Super Contra Help (Video issue)

OverRide

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Hello,

This is my first post here. I have lingered on these forums but never had to post anything until now.
I have a Super Contra board that has a minor and annoying issue. The board blindly boots. Seems to play and sound fine, but the Video is a blank white screen with the odd graphic appearing on the screen. I have checked the board over a few times and see nothing bent, broken, burnt, etc. I can get the video to work %100 when I squeeze down on the connector between the two boards (shown in the first picture). This made me think it was this particular connector, but when I test the continuity through the connector everything checks out.

Any thoughts on what I could try? Should I just try to get a new connector? If so, where would I find one?


http://lh5.ggpht.com/_N_8RM360rs0/TQVUgEUb64I/AAAAAAAAAHI/UivUe0n4RoM/s800/DSC01789.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_N_8RM360rs0/TQVUfoGDM7I/AAAAAAAAAHE/OFQnktPbUZo/s800/DSC01788.JPG


Thanks!
 
Last edited:
Hello,

This is my first post here. I have lingered on these forums but never had to post anything until now.
I have a Super Contra board that has a minor and annoying issue. The board blindly boots. Seems to play and sound fine, but the Video is a blank white screen with the odd graphic appearing on the screen. I have checked the board over a few times and see nothing bent, broken, burnt, etc. I can get the video to work %100 when I squeeze down on the connector between the two boards (shown in the first picture). This made me think it was this particular connector, but when I test the continuity through the connector everything checks out.

Any thoughts on what I could try? Should I just try to get a new connector? If so, where would I find one?


http://lh5.ggpht.com/_N_8RM360rs0/TQVUgEUb64I/AAAAAAAAAHI/UivUe0n4RoM/s800/DSC01789.JPG

http://lh3.ggpht.com/_N_8RM360rs0/TQVUfoGDM7I/AAAAAAAAAHE/OFQnktPbUZo/s800/DSC01788.JPG


Thanks!

Surface mount chips on the board? *guessing*.

Sounds like a bad solder joint somewhere. Might not even be on that connector... when you're pressing on it, you might be flexing the board juuuuuust enough to get that solder joint making a connection.

I ask about surface mount chips because I don't trust them... at all... I always reflow all of them when I get a board that has issues and surface mount ICs.

If you reflow them and it still isn't fixed, then you still could have a broken trace (close enough to touch when flexed) or a bad connection somewhere else that the little flex moves enough to "fix". Even with through-hole components, cold solder joints and bad connections can really mess with you.

If you're 100% certain it's those connectors... reflow the pins on both halves. Clean the pins, clean the sockets they plug into (if you can) and replace if needed.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for the reply Scucci. I did manage to get this board working tonight. It turned out to be the connector I thought it was (kinda). I was thinking about it last night and released my continuity test from pin to pin through the connector proved nothing except that the continuity between the connectors were fine. There was a cold solder on the board for one of the pins. I went pin by pin pushing lightly on them until I hit the faulty pin and the video appeared. A quick solder later and we are good to go!

Thanks again!
 
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