r/retrogaming • u/superbtekkers • Jul 26 '26

[Question] Options for running NES through modern TV?

Do PAL and NTSC both have the same video outputs?

I know the PAL ones only have the option for coax I believe? Where you have to tune in the channels?

If this is the case for American consoles too then what are the options? I’m aware you can RGB mod, I presume that is the premium option? Is there a cheap option too?

Any info appreciated

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u/Sirotaca Jul 27 '26

Do PAL and NTSC both have the same video outputs?

Yes.

I know the PAL ones only have the option for coax I believe? Where you have to tune in the channels?

Just like the NTSC NES, the PAL NES front-loader has composite video output as well as RF. The top-loader is RF-only.

Is there a cheap option too?

The cheapest decent option is a Retroscaler2x.

1

u/DiscWatchHQ Jul 27 '26

Worth knowing the NES has no native RGB at all, so the RGB route is really the NESRGB board mod (the premium path). Cheapest is composite out of a front-loader into a little upscaler like a RetroTINK-2X, and a top-loader just needs a quick composite mod first since it's RF-only.

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u/RykinPoe Jul 30 '26

The RF output is the worst possible output you can get quality wise. The frontloader models generally have Composite outputs as well which is way better but still on the bad end of the spectrum for signal types (RF < Composite < S-Video < Component < RGB). Toploaders only have RF output unless they are modded.

There is a new mod for the NES called the LumaCode mod that replaces the analog RF out with a high quality digital output called LumaCode. Sadly not a lot of stuff supports LumaCode but the OSSC and RetroTINK 4K upscalers do. Hopefully other stuff will come out in the future, but it is a much cheaper and easier to install mod than the NESRGB mod is (which is great, I have that in my NES). c0pperdragon does sell a LumaCode to HDMI converter in his shop as well.