Baking a Nintendo Virtual Boy! (Fixing display problems)

[@BMat7500]

This video was amazing! It helped me a lot, I went to play my virtual boy today and the left screen was glitched and I didn’t know what to do, so I’m glad someone made a video on it! I used my sister’s hair dryer which also worked!

[@TRJ2241987]

Thank you so much for making this video. My VB had been unusable for over 3 years and I was always so daunted about opening it up. Finally I got it open and while it took me about an hour the first time to properly get the ribbon out, sure enough, this works wonderful! So great to play these games again for the first time in years, I really love this console. Having a great time playing through Wario Land again.

[@TreJowy]

Gotta thank you: worked perfectly! I was skeptical when I baked the circuits because it didn't look like they adhered any better to the board than before, but wow...it worked! Had a hell of a time getting the case back on right...in fact, I still can't line up the adjustment slide and knob up top, but I rarely used that, anyway. Thanks again!

[@NTB_Retro]

TreJowy no problem! Glad you got it sorted :)

[@haleman1704]

That was a suprisingly easy fix. Worked perfectly for me! Thanks a million from Germany.

[@NTB_Retro]

@ScubaDiverPicker Yeah, if a seller on eBay states that the problem is with the video output, then there is a very high chance it's the same problem. It's a common issue. Could well be worth trying to snag one on the cheap and fixing it up. As you say, they sell for quite a bit in good working order.

[@NTB_Retro]

@TheEPROM9 Absolutely. I always imagined that the VB worked by displaying a slightly different image to each eye which then basically tricks your brain into seeing a 3D image. It probably is still doing something along those lines, but in a much more complicated way than I had imagined! I've always loved the VB, but seeing some interesting engineering inside has just made it that much cooler to me :)

[@mavness]

I JUST did this, and it worked perfectly! Thank you for the detailed walk through! Whats funny, is I got it working...and I put in a game and was like....why did I even want to fix this thing?!?! hahah but regardless, it worked perfectly! Thank you so much!

[@NTB_Retro]

@Polaventris I think it would work. The overall aim is to hit the melting point of the glue so that you can apply pressure and get a good connection again. With the air gun you would have more control over where you apply the heat while also being able to move it away quickly if it looks like you're hitting the melting point of the ribbon cable. My hot air gun only goes from 'crazy hot' to 'super crazy hot' though, so I thought the oven would be a safer option :)

[@NTB_Retro]

@blablupp77 Good point :) I did it at 250C... There was no real science or theory behind that temperature, I just wanted it hot! Honestly though, if I was to do it again I would start at 180 - 200C. The ribbon cables have a natural curve in them and at 250C, it only took about 10 seconds for them to begin to straighten out under their own weight (getting close to their melting point!). I'd rather the process went a little slower to reduce the risk of melting something! Thanks for the comment

[@lavenderhawk]

heat gun works best as you have to use something like a q tip to push the ribbon back down. id recommend reheating the ribbon 3 times so you dont have to take your virtual boy apart so many times.

[@SinisterSally]

lavenderhawk thanks for answering a question I had as I was watching the video. You always here 350 in one oven isn't necessary the same 350 in another oven and my oven seems to burn hotter than most and the window is really dark so I might burn my ribbons if I try to do it in my oven.

[@mattduncan49221]

I was wondering of a blow dryer would work. I use it to straghen warped plastic, I'm sure it would be hot enough to melt the glue.

[@NESComplex]

It worked!

[@dougease]

I called a retro game store that used to fix game systems and they said they did a lot of Virtual Boys. I was told by the guy who used to fix them to use a standard eraser on the end of a pencil on the ribbon by rubbing it to produce just enough heat. He said it's a lot safer than using an oven or something. Any thoughts on that idea?

[@Korflog666]

Don't ever use and oven. Fiction may wear out the ribbon. Just buy a smd rework station ($45-$60) or a heat gun that goes at the lower end like 200F ($60) to heat up the glue. Then press on the glue part with a pencil on something thin.

[@mattgallagher7105]

I paid a seller on ebay to do mine a year ago. He used some secret method other than solder (prob just rubbed an eraser on it). It was good for a while, but the lines on the display did eventually come back. I believe the only permanent fix is solder.

[@ScubaDiverPicker]

Very interesting. I may try and get a broken VB on ebay and try to see if I can fix it. They are so much money when working.

[@NTB_Retro]

Hey, sorry for the delay. I missed your question in my Inbox... Out of the two sizes, you need the larger one to open the Virtual Boy. I actually have a borrowed screwdriver attachment from a friend... I'm not sure where he picked it up. I have seen them on eBay and also on the mod chip site (EurAsia), but without using those exact ones, I can't say for sure that they will fit into the holes sorry :( Good luck with it

[@RetroRespawn]

Baking is of course a solution, but you really don't want to be heating up the whole led unit just to fix the solder. What I did recently with my own VB, was remove the led unit and apply heat directly with a heat shrink covering iron. You don't risk damaging the led end with extraneous heat and it helps the solder joint to remain flat. I considered applying heat with a soldering tip like with a Gameboy screen but the cable appears too delicate for that. Covering irons are cheap, I recommend picking one up.

[@shenmeowzo]

oh yes!!! ive been wanting to find somethin like this. i have a VB and it has a horizontal line fault. most annoying. thanks so much for posting this. i might give it a go.

[@NTB_Retro]

@DansGameCorner Actually the washing in water isn't as surprising as it first sounds :) Water doesn't really electronics unless there is power running through the circuit when it gets wet. The water creates short circuits and components get fried. If there is no power to the circuit, then the water itself won't hurt it. Dirty water might lead to corrosion down the track, but otherwise it's ok. I've heard of people washing old arcade boards in a bath full of water or even in the dishwasher :D

[@shenmeowzo]

oh PS.. what measure of gamebit do you need for the deep ones? there's two different sizes, as far as i can see.. do u know where to get a screwdriver version that can fit down there well? i just bought some gamebits on ebay but like you said, gonna need the long screwdriver version

[@RetroGamerVX]

Ovens come in hand a lot, I've used mine to restore an Atari and to fix a laptop video card (now deceased) twice :o) Oh yes, can see the mirrors osculating :o)

[@sw201444]

I picked one of these up(vboy) on ebay, with nothing included, bought all the things, came with a game, so, I played it, worked great, Played it again, major scan lines on right eye...

[@GamesfromtheGrave]

This video helped me resurrect a Virtual Boy. Thanks!

[@h3xag0nal]

Have you managed to fix the unit that didnd't power on? Mine died all of a sudden without having had any issues before. The mirrors aren't oscillating but the little LED inside is on.

[@Spilia4]

I have the same problem. Just wondering one thing. Do i bake it at Fahrenheit? Or it doesn't matter?

[@2749rnefjkbkfsgn]

Did you ever find out what was wrong with the other virtualboy? Mine has the same problem. No sound, no display, but I can feel the oscillator moving. Any ideas?

[@NTB_Retro]

It is as permanent as it can be. You are just repeating the same process that Nintendo originally used to attach the cable. Basically re-baking the glue. The fix could last many years (as it originally did) or perhaps it'll go glitchy again fairly soon...? The only more permanent fix would be to individually solder each connection between the cable and the circuit board. It's doable, but not particularly easy....

[@segagirladventurespico]

Very cool one thing i dont have in my collection is a virtual boy! There expensive here in Canada!

[@koleh127]

It worked for me! Thanks a lot!

[@VOLCANOBAKEMEAT]

Haha! I've heard of people doing this but never actually seen any videos on it before. That is a strange trick indeed...actually I've heard you can fix really old electronics by washing them in water....yes...water, and then sticking the board in the oven afterwards o_o totally bizarre Dan.

[@mwinn23]

I have this issue on my VB, can I ask was that 250 degrees C or F thanks

[@lotec78]

i need to know it too, thanks

[@mwinn23]

It was F I found out elsewhere, 250C, would melt it lol

[@lotec78]

Michael Winn thanks ^_^

[@radbuffman3487]

Thank you so much for this guide!

[@nightruler666]

Can you use a hair dyer?

[@lavenderhawk]

+Vampirerockstar Im sure it would not get hot enough.

[@nightruler666]

+lavenderhawk the hair dryer actually worked

[@ultravioletreeper7630]

good idea

[@WIDERisBETTER]

Can you do it with a hair dryer and leave the ribbons on the VB unit? Or did you have to remove them still and then use the hair dryer? What did you press the ribbon/glue down with?

[@johneygd]

Does the virtual boy has 1 or 2 led screens, i heard that the prototype dit had 2 lcd screens whereas the final version has just 1 led screen. It's so confusing because yours like to have 2 led screns!!??

[@LeviathanRX]

It has to have two screen or the effect wouldn't work. The way the VB presents 3D images is with an offset like old red and blue 3D glasses. Two copies of the same image were drawn apart at different distances to each eye sees one or the other creating the illusion of viewing angle and depth. The VB uses separate images with objects rendered differently for each eye in similar fashion.

[@HermaphroGynandro]

Mine is having problems but I don't really have the knowhow to do this task...

[@RetrogamerTim]

How ironic that on the front theres a sticker that has the hotline for the Authorised Nintendo Service/repairs....

[@NTB_Retro]

@lakepalmer BLASPHEMY!! Funnily enough though, a video of me smashing it to bits would probably be much more popular on KZbin than it currently will be! You might be onto something there...

[@GarySpatzScam]

Baking also works for some video cards (last resort, at your own discretion).

[@pwnedbyaplatypus]

Thank you so much!! I love you for helping me WOO!

[@ModGyver]

Ive fix these with a rework station, but i dont see why an oven wouldnt work,,

[@jslime]

Awesome, thanks this worked for me!

[@NekoHazrd]

The oven just fixed one of the displays, for the other I used a hair dryer.

[@mattduncan49221]

I was just coming to the comments to see if a hair dryer would work.

[@segagirladventurespico]

Just subscribed

[@GuitarAudiologist]

Neat. I baked a video card before with good results. :)

[@NekoHazrd]

The oven fixed just fixed one of the displays, for the other I used a hair dryer.

[@isabellepereira4115]

Bruh mine isn't working halp me please I try to turn it on but it dosent vibrate when you turn it on help please !!!!!

[@Videogamearcade]

is this permanent fix ?

[@RetroRespawn]

@Vikrinox yeah it's permanent enough... It'll happen again down the line but the best way to avoid it is to leave the IPD setting once you've got it where you need it. It's the movement of the lens unit when adjusting IPD that stresses the cable.

[@NTB_Retro]

@RetrogamerTim lol!

[@Rick_Sident-Evil]

thank you soooo much, work as new

[@tonygomez972]

you are awesome!!!

[@natextreme_]

glitchieness isn't a word, I'm surprised your potato didn't edit it out for you or correct you. must be a very good camera. it only records in what appears to be 360p (looks a lot worse), but it doesn't allow you to edit spud mistakes.

[@AshD97]

Nigz, you said in your comment on psn to sub you...well...i just did! (flashcash11)

[@gamesbloke]

I just wanted to thank you for this video as its been very useful to me. I am about to get a 'new' VB myself. Does this problem occur over time or eventually? Can it be slowed down/stopped?