Sharp SF1: A Super Famicom TV
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- Опубликовано: 8 сен 2022
- When Nintendo launched the Super Famicom in 1990, they couldn't make enough consoles to meet the demand. But there was another way to get one: The Sharp SF1, a $1,000 TV with a built-in Super Famicom! Learn the history and functionality of this obscure piece of video game hardware.
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Hello everyone. I'm currently in the middle of producing another long-form documentary. But I didn't want to leave you hanging for too long. So I hope you enjoy this look at the Sharp SF1. See you on the next video!
I've been a longtime fan, I absolutely love your content! I want to donate some monies, please tell me how.
I agree. We understand. Thank you for the gift!
Would love to see you do Pokémon!
I would say the fact it doesn't use RGB is the biggest bummer rather than the sound!
Fantastic! I love your long form videos.
I bought a SF1 (21 inch) a few years ago, the seller shipped it from Japan with no protection and the TV was in bad shape when it got to me.
The casing was badly damaged and controller ports where inside the TV. I was so mad. The seller refunded me and told me to keep the TV.
I couldn't trash this rare TV so I found a local video game store as asked if he could repair it. He was afraid to try but he wanted to save it too.
So he was able to patch the outer case and put the controller ports back and git it working, but the Tube had color issues. He couldn't repair that. So he found me a TV repair man and I called him, When I told him I wanted to repair a CRT TV tube he acted like I was nuts. But explained it was a Rare Collectors item then he wanted to see it. I bought the TV to him and he saw why I wanted it fixed and helped me.
He fixed the color issue and now I have an SF1 in my game room and use it for all my SNES and Super Famicom needs. I love this TV.
…just curious, do you happen to know how that tube could be fixed in the first place?
I just looked up SF1s on eBay, and the first two I saw sold for over $2,000 AUD, so you got a hell of a deal there!
Bummer it shipped damaged, but now you have a super cool story to go with it! I'm jealous :)
What an incredible story
So jealous, that's awesome
I was 7th grade in 1991 in Japan. Some of class mates got this. One day, their dad came home with TV & SuperFamicon. How awesome is that!
Fucking sugoi, my dude. That's general really wonderful, and I can't imagine how cool that would've been! Thank you for sharing your story, man!
Scam!
I absolutely love these stories which could be realized only in the economic bubble era of late 1980s to early 1990s. Thanks a lot for sharing!
@@QJSquall I never heard or saw someone said "fucking sugoi" before, I'm gonna say it often after this LOL
SUGOII! I was in 7th grade in 2001 and my mom got me a PS1 for birthday gift (she tell me to get a good score for an exam if I want one, and I got A for 2 subjects lol) Amazing time
What an interesting product. To be fair, in 1990, a 21" TV was pretty big.
Yeah, it’s weird going to stores these days and seeing TVs in the 30+ inch range labeled as “small”.
That's what she said
Average size TV's back then was 13 inch.. 😁
Yes, a 21 inch screen was pretty decent at the time. I remember our "big" tv in the living room when I was young during that era was a 26" and I thought it was huge. My tv in my bedroom was 13". I believe right around 30-32" was the biggest CRT you could get at the time, anything larger were the old fashioned projection big screens with the ribbed screen and honestly pretty poor picture quality, especially when viewed up close or used for video games.
I had a 12 inch TV still when Skyrim came out 😅 I didn't know Skyrim had a mini map on top until I bought a larger TV
So, true story. I used to work tech support for Sharp about a decade ago. While in my tenure there, I only ever got one call on the hardware, a collector who found one. We were nominally trained on it and it was cool that someone called in for it. Outside of a collector's novelty, there wasn't really much to it.
Just out of curiosity, what needed to be done?
@@bigk777 Screen had gone out entirely, IIRC. Not sure if it was repairable.
You can probably mimic the remote signals using an IR transmitter, either a phone with IR or a PC with an adapter - there's an entire world of presets for just about every IR remote ever made.
The signals are probably similar to other Sharp TVs of the era, possibly with a few extra.
I was thinking the same thing. I wonder if someone who does have the remote could capture and share the code/pattern.
It might already be documented on one of the online IR code databases. I just found the codes for an old Kenwood THX surround decoder, since I bought one without the remote. The more unusual the item is, the more likely it eventually falls into the hands of someone who appreciates its uniqueness and would be willing to take steps to preserve information about it.
You can use a universal remote with the SF1. Standard Sharp codes will let you do the absolute basics (power, volume, channels, & input) but nothing else. I've managed to access and cycle through the settings menus using the green button function on a Sharp TV preset for a Logitech Harmony 520, but I've yet to figure out a way to change them.
This was a very nostalgic product review.
I was a small Japanese kid at the time, but a friend of mine had one and I was always envious when I went to his house to play.
I think he was the only one in my town who had one.
I was always fascinated by the big game stores that had displays in their stores that showed demo videos like the SF1 and the BIG GAME BOY BGB-001.
You could think of it as simply being built into the TV, but it still seems like a special product due to the memories.
That TV looks really cool, although the mono sound is a real bummer. The image quality looks so good I actually thought that was RGB. My mind was also blown by the bike accessory for the SNES, never heard of that. Very interesting video!
Eyyy, nice casual Bowser profile pic!
Never knew about the bike either.
I still remember the first time I thought to hook my SNES audio to come out my stereo system speakers and being amazed at the bass it could push out.
Rerez did a video about the exercise bike a few years ago. It's definitely an unique peripheral!
Seriously Japanese were way ahead of time they made download games from console in 1995 😅. Nowadays not all but some people think game download in console is new thing.
The Satellaview REALLY needs it’s own video!
I second this
The cost and subscription fees for Satellaview was only deemed "affordable" in the economic bubble era of late 1980s to early 1990s. It failed with no surprise as the economic recession caused by the bubble burst kept ongoing. The launch of Nintendo 64 simply put the last nail in Satellaview's coffin.
4:32 You can hear the pain and frustration in his breath.
It is amazing how Nintendo always tried to make peripherals that get people to exercise. Power pad, exercise bike, balance board, the ring for ring fit.
like selling regular pizza to people with lactose intolerance
Exercise games don't require expensive graphics chips. They instead require the customer to buy high margin peripherals.
I don't think Nintendo made the bike (Life Fitness) or Power pad (Bandai). But I think it did influence the Balance Board and Ring Fit.
@@pleasedontwatchthese9593 But they did buy the power pad from Bandai and marketed it as their own. That is why the original US Stadium Events is so rare.
In this case, a big heavy TV to lug around your house!
I remember the time when it was a trend to have something like a VHS player built in a TV. How nostalgic 🙂
My brother and I had one of those growing up. I think it was a Sharp brand, I can’t remember.
Or a CD player, or Dvd player, or Blue ray player...
@@gozinta82 My childhood CRT, which was a Sony one had a DVD player built-in which was AWESOME! I loved playing PS2 on it.
I recently set up an entertainment center with a 55" Smart TV on top, kitchen/bedroom size Panasonic VHS TV in the cabinet below and an old Living Room size GE in the lower center, with all of my game systems wrapped up in a cabinet on the right. It's a super-center!
Not gonna lie I wanna see how that looks
@@mario7832 I'm adding the final piece tomorrow and I'll post a link! I'll turn everything on at once lol.
I have a virtual boy in my set up.
Good console
@@bsl1524 my sister found one for $120 in great shape I had to pass on it. One day though!
@@carlrygwelski586 where’s the link?
I would have loved this TV. Wouldn't have cared about the mono speaker as I would have hook it up to a stereo system anyway like I did back then. So yeah, this would have been excellent!
Pretty cool - you just don't see this kind of integration of a gaming console and larger display anymore. Would love to play Famicom games on it!
Sony put out the Bravia KDL-22PX300, a 22" 720p LCD TV, that has a built in (slightly cheating, it's in the base) Playstation 2.....in 2010
@@nateluthardt i think they did something similar with the ps3 back when they were truing to make 3d a thing. With digital distribution being a thing, would have expected something similar for the ps4/bone, specially with the tvtvtvt tvtv MS was obsessed with at the start of last gen.
you'd have difficulty playing Famicom games on a _Super_ Famicom though.
@@AntonioCardenasT You may be thinking of the PlayStation 3D Display. It is a 24" 3D monitor that was sort of shaped like a big psp go. I still have mine with a PS3 hooked up to it.
I think the reason we don’t see this anymore is that the major game console companies are Japanese (Nintendo, Sony) or American (Xbox), while the TV a manufacturers are mostly Korean. The vertical integration isn’t there because of how strongly nationalist the Japanese culture is, and Microsoft is really trending more toward making the console extinct.
I'm surprised Nintendo didn't include a self destruct sequence if the TV recognized it was playing a Sega console
Well, it's a Japanese TV, so the Mega Drive was never a threat in Japan anyway.
@@mrpopsicleman definitely a valid point
The Sharp SF1 that you're showing looks like one of those TVs that have a built in VCR or DVD player.
Yeah, I only have one CRT tv and it's a 13 inch Sony Trinitron with built in vcr. One of my prizes possessions. 😌
Holy crap you got one?! VERY appreciative that you made a video on it. Always wanted to learn about this, with your informative yet entertaining style. Too bad the cable never existed, but I'm glad you looked into explaining that mysterious expansion port that seemed random. Also, a real bummer that the headphone jack produces mono audio as well. For a premium price at the time (and an insane price for collectors now such as yourself), I thought Sharp would use stereo audio as a standard. No idea how you managed to afford this (with shipping and duties), but I hope one day you'll find someone selling the remote at an affordable price. This video is a hearty meal though so I'd say we're quite satisfied for a good while. Thanks again for the video, and looking forward to the next big documentary!
I've been watching this channel for years. I just love it so much. Relaxing, peaceful, enjoyable, and it's very entertaining because of the knowledge we gain. A true gem.
As someone who grew up with a TV with built-in VCR this sounds awesome too... but man, did seeing this remind me of how heavy old TV's were, and how I do not miss moving them around.
I'd be curious to see what's inside in a future episode. For instance, is it a standard SFC board inside, a modified one, or combined into the TVboard?
Aren't old CRT's dangerous to open up? Unless I'm mistaken, the yoke can hold a lot of electricity for a CRAZY amount of time.
@@jakeaaronandtheboys yeah you have to have it unplugged for a day or two so you don't get shocked to death or something
The way it looks from the outside, I bet it's just a separate board mounted on top.
He could send it to Ben Heck so he can fix the multi out output.
Inside is a portal to an alternate world
Out of all the crazy accessories Nintendo released over the years, I had no idea they had released an exercise bike as well! That’s crazy! Love the videos man! Always enjoyable!
Awesome! A CRT video. Thanks Gaming Historian. I enjoyed this a lot.
Something like this would be the equivalent of Sony making a line of TVs with a PS5 built in or if we use Nintendo, them working with Sharp once more to make TVs with a Switch dock built in.
With how thin and light TVs have gotten combined with how much heat the PS5 spits out this sounds like a disaster lol
I think the most recent thing that was kinda like this was circa 2012 when Sony made a couple BRAVIA TV's with a built in PS2
*2010
@@ogrelord3481 didn’t they also have a line with PS3s as well?
Not with the switch or PS5 but I do think there where PS2 and Game Cube tvs. I think one of those is wanted for speed running because it loaded faster than the base system
Great video. It’s really cool you have one. Also shout out to s-video. I know RGB is what everyone strives for (including myself) but a good s-video cable into a good crt looks amazing.
I really think that S-Video is good enough (on a consumer CRT) that you don't need to mod anything for RGB.
@@yadspi All original-sized SNES consoles support RGB out of the box without any modding. RGB bypass mods on those consoles are only done to further improve image quality. But yes, s-video gets you like 80% of the quality improvement over composite.
I remember the Sharp side speaker thing. I had a small sharp 13" tv from the late 90's that had the single side mounted speaker. Not just the fact that it was mono sound, but even for a mono setup it was poor. It projected the sound off to the side rather than at the viewer, which greatly diminished the sound quality. Not sure why they would make it that way, because in every other way the unit was quality. It had a great picture for the time and descent features. It eventually died a couple years ago, but my Sony Trinitron of the same era and the same size screen is still going strong and I use it for vintage gaming. That set truly was the Cadillac of televisions for that era. It still has a pretty good picture even in comparison to modern televisions.
I'd imagine that it came with a stupid mono speaker because it was bare minimum given that had the outputs for it, and anyone who bought a tv at that price would most definitely have some sort of speakers or sound system to hook up to it.
Sony has always made excellent electronics I feel.
I’ve been rewatching all of your past videos…thank you so much for all your hard work and for spreading so much knowledge and amazing stories on gaming history…
Theoretically, if there is such thing as a composite to component cord you could play something like the Wii on this. (Or anything that uses component) I know that's common sense, but I think it would be cool to play the virtual machine version of a snes game on this tv while also having the cartridge version in as well.
Man, you did it. You really did it. You made me nostalgic. I am pure Gen X, I dont get nostalgic for movies or TV or fashion or music or much else, but the SNES was a great system. Now you got me thinking about it, I need to go find a way I can play super mario world and a link to the past and faceball 2000 and about a hundred others. Damn. I do not have time for all that!
I'm a touch ahead of this curve 😅 you have a few options - here's what I remember:
1. Authentic: Hands down this is the only expensive option and it basically looks like the next option but in real life so: posters, CRT, shelves of games, a room designed just for your own nostalgia. You get to pick and choose what it is that heals your heart. For me, for instance, I'm cool with just empty cases with art on them and no games inside but do really like looking at manuals and the discs anyway. I have no intention of owning a CRT or hoarding genuine collector's items because reproducing the experience can be had for much cheaper and I'm pretty poor. I haven't begun this journey due to cost.
2. You can do this in VR. Look into, lord I'm forgetting the name probably but EmuVR. Lets you emulate games in an environment you can create or download. Very budget friendly and a great way to prototype for a potential V1.
3. Computer emulator with whatever controller you want to use. CRT filters are a misnomer because what you're actually doing is applying a shader that replicates many separate things like composite compression and so on but ultimately there are people who designed incredibly customizable filters / shaders and you can find forums dedicated to combining and tweaking them to no end. I'm forgetful and my phone is *dead* dead so.. try searching for best CRT filter Marvel Vs Capcom Royale (I think Royale is part of one of the names of a shader that is frequently used)
Great and original content as always!
I remember when the history channel used to be formatted like this. I come to RUclips now for it all.
I was not expecting this, but I am not disappointed.
I just wanted to say, I've been watching for over 5 years and I've seen all your videos at least once, many of them multiple times, and I'm really glad you're still at it after all this time. You're one of the best out there and the stuff you produce is inspiring. Thanks for everything, and keep it up!
Really interesting video! I actually feel like I've seen it before in some pictures like you showed at the end, although I wouldn't remember what they were pictures of. It's a shame they weren't sold in America, and that they were so expensive.
Same here, I feel like I've seen one of these somewhere! I may be thinking of the nes/TV combo
@@vsm303 most likely.
I remember seeing it in an issue of Popular Science magazine in the early 90s'
@@irix4d701 OH man, I remember seeing those as a kid, primarily when going to the doctor or dentist. Always had interesting articles.
Always exciting to get another video from your channel! Thank you
You're RUclips channel is brilliant man. You clearly have the big passion for gaming like me and follow everything about it. Respect from Edinburgh
Many smartphones have IR remote capabilities, I'm sure it's possible that someone uses his Remote to save the buttons and then send you the files to use that settings on your phone, looking forward to seeing the TV settings in action in the future, thanks for the hard work and amazing documentaries!
I just made this comment! I have a LG V20 phone I use just for this.
@@hanselmanryanjames We just need somebody with the remote to throw some help, or he could just try with an "universal remote"?
@@hanselmanryanjames shame that LG left the smartphone market, they always made really nifty phones with unique features including hi-fi audio chips on board.
This was an awesome vid, I knew about the Sharp NES TV but never heard of this one!
great stuff! love Gaming Historian, top notch quality! you always find some obscure things like this or fascinating in-depth videos on the major video games and the companies, always learn something new watching these. Thank you for all your hard work, I cant even begin to fathom the time it takes researching all this!
An absolute grail / big flex if you're a collector.
Love the gaming historian. The videos are great and you present well.
Always love a new video.
Thank you! Great watch as always.
Man this is soooo cool. I just learned about these and went down the rabbit hole to learn that sony made a Playstation 2 and 3 tv as well.
My buddy and i used to always talk about how cool it would be if tv manufacturers put a console in their CRT's instead of a vhs or dvd player so i flipped out when i learned about this and had to send a screenshot of it to him haha.
This reminds me of something I saw in Japan and something I would love to see a video on as I’ve never seen anyone cover it.
I was on a plane going from Tokyo to Nagoya and the plane had old-custom famicom controllers built into the back of the seats.
I’ve been SO curious as to what the story was behind these things. They were no longer in use, but this was an older plane with a lot of old and unused tech on it.
Great job Norman!
The quality of you work has always been high, but it’s undeniable how much its improved. Excited for this new project youve mentioned
Man, I love hearing about all of these products from back in the day
In the early to mid 90s, I remember seeing a refurbished 14-inch Sharp SF1 from a Japanese electronics surplus store and video game rental/arcade shops here in the Philippines. Although the 21-inch model is quite rare, if you ask the shop owner in advance, they may also be able to get it from their Japanese suppliers. Until recently, many stores in the Philippines sold surplus Japanese products; toys in particular are very popular here.
That really sounds like the second Japanese invasion in the Philippines lol.
These videos just bring a huge smile to my face... thanks, Gaming Historian
Man I love your content. Always a pleasure to see another one drop.
This is honestly the only channel that i've rung the bell and consistently watch every video the moment i see them, the quality is that good.
I dreamed of one of these after seeing a grainy picture in C+VG or mean machines.... I've tried to get one since but hard to find one under $1000 and I don't think I've ever seen one with the front plastic door intact or with the remote control. It also seems madness that they connected internally via S-Video and not RGB....
I'm really curious about the prospect of hooking a Satellaview base up to this. Not only would you need the custom cable for the EXT port, but you'd likely also need additional custom cables to compensate for not being able to use the Satellaview's L-brick adapter for transferring power over from the Super Famicom to the Satellaview base.
My guess was that it was originally meant for a Sharp version of the never-released CD-ROM add-on for the Super Famicom.
@@Yeen125 I am now imagining the theoretical Sharp Twin PlayStation. Mind-blowing.
Always glad to see ya, good sir.
Thank you.
I live in Japan and bought a 14 inch SF1 earlier this year. The SF1 controllers are kinda rare and the remote is super hard to come by. I love this TV and use it for all my retro games.
I was Born in 1983 and I had now idea there was this much history of video gaming
"It cost... around $1,000". Or in today's terms, how much it cost to ship the thing from Japan!
I love all your videos. I hope it remains as enjoyable to make them as it is to watch them.
I have an original NES sharp tv in mint condition and it works like new. Bought it off a buddy for 400 bucks who installs tvs for a living. Some old lady paid him to remove it from her house because it was just sitting in her basement for 20 some years. Neither of us had ever heard of or seen one of them before so we had no idea what we stumbled across.
I own one of these. I loved it before the collision issues started. Supposedly they are notorious for having issues as they age. I would love to find someone to fix it as I’m not sure how to do it myself, even after refurbishing systems for quite sometime. Any help or direction with that would be appreciated! Great video!
Did you mean corrosion? Or did I just learn about a new issue with CRTs?
@@nickwallette6201 no. Sadly the super famicom part of these TVs have issues with collision detection and a number of other problems as they age. The board itself is custom, but most of the chips are still used from the super famicom. So there is some luck of repairing them. But only to a degree.
@@CatSpaceStudio That is bizarre. I would've assumed that all of that stuff is done deep in the custom ICs, so how _could_ you even screw it up with a bad board design? Also pretty curious why they didn't just take the production design of the SFC and run with it. They had more than enough space. Why reinvent the wheel?
I would love to hear a breakdown of this product from the designers. That would be fascinating.
In the 80s and 90s the Japanese were really cutting edge with electronic especially with TVs, VCRs, and laser discs. It's so sad they couldn't be as competitive today with smartphones and computers.
back before the internet i remember seeing footage of tokyo electronic stores and feeling like you were looking into the future - wish i could have had a chance to experience bubble-era economy japan at its peak
The world tends to use up and spit out countries who become manufacturing powerhouses, in a never-ending race to the bottom for the cheapest labor.
Anyway, I’m not sure a combo TV + game console unit is really cutting edge. It’s literally a naked SFC board and a vanilla TV with some custom plastic and longer extension cables to the ports, with a premium price for the privilege of having an odd growth on the top when the console inevitably becomes obsolete. Much the same as today’s smart TVs, now that I think of it…
Although, clearly Japan was in the lead at the time for the tech that went into each of those modules individually. :-)
At least they had an era of cutting edge electronic tech. That's more than can be said for Europe and South Korea.
Good to see another doc from ya !
Sharp made beautiful bright and rich looking TVs back in the super nintendo days
This channel is life. Every video is perfection and damn I want this TV!
imagine a SONY TV with a PS5 built in.
I really like these short form videos. It feels like an appendix video to the Super Mario World vid
I was a big fan of Aiko back in high school (2000-2004)! Surprised to see her suddenly pop up at the end of the video.
**pays $1000+ for mono sound** 😒
I was just thinking we were due for a new video. Always a joy to watch!
Phenomenal presentation as always. Nostalgiagasm!
Ugh I would love to see a teardown of this! Excellent video as always
Great episode!! Something I've never had the opportunity to use or even see one . This was very interesting and and great watch
Good to see you again I love your Chanel
Wow. What a charming slick design! And thanks again for another high quality video!
Was waiting patiently for another video lol thanks man
Woo another gaming historian video ☺️ I binge watched a lot yesterday ☺️
dude I love your long form documentaries because, well, you are a professional, basically a god in the field. but these short ones? gimme more!!!
Lovely stuff, thanks for your efforts once again
Thanks for the short video, great stuff as always. I think you should release more short videos like that 🙂
Thank you for sharing this with us. Very cool to know.
I took a year off of college and worked on Speed Racer for the Lifefitness Exertainment bikes in 94-95 at Radical Entertainment in Vancouver. We only ever tested them out with SNES systems and never Super Famicoms. I believe the Life Fitness module was designed by the late Martin Sykes who also reverse engineered the SNES and built us "home-brew" development systems (instead of us buying them directly from Nintendo) which fit into the cartridge port on the SNES and then connected to the parallel port on a PC. The bikes would plug into the LF module which had some battery backed up memory for you to hold information like cumulative calories that you have burned. Martin also created a small board which simulated pedaling on the bike, but we would often "neglect" to mention this to the play testers when they first joined the team and tell them to get up on the bike.
You go into pieces and peripherals that are so out there and unique that I can’t begin to imagine what your house, or at least your storage space, looks like.
This was fantastic! You're the best!
I always loved the idea a of console built into a TV
This is one of those holy grail electronics. Super cool that you did a video on it. Cheers and rock on!
Glad you’re back 👍
This is super sweet! Glad to see a new upload from you! I'm happy with my 32" flat-screen Trinitron CRT! Best of luck to you!
Nice TV hybrid device. Haven't heard anything of it before. The design of the top-based console deck looks creative and "futuristic" (we loved this word so much back in the 90s). Great piece of video game history. Thanks a lot ☺️
Awesome. Thanks so much for this. The exercise bike is the craziest part of this story!
I remember seeing this tv at Kmart. I was big into gaming, read all the magazines, etc. and had never heard of it before. I just happened to notice a cartridge slot on it.
I absolutely love your videos - keep up the amazing work!
It was nice to meet you, love the videos!
I remember hearing about these tvs! definitely a neat idea. what a great breakdown of the device.
Awesome as always, I love the rare console videos.
Greetings from Guatemala city.
Thankyou for this video. I love content like this.
Love you and your Content Norm!
Best retro gaming content creator on YT, hands down. Thanks again!
Another great video. This remains my favorite channel!
Another excellent piece of content. It's great to see the Gaming Historian ramping up more great videos. I think many of us all still feel spoiled by the masterpiece that is 'The Story of Super Mario World'. So much respect for you sir!