Sothius' Home of Ancient Microcomputers

Nintendo 64

Nintendo 64 logo (4 KBytes)

Nintendo 64
(PAL-version)

N64 (42 KBytes)

The Nintendo 64; before it, you can see part of a controlpad
(picture copyright by M.A.Grundke)

Specifications

Name Nintendo 64

Codename 'Ultra64' (while in development)

Made by Nintendo

Released
1995 (in Japan and the USA)
1996 (in Europe)

Serial-No. NUP10431480

Additional info NINTENDO 64
CONTROL DECK
MODEL NO.NUS-001(EUR)

CPU customized MIPS R4300i (16+8K L1-cache)
the MIPS4300i is a stripped-down version of the MIPS 4200, lacking an MMU and muliprocessor capabilities
RCP ('Reality Immersion Coprocessor'), which is an MIPS-developed ASIC vectorprocessor

Speed 93.75 MHz (CPU)/ 62.5 MHz (RCP)

RAM 4.5 MBytes RAMBUS-type DRAM, 36Mbit (4MB+parity)
expandable to 8.5 MBytes for HiRes-Games
250 MHz system clock (effective speed is 500 MHz because data transfers can occur on both clock edges)
Memory bandwith: 9 bits bus (8 bits + parity) => peak data-rate 500 MBytes/sec

Graphics
Max.Res.: 646x486 (NTSC), 768x576 (PAL)
Max. Colors: 16,7 mio (21 bits output)
Flicker-free interlaced-mode support and anti-aliasing capability

Sound Variable amount of sound channels, limited only by CPU-power (ca. 1% per voice)

Media
Cartridges (max. capacity: 256 MBits)
special ZIP-like disks ('64 DD drive', Japan and USA only)

Input/ Output
Cartridge slot
RAM expansion slot
4x 3 pin Joypad
50 pin expansion slot in its bottom
12 pin male edge conn. Multi-out (RGB analog)
6 pin 3.3/12V DC-in
has a reset-button

Miscellaneous
Like almost every Nintendo system (except for the Gameboy), there were different and mechanical incompatible versions in Japan, the US and Europe. Additionally, there were PAL and NTSC-versions of the games, making exports more difficult

The RCP is a vectorprocessor and was created by sgi; it supports the CPU when outputting sound, and with texture-mapping, phong-shading and Z-buffering
There was an Ultra64 Development System from sgi: an sgi Indy workstation with the RCP on an expansion card

The problem of the N64 was the limited cartridge capacity: during gameplay, the CPU has to decompress the data, play sound and render the graphics!
In comparison to Sony's Playstation (its archrival) it had better joypads with an exact analog-stick. Sony noticed that and began to offer a revised PSX-pad with stick from 1998 on; furthermore, the N64 has much more CPU- and graphics-power (PSX: 32 bit MIPS3000A @33 MHz), but many PSX-games look better due to its CD-ROM (it just loaded the graphics, instead of rendering it)

Sorry, again no internal pics from that machine. Like the Gameboy and the SNES, the N64 cannot be opened without special tools

'Super Mario 64' screenshot 1 (25 KBytes) 'Super Mario 64' screenshot 2 (40 KBytes)

'Super Mario 64' was my first Nintendo 64 game - I can't remember how many hours I spent with it!

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Sothius' Home - Museum - Nintendo - Nintendo 64 - additional pictures

Name	Nintendo 64
Codename	'Ultra64' (while in development)
Made by	Nintendo
Released	1995 (in Japan and the USA) 1996 (in Europe)
Serial-No.	NUP10431480
Additional info	NINTENDO 64 CONTROL DECK MODEL NO.NUS-001(EUR)
CPU	customized MIPS R4300i (16+8K L1-cache) the MIPS4300i is a stripped-down version of the MIPS 4200, lacking an MMU and muliprocessor capabilities RCP ('Reality Immersion Coprocessor'), which is an MIPS-developed ASIC vectorprocessor
Speed	93.75 MHz (CPU)/ 62.5 MHz (RCP)
RAM	4.5 MBytes RAMBUS-type DRAM, 36Mbit (4MB+parity) expandable to 8.5 MBytes for HiRes-Games 250 MHz system clock (effective speed is 500 MHz because data transfers can occur on both clock edges) Memory bandwith: 9 bits bus (8 bits + parity) => peak data-rate 500 MBytes/sec
Graphics	Max.Res.: 646x486 (NTSC), 768x576 (PAL) Max. Colors: 16,7 mio (21 bits output) Flicker-free interlaced-mode support and anti-aliasing capability
Sound	Variable amount of sound channels, limited only by CPU-power (ca. 1% per voice)
Media	Cartridges (max. capacity: 256 MBits) special ZIP-like disks ('64 DD drive', Japan and USA only)
Input/ Output	Cartridge slot RAM expansion slot 4x 3 pin Joypad 50 pin expansion slot in its bottom 12 pin male edge conn. Multi-out (RGB analog) 6 pin 3.3/12V DC-in has a reset-button
Miscellaneous	Like almost every Nintendo system (except for the Gameboy), there were different and mechanical incompatible versions in Japan, the US and Europe. Additionally, there were PAL and NTSC-versions of the games, making exports more difficult The RCP is a vectorprocessor and was created by sgi; it supports the CPU when outputting sound, and with texture-mapping, phong-shading and Z-buffering There was an Ultra64 Development System from sgi: an sgi Indy workstation with the RCP on an expansion card The problem of the N64 was the limited cartridge capacity: during gameplay, the CPU has to decompress the data, play sound and render the graphics! In comparison to Sony's Playstation (its archrival) it had better joypads with an exact analog-stick. Sony noticed that and began to offer a revised PSX-pad with stick from 1998 on; furthermore, the N64 has much more CPU- and graphics-power (PSX: 32 bit MIPS3000A @33 MHz), but many PSX-games look better due to its CD-ROM (it just loaded the graphics, instead of rendering it) Sorry, again no internal pics from that machine. Like the Gameboy and the SNES, the N64 cannot be opened without special tools


'Super Mario 64' was my first Nintendo 64 game - I can't remember how many hours I spent with it!