19 replies to this topic

[atarilovesyou]

It's been months now since I swapped out my NES connector with one of those generics you find on ebay. While I noticed the difference in color, I figured it would work just as well as the old ones...well, when it wasn't old that is.

Well, I'm pretty disappointed overall with the quality of the ones I have (and I have two of em, bought from different sources).

First, the fit. It's tough to push the cart in, and remove. Definitely not as easy as the original...with these, you'll actually need to use the little grip spot on your nes carts! At first I thought it was just annoying and that after time it would loosen up...it hasn't.

Next, for the majority of carts, you don't have to push the tray down to get them to work. In most cases, carts won't even work if you try to push the tray down...annoying and strange.

Finally, with mine anyway, you have to make sure that you don't press the game in fully. Lately, to get it to work right the first time, you gotta push it in all the way, and then back it off ever so slightly. Then, it works. This wasn't always the case, but lately, it is.

I wish a company like Best Electronics would tackle a decent redesign of these pin connectors. I'm seriously considering figuring out how to clean my old connector...there must be some way, because these new connectors, I find, are lame.

If someone knows of a company or link to buying some replacement pins of better quality, please do so. Thanks!

[Hatta]

Unfortunately it's a bad design to begin with. It stands to reason that a cheap knockoff wouldn't be any better. I've had the same problems, except for the last one you mentioned. I can mostly tolerate it, it's not authentic behavior but it works.

You can refurbish your original connector if you want. I'd use a good contact cleaner and a small brush or qtip, gently clean each pin, and then use a small screwdriver to very slightly bend the pins back into position. I've done this on another NES I have and it works fine now.

Don't forget to clip the 10NES while you're in there.

[SlowCoder]

Good to know this, the problems with the new connectors. I have an NES in need of a new one. I did a repair on the pins, and it works again, but it's tough to get that carts in and out. I probably bent the pins too much.

[VertigoProcess]

....72-pin....

[goldenegg]

There are two primary manufacturers of these connectors. One is located in mainland China and the other in Taiwan. The product from China is definitely the inferior product. I picked up a few of the Taiwan connectors a while back and have used them to fix 5 units so far. Each one performs like new. Yes, it's going to be a little tighter than the original connector, but nothing which is damaging to the carts and it's not a struggle to insert/eject games.

[stones]

I honestly like the new connectors yes they are like a vice grip for around the first year and you never have to push the tray down. If you keep your games nice and clean it will always fire up the first time.

[Jibbajaba]

This is why I am always adamant with people about not replacing their connector with a new one. Unless the pins on your original connector are physically broken, the connector can be refurbished. How easily it can be done depends on its condition.

http://www.cgquarter...es/blinknes.htm

Chris

[Tr3vor]

I don't know what I got, but The only complaint I have with it is the tightness of it. Beyond that, I can push it down and it works just fine. I got it like 2 years ago. I don't know about the quality of them now....

[atarilovesyou]

Thanks for all the great tips...I think I'll try to follow the procedure to clean my old connector. So far, I went through a bunch of games today and now I've got to do the whole "push in all the way, back it off a little' to get them to boot the first time.

I'm not a fan of disabling the 10NES chip; I've done it once and I didn't like the way the screen immediately glitches before you see the title screen..kinda ruins the whole retro vibe, lol!

I'll report my findings...on a similar note, though, how often do you guys think one should periodically clean the game paks? I've done a thorough cleaning a few years back, but how long does it take to re-oxidize? The reason I ask is because for some reason, way back when, I took extremely good care of my NES and games. And unlike just about all my buddies, I never EVER had a problem with blinking games, no boots, that kinda thing...for the life of the system (I owned it for about seven years, I think?) Then after I sold it to a friend for beer (ah, youth), it became just as wonky as all the others.

I'm a firm believer that the games don't really get that oxidated if you take proper care of them in the first place, as long as you don't blow in them and that kinda thing (always replacing them in the sleeves).

[Lendorien]

My NES has the vice grip replacement. Honestly, I don't mind. I feel like this is how the connector should have been in the first place. No pushing the tray down required.

[atarilovesyou]

Just looking over the NES systems on ebay makes me realize that many, MANY perfectly good 72 pin connectors are being thrown away and replaced with the cheapo knock-offs.

Considering what an amazing job boiling the old connectors does to restore their lifespan, this really sucks! It's really tough to find older systems that haven't been refurbished. And if only these sellers knew that their old connectors could be made to work perfectly again with a procedure that's easy...and FREE!

Man...I think I'm gonna go hit a bunch of pawn shops and lowball em' on their filthy old NES systems...they can be brought back to non-blinking life!

[snstay]

Lol my new 72 pin connector is like a vice grip too. Good thing i only have my powerpak in there and only have to take out the cf card.

[sqoon]

New 72 pin connectors are almost always not needed when the NES won't play games. The easy repair is to take the case apart, and remove the spring loaded cartridge tray. Then, run a folded piece of sandpaper back and forth between the existing pins a few times. Look to see how much dirt is coming off onto the sandpaper. Follow up with a toothbrush soaked in isopropyl alcohol, running it back and forth over the pins multiple times. Make sure to get the toothbrush bristles deep between the pins. Put everything back together and it should work like new. Just be sure to clean the cartridge pins before inserting into your newly cleaned NES console.

[SlowCoder]

atarilovesyou, on Sat May 19, 2012 11:11 PM, said:

Considering what an amazing job boiling the old connectors does to restore their lifespan, this really sucks! It's really tough to find older systems that haven't been refurbished. And if only these sellers knew that their old connectors could be made to work perfectly again with a procedure that's easy...and FREE!

Boiling? This is the first time I've heard this trick. Details?

[atarilovesyou]

SlowCoder, on Mon May 21, 2012 12:10 PM, said:

atarilovesyou, on Sat May 19, 2012 11:11 PM, said:

Considering what an amazing job boiling the old connectors does to restore their lifespan, this really sucks! It's really tough to find older systems that haven't been refurbished. And if only these sellers knew that their old connectors could be made to work perfectly again with a procedure that's easy...and FREE!

Boiling? This is the first time I've heard this trick. Details?

SlowCoder, on Mon May 21, 2012 12:10 PM, said:

atarilovesyou, on Sat May 19, 2012 11:11 PM, said:

Considering what an amazing job boiling the old connectors does to restore their lifespan, this really sucks! It's really tough to find older systems that haven't been refurbished. And if only these sellers knew that their old connectors could be made to work perfectly again with a procedure that's easy...and FREE!

Boiling? This is the first time I've heard this trick. Details?

http://www.atariage....__ boiling nes

The instructions in the link of the second post is what I followed. Works very well, PM if you need anything else but it's all in there. I added a step by following up the boiling with a shot of contact cleaner spray. Very impressed with the results!

[icemanxp300]

I boil and bake my pins and the results are amazing. They work wayyyy better than new pins.

Boil connector for a good 10 min

put it in a towel and shake excess water

bake at 200 for a good 10 min

let cool

meanwhile clean board pins using q-tips w/brasso until all green/black is gone, I mean scrub hard.

Put some rubbing alcohol on q-tip and wipe over pins to remove residue

Get deoxit gold and spray board pins and connector to prevent future oxidation

1st time loading a new cart wet a game w/rubbing alcohol and slide in and out a few times, cleaning cart after each swab, this removes the residue from pins themselves.

Enjoy brand newish system.

[dustygraves.]

i been doing this for about 5 years now) and in that time i only had to replace 2 pin connecters
because they were totally trashed beyond fixing. guess this is one of those non secrets that
not every one has heard about yet!)

[Metalwario64]

icemanxp300, on Thu May 24, 2012 7:11 PM, said:

meanwhile clean board pins using q-tips w/brasso until all green/black is gone, I mean scrub hard.

That's a good way to ensure that system will not last in the long term. Brasso is a strong abrasive, and using it on plated contacts such as on the NES and games will strip away the plating, making oxidation a ticking time-bomb. I speak from experience too. I tried using Brasso once years ago, and it stripped off much of the gold plating on one of my NES carts, leaving me with faded, silver tinted contacts.

Do not use Brasso on plated contacts on NES systems and cartridges, unless you want them to be useless in a few years. Instead, I'd recommend Q-tips with rubbing alcohol, and (preferably white) erasers.

Here's information to back me up:

http://nesdev.parodi...1c0aa9c8d#42565
http://www.nintendoa...&threadid=26600

[icemanxp300]

I guess you missed the part about deoxit!

[Metalwario64]

icemanxp300, on Fri May 25, 2012 6:32 AM, said:

I guess you missed the part about deoxit!

Yup, you're right. I was pretty tired. Forgive me.

Edited by Metalwario64, Yesterday, 4:29 PM.