Broken SNES Help

[Greg0rz]

Hi everyone. I've been a lurker here for quite a while and would appreciate some help with a broken SNES console.

I cleaned the cartirdge slot as well as the cartridges I'm attempting to play. Each game is confirmed working in my other SNES.

When I insert Game Genie with a game into the console, it goes through the Game Genie splash and plays sound effects, but stops with whatever is past the splash screen with the Game Genie logo.

Does anyone know what the problem could possibly be (since it would seem the contacts work, and video and sound are working as well)?

Thanks a lot!

[Hobie-wan]

Do they work without the GG?

[Greg0rz]

Sorry I should have clarified better.

No games work without the Game Genie.

No games work with the Game Genie.

However, the game genie served as a diagnostic tool and confirmed (at least i believe), that the sound and video are functional.

This leads me to believe that the problem is related to something else.

[Hobie-wan]

Ok, I have no suggestions for what to check on the console other than opening it up and checking for any obvious damage.

[Greg0rz]

Thanks Hobie-wan, I appreciate the input. I've looked through the console and have not found anything obviously loose or broken compared to my brothers working SNES.

For anyone else who is reading, here are videos of the boot sequences without and with game genie:

With game genie:


Without game genie:

[Duke.Togo]

Have you tried swapping power supplies?

[Greg0rz]

Do you mean the plug / ac adapter? I tested two of them and both are working on another SNES I have sitting right next to the broken one.

Or are you referring to some internal part?

[Ziggy]

Duke.Togo was most likely talking about the AC adapter, since the SNES has no internal power supply (the AC adapter is the power supply).

Since you can load the Game Genie splash screen, I would say that sounds like a dirty contact problem. I know you said you cleaned the system and all carts. But since the carts work on another console, then perhaps there's some stubborn pins on the SNES that currently doesn't work. The female pins are very hard to visually inspect for grime and corrosion. They're also harder to clean. There might be one, or perhaps a few, pins that are still dirty.

I would suggest trying to clean the console's pins again, perhaps using a different cleaning method than before.

When you cleaned the console's pins, how did you do it? And what materials did you use?

[Greg0rz]

I used a piece of cardboard cut to the size of the cartridge insert.

I doused it in 99% isopropyl and then moved it in and out of the 62 pin connector several times. After that I used a dry piece of cardboard to try to pull anything out and then used some compressed air and time to let it dry.

I've done this around 3 times on the broken console. This worked after the first try on another console I used this technique on. Perhaps the game genie has a slightly wider insert and has better contact with the system.

What's strange to me is that while the game genie boots, it does not ever get to the code input screen or boot into the game (which does work on the other console)

[CRTGAMER]

I'm not sure about the SNES Game Genie, but the NES Game Genie has a thicker connector then the game cart. It would bend the console connector pins open too far for a regular game cart to work by itself. Maybe that is what happened to your SNES? In addition, you have the added headache of two connectors not making full contact with the both the Game Genie and game cart plugged in. Maybe the console connector pins have to be bent slightly closer together?