What do you guys/girls think of a console/cart repair forum?

[Raedon]

I was thinking a Console/computer repair forum would be a great edition to Digital Press. Get all the repair threads into one area. I ran the idea by Joe and he said, "see what others think. If there is enough support then sure." It would also be a good spot for posts like "how do i get AV from a Famicom?", or "how do I clean my 2600 carts/labels?"

[leonk]

Wow! That would be a great idea!

LK

[autobotracing]

i do alot of console repair and modding i think it would be great

[digitalpress]

I'm voting "yes" too. It would be nice to see all of the console mod threads in one place. My only concern is that we're spreading the forums too thin. Though what might remedy that is to create a category of "specialty forums" and have them under the main forums.

[mattpfeil]

i voted yes, but minus the computer repair, unless we are talking C64 and stuff like that...im just anti computer thought, dont mind me:P

[Raedon]

What about an ADAM? :D

[rbudrick]

Sounds like a killer idea...it would be good to know where to buy certain parts and services or how to do them myself.

I just hope the board doesn't get flooded with "how do u mod ur pl@y5t@71on 2 pl@y r1pp3d d15k5?"

and crap like that

-Rob

[Captain Wrong]

Good idea. I'm down with it.

[bargora]

I voted "yes", (i.e., new forum = good) but I have since at least half-changed my mind. I think that it would be neat to have all console/controller/cartridge repair thread consolidated in one spot. On the other hand, though, I also think it is good to have the questions about broken gitaroos, etc. put before the collective eyes of the main Video Game Forum readership, because there's no guarantee that the sage game mechanics are going to drill down another level to help out the poor gitarooless men. I mean, I may know all about repairing 5200 trackballs (actually, I don't have a clue), but am I going to check out the separate forum just to read about some whiny loser* with a broken Intellivision controller?

In fact, now that I've taken the time to notice the forum's "search" function, I am even less inclined to put the repair threads in a separate forum. I could just search for the terms "Dreamcast" and "joystick" if I want to see threads and posts about such things. Also, I looked at the forum index and realized that I never visit half of the available fora.

But then, perhaps the reasonable and proper and labor-intensive thing to do is to move repair threads to a separate forum where they will be treasured in perpetuity, but only after they have failed to receive any new posts for a certain period of time.

Or, in the alternative, and perhaps even more labor intensive, the moderators could establish a coding system to cover recurring topics, and insert a code (e.g., BROKE or REP) in at least the first post of any thread dealing with a repair issue (or perhaps alligators). Just think of the fun you'll have coming up with new non-value-neutral codes!

GLOAT = (my latest find)
SUX = (sports game question or discussion)
etc.

* just kidding!

[Goblin]

I'm split on this topic. While I would like to see a more technical forum covering not only repairs but VG related projects, I don't know if there is enough interest to justify it. I would hope the board would be filled with substantive information and repair thoughts, not the usual "clean the connectors" response these types of post usually generate. I think those of us with the technical knowledge are in the minority, but it might be nice to have a place where others might check and offer real feedback.

My main fear is that this extra forum and the others being suggested in the other thread will make this board too segmented (i.e. Atari Age). But then again we would never know unless we try it out. If the forums starts to stagnate then roll it back in to the main, otherwise keep it up. And Joe if you decide to make a tech forum, I volunteer my services as a moderator in case you don't have somebody else lined up.

[SAV2880]

I definitely voted yes. I think the only concern wouldn't be necessarily that it wouldn't get views, but more that it wouldn't get a ton of posts! Since there's a limited number of people that know the stuff to get systems working, there might be a limited number of people posting.

That said, I think it would get the views because everying has finicky problems with an old console, or things go wrong or things they want to do to improve their old systems (like me, I need to add AV to my VCS!). So, it'll be seen ... and hopefully over time, it'll be more heard too.

Scott

[omnedon]

YES!!

We need a place where the repairer's (like me) can share what they do know, and learn what they don't. A great offshoot of this would be to be able to perform difficult repairs for trades, or hard to find repair parts for trades.

It's a natural for this forum. If we are going to take this hobby ito the future, repairs will be a must. I don't think one will "always" be able to just "find another one". That can't go on forever, especially with the pre-crash systems.

It's up to us!!!

[Captain Wrong]

As an alternative, it'd be great to see some people who have the knowlege and motivation put together a common repair primer. Some of the machine FAQs have lots of useful info (I built a switch box for my 5200 and repaired the controllers with the info from the FAQ, for instance) but some consoles don't have that info.

Plus there's some common problems that are maybe worth a FAQ (fixing a blinking NES or jittery 2600 paddles, to name 2) because they're questions that come up all the time and that way people could be pointed there instead of someone having to answer the same questions over and over.

[zemmix]

I say both a FAQ and a Technical/Troubleshooting forum. But not a real FAQ document...just a sticky at the top of the new forum with all of the common q's in it.

[CrazyImpmon]

That would be cool. I do know quite a lot about console repairs and I even have schematic diagram of several consoles (2600, 5200, 7800, Intellivision, Lynx, and NES, GB, GB Pocket, and maybe more others) and I'm quite adept at DC repairs as well. Plus I could offer my service at common repairs for a fee so those who's a klutz with soldering iron won't have to worry.

[rbudrick]

If anyone out there can supply GameGear Schematics, I would be most obliged...

Yours,
Rob