Faulty NES solutions?

[KusoGaki]

I just got a NES with games from eBay this morning, however it seems to occasionally suffer from the infamous flashing red light syndrome i've read about... (Especially with Nintendo WOrld Cup )
(Red power light flashes and flashes a grey screen on TV)

The guy i bought it from offers a full refund (i think including return fees) but i really can't be bothered to carry it to the post office and having to deal with returns. (Too many other things to deal with atm!)

The thing i want to know is, i've read the game genie corrects this problem as it creates a somewhat bridge between the faulty 72pin in the NES and game, does anyone know firsthand whether this is true? As this would be the easiest option for me to just order a game genie.

I've also read you can replace the 72pin, but i'd rather not do this as i'm a complete moron when it comes to repairing electronics. (Managed to mess up my Atari ST just by opening it....) It also seems to be only slightly cheaper than a game genie, and i heard that this even wears down over time.

Advice appreciated!

[SegaMark]

I hear the 72pin replacement is a piece of piss to do anyway, someone at work managed it and he hasn't the first clue about electronics.

[kernow]

yeah, you simply open up the machine , which is just painful because of the amount of screws, nothing more, then slot the new connector on, I did this recently but it still didn't fix my system . ho well.

if you do take it apart, make sure not to screw in the cart assembly too tight, as the spring mechanism won't work and the cart won't pop up when you push it down and click, it'll just get stuck.

[MattyD]

I opened up and fixed the cartridge pins on my NES after it started playing up and I barely know anything about electronics. I didn't replace the cartridge socket though - all I did was use a tiny screwdriver (mine was for the screws on spectacle arms but some electronics scredrivers may be small enough) to physically bend the pins back into shape. It's still working like a dream

I recommend you follow this step-by-step guide, which I found extremely helpful. Good luck!

[KusoGaki]

Thanks for the replies, i really would like to keep opening it up as a last resort though.

No ideas about the GameGenie?

[MattyD]

Well yes, the Game Genie may well work, but it may also ruin the 72-pin connector completely, which defeats the object of buying it. The flashing glitch is caused by worn pins inside the connector failing to touch the cartridge connectors. A GG with a cart attached is too big for the machine and puts a downward pressure on the 72-pin connector, meaning that whilst it may touch the bent pins, it will also bend them even further out of shape and you may end up needing to replace the connector completely.

[KusoGaki]

ok, i guess i'll just order a new 72pin instead then.

I tried opening it up to clean it up and bend the pins a bit, think i made it worse (now i need to hold down the games a little to get them to work :-/ ), will try it again tomorrow morning.

[kernow]

I got a new connector off ebay for about £7 shipped, from the US too.

it wasn't gold plated, like some .. but hey ..

[KusoGaki]

The one i ordered was about 8.99 total sent via recorded in the UK, managed to correct the error i made earlier by opening it back up and bending the contacts up a bit with a pin.
Chances of it working now is up to about 80% or so.

Thanks for the advice everyone, glad i did open it up in the end. At least when i get the 72pin now, i know exactly how to install it.

[DeathAdder]

Glad it worked out. Love the username.