Best way to get the Nintendo working?

[Briznock]

Everyone has thier own "touch" or technique.  Im just curious as to what everyone else does to get the NES working when it is having its time of the month.

The technique I use that has worked wonders for my nintendo playing is the "Under the Shirt and Game Brace" style.  This is done as follows:  First have the Nintendo on a stable base and all controllers plugged in and ready to use.  Second open the nintendo's lid and give a 65-70% blow into the system using a warmer breath from deeper in the lungs.  Third place the RBI cartridge under your shirt and give a mighty 100% blow throught the shirt.  Next, firmly place RBI Baseball into the NES, press down and hold.  Finally take another NES game, we liked Castlevania 2: Simon's Quest, and place above RBI Baseball to hold the game firmly in place. 

Its amazing how often this works for us. 

Also I must not take credit for the creation of this style.  My friend and (I believe) forum member ra_stien.  He may have been banished from the forums, I cant remember if he was or not.

[Superood]

Thanks for the info.  I'll give it a shot next time my NES starts acting anal.  Hey...I saw some of those new "top load" NES up for bid on Ebay.  Has anyone ever purchased one or knows someone who has?  Just curious on what people think of them.  As for me...I can't think of playing RBI on anything but the original NES.  The challenge or blowing and beating (sounds like Darryl Strawberry) is all part of the whole game experience.  If your system is fucked for an hour and you FINALLY get it going, that first game will feel sooooooooo much better on the nerves.

[Gantry]

We use a similar technique Briznock, sans shirt.  Putting another NES cartridge ontop of the original works wonders...

The toploaders are great, not nearly as many issues with games not working...

[RedBarron]

1) blow in it. . . .sure, it gets tons of spit in the unit, but it works most of the time.


2)  my NES required you to put the about 97 percent in. . . . meaning you leave just a 1/8 inch or so lip. . . . . . press the the cartridge down rather firmly, and poof. . . .NES works.

[Stock]

I just keep hitting both sides of the box with my open palms, followed by pressing the reset button in b/w hits.  I usually get any pissy game working in a matter of seconds with this method.  I still have the same box I got for my 7-year-old birthday.  I cannot believe the thing is still ticking.

[PHole717]

Blow, Shake, repeat if necessary

[Big Hath]

drop-kick followed by lots of cursing

This is my 1000 thousandth post!  Finally!!  Dee-Nee!!!

[JoeDirt]

We use a similar technique Briznock, sans shirt. Putting another NES cartridge ontop of the original works wonders...

Do you only do this after the NES is working?

[Gantry]

Typically, I put the cart in as far up front as it will go.  Then I push the cart down with my hand and turn it on.  Once I get it to come up by pushing down manually, I keep it pushed down and slide the other cart on top of it...

[JoeDirt]

i need a visual to fully understand this...

[Big Hath]

Typically, I put the cart in as far up front as it will go.  Then I push the cart down with my hand and turn it on.  Once I get it to come up by pushing down manually, I keep it pushed down and slide the other cart on top of it...

i need a visual to fully understand this...

Just replace "cart" with "cock" and that should help.

[Baines]

I prefer to use RBI 3 as the cart to hold the game down.  That may be its only use.

[Felonious Gunk]

I've never tried the 'Cart doggystyle' method before... might give it a try.

I live in a VERY dusty area, so I had to unscrew the old thing and blow all THAT dust out.  That helped with getting it to start, but I might use the 'doggystyle' method because my games will play for a while before going psycho.  This is due to living next to active coal mines and within 200 ft of a very active train track.  Perhaps that bracing will make them work...

But my method has always been the 'Praying Blow': clasp cart in hand vertical to you and blow a few times back and forth.  Then I have to put it in and wiggle the cart in.  It doesn't seem to go on flush anymore, so I usually gotta push to the left.

[Gantry]

A qtip and rubbing alcohol is 10x more effective than any blowing technique for a troublesome cart.  It'll be the best $1 you ever spent...

[Attezzobal]

I have 3 nintendo's at my disposal (four if you count OctoFranco's), my mother hits Goodwill and such to buy cheap shit and sell it for a ton on ebay, so at least once a week I get awoken by a phone call with her asking me whether or not to buy a $1 nintendo, the answer is always yes...Sadly, no backup copy of RBI yet (still not sure who's we use, but I believe it's OctoFranco's)

We used to use the 97% in trick as well, along with the hitting reset over and over, the reset usually gets it to gradually get better until it's perfect, and that's my preffered method (I've always sucked at the blowing method, boy, nothing to quote in that phrase, eh?)

But again, why is RBI ever taken out of the NES in the first place?

And yes JoeDirt, I will bring all my available NES' to Columbus.

[Wilfong]

A qtip and rubbing alcohol is 10x more effective than any blowing technique for a troublesome cart.  It'll be the best $1 you ever spent...

Gantry, did you say in an old post that there's something you can buy for your nintendo that has it working like new? It was $10 or something and you never had problems after that? Also, I have the RF switch, does anyone know if RCA cables will work to connect the nintendo in absence of the regular red and yellow cables that came with it? Or, where can I get the red/yellow cables?

[fathedX]

Any RCA cables will work.  I use some from a stereo, no worries.

I have 3 standard Nintendos and one Nintendo top loader.  Note the original top loaders are expensive and do not allow the use of RCA cables: you have to use the RF, which is a lesser quality connection.  It is a noticeable degradation, so I end up wrestling with a standard Nintendo most of the time.

I have not looked on Ebay, but I know there is a Chinese-made top loader that just came out last year that can run Nintendo games.  My local game store sells them.  A very important point to understand about these units is they use a different connector for the controller, so you cannot use the original controller, you have to use the four button controller that comes with the unit.  It just doesn't feel right and the controllers are flimsy as hell.  Better to stay all original and learn a technique for getting the Nintendo to work than go bastard, in my opinion.

[BeeJay]

I just started using rca cables this year to hook up my nintendo, and was amazed at how much clearer it is.  It was like switching from an 8 bit system, to a 9 or a 10.  Seriously though, it looks a lot better.

[Attezzobal]

Call me an idiot, especially because I used to spend far too much time hooking up PA Systems and the like...

But I've tried everything to make it clearer on the original NES', and have no idea what you guys are talking about, I've yet to figure out how to hook up the Yellow and Red cords to my nintendo, if you have any links to what cords you guys use, that would be greatly appreciated, or even a pic of the set up  you have right now.

[underatednoobie]

I love the 97% method, but I usually tweak it down to about 92% when its causin me a hassle ... I also love the recently famous "doggy style" method, as one called it

both these methods just came natural to me... as well as reseting the nintendo right as the power blinks on

I've yet to figure out how to hook up the Yellow and Red cords to my nintendo, if you have any links to what cords you guys use, that would be greatly appreciated, or even a pic of the set up you have right now.

I took a couple of pics with my digital camera for ya Attezzobal... don't have much to do right now

As you can see my cords are red and black... but any RCA type cables that come with electronic equipment ( I'm sure you have an extra lying around somewhere, and if not they are like 3 dollars at the store )... most are 3 pronged with yellow(video), red, and white(both audio)


if you dont see the picture i made an attachment ( im a noobie, i know)