diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/APU.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/APU.cs
index 99fbf165bd..34cd3d92d8 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/APU.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/APU.cs
@@ -566,12 +566,9 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 				EmitSample(mix);
 
 				sequencer_tick();
-
-				//since the units run concurrently, the APU frame sequencer 
-				//is ran last because
-				//it can change the ouput values of the pulse/triangle channels, 
-				//we want the
-				//changes to affect it on the *next* cycle.
+				//since the units run concurrently, the APU frame sequencer is ran last because
+				//it can change the ouput values of the pulse/triangle channels
+				//we want the changes to affect it on the *next* cycle.
 			}
 
 			double accumulate;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Core.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Core.cs
index 5a99243c60..98801500cb 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Core.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Core.cs
@@ -32,7 +32,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 
 		//user configuration 
 		int[,] palette = new int[64,3];
-		int[] palette_compiled = new int[64];
+		int[] palette_compiled = new int[64*8];
 		IPortDevice[] ports;
 
 		public void HardReset()
@@ -184,32 +184,21 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 		void SetPalette(int[,] pal)
 		{
 			Array.Copy(pal,palette,64*3);
-			for(int i=0;i<64;i++)
+			for(int i=0;i<64*8;i++)
 			{
-				int r = palette[i, 0];
-				int g = palette[i, 1];
-				int b = palette[i, 2];
+				int d = i >> 6;
+				int c = i & 63;
+				if (d >= 7) continue;
+				int r = palette[c, 0];
+				int g = palette[c, 1];
+				int b = palette[c, 2];
+				Palettes.ApplyDeemphasis(ref r, ref g, ref b, d);
 				palette_compiled[i] = (int)unchecked((int)0xFF000000 | (r << 16) | (g << 8) | b);
 			}
 		}
 
-
 		/// <summary>
-		/// Converts an internal NES core pixel value (includes deemph bits) to an rgb int.
-		/// </summary>
-		int CompleteDecodeColor(int pixel)
-		{
-			int deemph = pixel >> 8;
-			int palentry = pixel & 0xFF;
-			int r = palette[palentry, 0];
-			int g = palette[palentry, 1];
-			int b = palette[palentry, 2];
-			Palettes.ApplyDeemphasis(ref r, ref g, ref b, deemph);
-			return (r << 16) | (g << 8) | b;
-		}
-
-		/// <summary>
-		/// looks up an internal NES pixel value to an rgb int.
+		/// looks up an internal NES pixel value to an rgb int (applying the core's current palette and assuming no deemph)
 		/// </summary>
 		public int LookupColor(int pixel)
 		{
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs
index ab4fc9b887..5cde42d723 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/NES.cs
@@ -34,6 +34,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 		{
 			BootGodDB.Initialize();
 			SetPalette(Palettes.FCEUX_Standard);
+			videoProvider = new MyVideoProvider(this);
 		}
 
 		NESWatch GetWatch(NESWatch.EDomain domain, int address)
@@ -124,25 +125,23 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 				this.emu = emu;
 			}
 
+			int[] pixels = new int[256 * 240];
 			public int[] GetVideoBuffer()
 			{
 				//why is it faster to continually reallocate? i have no idea.
-				int[] pixels = new int[256 * 240];
-				int i = 0;
-				for (int y = 0; y < 240; y++)
-					for (int x = 0; x < 256; x++)
-					{
-						int pixel = emu.ppu.xbuf[i];
-                        pixels[i] = unchecked(emu.CompleteDecodeColor(pixel) | (int)0xFF000000);
-						i++;
-					}
+				//TODO - we could recalculate this on the fly (and invalidate/recalculate it when the palette is changed)
+				for (int i = 0; i < 256*240; i++)
+				{
+                    pixels[i] = emu.palette_compiled[emu.ppu.xbuf[i]];
+				}
 				return pixels;
 			}
 			public int BufferWidth { get { return 256; } }
 			public int BufferHeight { get { return 240; } }
 			public int BackgroundColor { get { return 0; } }
 		}
-		public IVideoProvider VideoProvider { get { return new MyVideoProvider(this); } }
+		public IVideoProvider VideoProvider { get { return videoProvider; } }
+		MyVideoProvider videoProvider;
 
 
 		public ISoundProvider SoundProvider { get { return apu; } }
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs
index 27ca5b934f..8d3e476e97 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.regs.cs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 				public Bit intense_blue; //Intensify blues (and darken other colors)
 				public Bit intense_red; //Intensify reds (and darken other colors)
 
-				public int intensity_lsl_8; //an optimization..
+				public int intensity_lsl_6; //an optimization..
 
 				public bool PPUON { get { return show_bg || show_obj; } }
 
@@ -51,7 +51,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 						intense_green = (value >> 5) & 1;
 						intense_blue = (value >> 6) & 1;
 						intense_red = (value >> 7) & 1;
-						intensity_lsl_8 = ((value >> 5) & 7)<<8;
+						intensity_lsl_6 = ((value >> 5) & 7)<<6;
 					}
 				}
 			}
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs
index e2b196083b..da630a5a6e 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/PPU.run.cs
@@ -70,7 +70,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 			short PaletteAdjustPixel(int pixel)
 			{
 				//tack on the deemph bits. THESE MAY BE ORDERED WRONG. PLEASE CHECK IN THE PALETTE CODE
-				return (short)(pixel| reg_2001.intensity_lsl_8);
+				return (short)(pixel | reg_2001.intensity_lsl_6);
 			}
 
 			const int kLineTime = 341;
diff --git a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Palettes.cs b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Palettes.cs
index f3c3450036..ef8c1391a5 100644
--- a/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Palettes.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.Emulation/Consoles/Nintendo/NES/Palettes.cs
@@ -16,7 +16,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 			static float[] gtmul = { 0.915f, 1.086f, 0.98f, 1.026f, 0.908f, 0.987f, 0.75f };
 			static float[] btmul = { 0.743f, 0.882f, 0.653f, 1.277f, 0.979f, 0.101f, 0.75f };
 
-			public static void ApplyDeemphasis(ref int r, ref int g, ref int b, int deemph_bits)
+				public static void ApplyDeemphasis(ref int r, ref int g, ref int b, int deemph_bits)
 			{
 				//DEEMPH BITS MAY BE ORDERED WRONG. PLEASE CHECK
 				if (deemph_bits == 0) return;
@@ -28,72 +28,74 @@ namespace BizHawk.Emulation.Consoles.Nintendo
 				if (g > 0xFF) g = 0xFF;
 				if (b > 0xFF) b = 0xFF;
 			}
+
+			const int SHIFT = 2;
 			public static int[,] FCEUX_Standard = new int[,]
 			{
-				{ 0x1D<<2, 0x1D<<2, 0x1D<<2 }, /* Value 0 */
-				{ 0x09<<2, 0x06<<2, 0x23<<2 }, /* Value 1 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x2A<<2 }, /* Value 2 */
-				{ 0x11<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x27<<2 }, /* Value 3 */
-				{ 0x23<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x1D<<2 }, /* Value 4 */
-				{ 0x2A<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x04<<2 }, /* Value 5 */
-				{ 0x29<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 6 */
-				{ 0x1F<<2, 0x02<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 7 */
-				{ 0x10<<2, 0x0B<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 8 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x11<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 9 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x14<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 10 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x0F<<2, 0x05<<2 }, /* Value 11 */
-				{ 0x06<<2, 0x0F<<2, 0x17<<2 }, /* Value 12 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 13 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 14 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 15 */
-				{ 0x2F<<2, 0x2F<<2, 0x2F<<2 }, /* Value 16 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x1C<<2, 0x3B<<2 }, /* Value 17 */
-				{ 0x08<<2, 0x0E<<2, 0x3B<<2 }, /* Value 18 */
-				{ 0x20<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x3C<<2 }, /* Value 19 */
-				{ 0x2F<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x2F<<2 }, /* Value 20 */
-				{ 0x39<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x16<<2 }, /* Value 21 */
-				{ 0x36<<2, 0x0A<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 22 */
-				{ 0x32<<2, 0x13<<2, 0x03<<2 }, /* Value 23 */
-				{ 0x22<<2, 0x1C<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 24 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x25<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 25 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x2A<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 26 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x24<<2, 0x0E<<2 }, /* Value 27 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x20<<2, 0x22<<2 }, /* Value 28 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 29 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 30 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 31 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x3F<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 32 */
-				{ 0x0F<<2, 0x2F<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 33 */
-				{ 0x17<<2, 0x25<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 34 */
-				{ 0x10<<2, 0x22<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 35 */
-				{ 0x3D<<2, 0x1E<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 36 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x1D<<2, 0x2D<<2 }, /* Value 37 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x1D<<2, 0x18<<2 }, /* Value 38 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x26<<2, 0x0E<<2 }, /* Value 39 */
-				{ 0x3C<<2, 0x2F<<2, 0x0F<<2 }, /* Value 40 */
-				{ 0x20<<2, 0x34<<2, 0x04<<2 }, /* Value 41 */
-				{ 0x13<<2, 0x37<<2, 0x12<<2 }, /* Value 42 */
-				{ 0x16<<2, 0x3E<<2, 0x26<<2 }, /* Value 43 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x3A<<2, 0x36<<2 }, /* Value 44 */
-				{ 0x1E<<2, 0x1E<<2, 0x1E<<2 }, /* Value 45 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 46 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 47 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x3F<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 48 */
-				{ 0x2A<<2, 0x39<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 49 */
-				{ 0x31<<2, 0x35<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 50 */
-				{ 0x35<<2, 0x32<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 51 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x31<<2, 0x3F<<2 }, /* Value 52 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x31<<2, 0x36<<2 }, /* Value 53 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x2F<<2, 0x2C<<2 }, /* Value 54 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x36<<2, 0x2A<<2 }, /* Value 55 */
-				{ 0x3F<<2, 0x39<<2, 0x28<<2 }, /* Value 56 */
-				{ 0x38<<2, 0x3F<<2, 0x28<<2 }, /* Value 57 */
-				{ 0x2A<<2, 0x3C<<2, 0x2F<<2 }, /* Value 58 */
-				{ 0x2C<<2, 0x3F<<2, 0x33<<2 }, /* Value 59 */
-				{ 0x27<<2, 0x3F<<2, 0x3C<<2 }, /* Value 60 */
-				{ 0x31<<2, 0x31<<2, 0x31<<2 }, /* Value 61 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 62 */
-				{ 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2, 0x00<<2 }, /* Value 63 */
+				{ 0x1D<<SHIFT, 0x1D<<SHIFT, 0x1D<<SHIFT }, /* Value 0 */
+				{ 0x09<<SHIFT, 0x06<<SHIFT, 0x23<<SHIFT }, /* Value 1 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x2A<<SHIFT }, /* Value 2 */
+				{ 0x11<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x27<<SHIFT }, /* Value 3 */
+				{ 0x23<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x1D<<SHIFT }, /* Value 4 */
+				{ 0x2A<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x04<<SHIFT }, /* Value 5 */
+				{ 0x29<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 6 */
+				{ 0x1F<<SHIFT, 0x02<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 7 */
+				{ 0x10<<SHIFT, 0x0B<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 8 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x11<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 9 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x14<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 10 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x0F<<SHIFT, 0x05<<SHIFT }, /* Value 11 */
+				{ 0x06<<SHIFT, 0x0F<<SHIFT, 0x17<<SHIFT }, /* Value 12 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 13 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 14 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 15 */
+				{ 0x2F<<SHIFT, 0x2F<<SHIFT, 0x2F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 16 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x1C<<SHIFT, 0x3B<<SHIFT }, /* Value 17 */
+				{ 0x08<<SHIFT, 0x0E<<SHIFT, 0x3B<<SHIFT }, /* Value 18 */
+				{ 0x20<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x3C<<SHIFT }, /* Value 19 */
+				{ 0x2F<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x2F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 20 */
+				{ 0x39<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x16<<SHIFT }, /* Value 21 */
+				{ 0x36<<SHIFT, 0x0A<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 22 */
+				{ 0x32<<SHIFT, 0x13<<SHIFT, 0x03<<SHIFT }, /* Value 23 */
+				{ 0x22<<SHIFT, 0x1C<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 24 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x25<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 25 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x2A<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 26 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x24<<SHIFT, 0x0E<<SHIFT }, /* Value 27 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x20<<SHIFT, 0x22<<SHIFT }, /* Value 28 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 29 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 30 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 31 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 32 */
+				{ 0x0F<<SHIFT, 0x2F<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 33 */
+				{ 0x17<<SHIFT, 0x25<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 34 */
+				{ 0x10<<SHIFT, 0x22<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 35 */
+				{ 0x3D<<SHIFT, 0x1E<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 36 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x1D<<SHIFT, 0x2D<<SHIFT }, /* Value 37 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x1D<<SHIFT, 0x18<<SHIFT }, /* Value 38 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x26<<SHIFT, 0x0E<<SHIFT }, /* Value 39 */
+				{ 0x3C<<SHIFT, 0x2F<<SHIFT, 0x0F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 40 */
+				{ 0x20<<SHIFT, 0x34<<SHIFT, 0x04<<SHIFT }, /* Value 41 */
+				{ 0x13<<SHIFT, 0x37<<SHIFT, 0x12<<SHIFT }, /* Value 42 */
+				{ 0x16<<SHIFT, 0x3E<<SHIFT, 0x26<<SHIFT }, /* Value 43 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x3A<<SHIFT, 0x36<<SHIFT }, /* Value 44 */
+				{ 0x1E<<SHIFT, 0x1E<<SHIFT, 0x1E<<SHIFT }, /* Value 45 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 46 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 47 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 48 */
+				{ 0x2A<<SHIFT, 0x39<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 49 */
+				{ 0x31<<SHIFT, 0x35<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 50 */
+				{ 0x35<<SHIFT, 0x32<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 51 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x31<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 52 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x31<<SHIFT, 0x36<<SHIFT }, /* Value 53 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x2F<<SHIFT, 0x2C<<SHIFT }, /* Value 54 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x36<<SHIFT, 0x2A<<SHIFT }, /* Value 55 */
+				{ 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x39<<SHIFT, 0x28<<SHIFT }, /* Value 56 */
+				{ 0x38<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x28<<SHIFT }, /* Value 57 */
+				{ 0x2A<<SHIFT, 0x3C<<SHIFT, 0x2F<<SHIFT }, /* Value 58 */
+				{ 0x2C<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x33<<SHIFT }, /* Value 59 */
+				{ 0x27<<SHIFT, 0x3F<<SHIFT, 0x3C<<SHIFT }, /* Value 60 */
+				{ 0x31<<SHIFT, 0x31<<SHIFT, 0x31<<SHIFT }, /* Value 61 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 62 */
+				{ 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT, 0x00<<SHIFT }, /* Value 63 */
 			};
 		
 		} //class palettes
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/NESPPU.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/NESPPU.cs
index a30f31889f..9ddafd5806 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/NESPPU.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/NESPPU.cs
@@ -103,10 +103,6 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
 
                                 cvalue = Nes.LookupColor(Nes.ppu.PALRAM[value + (pal * 4)]);
                                 
-                                unchecked
-                                {
-                                    cvalue = cvalue | (int)0xFF000000;
-                                }
                                 Color color = Color.FromArgb(cvalue);
 
                                 int adr = (x + (j * 8)) + (y + (i * 8)) * (bmpdata.Stride / 4);
diff --git a/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/PaletteViewer.cs b/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/PaletteViewer.cs
index b87c7959da..aff03191bc 100644
--- a/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/PaletteViewer.cs
+++ b/BizHawk.MultiClient/NEStools/PaletteViewer.cs
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ namespace BizHawk.MultiClient
             {
                 unchecked
                 {
-                    value = val | (int)0xFF000000;
+					value = val;
                 }
                 color = Color.FromArgb(value); //TODO: value should be unprocessed! then do all calculations on this line
             }