Wierd Artifacts on DK, What is Wrong?

broseph123

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I recived this DK Pcb a day ago and I only really had a chance to test it out for more than a few seconds today. When turning on it appears to work fine....until you start a game that is:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ek7ddXaJKts



Sometimes its worse than that, other times its better. This pcb is not plugged into a native DK, its in my DK Jr., which plays that game without any graphical glitches. Any idea whats wrong?
 
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Clean and reseat all ribbon cables and socketed e/proms.

With that said, it appears to be corruption (or corroded legs) on your moving object eproms, residing at locations 7C 7D 7E and 7F on the video pcb board (for 2-board style). If removing and reseating those after carefully pencil eraser-ing or sanding the ic legs doesn't fix it, you'll need to replace one or more of those stated chips.
 
ermm....socketed e/proms?

I'm assuming that the ribbon cables are the two things at the bottom connecting the boards. How exactly would I clean all of this stuff?

btw the pcb says TKG4-14-CPU at the top
 
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Ultralayman mode - ENGAGE!

Cables are easy. Yes, the grey ribbon cables connecting the boards. I give 'em a good blow with compressed air and visually confirm pin health.

The socketed EPROM's and PROM's are the actual game data storage chips on the pcb's. They "plug" into their little black holsters. They are labeled with stickers that say things like "TKG4-C 5Af." The "5A" refers to it's home position on the pcb, row 5, position A. And the "C" means it goes on the CPU side of the board (labeled as such in white text next to the Nintendo copyright).

You need to carefully pry up and remove the 4 chips I stated on the video pcb with a electronics screwdriver or chip puller. If you apply too much pressure or lift to one end of the chip, the metal legs will break and the chip is useless, so be sure to pry evenly on both sides, back and forth until removed. Do them one at a time so that you may visually confirm their proper orientation, as reinstalling backwards will also render the chip useless. Then use a pencil eraser (red are firmer) to carefully "sand" the outer surfaces of each metal IC (chip) leg until they are shiny (they're probably lightly coated in black gunk or white residue). They are small and bendy, so be careful. I brace the leg backs with my index finger lengthwise. You can bend them back and forth a bit before they snap, and you will need to bend at least one side of each chip's legs inward slightly to reinstall them, as they will splay out when removed.

ermm....socketed e/proms?

I'm assuming that the ribbon cables are the two things at the bottom connecting the boards. How exactly would I clean all of this stuff?
 
Ultralayman mode - ENGAGE!

Cables are easy. Yes, the grey ribbon cables connecting the boards. I give 'em a good blow with compressed air and visually confirm pin health.

The socketed EPROM's and PROM's are the actual game data storage chips on the pcb's. They "plug" into their little black holsters. They are labeled with stickers that say things like "TKG4-C 5Af." The "5A" refers to it's home position on the pcb, row 5, position A. And the "C" means it goes on the CPU side of the board (labeled as such in white text next to the Nintendo copyright).

You need to carefully pry up and remove the 4 chips I stated on the video pcb with a electronics screwdriver or chip puller. If you apply too much pressure or lift to one end of the chip, the metal legs will break and the chip is useless, so be sure to pry evenly on both sides, back and forth until removed. Do them one at a time so that you may visually confirm their proper orientation, as reinstalling backwards will also render the chip useless. Then use a pencil eraser (red are firmer) to carefully "sand" the outer surfaces of each metal IC (chip) leg until they are shiny (they're probably lightly coated in black gunk or white residue). They are small and bendy, so be careful. I brace the leg backs with my index finger lengthwise. You can bend them back and forth a bit before they snap, and you will need to bend at least one side of each chip's legs inward slightly to reinstall them, as they will splay out when removed.





I think those are the chips you are referring to. The dont appear to be corroded at all...though I didnt take them off (fear of breaking :eek:) Is there anything else I could try before taking those off....things could go seriously wrong and I dont have any chip removers.

I cleaned out the two ribbon cables with compressed air.
 
Well I agree that they do look great. Usually corrosion would be visible on the upper portions of the legs, so it's probably not the issue. Unfortunately, if they aren't corroded, then one or more of them probably has corrupted bits, possibly from extended UV exposure or other unknown circumstances, requiring replacement or reprogramming. If I were in your shoes, I would attempt chip replacement (but I have spares, guessing you don't :| ).

It's possible that some capacitor or bad ram is also causing this, but my personal experience with moving glitches has always led to those corresponding chips.
 
Well I agree that they do look great. Usually corrosion would be visible on the upper portions of the legs, so it's probably not the issue. Unfortunately, if they aren't corroded, then one or more of them probably has corrupted bits, possibly from extended UV exposure or other unknown circumstances, requiring replacement or reprogramming. If I were in your shoes, I would attempt chip replacement (but I have spares, guessing you don't :| ).

It's possible that some capacitor or bad ram is also causing this, but my personal experience with moving glitches has always led to those corresponding chips.

Well I just replugged it and cleaning the ribbons had no effect :( I just bought this from dj dns like two days ago, maybe I'll contact him about it...perhaps he has a spare chip or two?
 
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