Need help with Nintendo System

[Cerek the Barbaric]

I'm talking about the old-timey original Nintendo System, designed to give the Mario Bros their own private electronic playground. My wife bought the system from a friend whose kids have outgrown and we also got 4 games with it.

We brought it home and I just finished connecting it to the TV...but it isn't working. I have the TV cable run through the cable adaptor box on the back of the game system and I've got both control hooked up, but I get NOTHING on the TV screen. I tried changing channels and when I reached Channel 3 (the normal "default" channel setting for running any auxillary hardware on the TV), all I got was screens changing colors. Blue, orange, green, etc. The entire screen would turn this color, then fade out and the next color would come up. I also tried switching game cartridges - same result

So - what have I overlooked or what have I done wrong? Or is the game system just shot?

[Firestormalpha]

Do you have a GameStop or EB Games store in your area?

Anyways there are inumerable possible solutions to your problem none of which are guarenteed. My bro actually has two NES systems at his appartment. One works perfectly, the other is our original and he took it apart to see if he could find out how to fix it. One way is to try cleaning the contacts with an alcohol solution (I know they say not to, but it worked for my bro). another idea has to do with sticking another cartridge in on top of the other cartridge holding the spring loading down causing the needed contact.

[Chewbacca]

Hey Cerek,

I work for one of the aformention companies and I work with those NES systems.

On the back of the system is a small switch that allows you to choose between channel 3 and 4...check to see if this is set to the channel you are using.

Get out a vacumn with a hose attachment and vacumn the inside of the system where you insert games.

If you have long q-tips and rubbing alcohol you can also swab the connecters where the game cartridge connects inside the system. Careful-Unplug system and use a flashlight to see the inside. Also swab the game cartridges with rubbing alcohol where they connect to the system.

Double check all attached wires, if you have a spare RFU adapter, try that to see if the one you are using has gone bad.

NES systems are notorius for being stubborn with regards to working, for example repeatedly loading and ejecting a cartridge until it works is not an uncommon method. This typically become unneccessary after a good cleaning, but not totally. My old Zelda only works by doing this several times, but Tetris worked just fine after a cleaning.

If all else fails take it to a local Gamestop, particualrly if you have one in a strip mall rather than an enclosed mall. The strip mall stores typically carry more older-system used stuff.

If all else fails you can sell it to Gamestop for 15-20 dollars (iirc) thats half the price of a SNES (supernintendo) which is far more reliable. Of course you can also get a Nintendo-64 for $20-$30 as well. That is another great system that is lightyears ahead of the NES and the step up from the SNES.

Good luck! [img]smile.gif[/img]

[ 11-08-2003, 05:04 PM: Message edited by: Chewbacca ]

[Cerek the Barbaric]

I've cleaned all the contacts and checked all the connections with only partial success. I can now get a couple of the game screens to actually come up on the TV, but the TV screen still keeps "blinking" and the game keeps re-setting itself. The screens flash constantly, so the game never has a chance to progress past the opening screen before it resets.

I did NOT vacuum out the catridge compartment in the game system. I'll give that a try next. In the meantime, I would greatly appreciate any new suggestions on what could be causing this new-found "blink/reset" problem.

[Seraph]

I had a system with a similar set of symptoms (I also got a godawful noise with the changing colors). I have a feeling it won't work, but try putting the game in the system, and continuing to press down on the cartrage after you push it down, and then while still pressing down turn the system on.

[Cerek the Barbaric]

Thanks for the tip, Seraph. That worked!!! Now we've managed to get all 4 games working. [img]graemlins/thumbsup.gif[/img]

[Svaerdhelgon]

Yeah the good old NES,it was the first console i had and it was the one to get me started in gaming.
Btw I bet you cant beat this; I started playing NES at 4 years of age [img]smile.gif[/img]

[Vaskez]

Well it seems pretty obvious to me that if it blinks then it's a bad contact. Ok so pushing down on the cartridge works because you're creating better contact between the cartridge pins and the port on the console. Get some of that contact-spray (can't remember what it's called) - you can get it at electronics stores and it improves electrical contacts by covering them in a conductive material. Spray the cartridge and console port.

[cloud ff7 38]

I had a problem like that with my ps1.
Are you using an RFU switch or an A/V jack?
If you are using an RFU sometimes the part that connects to the back of the tv is loose and it slides thusly making you lose connection with the tv. So the system can still turn on but you lose connection with the tv. This might be the problem. If you are using an A/V jack though I have no idea what the problem may be.

[Firestormalpha]

Cloud, you're young so I don't know if you are familiar with th old "antique" NES system. A pleasant little 8-bit gaming system. People who judge games solely on graphics would hate the system now. I still love it. Anyways NES systems are notorious for losing connector receptivity over time. That and all the games with a savegame function are powered by a battery with a four year lifespan. For those of us who want to replay those older games it kinda screws things up.