SNES Vertical Line Discussion

[vlame]

I'm hearing reports that even the clone hardware does this. It has been seen on the FC3 Plus, the RetroN3, the RetroDuo and the FC Twin, all of which share the same clone chipset. Strange.

it has to be cart specific then. seems to me that you guys need help using the scientific method...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control

[ApolloBoy]

Perhaps a SFC or PAL SNES user can try and test this out a little. I have a PAL SNES actually, but I have no idea if it has the vertical line problem. I haven't used it much, yet.

Using a Super Famicom would most likely yield the same results since the innards are exactly the same as the SNES. The only real differences between the SFC and SNES are the cases and RF modulators.

You took that out of context. I was saying, maybe a SFC or PAL SNES user can test out different AC adapters (because they have a different plug than the American SNES).

Ah, OK. Didn't mean to take that out of context at all.

[vlame]

You took that out of context. I was saying, maybe a SFC or PAL SNES user can test out different AC adapters (because they have a different plug than the American SNES).

my SFc can run off a Genesis model one power, isn't that the same as the snes? my 110v brick broke...

[D.D.D.]

Contacted Nintendo, so we'll see.

Nintendo of America is not going to give a damn about any product that "old". And likely anyone with that knowledge is no longer answering emails or phone calls.

I don't understand all this criticism. Did I lose anything by attempting?

(A tad late but) It wasn't anything against you, I just know how Nintendo was back in the NES~N64 days and they are a very different company today customer service-wise. I used to call them a bunch as a kid up 'til my early teens and they were always great and knowledgeable but recently I emailed them on a SNES question IIRC and from 3 different people I got really stupid responses. So, yeah, NOA is not what they used to be IMO.


But on the topic, I only tried out one of my SFCs. I tried some games that I listed below with what I saw. To preface, I've never seen this line before like I said, and only by cranking my TVs settings to the max did I notice anything.
My set-up: Sony KD-32HD900, Super Famicom, standard AV cable, and a HORI AC adapter (licensed and brand new, they still make'm )

SMW: very faint line
FF6: can see it kinda on the title screen but in game I didn't notice it
Super Metroid: could barely see it in the opening sequence
TMNTIV: couldn't see it
DKC: couldn't see it
Zelda: coudln't see it

So all in all yeah, it exists even when I thought my machine didn't make it. To me it's not a problem as I've never noticed this line when my TV is set normally, not max everything, but it is weird that this is supposedly common but no one has really mentioned it until now...

[D.D.D.]

I'm hearing reports that even the clone hardware does this. It has been seen on the FC3 Plus, the RetroN3, the RetroDuo and the FC Twin, all of which share the same clone chipset. Strange.

it has to be cart specific then. seems to me that you guys need help using the scientific method...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control

If it actually is, that is so weird.

[vlame]

I'm hearing reports that even the clone hardware does this. It has been seen on the FC3 Plus, the RetroN3, the RetroDuo and the FC Twin, all of which share the same clone chipset. Strange.

it has to be cart specific then. seems to me that you guys need help using the scientific method...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control

If it actually is, that is so weird.

Not really. Think about it. Every cartridge is adding hardware to the console. Some games are rushed or reprinted and such. Carts are already expensive to manufacture. Do you think they would really care if there was random banding that happens because of cheap components in carts is really a primary concern? Maybe they had bad solder points or unsheielded chips that create signals. I only have a small handful of snes games so I'm not that much of a help.

[Zing]

I'm hearing reports that even the clone hardware does this. It has been seen on the FC3 Plus, the RetroN3, the RetroDuo and the FC Twin, all of which share the same clone chipset. Strange.

it has to be cart specific then. seems to me that you guys need help using the scientific method...http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientific_control

Strange. Every mention of vertical lines on the above systems were in regards to the NES output, not SNES. The only mention I found of the vertical line with the SNES was someone saying it wasn't there.

[Ziggy]

I'm hearing reports that even the clone hardware does this. It has been seen on the FC3 Plus, the RetroN3, the RetroDuo and the FC Twin, all of which share the same clone chipset. Strange.

Heard from where? Any links? Zing says:

Strange. Every mention of vertical lines on the above systems were in regards to the NES output, not SNES. The only mention I found of the vertical line with the SNES was someone saying it wasn't there.

it has to be cart specific then.

Well it still wouldn't explain why some get a very noticeable line while others have to play with settings on their TV just to make it barely noticeable. Unless we're going with the theory that some TVs can "hide" this line. I'm not a big fan of that though, as many of us have played our SNES on many different TVs. Anyways, I think Jam is gonna send me one of his offending SNES consoles. If I use his console on my TV and get the lines, then it has something to do with the console itself. If I do NOT get the lines, then either my TV is "hiding" it or my specific carts (if it's the cart's fault) is some how different in that it doesn't produce this line (at all or to a lesser extent). How's that for scientific method?

my SFc can run off a Genesis model one power, isn't that the same as the snes? my 110v brick broke...

The NTSC-U (American) SNES uses a proprietary plug, so you can only use plugs made specifically for the NTSC-U SNES. That's why I was saying (if you read my original post that this quote was taken from) it would be hard to test out different power adapters on the NTSC-U SNES. Though one could mod the system to use a standard power adapter jack, if one was so inclined. But that's why I was suggesting that a SFC or PAL SNES user could test out different (quality) power adapters, because those systems use a standard jack.

My PAL SNES (Australian/New Zealand model) has the same requirements as a NES plug, but the plug sizes don't match up. It needs a bigger sized plug. So the Genesis plug doesn't fit either. Though I have an adapter cable that will allow me to use the NES and Genesis power adapters.

Not really. Think about it. Every cartridge is adding hardware to the console. Some games are rushed or reprinted and such. Carts are already expensive to manufacture. Do you think they would really care if there was random banding that happens because of cheap components in carts is really a primary concern? Maybe they had bad solder points or unsheielded chips that create signals. I only have a small handful of snes games so I'm not that much of a help.

I completely disagree. For the most part, they don't use cheap components. The exception being the Majesco carts (and maybe other second run carts that are made or assembled in Mexico). Normal MIJ SNES carts are high quality. They don't use cheap parts, as far as I know. And I've never seen a bad solder joint on a SNES cart before (and I've seen a LOT at this point). And if interference is causing the vertical line problem, then EVERY game would show it, and not just a few making it more prominent than others and some not at all.

[Zing]

And if interference is causing the vertical line problem, then EVERY game would show it, and not just a few making it more prominent than others and some not at all.

It is becoming more and more apparent to me that every game I try on my system shows the lines to some extent. It's simply a matter of the game displaying the colours and patterns that allow me to see it. I haven't gone through all of my carts (I own about 25), but so far, I can find the lines in basically every game.

Also, the pattern of lines appears identical on every game. It would seem unlikely for the pattern to be the same from cart to cart if it was a cart-based error.

I'll be trying my SNES on a different TV this weekend. I don't know anyone locally who owns a SNES of their own to try on my TV.

[Jamisonia]

I'm going to send one of my mini's to Ziggy.

I got a yellowed SNES in here at work (I work at an electronics recycler) and I tested it using SMW and an RF Cable. The line was barely there but noticeable. You'd probably never notice unless you were looking for it.