SNES malfuctions and issues (recycled thread)

[nightrnr]

I've considered the parting 2 systems into one as a future option. Rest assured, I do not plan to junk it. I'm a gamer pac-rat of the best kind.

Maybe I should dig up a few of my other system problems and seek answers for them too.

I have a couple semi-functional CDX systems: one displays no video (although I do get VERY fuzzy video when a 32X is attached; and trust me, it's not the run of the mill poor video quality that many Genesis systems suffer from).
The other I bought for parts and out of curiosity. It actually plays Genesis games fine, but a previous owner had left batteries in to corrode the inside of the system (honestly, who used that as a Discman? ). There are some important contacts to/from (or both) the CD board that would be a nightmare to repair in that that thing (and I damaged it further in my efforts to join it to my other CDX).

One day I hope to have the skill and guts to install a new video encoder in the 1st CDX and see if that fixes the issue (and then add S-video or Component ), but as of now, I'm still not quite up to the challenge.

The most complicated (as in not really) thing I have ever transplanted is an eeprom from one broken Xbox to another (other system had a bad HDD or something). Not sure why I thought that was the best solution, as there are better options for a spare Xbox that do not require risking physical damage from an amateur like me.

Really, I might be just as bad as the people you guys fear though. (I did mention damaging the solder point on the 1000uf power cap right? ; that should have been like the easiest cap to replace) But I just can't help myself.

[MaxWar]

Damaging a solder pad for a cap is not ideal but it is not mortal, they can be repaired with a little bit of wire.
It is pretty easy to damage them as you remove the caps. I now have a desoldering gun with electrical pump which makes this job much safer and faster but when I used a manual pump I damaged pads a few times while doing recaps... Especially on a specific genesis where the pads were holding by the varnish on the board.

[nightrnr]

I now consider this a Major issue and not minor.
I popped in Street Fighter II and player 2 is always messed up and several places have backround issues that affect both player sprites when they are in that area.
Also tried Final Fantasy II and random sprites are a mess.
I consider the system unplayable for SNES games.

Unless there is a fix, this SNES is now exclusively my "Super Game Boy"
(video issues don't directly affect GB games as far as I can tell).

[MaxWar]

One thing to be really careful with SNES, when taking it appart. If you unscrew the power switch from it's two poles, Make sure that :

1. Ac adapter is not connected.
2. The console is power cycled.

No.2 is especially important on models that have the big capacitor on the power input.
It can retain a "lethal" Charge even when the console is not connected. This charge it ready to be delivered to anything the power switch will touch. This can kill/damage chips.

[Ziggy]

Just for the hell of it, one day I decided to see just how long voltage will say in the console after it is unplugged. I turned the console on, stuck my meter's probes in the cart slot (not recommended at all!) and turn it on. 5v, as expected. Left the power switch on and pulled the power plug. It quickly shot down to almost nothing right away, but it took a good 30 seconds before it read 0 volts. Now, that is the power at the cart slot. I bet it would be even worse if I were measuring some where around the power input.

With anything, it's definitely good practice to unplug it then power it on and leave it on. I got myself in the habit of doing this.

[MaxWar]

I was saying this because I have a faulty SNES that I believe I damaged myself with that power switch. I did not power cycle the console and it was the one with the big cap at the input. This large cap keeps a charge of the voltage from the AC adpter, around 10v and is connected right to the power switch.

When the switch is loose, just touch anything with the lead and it will deliver that 10V to what it touched. Could damage or kill sensitive parts on the motherboard.

Now whenever I work On a SNES I apply glue the the switch leads to make it safer in the future.

[nightrnr]

Well, it's always possible that I did something bad to it, but I do at least unplug and turn it on for a few seconds to discharge the voltage.
But if it takes a full 30 seconds , I think I'll also get into the habit of leaving the power switch on after unplugging when I open things up.

When first I opened it up to clean, it had been unplugged for a long time, so I'm doubtful I was the cause of the malfunction.

In any case, I still haven't found a solution for this and it seems like some others, who never even opened their systems, have run into similar issues these days.

[Ziggy]

I was saying this because I have a faulty SNES that I believe I damaged myself with that power switch.

Stupid questions, I know, but... You checked the fuse, right?

Well, it's always possible that I did something bad to it, but I do at least unplug and turn it on for a few seconds to discharge the voltage.
But if it takes a full 30 seconds , I think I'll also get into the habit of leaving the power switch on after unplugging when I open things up.

When first I opened it up to clean, it had been unplugged for a long time, so I'm doubtful I was the cause of the malfunction.

In any case, I still haven't found a solution for this and it seems like some others, who never even opened their systems, have run into similar issues these days.

Here's what I normally do: I unplug it then turn the power switch on. Carry it over to my work bench and start taking it apart. I figure by the time I get it opened it's in the safe zone. I try and remember to do this with all electronics, not just the SNES. But yeah, the SNES is really easy to fuck up from not discharging. You can blow that fuse REALLY easily, or possible something worse.

[nightrnr]

So I pulled this system out again (the one I'm having trouble with) to test a couple more things and...
My spare SNES does not work AT ALL now !

It worked last time I had it out, aside from the video issues. But now I can't even get a game to load, it just shows a black screen. No amount of cleaning helps. It DOES turn on, as the red LED light shines, and power is getting to the game cart, as I put a game genie in and that led lights up as well.

The only cap that I did not replace is the one inside the audio component; this system has the separate/removeable "SHVC-Sound" component. So I might try that soon. I know games don't load without that attached and working.

But dammit!
I wanted to at least use this as a dedicated Super GB system, but now it's just parts fodder
(again, I won't throw it away, at worst I will donate it to somebody here, but I tend to like extra parts for experimenting, troubleshooting, salvaging etc.).

[nightrnr]

So I bought another broken system, which I thought I could combine parts for one working SNES.

This one has issues with the controller port or connection. It registers seemingly random button presses (like Start and X when the D-pad is pressed, but all the buttons are similarly messed up like that). Otherwise, the system seems to load games fine and has no such video issues as my other one..

I thought that by swapping the controller ports out with my other bad system that the problem would be fixed, but no such luck. It's not the controllers, they work fine in my good system.

I really want to make a fully functional system out of the 2 faulty ones.
Any ideas, in particular what could be wrong with the controllers not responding correctly?

I have also registered at assemblergames and will try troubleshooting there soon.