Arcade & Retro Repairs & Mods, all new recipe, with no added MSG...

weeder · 17-05-2010 5:52pm #1

Well lately ive been talking repairs a lot and it seems to come up regularly enough, so why dont we dedicate a thread to it?

can be to ask questions, show repairs or just to give advice or whatever.

o1s1n · 17-05-2010 6:34pm

Good idea. I don't know why this doesn't already exist.

Might also be good to write up a list of easily fixed common issues Ie - Nes 72 pin connector.

weeder · 17-05-2010 7:15pm

i have 4 or 5 consoles still to repair so ill be posting about them here.

brianon · 17-05-2010 8:15pm

Excellent. Me first

Jap Sega Megadrive. Took it down from the attic there and ...

Red Led lights up. Screen goes black. And thats it. Nothing more than a black screen. Tried it with the RF cable and the scart cable. Same result.

The game works fine on the other Jap Megadrive.

Cheers,
Brian.

LoGiE · 17-05-2010 8:21pm

Nice idea. Lets see how it goes and I may make a new sticky

97i9y3941 · 17-05-2010 9:01pm

weeder · 18-05-2010 12:33am

got 2 dreamcasts as non working, one didnt read disks and the other one "black screened" when turned on. when i got it, wasnt black screening but freezing on the dreamcast logo

so i tried swapping the gdrom drives, now the non reader was logo freezingand the black screener was booting!!

so i took the board from the dvd drive of the non reader and the lens/assembly from the non booter and put these together and into one of the dreamcasts and low and behold my copy of crazy taxi booted up no bother, well delighted.

weeder · 19-05-2010 12:50am

going to try somthing drastic with that snes

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I7W_k6P9b9k

Mr Trade In · 19-05-2010 1:02am

Sega Nomad, Irish Plug used on it so the board was fried.

o1s1n · 19-05-2010 8:36am

Mr Trade In wrote: »

Sega Nomad, Irish Plug used on it so the board was fried.

An Irish plug will not fry a Sega Nomad. It's the same output. I use one on mine all the time.

If will fry the Nomad if you use an American plug in an Irish socket without a step down transformer.

weeder · 19-05-2010 4:24pm

NES, didnt work so i replaced the 72pin, now works perfectly and i got the cart bay going up and down again too!

o1s1n · 19-05-2010 4:40pm

Nice work!

weeder · 19-05-2010 4:44pm

now to decide wether to keep it or not :pac:

LoGiE · 20-05-2010 5:04pm

Fred83 were did your post go! That was exactly what this thread is about :pac:

Mr Trade In · 20-05-2010 7:08pm

o1s1n wrote: »

An Irish plug will not fry a Sega Nomad. It's the same output. I use one on mine all the time.

If will fry the Nomad if you use an American plug in an Irish socket without a step down transformer.

My mistake, I bought it damaged,I have two, one works fine, this one was bought for parts,I emailed a UK import/retro store and was quoted £75 for repairs. I wouldn't like to post it to them though it would be too fragile.

o1s1n · 20-05-2010 7:48pm

Wow, that's expensive alright. You'd buy a working one for that.

Probably best just to keep as replacements parts for your other one.

weeder · 20-05-2010 11:41pm

well, just gave the snes a bath , including the board which is looking shiny, let yis know in a week wether its even deader or not.

weeder · 22-05-2010 5:52pm

kinda tempted to plug it in today, its been sitting in the sun for about an hour. think monday or tuesday should be time enough

o1s1n · 22-05-2010 10:53pm

Please record this.

:pac:

weeder · 23-05-2010 12:36am

hahaha, decided against it in the end as the sun drew out some moisture from under the chips, wouldve been bad.

weeder · 23-05-2010 8:54pm

so i turned on that snes, it didnt burn the house down thankfully :pac:

its still the very same though

im giving up on it now

o1s1n · 23-05-2010 9:06pm

aw

So what else have you tried with it so far? Did you clean the cart slot with rubbing alcahol? You should try the credit card & sock trick. I've heard it works really really well.

Augmerson · 23-05-2010 11:33pm

Does anyone have a Gamecube memory card they want to trade?

weeder · 24-05-2010 12:27am

o1s1n wrote: »

aw

So what else have you tried with it so far? Did you clean the cart slot with rubbing alcahol? You should try the credit card & sock trick. I've heard it works really really well.

tried it, then attacked the slot with a toothbrush,the glitches do seem to have improved though.

Augmerson wrote: »

Does anyone have a Gamecube memory card they want to trade?

wrong thread, i do have one though SOMEWHERE, give you a shout if i come accross it

Augmerson · 24-05-2010 1:22am

weeder wrote: »

tried it, then attacked the slot with a toothbrush,the glitches do seem to have improved though.

wrong thread, i do have one though SOMEWHERE, give you a shout if i come accross it

Ah, that's really embaressing haha, thanks wedder

Dr Bob · 24-05-2010 8:54am

Augmerson wrote: »

Does anyone have a Gamecube memory card they want to trade?

might have a spare knocking about , I'll wont be able to check til wednesday or thursday though

Myrddin · 24-05-2010 3:37pm

o1s1n wrote: »

aw

So what else have you tried with it so far? Did you clean the cart slot with rubbing alcahol? You should try the credit card & sock trick. I've heard it works really really well.

Whats up with the SNES? Is it graphical glitches? If so mmmmonkey has a decent guide on something you could try - http://www.mmmonkey.co.uk/console/nintendo/snes-glitches.htm

*Meant to quote Weeder

bambera · 05-06-2010 5:06pm

Hi, I have a NES, when I plug it in and press the power button nothing happens. I've tried replacing the plug (with one that I know works for sure) but still no use.

I came across this:
http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=256
but I don't think that's the problem considering the power button won't even light up.

Anyone got any suggestions or is it a complete goner?

CathalDublin · 05-06-2010 11:47pm

bambera wrote: »

Hi, I have a NES, when I plug it in and press the power button nothing happens. I've tried replacing the plug (with one that I know works for sure) but still no use.

I came across this:
http://classicgaming.gamespy.com/View.php?view=Articles.Detail&id=256
but I don't think that's the problem considering the power button won't even light up.

Anyone got any suggestions or is it a complete goner?

Sounds like a dodgy power supply, happens most the nes power supplies
test if there is voltage coming from the power supply with a multimeter.
If not the DC part of the cable is usually at fault with either a dry solder joint or the cable broken inside the covering close to the PSU end(i've some photos if you don't get me)

Optimus Prime · 15-10-2010 11:36am

Hey guys help needed,

Bought a NES off Ebay with cables, controller and Bubble Bobble.

58 euro including delivery, not sure if thats a good deal or not considering the below.

When i plug in, Turn on, light flashes red. Now on screen i have managed to tune in the tv to where I Think its the nes. the screen flashes on and off black and white.

How bad is this, should i open up a dispute and get my money back??

Its in decent condition, it could do with a quick clean but its not bad at all. the carts stay down when you put them in too.

Any advice is appreciated. I have yet to leave feedback on it i only got it yesterday and am a bit unsure about what way to proceed.

brianon · 15-10-2010 11:47am

keithgeo wrote: »

Hey guys help needed,

Bought a NES off Ebay with cables, controller and Bubble Bobble.

58 euro including delivery, not sure if thats a good deal or not considering the below.

When i plug in, Turn on, light flashes red. Now on screen i have managed to tune in the tv to where I Think its the nes. the screen flashes on and off black and white.

How bad is this, should i open up a dispute and get my money back??

Its in decent condition, it could do with a quick clean but its not bad at all. the carts stay down when you put them in too.

Any advice is appreciated. I have yet to leave feedback on it i only got it yesterday and am a bit unsure about what way to proceed.

Try cleaning the cartridge.

Optimus Prime · 15-10-2010 11:54am

k, i blew into it a few times, im guessing thats not what you mean though, ive seen guides for cleaning games with emmery boards and that.

I have 3 other games arriving soon mario 1 2 3 and duckhunt i think i will just try them when i get them and if they dont work its fairly certain its the nes?

brianon · 15-10-2010 1:13pm

keithgeo wrote: »

k, i blew into it a few times, im guessing thats not what you mean though, ive seen guides for cleaning games with emmery boards and that.

I have 3 other games arriving soon mario 1 2 3 and duckhunt i think i will just try them when i get them and if they dont work its fairly certain its the nes?

Does the power light (red light) stay lit ? or flash ?

As for cleaning. I clean all my cartridges and you'd be surprised the dirt that comes off them

Many of the games that didn't play AT ALL now work great. You can google loads of different ways. I use bronze polish among other things.

Optimus Prime · 15-10-2010 1:29pm

yeh its flashing on and off

brianon · 15-10-2010 1:33pm

afaik... flashing red power light means the cartridge is from an incompatable region. They are quite easily modded if that is the problem.

What region is the game from ?

Optimus Prime · 15-10-2010 2:04pm

dont have it to hand at the minute to be honest, ill check later. a quick search on the net says it could be everything from having to fix and clean the 72 pin or else replace..

brianon · 15-10-2010 2:55pm

retro does not equal easy thats for sure

Optimus Prime · 15-10-2010 3:34pm

its a pain in the **** to be honest because now i dont know if i should open a dispute over it on ebay. considering he said it was tested and working. then again it only cost me 50 something delivered so should i keep and try fix??? arrrggghhhhh...

o1s1n · 15-10-2010 3:47pm

Sounds like your 72 pin connector. The pins aren't making a connection with the cart properly.

They're apparantly very easy to replace, cheap too.

Or if you want, before buying a new one you can also just try and bend all the pins on the connector back.

Optimus Prime · 17-10-2010 7:39pm

I opened her up, took it apart, took off the 72 pin and cleaned the board. got a pin and bent up all the pins on the connector. I can now get Bubble Bobble going after a couple of trys, i think i still need a new 72 pin and maybe bubble bobble needs a clean but i got it going. Plus the girlfriend scrubbed up the case and it now looks brand new! I have Mario 1, 2, and 3 arriving this week so if they are giving me the same problem i will just replace the 72pin. if they are working fine then i prob just need to open up bubble bobble and give the cart a clean.

Alter Egotist · 16-11-2010 6:36pm

keithgeo wrote: »

Hey guys help needed,

Bought a NES off Ebay with cables, controller and Bubble Bobble.

58 euro including delivery, not sure if thats a good deal or not considering the below.

When i plug in, Turn on, light flashes red. Now on screen i have managed to tune in the tv to where I Think its the nes. the screen flashes on and off black and white.

How bad is this, should i open up a dispute and get my money back??

Its in decent condition, it could do with a quick clean but its not bad at all. the carts stay down when you put them in too.

Any advice is appreciated. I have yet to leave feedback on it i only got it yesterday and am a bit unsure about what way to proceed.

You probably just need to blow the s##t out of the connectors on the game cart itself. If it continues flashing on and off you'll need to replace the 72 pin adapter or alternatively get a cleaning cart. Dont panic and leave feedback. All nes do this. Its part of their charm

Alter Egotist · 16-11-2010 6:39pm

if you have a gamebit. take all the games apart and give connectors a good clean with a rubber (normal one like you had at school) and then shine up with a bit of window cleaner. Your away then.

If you havent got a gamebit. try cleaning them with window cleaner and earbuds, wiping back and forth over the connectors and then shine clean with a jewellery cloth. If cloth is getting dirty you need to clean it more.

Optimus Prime · 16-11-2010 7:38pm

ive since bought a new 72pin, made the nes region free and bought a game bit and cleaned all the games, all now working perfect!

dmcdante · 22-11-2010 6:28pm

Hi All

My NES will play games for maybe 10 min but then the screen just gets messed up.
Do you think its the 72 pin connecter or something else.
Thanks for the help

Optimus Prime · 22-11-2010 6:56pm

Could be, they are only 10 quid or something and worth getting if you want to extend its life. i would suggest cleaning your games too, you will need a gamebit to open them up, i use steel wool i think its called (like a brillo pad but without the pink stuff that foams up) to clean the dirt of them. they all work great.

Myrddin · 22-11-2010 6:57pm

dmcdante wrote: »

Hi All

My NES will play games for maybe 10 min but then the screen just gets messed up.
Do you think its the 72 pin connecter or something else.
Thanks for the help

Do they work again then with a reset? What type of messed up do you mean, pixel errors & glitches? More than likely dirt on pins, or a 72pin connector thats getting weak.

dmcdante · 22-11-2010 7:50pm

When reset nothing but a black and red screen and ya but pixel errors and glitches

Myrddin · 22-11-2010 7:52pm

dmcdante wrote: »

When reset nothing but a black and red screen and ya but pixel errors and glitches

So how do you get them working again? Power off for few mins?

dmcdante · 22-11-2010 8:11pm

When it goes off i try again to get it working but no luck so just don't really play it for a week or two then the same works for a small while and just stops on me

Myrddin · 22-11-2010 8:33pm

dmcdante wrote: »

When it goes off i try again to get it working but no luck so just don't really play it for a week or two then the same works for a small while and just stops on me

I'd certainly try the above fixes first, as they're the most common faults (clean cart pin & replace 72 pin connector). It could also be suffering from a component issue of some sorts, perhaps a dry cap that fails after a few mins.

dmcdante · 22-11-2010 8:47pm

Thanks Enter will order a new 72 pin connecter tonight will let you know if it works thanks

Arcade & Retro Repairs & Mods, all new recipe, with no added MSG...

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