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Thread: NES help?

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    Default NES help?

    Okay, so for those of you who saw my last thread, I ended up buying the original NES.
    It turns out, it plays games that my Yobo won't play, even though they're supposed to be compatible.
    It has a new pin connector in it, and everything works great - except I'm getting squiggly lines on the screen.
    I checked the video cables, power supply...it's got a new connector so that shouldn't be too dusty...and the games have no such lines on the clone, so I'm going to guess they aren't too dirty either?
    Anyone have any idea what's causing this?

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    Does it have the original power cord or an aftermarket one? Some problems can occur with aftermarket power cords being plugged in to a surge protector they work better being plugged right into the socket.

    Also if he used a cheap “new pin set” it could cause this type of problem or if they didn’t put the system back together right, the tray that holds the games has a lip that goes under the motherboard but a most of time people don’t realizes it and just slide it in on top of the motherboard causing games to not work properly or at all.

    Personally if I bought it from a store I would take it back with the offending game that causes the lines and see if it does the same thing at the store if it does get them to replace it, fix it, or refund it.
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    Quote Originally Posted by understatement View Post
    Does it have the original power cord or an aftermarket one? Some problems can occur with aftermarket power cords being plugged in to a surge protector they work better being plugged right into the socket.

    Also if he used a cheap “new pin set” it could cause this type of problem or if they didn’t put the system back together right, the tray that holds the games has a lip that goes under the motherboard but a most of time people don’t realizes it and just slide it in on top of the motherboard causing games to not work properly or at all.

    Personally if I bought it from a store I would take it back with the offending game that causes the lines and see if it does the same thing at the store if it does get them to replace it, fix it, or refund it.

    It seems to be the original power cord.. I mean, it says it was made by Nintendo, has the right model number, etc..
    And I tested it at his shop before I bought it, and it worked flawlessly, no lines or anything.

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    Try it on a different TV.

    A lot of modern flat screens don't like game systems from that era. If you have a CRT somewhere try that.
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    Does it have lines with every game? If it does than it might be the TV like Frankie says. If it’s only some games that cause the lines I would have to say it’s cheap pins or put together wrong. That’s why if you do take it back take a game that is causing the lines with you.

    Also (you probably already did but) you can try cleaning the games more, an NES and a clone are different in where the pins connect at so the pins might be clean where they connect to the clone and not so clean where they connect to the NES.
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    Bad filter capacitors can do this, too. They can also cause a slight hum or buzz in the audio.
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    Quote Originally Posted by understatement View Post
    Does it have lines with every game? If it does than it might be the TV like Frankie says. If it’s only some games that cause the lines I would have to say it’s cheap pins or put together wrong. That’s why if you do take it back take a game that is causing the lines with you.

    Also (you probably already did but) you can try cleaning the games more, an NES and a clone are different in where the pins connect at so the pins might be clean where they connect to the clone and not so clean where they connect to the NES.

    If it was put together wrong or a pin problem, wouldn't it do it with every game? Worked flawlessly at the store -- I'm beginning to think the games just need more cleaning...maybe some alcohol or something.
    The TV is fairly older. It's a CRT. I don't bother with flat screen TVs if I don't have to.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 369WIERDO369 View Post
    If it was put together wrong or a pin problem, wouldn't it do it with every game? Worked flawlessly at the store -- I'm beginning to think the games just need more cleaning...maybe some alcohol or something.
    The TV is fairly older. It's a CRT. I don't bother with flat screen TVs if I don't have to.
    If all games worked flawlessly in the store, and all games have wavy lines at home, I'd bet safe money that your TV doesn't like the NES.

    Cleaning the games doesn't typically help with video output issues unless you're talking about graphical "glitches" that could be the product of the 72 pin connection not completing properly to transmit data. But "wavy lines" sounds like a video output issue.

    Again, try a different TV and see what happens.
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    Quote Originally Posted by 369WIERDO369 View Post
    If it was put together wrong or a pin problem, wouldn't it do it with every game? Worked flawlessly at the store -- I'm beginning to think the games just need more cleaning...maybe some alcohol or something.
    The TV is fairly older. It's a CRT. I don't bother with flat screen TVs if I don't have to.
    It depends what game it is and how bad the bind is on the motherboard. Not every game uses the same pins some use more some use less. If the lip is on top of the motherboard it raises the cart slot up about half an inch in the middle so the pins on top might get a good connection but the ones on bottom and edges might not connect so well resulting in glitches or not working at all. So a game that only uses the pins in the middle might work fine and a game that uses pins on the edges might glitch out.

    Also when this lip is on top of the motherboard it bows the motherboard as well and that can cause problems. This is how the lip should look from the bottom of the motherboard.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Frankie_Says_Relax View Post
    If all games worked flawlessly in the store, and all games have wavy lines at home, I'd bet safe money that your TV doesn't like the NES.

    Cleaning the games doesn't typically help with video output issues unless you're talking about graphical "glitches" that could be the product of the 72 pin connection not completing properly to transmit data. But "wavy lines" sounds like a video output issue.

    Again, try a different TV and see what happens.

    I also tried with both the composite cables and an RF cable, and they were both giving this problem - though if it was a problem with the TV "liking" the NES, that would make sense, wouldn't it?




    As for more games using more pins than others (like the other guy was saying), the game I tried it with in the store didn't have pins all along the bottom of the cart (DK classics) and both of mine that I tried (SMB and Elevator Action) did, so that also makes sense...

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    I think FABombjoy is correct. I'd recommend replacing the cap.

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    Quote Originally Posted by Duke.Togo View Post
    I think FABombjoy is correct. I'd recommend replacing the cap.

    Well I tested games with different amounts of pins, and I tried different TVs, and that all fixed nothing...
    How do I go about replacing the cap?

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    Was this bought at a game store? If so why not bring it back to exchange it?

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gameguy View Post
    Was this bought at a game store? If so why not bring it back to exchange it?
    It was bought at a small ma and pop type place. The guy only had one, and like I said earlier, it worked FLAWLESSLY when I tested it at the shop. And I have all of the same equipment as he did - same power cord, same TV cable...only differences are the carts and the TV.

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    Quote Originally Posted by 369WIERDO369 View Post
    Well I tested games with different amounts of pins, and I tried different TVs, and that all fixed nothing...
    How do I go about replacing the cap?
    If you're not familiar with soldering/desoldering, you might want to have someone do it for you. Here is a great guide to working on the NES: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewt...p?f=52&t=30966

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    Unhappy

    Hey everybody,
    sorry for bumping into this old thread, although other forums discuss the same issue and are older than this... I thought I might give it a try here.
    I'm having the exact same problem. To be precise if you search on google images for "nes wavy lines" you will find exactly the same. Also, the sound output with a/v cables is lower than when using the RF switch. I believe this is definitely not a problem with EM interference. I have tested my nes on many places replacing many accessories and it does this all the time. Many other forum threads are out there first recommending to shield the nes from EMI but that seems to not help. The other only idea that I see people talking about is that the big capacitor (2200 uF, 25V) must be the culprit. Unfortunately, I haven't found anyone who finished the process and reported the success or failure of replacing the capacitor. Does anyone know if this is indeed the reason for this common problem?? Also, I'm willing to do it but my soldering skills are minimal so any pointers would be appreciated. The last link posted by duke togo seems like a good start but it doesn't say exactly when this replacement is a god idea or if this has anything to do with this particular problem. Any help?

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