NES or alternative...

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

Hey all,

My NES has really been giving me trouble lately with random freezes/resets. I opened it and cleaned it a few times over the years but it slowly gets worse again and can be really frustrating if you are well into a game. I bought a used NES for cheap and had even more trouble with this system. I opened it up and saw that the pins had been replaced, so it's more or less garbage as far as I'm concerned with this cheap, aftermarket  pin set.

My question is.. should I go out and try to get another NES and hope that I have a better luck or just buy one of these cheap clone consoles like Hyperkin Retron 1 which are around $40? I've heard these can have bad sound and a slightly different color than og hardware but I am getting tired of the random resets and having to fiddle with carts to get it to work. I will be playing this on a CRT exclusively and it's just to replace my NES. I assume that playing a clone console on a CRT would not have any lag? That is far and beyond the most important thing to me. I have no interest in the high-end HD clone systems. Thanks.

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

So it’s just a connection issue between the zif and cart pins?

[Tulpa | 3,526]

You can get genuine original NES pin connectors off of Ebay for $10-$20. I would try that route first. 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/161318155840?hash=item258f4fb640:g:li0AAOSwymxVK0H3&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAA8GFZgGSeE3GJN8bWwSjw0t4MFJ%2Bb1Icoi1DCwcNMzzOfM0I79VJgiTqxQrgfhUWXZR0%2FrnGRxNnirlZQugSjlSeMVJ6excS7guz9rRFZpSLnJ0qjrHL%2FJSu4UsWAaHMiUs2locAd25ilpPf92q%2FrwYx2IgyBjBTBJp6a%2BpD8Q%2FmOYJtLKUYS6jgCWY7J9V7msZa4R9uX4XsSZbhysssL3TkEfN11nT4f35cFc6o3RI40I%2FOaWdz35DE37RTOiyDGUiF2L%2BPGlfiwduaDzR2GPbUYTRO3UdYvFIqorU1pLci0tHuynEGOdQgRo26BjHb60Q%3D%3D|tkp%3ABk9SR8CastXVYQ
 

I've tried a few of those AV NES clones before getting my AVS, and while they do work okay, they can have sound issues, some color issues,, some compatibility issues and one conked out less than a year in. The "best" one I've found was the 8-Bit Entertainment clone, but even that had some issues. They shouldn't have any lag with a CRT, though.

 

Oh, hey, @Armageddon Potato seems to have some!

https://www.ebay.com/itm/144285414972?hash=item219814b63c:g:0AUAAOSwSwphjBID&amdata=enc%3AAQAHAAAAsFlHLsM7hDMLEJfqbanMWOMlJQijYgPTdiCMjrdaQJPmnhCWsSPptzl4GhyakEsht6Ca9OgTk%2FHWlMX6QuFEx0E7GnXPBFC5O5sbjWskZy0TytH492N%2BIYbECB3XKIzKUuloo79xwuD7gq2JxzQH3NXaGDFeiZcm%2F52dtIs5DUxUg40Ef%2FI%2BsFn1XldA9Y8TFXIrVcKEa5%2BOHCq9uzBZs7E8niGCA5dblAt%2FwjZhWoh0|tkp%3ABk9SR8CastXVYQ

 

Edited March 4, 2023 by Tulpa

[a3quit4s | 4,121]

I’d just try the ole boil it trick and pull the pins back out to where they are supposed to be before I bought another that’ll probably have the same issue

[Khromak | 770]

What about an AV Famicom? Not sure what the prices are these days, but my go-to have always been toploaders (RGB modded) or AV Famicom for CRT. They're 1000x more reliable than toaster NES, but still provide the original experience.

[darkchylde28 | 1,546]

I concur about boiling the connector and giving that a shot before replacing any parts or even the whole system.  If all you've been doing is cleaning everything, it's most likely the connector just getting too loose to be reliable.  You can also carefully bend each pin up again with a pick, but it's not easy to get each pin to bend up the exact same amount without bending something too far (which will cause any cleaning kit to catch in the connector, ask me how I know), so it's really best to go with the boiling trick first since it works every time where the connector is the issue.

3 minutes ago, Khromak said:

What about an AV Famicom? Not sure what the prices are these days, but my go-to have always been toploaders (RGB modded) or AV Famicom for CRT. They're 1000x more reliable than toaster NES, but still provide the original experience.

Those are decent systems, but if someone is wanting to play NES cartridges, you just create a delicate, unstable mess when using adapters on toploaders, similar to the Sega Gensis "tower of power."  A great idea for Famicom games or if a Famicom Everdrive were being employed, but personally I'd vote against it with NES cartridges involved, even though you can technically make it work.

[Tulpa | 3,526]

Regarding the boiling trick, keep in mind he found his NES has those aftermarket pins. They're likely fine in terms of being clean, they just don't have quite as good connection as the ones Nintendo made.

I would recommend a Blinking Light Win connector, but they seem to be out of stock (supply chain issues), and ones on eBay are going for outrageous prices (you shouldn't pay more than $30 for one.)

[MrWunderful | 2,927]

20 minutes ago, Tulpa said:

Regarding the boiling trick, keep in mind he found his NES has those aftermarket pins. They're likely fine in terms of being clean, they just don't have quite as good connection as the ones Nintendo made.

I would recommend a Blinking Light Win connector, but they seem to be out of stock (supply chain issues), and ones on eBay are going for outrageous prices (you shouldn't pay more than $30 for one.)

I like the Blinking light win too. Sucks they are hard to get. 

[Andy_Bogomil | 815]

49 minutes ago, darkchylde28 said:

 You can also carefully bend each pin up again with a pick, but it's not easy to get each pin to bend up the exact same amount without bending something too far (which will cause any cleaning kit to catch in the connector, ask me how I know), so it's really best to go with the boiling trick first since it works every time where the connector is the issue.

 

I think that's how I got here with my original NES... I cleaned it by boiling it way back and it worked great but slowly over time gave out again. I remember trying to pinch the pins together and it worked for quite some time, but then seemed to reset even more frequently once it started to have trouble.

The other connector I have on the used one I bought is visibly warped. In fact, I pushed one of the pins right out putting in a game one day.

I didn't realize they sold authentic pin connectors. I'll likely try that route first and then move on to some of the other suggestions. I'd really like to stay with og hardware and avoid buying a clone system. From the reviews sometimes the colors/sound are way off and seems like a few games like Battletoads crash regularly.

Thanks for the input people.. helped a lot. I let ya know how the fix goes.

[Ankos | 452]

If you are looking into cheap clone stuff, maybe consider the Retroad extension converters for SNES/SFC. I haven't used the NES one very much, and don't think it would give as good of an experience as a real NES, but if you are down to use cheap clone stuff you might get a kick out of it. The GBC one works surprisingly well though, and is how I play most of my Gameboy games these days

[Ankos | 452]

There's also some really old clones that work pretty good, but those can be harder to come by, and are normally designed around the Famicom so I am assuming those are not what you are looking for

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

At the end of the day the frontloader wont…operate as efficient as a top loader but the video output of a frontloader is superior when comparing unmodified consoles. 

Imo the faulty zif connector, along with the esthetic of the frontloader, is part of the experience, charm, nostalgia and when the zif needs boiled I welcome the experience as part of the hobby. 

back in the day we wiggled and prayed. Threw in some cardboard to smash it down more. I mean I remember tinkering for sometimes 15 minutes to hit the sweet spot….and if anybody breathed on the console it would reset lol! Omg your buddy would inevitably trip on the cord and kill your run!

also I have gone through them all. Toploader, av famicom, blinking light win…and after all said and done. I settled on a frontloader with a chipped corner and a loose zif, I’m the second owner of “joey’s” nes and it will stay that way. I wouldn’t mind if it was a bit more yellow or banged up lol. 

Edited March 4, 2023 by docile tapeworm

[Tulpa | 3,526]

Just now, docile tapeworm said:

Imo the faulty zif connector, along with the esthetic of the frontloader, is part of the experience, charm, nostalgia and when the zif needs boiled I welcome the experience as part of the hobby. 

back in the day we wiggled and prayed. Threw in some cardboard to smash it down more. I mean I remember tinkering for sometimes 15 minutes to hit the sweet spot….and if anybody breathed on the console it would reset lol! Omg your buddy would inevitably trip on the cord and kill your run!

Proof that Skinny's a masochist.

[RH | 4,936]

I own Skinny's former BLW NES.  I want to say, if you can get one at a reasonable price, I've been nothing but happy. The biggest complaint is that it does hold those cartridges really, really tight.  One day I might open it up, try to figure out what's going on there and then sand/smooth down .5mm to fix that, but for now it's fine.  I've never had a cart that hasn't worked on it, unless the cart was broken (or I first forgot to clean it.)

I really, really like the experience of pushing down the cart and feeling that amazing "click" but at the end of it all, that was a poor design for longevity sake.  So far for me (after also boiling connectors AND buying aftermarket ones) I've come to the conclusion the the BLW, with it's annoyingly tight grip in the cart, is the best solution.  It'll take whatever you throw out it and just work.

[Tulpa | 3,526]

You might find some NES consoles with BLW already installed for a reasonable price.

I went to look up what BLWs (the connector itself) are going for on eBay. First one I saw was $300+ and I noped right out of that idea.

Edited March 4, 2023 by Tulpa

[Tulpa | 3,526]

4 minutes ago, RH said:

I really, really like the experience of pushing down the cart and feeling that amazing "click" but at the end of it all, that was a poor design for longevity sake.

I agree. I know the click of setting the cart in an NES is part of the experience, and that's fine and all, but the fiddling for 15 minutes to get a cart to load, I can do without. It's 2023, not 1989, and we're not eight years old with nothing better to do. We have options now.

[PII | 1,892]

I've never had a prob. after a boiled o.g. pin connector w/games that have clean contacts.  Only exception would be the rare instance of a game that has contacts in really below average condition that will always take a few tries to get a good connection.

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

2 hours ago, Tulpa said:

You might find some NES consoles with BLW already installed for a reasonable price.

I went to look up what BLWs (the connector itself) are going for on eBay. First one I saw was $300+ and I noped right out of that idea.

@RH I could have got $300 for just the blw?!!! Wtf?!! Lol

[docile tapeworm | 4,204]

1 hour ago, PII said:

I've never had a prob. after a boiled o.g. pin connector w/games that have clean contacts.  Only exception would be the rare instance of a game that has contacts in really below average condition that will always take a few tries to get a good connection.

Ya, I’ve never had to re-boil one. And the one I currently run on in the contest is a loose connection, the games will literally slide into the zif. I push them down and they play, I don’t get nervous during a run that I know is going to kick everyone’s ass, that it will reset.

[Tulpa | 3,526]

30 minutes ago, docile tapeworm said:

@RH I could have got $300 for just the blw?!!! Wtf?!! Lol

Well, those were brand new sealed going for $300.

Used ones would only net you like $200.

[RH | 4,936]

2 hours ago, Tulpa said:

Well, those were brand new sealed going for $300.

Used ones would only net you like $200.

What if it’s installed and tested in a NES?!

This does bother me though.  I like playing my NES more than probably any other TV console, but if in 5 years these things fetch north of $1,000 (which I doubt but nothings impossible in these crazy times) I’m going to seriously consider needing to put those collector/gamer dollars elsewhere.

Naaaah, I like it too much.

[Tanooki | 4,943]

If the classic is an issue and RF sucks why not pay up a wee bit for a traditional classic RCA style mod to a legit top loader?  I went that way a good decade until I got one with the hdmi kit installed you don’t want. It’s a great move. Solid old inputs and sold connector with the boon of no lame lockout chip. 

[cartman | 195]

The way i see it if you're already bothering using a CRT then you should use a real console. Otherwise might aswell not bother at all and just play through some e-shop, emulator or HDMI adapted console and be done with it.

A clone just seems like the worst of both worlds.

[fcgamer | 4,738]

33 minutes ago, cartman said:

The way i see it if you're already bothering using a CRT then you should use a real console. Otherwise might aswell not bother at all and just play through some e-shop, emulator or HDMI adapted console and be done with it.

A clone just seems like the worst of both worlds.

I only use clones (Micro Genius) and a CRT. Just don't buy poorly made modern ones.

[cartman | 195]

45 minutes ago, fcgamer said:

I only use clones (Micro Genius) and a CRT. Just don't buy poorly made modern ones.

There might be good ones i don't know but i still wouldn't bother with it when i could have an OG. Does Famicom even have the issue that he's talking about? Because the pitch was NES's flakiness.