New 72 Pin Adapters Unreliable?

[Jamisonia]

I've installed a few of these new 72 pin adapters you find on ebay over the years. They all seem to work, but they're finnicky. Sometimes the game only wants to work if you don't press it down, sometimes its only if you do press it down. Super Mario Bros 3 seems to be the hardest game to get work. Either way the games still require being played with to work.

On the other hand I have an NES that was repaired by Nintendo right before they stopped doing NES repairs. It hasn't seen any Game Genie use, and the same games play the first time, every time on that system.

So is this just my experience, or do these new 72 pin adapters not seem very good.

[Ziggy]

I never really understood all the hate for the replacement pin adapters. I've used several myself over the years, and I've never had any complaints. That includes the one I installed for a friend, and he didn't have any complaints either.

The only thing that I can say that might be a complaint is the "death grip" that it has. It makes pulling a cart out much harder. But actually, I used a Game Genie on mine a few times. Now the death grip is just a firm grip.

I've never had any problems with carts not working though. Mine has always worked perfectly, so long as the cart was clean.

[AppleQueso]

It's possible I guess that they may have used different metals or something in them?

There doesn't seem to be any reason why they should be so finnicky. I mean it's a pretty simple design. I never had any problems with mine other than the "death grip"

[Hobie-wan]

If a certain game is harder to get going than others, sounds like the cart(s) need another clean.

[CRTGAMER]

The only thing that I can say that might be a complaint is the "death grip" that it has. It makes pulling a cart out much harder. But actually, I used a Game Genie on mine a few times. Now the death grip is just a firm grip.

I've never had any problems with carts not working though. Mine has always worked perfectly, so long as the cart was clean.

It's possible I guess that they may have used different metals or something in them?

There doesn't seem to be any reason why they should be so finnicky. I mean it's a pretty simple design. I never had any problems with mine other than the "death grip"

If a certain game is harder to get going than others, sounds like the cart(s) need another clean.

Definitely clean every game cart PCB contact by taking apart the shell, best way to clean. This will prevent contaminating the NES connector.

I prefer trying to repair the original over a replacement due to replacements have the notoriety of kill the ZIF function. First by cleaning and if need be, slightly bending each pin just a little to maintain the ZIF function in the up position. If it still does not work a replacement is not all that bad. Its not like the NES will get the milage of inserts since it is not the only console sitting on the shelf. Just don't leave any cart inserted in the down position when not played for a while.

Every time a cart is pressed down the springs get pushed out a little. I suspect the original Nintendo brand has the better quality in the metal properties, may stay sprung to its original position longer? Most replacement connectors tend to be on the tight side, the game might run if left in the up position.

[Jamisonia]

If a certain game is harder to get going than others, sounds like the cart(s) need another clean.

Some games use more pins than other games. Super Mario Bros 3 uses all of the pins. I've noticed the new connectors work almost 100% reliably with games that don't use all of them.

I also found this:

http://www.digitpress.com/forum/showthr ... -discovery

It is from 2003, but this guy discovered that these 72 pin connectors had a 50% fail rate in detecting every pin being connected.

[BoneSnapDeez]

They do have the "death grip" but they're no worse than the Intellevision and C64 cart slots.

I have one "refurbished" NES with a new pin connector and have never had problems with it, thankfully.

I also have an old ass NES that I've owned since 1990. I did some work on the original pin connector the other day (dismantled the NES and bent the pins back into place) and now it works as well as the replacement.

[Duke.Togo]

The originals are easy to get back up and running, so I don't see the point on spending money on these. A little TLC and they work great.

I have one NES that I swapped for a new set and one of the pins came out of its spot when I pulled a cart out. Seemed to be of poorer quality.

[Hobie-wan]

Some games use more pins than other games. Super Mario Bros 3 uses all of the pins. I've noticed the new connectors work almost 100%

That's true too. I'd still suspect some dirt somewhere unless it was a truly crappy connector.

[Mod_Man_Extreme]

I've personally found that instead of replacing the 72-pin, cleaning the original OEM Nintendo one with electrical contact cleaner and a toothbrush coupled with disabling the NES-10 chip is a far, far better solution.