NES console - strip on screen

D-Roy

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Just received an NES console that a family member found tucked away and I've got a couple questions someone here might know.

-There is a narrow band on the left side of the screen. It is almost unnoticable. Any ideas what would cause it? It is whatever color the dominant or background color on the screen at the time is. So on super mario bros for example, when you start a game it is the color of the sky. Is this maybe just a dirty contact pin?

-The cartridges slide in tight. It is normal when pushing the cartridge down, but inserting and removing the cartridge is tight. The games do always fire up on the first try though. I highly doubt this console has a replaced 72-pin connector so I don't think it would be that issue that comes up with that.

Sidenote: I was surprised how excited people at my New Year's party were to play Duck Hunt.
 
-There is a narrow band on the left side of the screen. It is almost unnoticable. Any ideas what would cause it? It is whatever color the dominant or background color on the screen at the time is. So on super mario bros for example, when you start a game it is the color of the sky. Is this maybe just a dirty contact pin?

Yeah, it's pretty much normal. Most older CRTs will show it if you are able to adjust the horizontal picture position. It's just the over draw. Every once in a while you will see a sprite or object go through it.

-The cartridges slide in tight. It is normal when pushing the cartridge down, but inserting and removing the cartridge is tight. The games do always fire up on the first try though. I highly doubt this console has a replaced 72-pin connector so I don't think it would be that issue that comes up with that.

The NES may not have been used much. The connector should have a firm grab on the cartridge. If the connector was removed you can bend each pin slightly to make better contact with the game. It will wear down over time, thus giving you the famous flashing screen.

I've heard some people say they put the game in and don't push it down. Supposedly with the firm grip of newer connectors (or less used) it will help prevent it from the future problem.
 
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Yeah, this is on a Sony Wega (Vega?) CRT from about 2002. I noticed that the picture isn't centered very well (some wording at the top/bottom of screen is cut off). I couldn't find a way to adjust it on the TVs menu screen, but there has to be a way to adjust that....
 
Yep, thats normal to see that bar- I've seen it on many NES systems on newer TVs. Even pre HD sets, that were made in the past decade show this. I think the older curved sets had much more overscan- like everyone here mentioned.

On my NES, I took it apart and bent the pins back with a safety pin to give it a firm grip. You can also disable the lockout chip pretty easily, which solves the blinking. The only thing is, even if it doesnt blink, you still may get a solid colored screen. It usually goes away after you take the game out, and reseat it a few times. It's also important you clean all your games to make sure the pins aren't dirty or fouled up. Even with the diabled lockout chip, refurbished 72 pin connector, and clean games you'll still have problems from time to time getting games to work when you try different cartridges. But again, after a few times of reseating the games, you shouldn't have much of a problem.
 
As many NES I've been through I have never had a problem with the lockout chip. Everyone recommends it as a fix for the blinking screen, but I have personally never had to do it.

I own about 15 NES at the moment... it's always an issue with bad connectors or dirty carts.
 
As many NES I've been through I have never had a problem with the lockout chip. Everyone recommends it as a fix for the blinking screen, but I have personally never had to do it.

I own about 15 NES at the moment... it's always an issue with bad connectors or dirty carts.

It fixes the blinking, for sure. But that's mostly it. For example: If you had a blinking screen that was gray and then you disable the lockout chip, you'll have a solid gray screen afterwards. No blinking, but you still have to mess with the cart a little and reseat it, etc.
 
I guess that makes sense. I have had games do a solid grey(or blue/purple) and games blink the title screen.

I still haven't had to disable one... probably just a strange combination of the two for a "perfect" working system every time.
 
Yeah, this is on a Sony Wega (Vega?) CRT from about 2002. I noticed that the picture isn't centered very well (some wording at the top/bottom of screen is cut off). I couldn't find a way to adjust it on the TVs menu screen, but there has to be a way to adjust that....

Wegas can definitely be adjusted. Need to find a service manual to get the codes.

Make sure to record all of the codes before you start messing around.

It fixes the blinking, for sure. But that's mostly it. For example: If you had a blinking screen that was gray and then you disable the lockout chip, you'll have a solid gray screen afterwards. No blinking, but you still have to mess with the cart a little and reseat it, etc.

It does seem that the lockout chip is the most susceptible to a piss-poor cartridge connection.
 
Now that I got a few more games to try, it is only noticable on some games and it doesn't bug me that much anymore.

On another note, I was stupid and put in a game I just bought without cleaning it. It must have been filthy and therefore gunked up the console pins b/c now none of my games will work. Live & learn - always clean those cartridges first.
 
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