# Is there away to upscale SNES for 4K TVs?



## Centrix (Oct 7, 2020)

I just bought a SNES Mini for 153$ the other day and would like to buy an upscaler or find some way to clean the picture up on my 4K TV. The snes looks good but has a blur to the picture. 

Any help would be great, thanks.


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## Hanafuda (Oct 7, 2020)

Are you talking about an original SNES mini from the 90's? Or the emulation box Nintendo sold a couple years ago?

If you got an original SNES mini, I have it's Japanese equivalent, the Super Famicom Jr. These consoles actually have the best graphics output of any SNES version made, but in classic Nintendo fashion they eliminated the S-video and RGB output from the AV-multi jack. All regular SNES consoles had composite, S-video, and RGB output from the factrory, but not the mini/jr. But it is possible to mod the console to add these output signals to the jack. Some google time will find you instructions. Long story but the first time I tried I was just adding S-video and I botched it. Then after getting more adept with the soldering iron a few years later I went back inside mine and fixed my fail on the S-video, plus I added RGB. Voultar.com may still have the board/amp needed for the RGB job.

https://gbatemp.net/threads/repaired-my-own-f-u-on-super-fami-jr.460319/#post-7080439


Once you get RGB output functional, then you can look at ways of upscaling. I bought a Micomsoft Framemeister years ago, but more economical solutions have come out since so maybe someone else can provide an up-to-date answer for that. With a clean RGB output and a good 4k TV, you probably only need to scale to 720p and you'll get excellent results. Anyway, trying to upscale the standard composite signal that comes out of the SNES mini in stock condition is a waste of time.

The modification to enable RGB output is not expensive, but does require some soldering know-how.


EDIT: https://voultar.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=59&product_id=51


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## Centrix (Oct 7, 2020)

So there's no box I can just go out and buy instead of soldering? And it's the snes mini not the snes classic Nintendo released a few years back. I was hoping to just be able to buy an upscaling box for the snes mini lol


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## godreborn (Oct 7, 2020)

my snes mini looks quite good through the framemeister and using retroarch.  I don't own a 4k tv though.  it, the framemeister, can upscale up to 1080p, which may or may not be good enough.  it's very expensive for two reasons: Japan only and it's been discontinued.  I managed to get one from solaris of Japan, but they've run out of them since that time.  your only option really is amazon or ebay where it'll most likely be used.  last time I looked, they were going for over $800.  on solaris, they were $333 iirc so still expensive, but once they ran out, the price skyrocketed.  I think my framemeister may be more expensive than the tv it's plugged into, but I have 10 devices going to it to my 1 hdmi on the tv.  the framemeister only has 2 hdmi ports, so I had to use hdmi splitters as well.  

anyway, there's also the ossc, but it's stingy when it comes to tvs.  some work; others don't.  you'd just have to test.  those go for somewhere around $200 I think.  I think they might still make them, and the software is open-sourced, unlike the framemeister's, which no longer sees updates.  I've only updated once as the one from solaris was on the previous update out of the box.

--------------------- MERGED ---------------------------






slight glare from outside, but that's at least what the framemeister and retroarch look like on the psx classic.


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## Hanafuda (Oct 7, 2020)

Centrix said:


> So there's no box I can just go out and buy instead of soldering? And it's the snes mini not the snes classic Nintendo released a few years back. I was hoping to just be able to buy an upscaling box for the snes mini lol



You can upscale the standard composite output of the SNES mini, you don't _have to_ enable RGB output. But IMHO you should first be concerned with the picture quality being produced by the console itself, then worry about adapting it to 4k with an upscaler. Upscaling a fuzzy picture won't clear it up.


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## Pokemon_Tea_Sea_Jee (Oct 7, 2020)

SNES is old now.
Buy a GameCube.


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## godreborn (Oct 7, 2020)

here's the snes mini with the framemeister through retroarch:


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## Centrix (Oct 8, 2020)

Hanafuda said:


> You can upscale the standard composite output of the SNES mini, you don't _have to_ enable RGB output. But IMHO you should first be concerned with the picture quality being produced by the console itself, then worry about adapting it to 4k with an upscaler. Upscaling a fuzzy picture won't clear it up.



my snes mini has a slight blur to it when playing games, but other then that it looks great, I just thought an upscaler could help make it look better, you know.


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## Hanafuda (Oct 8, 2020)

Centrix said:


> my snes mini has a slight blur to it when playing games, but other then that it looks great, I just thought an upscaler could help make it look better, you know.




It won't be _bad_, but RGB is a much cleaner signal. Here's a few comparison screens. Big pictures, open in new window and pop up to full res to compare.


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## Centrix (Oct 8, 2020)

Well if thats the case then I'll just stay with the RGB out put my mini puts out, thanks guys


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## MaxToTheMax (Oct 8, 2020)

A good resource!

This is another good one


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## The Real Jdbye (Oct 8, 2020)

Centrix said:


> I just bought a SNES Mini for 153$ the other day and would like to buy an upscaler or find some way to clean the picture up on my 4K TV. The snes looks good but has a blur to the picture.
> 
> Any help would be great, thanks.


How about a Super Nt?


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## Hanafuda (Oct 8, 2020)

The Real Jdbye said:


> How about a Super Nt?



FWIW, unless you just really want to own original hardware, I 100% agree. Super NT kicks ass. Only thing, I personally can't recommend the wireless controller they sell with it. 8bitdo SN30. I know some people like it, but IMHO it's shit compared to an original SNES controller. YMMV


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## The Real Jdbye (Oct 8, 2020)

Hanafuda said:


> FWIW, unless you just really want to own original hardware, I 100% agree. Super NT kicks ass. Only thing, I personally can't recommend the wireless controller they sell with it. 8bitdo SN30. I know some people like it, but IMHO it's shit compared to an original SNES controller. YMMV


I have good experience with 8bitdo. The build quality is not quite up to par with original controllers but they feel good to use, and very similar to the original. I don't think there are many options for wireless SNES controllers anyway, so 8bitdo are probably the best ones around.


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## enarky (Oct 8, 2020)

This is a capture from my 1chip SNES (SNES Mini/Jr RGB modded would be similar) through an OSSC:



Watch in 1080p for best quality. Image is _very_ sharp on a 4k TV.

For 8bitdo SNES controllers, these introduce around 1-2 frames lag for me. Not much, but noticeable.


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## Hanafuda (Oct 8, 2020)

enarky said:


> For 8bitdo SNES controllers, these introduce around 1-2 frames lag for me. Not much, but noticeable.




My criticism isn't so much re: lag. That's an issue too, but I also can't get along with the d-pad. Diagonals are a mess ... get them when unintended, can't get them when you want it. 

I have one, color matches my Super NT (black). But I never use it.


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