Photograph credit score: SkateboardingReason
In 1989, a curious hybrid landed on the cabinets of Kmart and Sears shops in the US, a tool that merged the Nintendo Leisure System (NES) with a 19-inch CRT tv. Generally known as the Sharp Nintendo Tv, mannequin 19SV111, this uncommon piece of {hardware} blended house leisure with gaming. Few models stay at present, and their shortage has turned them into collector’s gold, fetching costs upwards of $1,500 on eBay.
Sharp and Nintendo’s collaboration first started in Japan with the My Pc TV C1, a 14-inch or 19-inch tv with a built-in Famicom, Japan’s model of the NES, launched in October 1983. “We noticed a chance to mix the readability of a direct video reference to the comfort of a single unit,” a Sharp spokesperson famous in a 1983 Japanese press launch, highlighting the improved image high quality over conventional RF modulator setups. By 1989, this idea crossed the Pacific because the 19SV111, tailor-made for North American players. Nintendo’s involvement ensured official licensing, full with an NES seal sticker.
LEGO Tremendous Mario Nintendo Leisure System 71374 Gameplay Constructing Set, Mannequin Kits for Adults to…
- Construct an interactive, Nineteen Eighties-style TV set displaying the traditional Tremendous Mario Bros. recreation & activate it with LEGO Mario determine (not included)
- Genuine particulars of the NES console are recreated in LEGO fashion, together with a controller and a gap slot for the buildable Recreation Pak
- The TV has a handle-operated scrolling display, Mario determine reacts to the on-screen enemies, obstacles and power-ups when positioned on the highest
This wasn’t only a TV with a gaming theme; it was a totally built-in NES console. The entrance panel housed energy and reset buttons, two controller ports, and a Recreation Pak slot, all seamlessly constructed into the tv’s chassis. A uncommon distant, mannequin RRMCG0684CESA, may even energy the NES on or off, a characteristic forward of its time. “Our aim was to simplify the gaming expertise whereas sustaining the standard Nintendo is thought for,” a Nintendo consultant said in a 1989 commerce journal. The unit got here with two black Sharp-branded controllers, although many surviving models lack these originals, and the distant is notoriously arduous to seek out.
The 19SV111 featured a 19-inch CRT show with roughly 185 sq. inches of viewable space, delivering a decision typical of late-’80s televisions. Its 75-ohm unbalanced and 300-ohm balanced antenna inputs supported VHF, UHF, and CATV channels, with a TV/CATV mode selector.The audio system included a 4-inch PM speaker with an 8-ohm voice coil impedance, producing 12 watts at 10% distortion. Energy consumption sat at 95 watts by way of a 120V AC 60Hz enter.
Manufacturing resulted in January 1990, presumably resulting from sluggish gross sales attributed to its excessive worth—round $550 in 1989, equal to over $1,300 at present. Solely bought at Kmart and Sears, its distribution was restricted, and estimates recommend fewer than 200 models of a rumored display-only mannequin, usually mislabeled because the 19SC111, have been produced. A 2002 typo in an ASSEMbler article fueled confusion in regards to the 19SC111’s existence, however collectors like Nintendrew have debunked this, confirming solely the 19SV111 was bought within the U.S. “It’s a unicorn within the retro gaming world,” says collector JohnnyPhantom on a NintendoAge discussion board, who scored one at a storage sale for $5.
Upkeep provides one other layer to the 19SV111’s story. Its CRT and NES PCB require periodic capacitor replacements, with kits obtainable from websites like Console5. “It’s not nearly proudly owning it; it’s about preserving a bit of gaming historical past,” a Reddit person, SkateboardingReason posted.
