How to Recap and repair your SEGA Game Gear

[@mariehassett247]

36:17

[@vansyugo1]

I’ve watched a lot of console and game repair videos and you seem, by a mile, better at soldering than every other channel I’ve watched.

[@backofficeshow]

You are too kind, thank you!

[@vansyugo1]

@@backofficeshow also wanted to know that I watched this video while doing research on how to fix a game gear a work buddy had and it helped tremendously. I brought it back to it’s old glory!

[@backofficeshow]

@vansyugo1 that's fantastic. I did Video about a screen replacement recently, that was a game changer

[@Dukefazon]

1:42 - lol, I did the same yesterday but with a GBA. I freaked out as I thought it killed the system but turns out the power switch is a bit flaky.

[@johnsashes]

Well that is a small world scenario. I am in the middle of recapping a VA1 model and I open this video. Low and behold I recognize that sticker! I didn't expect to find the model I sold you in the same video I would watch over a year later! And yes, mine also smelled very fishy while desoldering the leaky caps.

[@backofficeshow]

Ha ha that's amazing 😂👏 I think quite a few items from my excursion to the shop ended up in videos! I still have a massive thorn in my side from the Ti-98/a I got on one trip. Good times. Definitely just have been over two years ago maybe 3.

[@katakisLives]

Having skipped through that video I'm now 100 percent convinced i could never do that in a million years

[@jester6856]

Great video...you make it all easy... Kinda giving me confidence to tackle these things myself........ One thing... You don't half talk a lot of mince to yourself while doing it... But I love it...🤩....you have that voice that puts one at ease. Great work pal. Thanks

[@backofficeshow]

Thank you, I am glad it should help 😁 If I'm not recording there is usually a lot of silence intermixed with the occasional uttered swear word. I guess while recording it's like I'm talking to all those friends and colleagues I wished I had 😂

[@Challenge_A.I.]

This is a great step by step representation for a good recap and repair video. Watching this I feel confident repairing the caps in the future

[@backofficeshow]

Than you for taking the time to leave feedback, much appreciated

[@0ldfashi0ned]

I'd definitely clean the leaked out nastiness with IPA first, then remove the old solder, than clean again and finally I'd apply fresh solder.

[@Red_Panduh]

You didn’t clean any of that leaked cap fluid off the board. That stuff is going to eat through.

[@6581punk]

Got one I was given that doesn't work. Hopefully this will fix it. Although I think I would need to replace the screen with one of these modern replacements. I did my Lynx and GBC.

[@backofficeshow]

I'm sure it will, seems to be the main failure mode

[@Toogman]

Hey great video matey, I've done a fair few myself, just a couple of pointers is when you take the cap off and you are smelling that fishy smell that's the electrolytic liquid leaking from the cap and is very corrosive so it's best to clean around the area with some ipa to stop it from eating away at the traces nearby. Cheers keep up the good work buddy. 😘😘

[@mr.flex3019]

Could you do a movie using 1206 ceramic caps For the game gear would love to see it thanks

[@dudeguy7347]

I replaced all 20 of the electrolytic capacitors in my Game Gear. Still haing issues. Before this I would get no screen and no sound and a red light that would fade away right away. Now I get a red light that stays on. Very bright screen. Sound that mostly works it seems. But I get a garbled picture that just looks like jailbars. The only thing that got messed up during my repair was that a component came loose along with its pads. I made sure that the component got reattached to the copper I scraped away. Idk what else it could be. Not enough solder on my capacitor legs?

[@Keviwn]

I have an old Game Gear that shows no signs of life. I'm going to try recapping it before I resign it to becoming a shell for a retropi build

[@katakisLives]

my gamegear goes on for a second then goes off i hope its not too late

[@Gameboy-Unboxings]

@@katakisLives no. That's just a sign it needs recapped.

[@salvatorecavallo337]

Hi, I have a Game Gear that had a leaky capacitor problem. I changed all the capacitors and the picture improved, but a flicker remained. I decided to take the retrosix lcd kit, hoping to solve, instead I find myself with the split and superimposed image. Do I have to check some voltage values on some pins or some missing connections in particular, to avoid having to follow every track of the wiring diagram? Any suggestions are greatly appreciated, thanks.

[@paulb4uk]

I bought one a while back to fix it just about shows a game running and no sound, should also be fine when the caps are done it seemed a good way to get one being cheaper to buy a faulty one and fix it my self screen change will look superb ,lipo conversion would be great i remember back in the day the battery's lasting a very short time my atari lynx and game gear they would eat through Duracell .Lipo conversion of an 80,s boombox is something that has been on my mind for ages seen loads of video,s of people adding bluetooth .

[@backofficeshow]

I'm certainly going to keep my dude m eyes open for broken ones! I'll post a video about the lipo project. I think it definitely needs to be done!

[@RM-en9gk]

About how hot you set your soldering iron to resolder game gear caps?

[@backofficeshow]

I rarely run mine under 300c

[@custardo]

22:22 Never seen that caps in that form factor before!

[@backofficeshow]

Custardo!! Wahey!! I was missing you

[@custardo]

@@backofficeshow I'm still here!

[@erin2905]

Love that retro shop one my fav in Detroit

[@backofficeshow]

Hopefully I will be able to go back there soon and resupply!

[@markzuckerbergette6185]

so i replaced the caps on the power board but still no power light coming on... is my game gear toast?

[@backofficeshow]

There are guys in the discord channel who would be able to help you out

[@nanaahogue6618]

I bought a game gear that works but needs to be updated with new capaitors lcd screen ect. Do you do this

[@russp142]

Hi, I was just wondering if anyone can help me. The C12 and C15 chips have come loose on my game gear board. I know the C15 is 0.1u the C12 is 0.22u… but I can’t find online what voltage they should be…

[@backofficeshow]

If you jump on the discord there will be people who can help 👍

[@MrSergione1978]

Great video! I've got one GG bought for 5 euros at flea market, I disassebled and the situation was awful there, caps leaking and pads in some cases are destroyed. After a recap on the main board and some bridges my device is getting power and switch on but I've no joy. If I could do some questions, have you some suggestions on where are test points for voltage check? I'm no professional though

[@backofficeshow]

I don't really have any suggestions as I have not dug around at that level. If you spot some standard ICs on the board you can use their datasheets to see their power pins.

[@MrSergione1978]

@@backofficeshow Thank you, is not the answer I'm searching for, but I appreciate your reply. Cheers

[@izzymaedavidson1974]

Is there a reason the capacitors always die on game gears? Is is just a bad design?

[@backofficeshow]

They always die in everything, but I think it's accelerated in this case because they were cheap.

[@Toogman]

There was a big capacitor plague in the late 80s through 90s and Sega were one of the big brands that was affected by it, most capacitors do fail naturally but not all of them in the unit. The best way to cure it is too definitely change the whole lot. And give it a great clean with ipa.

[@ronaldhenson9170]

Sega used cheap capacitors

[@abusamra47]

Isn't there a way to test which one is the faulty one instead of replacing all of them? I have the same issue and trying to get it fixed but I really want to know if there's a way to test which One is the bad one instead of having to replace all of them.. Thank you

[@backofficeshow]

Not really, you would have to take them out to test them

[@abusamra47]

@@backofficeshow OK thank you so better off changing all of them got you

[@Red_Panduh]

Always change them all if you are already doing it. They are 30 years old and were poor quality to begin with.

[@terminalamthai3130]

C54 and C55 is 0.47uf or 47uf pls

[@raykupal]

it's called a mu not a u. nyuk nyuk nyuk! thank you for the vid. i used this to destroy and fix mine.

[@blackaspitch631]

nice video but isn't there a way to stick a multi meter to each capacitor to see which one is bad. I of course have a game gear from my childhood that doesn't work and don't have the soldering skills you have and don't want to get good at it tearing down my game gear. there has to be a way to target what's good and bad.

[@astral5564]

Great, thank you!

[@backofficeshow]

Glad it was helpful!

[@sakurLOL]

Mine sega GG dosent turn on, ill try to change capacitors maybe it gonna work

[@backofficeshow]

Always worth a shot. I suspect that week fix the issue of it is still on the first set of capacitors

[@bricksandpieces1]

You may not know the answer but I have a question.when I turn mine on I see a blue screen,no sound.i played with the briteness wheel but it dident do anything.any suggestestions to fix it?EDIT:turned it on again and I can gear a quiet,staticky,almost hiss.no clue what it is.please sir,can you help me?

[@backofficeshow]

Have you recapped it yet? That will almost certainly help fix the issue

[@bricksandpieces1]

@@backofficeshow no i have not.i love video games but do not feel to comfortable fixing it myself.do you know of anyone who does it?I might consider it.

[@backofficeshow]

@A3rgan on Twitter can help, his profile: Enjoys gaming, computer hardware, computing and partial to cups of tea. I like to un-break things. Repair threads archived on aergan.com

[@bricksandpieces1]

@@backofficeshow ok thanks.i will check it out

[@bricksandpieces1]

@@backofficeshow have you used him before?if so how muych would it be

[@ronaldhenson9170]

It's totally worth it to fix Sega game gear

[@CountingCarp_uK]

Where did jaws come from

[@clappinmonkey0944]

i wish mine looked that nice.... i opened it and the thing is full of blue moss

[@backofficeshow]

Blue moss? Oh no. What are you going to use to clean it?

[@clappinmonkey0944]

@@backofficeshow im thinking vinegar or a mix of water and baking soda, i also could use battery terminal cleaner which does the same thing... im currently in the process of re capping it so once that is done ill deal with the moss

[@backofficeshow]

I would use neat vinegar, scrub it, then rinse first with water and then with IPA

[@lowercase7455]

ok so on mine the brightnes wheel broke off and i cant put it back on, got any ideas how i can fix it?

[@backofficeshow]

Without seeing it, its really hard to comment. Can you post a picture somewhere?

[@lowercase7455]

@@backofficeshow do you have instagram?

[@backofficeshow]

Possibly

[@lowercase7455]

@@backofficeshow may i send you a picture in there?

[@backofficeshow]

@@lowercase7455 post a picture on whatever public service you like and link it here

[@6581punk]

Look at this video on the baking soda and superglue trick for fixing that catch. kzbin.info/www/bejne/pGLQlqKQlq2MkNE

[@TheHoost2]

Hi. I have a gg thats been recapped. Do u do screen mods?

[@backofficeshow]

kzbin.info/www/bejne/oXimpoF9pZuGbtEsi=NuXpD16SKit5nVwf

[@TheHoost2]

@@backofficeshow thanks. I was wondering if you offer the service as im not the best at soldering

[@backofficeshow]

@TheHoost2 Alas I do not, but a few people in my discord might.

[@RowanSharp-m7r]

I replaced all the capacitors and i still get no picture. Would i need to look into replacing the screen at this point?

[@backofficeshow]

Well it's a yes and no kinda answer. Do you get any signs of life out of the unit? I would recommend replacing the screen on a known working unit because the modern replacements are a staggeringly good upgrade. However, I would be concerned that the main board could be dead, and your screen replacement would not help with that.

[@gizmo1252000]

love the video,s ,keep up the good work :)

[@vgplayersandhaters518]

Good Video as always :) I changed out all on Mine Since over 70% had been leaking. only a matter of time for the rest to follow Suit. I removed them in a very Similar way to you haha. the Fishy Smell is Absolutely from then Leaking . worst handheld i have done was a PC engine GT wow did they Smell bad. Mickey is one of the best games IMO on the game gear haha . Oh and the Japanese Game Gear's i have did not have any Shields in them at all. So i do't think they are needed. Glad to se you got it working again.

[@ronaldhenson9170]

I really think the Sega game gear is a great videogame system

[@vgplayersandhaters518]

@@ronaldhenson9170 Same here and its sad it does not get the respect much respect.

[@ZacharyLamb-rc8qb]

36:16 SEGA!!! 🦔

[@nicwilson89]

Man, your intro reeeaaaaaally sounds like a Burial track or something but I can't figure out which one :/

[@backofficeshow]

It was the one they used when they buried me

[@TheRetroChannel]

Mrs RetroChannel literally yelled corona virus at the same time. 😄 😯

[@aurthorthing7403]

I boycott lead free solder... it's a built in failure mode.

[@backofficeshow]

I agree, it's awful stuff!

[@BobMonkeypimp]

Plus the leaded solder tastes better...

[@aurthorthing7403]

@@BobMonkeypimp if GOD didn't want us to use it then it wouldn't be so sweet.

[@katakisLives]

lead free solder= dry joints

[@ZacharyLamb-rc8qb]

44:58

[@Shamanosuke_Nohara]

Great corona chips

[@spade0655]

I saw the adress 🎈