Nintendo 64
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| Nintendo 64 Control Deck (NUS-001) with controller | |
| Specifications | |
|---|---|
| Manufacturer | Nintendo |
| Type | Home video game console |
| Released | 23 June 1996 (Japan) 29 September 1996 (North America) 1 March 1997 (Europe and Australia) |
| Discontinued | 2002 |
| CPU | NEC VR4300, 93.75 MHz |
| Memory | 4 MB RDRAM; 8 MB with the Expansion Pak |
| Storage | ROM cartridge (Game Pak); saves on the cartridge or on a Controller Pak |
| Display | 256×224 to 640×480; composite, S-Video, and RF through the NUS-003 modulator |
| Sound | 16-bit stereo, mixed on the RCP |
| Graphics | Reality Coprocessor (RCP), designed by Silicon Graphics |
| Power | AC Power Supply NUS-002: +3.3 V and +12 V DC |
| OS / Firmware | None |
| Predecessor | Super Nintendo Entertainment System |
| Successor | Nintendo GameCube |
| Codename | Project Reality |
| Model no. | NUS-001 |
The Nintendo 64 (N64, model NUS-001) is Nintendo's fifth-generation home console. It was released in Japan on 23 June 1996, in North America on 29 September 1996 and in Europe and Australia on 1 March 1997, and was discontinued in 2002. It was developed with Silicon Graphics under the codename Project Reality.[1]
Nintendo's service-centre manual of June 2002 has a Nintendo 64 chapter covering disassembly, the parts list and the test cartridge, but no schematic or component values; its service centres exchanged whole consoles or main boards.[2] The consumer instruction booklet carries a short troubleshooting section, and the most detailed circuit reference is a community-drawn schematic of the NUS-CPU-03 and -04 mainboards.[3][4]
For servicing, see Nintendo 64 Maintenance Guide, Nintendo 64 Troubleshooting Guide and Nintendo 64 Capacitor Replacement Guide.
Architecture
[edit | edit source]The CPU is an NEC VR4300, a derivative of the MIPS R4300i, running at 93.75 MHz.[5] It has no direct path to memory: the Reality Coprocessor (RCP) sits between the CPU, the cartridge bus and the RDRAM, and contains the Reality Signal Processor (RSP) and the Reality Display Processor (RDP). The RSP does geometry and audio processing, and the RDP rasterises. There is no separate sound chip.[6]
All system clocks except video and audio come from crystal X2 (about 14.706 MHz), which a Macronix clock synthesiser multiplies by 17 to give the 250 MHz RDRAM clock. The 62.5 MHz master clock is a quarter of that, and the VR4300 runs at 1.5 times the master clock. Video timing comes from a second crystal, X1, at 14.318 MHz on NTSC boards and 17.734 MHz on PAL boards.[7]
Memory
[edit | edit source]The console has 4 MB of RDRAM on the mainboard. The Memory Expansion slot on top takes either the Jumper Pak (NUS-008), which only terminates the RDRAM bus, or the Expansion Pak (NUS-007), which adds another 4 MB for 8 MB of contiguous memory. With neither fitted the console does not start, and Nintendo's booklet says as much on the components page.[8][3] Donkey Kong 64 and The Legend of Zelda: Majora's Mask need the Expansion Pak.[8]
Saves are kept on the cartridge, in EEPROM, flash or battery-backed SRAM depending on the game, or on a Controller Pak (NUS-004) plugged into the controller. The Controller Pak holds 256 kbit of SRAM backed by a CR2032 cell.[9] Cartridges that save to SRAM also use a CR2032.[10]
Power
[edit | edit source]The external AC Power Supply (NUS-002) is a switching supply that clips into the back of the console. It delivers +3.3 V at 2.7 A and +12 V at 0.8 A on a six-pin connector, with three ground pins.[11] North American and European supplies are built for their own mains voltage: the primary reservoir is rated 200 V in the 110 V units and 400 V in the 220-240 V units.[12]
No +5 V comes in from the supply. The 78M05 regulator U13 makes +5 V on the board from the +12 V input, and U12, a PQ7VZ5, makes the RDRAM termination voltage Vterm (2.56 V) from +3.3 V, with the reference Vref (1.92 V) divided down from it. The power switch breaks both incoming rails, and there is no fuse on the mainboard.[4] Most logic, including the CPU, RCP, RDRAM and PIF, runs from +3.3 V; +5 V and +12 V are used mainly in the audio and video output stages.[13]
Video and audio
[edit | edit source]Output resolutions run from 256×224 to 640×480.[1] The multi-out connector carries composite and S-Video. RF needs the separate RF Modulator (NUS-003) and RF Switch (NUS-009).[9] The video DAC and encoder changed with the board revision:[14]
| Board revision | Region | Video chips |
|---|---|---|
| NUS-CPU-01 to -04 | NTSC | VDC-NUS (DAC) and ENC-NUS (encoder) |
| NUS-CPU(R)-01 | PAL, France only (NUS-001(FRA)) | VDC-NUS and S-RGB A; composite only as shipped |
| NUS-CPU(P)-01 | PAL | DENC-NUS (DAC and encoder in one) |
| Early NUS-CPU-05 | NTSC | AVDC-NUS (video DAC, encoder and audio DAC in one) |
| Later NUS-CPU-05 and all later boards | All regions | MAV-NUS, pin-compatible with AVDC-NUS |
The NUS-CPU-01 to -04 boards are the ones that take a simple RGB modification. The -04 board has the composite-sync components on multi-out pin 3 left unfitted, and the PAL NUS-CPU(P)-03 has no S-Video on the multi-out.[15] The schematic marks the composite-sync block as fitted on the -03 only.[4]
Audio is 16-bit stereo, produced by the RSP under the game's own microcode. On the early boards a separate BU9480F DAC (U1) and an AMP-NUS amplifier (U2) feed the left and right outputs on multi-out pins 11 and 12.[4][12]
Controller and accessories
[edit | edit source]The console has four controller sockets on the front.[3] The controller (NUS-005) has an analogue stick built as a self-contained module, which reads two slotted optical encoder discs and plugs into the controller board on a six-pin connector.[16] The stick reports movement relative to where it sat at power-on, so Nintendo tells owners to leave it centred when switching on, and to re-centre it during play by holding L and R and pressing START.[3] The expansion slot on the back of the controller takes the Controller Pak, the Rumble Pak (NUS-013, two AAA cells) and the Transfer Pak (NUS-019).[9]
Board revisions
[edit | edit source]The mainboard revision is printed on the board: NUS-CPU-01 to NUS-CPU-09-01 on NTSC machines, NUS-CPU(P)-01 to -03 on PAL machines and NUS-CPU(R)-01 on French machines. Capacitor positions and values change between revisions, so a parts list must match the revision.[12][15] On consoles with clear shells, the revision can be read through the empty power supply bay without opening the case.[15]
Documentation
[edit | edit source]- N64 NUS-CPU-03-04 Schematic: RDC's schematic of the NUS-CPU-03 and -04 mainboards.
- Nintendo 64 Instruction Booklet (US, 1996): connection, operation and troubleshooting, and Nintendo's parts list with part numbers.
Mainboard
[edit | edit source]-
NUS-CPU-03 mainboard, top -
NUS-CPU-03 mainboard, underside
Gallery
[edit | edit source]-
Nintendo 64 console and controller -
Expansion Pak -
Controller Pak -
Rumble Pak
Related pages
[edit | edit source]- Nintendo 64 Maintenance Guide
- Nintendo 64 Troubleshooting Guide
- Nintendo 64 Capacitor Replacement Guide
- Super Nintendo Entertainment System
- Nintendo GameCube
- List of Nintendo Hardware
References
[edit | edit source]- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Wikipedia, "Nintendo 64" (retrieved 2026-10-01). Tertiary source for the release dates, discontinuation, the Project Reality codename and the SGI partnership, and the 256×224 to 640×480 resolution range.
- ↑ Nintendo of America, Authorized Service Center Manual, Rev. June 2002, chapter 7 (Nintendo 64), from p. 43: whole-unit or board-level exchange, disassembly and screw torques, exploded view and parts list with the main board as one part, the Paks, and the N64 test cartridge. No schematic or component values. Hosted as Nintendo Authorized Service Center Manual (June 2002).
- ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Nintendo of America, Nintendo 64 Instruction Booklet, form NUS-S-HB-USA-4 (1996). Hosted as File:Nintendo 64 Instruction Booklet NUS-S-HB-USA-4.pdf. Page 3: "Do not remove the Jumper Pak from the Memory Expansion connector; the Control Deck will not operate." Pages 15 to 18: troubleshooting.
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 4.3 RDC, Nintendo 64bit (N64) Motherboard, schematic NUS-CPU-03/04 (NTSC), dated 02-07-2013. Hosted as N64 NUS-CPU-03-04 Schematic (PDF). Power section: connector P4 brings in +12 V and +3.3 V; SW1 switches both; U13 (78M05) makes +5 V from +12 V; U12 (PQ7VZ5) makes Vterm (2.56 V), with Vref (1.92 V) taken from it through R25 (130 Ω) and R35 (390 Ω); D3, the power LED, runs from +3.3 V through R31 (75 Ω). No fuse is drawn between P4 and the switch.
- ↑ N64brew Wiki, "VR4300" (retrieved 2026-10-01).
- ↑ N64brew Wiki, "Motherboard" and "Reality Coprocessor" (retrieved 2026-10-01).
- ↑ N64brew Wiki, "Clock Timing" (retrieved 2026-10-01). X1 and X2, the MX8330MC, MX9911MC and MX8350 synthesisers, and the derivation of RCLK, MClock and the CPU clock.
- ↑ 8.0 8.1 N64brew Wiki, "Jumper Pak" and "Expansion Pak" (retrieved 2026-10-01). The Expansion Pak went through three PCB versions, the change being an extra termination resistor on pin 20; the middle version has it as a factory bodge.
- ↑ 9.0 9.1 9.2 N64brew Wiki, "Parts and Accessories" (retrieved 2026-10-01). NUS model numbers for the console, power supply, RF modulator and switch, paks, controller and cleaning kit; the Controller Pak's 256 kbit SRAM and CR2032; the Rumble Pak's two AAA cells.
- ↑ ConsoleMods Wiki, "List of Nintendo 64 Games with Save Batteries" (retrieved 2026-10-01).
- ↑ The Hardware Book, "N64 Power" (retrieved 2026-10-01), after Christopher James Pepi's Video Game Power Supply Voltages and Minor Repair FAQ. Gives both the plug and the console-socket numbering.
- ↑ 12.0 12.1 12.2 Console5 TechWiki, "N64" (retrieved 2026-10-01). Community wiki; IC map for NUS-CPU-01 and NUS-CPU(P)-01 and capacitor lists for each mainboard revision and power supply board, compiled from physical boards.
- ↑ N64brew Wiki, "Non-Booting Troubleshooting" (retrieved 2026-10-01).
- ↑ N64brew Wiki, "Video DAC" (retrieved 2026-10-01).
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 ConsoleMods Wiki, "N64 Model Differences" (retrieved 2026-10-01).
- ↑ N64brew Wiki, "Controller" (retrieved 2026-10-01).