Playstation 1 freezes?

[itsmattxp]

The PS1 that I picked up at the garage sale as well as the n64 doesn't work either. SMH. It turns on and the audio/video works but it freezes at the home screen. Is this unfixable? It makes a wierd buzzing sound when its turned on with the lid but when the lid is removed no sound happens. Although they still freeze on the screen? Also I have a PAL N64 but am not sure if I should plug it into the outlet because something might catch on fire or short circuit. Can I just use a NTSC power plug?

Edit: Decided instead of making another thread, I'll just change this n64 one. Thanks to all that helped on that.

[Ziggy]

Probably just needs to be cleaned. Take a look at this recent thread: http://www.racketboy.com/forum/viewtopi ... 17&t=30835 CRT and I described how to clean the console.

[vlame]

did you check if it has the ram? n64 101-it needs the ram. make sure it has a working one, either the 4mb or the stock one.

http://www.nintendo.com/consumer/system ... ionpak.jsp

[itsmattxp]

The N64 has its RAM and I just attempted to clean the cartridge connectors and the system connectors using alcohol swab soaked cardboard (ghetto I know) but the system still doesn't work. I definitely know the AV cord works since it works for my n64 but not this one. Is there something I'm missing? Or is this a goner .

[Mechblue]

as simple as it may sound, take some compressed air to the cartridge slot. I've had a few systems refuse to work and then work better after cleaning the dust from the slot.

Beyond that I can't think of anything else. Either the solder is broken on the port or its failed.

Can you swap the ram pack from the working system to the non-working system? I've also had a system that seemed to have an issue with the ram pack only to work suddenly when put back in later...

[itsmattxp]

I've been repeatedly doing the cardboard trick with alcohol since I don't have a can of compressed air at the moment. For some reason the n64 will work after I do the alcohol cleaning but if I try a different game after that, it won't work. I noticed that it might be caused by me moving the console? So maybe something is wrong and the console will only work in a certain position? Really trying to get this thing working since it has shown to work before but for some reason the success rate is only about 40%. Maybe I really need to clean the pins some more?

[Ziggy]

Maybe not more, but better. Are you using just straight up cardboard? Try to rap something around the cardboard, like a cotton t-shirt or something like that. If the pins are that dirty, you really have to scrub them clean.

But when you clean it with the cardboard, after you're done, do you see the dirt/grim coming off on the cardboard?

As for your position theory, let's put that to the test. Next time you get a game to boot up, jiggle some stuff around. Try to jiggle just the A/V cord at the back of the console, maybe that input is dirty. Try to jiggle the cart back and forth and see if that does anything. Of course, try to do these things with out knocking the entire console around.

How does the cart slot feel when you put a game in it? Does it feel loose at all?

[itsmattxp]

Maybe not more, but better. Are you using just straight up cardboard? Try to rap something around the cardboard, like a cotton t-shirt or something like that. If the pins are that dirty, you really have to scrub them clean.

But when you clean it with the cardboard, after you're done, do you see the dirt/grim coming off on the cardboard?

As for your position theory, let's put that to the test. Next time you get a game to boot up, jiggle some stuff around. Try to jiggle just the A/V cord at the back of the console, maybe that input is dirty. Try to jiggle the cart back and forth and see if that does anything. Of course, try to do these things with out knocking the entire console around.

How does the cart slot feel when you put a game in it? Does it feel loose at all?

I was using straight up cardboard but have been trying to wrap bounty around the cardboard with it soaked with alcohol to clean the pins better. However, all that does is make it harder into the pin connector. I don't really see much dirt/grim just the inprints of the pins on the cardboard. The game fits perfectly into the system and doesn't feel loose at all.

Edit: Now the sound works but the video doesn't. =/

[Mechblue]

I'm guessing if the alcohol makes it work then not work with the next game you need to clean out those pins more.

I would recommend taking the system apart and soaking the pins in denatured alcohol.

This is how i've cleaned some of the older NES systems that have the same problem.

[Ziggy]

Well I don't know about paper towels cause they'll break apart and then you'll get loose fragments of it in your pin connector.

Try and clean the A/V port on the back of the console. Maybe that got dirty. Did you try and mess around with the A/V cable after you got a game to boot?

Also, are you sure you're carts are clean too? (I kinda remember you saying you tested them on another console).