View Full Version : Is there any hope for this NES cart
NES_Rules
03-02-2009, 01:46 PM
I opened up a copy of Star Force to clean it in order to sell it, but I soon realized it's missing a few pieces, namely 2 resistors, a diode and the chip "NES-FO-O CHR" chip.
Before I search for the right resistors and diode for this, is there any chance this game will work without the chip? I know it sounds like stupid because if the chip wasn't needed Nintendo wouldn't have put it in there in the first place, but if I try to play it as it is, the title screen comes up and the game plays fine, but the graphics are jumbled up. So would putting the resistors and diode back in be enough to fix the graphics?
Here's a picture if anyone is curious.
http://i76.photobucket.com/albums/j22/Mike_2_0_0_6/DSCN0972.jpg
raylydiard
03-02-2009, 01:58 PM
no relly as theres one chip missing it looks like someone has coned you
jb143
03-02-2009, 02:10 PM
It's a pretty common thing in electronics to leave parts of the board unpopulated for one reason or another(like if they use the same PCB for multiple games). Those diodes/resistors though. It looks like they blew up.
It might just be the picture but the top row of that missing chip does look like it was desoldered. Does it look like that in person?
NES_Rules
03-02-2009, 02:30 PM
It's a pretty common thing in electronics to leave parts of the board unpopulated for one reason or another(like if they use the same PCB for multiple games). Those diodes/resistors though. It looks like they blew up.
It might just be the picture but the top row of that missing chip does look like it was desoldered. Does it look like that in person?
I'm not positive, but I think the top row was sloppily cut off flush with the board and then the chip was bent back and forth until the pins on the other side broke. The pins are all still sticking through on the back side.
skaar
03-02-2009, 02:30 PM
This is probably why my Dr. Mario is rattling all of a sudden...
izarate
03-02-2009, 02:51 PM
The CHR ROM is missing. That cart won't boot up even if you replace the missing resitors, capacitors and diodes.
jb143
03-02-2009, 02:52 PM
If the pins are sticking out of the back then there definatly used to be a chip in there. It makes no sense though. I thought maybe someone took the chip out to use in a different cart but not if they broke it out. Very strange. Maybe someone was wanting to use it for a graphics hack.
The CHR chip, btw, is what contains the sprites and other graphics. The game will continue to have messed up graphics without it. The other chip is the main program code. It appears to be working fine.
NES_Rules
03-02-2009, 03:13 PM
If the pins are sticking out of the back then there definatly used to be a chip in there. It makes no sense though. I thought maybe someone took the chip out to use in a different cart but not if they broke it out. Very strange. Maybe someone was wanting to use it for a graphics hack.
The CHR chip, btw, is what contains the sprites and other graphics. The game will continue to have messed up graphics without it. The other chip is the main program code. It appears to be working fine.
It looks like you were correct, I ended up replacing the resistor and capacitor (when I said diode previously, I was mistaken, it's a capacitor). And it didn't change a thing, working game, nonworking graphics.
So now I've got this non fixable cart, I was thinking of taking the CHR chip out of a broken Friday the 13th to put in the Star Force just to see what will happen, do you have any idea what will happen?
jb143
03-02-2009, 03:51 PM
Probally more random graphics. The best case is that you'd get different random Friday the 13th graphics showing up all over the place. Though the colors are sure to be off. If your just messing around it's worth a try just to have some fun and satisfy curiosity. It's still sure to be unplayable though. The different games are going to store their graphics to different locations on the rom. So what would be the main characters head might now be tree limb.
2Dskillz
03-02-2009, 07:27 PM
If you do the swap let us know the outcome.
NES_Rules
03-03-2009, 03:28 PM
If you do the swap let us know the outcome.
I attempted to do it last night, but I was not successful. I couldn't get all the old solder out of the board and I couldn't get the pins on the chip straight enough to get everything to fit together.
I might try it again next time I find myself with nothing better to do.
2Dskillz
03-03-2009, 05:04 PM
A shame, but thanks for the update.