NES has no video..

[Shredder]

I think I posted this in the wrong forum ,so just in case, I'll post it here :)..

I was getting the blinking light syndrome with my NES, and I replaced my old 72 pin connector with a new one. However, it had white lines all over the place, so I figured I must have damaged something on the board..

So, in a not to bright move, I figured, well, it's not working right anyway, maby if I run a screwdriver over the bottom of the PCB board, I might jump something into working right. Well, low and behold, as I did this, the video suddenly went blank and I got the infamous blue screen of death. I turned the power off, turned it on again, and nothing. The power still works, but I'm getting no video...

Any ideas? I'd rather not replace it with a used NES, because the used NES won't have all the histoiry and memories I have with this unit, so anything will be helpfull :)..

You can bet I was kicking myself when someone told me the reason the white lines where there is because I had dirty edge connectors... Ah well, live stupidly and learn :).

Thanks!

[Bratwurst]

So, in a not to bright move, I figured, well, it's not working right anyway, maby if I run a screwdriver over the bottom of the PCB board, I might jump something into working right. Well, low and behold, as I did this, the video suddenly went blank and I got the infamous blue screen of death. I turned the power off, turned it on again, and nothing. The power still works, but I'm getting no video...!

I normally don't rag on folk (especially since the dear, sweet Battlezone has departed our fair lands) BUT GODDAMN SON YOU ARE STUPID. When Foghorn Leghorn was talking about sharp as a bowling ball and bright as a 2-watt bulb, he was talking about you.

Just go get another Nintendo and swap it with your old one's shell.. that's about as good as it's going to get for you to preserve the nostalgia behind it.

Now before anyone else is inclined to go on a lengthy spiel about possibly saving his old deck, remember that among his problem solving routines SHORTING OUT COMPONENTS RANDOMLY is one of them.

Now that the necessary hazing is out of the way..

My opinion, your motherboard is dead now, the time involved in picking out whatever components are burnt isn't worth the effort compared to just getting a new one.

Regarding the white lines you were seeing, it was likely your new connector wasn't seated properly on the motherboard, or your carts just needed a good cleaning.

[Shredder]

Ehh, give me a break. This was done before I'd known anything a bout fixing electronics, but even then I knew it was a stupid idea. I just figured the problem was more serious than a dirty edge connector, because I knew I had slipped on the new pin connector perfectly. It wasn't loose, or jiggling.

So, I figured if that was the case, the worse that could happen is that it wouldn't work anymore, since the lines where so numerous that it wasn't really playable anymore. Needless to say after that was done, it wasn't playable at all..

Oh well, at least I've studied up on this stuff a bit more since those early years. I've succesfully repaired, rewired, and resoldered my arcade game to work perfectly, so at least I can be proud of that...

[Bratwurst]

Fair enough. The way you worded your little yarn sounded like this was rather recent.

[Shredder]

Well, depends on what you consider recent. It was at least 2-3 years ago, before I started studying up on repairnig stuff. Now I'm confident enough about my semi skills that I'm thinking about buying a Used NES and turning it into a portable one using the instructions given at a site. But first I'm practicing on my dead board before getting another one..

[omnedon]

So, in a not to bright move, I figured, well, it's not working right anyway, maby if I run a screwdriver over the bottom of the PCB board, I might jump something into working right. Well, low and behold, as I did this, the video suddenly went blank and I got the infamous blue screen of death

I'm pleased to hear you've moved on from this sort of troubleshooting experimentation. I'll be the first to agree that once it's already broken, one has less to lose by tinkering with it.

But there is tinkering, and outright vandalism. LOL

I agree with the meaty guy above me. NES PCB's are soooooo easy to come by that the only reason to try to repair them is for the sheer challenge of it.

I'm sitting on at least 20.

[§ Gideon §]

I have failed.

Jeez, guys. I go and refer poor Shredder from another site (http://www.arcadecontrols.org/yabbse/index.php?board=15;action=display;threadid=18259), and you rag on him! That can't be very encouraging to come back. I know you're nicer than that.

[jonjandran]

WTF --- The guy says he shorted out the board trying to fix it and you expect us not to say something. :hmm:

Come-on man we're nice but it's just not possible to hold ourselves back with such an easy target. LOL

[§ Gideon §]

Beh, your smiley emoticon wipes away my disaapointment...

[omnedon]

@Shredder

This is good natured ribbing, and I hope you can take it as such. No one here so far is trying to be 'mean'. It's just that you posted 'random shorting', and those of use with even a basic electronics understanding find that amusing. I tried to mention in my post I can identify with the kind of frustration that can lead to that sort of desperation. It's just that if I get that frustrated, after the vandalism, I'd toss it in the trash, and not post about my picque (to avoid embrassment in front of my peers here) :embarrassed: .

Most of us here (I can only think of one exception that will remain nameless) do NOT take pleasure in lording over greater experience and knowledge over the less experienced.

What we want is to share the knowledge, and build this forum into an amazing storehouse of excellent console technical information, for consoles from all eras. Even your post has helped in that goal.

So I sincerely Thank You for joining, and posting.

:)

[Bratwurst]

Yeah, I did jump in a little harsh at first but I suppose my outrage was not so much at destroying a Nintendo than the fact that you could have easily electrocuted yourself. :D

[Shredder]

If it helps any, the screwdriver has a rubber holding tip :).