The Nintendo SNES (SNS-001, 1991) uses a proprietary 12-pin card-edge connector on the rear panel, labelled “MULTI OUT JACK” in the official Nintendo instruction booklet, to carry all analogue audio and video signals. On NTSC models the connector simultaneously outputs RGB, S-Video (Y/C), and composite video (CVBS), together with composite sync (CSYNC on pin 3) and stereo audio. Video encoding is handled by the Rohm BA6592F (S-ENC) chip, an RGB-to-NTSC/PAL encoder running at 5 V, which produces the composite and S-Video signals from the PPU’s analogue RGB output. Signal levels are 1 Vpp into 75 Ω for composite, CSYNC, Y, and C; RGB carries a 1 V DC offset with 1 Vpp swing into 75 Ω, and requires a 200 µF DC-blocking capacitor in series on each colour line when wiring to a SCART or component input.
12 pin SNES EDGE special connector at the SNES
| Pin | Name | Description |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | R | Red (Requires 200 uF in series) |
| 2 | G | Green (Requires 200 uF in series) |
| 3 | CSYNC | Composite Sync |
| 4 | B | Blue (Requires 200 uF in series) |
| 5 | GND | Ground |
| 6 | GND | Ground |
| 7 | Y | S-Video Y |
| 8 | C | S-Video C |
| 9 | CVBS | Composite Video (NTSC) |
| 10 | +5V | +5 VDC |
| 11 | L+R | Left+Right Audio (Mono) |
| 12 | L-R | Left-Right Audio (Used to calculate Stereo) |
Notes
The connector is a 2.54 mm pitch dual-sided card-edge male plug unique to Nintendo; it is physically and electrically compatible with the Nintendo 64 Multi-Out connector. On PAL SNES models, pin 3 carries +12 V (for SCART auto-switching) rather than CSYNC. The 1CHIP-03 board revision of the SNES also removed CSYNC from pin 3. NTSC and PAL Multi-Out cables are not interchangeable. Pin 11 and pin 12 carry the difference and sum components of the stereo audio signal; a decoder circuit in the cable or television reconstructs left and right channels.
Signals
- R — Red component of the analogue RGB video signal; requires a 200 µF DC-blocking capacitor in series for SCART/component use (1 V DC offset, 1 Vpp into 75 Ω)
- G — Green component of the analogue RGB video signal; same electrical requirements as R
- CSYNC — Composite sync signal on NTSC consoles (1 Vpp into 75 Ω); carries +12 V on PAL consoles for SCART auto-switching; absent on 1CHIP-03 board revision
- B — Blue component of the analogue RGB video signal; same electrical requirements as R
- GND — Signal ground
- GND — Signal ground
- Y — S-Video luma (Y) signal (1 Vpp into 75 Ω)
- C — S-Video chroma (C) signal (1 Vpp into 75 Ω)
- CVBS — Composite video (CVBS/NTSC) output (1 Vpp into 75 Ω)
- +5V — +5 VDC supply rail
- L+R — Sum of left and right audio channels (mono mix)
- L-R — Difference of left and right audio channels; used in combination with pin 11 to reconstruct stereo audio