I Paid £10 For a FAULTY "NES" Mini Console | Can I FIX It?

Well, erm, yeah. So, I bought a "Nintendo" Classic Mini Console on off on of eBay for £10 plus P&P.
It wasn't quite what I expected, but anyway, it has no video output, and weirdly it also develops a no power fault and then won't turn on...
Let's have a look and let's try and fix it!
Hope you enjoy!
Steve
PS. I'm not an expert in repairs at all. I do this for fun, and it may not be the best or safest way to go about repairing broken stuff. I'm pretty good at melting plastic though. Please don't copy me - I'm an idiot.
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[@StezStixFix]

Stupid. "Nintendo". Console. Thing.

[@laserhawk64]

Pffft. It's a NOAC -- Nintendo-on-a-chip. Basically there's a NES in an FPGA under the blob, and the games are all on the nearby Flash ROM. If you can call those... things... games. (Trust me, "stupid" really _does_ apply here. Gratuitously.) Most are either low-effort pirate jobs, or far, far worse fake games where they've gone and swapped palettes and sprites around or otherwise reskinned something else, usually with the absolute bare minimum effort involved in making something that, in some vaguely technical sense, does in fact produce a game that will start and is approximately playable (and all too often is very little more, if at all, than that). I have one myself, just out of morbid curiosity, and from everything I can tell? Playing the Atari 2600 E.T. game while rigged to a taser so that it zaps you whenever you screw up, would be a bit more enjoyable of an afternoon than that thing. They are universally bottom-dollar cashgrabs and utter trash. eWaste out of the box.

[@maurice_mores]

Indeed

[@rushunt2131]

that is a great case for a retro pi project!!!

[@cosmefulanito5933]

The final screws are put in when the device is already repaired, not before. This way you lose less time and do not destroy the plastics where they are screwed.

[@sergiobisonte]

is that fake contras??????????????

[@TheGissy77]

Would be really funny if you returned it to the seller because it was fake and just leave a note in the package that you fixed the crappy thing😂

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

Or write them a message that you fixed it, then realized it was fake and now want your money back.

[@personperson3101]

It's not fake it's what it was listed as.

[@iaincowell9747]

​@@personperson3101It's not what it's listed as

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

@@personperson3101 No, it definitely isn't what it was listed at, as can be seen at aroun 0:20. It was listed as a "Nintendo Entertainment System NES Mini", which it clearly isn't.

[@MichaelArlt]

@@personperson3101 lost your brain somewhere? What a stupid comment As soon it's listed as NES which is a trademark, it's already scam Man, idiots are everywhere nowadays

[@kiphakes]

Was literally sat here thinking it’d be awesome to watch a new video from you.. and here we are! Let’s go!

[@StezStixFix]

😁 I read your mind! 😍

[@DrFunkMDQ]

I love how the easy and stupid fix turns into another complex fix just for fun haha. It happens to me all the time.

[@StezStixFix]

🤣 Thanks Emilio! Yeah, happens more often than it should! 😁

[@imaginitivity7853]

I usually find I have to fix the things I was going to use to fix the thing I'm fixing

[@adewhite3921]

Haha, I've been one of those who bought this thinking it was a mini Nintendo. Paid about £40. What a pile of crap, complete fake. I complained to the seller saying that it wasn't the item advertised, a complete con. All I got back was, "sorry about that, you can have it for £20. " .. After looking through the fine details it would cost me more to return it, so I kept it. Even at £20, it's crap.

[@zKaltern]

Ahh yes, the Mintendo Electainment Supersystem. Mini. A quality piece of hardware right there. I feel sorry for the poor guy who bought this full price....

[@StezStixFix]

🤣🤣 Yeah, I can't imagine there's more than a few £'s worth of components in this thing!

[@TUUK2006]

I get the feeling the seller probably made their money back or even a profit on this. You can find them new for this price all over the place,

[@plan7a]

Or you could call it a 'Ming-tendo Elocution Super-Game-System Mockro Mini'? (LOL) Just a thought!

[@johnbaldwin143]

Just enjoy your channel. I have been repairing electronic items for years but you bring a comedic value to the game. Good on you, love it!

[@Druid_Plow]

For the USB port, I would recommend keeping the mount pads clean and hit the pins first. I think those big mount legs definitely stopped you from sitting nice and flat this time, which in turn made the pins a pain in the ass.

[@sorakat42]

Of course the stupid thing had to break in an additional way. It was being way to easy so had to give you some more stuff for us to watch.

[@StezStixFix]

I feel like if I sneezed on it, something else would break. This thing is light as a feather and just as robust! 🤣

[@BrunakoPAO]

I was sad to go to work but then your video popped up. Now I’m not sad anymore 😊 Congrats for the repair !

[@StezStixFix]

😁 Thanks Bruno!

[@BrunakoPAO]

@@StezStixFix 😘

[@hydrolisk1792]

@@BrunakoPAO Stupid 9-5 money making thing :P

[@user-fq3ij1fn3i]

Thanks to your videos, I had enough confidence in myself to replace my Switch’s broken fan. Keep up the great work. Really enjoy your videos.

[@TheMadFlasher]

Excellent job, Steve. "Enjoy" your new "Nintendo".

[@bobmont]

Your videos are the best on electronics repair! I have a lot of fun! So, about the usb pins in short circuit, if at any time the console is connected to the usb of a TV for power, it will burn the USB of the TV... PEACE!

[@mikeytappe]

At least you got a video out of the “NES” mini and it wasn’t a complex fix. Thanks as always Steve!

[@chrisj2848]

Nice one Steve. Sometimes you just have to phone it in 😂 👍

[@StezStixFix]

😁 Thanks Chris!

[@GameRaveTV]

Holy hell, I just back from the flea market and this was all over the place, just with US power cord. Timing! I also adore the little smiles at your curse word right before the camera cuts. Great fix!

[@thefifthdoctor6780]

Brilliant work as always. I need your expertise to fix xbox 360 traces which were damaged when I removed the x-clamp.

[@rick5078]

10:29 the horses hoof shaped soldering iron tips that have a slight concave surface are great for soldering pins like that while preventing bridging. To fix bridges with that type of tip you just clean the solder of the tip so you are left with a concave surface on the tip that is ready to take up the excess solder from the pins.

[@TygonBC]

That Alexander O'Neal outro was unnecessarily awesome

[@stephenranti173]

Long time lurker just subscribed! I have no idea how to fix this kind of thing but your videos make me think i can!! LOL!! Does the leaded solder bring down the melting point of the solder on the board? And same question for the flux? Thanks!!

[@bobbrown98]

When you said "full air flow" I basically watched C1 waiting for you to melt some extra parts off in the process...

[@lordscan1047]

what you did there happens a lot of us more than we care to admit,trying to fix something then it doesnt turn on anymore. i wonder if you can sell shirt with something that represents it. great video, very interesting and entertaining

[@Septer_Sever]

Your Patreon shout-outs are friggin' hilarious 😂 Don't ever tell people to skip that!

[@Triforce1985]

Thank you for being my go to relaxation videos.

[@mtshark7]

Nice job Steve!

[@wisher21uk]

Brilliant fix even though it was as fake a £15 note well done Steve

[@RetroJack]

I wish I could drop into your pub with my Vectrex that I'm too scared to recap! Unfortunately, ol' Blighty's a fair swim from us here in the Antipodes!

[@Boogie_the_cat]

Solid. I think according to the listing, the console was shy and the seller was asking you not to show anything (of it) on TV because it would be embarrassed, like the time its capacitors leaked in gym class, and everyone could smell the fish juices that came out.

[@juanmena3648]

I recently fixed one of those about a month ago. Same broken MINI-USB problem. I tried to desolder that jack shit USB and ripped off traces. Ended up permanently soldering a USB in what was left from the traces, and it's a nice fix because I have the console connected to my TV's USB port, so... If my niece feels like playing a game she just turns on the TV and turns on the console.

[@djlancematthew]

Ok awesome! I have a tv with the same issue! Time to take it apart!!

[@shepshep1994]

Thoroughly entertaining as always mate.

[@danielsimpkins9662]

This video is a great example of why you should always bench test before you fully reassemble.

[@tallgom]

I could tell you didn't want to make this video, but i appreciate you doing it anyway. Was still entertaining to watch. As always!

[@SuperHamsterGaming]

My first thought when I heard it buzz when you turned it on is that the pinout of the TRRS connector is weird and is outputting video on the wrong color, but a crushed jack makes sense.

[@ThemeParksAndAttractions]

Great guide 👍

[@Greg_Watchorn]

Poor Steve - you just couldn't get into this one😅😅

[@StezStixFix]

😁 🤣 Thanks Greg!

[@biggtiming4220]

I'm still learning the ropes when it comes to repairing electronics and I really enjoy your videos although i know you know exactly what you doing you still seem to pull off that ''I'm still learning this stuff'' which gives me the confidence to get into electronic repairs.

[@biggtiming4220]

@xStezStixFix-xc6vd I do hope its another repair video I've run out of all the other ones you've made.

[@Jenisonc]

0:45 Liked just for the honesty. Love the channel because you're awesome. 🤘

[@MarcSiqueira]

The metal gear solid alarm sounds everytime he was about to curse got me laughing like crazy! Well played Steve 😂😂😂

[@Vinterfrost22]

I don't know why I keep watching his Videos...even the creator of this channel tells us over and over again: In the end, everything is stupid! 😂

[@johnmuff1348]

Nice repair my friend a new port all it needed your the best😅😅😅

[@Scoobysmiff23]

I love your choices of music!!!

[@derek4175]

I'm so happy that you've gotten bigger, Steve, but I miss the old room 😂

[@mike-ology22]

Hiya mate. If you watch North ridge fix he has some really good videos on discovering the problem and his soldering is on point. Well worth a watch mate fir clean soldering techniques. Thanks for sharing

[@Dsbarrynl]

I like how you leave your footage just as is and show your mistakes, your mistakes that will happen to me as well. Instead of pretending everything went smooth

[@mancaveretrogaming5245]

They were knocking these out around the same time the official NES mini came out, don't feel bad, a lot of people bought these thinking they were legit!😂

[@StezStixFix]

Yeah, I should've known it was too good to be true! Never eBay after a few beers, that's my new motto! 🤣

[@imaginitivity7853]

Ah, that explains it. I genuinely once had to ring up a retailer, can't remember who now, maybe Maplin, to ask to cancel the order I'd placed whilst 'relaxing' the night before. They were very understanding actually. I think it happens a lot

[@gamergod9182]

famiclones they are called, and they have been around for ages, long before the whole mini-console fad. it's literally a whole """real""" hardware NES on a single chip. so, in a sense, it's actually more like a real NES than Nintendo's mini-console which is just an emulator on an ARM computer.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

@@gamergod9182 No, a famiclone actually plays NES cart games (and looks like whatever console was modern at that time, like the SNES or a PS1). This one is basically a fake NES mini, with no NES hardware whatsoever on a single chip. It's an emulator filled with fake games.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

@@StezStixFix 20ish years ago a former classmate of mine learned that lesson one morning when he realized he had bought a portable chess computer the night before. To his credit, he didn't back out of the deal, paid and got the chess computer. Don't drink and ebay.

[@thadofalltrades]

You missed a great opportunity for a horse bleep at the end. Would've been the bow that tied it all together.

[@tyronenelson9124]

I'm not sure if it is a good idea that you leave the centre pins on the mini USB port shorted as that could cause issues down the line with whatever USB device the console is plugged into.

[@plan7a]

It probably won't be used more than once after Steve sees how poor the games are and the gameplay is a lot more lacking than something worth the price he paid for it. Just saying!

[@tomaskorenek1259]

thought exactly same thing

[@ambiguousguy5501]

You've made a new genre of music: Fix Hop

[@ovalwingnut]

1st Class Gina quality. The gift that keeps on giving. Do you think "they" will ever live that reputation down? Not bloody likely.

[@Nocturnous]

So nostalgic. I grew up playing Robocop 4 on the Entertain Fun System.

[@mash83]

Funny, was duped in exactly the same way by one this year. Think mine had a blob chip issue though.

[@meh78336]

I got one of these for the same reason you snapped yours up, my mate thought it was a cheap nes mini. In all fairness it does play NES games and looking more like that of an original CRT with RF picture and audio

[@mick0905]

That thing oozes so much quality I'm surprised you didn't need a mop.

[@Inugamiz]

Just a bent connector turns into a port replacement. At least no resistors got damaged.

[@KrozMcD]

Almost! One on the right side almost came off lol

[@ElSpoooel]

Loving the Metal Gear alert tone for the words of naughtiness 😂 👍

[@Chrish1981]

That looked like contra over the Ninja Gaiden background lol great vid!

[@DiceZer0]

IDK Bro, I have the NES and SNES Classic, I modded the crap outta both of em, and they each have between 500-800 games on it, I LOVE em.

[@sifrost6869]

Lets open the box and see, erm, not a lot! Great video as always, and yeah that USB an't going to shift any time soon lol

[@Spuds263]

Classic Steve, smashing things up for content 😂

[@michaelthomsen8771]

Probably the supplied psu doesn't care about the short circuit, but maybe the poorly designed TV or whatever device you plug it in later on does. Please don't leave it like that!

[@cliffbone3430]

My OCD would not have allowed me to leave the three terminals like that great video

[@richard-em6zi]

Before I see what it is, I can tell you that buzzing when you turned it on to verify the complaint, is backfeeding through the speakers

[@deltonviera2051]

Love your videos thanks😉😉😉

[@joshholbrooks1181]

You got to be happy at least you fixed it

[@nikkim9712]

Hello, I have taken up the hobby of fixing stuff, I was wondering where you got your collection of USB ports ? and in a previous video you had a collection of components, where do you get that ? Cheere

[@mrpetit2]

Alexander O'Neal would be proud 😁

[@gravelyetigravelyeti4284]

whoa speed rhymes, cool stuff 🤘

[@samyhx896]

Would've had worked with a micro usb instead ? Small upgrade worth it

[@BackForwardPunch]

Micro usb is actually more fragile. Though usbc would be nice

[@nf4505]

Easily the best Steve on the internet.

[@YourLordshipBalthazar]

Really enjoying the 80s synth

[@Wonky4925]

Steve, i love your channel.. fooking brilliant!!

[@kliffte]

Great! As always!

[@cosmefulanito5933]

The final screws are put in when the device is already repaired, not before. This way you lose less time and do not destroy the plastics where they are screwed.

[@hugegamer5988]

no matter how well the repair went, if you fully assemble all the fasteners before testing you’ll be screwed.

[@simonlunt353]

Well you fixed it well done can I ask you Steve why do not test it before putting it back in the box l know this one was not much too put back together but some of your big projects could you see if it works first 😊👍

[@wherecoulditgo4677]

I wish I could solder that nicely.

[@DrSbaitsojr]

love your vids. what is your favorite game of all time?

[@lstierney]

Love the music.

[@djdublo]

I recetly picked similar up, but in the form of a "game boy". Tiny screen and controls guaranteed to ruin your eyes and hands!

[@waiheke109]

Great content RAps are genius

[@Zurimullen]

That 4:25 meeh! made me laugh hardly😂😂

[@CooLDEaFY4204Me]

good job

[@evilutionltd]

"It did feel a bit weird going in" - Steve 2023.

[@LettersAndNumbers300]

Least he got it all the way in to the other hole now

[@BlondieSL]

May I ask if you can post a link to that nice USB connector kit? Not that I've had to change a lot of USB connectors, but it would be good to have a variety pack like that. Thanks in advance.

[@Romino94]

You made it solid!

[@zepplinc20]

came for repairs, stayed for music at the end

[@Goludan]

Sad cause no one even gave my working real NES mini a second look on ebay months ago

[@CoolDudeClem]

When the NES Classic was first announced, I thought it would be just like this thing, just another cheap "famiclone" but sold by Nintendo.

[@infin1ty850]

I don't think I have ever seen an AV out like that

[@StezStixFix]

It's an odd one, that's for sure. You normally see it on little handhelds, but it's odd for a "console" to have a 3.5mm plug like that!

[@tommeier4659]

Raspberry Pi has got it as well - only the first models had a real chinch video jack.

[@DeFi-Macrodosing]

Great video for £10. Not bad in my book!

[@schrodingerscat8621]

“HORSESH/T!”😂

[@trimpy100]

thanks

[@AcornElectron]

Nintendo, not content with stopping Dolphin on steam they have to go and do something like this!

[@DIYRepairHour]

Look, maybe the display connector breaks if you use it more than 3 times, but at least the power connector breaks if you use it more than 5 times.

[@matthewcb1970]

Not sure the smoke from every interaction with the tiny board meets the Nintendo Seal of Approval.

[@watchingdanny]

Gotta love those knockoffs. 😂 Made of high quality Chinesium.

[@captcraig777]

Thanks for the horsesh*t. The only thing that stuck in my head after watching this awesome fix! Splendid.

[@Jerec]

I'd have sent that straight back for a refund.

[@stevenhurrell9026]

Can you post links to products you use like what flux, iron and solder? Have you tried flux core solder or is it too fat for these newer boards? Also where do you buy the protection stuff you put on the board after repairing?

[@oznewton867]

Kinda makes your hands look like a giant. Lol. Good one Steven.

[@tudorviorel5438]

Good job😮😮😮