Super Famicom in Europe - Power supply question

2014-01-28 02:02:02 am

German to the Past

Hey guys,

I am currently looking into buying a Super Famicom here in Germany to run my jap. games. Right now I am using a modded PAL-console that runs at 60Hz. But I read that this is not "true" 60Hz and will put out games at a different FPS or even display things wrong.

I know that I have to get a step down converter to use the SFC. But all the devices I found so far all feature a power input of 50Hz. The SFC seems to need 60Hz. Is this a problem. Some of my friends who are into import-gaming said that they just use something like this: http://www.amazon.de/dp/B0053FCX3E/ref=cm_sw_r_udp_awd_O-15sb0RCZ7NJ

Does anyone of you have any experience with this topic?

Regards.

Thread title:

ikkeserv

2014-01-28 02:49:14 am

Hey PrinnyTonic.

yea you need a "Spannungswandler" to use non 230V stuff. Without something like that your JP Famicon power supply will crash immediately after plugging in.

HiipFire

2014-01-28 03:14:44 am

I just use a power adapter for a normal PAL SNES for my SFC.

PrinnyTonic

Edit history:

PrinnyTonic: 2014-01-28 03:16:20 am

2014-01-28 03:16:03 am

German to the Past

@HiipFire: Sure? That should fry the SFC (it only needs 110v and got 230v).

I know about the "Spannungswandler"-stuff. The one I posted should work fine. I am just curious about the 50Hz influencing the SFC.

bangerra

2014-01-28 05:27:46 am

50/60 Hz is something you don't need to look at for power supplies.
Also: The SFC has an external power supply, this means that the power gets transformed into low voltage before it reaches the console.
What you need is a european Power supply that outputs the correct power for the SFC.
However: DO NOT USE an EU super nintendo power supply as this outputs 10V AC, while the SFC needs 10V DC! This will break either your console, PSU or both.
Instead use a MegaDrive 1 power supply that outputs 10V DC. It's the same plug and should work fine.

blizzz

2014-01-28 05:52:09 am

I can recommend this PSU: http://www.amazon.de/Ansmann-5111253-Universal-Stecker-Netzteil/dp/B002TQ2204
It makes no noise and works for a lot of devices. I'm using it for my Super Famicom for over a year now. You could also buy the APS1000 (1000mA instead of 1500mA), but there's no harm in having more power and you can use the APS1500 for more devices.

PrinnyTonic

Edit history:

PrinnyTonic: 2014-01-28 05:56:28 am

2014-01-28 05:53:00 am

German to the Past

Quote from bangerra:

50/60 Hz is something you don't need to look at for power supplies.
Also: The SFC has an external power supply, this means that the power gets transformed into low voltage before it reaches the console.
What you need is a european Power supply that outputs the correct power for the SFC.
However: DO NOT USE an EU super nintendo power supply as this outputs 10V AC, while the SFC needs 10V DC! This will break either your console, PSU or both.
Instead use a MegaDrive 1 power supply that outputs 10V DC. It's the same plug and should work fine.

Thanks Bangera. That was exactly the information I was looking for. But using the original SFC-power supply with a converter from 230v 110v would also work, right? I think I got one of the Mega Drive power supplys though.

Quote from blizzz:

I can recommend this PSU: http://www.amazon.de/Ansmann-5111253-Universal-Stecker-Netzteil/dp/B002TQ2204
It makes no noise and works for a lot of devices. I'm using it for my Super Famicom for over a year now. You could also buy the APS1000 (1000mA instead of 1500mA), but there's no harm in having more power and you can use the APS1500 for more devices.

Thanks. Bookmarked. Will look into getting this if I do not have a spare Mega Drive power supply. Smiley

[quote="bangerra"]50/60 Hz is something you don't need to look at for power supplies. 
Also: The SFC has an external power supply, this means that the power gets transformed into low voltage before it reaches the console.
What you need is a european Power supply that outputs the correct power for the SFC. 
However: DO NOT USE an EU super nintendo power supply as this outputs 10V AC, while the SFC needs 10V DC! This will break either your console, PSU or both.
Instead use a MegaDrive 1 power supply that outputs 10V DC. It's the same plug and should work fine.[/quote]
Thanks Bangera. That was exactly the information I was looking for. But using the original SFC-power supply with a converter from 230v 110v would also work, right? I think I got one of the Mega Drive power supplys though.

[quote="blizzz"]I can recommend this PSU: http://www.amazon.de/Ansmann-5111253-Universal-Stecker-Netzteil/dp/B002TQ2204
It makes no noise and works for a lot of devices. I'm using it for my Super Famicom for over a year now. You could also buy the APS1000 (1000mA instead of 1500mA), but there's no harm in having more power and you can use the APS1500 for more devices.[/quote]
Thanks. Bookmarked. Will look into getting this if I do not have a spare Mega Drive power supply. :)

blizzz

2014-01-28 05:57:38 am

Quote from PrinnyTonic:

But using the original SFC-power supply with a converter from 230v 110v would also work, right?

A 2:1 step-down converter will work. But I think they are less energy efficient than a single 230V PSU. And with the horrendous electricity prices in Germany it's always a good idea to go for efficiency.

If you have the MegaDrive power supply, then just use that.

PrinnyTonic

Edit history:

PrinnyTonic: 2014-01-28 06:15:47 am

2014-01-28 06:07:29 am

German to the Past

Friend who is into computing says it will only run faster if the power supply provides 60hz. I am so confused!

/Edit:
Seems like he was wrong. After all the system is not working faster. It is just putting the signal out in an another frequence. I am like the biggest electricity-fraud of all time. lol

blizzz

2014-01-28 06:18:11 am

The Super Famicom power plug takes in 60Hz AC (that means it alternates at 60Hz) and outputs DC. There is no frequency for DC. The PAL SNES power plug takes in 50Hz AC and outputs 50Hz AC, which is converted in the console to DC. Again no frequency. The clock rate of the console is determined by the crystal and the multiplier. The crystals for PAL and NTSC consoles are different, so you won't get exactly the same speed even if you try, unless you change the crystal. This has nothing to do with the power frequency. Japan has both 50Hz and 60Hz for example.

PrinnyTonic

Edit history:

PrinnyTonic: 2014-01-28 06:24:02 am

2014-01-28 06:22:59 am

German to the Past

So I will not have to worry about my SFC running as slow as my PAL Super Nintendo?

oasiz

2014-01-28 07:38:14 am

Iha paska

TV Hz != Electricity frequency.

Just get a generic DC power supply that works in your local power socket of choice and adjust the output to have correct polarity and voltage. IIRC anything over 1Amp should be on the safe side when it comes to current.

Again, 50Hz and 60Hz television standards have nothing to do with 50Hz and 60Hz power input.

It's the stuff inside the system that determines the speed, just like blizzz pointed out.
Once you go DC you could say that it's 0 Hz that goes in.

PrinnyTonic

2014-01-28 10:48:19 am

German to the Past

Checked my drawer. Found those 2 sega power supplys. Would either of those work? The both do not feature a brick in between their ends.

bangerra

2014-01-28 11:12:52 am

You should ONLY use a MegaDrive 1 PSU with a large brick attached. Sega made different PSUs for each itteration of consoles.
Just check if it outputs 10V DC 1.2A (a bit lower or higher is fine) Center Negative.

Or you can buy a generic PSU with the correct output and plug as stated above.

PrinnyTonic

Edit history:

PrinnyTonic: 2014-01-28 12:36:49 pm

2014-01-28 12:30:24 pm

German to the Past

The top one is from my Mega Drive. But is says 10V 850mA it has the Symbol for DC but the plug looks weird.
The bottom one has a plug that ressembles the German SNES and is from my Master System 2. It has 10V DC and 0.5A.

So I'll have to go with a converter or different PSU.

/Edit
found this one on eBay. Seems to be the right one.

Alko

2014-01-28 02:09:39 pm

Caution: This user contains Kana ^_^

Quote from bangerra:

Center Negative.

In case you're not entirely sure what that means: See those pics you posted at 18:48:19. On both PSUs there's a graphical representation that looks something like this: ⊖---Co----⊕ (top one) or ⊕---Co----⊖ (bottom one). For the top one, it's supposed to show that the outer core is negative, and the inner core is positive: There's a minus connected to the C-shaped thing around the outside, and a plus connected to the fat dot in the middle. Which also means you mustn't use that top PSU, even if it fits, because the polarity is wrong.
The bottom one outputs the correct voltage (10V), but does not give the console enough amperage (it needs ~1 A, not 0.5). So you can't use that either.

That last one you posted at 20:30:24 looks like the correct one. Centre pin negative, 10 V/1.2 A output. The plug also looks good, but I can't tell from afar if it's exactly the correct one. I would buy it, though.

Quote from bangerra:

Or you can buy a generic PSU with the correct output and plug as stated above.

I hope that these are the correct specifications for the plug

Concerning DC and frequency: It's only true that DC has no frequency, if it's stabilised when coming from an AC power source. Since all of these PSUs show the =-=-= symbol, I'm assuming they're not fully stabilised, and there is a remainder frequency. I could be very wrong on this, though (and if I am, I do wonder why they don't just write =).

Concerning PAL-SNES PSU's: It's not true that they will break your SFC. They can. Edenal's SFC has survived a long time of me powering it with my PAL SNES' 9V AC PSU. My best guess is that some (earlier? later?) subseries not denoted by Nintendo, or whatever, included a rectifier, while others didn't.

[quote="bangerra"]Center Negative.[/quote]
In case you're not entirely sure what that means: See those pics you posted at 18:48:19. On both PSUs there's a graphical representation that looks something like this: ⊖---Co----⊕ (top one) or ⊕---Co----⊖ (bottom one). For the top one, it's supposed to show that the outer core is negative, and the inner core is positive: There's a minus connected to the C-shaped thing around the outside, and a plus connected to the fat dot in the middle. Which also means you mustn't use that top PSU, even if it fits, because the polarity is wrong.
The bottom one outputs the correct voltage (10V), but does not give the console enough amperage (it needs ~1 A, not 0.5). So you can't use that either.

That last one you posted at 20:30:24 looks like the correct one. Centre pin negative, 10 V/1.2 A output. The plug also looks good, but I can't tell from afar if it's exactly the correct one. I would buy it, though.

[quote="bangerra"]Or you can buy a generic PSU with the correct output and plug as stated above.[/quote]
[url=http://www.famicomworld.com/forum/index.php?topic=6933.0]I hope that these are the correct specifications for the plug[/url]

Concerning DC and frequency: It's only true that DC has no frequency, if it's stabilised when coming from an AC power source. Since all of these PSUs show the =-=-= symbol, I'm assuming they're not fully stabilised, and there is a remainder frequency. I could be very wrong on this, though (and if I am, I do wonder why they don't just write =).

Concerning PAL-SNES PSU's: It's not true that they [i]will[/i] break your SFC. They [i]can[/i]. Edenal's SFC has survived a long time of me powering it with my PAL SNES' 9V AC PSU. My best guess is that some (earlier? later?) subseries not denoted by Nintendo, or whatever, included a rectifier, while others didn't.

blizzz

2014-01-28 02:23:42 pm

Quote from Alko:

That last one you posted at 20:30:24 looks like the correct one. Centre pin negative, 10 V/1.2 A output. The plug also looks good, but I can't tell from afar if it's exactly the correct one. I would buy it, though.

That one would work, but if I had the choice between a 20 year old, used power plug and a brand new adapter which comes with at least 2yr warranty I would choose the new one.

Quote from Alko:

Concerning DC and frequency: It's only true that DC has no frequency, if it's stabilised when coming from an AC power source. Since all of these PSUs show the =-=-= symbol, I'm assuming they're not fully stabilised, and there is a remainder frequency. I could be very wrong on this, though (and if I am, I do wonder why they don't just write =).

Isn't DC defined as constant and therefore without frequency? Of course there will be variations in the output, but that should have no effect at all on the console.

Alko

Edit history:

Alko: 2014-01-28 02:42:05 pm

Alko: 2014-01-28 02:41:03 pm

2014-01-28 02:40:25 pm

Caution: This user contains Kana ^_^

Quote from blizzz:

Quote from Alko:

Concerning DC and frequency: It's only true that DC has no frequency, if it's stabilised when coming from an AC power source. Since all of these PSUs show the =-=-= symbol, I'm assuming they're not fully stabilised, and there is a remainder frequency. I could be very wrong on this, though (and if I am, I do wonder why they don't just write =).

Isn't DC defined as constant and therefore without frequency? Of course there will be variations in the output, but that should have no effect at all on the console.

No. DC is defined as not-alternating. Take the simplest of recitfiers (i.e. one diode). The diode will give your circuit a 'plus' and a 'minus' side, however the voltage will vary between 0 and max-AC voltage. DC.
The =-=-= symbol would technically denote a rectangular DC signal, i.e. ideally there's a period of zero volts followed by a period of the designated voltage, and an ideal jump between the two.

Neither the small variances you mentioned nor the larger variance I can imagine (i.e. going to zero and back) should have any effect on the console; that is true.

[quote="blizzz"][quote="Alko"]Concerning DC and frequency: It's only true that DC has no frequency, if it's stabilised when coming from an AC power source. Since all of these PSUs show the =-=-= symbol, I'm assuming they're not fully stabilised, and there is a remainder frequency. I could be very wrong on this, though (and if I am, I do wonder why they don't just write =).[/quote]
Isn't DC defined as constant and therefore without frequency? Of course there will be variations in the output, but that should have no effect at all on the console.[/quote]
No. DC is defined as not-alternating. Take the simplest of recitfiers (i.e. one diode). The diode will give your circuit a 'plus' and a 'minus' side, however the voltage will vary between 0 and max-AC voltage. DC.
The =-=-= symbol would technically denote a rectangular DC signal, i.e. ideally there's a period of zero volts followed by a period of the designated voltage, and an ideal jump between the two.

Neither the small variances you mentioned nor the larger variance I can imagine (i.e. going to zero and back) should have any effect on the console; that is true.

blizzz

2014-01-28 03:03:49 pm

Turns out we're both right. DC is defined as electricity with constant amperage and direction, but what you described is also called DC in electrical engineering as long as it functions the same.

Btw, I think that the SFC has a simple diode rectifier, which just cuts the power off half of the time. That would explain why carts that require more power (SuperFX, Everdrive etc) behave strangely if you use a PAL power supply on a SFC.