Quest for a PAL RGB Nintendo 64!

15 years ago, I went into Game in my lunch break and bought a Nintendo 64. It was a PAL UK model, I also bought a scart cable assuming I would get lovely RGB video from the new console.

I got home set it up, how wrong was I? The picture was terrible, after research it came to light that PAL N64's only outputted via shitty composite and even shittier UHF.

Even the previous SNES console was capable of outputting RGB. God knows why someone in Nintendo thought it would be a good idea to remove RGB from the console. Anyway...

The N64 was returned the next day for a full refund. That was the end of my adventures with a N64 until yesterday.

While sifting through the box's of consoles and computers for the new games room, I came across my wife's N64.

We cleaned her up (the console) plugged her in and the wife played Zelda for a few hours (over UHF!) I couldn't stand the picture, so off I go on the hunt for a RGB modifiable console.

After a little research it came to light that not one UK PAL console can be modified for RGB output. USA ones can (by tapping the RGB signal and then feeding it through a home made video amp) - but then we would need to re-purchase all the games from America. 

I want a PAL RGB Console!

When launched in France, the N64 (model number - NUS-001(FRA)) was released with some RGB components intact (RGB output was disabled, but this rare console contains the S-RGB-A chip, we can tap RGB signals from this chip). As supplies of the NUS-001(FRA) ran low, Nintendo France released the EUR console (Unmodified-able - same as the UK model). 

Today, I scoured eBay FR for N64 consoles and picked up a NUS-001(FRA) model with three games, one control pad and power pack for £40 delivered. Not bad at all!

My quest for the Nintendo 64 that should have been, but never was has begun....