72-pin NES Connectors : Corrosion? Gold vs. Normal? Discuss!

[Epicenter]

Discuss, I say!

[Gunstarhero]

I don't believe corrosion is the problem with the 72 pin, so I say its a waste of time to get a Gold connector for the NES. The problem is that the pins bend, and Gold pins will bend the same as the regular kind.

However, if I could get the Gold ones for the same price as the regular ones, of course I would opt for the Gold, but I wouldn't go out of my way to obtain Gold.

[1bigmig]

What Im waiting for is a new 72 pin that holds the cartridges, but doesnt try to pull the circuit boards out of a game when removing it.

[Darth Sensei]

What Im waiting for is a new 72 pin that holds the cartridges, but doesnt try to pull the circuit boards out of a game when removing it.

Absolutely. My new connector does this and still won't play most games without quite a few tries.

D

[FABombjoy]

Does anybody have imperical evidence that the pins bend? Simply feeling the tension on the cart is not a valid measurement. NES systems are supposed to have 0 tension on the cart when inserted & removed. Repairing connectors by bending the pins may work, but that is due to increased contact pressure (which is apparently the theory behind the new connectors). Having to use pliers to remove Tengen games is a serious design flaw, IMHO.

Does anybody know what metal is used for the connector? In any event, it is definitely not copper (which is what the game contacts are made from), and the presence of 2 different metals combined with moisture can incite galvanic corrosion in the less noble metal (the new pins appear to be aluminum; copper & aluminum are on opposite ends of the nobility scale). Even just moist, stagnant air can cause aluminum to corrode.

edit: Now that I think about it, the pins are probably nickel, which is a lot less volitile than aluminum but still a few steps from copper on the scale.

[Zubiac666]

I've 4 toasters;all with their first connectors and all without corrosion.
and all work beatifully
no need for gold-thingys IMO
If they have corrosion spray it away and it works again.

[Chunky]

the ones you get in the wild sometimes look like they been in a pool or WTF. I've seen it all, and it's cheap enough just to get a new 72 pin and not deal with it.

now however, i have had some real cheap 72 pinners, that were tight. And i have had some games where their the boards were thick, and barely got in the connector. and those cheap ass connectors, the pins would get pushed out the back if i forced this game into them.

so even the cheap ones work nicely, if you don't mind the thumb/finger strain pulling them out, but once in awhile i run into that thick board that fricks everything up.

[Sylentwulf]

my 2 cents - From what I've heard, the gold ones have a bad tendencay to "flake" off, heard they still work ok, but I don't want gold paint flakey things flying around inside MY nes...

[whoisKeel]

ummm....why gold? it's digital -> digital right? couldn't see how it would matter, i could maybe understand gold connectors for a/v as that is analog to your tv...but i'm not getting the pin connector being gold.

also i replaced my pin connector...maybe 2 months ago....it was a little tight at first, but now it is easy to insert/remove like normal...i did get it knew from mcm. i only have about 40 games tho, maybe i don't have any fatties.

[omnedon]

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=20849

For those of you who haven't already seen it, it's a thread discussing the occasional flaws I've discovered in NEW 72 pin connectors.