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

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Comments

  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    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?


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,406 ✭✭✭brianon


    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.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    yeh its flashing on and off


  • Registered Users Posts: 2,406 ✭✭✭brianon


    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 ?


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    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..


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  • Registered Users Posts: 2,406 ✭✭✭brianon


    retro does not equal easy thats for sure :)


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    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...


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,282 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    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.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 553 ✭✭✭Alter Egotist


    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 :)


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  • Registered Users Posts: 553 ✭✭✭Alter Egotist


    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. :)


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    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!


  • Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭dmcdante


    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


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    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.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭dmcdante


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


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    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?


  • Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭dmcdante


    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


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    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.


  • Registered Users Posts: 171 ✭✭dmcdante


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


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  • Registered Users Posts: 553 ✭✭✭Alter Egotist


    It isn in my possession yet but I was hoping ye could help.

    Im being given a megadrive that "isnt working" by a friend. I dont know in what way it is faulty or if it can be fixed but just wondering does any one have a recommendation on usual megadrive faults that i could tackle/look at first when i get it?

    Is there a megadrive equivalent issue to the 72 pin connector?

    Is there a battery that could need replacing.

    Sory bout vague description of problem, will update with more infor when i receive it (hopefully tomorrow or else monday)

    Al.


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,282 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    To be honest there's usually nothing wrong with them and people just can't figure out how to tune them in with the rf cable.

    My best advice? Buy an RGB scart cable for it. You just plug it into the console and you have instant picture.

    Just make sure you buy the correct one. The Megadrive I and II have different sized AV ports.

    If it's not powering on then you probably just need a new PSU.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Ok guys, time for another repair log. Normally my threads go in the Console Modding forum, but this is more a repair than a mod so I'm gonna post it here.

    The operation is on o1s1n's Amiga 1200, which developed some problems relating to the sound & colour end of things. o1s1n being much more up on Amiga's than me did the homework on this one, and surmised it was a capacitor issue, which affects quite a number of people. And if it doesn't affect you, wait for it ;):D

    Amiga parts are getting rare & hard to find these days, especially pcb components etc. Luckily I managed to stumble across a guy in France who goes by the name CosMos, who offered a very cpmpetetive price for a complete capacitor kit. His blog is in French, but you can translate it easily via Google. So many thanks to Cosmos, it saved a hell of a lot of guessing & messing about trying to find the correct values etc.

    Ok to begin, we take one Amiga 1200 with dodgey caps

    s2b8uc.jpg

    Obviously it needs to be stripped down to the pcb, I won't show the whole process but here's one shot.

    k1awbd.jpg

    A few of you were asking elsewhere about the CF Hdd installation, well here it is in reverse. It simply plugs out/in via a mini-ide connector.

    29uocc5.jpg

    And unplugged

    309kcap.jpg

    There are four of these larger traditional type caps, and the rest are surface mount. These were a little tricky as they are soldered on both the topside & underside of the motherboard. Ideally a vacumn solder pump should be used on these to remove enough solder to allow the new caps to pass through the motherboard with ease.

    2eulf87.jpg

    Out with the old...

    106h6k9.jpg

    And in with the new.

    lk38z.jpg

    The rest of the kit consists of fifteen surface mount caps, seen here

    219z8nm.jpg

    Desoldered

    95v29h.jpg

    Replacement happily soldered in place.

    2s67qqa.jpg

    Crunch time, will it work? Of course it did!

    2psmxbt.jpg

    I then stupidly loaded this with my 8 year old son in the room, damn you o1s1n, as if not having an Amiga was bad enough - I now have to listen to "Can we get an Amiga?!?!"

    21j88pf.jpg

    And that's that. I've left it on & used it for about an hour now, and it hasn't missed a beat. Colours & sound are perfect for me so all seems well. Hopefully you get many more years fun out of it now o1s1n! Thanks again to CosMos for his services, and patience with me lol.


  • Registered Users Posts: 34,282 ✭✭✭✭o1s1n
    Master of the Universe


    Hah! I was wondering why you were texting me about the mouse. Had my fingers crossed I'd be seeing such a post soon.

    You are an absolute legend. Thank you! The colours in the picture look perfect!


  • Registered Users Posts: 553 ✭✭✭Alter Egotist


    Does anyone know will it damage a Nes by playing the games with the loading bay not closed? i.e. i got a nes to fix and i now seem to be able to play the games without closing sping mechanism. If i do close it games dont generally work, just get a grey screen same as when no game present.

    Hope ye can help.

    Al


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 33,733 ✭✭✭✭Myrddin


    Does anyone know will it damage a Nes by playing the games with the loading bay not closed? i.e. i got a nes to fix and i now seem to be able to play the games without closing sping mechanism. If i do close it games dont generally work, just get a grey screen same as when no game present.

    Hope ye can help.

    Al

    Are you referring to the lid that you open in order to put a cart in? Or the spring mechanism that holds the carts in place? If it's just the lid, it bears no impact on anything to do with carts so I've no idea how that could be.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 5,380 Mod ✭✭✭✭Optimus Prime


    My games worked when the spring was down, but i recently changed the 72pin and they only work when up now, I just need to loosen the screws that hold the spring thing in place but havent got around to it yet. You might be able to easily fix it just by loosening the screws.


  • Registered Users Posts: 553 ✭✭✭Alter Egotist


    ya i replaced the 62 pin aswell. Will give that a go. thanks.

    On another note. any ideas why a megadrive game would load the first bit of txt re liscence etc and then screen go blank?

    is it a connection problem or a problem with game. Megadrive tunes in and power light stays on so persume its not the megadrive itself.

    Al.


  • Moderators, Computer Games Moderators Posts: 10,035 Mod ✭✭✭✭Andrew76


    On another note. any ideas why a megadrive game would load the first bit of txt re liscence etc and then screen go blank?

    is it a connection problem or a problem with game. Megadrive tunes in and power light stays on so persume its not the megadrive itself.
    Al.

    Wouldn't be a region lock issue would it? Are both console and cart the same region? I know you can get a message saying the cart is only designed for certain regions etc but is it always the case you see that message?


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  • Registered Users Posts: 553 ✭✭✭Alter Egotist


    i havent a clue. Never had a megadrive growing up (was nintendo through n through......still am). Cant find any region info printed on cart. Inherited this from someone who had it in their attic and remembered i collected "old nintendos". Didnt wanna look a gift horse in the mouth so took it anyway.


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