N64 Dark Picture

[Fluffy]

My N64 displays an incredibly dark picture on my ancient Sony Bravia. A google search shows up several hits, but nobody with a definite solution...

It is RGB modded, and it is from the time before Nintendo removed the RGB DAC, so it is just extra wires to the AV connector.

Before I start with random changes, has anyone seen this before and fixed it? I'll probably start with a cheap RGB AMP board to see if that fixed it.

Edit: Just cracked it open, the RGB lines are directly connected to the AV connector. I'll order an RGB AMP board and report back.

 

[Kundi]

Are you using a PAL SNES RGB cable? If so, remove the 75 Ohm resistors in the plug.

 

[Apocalypse]

What kind of RGB mod is it? "Official" mod (if your model is an early FRA one), TSH7314, etim, something handmade?

 

[Apocalypse]

Edit: Just cracked it open, the RGB lines are directly connected to the AV connector. I'll order an RGB AMP board and report back.

Could definitely be that. The "official" mod populates few resistors and caps so as 3 transistors for RGB signals amplification.

N64 "official" mod

 

[Fluffy]

What kind of RGB mod is it? "Official" mod (if your model is an early FRA one), TSH7314, etim, something handmade?

Currently installed are only cables from the vias to the AV connector, what I ordered is a THS7374 based board. This was done before I got it. The N64 is an early Japanese model.

 

[Fluffy]

Could definitely be that. The "official" mod populates few resistors and caps so as 3 transistors for RGB signals amplification.

N64 "official" mod

I wasn't aware that there was an original RGB mod... it definitely sucks that Nintendo doesn't support RGB on N64 or GameCube by design. No idea if that was to cut costs, or to make imports more difficult.

 

[the Goat]

Currently installed are only cables from the vias to the AV connector, what I ordered is a THS7374 based board. This was done before I got it. The N64 is an early Japanese model.

The mod is definitely your problem. You need to buffer the RGBS signals.

 

[Fluffy]

Ok, added an RGB amplifier and it improves things a lot!