pcb ribbon cable question

karatechamp999

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i'm trying to figure out why my bubble bobble bootleg pcb is not working, and i noticed that when checking for continuity pin to pin on the ribbon cable that connects the two pcbs boards together, continuity testing from the solder point on the board, with the ribbon cable connected to the co-responding solder point on the other board. that they all are connected except some pins seem to be getting continuity to several other points on the other side (suggesting a short somewhere?) I've swapped on the ribbon cable for others that i have and its the same. Do these plastic connectors that the ribbon cable goes into go bad/faulty? Is it supposed to do this?
i've cleaned the pins, used other ribbon cables, still one pin is getting continuity to at least 8 or 9 pins on the other side. I traded two no-working boards for this one, supposed to be working board from another member on this site, and it has never worked, and of course he is not responding to my messages, please help!
 
Test the cable by itself. Reflow the solder holding the the ribbon connectors. Not knowing the schematics on that board, it is possible those connections are supposed to have conductivity, it is possible there is tiny bit of solder causing a short. You would just have to trace it out.
 
i've swapped out the cable for others, same result, its not the cable. i was just wondering if it could be the connecter itself (can they short?), or if it supposed to be connected to all those other points on the other side or due i have a short somewhere on the board thats the issue?
 
k thanks, I'm on it, i just wanted to check with the community if those plastic ribbon cable sockets ever short out, which i guess they don't, so i'll keep looking down the line, thanks!
 
i'm trying to figure out why my bubble bobble bootleg pcb is not working, and i noticed that when checking for continuity pin to pin on the ribbon cable that connects the two pcbs boards together, continuity testing from the solder point on the board, with the ribbon cable connected to the co-responding solder point on the other board. that they all are connected except some pins seem to be getting continuity to several other points on the other side (suggesting a short somewhere?) I've swapped on the ribbon cable for others that i have and its the same. Do these plastic connectors that the ribbon cable goes into go bad/faulty? Is it supposed to do this?
i've cleaned the pins, used other ribbon cables, still one pin is getting continuity to at least 8 or 9 pins on the other side. I traded two no-working boards for this one, supposed to be working board from another member on this site, and it has never worked, and of course he is not responding to my messages, please help!

Of course you're going to see continuity between various parts of the PCB and the ribbon cable connectors. What do you think the cable is there for? It's so signals can traverse between the boards. If they terminated at the connector, it would be the same as leaving the cable unplugged.

What's your board doing? Nothing at all, coming up with a scrambled screen, graphics issues, etc.
 
Ive swapped out ribbon cables so i know its not the ribbon cable, i had a simple question, do ribbon cable sockets short out, doesnt look like they do. I only suspected cause when i continuity from the solder points of the connector on the board to the other boards connector points i noticed that one point on one side had continuity to several points on the other side, but after inspection i guess it's supposed to do that,
 

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It's not likely to be a "simple" thing. Unless you are able and willing to get out a logic probe and start testing, the best you can do is reflow and reseat everything and see if that does it.
 
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