YET Another BAD eBay BUY !!!

[@TheCod3r]

I'm honestly sick of sellers like this on eBay. It's definitely NOT OK to throw a load of faulty parts together in a case and resell it without being honest. When this happens I immediately stop any work and open a dispute. That way eBay will automatically approve the return and the seller will have to issue a refund. They're then out of pocket on the original postage and return postage too. Serves them right!

[@Lucasbird47]

That’s awful

[@stevetealey2804]

im with you on that phil its not right them doing that they should sell it as parts only.

[@Irilia_neko]

How you want to make to make money otherwise

[@strawberriesinhell]

totally agree with you!!

[@dkfsamurai]

@@Irilia_neko Maybe accept that you won't make any money off of them? Or at least a lot less if you sell the devices for the price that reflects the state of them?

[@vintagevantics]

Never buy spares or repairs from a business seller is my motto. It’s great when you find a faulty item from a private buyer that no one has taken a look at before. The clues are in the descriptions which come across as telling a genuine story. They never use any of the classic copy and paste phrases used by businesses either. They tend to come across as telling a personal story.

[@siedliko]

Yes and no. I have bought 4 monitors, fixed all of them. The best one was that I bought one for £100 and sold it for £500. I have bought 6 graphic cards, and someone did work on them. "Fixing it didn't work, I will sell it." - eBay twats You should stay away from some items, and some items could be fixable.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

There are business sellers who simply don't test the item before selling it. They got it as defective and now sell it on. Normally they bundle all kinds of stuff together. I got quite a few decent items that way that needed either very little or no repair. On the other hand I got scammed by so many private sellers with stuff that was either worse than they described or had been taken apart multiple times (which they of course "forgot" to mention).

[@mrw6156]

Agree - I have both bought and sold eBay items as spares / repairs. I always tell the full story on my items where some will just list the item name, no backstory and through bitter experience I know it is likely to have had ham fingers in it multiple times. Usually private sellers. Those private sellers with a backstory are usually genuine. Business sellers sometimes are like this but typically you go for the ones reselling returns etc who don’t have time to check 50x items. Experience and being ready to ignore many listings / sellers is the answer.

[@kenspalding9775]

I wouldn't buy a game to repair from a business seller who repairs them for a living, but I wouldn't think twice about buying from a general seller who just sells odds and ends. Got some great bargains that way and some listed as untested really were as the worked perfectly.

[@jasonr9157]

if an advert so much as says not tested or received from a friend or similar i wont buy, i also look at feedback to see if i can find out they sell parts, i got burnt on a few xbox 360 back in the day just trash parts put together usually i will ask if item has been opened, laptops with memory and hardrive removed dont touch with a bargepole and is a clear sign that this item is really for parts, every so often you get a genuine item, unopened and fixable

[@Blu3ManiC]

In the US the category is just “for parts or not working” I think spares or repair is just a misleading term in general in the UK. On eBay you can still return an item as not matching the listing under “Exclusions and special coverage when the item doesn't match the listing” if in taking it apart: “The use was necessary to determine the quality or functioning of the item, or the damage was the result of that use”

[@TomMannCenturia]

The same seller, by sheer chance I expect, has working versions of all these models for sale too. Quite the coincidence 🧐.

[@mrw6156]

Part of our due diligence when buying spares repairs 😂

[@nickontube7203]

I bought a “not working” iPhone 10 on an auction. When I received it, I opened it up and there was no motherboard in it!😂

[@BarryNorton]

And was it working?

[@banzaipinball]

Spares or repair is open to massive interpretation. When a seller states this, it is then up to them to honestly give you as much honesty info they are aware off. Clearly some do and some don't. I only buy spare or repair once I have ask various questions of the seller, from there replies I take a judgement whether to buy. Many give you limited info and don't fully answer question, I avoid these. There is always a risk.

[@tambias]

as a seller i am pissed off with buyers opening disputes with spares and repairs items.if i am selling them as parts or spares they are generally fucked beyond repair.i am open and honest and state this.however it seems open season on honest sellers.

[@sjm4306]

There's specifically a option for "fucked beyond repair", it's called "for parts only". Hinting something is repairable when you know it isn't is just plain dishonest. Someone who does this and gets customer disputes is getting exactly what they've asked for.

[@TheAlphaWolf2013]

@@tambias If something is total junk throw it away.

[@0xbenedikt]

@@TheAlphaWolf2013 I disagree. There's a reason for "for parts only", which is completly unvailable or massively overpriced original spares. Case parts or custom components are often reusable and I have fixed things this way quite often (as well as sold stuff that many people would have deemed not worthy to sell but was bought just hours after putting it up for sale).

[@keithmatthews1673]

Ebay has become such a dumping ground that you have to ask about faults and see if the seller has a plausible story. If they do not you should expet the worst!

[@stevedawson5844]

Nailed it.

[@J.erem.y]

Ebay has always been a dumping ground.

[@DeePaignall]

@@J.erem.y For bargains! - if you know what you're doing.

[@TobiEstosWorld]

yeah it is more a junk yard then a aftermarket place :/ people aren't stupid, they know it and aren't willig to pay appropriate prices anymore cause of the risk of receiving trash, thats bad for honest people like me and vince that we just sell briliant items.I have to make a living from that but has too sell it for a huge discount cause nobody belives my advertisment that my items are one of the best you can find in condition :( alongside I get scamed pritty often buyers sainng item camme brokenn or parts missing, ebay gives them the money back and they send me back their random trash and they got my briliant workinng product for 0 bucks and I don't know how to pay my billls..... the world is a brokem shit hole!!!!

[@mrw6156]

@@TobiEstosWorld Yes some buyers are devoid (seemingly) of any moral compass. Having said that it seems to be certain categories that attract a certain type of buyers like that. Car parts, gaming consoles for example. Few issues with electronic test instruments as an example.

[@domramsey]

I think it's fine. Firstly, the eBay category is "For Parts Or Not Working", which is a better description. "Spares or Repairs" can equally indicate that you can repair something else with the parts from this item, which is what I always take it to mean. The clue is the plural "repairs". Yes, the buyer should be more honest in the description, but it's worth keeping in mind, you are entitled to a refund if the item isn't as described, even if the sellers says "no returns". And eBay will almost always side with the buyer.

[@fadetonoir6152]

If it's just one device it should be "Spares or repair". Singular repair, meaning it might be possible to repair that one device as it is, plural "spares" meaning if it's not fixable it could still be used for spare parts to repair one or multiple other devices. (If it was plural "repairs", meaning it could be used to fix multiple other devices, then that would mean the same as "spares", making it redundant.) The version that makes me laugh though is when people write "For spares AND repair". Like, how am I supposed to both repair it AND use it for spare parts?

[@GadgetUK164]

I think when someone knows its beyond repair and then sells it as spares repair - they are commiting fraud! Some repairers sell "for repair" systems that are "built" from almost all faulty parts... BTW - not sure if this helps or not... If the carbon stuff is worn off the button and bridging the spirals, it will register as pressed. At that point, a press on ANY other button will cause unexpected behaviour (eg. always going right, or down or up etc). So do make sure those spirals are cleaned up super clean with vinegar or deoxit to make sure one button isnt pressed alll the time! That dark grey circle around the spiral provides resistance (not a short) and because all the buttons probably have that, they affect each other.

[@nintendokings]

You can often tell by the sellers. If they are a business that will do fixes to sell for profit, a spare & repair sale is going to be a pile of junk

[@handsolo1209]

Spares & Repairs to me means that the item is not in working condition, but has working components still inside that can be used in another item and/or the superficial pieces like the case are in good condition.

[@mrw6156]

Sort of - I would add, like Vince says, the genuine fault that someone with knowledge and skill could repair easily.

[@handsolo1209]

@@mrw6156 I know what you mean, but I would always assume that "Spares or repairs" would mean for spare parts unless otherwise stated. I would read "faulty" as being repairable. I always assume a "spares" listing has missing parts already.

[@BernhardHochrainer]

Oh no, I had the exact same story with 2 Game & Watch devices bought from a german seller. Bought 2 of them, both without missing battery covers, so they stated out that they could not test the items and their story was that they found them in the cellar. They were cheap, around 30 EURs. Both had the same problem like yours, bad polarisers and no right, just left. I found a reddit back in the days that stated out that some Game & Watches had this as a common fault. I was thinking it through and found it fishy that both had that problem, but I gave up. Some weeks later I saw that the same seller was selling another 4 Game & Watch devices and the missing battery covers separately ... 😢 It was too late to open a dispute and I never got an answer on my messages.

[@BelgianDiecastRestorations]

I repaired quite a few Game & Watch consoles myself. The ones you have would be a hard pass for me as the displays clearly suffer from extremely bad screen bleed. This often happens if there has been pressure on the screen or if they have been exposed to extreme heat, like direct sunlight (the burn on the reflectors indicates the latter). Screen bleed is damage that cannot be repaired and in this case it makes the games unplayable, regardless of other electronic problems. Even at that low price, I wouldn't bid on them. Spares or repair is a very broad term and can be hit or miss. IMHO it means that the object is non functional in a certain degree, ranging from an easy fix to completely unfixable. To be fair, the housing and the buttons are considered spares also. Business sellers usually dump the stuff their technicians weren't able to repair or just didn't bother. I got lucky a few times, like buying a whole load of broken Wonderswans from a business seller and found out they only needed new polarisers. But 'spares or repair' is like playing Jackpot. You can win big or you can lose.

[@tomevans6582]

I Always look at the sellers other items. If they have 10 x working space invader machines plus 3 x for spares/repairs you can expect them 3 to be full of junk parts.

[@doggheadtech]

This happens far more than it should. When I began fixing and repairing faulty electronics, I didn't know what to look for in a listing so was buying all kinds of junk. You can guarantee something marked as "Probably an easy fix" is anything but that. I've also noticed this seller as they have a tonne of faulty Game and Watch's. If they're like this, then I think I'll avoid! Big fan of your videos though Vince!! Keep up the awesome work ✌️

[@khaz606]

If there are parts missing, and the seller hasn’t mentioned it, you can return as Not as Described. Open a case if the seller declines the return and you’ll get your money back.

[@khaz606]

.... and leave negative feedback on the 3 items :)

[@C64-Museum]

If it is sold as for parts or repair the chances are good that you don't get your money back. I bought a broken DVD player once and got a totaly different model. I tried to get my money back but Paypal told me that it was sold for parts and repair and that I will not get my money back because I should have known that it is broken. I told them that the item being broken is not the problem but that I got the wrong item. I even asked them if it is OK if I buy a broken Ferrari to get a broken VW. I never got my money back. Paypal is as bad as these sellers!

[@khaz606]

@@C64-Museum I don't know about Paypal rules. However, once Paypal walk away you could of contacted your bank and asked for a charge back.

[@J.erem.y]

@@khaz606 sellers don't leave feedback at all until they receive positive feedback first. It's a trick they have been using now for more than a decade. If you leave negative feedback, they also leave negative feedback.

[@khaz606]

@@J.erem.yI wasn't talking about sellers feedback. And sellers can't leave negative feedback. That got stopped years ago.

[@amonfermoso]

Thanks

[@Mymatevince]

Thank you so much Antionio 👍👍👍👍👍👍

[@amonfermoso]

I'm only sorry it took so long to say thanks, love your videos and most of all the ability to never give up. Thank you for all your hard work.

[@Mymatevince]

@@amonfermoso That's lovely to hear, nice one Antonio👌🍻

[@missionpassed4584]

These were great on long car journeys back in the 80s, myself and my sister spent hours on these things trying to beat each others scores, I'm sure we both still have our ones knocking around somewhere, even with original boxes.

[@MyRegardsToTheDodo]

They're worth quite a bit nowadays, especially with the original boxes.

[@jaredl2239]

I'm suspicious of anyone selling bulk of the same item. To me, I always assume it's just their un-fixable leftovers. There is the chance your skill level or the amount you're willing to invest in repair is higher, but without very thorough description from the seller I wouldn't take the chance. Sorry you didn't luck out on this one Vince. Can't wait for the next great repair!

[@OldMan_PJ]

To me: spares or repair mean "broken" and only useful for parts. The seller should be honest though and state anything obviously broken about it such as a broken screen, broken controls, or whether they attempted any repairs.

[@Boogie_the_cat]

Thanks for another informative video, Vince! A friend of a friend would always buy used "high power burning lasers" from Ebay and he would ask me why they broke after a few days. I tried to tell him that even under proper use (good manufacturers will give you the runtime vs. rest time for lasers. Example: 2 minutes on, followed by 5 minutes off) lasers, like lightbulbs have a maximum lifetime (say in hours). Ebay laser sellers will sell a worn out (but not dead) laser as new or "slightly used". He still buys his lasers from Ebay though. Oh, I almost forgot. The ebay seller he bought from also removed the stock glass lenses and replaced them with plastic lenses which melted after a few minutes.

[@Fifury161]

Wow! That isn't just dishonest that's dangerous!

[@TampaTec]

Good info 👍. Ebay getting more expensive but quality control is lower.

[@Mymatevince]

Cheers Paul👍👍👍

[@njones621]

I’ve done what you said… made a good one from bad ones with good parts. However, when I do, I do not resell the item with all the bad items. I either sell what I know is good, or place it in a bag to use later. I just can’t in good conscience sell something that I’ve installed a bunch of bad parts. It’s just not right.

[@KraftyLive]

try lifting the chip legs off the board thus removing the button contacts on the pcb from the circuit then shorting the wires to ground

[@sjm4306]

Looks like bitrot. Not sure if these use flash/eeprom or mask rom to store the program. Entropy likely flipped/corrupted some bits, making the game run not as expected.

[@chrismifsud7154]

The seller is likely a collector who bought them for parts... Salvaged the good parts and replaced them with the bad parts and passed them on to get some of his money back.

[@TomMannCenturia]

They have at least one of these games for sale on their eBay listing, fully working, at over 100 pounds, so that certainly suggests cannibalisation by the seller.

[@matthewcb1970]

I would guess these types of sellers know there's a few you 'fix it' type channels, so they sell stuff that they know is unfixable, safe in the knowledge someone will pay for it.

[@jimmysmantzas]

couldn't you try to lift the pins of the chip that the buttons go and run wires to the opposite pads? Just a thought😀

[@worroSfOretsevraH]

Haha, scratch your left ear with your right hand.

[@jimmysmantzas]

@@worroSfOretsevraH still works right? Same principle 👍😁

[@chris_hertford]

The "Spares" in spares or repair is their get out as there is always something that can be used as a spare part, a casing or a button even if the rest is trash.

[@JohnDoe-km1po]

I don't think the seller did anything wrong. As a seller myself for 10 years now. He or she didn't list anything wrong. For parts or repair says it directly in the title. "For Parts" OR "Repair". Maybe someone needed new buttons for theirs or a speaker. Now if he or she did attempt to repair the item then I feel that should of been included in the description. I always state that if I ever attempted to fix something and couldn't. I sell lots of random electronics and always state if I opened it up or not.

[@chess135]

If you know its not repareble. Its not ”repair” i do not buy this one to repair another.

[@JohnDoe-km1po]

@@chess135 That's the thing. Just because, XYZ can't repair it. Doesn't mean someone else cant.

[@Monsterenergy2011]

Bud you do amazing job I watch your videos every day over and over I enjoy everything you do I hate seeing people taking advantage of you I hope you and your family is doing good and healthy thank you for everything you do and making my day better 😊

[@Kikay0n]

What’s fixable to me isn’t fixable to everyone and vise versa but I do tend to list as “junk” if I think something is utterly hopeless

[@proesterchen]

When you buy broken stuff, that's the swing you take. Can't all be a blown cap or corrosion on a battery terminal.

[@gendragongfly]

May not be the chip after all! As you mentioned the right button has a lower resistance than the left because the track is shorter. Yes you bypassed the buttons, but what if the buttons were already in short to begin with. I would recommend to at least try to clean the buttons and the corresponding spiral tracks on the circuit board with IPA and a Q-tip. Make sure there is no continuity if the button isn't pressed.

[@andrasszabo7386]

Once I got a Macbook pro in a bag full of all kind of laptops, I bought the whole bag because of 2 specific collectibles being inside. Its charger was stone dead. And without a working charger, I could not test it to find out which part works and which part does not work. So I sold it as dead, for parts or repair. What else could I do? I did not want to buy an expensive charger just to find out if it is working or not because it was an old laptop.It had no missing parts, just a few missing screws around the sides.

[@AeiKei]

Vince, sorry to say this but: 1. Spares or repair means you can use it as a donor or try to fix it (there should be a separate category for spares and other for faulty/repair items) 2. This in essence is like gambling, even if the seller knows what he sells you are the one risking to buy a spare or repair item, it's up to you if you are willing to take the risk or not

[@wayne3790]

Brilliant video as always Vince, thank you so much. Sorry you had such back luck with your purchases. I personally believe honesty is the best policy and would give an honest description of exactly what work I’d done to the item in an attempt to get it working when selling. Unfortunately sellers like this will always be an issue on eBay. I personally don’t think it’s right. All the best to you & your family Vince 🙏☺️ Fantastic content!!!

[@seedmoreuser]

The fault for the first two almost apears to be a shorting issue. I'd scrub the traces and the pads with a fibreglass brush and try again. It looks like the chip detects a button press which is why it originally moves once waiting for the value to drop again but it won't.

[@flusensieb244]

That's why it moves to the right after he released the left button. So the short is on the right button trace.

[@flusensieb244]

It could also be carbon from the pads that needs to cleaned from the board.

[@Shajdy]

These are a nigtmare to find working screens for. I had a seller who once sold me an iphone for parts with a broken screen, afterwards I realized every single component had been replaced for a non-working one inside, every single one. There was nothing to be used as spares. Shot battery, mobo missing resistors, camera water damaged,, shot speakers and mics, case antenna bent. Deliberately put together like that and sold.

[@mercuraz]

I have bought devices in which they say they are faulty but work absolutely fine or just need an internal clean

[@techformsmaster930]

forgive me for not knowing, but is there a chance that one of the buttons ( presumably the right one ) is just shorting without being pressed? that would, to me, explain why the left button being pressed causes motion to the right, it being pressed simply triggers another input check, which also finds the right one is being held, canceling out the left input entirely, the right button not being checked until the left button is pressed would probably just be because it is pressed when the unit powers on, thus not registering that it's pressed because, presumably, the buttons only register when one is pressed, not when one is held. I don't however have an explanation for why it would only be the right button, unless there was something near it hat isn't on the other side.

[@LuciousGranger]

I think this is becoming more of a problem. I have been burned a few times this way. I personally think it is a scam because they know the problems. But eBay does not agree. I can see this causing hobbyists to stop buying from eBay.

[@TechGorilla1987]

Vince - Developments with the yellow mat that I got. It won't lay flat. It's got humps and bumps all over the place. I even tried warming it in an oven on very low temp. I'm a bit dissatisfied with that part, so I will swap back to the blue mat after I wash it up.

[@Mymatevince]

Hey Tech, mine was a little bent up when I first got it after shipping but after lying on a table for a week it now lies flat. It seems to be thinner or more pliable than my old blue mat so the lids on the top compartments don't close as well as the blue mat (before they got pulled/ripped off). Maybe try leaving it for a while to settle into its new position 👍👍👍

[@SirAzur3]

Try changing that old blue capacitor on the bottom left ofvthe board, I bet it's causing the issue since it looks like its connected to the left button

[@redavatar]

A few months back I was looking for a toy car I had as a kid. My original had a broken bottom from fall damage but still worked (in a way). I looked on eBay and sure enough someone was selling one "not tested". I asked the seller if he could quickly pop in a few batteries to test but he avoided the question (this was a €50 item ... asking for a quick check was hardly a big demand). It was the only one on sale though so I had little choice. After I finally got the package (after a month and a half of waiting ...) I took a closer look and ... of course it didn't work. Who wants to bet the seller DID test it and preferred to say "untested" rather than "not working". Luckily with a bunch of solder-work I could combine the two. In the end, a lot of sellers on eBay are rather scummy and hide behind vague descriptions & words.

[@jayjayuk-f1x]

Personally, if you can't fix an individual item, by working on one or two issues, then that's not true to the "repair" side of the deal. These should have been listed as spares only, which some sellers do, and kudos to those, for their honesty. This seller is as dodgy as the day is long, and a guy like you Vince, who obviously buys so much, should get in touch, and see what Ebay has to say. I have gotten in touch when I have felt aggrieved at something, and they are surprisingly understanding, and don't want these dodgy sellers, plying their trade in their space.

[@GHar94]

Generally if they were being honest, they’d put “for spares only” which I know some people do but scammers are worried about if they’d sell or not so most often are it`’s “spares/repairs”

[@Spardin]

ive had a few where they act like they dont know whats wrong with it but when opened can see they have been inside and had a look around and maybe made things worse

[@davesdigitaldomain]

Vince always ask the seller if a prior repair has been attempted or are the warranty void stickers removed "where applicable"before purchasing, this will give you grounds for a returns if the seller lies about whether the item has been dismantled. You wil then have written proof as an email, which can be used against the seller. eBay needs to be renamed EvilBay

[@krtekcyberpunker]

Dirty button pads on PCB + resistance on the button = problem.

[@chrisred87]

Vince - "it's unfixable it's a problem with the chip" Also Vince - *Fixes chip in Omega watch* Just because you or the seller can't fix it doesn't mean it's unfixable imo. Someone with more experience might be able to fix it so I think Spares or repair is fine.

[@atari-staffroom]

Definitely not ok for a seller with knowledge to pack together junk and pass it off as repairable. Do we know if the circuit board is the correct one for the LCD and game housing or have they just been assembled from parts?

[@randallbro6749]

I always here the excuse that sellers give "you should have asked before buying" it's a lot different than buying an item at flee market where you can meet the seller and hold the item rather than millions could buy it at a moments notice

[@Fifury161]

I have seen a few sellers state things like "don't expect a quick fix". After looking at the pictures I saw a hole in the PCB - yep they have been destroyed, not something that you could be reasonably expected to fix. i just go by the old adage - if it's too good to be true... You seem to have had a few good wins though!

[@DEmma1972]

The seller would have known these are not repairable. These should have been sold as PARTS only, so people could salvage the case or battery connectors or buttons. In my opinion, a repair should not constitute more than say 20% of the value in parts to get it to a usable state. If the main part of the item is broken (in this case the chip) then it is not repairable. Spares or repairs is used by sellers as there is little or no comeback available. I would however put a claim in with EBAY as being non repairable and knowing that, is not the same as spares and /or repairs...it is spares only and probably has a value of £3

[@Gubalicious]

If I sell something for parts or repair I take detailed photos of the inside and any known defects and state everything I know about the item.

[@TheCod3r]

That's what makes a good seller bud 👍

[@danielkirk5660]

I sold an LG g3 phone a few years ago on eBay as FAULTY not spares or repairs. The buyer left me negative feedback because I didn't specify it had water damage. I thought that was very harsh because usually when something is sold as FAULTY it is exactly that and water damage to me constitutes as making the device FAULTY? Does it not?

[@tipfox9212]

Have you tried to swap the pcb's of the 2 games with the direction fault? Especially if the pcb's are different versions that could be the problem. Or maybe the chips were swapped? It's just a matter of software how the game reacts on the push buttons.

[@gavinmollloy]

Could a wrong/faulty capacitor cause that problem. Solder looks fresh on the caps on the 3 games 🤔 maybe if they were replaced they could of been put back the wrong direction. Worth a shot.

[@williemorales1252]

If the listing clearly states for parts or repair then it's the buyer taking a chance. When I buy items that state for parts or repair, I know that it's not working and I hope to get the most from these items.

[@stephenpalmer9375]

In the UK though the rule is really ‘caveat emptor’ - buyer beware. There’s an expectation on the buyer to make sure what they are purchasing is ok

[@rorykelly8275]

The seller knows exactly what he is getting rid of. Can you not buy a pre programmed replacement chip to fix them? Surely there's a box of them somewhere in storage that someone has, maybe a surplus supply of them somewhere?

[@GiovanniPreda]

Try putting a pull-up resistor on the button input lines

[@kevwolf69]

Did you ever do a return to video on this? Because I swear down I've recently fixed a Game and watch octopus game with the same issue. I did a full clean with ipa on a non working unit but couldn't get the left and right buttons to work. I did a few Google searches and found one guy on reddit with a possible fix. He had this issue on his and finally scrapped the pcb area between the copper swirls of the button pads. His idea being, that material had migrated from the rubber button pads and somehow impregnated the pcb between the traces. On mine I even took some wet and dry to polish the copper but no luck. But then tried the scrape fix and hey presto my game and watch is fully working!

[@Marcel1984nl]

Hi Vince, doesn't that left and right problem have something to do with the quartz crystal? I can remember from the past that the quartz crystal was very important for these kinds of chips, I could also be completely wrong. Greetings, Keep up the good work ;)

[@Dave64track]

The problem with these type of devices is that they only use one chip so if it fails they are just scrap and the only usable parts is the buttons and case and screws apart from that no use for anything. Spares or repair these days usually means spares as most items will more than likely have been looked at before because if they get them working they would get more for them which is pretty poor when sellers say that.

[@bufordmaddogtannen]

There you go. You have spare buttons and case. Just as described. 😂🤣

[@crcomments8509]

I doubt very much it’s cpu, most likely very slight carbon build up across the buttons (any button including the game select ones), give it a really good clean, and or run a scalpel between the tracks in the buttons, failing that lift the pins to the switch matrix on the cpu, solder wires to them when lifted and repeat the test you did.

[@Mymatevince]

100% this. If you have time, check out the next video (humble pie video) and you will see what you have just commented. 👌👍👍👍👍

[@UserUser-ww2nj]

That description of the items is clever and or describes the state of the items reasonably well . "Spares or repairs " , the clever part is the S on the end of repair . "Spares or repairs " , so even if you use one 3mm long screw to fix another device you have used the said item for spares and the same goes for " Repairs " because you have used the 3mm screw to repair another item . If you read the description that way then it is not a scam

[@steves-gaming-uk8977]

Hi Vince I am having the same problems myself just starting up a channel , he should have put only good for spares only I think there is to many loop holes in eBay's policy's .keep up the good work.

[@GigsTaggart]

check the crystal frequency output. a lot of the time these old crystals get broken and clock being off will look like a chip problem

[@nilz23]

I've bought fixed and sold 3dses, joy cons and xbox one controllers and as long as a for parts lot actually has usable parts I think that's fair. However, a completely messed up controller is usually sold for the same price as one that works fine and just needs a new stick or something which is always annoying.

[@The_Shiny_Red_Dingus_of_Mingus]

You can't really split up "Spares or Repair" into subdivisions, as it would be impossible to classify each item. The only way you could refine it further would be provable knowledge from the seller as to the realistic expectation of repair, or from the competence of the buyer to fix it. None of which can be proven, for the purposes of a sale. If I was to sell a broken 55" flatscreen TV, I wouldn't be able to tell you whether a chip had blown, the display had given up, or it just needed a new 13 amp fuse. That's why you have a catch-all term... that sounds better than "the bloody things broken". For all the items that you've repaired over the years, the only one I would've stood a chance on would be the watch that you passed on to Michael Bolton to fix. Everything else, sadly, I would've binned... including the Rolls. That's why I appreciate watching people do what I can't.

[@ralphj4012]

Spares or repair, to me, means broken, which could be due to - Broken before the supplier got it. Broken when the supplier got it. Broken because the supplier got it. Broken because the supplier broke it. Broken because the supplier is broken. Broken (reduced to fragments). Broken because the buyer will be broken when they buy it. Repair and repairable are two different things. I'm sure the lawyers out there will have a field day (maybe even a broken-field day). Probably nothing but I would lift the legs of the IC up / away from the PCB and try the wire test again, there is a very strange looking track which seems to run across the top of all the others (but then I am no Nintendo expert).

[@andrasszabo7386]

Could it be possible that the housings and screens are not matched with the correct motherboard? I mean they could have come from a different game unit.

[@jeremiefaucher-goulet3365]

Just starting the video, and answering your question before I've been influenced by what follows. parts OR repair. It seems a proper description for everyting, even including the most garbage stuff. Even if all you get out of a broken item is a screw, it's still "parts". How else would you categorize it, if not "parts or repair"? What's important, is that the pictures and description be genuine and not purposefully missleading. If the seller is aware that you will only get a screw out of the item, he better be honest about it. Otherwise item didn't match description.

[@anlsoft]

have you testet if the different resistens has anything to do with left and right, swap around the 2 pads

[@feeglefilms1226]

Just to say, I have no idea what your card says at the end, because the ad for the 'Eating Humble Pie' video covers half of the writing. And the ad appears before the writing and stays until after it's gone, so no good trying to pause the video to read it either...

[@chrisa6120]

UPDATE: Vince can you please pass Me a slice of that humble pie as well. I agree with you completely Vince. Parts or repair in My eyes is there is a fault but hasn't been found or figured out. Plus no time if any has been spent trying to find or fix the fault at all, plus hasn't been tampered with or opened. These would better fit under the category of "for parts only / not repairable". Now seeing that they all had almost the same problem that is too much of a coincidence. They must have known the faults with each, an sold them knowing they CAN'T be repaired. I say file a claim with ebay. I know it wasn't much money but it's the principle. Being as honest as you can be in every situation especially when selling something online where people can't check out the item before buying.

[@jackburton8352]

Game & Watch were awesome. As to the spares / repairs argument you're debating semantics spares vs repairs are one and the same you know what you're getting and you buy to repair or use for spares to repair another device.

[@pmyhill]

If I'm buying something spares/repair I will always check the sellers sold items first. That way it gives me a slight heads up if they selling working ones

[@trance_trousers]

These should have been listed for spares only. I can see someone wanting replacement buttons or cases etc, but obviously the electronics are no good at all. Selling for spares or repair is a little misleading to say the least.

[@arthurcollector4002]

I think collectors in general have to STOP buying BROKEN items for low prices thinking everything is repairable, you CAN NOT fix a broken custom chip for example, you are not saving money, you are just wasting money in useless junk, you are the part of problem, YOU are feeding this market. If you need a rare item, buy it for the market value in a decent and working condition, if you need just parts then buy a broken item

[@MiisterShane]

Spares or repair is used as a catch-all too much. Sometimes it just needs a clean, sometimes it's a bunch of choice rubbish thrown in a case.

[@Arachnoid_of_the_underverse]

Yea I purchased a "spares or repairs" wifi router and carefuuly took it apart, half the internal motherboard was missing altogether and not even in the case.The same with an unrepairable UPS which had internal wires cut and the battery removed. So both had been disassembled at some point for a repair and then I sold on to a third party probably as part of a pallet purchase.

[@TMS9918A]

The worst is when they sell it as "Untested", but clearly they had already tested it...

[@mrw6156]

This ! Some sellers use it as a Get Out of Jail Free card despite any evidence to the contrary. “Oh - it doesn’t work ? Well it is sold as untested.” - repeat until the buyer goes away or gets a refund.

[@CooChewGames]

It comes down to repairable by whom. There have been videos where one KZbin channel has sent it to another for repair when they couldn't; for example, when a BGA chip needing repaired, few people can do it but it doesn't mean it is unrepairable. This also assumes that the seller is aware of it enough to understand the problem. Also, the spares can be the case, the buttons, the battery cover... am not sure that I agree with the sentiment of the video tbh.

[@shambleslongplay3566]

i only ever buy broken things where they list what the faults are. also, in the past i sold an old amiga, i diagnosed it figured out which chips were at fault. listed it for sale as faulty and stated exactly what the issue was. sold instantly to one of these retro pc sellers for ~30 the very next week it was listed on their ebay for £120 as "untested" p.s you know all about resistance in series vs parallel.. and the contact traces for the buttons are 2 spirals.. i dont think i need to explain more than that to you as you really are able to deduce why i said that from the knowledge you have accumulated.

[@strra]

Everyone keeps saying that people are selling junk -- in my personal opinion, I would much rather something be sold on to someone that can use it than for it to go into a landfill. There are a lot of good parts on those Game & Watches. More information is always good but if there's no information, the buyer must beware. Ask questions. If they lie when they reply, that's on them, but it's a two-way street. Sometimes I think the buyer is too eager to make a quick buck so they don't look at pictures or ask questions before they buy. I'm guilty of this myself. The worst, however, is when they say "untested". 99% of the time, that means tested and broken. At that point, they're lying. Look at the seller's other items. If they're selling other things from the same category saying they're tested and working, do not buy unless you're assuming that it's broken.

[@jonathanmartin3375]

If the seller knows there's no chance to fix it, they should be listed as Spares only, Unfixable.

[@KevsElectricalWorkshop]

Maybe the internal pullups in the IC have gone faulty (could measure pullup voltage on the 2 inputs), you may get it to work by adding external pullups (just a thought)

[@rrwholloway]

If a seller that isn’t a recognised business (like cash converters) is selling spares I always check what else they are selling. If they are selling other spares or repair items it’s a hard no to buying anything from them. They are flipping junk they couldn’t fix.

[@Allious131]

This is the most best comment anyone could give on here, this right here is what people should be doing as repair techs. Make sure you always lookout to see if they are selling the same types of items on their page because if they are it's 100% junk they couldn't fix and now their problem becomes your problem.

[@biohaz360]

Not okay to combine all broken parts and sell it for repair. I've also noticed most bigger sellers don't describe the problems, just say it's broken.

[@1pdonlon]

Ebay needs an additional requirement of sellers to state if the unit has been messed with, parts removed or replaced. Its one thing attempting to repair an item which is genuinely broken - but its a different thing if someone has messed around with the item, or removed/replaced parts.

[@brianpercival1829]

If it is spare parts only then why list it at working condition prices. $10 plus shipping if you need a certain part to get another working. Works okay but say left button sometimes works, needs replacing. $30. Everything works properly but needs a new case or clean, buff out scratches $75. Its all in the condition and pricing. I do the same with watches. A box of 10 or 20 watches found at an estate sale, some are worth repairing, some are needing parts more expensive that watch value so sell for parts. Someone else can use it for spare parts to get a watch running again.

[@Alexander_l322]

I’ll be honest vince. I sometimes sell faulty or untested or spares or repairs items and when I do it’s because they’ve been tested and they don’t work! Otherwise they’d be sold as working.

[@SMAAAASHTV]

Even buying and selling legitimately on eBay can be a huge risk. I sold an HDMI modded N64 on ebay and had several buyers bid, win, then back out of the purchase and had to relist it 3 times. After all that I was really nervous that the final buyer of the item would try to scam and say not as described, to try getting a free item. Also had an issue where I bought a working PS3 and the seller packed it in a flimsy cardboard box filled with grocery bags and the box split during transit and the console arrived with a huge crack on the corner and damage to the pcb. When I reported it and provide images, the seller claimed "that doesn't look like what I sent" and tried to weasel their way out of it. Needless to say, I don't buy from eBay anymore and I definitely won't sell there again.

[@ErrorMessageNotFound]

Maybe you could use the case for something else ? Hack another game into it, or turn it into a clock or digital photo frame.

[@KitDoctor]

I personally always message folks on eBay if I'm buying something listed as "for parts" to see what they know about it. Most of the time, they tell me about what they have or haven't done, and if they don't respond, I don't buy.

[@1up_Gaming]

I think I saw these, and decided the listing was pretty shifty as looked un-repairable. Going to catch the video later as off for a party, but intrigued how badly they have robed you judging by the start of this video!!

[@Mymatevince]

Hey Mike, hope you enjoyed/are enjoying your party. You might be interested to hear that Elliot over on The Retro Future just mentioned you in his latest video about a Kiosk Nintendo DS that wouldn't charge. Well done on finding that resistor mate 👍👍👍👍

[@1up_Gaming]

@@Mymatevince whilst at the party, I was chatting about yt, went to look and had gone from 777, up to 825, wondered where all the subs had come from all of a sudden 😂 Party was good…. Need to get back to sleep though 😆 too old for going out these days 😆

[@Mymatevince]

@@1up_Gaming 😂👍 Well done Mike

[@MAXTORRACER]

The way to navigate Ebay is to not assume anything. If you have a question ask. If it comes other then described, you contact Ebay saying not as described and get your money back. Ask questions like, has it been opened, have any prior repair attempts been made, is it missing any parts. Once you get these answers and it is different then described in the auction and in questions, you are covered. If the seller doesn't answer the questions or doesn't answer the questions to your satisfaction, do not buy. If it is listed as parts or repair, you can NOT even assume all parts are there. I have been buying and selling on Ebay for years and I do not have any issues buying items. The big problem is dishonest buyers. And buyers who assume something and then say it is not as described.