How good are Top Loaders?

[Darth Sensei]

Alright, I'm absolutely sick of trying to get toasters to work. I've replaced the 72pin connectors with new pins. They're tight as hell and they still don't work well. I find that I still have to play with them for at least a minute just to play certain games. All of my games have been cleaned several times using special swabs and alcohol. I'm sick of it. :angry: :angry:

Anyway, I'm thinking of buying a top loader. How good are they really? Can I clean the unit, clean the games, and they'll actually work? :hmm:

I'm about to hook up my computer to my tv and just play emulated games because I'm so frustrated.

Dave

[Arcade Antics]

Anyway, I'm thinking of buying a top loader. How good are they really? Can I clean the unit, clean the games, and they'll actually work? :hmm:

They're excellent. :) And... yes. The games will actually work without any toaster type nonsense.

[stack99]

got one.. and it is soooooooooooooooooooooooooo worth it.

[Scoots]

Man, I could not disagree more. I've replaced several 72-pins and my NES decks always work flawlessly afterward. While the top-loader gives you good reliability in that respect too, the the video quality is vastly inferior imo.

[Oobgarm]

What they said, just be prepared to lose a bit of signal quality. AFAIK, the top loader's output isn't as good as the toaster's.

[icbrkr]

Absolutely worth it! I bought a large stack of NES games from a store recently, and saw that they had a toploader for $90 behind the counter. I passed. After spending a day buying NES games from various locations, I take them home, peel off the pricetags, and clean em. I start putting them into the toaster NES (that DOES have a replaced 72 pin adapter).. blue blinking screen. Move the cartridge out a bit... lines through the game. After a few more resets, it finally works. After the 10th cartridge like this, I said screw it, drove back to the store and picked up the NES toploader. I haven't had a problem since.

[norkusa]

I've got mixed feelings on the Top Loaders. They are much more reliable than the damn toasters, but you have those vertical lines on the screen that you'll have to deal with when playing on them. Most people don't seem to mind this, but it drives me crazy because it makes the games look like shit. An A/V mod would solve the problem though.

My preferred way of playing NES games is on a Dreamcast with NesterDC 7 w/ an Agetec Arcade Stick. No worries about blinking screens that way.

[oesiii]

I've got mixed feelings on the Top Loaders. They are much more reliable than the damn toasters, but you have those vertical lines on the screen that you'll have to deal with when playing on them. Most people don't seem to mind this, but it drives me crazy because it makes the games look like shit. An A/V mod would solve the problem though.


My opinion exactly, after a few months of only using the toploader I had to switch back. Those lines were driving me crazy @_@

Although every game that was cleaned worked 100% of the time so it's a shame about the poor video quality.

[omnedon]

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20849

I believe I've discovered why new pins do not always solve "blink" in the toasters.

My NTF2 cart sorts 'em out.+ :hmm:

[chadtower]

The one I 'repaired' with a new connector never worked either.

[Darth Sensei]

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20849

I believe I've discovered why new pins do not always solve "blink" in the toasters.

My NTF2 cart sorts 'em out.+ :hmm:

I don't know how I missed that post. @_@

Thanks Omnedon. I've been using MCM pins. Has anyone been using gold pins?

Dave

[chadtower]

This just isn't worth it. I'm probably going to go to emulation.

[jonjandran]

I've got mixed feelings on the Top Loaders. They are much more reliable than the damn toasters, but you have those vertical lines on the screen that you'll have to deal with when playing on them. Most people don't seem to mind this, but it drives me crazy because it makes the games look like shit. An A/V mod would solve the problem though.

My preferred way of playing NES games is on a Dreamcast with NesterDC 7 w/ an Agetec Arcade Stick. No worries about blinking screens that way.

Does the A/V mod solve the line problem ? I thought I read somewhere that it doesn't.

[Gamereviewgod]

Can someone explain why the NES has so much trouble like this? The SNES never really has any trouble, the 2600 is reliable, my Genny has never had a problem, etc. Why is it the NES???

[1bigmig]

Im going to throw my vote in against the top loader. I was using one for a while, but switching to a toaster and using the AV hookup makes a LOT of difference. As long as I can get a toaster to work, Ill always make pop tarts,...I mean use it instead of a top loader. Although the top loader is more reliable.

[jonjandran]

My vote is top-loader.
Not only is there the problem with getting a toaster to work , but also they seem to lock-up or restart games A LOT.
My top-loader doesn't do this.

[leonk]

Folks, there is a very simple solution to the problem and you don't need a top loader..

The cause of all your problems are the carts.

No amount of swabs and alcohol is going to help you. The only true way to clean a cart is to purchase the special cart opening bit, open the cart, and use a white eraser on the gold contacts.

You'd be surprised how much crap is stuck on those connectors.

I've yet to come across a cart that I couldn't bring back to life..

The system is only 50% of the solution, and a new 72pin connector always works.

Note that in some rare cases, the contacts on the cart will be in a really bad shape. In this case, a very high grid sandpaper to the contacts will also fix your problem.

Almost 20 years of crud that catch up with you at the end. :D

[jonjandran]

Folks, there is a very simple solution to the problem and you don't need a top loader..

The cause of all your problems are the carts.

The system is only 50% of the solution, and a new 72pin connector always works.



Sorry , but you're wrong.

New connectors don't always help. I know I've got some bad ones.
And they ALWAYS screw up again. It is a design flaw and this will always be the case.
But I do agree that a lot of the problem is dirty carts.
but this won't help the fact that a 72 pin will corrode and loose tension and screw up again.
So do you really want to keep fixing the problem , or just get a top-loader and be done with it ? :hmm:

[zektor]

I personally really love the top loader. Ok, it doesn't have a/v outputs, but so what. I always got a clear picture using the RF on it. It's small, cool looking, and the games always work (no blinking). It's just a shame they are so expensive nowadays. I should have bought the stack of them I saw clearanced a few years back at EB.

[omnedon]

Leonk, you need to read the link I posted earlier. I once thought like you, but do no longer. Many of the new pins have issues right out of the wrapper. read the link.

[christianscott27]

this debate never ends, to each his own.

for my part i'm sold on the toploader. i have no patience for modding consoles and blinking lights, not willing to suffer for nintendos "dont let it look like an atari" policy. i've never noticed these bars that some people talk about, perhaps its my TV or console.

the real thing to say about toploaders is they are not as rare as you think, i've found over a dozen of them. its kind of like NES final fantasy, rare no, desired and overpriced you bet!

[SFCfan]

:smash:GET A JAPANESE FAMICOM UNIT and an adapter. It barely ever has problems and it has no video problems at all.:-P
This is what I have done and maybe you should do the same. :D ;)

[Darth Sensei]

I personally really love the top loader. Ok, it doesn't have a/v outputs, but so what. I always got a clear picture using the RF on it. It's small, cool looking, and the games always work (no blinking). It's just a shame they are so expensive nowadays. I should have bought the stack of them I saw clearanced a few years back at EB.

Zektor, I thought sure youi'd vote for using the Dreamcast to emulate the NES. :D

Where can I get one of these kits so I can open carts and clean them?

Dave

[jonjandran]

SylentWulf sells them on E-Bay.
I think he's electricquarter now.
Check his other auctions for more complete sets.
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3054503323&category=20389

[john_soper]

Does the A/V mod solve the line problem ? I thought I read somewhere that it doesn't.
I did the AV mod and the lines were still there. Also tried adding various
decoupling caps in different places, but didn't help.

[jonjandran]

Does the A/V mod solve the line problem ? I thought I read somewhere that it doesn't.
I did the AV mod and the lines were still there. Also tried adding various
decoupling caps in different places, but didn't help.

I thought I had read that somewhere.
It kind of sucks that the big N didn't notice the lines while they were in production. They must have been using 9" T.V's and didn't see them. LOL

[1bigmig]

Does the A/V mod solve the line problem ? I thought I read somewhere that it doesn't.
I did the AV mod and the lines were still there. Also tried adding various
decoupling caps in different places, but didn't help.

From the Nintendo website:
Important Note: New-Style NES (NESN) - Lines on Screen
The redesigned NESN may have some radio frequency noise that can cause some deterioration of the picture quality of the game when used on some television sets. This usually shows as lines or fuzziness on the screen. In almost all cases, changing to a different TV solves the problem because most TV's can filter out this "Noise," so it usually isn't a problem. If this does not work, please contact Nintendo of America's Customer Service Department 1-800-255-3700.

Dont know how you would fix that though.

[jonjandran]

I took the metal out of a toaster nes and enclosed the top-loader nes motherboard with it , but that didn't help at all. :(
Maybe someone will figure it out one day.

[Kid Ice]

This just isn't worth it. I'm probably going to go to emulation.

Which emulator? I've yet to play one that does NES right, especially for the Dreamcast. They're fine for loading a game up and playing around with it for a few minutes, but if you are really going to play...IMO the NES is the classic system that suffers the most in emulation.

I keep a buncha toasters on hand in case I need an NES fix (they're just more convenient for my TV set up). But, if I wanted to set one up on a permanent basis, I'd probably go with the top-loader.

[norkusa]

This just isn't worth it. I'm probably going to go to emulation.

Which emulator? I've yet to play one that does NES right, especially for the Dreamcast. They're fine for loading a game up and playing around with it for a few minutes, but if you are really going to play...IMO the NES is the classic system that suffers the most in emulation.

Wahhh?!? Have you tried NesterDC 7.0? Thats what I use right now and with the exception of certian driving games (most have scrolling issues), I think it's spot-on. The earlier versions of NesterDC were less than perfect, but with 7.0, I can't tell any differences between the emulation and the real thing. It's that good. My only complaint is the Dreamcast controller...my thumb slides off the d-pad too easily (especially when trying to make 50+ yard rushes in Tecmo Super Bowl).

[Slipdeath]

i passed up a top loader for $5 a long time ago

[Dr. Morbis]

I got my toaster NES for Christmas in 1987 and it is the same one I still use today (with it's original 72-pin connector). I have never had a problem with it. Do you guys not clean your games or something? The toploader blows: no av outputs, horrible picture quality, uncomfortable controller (the dogbone one), and zero nostalgia factor. I pick up toaster NES's whenever I see them for under $5. After the initial obligatory cleaning, I haven't had one fail me yet.

As for emulation: it sucks for gaming. Yes it has some very good uses like taking screenshots, checking out super-rares that you will never own, and doing the 'try before you buy' thing. But if you are a real old-school GAMER, it's got to be the real deal.

[jonjandran]

@ norkusa ---- Nester DC is awesome. I haven't noticed any problems , other than what you mentioned.

@ Dr. Morbis --- Are you serious ? I love the dogbone. The regular square NES pad sucks. It kills my hands.

That is all, discuss amongst yourselves.

[NEOFREAK9189]

I personally really love toaster nes my work perfect also I like the dogbone one control from top-loader nes

[spoon]

My vote is for the A/v Famicom.

I agree with the Top loader nay sayers. The sound and picture quality bothers me so much. Don't care if I have to play with the carts to get them to work, it is worth it if I don't have my Fami hooked up.

[atomicthumbs]

Wats a top-loader?

I miss this guy.

[MacGurl]

I haven't had any problems whatsoever with my toploader. I'd say it's a way better investment than the toaster. I must not pay much attention to the lines everyone is talking about..I'm usually too engulfed in the game, cause I've never seen them.

[leonk]

Leonk, you need to read the link I posted earlier. I once thought like you, but do no longer. Many of the new pins have issues right out of the wrapper. read the link.

That's very interesting..

could it be that some of the 72 pin connectors that are sold on eBay might not actually be new??

I've probably had a few dozen new connectors go through my hands over the years, and hav enoticed 2 different types. The really hard type, and the almost loose type.

Could it be that these sellers buy old connectors and refurbish them!??

As far as the NES toaster design.. yes.. I know it's a bad one, and yes I know any connector will eventually go bad. But my "special" system that I've been using all along has the following in it:

- Mod'ed to be region free
- has a new connector in it that's one of those hard ones

It's been working flawlessly for the last 3 years. Heck, I don't even push the cart down! I push the cart in, and it works. Now if I try to push the cart down, it doesn't. I guess it all depends on how you condition the connector when you first get it. My toaster is conditioned to work like a top loader. :D

[dave2236]

First, I really like top Loaders


SECOND , we used to replace 72 pin connectors at my old store and clean the games with sand paper and I seriously.....replaced about 500 pin connectors, ALL from MCM and had less than 5 be defective out of the package.


New 72 pin connectors from MCM , and your toaster will work like new.