- Recording Setup -


Over the years, I've been asked quite often about my recording setup and what kind of recommendations I have regarding this topic. I therefore thought it would be appropriate to eventually make a proper overview of how it all works out to me. I have included an image of the setup to make it easier to visualize along with the text explanation.



- Image of setup -





Such accuracy... (ﾟ∀ﾟ ;




- VIDEO -


Recommendations:


Is all of this additional hardware even worth it for such a minor quality upgrade? Many would say no, just settle with S-Video instead. S-Video is dirt cheap, and getting a capture card that can handle S-Video is also dirt cheap. However, S-Video support is not common in Europe, so it's mostly recommended for NTSC regions.

The quality difference between S-Video and RGB is not all that major. The color accuracy is a bit lower, and there is a bit of color bleeding, making the image look softer. The biggest issue with S-Video is that the cables often suffer from a dithering filter, so purchasing a high-quality S-Video cable is important. Another advantage with S-Video is that it doesn't need lots of additional hardware to further conserve the signal quality. A clever way to split S-Video without introducing quality loss to the capture device, is to buy a cable that output both composite video and S-Video. That way you can plug the S-Video connector directly into the capture card, while the composite video connector goes directly into the display you're using. Whether such cables in high-quality are hard to find is not something I can confirm, though. Obviously, if you mind the look of composite video as a preview, this is not an ideal option, then you'll probably want a powered splitter along with some additional male-to-male S-Video cables.

If S-Video is desired, then either a "GV-USB2" or a "Dazzle" capture card should satisfy your recording needs.

Expected results from S-Video:

However, if S-Video doesn't quite satisfy, and you're willing to deal with the cost and trouble of RGB, then below I have a bunch of advice to provide.


RGB Options


 Legacy RGB Mod:


(This is the method I use, to those curious)

Requirements:

Expected Results: I call this method the "Legacy RGB" method simply because the method is old and kind of outdated in some ways. It's still a cheap option, and might serve your purpose perfectly, so if you already have some of the components needed, this might still turn out to be a good option.

This modification is recommend if you wish for an optimal analog display. It also makes RGB capture possible, but the setup for that becomes complicated, and not to mention, expensive. Not only that, but getting a good result out of the captured source requires a lot of knowledge in processing it with software. Although there is an alternative which allows you to process it quite easily with an up-scaling device called the "Framemeister (XRGB-mini)". You can read more about that device further down on this page. Another similar device to check out is the "OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter)", which I also mention more about further below.

As mentioned above, you can settle with a legacy RGB installation without the amplifier, but the signal will be very weak/dark, and many video devices won't even recognize it. Amplifiers can be bought cheap or D.I.Y-crafted with not too much trouble.

As for sync, you can settle with the native composite video sync, but CSYNC looks a lot better. NUS-CPU-02 N64 boards even got native CSYNC support, which means you only need a cable that is wired for CSYNC for it to be utilized (must be RGB-modified first, of course). NUS-CPU-03 and -04 boards will need a little bit more work, so it's up to the person to decide whether this modification is worth it in the end.

Here is a very informative page that elaborates further regarding this installation method:
http://retrorgb.com/n64rgbmod.html


 Universal N64RGB Mod:


Requirements:

Expected Results: This method does pretty much the same as the Legacy RGB mod, but it gets around some of the inconvenience that the Legacy RGB method has got. The price is a little bit higher compared to the Legacy RGB method, but only workd out if you already have an early revision of an N64. If not, this modification is definitely a better option. Another great thing about this method is that you don't have to worry about experimenting with signal amplifiers and CSYNC shenanigans, so it instantly feels like there's less work involved, even though the soldering process is more time-consuming.

Here is a very informative page by the creator himself, Tim Worthington, who elaborates further regarding this installation method:
http://etim.net.au/n64rgb/

And just like the Legacy RGB mod, purchasing a Framemeister (XRGB-mini) or OSSC to make use of in conjunction with the RGB mod might be a good idea, depending of your needs.


 HDMI (UltraHDMI) Mod:


Requirements:

Expected Results: HDMI N64 (also known as the "UltraHDMI"), is a mod created by Mr. Marshall from retroactive.be".
This is a really expensive modification, but it might cover enough of your needs to make it worth it. To utilize the full potential of your N64, you should add an analog RGB modification in conjunction with the digital HDMI mod. This way you'll cover pretty much everything:


 Universal N64RGB Mod + HDMI (UltraHDMI) Mod:


If you want to learn more about the UltraHDMI mod, there is a very informative page regarding it at: http://retrorgb.com/ultrahdmi.html:



Upscalers and Processing Hardware:


Recording and processing RGB from any of the analog RGB modifications can be made a lot easier by purchasing an up-scaling device called the "Framemeister (XRGB-mini)". The purpose of this device is to upscale low resolution video sources with pixelated integer scaling, and also to output the video signal as HDMI. As mentioned already, HDMI is just a much more convenient connector to feed capture cards and digital displays. Additional features like artificial scanlines and video calibration options is also available for this device, which many consider a must.

The Framemeister is very expensive, and it's probably not worth it if you only intend to use it for the N64. The HDMI N64 + Analog RGB mod is pretty much the highest quality option you can get, but keep in mind that the Framemeister + Analog RGB mod is very close in performance. However, the Framemeister can be much more useful as it can be used for consoles outside of the N64. That's why this option is usually considered to be a better option than the HDMI N64, despite its slightly inferior performance.

If you would like to learn more about the capabilities and performance of this unit, you can check out more specifics about it at this website: http://retrogaming.hazard-city.de/framemeister.html.

There has also been made a neat YouTube video by "My Life in Gaming", which I recommend checking out as well:



A good alternative to the Framemeister worth mentioning, is the "OSSC" (Open Source Scan Converter), which I mentioned briefly earlier on this page. You can check out more specifics about this unit at:
http://junkerhq.net/xrgb/index.php/OSSC


That pretty much covers everything for this page, and perhaps a little bit beyond the original intent... If you're curious about what RGB mod I use for my setup, that's the Legacy RGB mod. The Nintendo 64 in the setup picture is an actual image of my console, lol. My console originally had an NUS-CPU-08 motherboard, which I swapped with an NUS-CPU-02 board. The signal amplifier installed was made by a French company which goes by the name "Otakus-Store".

I modified my N64 in 2015, before the HDMI had made an appearance to the scene. If I had done this a little later, it's possible that my setup would have ended up differently, because I could also benefit from having an HDMI N64. Another upgrade I would like to eventually do, is to purchase a professional-grade analog monitor. The accuracy of those Sony PVM and BVM displays are truly immaculate, in my opinion. Even the best digital displays cannot quite match the result of those beasts.

Anyways, there's one last N64 RGB thing that you can be directed into, and it's this 22-minutes long video dedicated to getting the best picture from your Nintendo 64, made by My Life in Gaming:




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