I got my AVS today. This is probably the shortest "review" I've written on a product, but I've only put in about 30 minutes of test time.
- The first thing I did was update the F/W. v1.00 came with the unit, upgraded to v1.10 via the Scoreboard software (PC version).
- The Scoreboard software is incredibly simple, and I **love** the fact it's a standalone .exe vs. something you have to install.
- I forgot that my USB3HDCAP has HDMI capture capability, so I used that for testing the video and audio output.
- The video quality looks great. I haven't tested much other than SMB2 and Gyruss (FDS and US releases -- more on the FDS in a second), but they looked good. My capture device has all sorts of HDMI tweaking capability, which I didn't mess with.
- I didn't try games that are known to really use the NES NTSC palette to its best; like I said, ~30 minutes of test time.
- Audio output levels (for standard games and FDS games -- I haven't tried other expansion audio games yet) felt good/level.
- I didn't fool around with too many of the settings in the AVS (scanlines, etc.). I saw them, but didn't mess with them.
- Famicom and NES cartridge compatibility seems fine; everything I jammed into it worked. The Famicom slot tension feels great, while the NES slot tension feels tight but not excessively so (i.e. not as bad as some of those aftermarket NES console connector replacements -- the Blinking Light Win still is the best for those, BTW).
- FDS RAM adapter was tested -- saving the one issue (physical dimensions) for last -- and it worked fine. I used deadbody's fdsemu product without any oddities/problems.
- The physical size/shape of AVS isn't rectangular, instead it's more
like an isosceles trapezoid. For some reason all the photos of the console are at an angle so it's hard to see; you can kinda tell from
this one. I find this weird aesthetically, and it'll also make storage in square containers annoying. I'll get used to it though.
- The colour of the AVS is also a bit weird, but I believe it's intentional -- the AVS was the name of the "original" console Nintendo came up with before choosing the name NES, and I believe the prototypes used the colour scheme that the AVS has. It's very hard to describe -- it's like an "off-grey" with a slight tinge of brown or mauve in it.
- The NES controller connectors felt "just right" -- not excessively tight, not excessively loose -- when used with a couple different official NES controllers (original and dogbone). I didn't test the Famicom controller expansion port.
The two negatives I have at this point:
- I absolutely **hate** the lid/cartridge cover. It's too large, too flimsy, and feels extremely tacky/awkward. I'd rather the Famicom slot be covered (or removable? Possibly a push/slide-away plastic cover?) because it faces upwards/exposed to dust, and the rest left open.
- The Famicom FDS RAM adapter has some physical dimension incompatibilities with the
"cartridge area". The FDS RAM adapter has a rubber cable that comes out of the back with a tension relief cover/sleeve. The cord/tension sleeve essentially rests on the AVS cartridge door (i.e. the cartridge area is slightly too short to fit the FDS RAM adapter), causing the RAM adapter's Famicom cart connector to be extremely "angled" (i.e. likely to bend pins more, or make a very bad connection). Had the "cartridge area" of the AVS been longer by maybe 1", things would have fit well. I ended up taking some pictures because it's hard to describe in text but easy to understand once you see it.
Overall I'm incredibly happy -- it means I don't have to have 3 separate devices on my table any more. Now just to do something about the lack of an HDMI TV... *chuckle*