Two milestones in one session. The BlueRetro internal Bluetooth mod is fully wired, and the RGB mod on the second board — the MAV-NUS — is one signal test away from done.
BlueRetro Internal Bluetooth — Fully Wired
Confirming the ESP32 was right: powered it, scanned Bluetooth, “BlueRetro N64” came up immediately. That’s the check. From there, the wiring is specific:
– 3.3V pulled from the controller port power rail
– Ground tied in at the same point
– Four controller data lines mapped to GPIO: P1 → IO19, P2 → IO25, P3 → IO26, P4 → IO27
– Physical on/off switch wired inline
– Connections taped for strain relief
Controller test is next session. The mod gives the giveaway N64 wireless Bluetooth controller support with no receiver dongle. Plug in, pair, play.
MAV-NUS RGB Mod — 12-Wire Ribbon
The second board in play has a MAV-NUS chip, which is a different path than the NS1 board’s simpler 4-wire run. The MAV-NUS needs a 12-wire ribbon to the PIF-NUS chip. That ribbon was made by hand: 12 individual strands separated from multi-conductor wire, each one tinned, then soldered to the MAV-NUS pads one at a time under the microscope. One bridged pad had to come out and get rerouted.
All 12 connections are in. Signal test is next.
A Note on NS6 Serials — From Chat
A useful clarification dropped in chat mid-session: NS6 serials NS600 through NS603 are Canadian market units housing the CPU-04 board. That means the simpler mod path — same as NS1 boards — even though the NS6 prefix suggests otherwise. NS605 and up are the ones that need the more involved approach. If you’re sourcing N64s for RGB mods and targeting NS1-compatible paths, Canadian NS600–NS603 units qualify.
Build Status After Stream 11
BlueRetro fully wired, pending controller test. MAV-NUS RGB mod wired, pending signal test. Two boards in play, both progressing. Two weeks out from the July 3rd giveaway stream.
Rob streams live repairs and builds on Twitch. The Bonus Life N64 — a completely rebuilt, RGB-modded custom Nintendo 64 — was given away July 3rd, 2026. Miguel V and Bryan B are the winners. Thanks to everyone who watched.