Can I use my N64 on my modern TV?

[Sammo123]

The kids found my N64 the other day and have been badgering me to set it up (the cartridges fascinate them!). While they were out today I tried plugging it into the TV using the AV lead that I used to use but the TV doesn't pick up the signal from it.

Is there any way I can get it working with a modern TV or is it a dead end?

Cheers,

Sammo

[Merry]

You'll need to switch the TV tuner to analogue I would think, unless you've already done that.

[Chris_RandomNumbers]

Mine tuned into the N64 just fine, but the picture quality was dreadful. And the N64 controllers dont age well (the joy sticks barely lasted the lifecycle of the console!)

Good for 20 minutes nostalgia, but you'd probably be better off with an emulator.

[shakotan]

You can, but it will look terrible.

I tried playing Driver on my PS2 on a 48" HDTV and it actually made me ill from trying to focus on the shimmering blocky mess in front of me.

[sheldimus]

Nostalgia is a terribly wicked mistress..

We all have such fond and warm memories of the great gaming titles of the past but when you fire them up now you're left wondering why!
The graphics are terrible and within 20 minutes you're sacking it off in favour of a current title.

[parabolica]

There are a few outfits that do an AV-HDMI converter designed to work with specific old systems (Dreamcast, PS1, N64 etc) so you don't end up with a blocky picture on a modern HD tv; saw a review of them on MJR's youtube channel a while back.

Simpler solution would be to find a CRT TV on gumtree/whatever - probably free to collect. Go hardcore or go home I say.

[sgtBerbatov]

We often play Mario Kart 64 on my 48" Samsung LED TV. It's not going to win prizes for sharpness, but it's playable. We used a component lead instead of the RF which I think is a better way to go. The AV leads used by the N64 are the same used on the SNES, GameCube and Wii.

[Zod]

I keep meaning to get mine out of the attic (kids pestering). We had an HDMI converter for the Wii and the video output on the Wii was the same as the N64 from memory, so that may work. Otherwise, the composite output should do the job.