DP MYTHBUSTERS : Blowing in NES Cartridges

[Ed Oscuro]

Perhaps a better change would be to also have a cartridge that regularly gets a shot of canned air or something. That would isolate the "blowing" from the extra crap that could come out of someone's mouth.

Oh, I want to get in on this too!

Anyhow, unless somebody here swears by compressed air on the cartridge, I don't really see the utility of this step. Nobody that I know of uses compressed air on a NES cartridge, and it's not really appropriate for your control group...

As usual, Flack writes what I was thinking but more elegantly. I really just don't see the point of attempting to prove what we all know must happen in an expensive and painful test process.

I think Frankie should do what his handle says: sit back, crack open a cold one, and stop worrying about NES carts. If somebody wanted to prove that blowing on NES games isn't harmful or even beneficial, they'd be abusing science to attempt to justify a bad habit.

p.s. Guys, in other news I am going to smoke a whole pack of cigarettes right now to prove that it won't hurt my lungs years from now.

[Cornelius]

I really just don't see the point of attempting to prove what we all know must happen in an expensive and painful test process.

Actually, I think he is trying to prove to a number of people that it is indeed more harmful than they think. I count myself among the 'it isn't a big deal' crowd. I imagine, though, that like most things it is somewhere in between: people that manage to blow in their games without spitting don't cause significantly more corrosion, people that hock loogies in there do have more in addition to 'green mold' and everything/anything else you can think of.

I'd never claim that even the most careful blowing doesn't cause more corrosion than not, I just don't think it is enough more over about 20 years to cause a significant difference. The only question I'm then left with in regard to this test, is How good a blow does Frankie give?

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

Oh, I want to get in on this too!

Anyhow, unless somebody here swears by compressed air on the cartridge, I don't really see the utility of this step. Nobody that I know of uses compressed air on a NES cartridge, and it's not really appropriate for your control group...

As usual, Flack writes what I was thinking but more elegantly. I really just don't see the point of attempting to prove what we all know must happen in an expensive and painful test process.

I think Frankie should do what his handle says: sit back, crack open a cold one, and stop worrying about NES carts. If somebody wanted to prove that blowing on NES games isn't harmful or even beneficial, they'd be abusing science to attempt to justify a bad habit.

p.s. Guys, in other news I am going to smoke a whole pack of cigarettes right now to prove that it won't hurt my lungs years from now.

Painful?

Expensive?

You're kidding right?

It's neither of the above ... it's mostly good clean (and by clean I mean potentially gross and moldy) fun!!

And as far as me relaxing ... I pose this question ... who is over-reacting more :

me doing a neat little analog science experiment to see if a near-legendary toaster NES quick-fix is as damaging as I suspect it is ...

... OR ...

... people taking the time to bust my chops over it?

Seriously guys. This is just a bit o' fun. Let's all enjoy it, no?

I'm even SURE that the Gyro Robo carts will be rescuable even if they do get a bit on the messy side.

[Ed Oscuro]

The real problem here is that this sort of experiment is what the Mythbusters team WOULD NOT attempt.

Mythbusters tends to attempt spectacular failures where you can measure success or failure in terms of something flying into pieces.

For example, trying to destroy a car's engine by throwing it into reverse - that was a myth that supposedly had instant results.

The experiment at hand is completely counter to that philosophy. You can't excite an audience by blowing on a cartridge over and over, and you could need months before you see any progress.

Finally: Once again, it's gross and unnecessary.

I'll leave out the issue of sample size because, again, we know what's going to happen to a NES cartridge contact when it gets moist. It's going to corrode. If by some miracle it doesn't, you've goofed up your process somehow, like somehow obtaining a game that has a different type of contact pins, or not running the experiment long enough.

The only thing related to NES contacts that could be tested is how many blow/dry (hah) cycles you'd need to see degradation. But that's pointless for obvious reasons. Should I keep lighting up cigarettes until I die? I know I shouldn't start in the first place.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

... we know what's going to happen to a NES cartridge contact when it gets moist. It's going to corrode ...

The thing is, and it's been supported by other members in this thread and elsewhere, is that there was, and still are a very large faction of NES users out there that DON'T KNOW/DON'T BELIEVE that's what happens when you blow onto an NES cartridge. (I'll go out on a limb and say that it's a much larger number than those who DO know.)

Yes, WE believe it to be true ... but some people that I meet don't.

I'm sorry if I'm not properly representing the quality/integrity of the Mythbusters brand via my scientific method...I thought that it was pretty obvious that I was just trying to be cute/clever with that association.

Again, this is just for fun. I'm really not sure what the big deal is.

[Ed Oscuro]

The thing is, and it's been supported by other members in this thread and elsewhere, is that there was, and still are a very large faction of NES users out there that DON'T KNOW/DON'T BELIEVE that's what happens when you blow onto an NES cartridge.

Good for them. They're morons.

Yes, that goes for the people here and elsewhere who do this despite being told otherwise - you know who you are :P

Of course, many members here swear by erasers to clean NES carts, instead of using 99% isopropyl alcohol like they're supposed to. A related issue, that's all.

Yes, WE believe it to be true ... but some people that I meet don't.

You don't see me sacrificing SMB/DH carts because I loose sleep over it (I don't). Much more productive to challenge people directly and tell them the score.

I'm sorry if I'm not properly representing the quality/integrity of the Mythbusters brand via my scientific method...I thought that it was pretty obvious that I was just trying to be cute/clever with that association.

I never asked to be thanked for pointing out an important difference between what they do and what you're doing because I thought it'd help you, but likewise I don't have anything invested in their brand, so relax!

Again, this is just for fun. I'm really not sure what the big deal is.

Strange idea of fun you have.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

So, where does this misconception that I'm over-reacting/freaking out/and/or losing sleep over this thing come from?

[MachineGex]

Frankie, most of us think the idea is great and get the fact you are just doing this for fun. I for one have and will follow your progress to see what you find.

I am sure quite a few people have thought about doing this kind of experiment. I am glad you had the "will" to do it and thanks for sharing it with us.

As for this not being a Mythbuster type experiment, who cares? I have seen more plenty of Mythbuster's episodes to know they are far from scientific. They mostly do experiments for fun and that is what this is about. I do remember them doing an experiment just like this: The planting growing myth(with different music).

[blue lander]

Of course, many members here swear by erasers to clean NES carts, instead of using 99% isopropyl alcohol like they're supposed to. A related issue, that's all.

I've had several NES cartridges that wouldn't play no matter how many times I scrubbed them with alcohol. Only thing that worked was a nice hard pencil eraser.

On a related note, I know when you clean metal with the kind of rubbing alcohol you get at the drug store, it leaves a fine sticky residue that tends to accumulate crap quicker than before. Is that less of an issue with 99% isopropyl alcohol?

[niolani]

I've had several NES cartridges that wouldn't play no matter how many times I scrubbed them with alcohol. Only thing that worked was a nice hard pencil eraser.

On a related note, I know when you clean metal with the kind of rubbing alcohol you get at the drug store, it leaves a fine sticky residue that tends to accumulate crap quicker than before. Is that less of an issue with 99% isopropyl alcohol?

I also heard that metal polish was very good to clean cartridge but, you'll have to open it, in order to clean it properly.

[Frankie_Says_Relax]

I've had several NES cartridges that wouldn't play no matter how many times I scrubbed them with alcohol. Only thing that worked was a nice hard pencil eraser.

On a related note, I know when you clean metal with the kind of rubbing alcohol you get at the drug store, it leaves a fine sticky residue that tends to accumulate crap quicker than before. Is that less of an issue with 99% isopropyl alcohol?

Sticky?

The only time that alcohol would leave a "sticky" residue is if it causes some type of glue that's already present there to become solvent again and then dry again to a tacky state.