Rediscovering Nostalgia: My rabbit hole into console modding During COVID-19.

The COVID-19 pandemic has undoubtedly changed the way many of us live our lives. For some, it meant picking up new hobbies, exploring forgotten passions, or simply finding solace in nostalgia. I found myself going down the rabbit hole of console modding and trying to get the absolute best picture out of retro consoles, a journey that not only provided an escape from the chaos outside but also rekindled a love for gaming that I hadn't felt in years.

It all started when I bought a cheap Nintendo 64 on eBay.

Excited to relive the classics, I eagerly plugged it into my modern LG Plasma TV, only to be disappointed by the blurry visuals staring back at me. Was it always this bad? Determined to find a solution, I found a junk CRT monitor on the curb and decided to rescue it. While it marginally improved the picture quality, a lingering dissatisfaction remained.

I then came across this specific video from My Life In Gaming RGB205 N64.

Over the next few days, I started researching various cable types, attempting to understand the different sync types like sync on luma and csync (i still don't understand it) Despite the complexities, I then pulled the trigger and decided to buy an OSSC (Open Source Scan Converter) along with a set of SCART cables from RetroGamingCables UK.

I resold the original N64 that I bought and decided to pick up a NTSC-J RGB modded one off eBay.

After investing a significant amount of money in pricey cables, mods, and consoles, I didn't want to further splurge on physical games. Instead, inspired by the MLIG Everdrive episode, I opted to acquire an Everdrive 64 cartridge.

Seeing the remarkable improvement in visual quality when the N64 was connected via RGB into a proper scaler, my appetite for all things modded and upgraded intensified, igniting the beginnings of my collection....