Faulty Handheld Game Console Ideal For Someone Like My Mate Vince | Can I Fix It?

While browsing eBay I came across a faulty hand held console, which was listed as "Ideal for someone like My Mate Vince". It's an R36S console and the seller said it doesn't charge and was smoking! Let's take it apart, see what the problem is and hopefully repair it!
I'm not an expert, but I do enjoy trying to fix things.
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Some of the tools and equipment that I use:
The Famous Blue Mat: amzn.to/47bPNGK
Infiray P2 Pro Thermal Camera: amzn.to/47c05Xm
170 piece electronics tool kit (security bits): amzn.to/3VnmHBh
SMD Tweezer set: amzn.to/3t9GlW4
Aixun T3A Soldering Station: amzn.to/3Xa8HMe
Soldering Flux: amzn.to/3UDC0py Alternative: amzn.to/4dVRdcN
Low Melt Solder: amzn.to/3QICZ5r : Cheaper Alternative amzn.to/3G4L3XK
Grinding pen: amzn.to/3QCHE7v
Component Tester: amzn.to/46UcHm6 alternative (slightly cheaper) amzn.to/49yZSzJ
Overhead Camera Mount I Use: amzn.to/3tX8Ar4
Microscope Light (I use on my Trinocular): amzn.to/3FEAPgy
AD409 Pro Microscope 10" Screen: amzn.to/3G0CI7P
Extra Long Torx Drivers(used on Milwaukee radio): amzn.to/40siUU3
DC Power Adapter plugs 38 PCS: amzn.to/49lCUMm
USB Power Meter Tester: amzn.to/3R6NX4g
SMD Component ruler 3x (for sizes of components): amzn.to/3TvfcWO
Rework station: I was using a 858D clone but now using an ATTEN ST-862D .
Other Equipment:
Main Overhead camera: Sony HDR-CX450 with 3rd party remote and RODE VideoMic Pro
Other cameras: Canon G7X, iPhone 6s, Go Pro Hero Silver 7 (which repaired)
Microscopes: Amscope trinocular (clone) with FHD 48MP Camera V8
& Adonstar AD409 Pro.
Editing Software: DaVinci Resolve
The above links are amazon affiliate links, and I may receive a small amount from Amazon at no extra cost to you, if you choose to purchase an item.
#electronics #electronicsrepair #repair
R36S Not charging
R36S Console Repair
R36S won't charge
R36S Teardown
R36S Repair

[@Mymatevince]

Nicely done Mick, I'll have to start searching myself on eBay as I missed on out on that one 😂 Nice looking handheld. Cheers for the shout out

[@BuyitFixit]

@@Mymatevince Cheers mate 👍

[@jayhartigan946]

I really appreciate your low-key, without fanfare style compared to other channels. Your peaceful delivery is terrific!

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks 👍I was looking how to disassemble a coffee machine and was watching a video on the disassemble which had annoying repeating music (1 verse or so) all the way through it!

[@gmespia]

_Stupid game_ Oh wrong channel 😂

[@jesus_perez_r]

I was hoping he’d say that 😂

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂😂

[@BuyitFixit]

I was almost going to....😂😂

[@DavidPlass]

Came here to say that too.

[@C5films]

Mick, great job. Huge respect to you. You called out Vince as being an inspiration to your own electronics journey, and I'm pretty sure you've played a role in inspiring others also. Me included.

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks mate 👍Yes I stumbled across Vince's channel one day and a few weeks later he was fixing a Milwaukee Radio. I thought to myself I could get one of those and fix it.. and thought I'd do a video on it too as one of my most popular videos at the time was a fix it video on a Samsung washing machine that I did a very brief video on. That's pretty much how I started this channel as it is now 🙂

[@C5films]

@@BuyitFixit You were also kind enough to respond to my emails and offer advice when needed. Good guys like you deserve all the success they get.

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks mate 👍

[@robdaniels78]

I'm agreeable with many comments my friend... vince has learnt more from your videos than you give yourself credit for . I'm re watching much of your fixes as you're leaps and bounds above many others

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers Rob 👍

[@mikethedigitaldoctorjarvis]

My mate Vince sounds a bit different ! 🤣

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂👍

[@don4techy]

This one is from Temu?

[@marcyd2007]

Another nice little fix Mick, great work as always. Also, nice shout out for Vince man, always good to share the love 😀

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers mate 👍

[@zeropoint420]

was that a bigclive reference? A man of culture i see

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂👍

[@barthanes1]

Aaaah, the nostalgia. I haven't heard Super Mario World in a good long time. I bet the last time was in the mid 90s.

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂I used to have a full size arcade Nintendo cabinet (sold it about 10 years ago) that had 3 games on it, I think it had super tennis, super mario world and F-Zero on it.

[@shaunmorrissey7313]

I now own 4 sets of nightfox night vision because of you😊😊 3 I have managed to repair, 1 is still dead but I'll keep at it.

[@BuyitFixit]

Nice one Shaun hopefully you get the other one working too 👍

[@smbrob]

Nice fix there, game on.

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂Thanks mate 👍

[@joelkist6493]

That was rather quick; nice.

[@BuyitFixit]

That's what she said 😂😂😂👍

[@joelkist6493]

@@BuyitFixit 🤣😂

[@roneckler9937]

Lol, you play those games like I do. Thank you for another great video.

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂😂Cheers Ron 👍

[@iNireus]

😂can you all arrange a fix off one day, you Vince, Mend it Mark and StezStix

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂👍

[@twotone3070]

They could spend a weekend on the Isle of Man perhaps?

[@iNireus]

@@twotone3070 the Isle of Man Fix It.

[@599miata]

Lucky that that solder ball did not do any damages. An honest mistake, mate. It happens to even the very best. Cheers mate.

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers mate 👍🙂

[@repairchannel]

Nice one! Thanks for including the temperature of the rework station.

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks 👍

[@crazycarl9484]

great fix, true gent mentioning vince thanks for sharing as always.

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks 👍

[@mikecass8306]

Well done Mick, another great fix 😀

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers Mike 👍

[@edwardreichard3852]

Well made video, thumbs up! More more!

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks 👍

[@frijoles0007]

The reason the chip burned is the owner was charging it with the incorrect cable/charger. These game consoles NEED a USB-A to USB-C cable. If you use C to C then you put in too much voltage and burn them out\. It's a common issue with almost all of these cheaper handhelds. So once again.. only use usb-a to usb-c cables

[@OktaFierce]

Does it get the full 19v and cant cope with it?

[@frijoles0007]

@@OktaFierce Usually these devices need a max input of 3A from the charger, when using a c to c cable (and charger above 3Amps) the game system will just pull in the juice non-stop. It has to do with the way the devices are made and the difference in standards between usb-a vs usb-c. You can mod these consoles with 2 pulldown resisters to allow usbc to usbc charging, but you still run the risk of burning them out if your usb-c charger is above 3Amps.

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers for that 👍 I think I read a similar post over on reddit saying the same.

[@fredwooding599]

Nice trick on the chip discovery, I will try that one for sure. Thank you, teacher :-)

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers Fred, I'll try go get back onto the intercom this week 👍

[@andymouse]

Great fix to have and looks like a decent enough handheld if thats what floats your boat !! awesome work...cheers

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers Andymouse 👍

[@wisher21uk]

Is there an end to your talents ? An easy repair for you that was really enjoyed it Mick thanks, oh and I’ve noticed the video of my switch has 18k views I haven’t received my royalties payment off you for last month I will put the 6p on to this months 😂😂😂😂 Keep em coming Mick 😊

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers Gary 👍This wasn't the video I had planned for this week and had to do this one last minute as the video for this week (was editing untl 3AM Saturday morning as had repair cafe later that day). I had planned to do (Kenwood mixer) that turned out to be a nightmare. I found the problem but must have damaged the magnetic speed sensor on the motor. I did try wrapping 1M resistor with loads of turns of very thin wire to make a new pickup but that didn't work so I had to order a broken one from eBay to get the pickup sensor (waiting for that to arrive). Oh and the commission was only 1.2p I just checked 😂😂😂😂

[@wisher21uk]

@@BuyitFixit good old Kenwood mixers built to last they are, my mum had one with the cream maker and loads of mixing blades. Hope you can sort it out your wife will love it. I nearly sent you a B&W Zeppelin mk1, I got it not switching on changed 2 caps and it worked but with audio unplugged you could hear like motor boating bop bop bop bop, turned out that one of the filter caps was ever so slightly bulged so I changed both now all ok 👍 Love the commission rate lol 😂😂😂

[@BuyitFixit]

Good job on the speaker 👍I've got a kitchen aid (did a video on that) the kenwood is for a friend. It was a speed controller problem which I eventually found the problem and repaired but damaged the motor pick while I was checking it I think.

[@wisher21uk]

@@BuyitFixit oh yes I remember now, that was a while ago now, accidents happen a bit like cracking a customers tv screen lol 😂

[@brianwood5220]

Well done, Mick. I'm sure you've now removed that solder ball, just in case of short circuits. Thanks for sharing. (P.S. Don't know why, but I never cared for MMV)

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers Brian 👍

[@TomMannCenturia]

These are decent little handhelds, you can get them new from Ali etc for under 30 quid from time to time. Not great build quality but can play more consoles than a lot of more expensive Chinese handhelds.

[@BuyitFixit]

Yes was quite impressed with it as I've seen others which are pretty poor.

[@garyhart6421]

I watch Vince too --- except for his Rolls + Boat Stuff.

[@BuyitFixit]

👍🙂

[@anotheruser9876]

Voltage drop at charging is normal. The uSD card with the OS on it can also hold games but it is wise to put them on the 2nd one to be able to update the OS without losing your games.

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks for that 👍

[@terrym1065]

Another great repair👍👍 I wonder what caused the chip failure, user fault maybe or just a bad quality chip? Either way, you have a lot of games to play😉 Good save, thanks for the video. See ya soon.

[@BuyitFixit]

Not sure Terry. Could have just failed or possibly dodgy charger?

[@MikeyMack303]

Nice fix!

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers mate 👍

[@daviniusb6798]

3:50 good one!

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers 👍

[@generaldisarray]

Sarcastic nerd comment... Think Commic Book Guy... Am, actrually, at 12:48 there is a ball of solder between pins 6 and 7 of the IC. Someone should go back to soldering college me thinks... 🤣🤣 Excellent work as always, maybe just calm down a bit with the amount of solder hey...🤣🤣

[@BuyitFixit]

Yes, I did mention in text on the video 😂👍

[@generaldisarray]

@@BuyitFixit it was meant sarcastically, that's why I use a time stamp before your text appeared... 🤣🤣 Like some jumped up keyboard warrior who saw the blob of solder and jumped in with his/her comment before watching the full video... 🤣🤣 Still though, go easy on the solder, it doesn't grow on church roofs you know... 🤣🤣

[@BuyitFixit]

@generaldisarray 😂😂😂

[@luckywetland]

Well done, Vince... I mean Mick 🤣

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂cheers 👍

[@Franklinveterinarycenter1of4]

That was a very entertaining fix! Investigative work paid off. I don't think I would enjoy playing the games...........If I'm gonna kill time playing games, I'd rather go fishing and at the very least get some exercise.

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks 👍I've done fishing a few times especially when I used to have a boat and used to dive too. Not really a fan of river or reservoir fishing I get too bored standing around and waiting 😂😂

[@Franklinveterinarycenter1of4]

@@BuyitFixit yes, I much prefer boat. Our lake is being lowered to fix overflow on dam and no boats allowed for past year. Federal lake.......they slow

[@mikehibbett3301]

Acetone would have helped remove the plastic from the IC, possilly

[@BuyitFixit]

Good call, I've got some of that👍

[@Lightrunner.]

Nice repair....👍👍👍 Good work. 🖖 No Doom 😱😭😭 whyyyyy Ohh, who is My mate Vince ?? 🤣🤣🤣🤣 The only one of 100 others is here 🥰😻 (three fingers cross)🤣

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂Thanks, yes no Doom, although it's probably on there somewhere...

[@Lightrunner.]

@@BuyitFixit you must find it ........pls.....🥰😻🤣

[@bills6946]

Mick. On your USB tester, you had the power cord plugged into output and the game plugged in to input. It doesn’t matter which way you use it?

[@BuyitFixit]

Correct 🙂Yes it works both ways.

[@stoicgreg]

Someone to fix it like KZbinr m̶y̶ ̶m̶a̶t̶e̶ ̶v̶i̶n̶c̶e̶ Buy it Fix it. Must of been a typo 😮 shout out Vince ❤

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂👍

[@simontay4851]

Must HAVE been! "Of" must have been a typo as well.

[@orion310591RS]

5:19 - Keep in mind that desoldering is not the only way (for IC's that dont have backplate GND). You can use high quality precision cutters like Weller, to cut legs of chip, then solder new chip back on those legs remaining or remove legs one by one if you can, in order not to damage board traces while removing chip. In this case, IC had backplate and soldering iron was not able to compensate for heat dissipation of GND trace, thats why you desoldered it with hot air station. 12:19 - Small mistake is that you added solder both to GND on board, and GND on chip, thats why you have that blob later.

[@Ragnar8504]

A reputable European manufacturer recommended cutting the legs of ICs and then desoldering them one by one back when ICs were still somewhat new (early 90s).

[@orion310591RS]

@@Ragnar8504 Nowadays, IC's dont even have legs, so when it comes to IC's people tend to automatically think of hot air, regardless if IC have legs... Cutting is one option, another option is desoldering leg by leg and lifting it... All it takes is one paper clip, dremel to sharpen it and pliers to bend it, and you get tool to lift IC leg.

[@BuyitFixit]

I've done that a couple of times with other components such as MOSFETS and some large RGB LED's (usually things that have a large ground plane that suck up a lot of heat from the iron) 👍

[@georgeholme612]

Fantastic

[@BuyitFixit]

Thank you! Cheers!

[@sultanrasulhanow6690]

👍

[@BuyitFixit]

🙂👍

[@Achiel007]

One moment please, lets checkout ze schematics.

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂😂

[@drorhaz]

I always hope to see 2 hours video.. 20 min its not acceptable 😂 well i have the euro soccer now but it will end soon.

[@BuyitFixit]

Well the original video was going to be a kenwood mixer, but that's a whole other story and it probably will be a good length when it's finished...

[@Ea-Nasir_Copper_Co]

Did the seller think MMV would go on eBay and search for *himself*? 😂

[@BuyitFixit]

I'm not sure 😂😂 but hopefully the seller and MMV enjoy the video 🙂👍

[@andymouse]

He will now !!

[@coondogtheman]

Is that a USB port that I see on the left of the board halfway down? GND RX TX VCC.

[@BuyitFixit]

Serial port, probably debug 👍

[@coondogtheman]

@@BuyitFixit Found the same on a slideshow musical greeting card and I was trying to solder on a USB cord onto it to try to copy the image and music files off and possibly put my own content on it but I accidentally broke off one of the solder pads and I scrapped it. Hopefully I'll find another card like it and try again.

[@309electronics5]

​@@coondogthemanthose usually use an RTOS (real time operating system) it can be kind of compared to an arduino program that is made for the job, just a bit fancier to play video and audio or just audio. Some use Linux but most i came across used an RTOS.

[@coondogtheman]

@@309electronics5 So the port I was soldering to on the greeting card wasn't a USB port?

[@309electronics5]

@@coondogtheman Rx, Tx means receive transmit and are often serial port terms. Yes usb is also a kind of serial but it has a different protocol. The port you are looking at is a UART (universal asynchronous receive transmit) port and is like a "terminal" port for debugging and sometimes flashing the mcu/soc

[@mar-tin702]

What air station are you using?

[@BuyitFixit]

I had been using a cheap 858D clone but upgraded a couple of months ago to a used ATTEN ST-862D that I got from eBay for around £120. I thought I had put it in the video description (need to update that).

[@mar-tin702]

​@@BuyitFixitthanks for replying, i think i will buy that one also ,seen many good reviews

[@patrickcallahan2210]

Be aware that Nintendo has a reputation for being jerks with copyright strikes.

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers for the heads-up Patrick. I'm sure it will be fine, I'm not distributing their games or anything and just testing a device which the former "owner" may well have the original 😂

[@MikeJones-xi8bg]

I have 2 gigabyte brix brought them in auction and none of them work if you want to have a go

[@BuyitFixit]

I've not came across one of those before, you can drop me an email at the channels name at out look dot com

[@philc787]

Can’t polish a turd springs to mind when trying to clean that IC

[@BuyitFixit]

Yes 😂😂was worth a shot just to see if there were any marking left at all. Even the manufacturer, as I new it was a charging IC so might have been able to cross reference that with the pinout.

[@philc787]

@@BuyitFixit defiantly! Brilliant channel and love the content

[@BuyitFixit]

Thanks 👍

[@audibell]

Do you know how to use a digital tachograph

[@BuyitFixit]

Not overly. I think there's one on the cherry picker van I bought a few years ago, but we just use that on the farm and not on the road.

[@TheM0nkeyBomb]

It looks like someone plugged an usb c laptop charger to the console and the voltage protection definitely blew up.

[@gbamck]

Yeah, this was my thought too. Someone's just plugged a fast charger into it. The vast majority of these Chinese handhelds need a basic low power charger. Problem is, the fast chargers are quickly becoming the norm in a household and can often be the only one to hand. I saw recently someone using their Steam Deck charger in a cheapo console unit and wondering why it was getting so hot.. 😮

[@BuyitFixit]

Yes I think that's the case 👍

[@simontay4851]

0:50 Ideal item for someone like Buy it, Fix it Mick. Not Vince. I don't like him. He sounds too "nice", he's not my mate and him saying "Trying to fix" implies that he's fumbling about without really knowing what he's doing. YOU, though, _do_ know what you're doing. You quickly identify the problem and just get on with repairing/replacing the dead part(s). You get straight to the point and don't mess about. No silly intro music or graphics. Also i like your North East accent.

[@BuyitFixit]

Cheers Simon 👍I'm no expert and sometimes I fumble about too 🙂 also most of my videos are 'can I fix it' and sometimes I'm not able to. Yes no intro or music. Thanks on the accent part 👍I've chatted with Vince quite a few times on comments and email he's a good guy 🙂

[@MemzDev]

Vince is a good guy

[@robbietee4785]

13:05 Spoiler Alert!

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂

[@fu1r4]

Why do you noticed all the mistakes you do when you editing the video, 1.7A instead of 1.07A 😄 ...

[@BuyitFixit]

I usually have to watch my own video back 2 or 3 times while editing, then make any refinements like speeding up bits which take too long (like screwing in screws or assembly, cutting bits out like when I'm searching for a component or screwdriver). When I do spot mistakes I try to correct them, as if I don't I'm sure I'll get every man and his dog in the comments telling me so 😂😂😂😂

[@pederb82]

My mate Vince could use spend some time watching you. He need a better grasp on electronics. It's more often than not quite painful to see how he fumble.

[@BuyitFixit]

MyMateVince does watch me 🙂 I've chatted with him quite a few times. Some of his fixes are also quite impressive such as the rare watch he managed to fix with the broken IC.

[@pederb82]

@@BuyitFixit yeah he has his gems. :) But having worked doing this for a living it’s a bit of a au au au sometimes. 😂 but we all fumble with new stuff.

[@metroid031993]

MyMateVince may not be perfect, but he is a *very* good troubleshooter. He's found fixes for issues that have plagued devices for years, that no one else did. So, while his knowledge (which has improved massively anyway, and I imagine will continue to) might not be the world's best, he still manages to fix things others can't.

[@pederb82]

@@metroid031993 nobody is perfect. Least of all me. :) I hope he don’t inherit tinnitus from working on CRT’s like I did from the shop. I can hear the 15 or so kHz constantly.

[@twotone3070]

He's not the worst.

[@johngreen2316]

All that electronics just to play games, what a waste!!

[@BuyitFixit]

There's a lot more electronics in an Xbox or Playstation...

[@alshore6168]

Yesss , first 👍

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂

[@Langevloei-NL]

"I'll just add some flux over here"

[@BuyitFixit]

😂😂😂