SNES Troubleshooting

[GrouchoGlasses]

Sick of my FC3 controllers, I have decided to purchase an original Super Nintendo. However, I'm noticing a few problems in the switch.

Most (about 3/4) of my games boot up perfectly on a SNES mini I purchased last night, but a couple are very picky about their placement in the system--Zelda AlttP and DK Country 2. My television will register a connection in the Snes's input, but the screen will remain black. I can get these games working, but it takes a good half dozen tries of re-positioning the cartridge, resetting the system, etc. Keep in mind, these 2 games boot up on the first try on my FC3. All of my other cartridges work perfectly on my new SNES.

So far I have made all the efforts I know how to do to fix this problem.

1) I have cleaned the pin connector on the SNES
2) I have cleaned the copper leads on the cartridge
3) I have opened both cartridges and system to ensure no loose parts
4) I have tried a combination of different cables (A/V and Power)--they are not the problem

As I just purchased the SNES mini yesterday, I would like to to what else I can do. I believe my game store has a 7-day return policy.

Is a return my best bet?
Is the problem in the system or the games?
Why would this problem only affect a few select games?
If I do exchange, is SNES 001 more reliable? Perhaps a better FC Twin that supports OEM controllers?

Thank You for your expertise

And by the way, Racketboy has been a dream for assisting my in my retro gaming hobby. I owe the community my thanks!

[Teh Lurv]

Some quick thoughts:

• Since the games work fine on the clone, it is possible you haven't cleaned the pins enough on the SNES. A pin can look clean but still have a thin layer of grime that messes with contact. I recommend another round of cleaning. You could also try a contact cleaner like DeOxit. I've used it on carts where q-tips and rubbing alcohol don't do the job.
• It might also be that one or more of the pins in the console isn't making good contact with the cart. You could try bending the pins slightly to see if a tighter grip helps.

[SpoonyBard]

You could also try a contact cleaner like DeOxit.

This.


Also, since you just picked it up. Why not bring it back and ask them to do this cleaning? I'd suggest bringing in the system, the games in question (and some that you have that work well) and show them the problem. Explain that they worked well with your previous unit, but you'd prefer to play them on a SNES that you bought from them.

They'll probably either switch it out or repair it. Unless you purchased the system knowing that it had faults, or you know it's an easy repair you can do yourself, always attempt to exchange it for a working one before you start messing with it. If you paid for a working unit, you should get one.

[GrouchoGlasses]

Thanks for the advice. The plot is thickening!

After some trial and error, I found that if I hit the bottom of the cartridges on the palm of my hand--similar to how one does to a pack of cigarettes--the game will boot every time.

Clearly, this is not natural. My best guess is this aligns the pins for the cartridge into the connector. Is this alignment a fault of the system or the game? I don't think there are any loose parts in the cartridges. The board itself has some give in each direction, but nothing is broken. Perhaps a game fix is in order?

Are these sort of problems normal in these old cart based systems?

[Teh Lurv]

You could always take apart the affected games and check to make sure the plastic bits that hold the pcb in place aren't broken or warped. Otherwise, I'd say keep cleaning the console.

[SpoonyBard]

I found that if I hit the bottom of the cartridges on the palm of my hand

Since you're hitting the bottom, you're doing this with the game not inserted into the system? If so i'd have to assume the fault would lie in the cartridge.

Do you have a friend with a copy of either of those games that you could test on your system?

3) I have opened both cartridges and system to ensure no loose parts

Can you physically move the pins while the cartridge is together?

Are these sort of problems normal in these old cart based systems?

The most common faults are dirty/scratched contacts and bent pins, and they're fairly common.

[GrouchoGlasses]

Since you're hitting the bottom, you're doing this with the game not inserted into the system? If so i'd have to assume the fault would lie in the cartridge.

I hear the board as being a little loose inside the cartridge. The give in any direction isn't more than 1mm, but there is some wiggle/movement. I will hear it when shaking the cartridge or physically moving the pin lead connector in the cart.

It seems like just about all of my carts have this same "looseness," though. I'm having trouble justifying this being the problem with a select few. My Chrono Trigger feels the loosest of all and it boots up first time every time.

Do you have a friend with a copy of either of those games that you could test on your system?

Will do and get back this evening on this.

Can you physically move the pins while the cartridge is together?

Everything in the system is very sturdy. No loose noises.

I'm running my system through a component switch box on my HDTV (the SNES is Composite into the correct inputs--Yellow into Green and Red/White in Red/White). Does this ever pose any difficulties with getting a signal?

[SpoonyBard]

I'm running my system through a component switch box on my HDTV (the SNES is Composite into the correct inputs--Yellow into Green and Red/White in Red/White). Does this ever pose any difficulties with getting a signal?

When you boot the game and the screen is black, are you still getting audio? Obviously hooking up through composite would be a better option, but I don't see how your current connection would run some games only some of the time, and others all the time. It's most likely a problem with the pins on the cartridge or the console.

Try out another copy of one of those games. If it works immediately, try to insert it a few more times. If that works, odds are the problem is with your cartridge.

Also, check for scratches on the pins of the cartridges.


Not as familiar with the SNES, but i'm assuming that they use a pin for the lockout chip like the NES? Can anyone confirm this? If so, i'd check specifically that pin. Odds are your FC3 didn't need that pin and that could certainly prevent a game from booting (if it even exists on the SNES).

[GrouchoGlasses]

When you boot the game and the screen is black, are you still getting audio?

There is no Audio or Video. Just a black screen. "Component-A/V" will flash in the top corner (standard for Insignia TVs when recognizing an active input) then "NTSC" will flash in the same box. After this, it is a black screen. Keep in mind there is no "no signal" notice, so a signal is present, but I only see a black screen with no audio.

[Hobie-wan]

Yeah, the console is just outputting black as it isn't able to start the program.