SNES displaying in black & white?

[NES_Rules]

A SNES that I'm selling is only displaying in B&W. I tried using the RF switch and the A/V cables, but neither displayed in color. And I have cleaned the games.
Anyone know of a solution?

[omnedon]

Try checking the solder joints at the video encoder (chip closest to the AV output jack).

[evildragon]

You don't by any chance, happen to be mixing an NTSC / PAL system, would you? In my times of console/computer repair, I've seen people import a console from europe, expecting it to "just" work..

[jonjandran]

I've had 2 Snes do this to me.

Never could figure out why. Not the plugs , no cold solder joints, nothing overheating. Guess it could be chips just going bad.

[evildragon]

I'm personally interested in this, if it is a country matching console...

See, the PPU outputs RGB, and it remains RGB all the way to the video encoder.. Even if the video encoder had a joint lose, it should still be in color.

Can you check the RGB output on the black and white consoles? I'd be curious what they are doing..

[NES_Rules]

It is a USA console.

I guess I should have mentioned that I do not have the screwdriver needed to open up the system. But, I'm definitely considering purchasing one. Can someone remind what they're called and can I purchase one at a store like Home Depot or Lowe's or are they only available online.

[FABombjoy]

See, the PPU outputs RGB, and it remains RGB all the way to the video encoder.. Even if the video encoder had a joint lose, it should still be in color.

Can you check the RGB output on the black and white consoles? I'd be curious what they are doing..

If the "Electronix Corp" schematics are correct, RGB should appear normal. The RGB source that feeds the encoder is actually split between the encoder, and the connector on the rear (not a pass through design like the CXA series).

It's easy to lose color if the RGB encoder doesn't have a solid 3.58Mhz subcarrier freq. Pins 13 and 14 appear to be related to subcarrier input/output, but I'm not familiar with the abbreviations used on these schematics.

Could just be a blown chip, due to static or something like that.

[evildragon]

Ahh right, forgot about that!

Yea, then that is a posibility..

[NES_Rules]

It turns out that the SNES is perfectly fine, it just seems that Apex TVs don't like this SNES. I tried the system on 4 different TVs. 1 Sylvania, 1 Fisher and 2 Apex. It displayed fine on the Fisher and Sylvania, but both the Apexes displayed B&W.

[evildragon]

I have an Apex that handles SNES's fine.. What model?

[NES_Rules]

I don't know the model, but it looks like this:

The other is slightly newer (I think) and looks almost the same.

Other than this SNES, I've never had a problem before and I've tried probably close to 40 systems on that TV.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

I have a SNES I recently bought that flashes from time to time from color to black and white. I thought it may have been just a game issue with super metroid.... but now it seems to show up on other games. I wiggled the AV cables and that changes nothing and I also try jarring the console while it is on, but that has no effect on it. It will just randomly drop out all color. It's my only system that does it. Ive even switched inputs on the TV to no avail. Oh well I guess I can try different AV cables and see if that helps. I am certain though, that it's not my TV.

[thegardentool]

I gave my SNES to my younger sister many years ago and it started doing this not too long after. I don't know why it did it and to my knowledge still does.

[TheDomesticInstitution]

The only explanation is voo-doo.

[jonjandran]

That's so awesome.

Turns out the Tv I was using was an Apex also, when I had the problem with 2 of my Snes being in black/white.

But here's a twist for you. Some Snes that I have work fine on the same Apex. Different decoder chips inside the Snes maybe?

[TheDomesticInstitution]

And the plot thickens...

[NES_Rules]

That's so awesome.

Turns out the Tv I was using was an Apex also, when I had the problem with 2 of my Snes being in black/white.

But here's a twist for you. Some Snes that I have work fine on the same Apex. Different decoder chips inside the Snes maybe?

Until this system, I've never had a problem either. Every other SNES I've brought home, I've hooked up to that TV and they work. But now that I think about it, this is the only one that has yellowed. Is that true for you too? Maybe it's another difference between the first run of systems.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

It turns out that the SNES is perfectly fine, it just seems that Apex TVs don't like this SNES. I tried the system on 4 different TVs. 1 Sylvania, 1 Fisher and 2 Apex. It displayed fine on the Fisher and Sylvania, but both the Apexes displayed B&W.

Reminds me of PS1's having a non-stop "bounce" on-screen with Zenith television sets.

We would get calls about once a month from people who purchased them and had Zenith sets when I was managing a Funcoland back around 97 - 98 ... Sony used to do a mail-out "modification/repair" for customers who owned a Zenith set. All my employees became well versed in explaining that to people.

I think they eventually just built the fix in around the 6th or 7th SKU of the PS1.