Star Tech Journal

August 1997
0
STAR* TECH JOURNAL
Schematics are available, but
or get stepped on and broken PC
What will you need to have avail-
many repairs won't require them.
boards result. They yank on the
able? Look through a catalog of
controller cable too many times
Chances are good you can diag-
parts, the things they carry are the
nose and repair a voltage regula-
and it comes up intermittent or
things that fail. Cartridge con-
tor or filter cap problem on your
open. Connectors fail. Kids slam
nectors break or wear out, the
own. Same for problems with the
the cartridges into the games and
little rubber contacts and other
controls.
the connectors
wear out or fail al-
Speaking of
controls, when
together. Look for
broken solder
you take in re-
there as well.
pairs
you
K, now put up a sign, ''We
When the system
should require
uses a power
the
customer
fix Nintendo." That is prob-
adapter rather
to bring in the
than plugging di-
ably sufficient. There are a
whole system,
rectly in to the AC
including a
number of brands, but to Morn and
line, the little
game
car-
power jack is spe-
tridge. Cus-
Dad they are all Nintendo. The kids
cially vuln.e rable.
tomers are no-
They break free
toriously bad
know
better,
but
they
will
ask
if
you
from their solder
troubleshoot-
joints or they tear
ers. They may
fix their brand. MCM even sells a
the solder pads
be convinced
loose from the
that the con-
sign for twenty bucks.
The
board. Sometimes
troller has a
the folks will stand
bad cable and
response is overwhelming, what will
on the cord with-
they may be
out any slack, and
right, but it
we do with all these repairs?
it levers the poor
also could be a
little connector
problem with
right out of the PC
the controller
board. The power adapters
forms of switches fail or wear out,
jack on the unit. The only way
themselves fail. The few adapt-
joystick cables and video cables
to be sure you have fixed every-
ers ( or "wall warts") that can be
thing is to have the whole system.
go bad. Sony playstation has a
opened have the potential for re-
CD reader. Your bench setup is
Systems can have more than one
pair, but usually replacement is
a piece of cake. You need a TV
problem at a time. Of course it
the only option.
is your option to either make up
set.
a joystick test rig, or even have a
If you are not selling original
game system of your own on the
For disassembly of some brands
bench. Borrow one from your
equipment adapters, you can
you will need a special screw-
save money on the surplus mar-
kids when you need to. If a cus-
driver bit for your magnetip. It
ket. As with any power adapter,
tomer does show up with just a
is a sort of inside out Torx and
controller or a system without
get the voltage right, the current
comes in a couple sizes. Three
controller, you are reduced to
the same or larger than the origi-
and a half bucks at M CM and
working on it with clip leads and
nal, make sure the connector fits
they carry a selection of bits for
and has the correct polarity.
other security screws as well.
. .. continued on next page.
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