The SNES, a timeless classic, has long been cherished by retro enthusiasts. However, a persistent flaw in the console’s video output has been a source of frustration for years. The original SNES model, familiar to those who owned the console in its heyday, suffered from a considerable amount of noise in its video signal.
One of the graphics chips in the system struggled with smooth transitions between different colors, resulting in a noticeable streaky effect on the screen.
While these imperfections might have gone unnoticed on ’90s TVs with standard video cables, the use of modern upscale on 4K TVs by contemporary retro gamers has brought these issues to the forefront. Consequently, games played on the original SNES model can appear excessively blurry in today’s high-resolution gaming environments.
Affectionately dubbed the “2CHIP” SNES by fans, this original model earned its moniker due to the presence of two picture processing units responsible for creating the system’s graphics. Nintendo later addressed this issue with an under-the-hood revision that combined the two picture processors, resulting in the creation of the “1CHIP” models.
While this modification wasn’t intended as a major upgrade, the 1CHIP consoles offered significantly sharper video output, albeit with an over-brightened image and a few less obvious graphical artifacts. Despite these drawbacks, 1CHIP consoles have become increasingly sought after by collectors on the secondhand market.
Now, a solution is on the horizon, thanks to the efforts of prolific console modder Voultar. He has developed two SNES mods that work in tandem to enhance the video output of the original 2CHIP console. The first mod, the SNES Edge-Enhancer, addresses the streaky color-switching flaw, while the second mod, the 2CHIP Bypass, allows the system to bypass the noisy video signal produced by the original picture processor.
For a detailed breakdown of how these mods perform across various video scaling options, interested individuals can refer to a video by the YouTube channel My Life in Gaming.
In summary, the mods effectively deliver sharp video output comparable to that of a 1CHIP console without the associated caveats. This development is particularly welcome for those looking to achieve cleaner video output from their aging consoles.
Voultar intends to launch an installation service for this mod through his website soon, with a DIY kit slated for availability at a later date. While pricing details for the service are yet to be disclosed, Voultar’s previous mod installation options have typically been priced around $100.
