How to diagnose a broken Game Gear

[vintagegamecrazy]

I have several Game Gears and most have something wrong with them so I want to make one good one from the bad ones. I have one that won't power up at all. What things can I do to determine where the problem is and how do I test it?

[SnowKitty]

I have several Game Gears and most have something wrong with them so I want to make one good one from the bad ones. I have one that won't power up at all. What things can I do to determine where the problem is and how do I test it?

if its bad sound or the picture is only viewable at a certain angle then its usually bad caps. if the backlight doesnt work then its usually 2 fuses. those are justa couple of the common issues...

[vintagegamecrazy]

No, it won't power on period!

[Hitman Tyler]

No, it won't power on period!

stupid suggestion......Check &/OR replace the batteries

[aaron7]

With the fact that Game Gears can be had for $5 apiece... I don't bother fixing them. I just tossed a few. I still have one that the power blinks on and off... headed for the trash unless you want it for parts!

[vintagegamecrazy]

I've used batteries and a power cord, normally I wouldn't care but I have three of them with different problems, on doesn't have sound but has a beautiful case, one is missing battery doors and it's a blue one, one doesn't power on, I have a case with several duplicate games and want to make one good game gear to sell with the games for maybe like $30, so I want to fix at least one.

[channelmaniac]

Try jumpering across the power jack. Maybe someone shoved a plug in it that was too big and damaged the part that switches out the batteries.

[Cornelius]

You could try swapping out the sound board on the one w/ broken sound. Usually there are two caps that are bad that cause the sound problems. You can replace the caps, but if you have a good sound board it is just a matter of unplugging a couple cables to swap it out. I don't recall where the sound board is off-hand, but it is the one with the volume knob on it.

[vintagegamecrazy]

Cornelius,

I never thought about swapping the whole sound board, I tried it tonight and thankfully the sound board on the completely dead one worked and I was able to make one working one from two broken ones.

[shadow460]

That bad sound board probably needs two caps replaced. I think they are C5 and C11. The 'gear that blinks on and off has leaky caps on the motherboard. One that's completely dead may have a faulty power jack, acid on the battery terminals, or both.

Try out the forums at SMSpower.org and do a search on the problems you're having. The info over there helped me fix on of my own Game Gears.