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I was just playing DKC on my oldest SNES (had it since 92 and it has seen a LOT of use) and no bright line. I turned the brightness all the way up, no difference. I was playing the darkest levels (mine carts, loopy lights, etc) and nothing. If the cause was something that ages in the console, it would probably be effecting this particular console.

Okay I might try that. Failing that maybe I could ship it to you Ziggy?

Maybe there is a decaying capacitor in the SNES that causes this.

Jamisonia wrote:Okay I might try that. Failing that maybe I could ship it to you Ziggy?

If you don't mind paying the shipping back and forth, then yeah, no problem. I have 4 different SNES right now (and have had many others) and never had the problem. So if you ship me yours and I see the vertical bar, then we'll KNOW it's because of your system and probably not some environment issue.

Redifer wrote:Maybe there is a decaying capacitor in the SNES that causes this.

Possibly, yeah.

take the snes to a friend's house or a shop and have them hook it up, shipping is a beeeyotch.

Shipping for the mini via Parcel Post wouldn't be too bad. Wrap that thing up in bubble wrap, or possibly just use several plastic grocery bags, then wrap brown paper over it. That'll probably ship one way for ~$5. Maybe less. It's pretty light. No wires or anything, just the bare console

But yeah, he said he was gonna take it to a friends (or whatever) first and give that a see. And by the way, Jam, if you're gonna take it some where locally, might as well take more than one SNES if you can.

Interested in hearing an update on this, as I have the same issue with my SNES.

Jamisonia wrote:I've already tried a power conditioner though. Are you saying this might filter out noise a power conditioner wouldn't?

I also tried ferrite chokes today. Also no change. I think its probably the issue isn't coming from the power.

No, I just somehow missed where you tried that already. My bad.

Keep us updated. I would love to know whether this happens at other locations.

I am very confident that anyone saying they "don't have it" is just not seeing it, either due to their particular TV, or its settings, or they are not playing games that show it easily. I even fooled myself into thinking my new model 2 SNES did not have the line, but halfway through Yoshi's Island, there it was.

My experience…

Games that will show it easily:
Super Metroid
Earthbound (you can see it almost constantly while on the overworld)

Games that show it fairly easily:
Yoshi's Island (almost every "castle" level will show it easily)

Other extremely common games, such as Link to the Past, Super Mario World, Super Mario Kart, and so on, have never showed the line for me.

I am using a 32" Sony WEGA CRT (standard definition) that has been calibrated. The contrast is set relatively low (to prevent blooming). I am using all official cables and a brand new SNES model 2 fresh from the box. The "bar" down the center of the SNES games always appears as a darker vertical area from top to bottom directly in the middle of the screen.

I thank the OP for posting his experience (replacing capacitor), as this has been the common excuse for this phenomenon for many years.

In a few days, I will take my SNES to my friend's house and load up Earthbound on her LCD TV. I shall report back with my results.

this might actually be an effect from some of the chips on the board of these particular games not being shielded correctly.

concerning my super famicom - i own smw 2 japanese so i will check this out next time i have a chance.