Super Mega Cheap NOACs!... (Now we know why!)

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:13 am

... if you live in Japan.
http://gamebank-web.com/ec/store.asp?code_syosai=431634
500 yen is between $4-$5.

At one point I spoke with them about getting them shipped to the USA and they said that they could do it but there was some hassle involved. Still, it's definitely cheap, and probably even makes shipping to the USA worthwhile.

EDIT: I tested three of these, and they suck hard. Castlevania 3 doesn't get past a garbled Trevor Belmont in front of the cross, and half of the stuff before that is either missing or garbled. I tried SMB and Clash at Demonhead, and both games look washed out compared to my real NES and other NOACs (which looks a little too saturated, to be honest). Yellows look almost white.

SMB and Clash at Demonhead both played perfectly fine, however.

I've learned two things from this:
1) I own 3 different types of NOACs. Two of them work nearly identical and incredibly well, and these work not very well at all. Since I tested 3 of them and they all work identically, I can say with some certainty that the design of this NOAC just sucks. However, there are very good NOACs out there, so I still think it's not right to say that NOACs suck in general... just some of them.
2) You really do get what you pay for.

I will sell these for $5+shipping to those who want them. No controllers, no power supplies. Power supplies + 1 controller for $4 extra. If you would like me to test a certain game, I'd be happy to, provided I own it. I've got like 150+ carts in total (some Japanese, some USA). I'll try to make a compatibility list as I go.

EDIT 2: More games tested.
Kirby's Adventure, StarTropics, Castlevania and Ninja Gaiden all work perfectly fine (game plays normally). Sound seems a little weird in places, like maybe it's missing a channel too often, but I think my other NOAC actually had sound superior to the real NES (as in, sound channels didn't get lost as much), so I might be spoiled.

I also went to Gametech's site and noticed that the Japanese Castlevania 3 crashes if you reset the NeoFami. I suspect that there may be a way to get it to work following this method somehow, but I doubt it's worthwhile. I'll try some of the games that they say have problems.

jeroen · Post by **jeroen** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:20 am

I believe this was posted a while ago.

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Sat Jan 28, 2006 8:36 am

Yeah, by me. But now it's down to 500 yen, and it was 999 before.

Anyway, I spoke to the guy who runs this place awhile back, and here's what he had to say (translated by me, no embellishments - even the sad face was his):

We can send to the US COD, but in that case, a COD account number with DHL or FedEx is required. Also, we require payment through that account before shipment.

Payments from international customers are done via wire transfer (furikomi), and all charges are the customer's responsibility. Also, when money enters Japan, the bank charges a separate processing charge on it.
In the case of our banks, the bank where money would come into Japan (Mizuho Bank) charges 1500 yen, and our bank (Tokyo-Mitsubishi Bank) charges another 1000. So, you, the customer, would have to pay the 2500 yen charge.
We use EMS to ship our products. The charge table is available here:
http://www.post.japanpost.jp/fee/simula ... i/ems.html
Generally, standard shipping is something around 2000-4000 yen.
So, your total cost would be, the price of the goods + shipping + the bank charges (2500 yen).
I wonder if this would negate any price benefits you would see from buying from us... (It'd get too expensive, and there would be few buyers of this, I'd think.)
If you know someone in Japan who could send the money, the story would change... ( Japan's various charges and fees are ridiculous! )

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 11:59 am

Update: I ordered some of these through a friend. I'll have them in about a month (when I go over there to pick them up). I also got some 99 cent controllers and $2.50 power supplies for them. I'll test them, and then let you know how many I'm willing to sell (probably only a couple). I only got 6 total, and if a couple don't work, I'm possibly going to keep them all for my own nefarious schemes. If I get them back to the USA without problems and they work, I might go a bit more daring the next time

Post by **gannon** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:19 pm

Is this the place I asked you about a while ago? Nice to see the price down a bit (although even at 990 it's good)

daleighan · Post by **daleighan** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 2:34 pm

That looks exactly like the inards of a yobo

akadewboy · Post by **akadewboy** » Sun Feb 19, 2006 5:15 pm

I think it has a Famicom Port though.

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Mon Feb 20, 2006 2:42 pm

gannon: Yep! But the shipping is a killer, so I had to find someone in Japan who'd get them for me. Luckily, I met people while I was there

It's similar to the innards of a Yobo NeoFami and the others, except for the 60-pin connector (although the Gametech NeoFami, which is externally identical to the Yobo except for slot size and controller ports, also had 60 pins), and this one also has an RF output (which I will test ASAP).

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:29 pm

Bump. See initial post.

Harshboy · Post by **Harshboy** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:36 pm

would you sell me one? Once i would recieve i'd send the 9 bucks plus whatever shipping cost (probally around 13 bucks shipped) Btw, i'd want the NOAC, controller, and power supply. Can i also know how much Volts these things require? And what NES games do you have? I'd pay an extra 3-5 bucks per game if you have SMB, Zelda, and Excitebike...that's if your willing to part with them

vb_master · Post by **vb_master** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:51 pm

Sgt. check your PM's!

Klefmung · Post by **Klefmung** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:53 pm

What he said! RAWR!

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Mon Mar 20, 2006 5:58 pm

OK, update. 5 of the 6 I have are now spoken for tentatively (you are, of course, not committed to buying them just by saying you want one).
Answers to the questions:
- The power supplies that came with it are 9v/500mA.
- Yes, I'd be open to trades.
Notes:
- These have 60-pin connectors. I used a Family Converter to test the USA games.
- System + 1 controller and no power supply will be $6.50 + shipping. By default, I'll send Genesis ripoff controllers. For $.50 extra I'll send a PlayStation ripoff controller.

I do have a few extra SMB carts I think. Let me find out what I have and I'll get back to you.

SgtBowhack · Post by **SgtBowhack** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 8:57 pm

OK, four are sold, one is pending a trade agreement, and one is still up for grabs! Let me know if you're wanting one of these via private message. I might try to get more if the demand is hot, but we'll have to see.

jeep · Post by **jeep** » Fri Mar 24, 2006 9:13 pm

SgtBowhack wrote:OK, update. 5 of the 6 I have are now spoken for tentatively (you are, of course, not committed to buying them just by saying you want one).
Answers to the questions:
- The power supplies that came with it are 9v/500mA.
- Yes, I'd be open to trades.
Notes:
- These have 60-pin connectors. I used a Family Converter to test the USA games.
- System + 1 controller and no power supply will be $6.50 + shipping. By default, I'll send Genesis ripoff controllers. For $.50 extra I'll send a PlayStation ripoff controller.

I do have a few extra SMB carts I think. Let me find out what I have and I'll get back to you.

How much for shipping to Canada ? (If you do)