Problems with 2 older SNES systems.

[VG_Maniac]

I've been trying to get an older SNES system to use the game genie on (since it has issues with more recent models). I've got two older SNES systems, and both of them have serious issues.

One of them I picked up recently, and it worked fine for about 20 minutes...than suddenly a bunch of color distortion appeared. The colors make this rainbow type pattern that flickers and covers the entire screen. I tried a different A/V cable, and that didn't fix it. I then tried a different AC adapter, and that didn't fix the problem either. I even opened the system up and cleaned the inside (it was pretty dusty), but that still didn't solve the problem. Here are a couple of pictures of what it looks like:





It's definitely not a problem with the video cable, or the TV. It's really weird that it didn't do this when I first turned it on, it just suddenly happened while I was playing it, and now it won't go away.


The problem I have with the other system, is the games won't start...but it will usually display the title screen or opening logos before going to a black screen. Sometimes it will freeze on the title screen, and other times it won't get to the title screen at all, but just show the opening logos. On a game such as Super Mario World, or Mario Kart...it will show the Nintendo logo at the start up, but than the screen will go black and and stay that way. You can hear the game's title screen music, but the screen is black.

Anyone have any idea what's causing these problems? Can they be fixed, or are both SNES systems junk beyond repair?

[RP2A03]

I wonder if a bad or maladjusted color crystal could cause those kind of color problems.

Regarding the unit that doesn't work, it doesn't sound to promising. The only thing I can think of is more cleaning and disabling the lockout chip. My SNES has a similar problem with two games and the conclusion that I reached was that it has a chip fault that only causes trouble under very specific conditions.

[theclaw]

For something that unusual I'd consider an external RGB to component encoder box. See if the console's native unprocessed colors are OK.

Of course bad capacitors can be weird too.

[Niku-Sama]

have you opened them up at all?
looks like a problem i had where something was grounding out inside because there was a bunch of crap in there

[VG_Maniac]

have you opened them up at all?
looks like a problem i had where something was grounding out inside because there was a bunch of crap in there

Yeah, I opened them and cleaned the insides out. Didn't fix a thing. I didn't see anything unusual inside them either...no corrosion or loose chips. Everything looked fine.

[Niku-Sama]

hmm theclaw went to the standard "bad caps" so i would start there how ever i havent yet come across a SNES with bad caps so i dont know what their specifics are when they go bad on these systems

although i have a famicom with bad caps on the RF board and it barely eeks out a signal and it seems to me from the pics that theres a weak signal on something but video as a whole

[-^Cro§Bow^-]

Are you by chance using the same power adapter with both? Most older consoles will start to show odd or flaky colors when the power supply isn't supplying enough voltage or current. I used to mess with my older Atari and more current Genesis consoles by using voltage selectable universal power adapters. Once you went below 7 volts the Atari would do this or go black and white. Genesis would do similar at about 8 volts I believe.

[VG_Maniac]

Are you by chance using the same power adapter with both? Most older consoles will start to show odd or flaky colors when the power supply isn't supplying enough voltage or current. I used to mess with my older Atari and more current Genesis consoles by using voltage selectable universal power adapters. Once you went below 7 volts the Atari would do this or go black and white. Genesis would do similar at about 8 volts I believe.

Both have different power adapters, and I've tried 2 or 3 adapters on each system.

[burn_654]

Maybe there's a cold joint on the video encoder chip or it's gone bad. theclaw's suggestion of trying it over an rgb solution would confirm that, given that rgb doesn't use the encoder.

[Brachabre]

Regarding SNES unit with garbled graphics...I have a very similar problem indeed. Bought a cheap snes off craigslist the other day. Opened it up, cleaned it out, no signs of physical/environmental/burnage/corrosion damage of the circuitry/caps. After putting it back together, the RCA mutliout graphics are all warped and terrible. The RF output plays great for about 5-10 minutes and then wavy lines appear in a pattern like (interference or noise), and then graphics get 'pinkish' and become a tad bit blurry but everything else plays great (no missing sprites, f'd up program logic, etc.). I have tried this unit on two different tv's (modern and tube) using an original snes adapter that works great on a second snes unit.

Unfortunately, I feel like an idiot now for not testing it before cleaning up the insides. I think reflowing solder will be my next move. While it's cost effective to just buy another I hate seeing a unit suffer and sort of a personal challenge. I'm curious to know whether their is an objective cause of this problem...

[Niku-Sama]

if it starts fine and gets worse it almost sounds like a heat problem but the SNES doesent get that hot though.

this one boggles my mind still.....