NES with GREY Screen and Flashing RED LIGHT | Revisit

This is the Nintendo Entertainment System I couldn't get working from this previous video: • A Subscriber sent me a...
It had a flashing red light at times, and also a blank grey screen. Is it the PPU at fault?, the lockout chip?, or is it just a dirty connector?
Let's see if we can get it working!
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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[@stevefox3763]

That is NOT dirt, its a reaction between the metal and the polish, it will keep coming up black till you polish away all the metal!

[@StezStixFix]

Glad I didn't keep scrubbing! 🙂

[@zal_models]

@@StezStixFix you might have no metal left! 🤪

[@welshtony1]

Im glad someone said this before he keeps going in the future haha.

[@skippster76]

@@StezStixFix what flux do you use please?

[@joshkelly4682]

I only use IPA and a pink eraser and 99% of the time all contacts end up looking new

[@swingstylez]

I'm so glad you put the original PPU back in after changing the socket. I would have had an itchy brain if you hadn't have tried, even though I was expecting the PPU to behave bad, like it did in the donor system. Great vid!

[@wryyyy]

To elaborate on the flashing screen. It's the lock out chip checking the cartridge chip for authenticity, and why it flashes is because when it does the check and doesn't recognise the cartridge/cartridge fails to communicate, the console forces a reboot and the cycle keeps repeating. So technically valid games might run, but they run only for that very short time when the console is communicating with the cartridge for the authenticity check. The lock out chips are notorious for being extremely unreliable.

[@antonsmith1497]

When I was an apprentice long time ago, my former boss said always "use sockets, it`s easier to replace the chips afterwards". My experienced colleague refused/ignored this and told me "I had too often problems in connectivity with those sockets". Amazing to see this issue being proofed decades later on youtube. Well done.

[@DoNotEvenAsk]

The original modder probably put in too much solder on the socket's pins and it bridged on the other side. NES boards are an absolute nightmare to work on for beginner modders, especially if they're using cheapo tools.

[@John-ns9lr]

Yeah thought the same thing.

[@mottzilla4858]

If you can identify the pins that were shorted together by their number it's possible to know what signals specifically are causing the problem on the bad PPU. My guess is that they were pins 39 - 36. From the Castlevania screen that was messed up it looks like pin 37 (PPU AD1) might be having a problem. If you examine the incorrect letters on the screen you can see that bit1 is behaving as always 0 in the tile numbers. I don't know if this can be overcome. You could try a 1K ohms or higher resistor connected to pin 37 and the other end to pin 40 which is +5v to give it a pull up. It could be that when they were shorted together it ended up burning out an internal pull-up resistor that existed inside pin 37. I've seen MaskROMs fixed by using external resistors so it may be worth a shot here. Better than throwing the PPU in the trash.

[@StayCoolKeto]

*Great info* 👍💪

[@arturb2996]

He should definitly try this! Fixing a chip would be a new level of repair

[@Senteri]

I have 0 technical knowledge but reading comments like these is awesome.

[@brandonkick]

Sounds like you have more knowledge of the PPU than I do, but for sure I wouldn't blindly try repair attempts without some degree of confidence at the very least that the repair attempt won't damage anything further. I know we have logical implementations of the PPU in terms of FPGA cores. I wonder if the knowledge is out there... basically the schematic (there's another word for it... it escapes me... delidding the chip to trace it's die) for it to be possible to make an educated guess at what a repair attempt might look like? I fully agree though. There is only a finite number of PPU's left in the world. I hate to see any die off as a result of a botched mod attempt.

[@mottzilla4858]

@@brandonkick Testing it with a 10k ohms pull-up resistor for a short period of time to see if it makes a difference is unlikely to damage anything. It's not really a blind attempt. And yes it is possible to replace the PPU with a FPGA. I don't believe anyone has actually put in the work to make a drop in replacement yet, but it's possible. If the problem isn't a bad internal pull-up it could be a broken bonding wire which would be an even worse problem to have. With the PPU already malfunctioning I think it's worth a try doing a quick test with an external pull-up resistor. I would start with a 10k ohms and then if nothing changes try a lower value, but without going lower than 1K ohms. He could get lucky and it might result in a fully working PPU again and it would make for a nice video outcome.

[@SMAAAASHTV]

Never recommend using metal polish for cleaning any plated metals, as it will strip the plating right off the contact and usually results in the pins corroding down the lines, as they have no seal from oxidizing anymore. While the pins did seem really dirty, you would have been better off continuing to use the Eraser and IPA. It might never come out completely clean.

[@AmstradExin]

What the old buffoon did was corroding oxidizing) the pins with his polish. Beginner's mistake. :D

[@granth4561]

if you want to get crazy with it just use a magic eraser

[@adamlatham6465]

Hi Steve. I miss the cow/moo animation when you use the desoldering vacuum gun!! :D I respectfully request its return lol. Love your channel by the way. :)

[@StezStixFix]

Request accepted! 😁

[@YesMir]

omg Steve , you have the patience of a saint ! nice work

[@StezStixFix]

Thanks Mart! 👍

[@reddevil630]

8:55 I hope am not the only one that miss the cartoon cow.

[@ianholmen888]

Hey I just wanted to give you props. I just fixed a radio for a car, and it was all thanks to the videos you make. They ordered a new one for 800$ so I decided to take it apart as it was getting replace anyway and i was able to look at it the way you do. I found an obvious problem and it was a super simple fix but I couldn’t have done it without you. Thanks so much from South Carolina USA

[@StezStixFix]

Awesome! Great job on the fix, and I'm glad my videos came in useful! 👍

[@UnCoolDad]

Autosol is lovely stuff. The black stuff you rubbed of isn't dirt, it is metal residue.

[@americansupervillain4595]

Helpful tip, if you are going to open up an NES, you might as well replace the 72pin connector. They are about $12 to $15 dollars on Amazon.

[@emmanuelwolfmusic410]

Just wanna say ,I love your comedic timing, it's brilliant

[@teslasapple]

Mooing turned into a small man yelling Bob! Nice 👍

[@StezStixFix]

🤣🤣🤣

[@MarcStift]

Hey Steve, if you ever do another Nes fix or mod and you need to disable the lockout chip, there is a way to do it without damaging the lockout chip pin 4. You just have to ground pin 4 using two wires and Consoleunleashed has a guide to show you how to do it.

[@dr.decker3623]

Remove the connection pin for the lockout chip. it's probably dusted. Some say clip and bend it, but just clip it twice and remove the leg entirely.

[@Damyrr]

Before using the desoldering station, add some more tin in the solderweld, then desolder it, works every time!

[@APSuk2]

"because quite frankly, I can't be ar..." Honesty is always the best policy 😄 Great fix Steve, glad you got to the bottom of it.

[@claimhsolais3466]

Congratulations Steve! You've done a tremendous job. Is so satisfying achieving success after so much hassle, isn't it? Since NES has so many great mods, like the RGB, audio expansion to name a few, I'm most definitely looking forward for another revisit soon!

[@retroanderson]

Just an FYI, they do some Russian 'clone' PPU chips Called the UMC UA6538. And CPU clones called UMC UA6527P. I bought some on ebay years ago and i'm in NZ using a Pal system as well.

[@ReiverBlue1971]

Congratulations on your persistence. I did tech support for about 15 years so I can understand the frustration and the joy when you finally nail a particularly difficult problem ;D

[@super10nano1]

I've never seen a person more happy than you when it worked. Amazing patience and a great video!

[@thegrayghost3043]

Great repair! Thanks for taking the time to go through it and explain it. Plus, I always look forward to your Patreon rap. 😃

[@ManjiVegeta]

I loved this little repair roller coaster.

[@eduardogarcia3049]

I was waiting for the “get in there!!” After it worked. 😂

[@NSDaishi]

Thank you for coming back to this. And also I am glad you post where you fail to fix to at least have something to watch.

[@pedromimoso8804]

Perseverance pays up Captain Bodge! Very well done, Steve! 😁

[@K.P.Alexander]

Love your videos, Steve! Avoid metal polish on contacts, use contact cleaner instead.

[@JamesWon6]

I'm happy for you it did work. And thanks for all the work you put in just for our entertainment.

[@GiovanneTorres]

Nice troubleshooting Steve! Great video

[@Stefan_Payne]

Gratz for finding the issue. Sucks that the modder destroyed a PPU...

[@davidrowlands8548]

7:36 - "yeah, ... there's something not right there, is there?" bit of an understatement that.

[@MagralhoPT]

I was here for the "stupid game" and you did not disappoint! thanks for fixing stuff so I can get my fix on that lovely outro!

[@afronob]

Dude you inspire me. I love your sens of humor, don't change a thing. Thanks for all of theses videos. My regards to Dave.

[@heckinmemes6430]

When the solder suck went "What? What? What? What? What? What? What? What?" That spoke to me.

[@stephenhepworth3113]

entertaining as always, and worth it in the end.You carry on where others ( including me) would have given up ages ago. brilliant, informative and funny to boot! keep up the good work 👍👍😆

[@tahirsutube]

Well done for sticking at it! 👍

[@gravedigga71]

Nice one Steve, was a pleasure to watch.

[@Pholiage]

Snake rattle n roll. One of my favorites ever. Nice fix mate

[@wolfmercer]

Nice to see you persevered. and save this from becoming scraped.👍👍👍

[@unseen1228]

So pleased you did this

[@TheSaxon25]

Dang man faulty socket could have had you running around in circles for days. Nice catch 🍻

[@justinhoffmann7034]

As usual, a fantastic video Steve!

[@wisher21uk]

Great fix and worth every minute well done

[@sheepdog_81]

Love your video, very educational! Thanks a million!

[@Tim_3100]

Great video as always stez 🙂

[@Gawny7789]

Snake Rattle & Roll is a weird but great game!

[@sambra1979]

Nice vid as always, snake rattle n roll was an incredible game back in the day.

[@BuyitFixit]

Great Job Steve! weird goings on with that socket tho..

[@octavovisitare3439]

That was a really nice rap! Had a nice 90s West Coast feel to it

[@bellafiasandpuppies4220]

Nicely done

[@paulb4uk]

Superb job finding the fault.

[@markharrisllb]

Well done, I actually learn more off you than the other channels.

[@jaylo912]

Comments such as "I will do this off camera so I dont bore you to death"....not only is almost correct, but also genuis. Fair play and thanks for the videos. Awesome stuff.

[@evilgibson]

9:01 the sped up solder sucker sounds like a person calling for "Bob!" Bob! Bob! Bob! Bob! Bob!

[@PaulTheFox1988]

I'd recommend that you leave the mooing desoldering gun on the pins for a bit longer in the future. You're not giving the gun enough time to soak heat into the board so it's not able remove the solder from the pins. I'd also recommend adding fresh solder to the pins as well before desoldering.

[@grmmmmhpph]

I agree with Robin, and the same goes for your soldering iron Steve! Just give it a split second more dwell time, to let the new solder wick down into the vias - the ideal solder fillet should have a concave surface...

[@twotone3070]

@@grmmmmhpph " the ideal solder fillet should have a concave surface..." I agree.

[@great_live_music]

Yes, we want more mooooo!

[@Jared-C]

Glad you got it working! At least your entire day of staring at a board got you somewhere. I hate when I sit there all afternoon and it's just as broken as when I started.

[@Gaming-Enthusiast]

Great video , such a inspiration to us smaller creators 👍👍

[@rachelc2022]

That was a great repair! I love seeing one of my favourite old systems get back up and running. I’m glad the bad socket didn’t damage the good PPU when you tested it. Nice work!

[@eddjordan2399]

great work dude.

[@biblestudynetwork2949]

This is next level craziness

[@KnifeNerd9]

9:03 How is the solder sucker even funnier in fast forward :D

[@TracyA123]

My home boy Steve be droppin fresh rhymes and solving them electronic mysteries playa!!!! That looked seriously frustrating..wow. All of that work and the original mod socket was the culprit. Well done brother!!👍

[@dereks6129]

You are my favorite channel to watch while I'm eating

[@stevenlayton4493]

I've become addicted to this channel, without really understanding many of the things you're doing and using. What is it you apply to the solder points before you solder? What do you use to clean the boards after working on them?

[@eggstu]

Flux helps melt the solder and probably rubbing (isopropyl) alcohol to clean.

[@diytechspirit914]

Flux helps solder to flow more easily and redirects it where it is suposed to go, melting is done by the soldering iron/tip and has nothing to do with flux. IPA is most commonly used as a cleaner for electronics.If you are interested in this stuff try it you dont have to spend much to get started and it is a great hobby.

[@StezStixFix]

Yep, flux to help the solder flow and Isopropyl Alcohol to clean up. 2 of the most important items you'll need (aside from a soldering iron 😁)

[@Arikayx13]

When warm enough to flow the solder really wants to stick to itself and other metals but oxides get in the way. Flux removes these oxides and prevents more from forming and clogging up the mix.

[@gtm604]

whenever I here shake rattle and roll I think of the movie clue. great work !

[@eggstu]

Dave is the real hero of this video

[@TheCavacat]

The VOS rap this week was epic - the best one yet for sure! 😃

[@harveybrimer1054]

Lol nice job, love your channel!!👍

[@davidtexmex1616]

Phew! Haven’t been able to sleep properly without getting to the bottom of this!!

[@danielpowers5891]

I love watching people tinker with nes and anes

[@YaffleTank]

Been looking forward to this

[@daniel070487]

you need to finish this mod !

[@rimmersbryggeri]

Autosol is abrasive so the rag is black because of metal particles not dirt necisarily.

[@johnbowen4222]

Fun fact about the nes when you push the cartridge in you dont have to push it down it makes contact and plays just fine if you push the game cartridge in and just turn it on

[@garymorgan2360]

Wish I had your patience 👍

[@martijnappeldoorn8686]

We use to have snake rattle & roll back in the 90’s, my younger brother was quite good at it, I wasn’t, but I enjoyed seeing him play it.

[@kylebeattie8305]

Patron rap was fire this video 🔥🔥

[@DougUnfunny]

YOU DID IT! GOLD STAR.

[@fjniedercorn]

Thanks to you I bought an hot air soldering station an I clearly don't know what I'm doing ! I have a good teacher ^^

[@brandoncolemire4220]

4:33 Bore us to death?!? This is the best sh*t on KZbin!

[@warpath6666]

Let's face it, the magic of Dave had a hand in this 😄🤣

[@arqamalsheety9611]

nice work

[@seanmacdude]

Loved the video, you know if this fixing lark doesn't work out for you, you could always go back to song writing I loved Elbow back in the day and you guys should get back together

[@MrFixiit]

Maybe worthwhile checking the legs on the Faulty ppu maybe some Corrosion or a solder blob causeing bad contact.

[@TheGiotto1401]

Please video your reaction when you get the device working. It’s my favorite part of your videos. Great stuff!

[@Sefton4]

I love the satisfaction you get after you've had a struggle but then get it working. Top job and keep the videos going mate 👍. Also love the singing, the haters are just jealous! Ps I remember playing snake rattle and roll as a kid, it looks much harder than I remember!

[@AdeJohnson]

Glad to see the Patreon list growing mate

[@briangoldner4095]

That is one of my favorite NES games!

[@jivillain]

I can look at your face all day. Great work

[@Thertra70]

Looking forward to part 3 with the mod chip working!

[@robertpucovsky]

I got a "broken" NES that had the same symptoms as yours. All I had to do is boil the 72 pin connector and bend the cartridge side pins a little back up. Now every (good shape) game boots up every time even without me pushing down the cartridge with the lockout chip intact as well. I also wouldnt recommend disabling the lockout chip because it's a good indicator of how good your game is. If it needs cleaning, it will show up.

[@craigellis680]

Excellent rap today Steve. Alot better than normal. 84k subs... So close to that 100k rampant rabbit special. Can't wait to see how you go about putting the rabbit under a stress test in that one

[@luke9511]

the tip on your desoldering iron seems to big for these pins, also you should press the tip against the pin and let it sit there for about 5 or so seconds to give the heat enough time to melt the solder through to the other side and then suck it up

[@randomlinuxuser]

Also if you don’t get it all out the first time, fill the barrel with solder and try again!

[@djeurosham]

Ok, the sped up solder vac had me laughing.

[@moderusprime]

Always remember to also refurbish the 72pin connector itself. Bend the pins back to factory(the cartridge pins, not the ones that connect to the board) and give it a good clean. A lot of people tend to miss this step.

[@richardstone8615]

Facts

[@wryyyy]

It's a shame lot of people just outright swap out the connector, as the replacement connectors aren't built the same way, so they aren't true ZIF (Zero Insertion Force) connectors, and actually put much more stress and wear on the cartridge connectors.

[@moderusprime]

@@richardstone8615 I've refurbished over 100 NES consoles. So many times people thought it was a PPU or CPU issue when it was the pin connector not making contact with all the pins but enough to clear 10NES.

[@paulghignon4092]

You can also potentially clean a 72pin by saturating the pads on the cartridge heavily with alcohol, then inserting and removing it a few times quickly; it will be an easy way of cleaning them. I used to do this as a way of cleaning many handheld cart slots like the Gameboy and GBA, back when I refurbished those. It's a bit better for handhelds than in the case of the NES, mostly because there's replacement connectors out there that are designed better; combined with people building systems using OpenTendo.

[@DecibelAlex]

@@wryyyy ​ oldest trick in the book. I'm sure most people have tried that before replacing the connector. It's really just a temporary fix of course the replacement connectors will wear out the cartridge faster than the original ones that hardly make contact after 30+ years of use, but beats having to disassemble the console when you want to play something

[@lilmoeszyslak4810]

that rappin was off the chain!!

[@soycarcare9866]

You broke the no 4 pin trying to solder it out, well happy to see you all workup..🤓

[@cheronecom]

Your edits are the perfect amount of showing what you've done without making it tedious to watch.