it worked on the NES model 2.

It does work with the NES model 2. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8cnJZXhpHsU

[Satoshi_Matrix]

The FDS attaches to the system through a RAM adapter that fits into the cartridge bay. It is possible to use it on an NES-001 "toaster" if you remove the top casing, remove the ZIF loader and use 72 to 60 pin adapter.

That said, take it from someone who thoroughly knows the hardware - you do not want an FDS.

The format is extremely finicky, both the system and the disks themselves. The system has so be calibrated just so to read and write to the disks correctly, the disk belts and flimsy and break easily (replaces becoming increasingly more rare as time passes) and the disks themselves have develop corrupted sectors seemingly for no reason, rending them entirely unplayable.

If you want to experience FDS games, I suggest buying a Powerpak from Retrozone. Not only can it play all but the multi-disk Japanese text adventure games, but it also can play all standard NES and Famicom games with very few exceptions.

[da66en]

If I use an adapter to play FDS on Nintendo NES, do I lose the extra sound channel?

[Satoshi_Matrix]

The NES is incapable of producing expansion sound on it's own. In order to do that, you need to modify both the cartridge adapter your using and the NES itself.

Off the top of my head, you should solder a .04uf and 47k resistor in series across NES pin 17-19 (all are unmapped pins that don't lead anywhere) to pin 45 of the Famicom slot.

Then on the NES itself, take the motherboard out, flip it over and solder a 47k resistor along pins 4 and 9 of the unused expansion port.

But again, don't bother with the FDS. With countless things against them, they fail more often than even launch Xbox 360s do!

[da66en]

The NES is incapable of producing expansion sound on it's own. In order to do that, you need to modify both the cartridge adapter your using and the NES itself.

Off the top of my head, you should solder a .04uf and 47k resistor in series across NES pin 17-19 (all are unmapped pins that don't lead anywhere) to pin 45 of the Famicom slot.

Then on the NES itself, take the motherboard out, flip it over and solder a 47k resistor along pins 4 and 9 of the unused expansion port.

But again, don't bother with the FDS. With countless things against them, they fail more often than even launch Xbox 360s do!

Are you serious? All that's missing on the NES to route the extra sound channel is a resistor and a capacitor?

[Satoshi_Matrix]

Actually, all that's missing on the NES-001 toaster itself is a single 47k resistor. the other resistor and cap go into a cartridge converter which isn't even part of the system. In case you've never noticed, the NES has a button expansion bay that was never used. That would have been an expansion port for the North American version of the FDS, which was scapped in favor of simply porting the games to mask rom cartridges. All you need to do is connect a patch from the system up to pin 45 which Famicom games use expansion audio.

You can't do this on an NES-101 toploader though because they removed the unused expansion port.

[da66en]

Actually, all that's missing on the NES-001 toaster itself is a single 47k resistor. the other resistor and cap go into a cartridge converter which isn't even part of the system. In case you've never noticed, the NES has a button expansion bay that was never used. That would have been an expansion port for the North American version of the FDS, which was scapped in favor of simply porting the games to mask rom cartridges. All you need to do is connect a patch from the system up to pin 45 which Famicom games use expansion audio.

You can't do this on an NES-101 toploader though because they removed the unused expansion port.

This makes me mad! To think, all these years I could have played Castlevania 3 in all of it's audio glory but some bean counters in NOA didn't want to spend one penny on one resistor?!?!?

[Flake]

Didn't that decision have something to do with mono sound being the standard in the US at the time? Or am I connecting two unrelated things?