Nintendo bits

[baybgrlus]

Hello all, is there something other than a Nintendo bit" to open my nintendo carts with. a small ratchit or something?

[JB]

Hello all, is there something other than a Nintendo bit" to open my nintendo carts with. a small ratchit or something?

I used needle-nosed tweezers once.

 

I've heard you can melt a pen cap into the hole then shove a screwdriver in on top of it.

[video game addict]

Hammer...?

 

[joeybastard]

Take the cart to an auto parts store. I used to work in one and I know we had "Star" bits that fit Nintendo carts. I can't remember the size though so bring the cart.

[AtariYoungin]

its a 3.8 mm Security driver...or its also called a Femal Torx...you can get one here thats a full screwdriver.

 

http://www.lik-sang.com/info.php?category=...oducts_id=1475&

[thegamezmaster]

I've seen them for sale on ebay for the bit,might try there.

[joeybastard]

The parts store I worked in had them for $1.99 as a bit you could use with a 3/8" rachet

[video game addict]

I worked in a parts store for a couple years and we never sold any Security bits. We did have standard torx bits which is similar, but the exact opposite of what you'd need. Torx bits look like the security screw in the cart. They are commonly used for headlight adjustment screws on some cars, and some smaller dash pieces. #10 torx looks very close in appearance & size to a the 3.8 mm security bits.

[JB]

Hammer...?

 

Heh. I loce that pic.

[baybgrlus]

ok nother question. I know this might sound dumb but while I was cleaning the contacts I noticed some of my games were missing some of the contacts mostly in the middle, are some like this or are they junk now?

[hex65000]

Yes they are deader than butterfly collars with glittery bits on the front.

Please send all 'dead' NES carts to...

 

 

Seriously tho, no, that's common practice to keep cost down. The contacts start life gold plated and gold (and extra traces) cost money.

 

What sucks is when they rattle inside. Someone jammed a cart in so hard that some of the mounting for the board has snapped. Joy!

 

Interestingly, I have encountered a few early NES carts that are easily opened with a flathead screwdriver. I discovered an odd connector that just acted as an interface board for a smaller NES cart. My knowledge of NES technical history is poor. I suspect that it was a way to use Famicom boards without having to lay out a whole new cartridge (which was done later). Oh, and the game was Excitebike. Whee!!!

 

You could always make your own tool if things get desparate. I made a wrench for the SNES power bricks by combining an Allen wrench and a dremel.

 

Hex.

[ Has more NES carts to clean than he'd like to... But strangely won't send them out. Hrm.... ]

[joeybastard]

I worked in a parts store for a couple years and we never sold any Security bits. We did have standard torx bits which is similar, but the exact opposite of what you'd need. Torx bits look like the security screw in the cart. They are commonly used for headlight adjustment screws on some cars, and some smaller dash pieces.  #10 torx looks very close in appearance & size to a the 3.8 mm security bits.

 

I guess One Stop had a better inventory

[joeybastard]

I worked in a parts store for a couple years and we never sold any Security bits. We did have standard torx bits which is similar, but the exact opposite of what you'd need. Torx bits look like the security screw in the cart. They are commonly used for headlight adjustment screws on some cars, and some smaller dash pieces.  #10 torx looks very close in appearance & size to a the 3.8 mm security bits.

 

I guess One Stop had a better inventory The female torx started being used on some Jeeps so we carried them in those cheapo bins that sit on the countertop.

[baybgrlus]

so its ok to be missing some, I havent opened any as of yet, im just talking about the metal contacts that I cleaned with rubbing alcohol. ? :wink:

[Brad2600]

I'm playing one of my NES units that decided to work again.

 

So far, I have to clean each game before plugging it in. Some games have contacts so clean that I can just pop them in and play. Others get dirt from coming in contact with the connector.

 

It's a joy to play NES again though. I keep getting my ass kicked by the computer at Ice Hockey..grrrr.

[JB]

Interestingly, I have encountered a few early NES carts that are easily opened with a flathead screwdriver.

Yah. All the 5 screw games, and the very early 3-screw ones.

 

I discovered an odd connector that just acted as an interface board for a smaller NES cart. My knowledge of NES technical history is poor. I suspect that it was a way to use Famicom boards without having to lay out a whole new cartridge (which was done later).  

Sort of.

They couldn't manufacture NES carts fast enough to meet demand at first, so they were ripping boards off the FamiCom assembly lines, slapping an adapter on, and stuffing them in the cart.