Is my "SNSP-001A (FRG)" SNES a one-chip or two-chip SNES?

Question

The SNES I bought from Toys "R" Us in Sweden in ~1993 has this model number: SNSP-001A (FRG)

I find very conflicting and confusing info online on this. It seems to be from France... or Spain... or Italy?!

What I primarily want to know is whether it was a so-called "one-chip" or "two-chip" SNES. This apparently affects how the video is outputted.

I've really tried to find clear info on this myself before asking.

Answer 1

I find very conflicting and confusing info online on this. It seems to be from France... or Spain... or Italy?!

Not sure how these countries made the list or how they are conencted to the model number.

SNSP is simply the PAL version of the SNES (Maybe for Super Nintendo System Pal ?). Designation I know are

• SNS -> US (NTSC)
• SNSP -> Europe (PAL)
• SNSM -> Brasil (PAL-M)
• SNSN -> Korea (HGM for the Hundai build ones)
• SHVC -> Taiwan

The number (001) marks the part, like

• 001 -> The Console
• 002 -> Power Adaptor
• 003 -> RF-Switch
• 005 -> Controller
• 006 -> ...

The letters in parentheses denote a specific country, like

• HGK -> Hong Kong
• TPE -> Taiwan
• AUS -> Australia
• KOR -> Korea

Knowing this decoding FRG is rather straight forward, isn't it?

What I primarily want to know is whether it was a so-called "one-chip" or "two-chip" SNES.

Well...

• A rough detection can be made by looking at the serial number. Below 18,000,000 it it moste likely a two chip, above most likely a one chip. This is not guaranteed, as the switch didn't happen at once and in all production lines. Existing boards were used up, giving two chip above 18M and one chip below.

• A clear detection can of course be made by opening the console and checking the board. That's some work, but lucky a enough board can be revealed to allow ...

• A fast detection can be made by opening the EXT latch (a little plastic latch in the upper left corner of the bottom). A portion of the board is visible in the tiny slot on the left hand side (not the large one with the connector), where the hook fits. If this shows three vias (soldering spots) it's a two chip, if it shows ony kind of a partial circle it's a one chip.

This apparently affects how the video is outputted.

True, check this detailed description. It also goes into the fact that there isn't just a one/two chip difference in quality, but as well between the three revisions of the one chip.