NBA Jam: TE, Save battery or EEPROM?

[Hobie-wan]

Those yellow tabs pop off?!

Pop is such a light word. More like 'can be wrestled off with much difficulty at which point you have made dents with a screwdriver and maybe have broken 1 or 2 of the tabs'.

[codegamer]

I know what kind of screws you're talking about, and they ARE annoying. There's probably the proper bit for them, but I couldn't be bothered with that. IIRC, I was able to unscrew them using a small flat head screwdriver after breaking that center pin off.

Does it look something like the bit illustrated in the top-right in this pic?...

Yes, exactly.

and like I said, while the link a few posts ago said EEPROM, there are 'battery activation' methods for the same cart.

If it is in fact EEPROM, those can be replaced right?

[Ziggy]

EEPROMs can and eventually will go bad, and they are replaceable so long as you can find the proper replacement.

If battery variations of the cart do exists, if I had to bet, I'd bet that yours contains a battery. Thinking about the lifespan of the battery and the EEPROM, it's more likely to have a dead battery.

If it does indeed have an EEPROM, and it has gone bad, you just have to find a compatible replacement. More than likely the exact EEPROM on the cart has long been out of production. Once you get the cart open, the EEPROM should have some alphanumeric codes printed on the top. If you search the model number on the internet you should be able to find the datasheet for it.

As for finding a replacement, I would first check the usual places to see if it's still available. DigiKey, Mouser, Allied Electronics, etc. But I'm assuming the exact model is phased out, so you could check the usual places for old stock. eBay has a lot of old stock, usually from China, for cheap. Just keep in mind that it is an EEPROM, and you probably don't wanna get a used one as a replacement. I would only get a used one as a last resort. Looks for old stock that is still brand new.

If you can't find the exact part anywhere, then you could search for a compatible replacement. If it's a big name manufacture that's still around, they could have a current model that's more or less just an updated version of the model you have. You could try emailing them, letting them know what part you have and asking for a direct replacement that's currently available. Otherwise, you could just use the datasheet to find a replacement. Just find any EEPROM that has all the same specs as yours.

[codegamer]

Wow, Ziggy! Awesome info! Thanks!

I'll have to see about getting it open, and when (if) i fix it I'll make a post here for others.

[aaron]

is there some particular emotional attachment to this particular copy of an otherwise $3 game cart?

[codegamer]

nope, just wanna fix it. And it seems that there are carts of these going bad.

It is EEPROM, Made by Microchip, and there are new ones for $0.30-0.75
One site I order from occasionally has them, I'll grab one when I order from there again, otherwise its a $5 shipping for that tiny part...

Found a bit that is shaped the same and used a hammer to tap down the center piece.

[Ziggy]

is there some particular emotional attachment to this particular copy of an otherwise $3 game cart?

I knew some one would say this. You can get another copy of the game for $5 on eBay. So what are you suppose to do with the broken one, throw it away? Put it in a drawer and have it remain broken forever? There's a finite amount of retro games in the world. Eventually all EEPROMs will go bad and have to be replaced. What if every one with a copy of NBA Jam TE for the Genesis decided to just get a knew one instead of fixing their broken one because it's only a $3 game, in 10 or 20 years how many copies of the game will be around? In 20+ years, how hard will it be to find a copy of the game that still saves?

I believe that any one who has the ability SHOULD be fixing retro games and consoles. For some one like me, swapping the EEPROM is a dead simple affair. The most annoying part would be waiting for the soldering iron to heat up. I shutter at the thought of all the video games that must have been thrown out because its owner was too naive to know it wasn't beyond fixing.

edit: By the way, I don't mean to come off angry or like a dick or anything like that. That's just my thoughts on the matter.

Found a bit that is shaped the same and used a hammer to tap down the center piece.

Yeah, forgot to mention, I'm pretty sure it's the same shape as a torx bit. So if you break that center pin out, you can just use a regular old torx bit to open it. I do remember using a small flat head to open mine though, even though I know I own a small set of torx bits. I guess I was trying to use a flat head to unscrew it before I had the pin broken off.

Anyways, glad you were able to easily find a replacement. Be sure to let us know when you get it working again, or if you need any more help.

[aaron]

is there some particular emotional attachment to this particular copy of an otherwise $3 game cart?

I knew some one would say this. You can get another copy of the game for $5 on eBay. So what are you suppose to do with the broken one, throw it away? Put it in a drawer and have it remain broken forever? There's a finite amount of retro games in the world. Eventually all EEPROMs will go bad and have to be replaced. What if every one with a copy of NBA Jam TE for the Genesis decided to just get a knew one instead of fixing their broken one because it's only a $3 game, in 10 or 20 years how many copies of the game will be around? In 20+ years, how hard will it be to find a copy of the game that still saves?

I believe that any one who has the ability SHOULD be fixing retro games and consoles. For some one like me, swapping the EEPROM is a dead simple affair. The most annoying part would be waiting for the soldering iron to heat up. I shutter at the thought of all the video games that must have been thrown out because its owner was too naive to know it wasn't beyond fixing.

edit: By the way, I don't mean to come off angry or like a dick or anything like that. That's just my thoughts on the matter.

hey man, no need to be an angry dick.