Picky cartridge port

[ramidavis]

(I have no idea why one of the pictures is upside down. The original on my computer is not upside down. Sorry.)

My TI seems to have a super-picky cartridge port.

Some but not all cartridges have to be in 'just the right spot' before they work.

I have to fully insert the cartridge then kind of wiggle it back just a tiny bit.

Other cartridges, i found will work only when i literally hold them tight into the port. (see photo) If i release my grip, the console hangs.

For now, i have discovered that placing the speech synth booklet under the cartridge at a specific place with about 8-9 pages underneath is enough to get the cartridges working.

 

I seem to recall my NES having a similar issue. Games would play fine with a game genie inserted but mess up without it installed.

After about 6 months of that, i finally got some guy at a game store to actually tighten up the game cartridge slot contacts. (i felt too uneasy about trying it myself.)

 

Am i right in thinking the slot on the TI can be made tighter in the same manner?

I have never opend up this system yet, but i suppose i probably should.

 

What i wonder is why can't you make some sort of ribbon cable that plugs into the slot and lays on the table, then what ever cartridge you want to use you just plug in there, saving excessive inserts and removals on the actual slot.

 

Anyone ever try to mod the TI cartridge slot into a top-loader type?

Edited November 8, 2017 by ramidavis

[RickyDean]

(I have no idea why one of the pictures is upside down. The original on my computer is not upside down. Sorry.)

Well, my TI seems to have developed a super-picky cartridge port lately.

Some but not all cartridges have to be in 'just the right spot' before they work.

I have to fully insert the cartridge then kind of wiggle it back just a tiny bit.

Other cartridges, i found will work only when i literally hold them tight into the port. (see photo) If i release my grip, the console hangs.

For now, i have discovered that placing the speech synth booklet under the cartridge at a specific place with about 8-9 pages underneath is enough to get the cartridges working.

 

I seem to recall my NES having a similar issue. Games would play fine with a game genie inserted but mess up without it installed.

After about 6 months of that, i finally got some guy at a game store to actually tighten up the game cartridge slot contacts. (i felt too uneasy about trying it myself.)

 

Am i right in thinking the slot on the TI can be made tighter in the same manner?

I have never opend up this system yet, but i suppose i probably should.

 

What i wonder is why can't you make some sort of ribbon cable that plugs into the slot and lays on the table, then what ever cartridge you want to use you just plug in there, saving excessive inserts and removals on the actual slot.

 

Anyone ever try to mod the TI cartridge slot into a top-loader type?

It is probably a dirty port, You can take apart the console remove the felt material in the grom connector and clean with alcohol, q tips' old toothbrush and put back together. Will probably be ok then.

[+OLD CS1]

Some cameras, including mine, thing hold being held forward over a certain angle but not parallel to the ground means it is inverted. Weird.

[Keatah]

No reason you can't make an extension cable.

[Shift838]

Although you can make an extension cable (i have done it). There are some cartridges that will have issues with the length of the extension cable. I found this to be the case when I did mine. I have had fairly good luck with the below cable manufacturer for PEB extension cables and they sell a cartridge extension cable too:

 

HERE