Everyone knows that Nintendo is very particular about licensing products, but a collaboration with Sharp gave rise to a more than interesting platform: the Sharp Nintendo Television, an all-in-one design with TV and integrated console.
According to history, the Sharp Nintendo Television began its adventure in Japan in 1983 (probably after July, when the Famicom debuted) under the name My Computer TV C1 («Mai Konpyuta Terebi C1»), while the expression Sharp Nintendo Television is usually used to refer to the American model, which visited Western lands in 1989.
According to available information, there are four variants of this hybrid. The first two were sold in Japan: the 14C-C1F was 14 inches, and the 19C-C1F was 19. The two American models, 19SV111 and 19SC11, used a 19-inch tube. The images below belong to the 19SV111.
One of the most important features of the Japanese version of the Sharp Nintendo was the use of a PPU 2C03, compatible with native RGB output. Beyond some compatibility details, the RGB interconnection between the console and the tube allowed it to produce images of extraordinary quality for the time. This made the C1/Sharp Nintendo very popular in the specialized press, and the vast majority of the screenshots we saw in its publications were captured with that television.
Once it arrived in the United States, Nintendo and Sharp decided to replace the PPU with a standard 2C02, sacrificing image quality in favor of broader compatibility. Even so, the Sharp Nintendo Television was far superior to the traditional combination of NES consoles and regular televisions that relied on RCA connections or questionable RF adapters.
The last curiosity of the Sharp Nintendo Television lies in its games. The Japanese version came with a 2-in-1 multicart of Donkey Kong Jr. and Donkey Kong Jr. Math. For a decade it was the only official Nintendo multicart for the Famicom in the Japanese market, until Final Fantasy I & II appeared in 1994.
