ah, daisy chaining switch boxes.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d107/HappyNinja/PB050020.jpg

(doesn't show wii)

My setup has 4 switch boxes and I need another because my Wii has nothing to plug into!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/XxhennersXx/P2040262.jpg
MADNESS!

As for your bit about the AV famicom/Top Loader NES

they were both released for different reasons

The original Famicom was RF only, but more and more TV's had composite. So Nintendo released a redesigned one that had RCA jacks. (I have one as you can see in my picture)

As for the top loader NES, there were still NES games being produced in 93 when it came out and Nintendo's original NES, as you are aware of, was prone to dirty connectors. So they released a remodeled version that has a better connector. To keep costs down, they removed the RCA jacks that were on the side of the original NES because more people used the RF switch that the NES came with.

If you want your NES hooked up to your setup so that you can run the games that your Generation NEX won't run, I recommend picking up a used NES, and getting a new 72 Pin connector. You pimp Pinky G's alot and they have them there. It takes less than 5 minutes to replace and you'll love it.

And while you're at it, just get a real AV Famicom for 50 dollars at Japangamestock.com since it'll run ALL the games. I know you love your NEX and that's great and I'm just giving my recomendations.

Though Jake, really that Sega Sports Dreamcast and Generation Nex are in a dangerous position. You have cats running around? they can pull those consoles down EASILY!

I had a cat and it tried to pull down all my wires...fortunatly, if you look at the top where emy famicom/genesis/nes it has sort of a fence and the entertainment system has a back on it, the cords go through holes i drilled.

the REAL horror is when you also include the surge protectors and power cables!

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/XxhennersXx/P2040259.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/XxhennersXx/P2040260.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/XxhennersXx/P2040261.jpg

That's when it gets REALLY crazy!

I say you ditch the coffee table Jake.

Get a TV bench, same sort of thing but you won't have to play Tetris!

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=17071&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=14838&langId=-1&chosenPartNumber=70045482

http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=17071&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=68962&langId=-1&categoryId=15962&chosenPartNumber=90086669

I used to have to use 3 of those and some other random things to house my set up...

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/XxhennersXx/P5290036.jpg

http://i3.photobucket.com/albums/y82/XxhennersXx/P4090228.jpg

That's when I lived in my Parents house. Heh.

Well, I hope you can figure out a more efficient way to organize your consoles so they're safer and more pleasant looking instead of a Unholy Coffee Table of Madness!

(sorry about the messy pictures, I took them whenever I was cleaning and when I clean I basically make a huge mess first cleaning one area, then move to the next...)

Steve just wait until you get an HDTV and some of your old game systems won't work on it. They you will have the fun of getting component switches. Oh joy! But I love my coffee table. However my GF Kymberly has been waiting to get her hands on it since it so retro and cool. You are right about the Dreamcast. I'll move it tonight. And that is not even the most up to date photo of my setup.

Now about your IKEA suggestion. Say I got something like this. Well the kitties might end up wanting to hid the shelves. I dunno. I’ll have to think about it. But I could get some of those tasty IKEA meatballs!
http://www.ikea.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?topcategoryId=17071&catalogId=10103&storeId=12&productId=11726&langId=-1&categoryId=15962&chosenPartNumber=10033463

The key reason I don't have an HDTV yet is because I'm still shopping around for one where the old games work on it. There are a few out there, you just got to do a lot of research before you buy.

I'm in the market for a new entertainment center as well, i hate playing my Famicom because the controller cord goes infront of the TV, same with the NES.

Yeah your kitties might want to hide in the shelves. That's better than them behind it yanking out cables. That TV stand you linked to has a backing on it, so even if the cats get behind the TV and pull the cords, your consoles will just be unplugged. ^_^

Actually Steve when you finally go HDTV shopping you should take your Famicom AV and/or N64 and put it in a backpack and bring it to the store. When you find an HDTV that you are interested in ask the folks there if it would be OK if you hooked up your old school game system. Let them know that you are ready to buy one but you are not going to spend money on a TV that will not work with your trusty Nintendo. When I got my HDTV I had no idea that I should even have to look out for that. It is not like they have a big “8-bit NES Compatible” sticker on the front of the HDTVs.

Hey Messiah make cordless Nes controllers. It might be cheaper than getting new furnature for you and they should work with your AV Famicom.
http://www.playmessiah.com/products/nex-wc.htm

I have one of those plug and play Street Fighter 2 Sega Genesis's that I bring with me when I go HDTV shopping. That was part of my research I was talking about, heh heh.

I tried the wireless NES controllers...they're...not that great. :( they feel kinda funcky, mostly the start and select not being an...actual button and I don't like the Dpad. And I don't like the angle of the buttons. 16 years of playing Super Mario Bros with a and b horizontal is a hard habit to kick with your muscle memory.

I use American NES controllers since the AV Famicom wire is about a foot long (because Japanese houses are so cramped) I might buy those controllers just to mod into a normal NES casing...

however, their wireless bootleg NES Advantage looks MIGHTY tempting. But I just spent 100+ dollars on Famicom stuff x_X and with Sakuracon around the corner, and something else I forget atm that I plan on buying...

I thought the NES had Composite video out? I know I saw it on there when I had mine, it wasn't top loading though...

Also Yakuza supports 480p? Why can't I enable it then?

Zac the original NES had standard AV jacks also known as RCA jacks. That is good for the time but it is not Composite that is modern tech made just for HDTV.

I think it is in the Video options but you have to have composite cables on an HDTV.

Oh. My. That setup is from HEAVEN. Someday, I may call on you to ask you to set up my system. It looks like the cables are eating it.

Composite is far from modern, thats the yellow jack which has all the video data crammed down it. Component is what is used for HDTV.

Both of them use RCA jacks, just in a different way.

So they removed the Composite out from the NES? Sounds like what they did to the Gamecube..

Zac you are getting Composite confused with RCA AV cables. They look the same but Composite has three cables for the video but RCA AV (Like what the Nes had) only has one for the video

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Composite_video

Am I?

I hit post to early, sorry for the double post.
Component and Composite both use the same type of jack just in a different way, now I could explain it but I would probably get some of it wrong and you could just look it up if you wanted to know about it.

Anyway what I ment by "sounds like what they did to the gamecube" is that they both have there superior video outputs for the system removed. (NES had composite which is much better then RF and GC had the digital out removed.

Which brings another question, will they stop production of the component cables for the Wii sometime? However at least third party companys can produce component cables now, most of them are awful though.

I've been threw 3 different ones for the original x box and all have been awful. I just can't seem to find the official one anywhere :(

I thought RCA cables WERE composite o_O I always just call them either ones, composite or RCA jacks.

But Zac, yeah they removed the RCA jacks from the Toploading NES. Even worse, the RF output is worse on it than on the original NES. Which is why, as cool as it is to have a top loader since it's a hard to find item, I stick with the good ol' toaster. ^_^ With a new 72 pin and the 10NES lockout chip disabled of course (just remove pin 4 on it! haha!)

Who's set up is heaven? Jakes or mine?

Jake, what's in those bins behind your set up? Your controllers? I keep mine in ithat little cubby underneath the tv, and my memory cards in the holders in the game cases. Since I play imports also I got american flag and japanese flag stickers so i don't accidentally format game saves! I got'em by asking at pink godzilla. ^_^

Hi, just found this website while looking for info on how to hook up a PSone to an HDTV through component cables (no luck so far...), and saw that you're using manual switchboxes. Philips makes an awesome switchbox for $20 that automatically switches up to 4 devices, and you can daisy chain them, and never have to worry about pushing buttons again! I've got my PS1, Dreamcast, Gamecube, and Saturn hooked up to one right now, and it works great. Whichever system is turned on gets automatically switched to. Only downside is that I've only seen them on sale at Walmart, and that it only handles S-Video/Composite, although to make up for that it does have Coax out, and will act as an RCA/RF adapter in a pinch.

Dude all those systems are sweet! Its a shame the NES cant use the component cables too. One thing you may want to look for, is that back in the day Pelican made a self powered switcher that held up to at least 8 systems. The thing was a lot bigger, but it was pretty sweet.

Also I've been playing these free games lately on the PC. Theyre pretty cool and free for some reason I'm not sure about. Fun FPS stuff based on the Source Engine Check it out if you can at http://www.kumagames.com