Question N64 board reduction question

[Kevin Price]

Hi all,

Is the N64 board reduction referenced here:
https://bitbuilt.net/forums/index.php?threads/trimming-your-n64-revs-1-4.52/

Specific to a CPU revision? The pictures have NUS-CPU-004, but will the full reduction work on the other CPU revisions 001-003?

Thanks

 

[Shank]

The guide is called "trimming your N64 revs 1-4"
Im no N64 expert, but I would assume that means it would work with Revs 1, 2, 3, and 4.

 

[Miceeno]

That guide will work for any N64 revision. The foot notes of the N64 revisions are as follows:

NUS-CPU-01
Early Japan only. So you won't see these.

NUS-CPU-02
Kiosks and display models. You may see these but you shouldn't mod them due to rarity.

NUS-CPU-03
First retail consoles. Two RAM chips and separate DACs for audio and video output. Good for RAM swaps and RGB mods.

NUS-CPU-04
Similar to rev03 (two RAM chips and split DAC) but no C-Sync output so an RGB mod takes a little more work.

NUS-CPU-05
NUS-CPU-06
NUS-CPU-07
NUS-CPU-08
NUS-CPU-09
Single RAM chip and combined DAC. No RAM swaps or RGB mods. Less components onboard so these can be trimmed a little smaller. Very minor changes from revision to revision for these (stuff like passive components sourced from different vendors). For all modding purposes these are basically identical. Except I believe there is something different in rev08 and rev09 that changes how you overclock. I've never looked into overclocking mods for these so I'm not sure. Also the rev05 might still have two RAM chips, I can't remember off the top of my head. I know that when I used to buy alot of N64's I'd sort out the rev03's and rev04's because they're more valuable for mods.

 

[Booshman]

NUS-CPU-02
Kiosks and display models. You may see these but you shouldn't mod them due to rarity.

Shit, I didn't know this before modding mine. I got a revision 2 and accidentaly broke it, now I have a 3.

 

[Kevin Price]

Just did a board reduction and Ive attached a couple pictures. Dont get power on my board or AV.

Can someone take a look and see if I need to connect any traces near the mem cart slot I might have cut?

I think I also need to connect a 2k resistor to pin 8 of the PIF, right?

Also I attached a picture I picked up from a board reduction thread indicating I need 3.3v where the blue line is traced... is this standard practice? There arent any components where the blue lines are, so its confusing.

Thanks!

 

[fibbef]

The guide shows the cut as close to the expansion pak as you cut, so I think you may be ok without reconnecting those traces. I would still recommend a little sanding to smooth out those cuts.

The blue lines in the guide are so that you reconnect the 3.3v line on various spots of the board. Don’t worry that there aren’t components or vias to solder to. Scrape away a little bit of the green mask (I use an X-acto knife) to expose some bare copper that you can solder to.

Reconnect the 3.3v lines first. Then if that doesn’t work, do the resistor on pin8 of the PIF. That was what finally got my 64 to boot up.

 

[bud]

Heh that guide picture looks familiar