ALARMING new NES 72 pin connector discovery [Archive]

omnedon

10-14-2003, 06:39 PM

I've recently come into the posession of one of the very rare Nintendo Service center NES test carts (NTF2). For more info read here:

http://www.planetnintendo.com/thewarpzone/test.html

I've been using it to test NES's I've repaired, and I've discovered an alarming trend. Since I've been using the test cart, I've been getting a 50% fail rate on my new 72 pin connectors from MCM (of the last 4 I've tried since I've had the test cart, I've had two fails). It seems the test cart utilizes every single pin connector contact, while many NES games do not. What that means in a real world example, is that a connector can fail with the test cart, but work fine with Super mario Bros. 1, or Castlevania, but it will fail with Super mario Bros 3, and Star Tropics. If a pin passes with the test cart, it runs all games, but if it fails with the test cart, it will run "some" games, but not all. It would seem that these pins are inconsistent in quality.

This Is Not Good. This is VERY BAD, and not just because I have nearly $500CDN tied up in new MCM connector pins in my basement. :( This also may explain the "phantom" issues some people have had, claiming that a new connector did not solve their "blink" problem.

I'm looking into the "gold" plated connectors now. Gold does not impress me though. I don't think this is a problem with the contact element, but an issue with the manufacturing, and perhaps a pressure issue.

Feel free to bitch and cry in this thread. Tips and ideas would be helpful too.
:(

FABombjoy

10-14-2003, 07:04 PM

Personally, I have had a 100% success rate with simply sanding the corrosion off of the old contacts, blowing the debris off with compressed air, and cleaning them a few times with a standard NES cleaning kit. That saves cost, and the connector remains 'ZIF', unlike the MCM connectors that I've had to use pliers on 3rd party carts (especially Tengen).

Plus, I disable that damn lockout chip on every NES I get my hands on. That's 4 less pins to keep clean.

If the connectors are truly defective, can't you get your money back on them?

Querjek

10-14-2003, 07:11 PM

Well, this definitely clears things up for me-I bought a new connector and it didn't make any differences in my NES's ability to play games.

omnedon

10-14-2003, 07:17 PM

@FAbombjoy

My issue with that method is time. I could conceivably try that with the dud pins too. I"ll do it if I must, but it defeats the purpose.

How do you sand the contacts? Doesn't it wear down the black plastic between the pins as well? ZIF is definitely desirable.

I fear the bad old days where I'd refurbish old pins, and it would work 50% of the time, but it always took up a significant chunk of time.

Bratwurst

10-14-2003, 07:32 PM

Consider that NES cartridge boards are also of varying thickness. My Metal Storm cart is thicker than my first generation copy of Duck Hunt. Which, incidentally, uses all of the pins and was also hard to get started during my testing days that lead to this project:

http://www.angelfire.com/apes/madmeat/toaster1.html

I haven't looked back.

omnedon

10-14-2003, 07:45 PM

That mod is cool to say the least. Thing is, I do at least 2 NES's a week, and sometimes more. I charge $25CDN ($18USD), including the new connector. Some balk at that price. With a price point that low, it's gotta be reaonably cheap, and not take too long.

With a new connector (assuming it works :angry: ) I can do a pin swap in 10 minutes with my electric screwdriver at the ready. Now if I was to go back to refurbing pins, what I save on new pins may make up for some of the extra time. thing is, people only were willing to pay the $25CDN if a "new" pin was going in, not an old pin refurbed.

I am rethinking how I'm going to do NES's for people in the future. It gotta be a quality fix. It is very unfortunate that a new pin is not necessarily a quality fix.

Bratwurst

10-14-2003, 07:54 PM

Yes, definitely something to do as a personal fix than to consider doing commercially.

As far as the MCM connectors are concerned, I've compared them to the originals and found the Nintendo-made ultimately appeared more robust. In my opinion and experience the MCM connectors will eventually fail as well, there has yet to be a design that will serve as a permanent solution and retain the spring loaded function.

Perhaps if the plastic were molded to be directly behind the pins as support so they wouldn't bend back, but I don't have access to a cast/molding plant for something like that.

One of the my ideas kicking around but that I never got around to trying was to take a brand new 72 pin connector and pouring epoxy underneath the pins and along the row, letting it harden and 'hold' the pins into place. I think by nature of the spring loaded design there still has to be some give but it's a thought.

Anonymous

10-14-2003, 08:39 PM

omnedon

10-14-2003, 08:45 PM

The test cart looks great, and works great in my NES, and a number of other pinned NES's (plus I've cleaned it). It only fails in NES's I've pinned where the pin works with some games but not all. It ALWAYS fails in those pins. The test cart has a pin contact in every single slot, unlike most games I've seen.

It's my opinion that it's designed to put the pin connector through it's paces. If it doesn't get contact in every single one of the pins, it blinks. That's my theory, anyway.

FABombjoy

10-14-2003, 10:12 PM

My issue with that method is time. I could conceivably try that with the dud pins too. I"ll do it if I must, but it defeats the purpose.

It takes me about 15 minutes/connector or so. At 4 connectors/hour, it actually saves a bit of money (unless you're getting gold to do rebuilds).

How do you sand the contacts? Doesn't it wear down the black plastic between the pins as well? ZIF is definitely desirable.

It does wear down the plastic just a bit, but not nearly as much as I initially thought it would. I have two 'flea market' NES units that I'm going to experiment with corrosion removing chemicals on. I'll post the results once they're complete.

For the sand procedure, I use a piece of 80-160 grit cut to about 2/3 the width of the connector, and wrapped around some thin cardboard to give it some rigidity. I sand in only _with_ the direction of the pins, avoiding perpendicular movement (you can knock the pins out of alignment). Follow with canned air, and several cleanings with the kit.

I have friend with a perfectly maintained NES. The carts just glide into the slot with -0- effort. Click the game down, and it works flawlessly. That is precisely how I remember NESes working when the first came out. So why should a new connector have the tension increased 300% more? It just seems like a poor workaround. The handful of NESes that I've sanded back into service retain that wonderful ZIFfyness. The average NES player just doesn't know to clean the carts & use the cart sleeves to keep them that way.

The front-load NES lacks that natural cleaning effect that normal cart ports have, and I think that is a bit contributor to the problem. Add dirt/dust, blowing on carts, and a fairly wide connector and it's no wonder they're such a pain. Toploaders, rejoice!

In the end, it feels an uphill battle without some kind of functionally redesigned pin connector (something with at least a 20-40% increase in contact area). I doubt anybody will ever produce such a thing. As long as they're contented to gold-plate the existing design, anyway. Unfortunately, gold pretty much conducts through a layer of cart-grime with about the same efficiency as silver, copper, or aluminum.

Masco73

10-28-2003, 09:20 PM

Where can you get gold connectors??

omnedon

10-28-2003, 10:21 PM

They are on Ebay, for more money. (I'm really sick with the flu, so you gotta find 'em)

When my pins run out, I'm gonna look into FABombjoy's method. It's really very frustrating.

TheSmirk

11-19-2003, 02:58 PM

Bratwurst

11-20-2003, 11:39 AM

I'd be interested in pics / progress for something like that, TheSmirk. Also curious as to what 72-pin connector you'd be using. I had the best results from salvaging Game Genies as their connectors use thicker pins, plated gold, etc, compared to standard card-edge connectors gotten from places like Newarks.

� Gideon �

11-21-2003, 11:56 PM

This is all very interesting. I wouldn't jump to any conclusions yet...

Perhaps this NES test cart tests more than meets the eye. Are you able to access a knowledgeable person who could examine the ROM? It's certainly possible that the cart is a program that runs a number of diagnostic scans--not just on pin connections.

omnedon

11-22-2003, 01:53 AM

Well, it runs through a number of routines. If it doesn't come up at all, it's the pin.

After that, you get the test menu. If you run the auto test, it does it all, with a check pass on the video ram and scratch ram, I think it's called. Then a sprite control test, then a controller test (every button- both ports), then a sound test, with scales and voice samples, and finally a colour test.

It does far more than test the pin. I assume it tests the pin, as it is the fussiest cart I have, pin wise. Some games will play on pins the test cart will not work with. The difference between those games, and the test cart, is that the test cart has a contact in every slot, while many games do not. Which leads me to assume it's the test cart trying to use every pin contact.

Some documentation on my NTF2 cart would be handy as hell.

� Gideon �

11-22-2003, 04:17 PM

Some documentation on my NTF2 cart would be handy as hell.
Absolutely.

Thanks for explaining the test cart interface. I was under the impression that it was a quick yes-or-no solution, perhaps for retail employees to determine whether a customer's NES should be sent to a service center or something along those lines. But, nevermind...

Until someone comes across some NTF2 specs, perhaps examining what each individual pin does will reveal some clues. For example, if one of the pins accesses a certain piece of hardware that none of the others access, perhaps the hardware is to blame and not the pin connection. All I'm saying is that it's possible the connection is broken somewhere else down the line. On the other hand, you say that if the cart doesn't start up at all, the pin connection is at fault. Are you absolutely sure of this? If you are, maybe MCM has something to say about it.

Also, have you gone about this in an experimental way:

1. Take an NES that does not work with the test cart, and has a brand new set of pin connectors.
2. Take its pin set out.
3. Put this pin set in an NES that does work with the test cart.
4. Try the test cart.

Sorry to be so probing, but this is a topic that piques my interest.

omnedon

11-22-2003, 09:52 PM

Are you absolutely sure of this?

Reasonably. I've repaired 6 NES's this week. 4 last week. When the new pin fails in an NES (fails the NTF2 test), that pin fails that same test in any other NES I try it in. It's consistent.

In my posession I have over 30 NES decks, and I've cross checked across multiple random decks. It's gotta be the pins. When all I have left is failed 'new' pins in inventory, I'm going to try to refurbish them. After that, I'm going to stick with refurbished pins, and let the NTF2 cart determine their quality.

Since I originally posted this, the fail rate of the MCM pins I have in stock is about 1 in 4. Not that great. I'm not really comfortable selling pins on their own any more.... I don't see them as reliable anymore....

I can see how this sort of thing could go unnoticed. It's a combination of repair (and pin) volume, mixed with the posession of the test cart (thanks NexWave!!) that has allowed me to spot the trend.

� Gideon �

11-23-2003, 12:30 AM

Jeez. This is terrible news. I'm just thankful that I'm not in a position where it affects me much; you have my sympathies.

liquidmetal

11-23-2003, 08:51 PM

bummer man...hope you can work it out

omnedon

11-24-2003, 10:53 AM

Duncan

12-03-2003, 07:43 PM

Well, by putting the working ones into NES's, I was nearly doubling my money on the pin. Now, I'll do a bit better than break even. I have been holding on to the duds. I may place another order, sort the duds out of that order, add the duds from this order, and raise a stink.

Do so. The stink part, I mean. :) You would think they'd have tested their product a little more thoroughly before calling it the "ultimate solution", wouldn't you?

Bombjoy's method sounds like the solution to my NES' problems; I'll try that first before attempting to replace anything (I really don't want to have to arm myself with a soldering gun if I can help it).

Threads like this are why I love this board... 8-)

rbudrick

12-04-2003, 02:19 PM

I'd love to find out what MCM says about this if you try to return the duds....I bet they would replace them and 1 out of 4 of the replacements will be duds....making a second return necessary...maybe a thrid, etc. I heard they stopped selling them though....is this true (maybe it was the security bits...)?

-Rob

Reverend JagDiesel

12-10-2003, 04:40 PM

I would definitely never claim to have done as much work on toaster NES's as many of you here. I can say that I had a 100% success rate fixing them for a local game shop (got $20 store credit per, using their parts).
I found that about half the 72 pin connectors werent even bad (tight fit, nothing physically wrong).
What I did find was that when you pull the unit apart, it is imperitive (sp?) to clean all of the connections. I used a pencil eraser, followed by alcohol on a q-tip.
People have had these NES's in use for over a year with no complaints so I must've been doing something right.
Hope that helps a little at least

omnedon

12-10-2003, 05:41 PM

I had a 100% success rate before I got the NTF2 cart.

kainemaxwell

12-21-2003, 07:49 PM

No successes with me really with my new MCM connector also. Works for my friend though...

omnedon

12-21-2003, 09:32 PM

I've been doing FABombjoy's method, and it is very good. get the right grit sandpaper, and take care not to tear the contacts. ZIF is VERY nice.

I am ordering a few gold ones, to see how they fare tested against the mighty NTF2.

I need to be able to 'sell' new pins to some of my customers.

I do business regularly with a company called Simple Jet, and they have a distributor in Edmonton (where I live) and they specialize in third party accessories and replacement parts for video game devices. The local wholesaler of the stuff here asked me for a couple of old NES connector pins. Apparently, one of their muckety mucks from Hong Kong was in town, and they are looking into sourcing manufacturing for replacement NES connectors. I met him, and filled the Hong Kong guy in on the issues I was having with the MCM connectors (i'm not sure he fully understood me... too much nodding =) ) We'll see what happens...

ManekiNeko

12-23-2003, 09:26 PM

When I had trouble getting my NES to work, I opened it up and bent the connection pins back into place. It worked much more reliably after I did this... but I bent them back a little TOO far, making it difficult to remove cartridges after they've been inserted into the unit.

JR

ZackWIU

12-26-2003, 06:29 PM

I had a 100% success rate before I got the NTF2 cart.

I'd stop using the ntf2 cart then and not worry about it..

omnedon

12-26-2003, 07:13 PM

Good idea!

Who cares if the new 72 pin connectors don't connect with all 72 pins?! I warranty all of my work, and I can just tell the customers that if a cart doesn't work, it must be their cart since SMB/DH works!

People are stupid right? They'll trust me, I'm the repair guy, I'll just take that trust, and abuse the heck out of it!

j/k LOL

Bratwurst

12-26-2003, 07:20 PM

It's an uphill struggle for certain. So many varities of game boards that use different pins.. varying thickness of the circuit boards themselves..

TRM

12-26-2003, 10:36 PM

I'm sure you've probably done this, but have you checked the pins on the test cart to make sure it wasn't the problem? I've used MCM's pins in the past and they always seem to work fine, but then again I haven't tested them with a myriad of carts.

I would agree with this statement. I've thrown practically every NES cart I have at my MCM connector, and have not had any sort of problem. Perhaps I've just been extremely lucky...

omnedon

12-27-2003, 09:40 AM

I've always tested with a myriad of carts, and used to think that some carts (even though cleaned) must have somehow been dirty. The test cart works flawlessly.

I've been refurbing pins for a while now, with a %100 success rate with the NTF2 cart. What I mean is, the refurbed pin works or it does not (worked 5 out of 6 refurbs so far) . When the NTF2 passes the pin, it plays EVERY game I throw at it. If the NTF2 fails a pin, it's hit and miss.

Perhaps I've just been extremely lucky...

I wouldn't say 'extremely'. the fail rate in my large batch worked out to about one in four. The odds are in favour of success. It's in large numbers of repairs that the fail rate becomes troublesome. Even in this thread it seems to bear out the one in four number. Most have had success, but of few have not. Sounds about right.

ZackWIU

12-27-2003, 12:14 PM

Since you obviously buy a great deal of connectors from mcm, why don't you just swap out the ones that don't pass the testing and send them back to mcm as defective. Maybe when mcm starts getting back 25% of the connectors they sell, they'll start improving their quality.

omnedon

12-27-2003, 12:58 PM

chadtower

12-27-2003, 01:07 PM

Holy shit dude, you could fit a couple of arcade cabs in that box! LOL

Anyway, I'm 0-2 with MCM connectors. One of them was bad enough that it didn't work with anything. I have a stack of NES consoles that need fixing, so I think I'll try the refurb method.

ZackWIU

12-27-2003, 04:26 PM

"If" I ever place another large order, I'll do exactly that. :) Being in canada, they screw me BLUE on the shipping, and then the duty is brutal too. The expense of sending them back may just cancel out the saving. I'll have to look into it first.

MCM does not go out of their way to do international business very well. I once ordered a gamebit security bit from them (early on), and they put it in a 10' by 6' box and charged me $20USD shipping, for a single gamebit. :angry: I find them 'difficult' to deal with with cross border stuff. The only Canadian supplier of these pins is... me. :o

Yeh, even in the US, MCM has horrible shipping rates. I guess I figured they cut you a deal since you were purchasing so many. It's also annoying that they don't let you know how much shipping is in advance of the order. I didn't even find out that shipping was $7 for a $5 part until I got the package and seen what it was.

leonk

12-29-2003, 04:07 PM

omnedon:

I just got my own NTF2 test cart. I bought it from TRM, and it just came in the mail. the cart looks new... the pins are all nice and gold and look like they've never been used!

the label is white, and crispy! :D

so I fired it up, and it says it's revision 1.1 The menu has auto mode or individual tests. (joysticks, video, audio, RAM, etc).

But nowhere do I see "connector test". What revision is your cart?

I also opened it, and it looks like a regular PCB with both chips soldered right through at the factory. The only special thing is that each chip has a sticker on it, with its purpose printed on a white sticker. (PRG vs PROGRAM I believe).

omnedon

12-29-2003, 05:57 PM

Mine has no connector test either. Mine is also ver. 1.1.

When I say it fails with a connector, I mean it blinks. New installed connector, but it blinks with the NTF2 cart. It may not blink with SMB, but it blinks with the NTF2. Then if it does blink with the NTF2, I've found through trial and error, it will fail with some other carts (known clean working ones) as well. If a connector does not blink with the NTF2 cart, it seems to work fine with cleaned (and even some dirty) carts, cart after cart tested.

I can't get any more consistency than that out of my testing. My best guess is that it's due to the random nature of which pins are failing to connect on the new connectors. My NTF2 cart has been disassembled and is utterly clean. I eliminated that possibility right off. The NTF2 cart seems to have contacts in every possible slot, unlike most game carts.

Congrats on getting yours, and your input is greatly appreciated! If I'm making a mistaken assumption, I would LOVE to be corrected! LOL

grimlock16

01-28-2004, 05:18 PM

So I shouldn't buy a replacement 72pin thing for my toaster nes?

� Gideon �

01-28-2004, 05:26 PM

So I shouldn't buy a replacement 72pin thing for my toaster nes?
I would first evaluate the situation. If the pins are clean on the inside, try thepin-bending technique (http://classicgaming.com/features/articles/nesrepair/). If that doesn't work, try FABombJoy's aforementioned technique. Then (and this is important, too), post back here so people can know how it went.

Note that I'm assuming your NES doesn't work ever--the blinking screen syndrome, yeah, you know. If it works sometimes, it may be the carts themselves.

So personally, I wouldn't ever buy a replacement MCM pin set after hearing omnedon's testimonial; it seems the better choice would be to do what he's doing now, refurbishing pin sets from other NES's.

FABombjoy

01-28-2004, 09:44 PM

I'd do them the other way around. First, sand & clean, then try pin bending. A good connector should have very little tension when inserting/removing cartridges, something the bending solution does not always provide. Just be thorough with the sanding and cleaning and you should see positive results.

OLD_SCHOOL_SAM

03-05-2004, 02:36 PM

Hey all, nice thread!

I am trying the "bend the pin" method but am unfortunately a newb and am having troubles. When I have the 72 pin connector in my hands, I cant figure out which pins to bend and which way to bend them.

Sorry for the newb question, but I really need help. Any sort of good pictures or diagrams to show which pins and which way they should be bent, or a very good explanation would be a life saver...

Thanks in advance

dracula

03-07-2004, 07:54 PM

Hey all, nice thread!

I am trying the "bend the pin" method but am unfortunately a newb and am having troubles. When I have the 72 pin connector in my hands, I cant figure out which pins to bend and which way to bend them.

Well think of it this way: you are tring to bend the pins back to their original position, so once you have the pin connector out, then try inserting a cartridge, and notice which way the pins bend. You want to bend them in the opposite direction.

OLD_SCHOOL_SAM

03-19-2004, 12:49 PM

Just wanted to let everyone know that I got my new 72 pin connector in the mail yesterday. Works like a dream! Now I can play all my old games ~

Now the only question is, how long will my new connector last while I am continually putting these used dirty games into it =)

Is the cleaning wand the best way to clean the used games before they go into the console?

omnedon

03-19-2004, 02:45 PM

Glad to hear it. :)

I have had 2 returns, out of at least 40 installed "new' pins that worked at test/install.

I've had no returns since going back to refurbing the old pins.

What's a cleaning wand?

I clean carts with a Q-tip and a solution of 50/50 distilled water and isopropanol. Heavily soiled carts get disassembled, and I take a white eraser to the contacts, and follow up with the Q-tip run.

Have Fun!

chadtower

03-19-2004, 05:38 PM

I can't speak for everyone, but I sure would be interested in knowing someone with a test cart who would be willing to order connectors and test them, before reselling them at a small profit... I'd buy tested connectors from a trusted source for a higher price. Hint.

The Manimal

03-19-2004, 06:49 PM

rbudrick

03-19-2004, 07:02 PM

I wonder what would happen if you tried that test cart on a famicom throgh a 72-60 pin adapter.

-Rob

omnedon

03-20-2004, 02:52 PM

The margin is so low on them, that the time to test would make it prohibitive. Don't forget that I live in Canada, and I pay serious duty and ship when ordering them. I'd be lucky if I could resell for $10USD each, plus actual ship before I was done.

That said, on a related note, Canadian 3rd party supplier Simple Jet, has begun fabbing their very own 72 pin connectors. I am going to be doing their testing for them. If they pan out out be more reliable, any business in Canada will be able to buy from them wholesale, and within country.

If they pan out to be 100% reliable, I will offer them up for sale, as reasonably as I can. I think I mentioned earlier in this thread that I was helping them get started with this. The local sales rep told me yesterday that I would be getting a sample batch for testing 'soon'.

I'll keep everyone posted. I do see Ebay sellers selling Simple Jet stuff all the time (cables and the like), so it is possible for Americans to buy from this wholesaler too (but I'm not sure how). If their pins are good, this could be great. They are working from an original NES connector as their example. We'll soon see I guess.

*crosses fingers*

Mythik

03-30-2004, 03:59 PM

the on I got from MCM works perfectly.

if a game doesnt work, I clean it, put it back in, and it boots up no problem :D

omnedon

03-30-2004, 10:52 PM

3 out of 4 work great. :)

Decent odds, but they suck if you are a reseller or installer. :o 25% loss rate... ouch.

sisko

03-31-2004, 03:55 PM

Well I must say that this sucks as I am just getting into this repair (I've got 4 consoles with pins waiting to be replaced). I've done one so far, and it works, but I shouldn't need a pair of pliers to pull the freaking cart out. I'm anxious to see how this new company fairs. I'd rather buy bulk from them as well as long as they are reasonable priced and WORK.

On a side note, one of my NES blinks a purple screen rather than the traditional grey. I've never seen this before...despite the difference in color, does it allude to the same problem?

Bratwurst

03-31-2004, 04:11 PM

On a side note, one of my NES blinks a purple screen rather than the traditional grey. I've never seen this before...despite the difference in color, does it allude to the same problem?

To answer that question I've come across toaster decks that flash yellow when there isn't a proper contact. Probably minor revisions or variations on the hardware.

the_wizard_666

04-20-2004, 10:51 PM

On a side note, one of my NES blinks a purple screen rather than the traditional grey. I've never seen this before...despite the difference in color, does it allude to the same problem?

I think this means your NES is gay...

Seriously, my NES blinks yellow all the time...and red, blue, green, grey, black, etc. I think it just depends on the pin and the position of the cart.

Jibbajaba

05-02-2004, 12:47 AM

I bought a new connector for my NES about 5 years ago (I assume it is from MCM but I dont know because I bought it on eBay). Lately it has been acting up as my NES was becoming finicky, so I used the sandpaper method that someone wrote about and I have to say that it works like a charm!!! Thanks!!!

omnedon

09-14-2004, 09:37 PM

I know I'm bumping an oldie here, but it bears bumping.

Also, today I got a returned NES system. Last serviced by me, more than 13 months ago, with a new connector from MCM electronics. I serviced this unit for a local game store to sell.

Now it's back. It blinks. :angry:

It's getting a refurbed pin this time. I have virtually no returns on ones I've redone.

1 year of use out of an MCM connector suck-diddly-ucks Flanders.

chadtower

09-15-2004, 08:29 AM

I haven't had tons of luck with the sanding method either... I mean, I can IMPROVE an NES, but I haven't been able to get one to 100% functionality yet. I've probably tried 4-5 of them at this point and they usually get to around 80% working before the improvement plateaus. Can you share some tips for the method?

Before it's asked, yes, I'm cleaning the carts too. I usually take the carts apart and clean the boards straight up.

sisko

09-15-2004, 09:59 AM

omnedon

09-15-2004, 10:16 AM

Yeah. They just asked me if I could supply them with an original Nintendo made connector that does not blink. LOL Short of getting one from Nintendo themselves, I said it was impossible. I gave them a couple original blinkers, and a couple of original refurbs.

They are likely in TaiPei by now. I'm getting tired of waiting. A game store has placed an order for me to do 10 NES's. Doing 10 NES's the refurb pin way is sooo time consuming, and tedious too.

I sand the pins a LOT. Then test with multiple carts (NTF2, Camerica, Tengen, and a kinda dirty original Nintendo). Then I usually sand again. Then I blow it out, and wash it in MG Chemicals contact cleaner. Blow it out again. test. If it fails - repeat.

Very. Time. Consuming.

chadtower

09-15-2004, 01:12 PM

Even this is going to be a limited solution anyway... you can only sand those pins so many times before they wear away.

omnedon

11-17-2004, 07:53 PM

I got the first sample batch from Simple Jet's manufacturing process.

Out of 20 pins, 20 of them did not function at all. I ran some continuity tests, and the entire top row was not contacting with the cart connections. I shared this info with them, gave them an NES to test with, and a naked SMB cart.

Back to manufacturing again.....

sisko

11-18-2004, 01:11 PM

That's disappointing, though its nice to hear progress is being mad towards a better connector.

Thanks for the update =)

rbudrick

11-18-2004, 03:08 PM

Well it's good to at least see an update on this. How hard can it be to make a good connector?

My solution is to take the connector out and mount it in backwards. I believe I had to cut off some plastic tabs and put a couple of coins underneath the connector before screwing it down, but I never have to worry about the zif socket anymore. It's like plugging your cart into a top loader with a tight connection. It's been great for about 3 years now...and its had the top off the NES the whole time.

-Rob