Interactive Connector Diagram
Click or tap any pin in the diagram below to inspect its signal assignment, electrical specification, and wire colour standard.
Click any pin to view its signal assignment, electrical spec, and wire colour.
Supported Systems / Found On — Retro Machine Hubs
This connector is used on the following retro computer systems. Click any colour-coded badge below to open its full board-level repair, diagnostic, and schematic Machine Hub:
Connector Specifications
Power Barrel Jack
5.5 mm × 2.5 mm (NES-001 accepts 9V AC or 9–12V DC either polarity @ ≥850 mA)
Side RCA Jacks
Yellow = Composite Video Out (1 Vpp 75 Ω); Red = Mono Audio Out (mixed 2A03 APU)
Internal Header
5-Pin Vertical Through-Hole Header linking NES motherboard to RF/Power module
Main Filter Cap
2200 µF 25V radial electrolytic inside shield box (causes rolling 60Hz/50Hz hum bars when dry!)
Full Pin Assignment & Wiring Reference
| Pin | Signal Name | Direction | Electrical Spec / Role | Wire Colour / SCART / Adapter Target |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | +5V DC (Regulated Out) | Pwr | +5.0 V DC Output from 7805 regulator inside module to NES motherboard | 5-Pin Header Pin 1 (+5V Rail) |
| 2 | GND (Power/Shield GND) | GND | 0 V Main Ground Return (shared with tin shield tabs) | 5-Pin Header Pin 2 (Black / Shield) |
| 3 | UNREG DC (Switched +V) | Pwr | +9V to +13V Unregulated DC routed to front Power Switch and back to 7805 In | 5-Pin Header Pin 3 (To Power Switch) |
| 4 | AUDIO IN (from 2A03) | In | Mixed Mono Audio from Ricoh 2A03/2A07 APU (Pins 1 & 2) into Red RCA & RF | 5-Pin Header Pin 4 (Red RCA Center) |
| 5 | VIDEO IN (from PPU/Q1) | In | Buffered Composite Video from 2C02/2C07 PPU Pin 21 + 2SA937 PNP emitter follower | 5-Pin Header Pin 5 (Yellow RCA Center) |
Eliminating NES Wavy Hum Bars & Removing / Recapping the RF Box
On the front-loading Nintendo Entertainment System (NES-001), the yellow Composite Video RCA jack, red Mono Audio RCA jack, Channel 3/4 RF modulator, bridge rectifier, 2200 µF main smoothing capacitor, and 7805 +5V linear regulator are all housed inside a soldered tin shield box at the rear corner of the mainboard. The module connects to the NES motherboard through a single 5-pin vertical header.
- Fixing Rolling Horizontal Hum Bars on Screen: In 90% of front-loading NES consoles, rolling dark bands in the picture and a 60Hz/50Hz buzz in the audio are caused by the original 2200 µF 16V/25V main smoothing capacitor drying out inside the RF/Power box. Replace it with a low-ESR 2200 µF or 3300 µF 25V 105°C Panasonic FC/FR capacitor.
- Direct Video / Audio Check at the 5-Pin Header: If you get a solid power LED and game audio from the Red RCA jack, but no picture on the Yellow RCA jack, probe Header Pin 5 with an oscilloscope or test monitor. If video is present on Pin 5, the internal cold solder joint or switching jack inside the RF box has failed; if missing on Pin 5, check PNP transistor Q1 (2SA937) right next to the 2C02 PPU!
- Replacement CleanPower / USB-C Modules: Because the 5-pin header carries all signals between the NES motherboard and the RF box, modern drop-in replacement power/AV boards solder directly onto those 5 pins.