Splitting the Memory (Opening the N64)

       So, I decided to open my Ages-Old N64 for some cleaning the other day. Actually, I primarily wanted to try my hand at building my own Nintendo security bit. I've always wanted open 64's without destroying them, but there have always been a series of 4.5mm security bits between me and that end. I also read about some cool N64 mods that I had never known about before, namely Overclocking and the RGB mod. So this was also a exploratory event, to see just how hard those mods would be to perform, and whether or not my 64 is even capable of supporting those mods. So without further adieu, here is my first time opening my N64 (which I've had for close to12 years now- I think I got it in '98)

Okay, started off by fasioning myself a security bit. Simply took a flat head screw drive and shaped it with a grinding bit on a dremel tool. Took a while, but a very usable bit for $0 emerged. better than blowing $8 and waiting a week for shipping.

After removing the initial screws from the bottome of the shell, i removed the top half of the shell. lifted right off. (see "1stOffShell")

The 64 is a bit dusty, but that was expected. 

and what is this? A missing screw? I didn't take that out. Interesting. (see "MissingScrew")

I began removing the top sheilding, until the main board was exposed (see "TheBoardFull")

from there I removed the Cartridge Socket (for cleaning, hopefully)

Imediately above the Cart Socket, I read off the NUS-CPU-04 revision (see "NUS-CPU-04")

I also recorded that the video output proccessor is a VDC-NUS A model (see "NUS A RBG")

 

 So, in summary, my N64 is the last board revision to use the VDC-NUS style video output chip, and so, is also the last revision that is RGB-moddable according to everyone on the internet. Technically, my 64 is also Overclockable (all are), but I've read several places (all claiming to have read several places) that the best 64's to overclock are the Transparent/Colored-Funtastic Series 64's. Somehow they (later board revisions) are more overclocking tolerant.

Well, that's pretty much it for now.