NES controller region lock?
Hi there.
I remember once having an NES PAL, i think it was from France or Spain and just specific controllers (those who came with it) worked with that console.
So my question is what was it that region locked those controllers?
I was wondering about getting NES advantage and this just flew into my mind when i saw the cheapest one for me came from USA, if they were somehow region made.
Myself am located in Iceland so i am running on a PAL console
I remember once having an NES PAL, i think it was from France or Spain and just specific controllers (those who came with it) worked with that console.
So my question is what was it that region locked those controllers?
I was wondering about getting NES advantage and this just flew into my mind when i saw the cheapest one for me came from USA, if they were somehow region made.
Myself am located in Iceland so i am running on a PAL console
Comments
All controllers will work on USA and SCN (and Korean, and Asian, and Hong Kong, and Indian, etc.), however only European controllers will work on European consols.
I don't recall ever seeing a label on the NES controller PCB but if that part works the same as SNES it should be easy to find on an NES controller.
One small spanner I would like to throw into the works, however... I often use the dogbone controller from my AV Famicom with my PAL NES, and it works fine. Anyone have any idea why this might be the case?
For SNES controllers there is a resistor in a different position on the PCB which can be moved. The PCB is even labeled. The controller block in the console also had a resistor that could be changed to make it accept all controllers. The NES and SNES controllers are electrically the same even though they don't physically fit and the SNES has more buttons (this is why passive NES to SNES and SNES to NES cable adapters work).
I don't recall ever seeing a label on the NES controller PCB but if that part works the same as SNES it should be easy to find on an NES controller.
So does the controller not work at all unless you change the position on the PCB?
Insane some of the things you learn around here, I had absolutely no idea that there was any kind of region locking on controllers whatsoever! Cool and valuable info, for sure, especially as a PAL gamer myself...
One small spanner I would like to throw into the works, however... I often use the dogbone controller from my AV Famicom with my PAL NES, and it works fine. Anyone have any idea why this might be the case?
what is the code on the bottom of the controller, and what is the (country) code on the bottom of the NES?
Insane some of the things you learn around here, I had absolutely no idea that there was any kind of region locking on controllers whatsoever! Cool and valuable info, for sure, especially as a PAL gamer myself...
One small spanner I would like to throw into the works, however... I often use the dogbone controller from my AV Famicom with my PAL NES, and it works fine. Anyone have any idea why this might be the case?
They removed the CIC (or "NES10" copy protection chip) in the NES-101 to save costs, so maybe universally-compatible controllers was also a cost-cutting measure to streamline manufacturing the boards.
If it says NES-004 it will only work with SCN and NTSC consoles.
There are two available "fixes" if need be - One is to add a resistor to the controller, making it usable on all systems, another is to solder between the points behind the controller input on the console itself, making the console accept all controllers.
If it says NES-004E on the back, it will work with all consoles.
If it says NES-004 it will only work with SCN and NTSC consoles.
There are two available "fixes" if need be - One is to add a resistor to the controller, making it usable on all systems, another is to solder between the points behind the controller input on the console itself, making the console accept all controllers.
very interesting topic.
I have no idea why SCN consoles aren't region locked though... You guys sure got all the good stuff as far as PAL stuff goes
I have no idea why SCN consoles aren't region locked though... You guys sure got all the good stuff as far as PAL stuff goes
Aye, there are a few neat items only available in SCN
In regards to the controllers, Bergsala, the Swedish-based Scandinavian distributor, got rights to distibute NES consoles in Scandinavia before the rest of Europe got onboard, which is why all the low-serial number PAL-B consoles come from Scandinavia.
The theory is, that the other distributors, which came later, wanted some kind of secury measures to prevent parallel-import, which is why Nintendo made the lock on the controllers - Bergsala didn't have this mindset, when they started out before everybody else in Europe, so the theory goes that Nintendo never saw the need for changing the controller specs before the other distributors voiced their concern.
very interesting topic.
what is the code on the bottom of the controller, and what is the (country) code on the bottom of the NES?
My NES is a UK model, PAL A. I think its a later one, but not quite sure. As for the controller, it says HVC 102, as you can see in the pics below (also check out the tiny cord length, lol!). Does anyone know what the model number of the US or the Australian dogbone controller are?
No clue why the famicom works on the uk Nes, perhaps the circuit works on both.. idunno, you'd have to open it for reading of the circuit.
what is the code on the bottom of the controller, and what is the (country) code on the bottom of the NES?
My NES is a UK model, PAL A. I think its a later one, but not quite sure. As for the controller, it says HVC 102, as you can see in the pics below (also check out the tiny cord length, lol!). Does anyone know what the model number of the US or the Australian dogbone controller are?
NES-039 is dogbone, just like HVC-101 with longer cord and different markings on the back half. Not sure about PAL compatibility. I have no problems using both on my NES-001 or NES-101.
The only region locked controllers i've come into is the Japan N64 controllers will not work on the US console, which is weird since the games will....