NES help

[tekmo]

When ever I turn my NES on, all I get is an 8-bit flashing test screen, does anyone know how to fix this, because I'd love to get my nes up and running again...

[Identity X]

You have got a cartridge in, right? I'm not a NES man, but I am a colleague of Captain Obvious...

[Oneironaught]

Either your cartridge has dirty contacts, the connector in the machine has dirty/tarnished/corroded/loose contacts, or both. Trust me, I've repaired many, many hundreds of NESs.

[Goldney]

I'd believe him. I checked out his gamertech PS2 fixing guide. He knows his stuff. Like really knows it.

[Oneironaught]

I'd believe him. I checked out his gamertech PS2 fixing guide. He knows his stuff. Like really knows it. Plus I worked for a Nintendo/Atari/Intellivision warranty center for several years.

[Replicon]

The first rule of NES repair is that only YOU can fix your own NES. Everyone has figured out a way to make it work for them, and it's never the same from person to person . I donated my NES to a friend for research. I think he was building something similar from scratch, or just needed some reverse engineering insight.

[Oneironaught]

If you want it fixed correctly, you'll take my advice and order a new connector and replace it. Also, clean your carts' contacts. If it "only works for you" then you've rigged it, not repaired it. And, by the way, the old tale about blowing on the game's contacts is bull. All that does is speed up the corrosive damage to the contacts.

[Replicon]

I'm a Nesticle fan myself Now THAT's reliable!

[shark!]

hey tekmo, I'm guessing you already tried blowing into the cartridge? Or open the whole thing up and clean the dust out very carefully. at least those are the two things I have to do to get mine working when it has those crazy screens.

[♥Mark]

If you mean you get a solid/flashing colour screen when you start up, it depends sometimes on how you put the cartridge in. If it works sometimes, just try taking it out and putting it back in and trying again a few times. I usually push in more on one side of the cartridge and alternate between sides until it works (usually only a few tries). I'd say that it's actually the taking out and putting back in of cartridges that makes the blowing in the game work, rather than the blowing itself.

[Goldney]

One word: Emulator

[Oneironaught]

Like I've said: 1) dirty connectors 2) worn, loose connectors in the connector inside of the machine itself (the one the game plugs into). 3) mostly likely a little of "1" and a lot of "2". You can order the connectors from a number of online parts and game accessories dealers. They range from around $6.50 - $12.50, US Dollars + shipping. But, if you can't find a good used NES - that doesn't suffer the same fate - for less than about 18-20 dollars you'll find the investment well worth your money. Plus, you'll find that they are very easy to replace. Only a #2 Phillips screwdriver is needed - no soldering. Just pay attention to how the carriage mates to the front of the main circuit board and be sure to put the little tab on the bottom side of the circuit board when you reassemble the unit. Personally, I restore (rather than replace) the connector whenever possible. To do so was a technique I had to perfect with practice and experimentation over time. So, if you don't plan on replacing the connector then I wouldn't advise trying to tighten and restore the contacts unless the machine won't run any games at all. The most you can hope to do (short of replacement) is to clean it well with contact cleaner and push a clean cartridge in and out a number of times (with the power off) then wipe the game's contacts clean with a cotton swab. Rinse, lather, repeat until you are able to get good, clean connections. I also take the games themselves apart and truly clean the contacts, something that you can't really do properly with only using cotton swabs. You just need the correct bits to get the screws out. Careless "restoration" will only lead to a machine that doesn't read any carts until a new connector is installed. The same holds true for over-tightening the contacts. Sometimes you might find that a given machine reads the cartridge only when the carriage is not pressed down. That's also a sure-fire sign that the connector is shot. And if the game doesn't feel tight and snug as you insert and remove it; that's also bad connector.