So worried about SNES reliability.

[Stevie Goodwin]

This is devastating. I've been looking up SNES PPU, VRAM or CPU failures and it's breaking my heart since i have no solder skills. Since my SNES had glitches, I replaced the board with another good SHVC-CPU-01 board and all is good now. Will my console last as long it's clean. What could cause CPU or PPU failure? Proably removing the game while the power is on. Are SHVC-CPU-01 SNES consoles unreliable?

[H454]

I'd say the "one chip" SNES are probably the most reliable.

Keeping everything clean (cart port) and clean power source is all you can do.

I use surge protectors with power filters on everything now. After having a giant Plasma TV crap out, $30 on a surge protector is cheap insurance.

 

Was your bad board a one chip?

If so, how much would your want for it?

[AtariLeaf]

I've never come across a bad snes but I only have 3 - two regular and one mini. Use a clone console like a Retron 5 if you want to help preserve the life of your SNES. I'm curious if I have one of these all in one chip boards. Is there an external way of telling without opening it up?

[+wood_jl]

I have never heard of SNES unreliability, other than a sort-of-fragile power jack which breaks under the strain of abuse. I've had several and still have 2 and they are old and still quite reliable.

 

Maybe I should start hoarding spares? Oh, please no!

[Bratwurst]

The first generation SNES consoles with the removable soundboard seem to be the most susceptible to CPU and PPU failure, the subsequent SNS-GPM-CPU-02 also has issues pop up but they're more uncommon. Have yet to hear from anyone on why they might die, my guess is poor voltage supply/regulation.

[0078265317]

I got one several years ago off ebay. With removable sound board. Still works. No problems. Power jack is fine. Only problem is few small chips in the case and top half is all yellow.

[keepdreamin]

This is devastating. I've been looking up SNES PPU, VRAM or CPU failures and it's breaking my heart since i have no solder skills. Since my SNES had glitches, I replaced the board with another good SHVC-CPU-01 board and all is good now. Will my console last as long it's clean. What could cause CPU or PPU failure? Proably removing the game while the power is on. Are SHVC-CPU-01 SNES consoles unreliable?

 

[NE146]

I remember when the SNES actually launched (in 1990?), my unit died within a few days of buying it, with screen glitches, freezing, etc.. I had to send it back to Nintendo. I laugh about it now but it was pretty disheartening at the time since we all wanted to play the brand new console.

 

I still have a working SNES, but anyway today we have the SuperNT coming out. That'll suffice for me.

[Stevie Goodwin]

I'd say the "one chip" SNES are probably the most reliable.

Keeping everything clean (cart port) and clean power source is all you can do.

I use surge protectors with power filters on everything now. After having a giant Plasma TV crap out, $30 on a surge protector is cheap insurance.

 

Was your bad board a one chip?

If so, how much would your want for it?

My bad board was actually a SHVC CPU 01

[Tanooki]

I've seen random cases of dead systems, but come on it came out in 1991 and stopped being made around 1996 or so, it's 20-25+ years beyond. Just be nice to it, treat it as you would like to see anyone treat anything nice, and just go about your business. The only common failure on any SNES at all is that horrid process of the PVC manufacturing causing so many of them in part or almost entirely to turn a nasty shade of nicotine like yellow.

[Stevie Goodwin]

I've seen random cases of dead systems, but come on it came out in 1991 and stopped being made around 1996 or so, it's 20-25+ years beyond. Just be nice to it, treat it as you would like to see anyone treat anything nice, and just go about your business. The only common failure on any SNES at all is that horrid process of the PVC manufacturing causing so many of them in part or almost entirely to turn a nasty shade of nicotine like yellow.

I have a first gen SNES with the SHVC sound board and i'm treating it really good. So this means it's less prone to failure?

[Tanooki]

I don't know if it's more or less, all things fail in time. But Nintendo wasn't like Sega with the Game Gear or NEC with basically anything marked Duo or their handhelds with god awful caps that die if you look at them funny. The point was the fail rate on Nintendo hardware is so low if you respect it you'll get the distance it was meant to last.

[Atariboy]

Nintendo actually was still selling new Super Nintendo's in North America into the 2001 fiscal year (2004 in Japan, with if I remember right 2003 being when they concluded production of both the Famicom and Super Famicom).

 

I remember picking up a spare SNES Jr. on Black Friday at Wal-Mart for $50 in 2000, which is still in the box to this day other than being pulled out once back then and plugged into my AC adapter to make sure it worked. They and probably every other Wal-Mart in the country had a pallet full of them that morning.

 

The Super NT eases my fears for the long-term longevity of my system that was bought new in 1995 (Or my need to ever hook up my spare).

Edited December 23, 2017 by Atariboy

[Reaperman]

I've had 2 SNES units go in the last half decade--the second of those was just a few months ago. The menu overlays in mario kart weren't coming up (and a million other minor graphical glitches). I'm down to my last working snes, but I have the other two for parts. I don't know if I've got power problems, or if it's just time for them to go.

 

I've gotten real paranoid about my power quality, but in my mind I know it's probably not justified.

Edited December 23, 2017 by Reaperman

[Keatah]

Power quality a concern? Get a sinusoidal ac-dc-ac ups. NOT a pwm approximation.

[Reaperman]

Power quality a concern? Get a sinusoidal ac-dc-ac ups. NOT a pwm approximation.

Any recommended models?

Consoles like my snes, or the 32x I lost before that, are just on surge protection (this one).

 

I do have my a8 on one of the cheapo pwm ups (it shares it with my main pc), but I'm hoping that I'm somewhat mitigating the risk by keeping its independent power strip flipped off when not in use.

 

Is there any added value in inexpensive power conditioners?

Edited December 23, 2017 by Reaperman

[keepdreamin]

I have a first gen SNES with the SHVC sound board and i'm treating it really good. So this means it's less prone to failure?

 

If you want to ensure its reliability, don't turn it on. Stick the SNES in a tupperware bin and toss in a desiccant pack or two before closing the lid. Store in a cool dry place away from sunlight. Like the bottom of a closet, or basement.

[NinjaWarrior]

So that's why they took it off shelves

 

I remember when at my brothers best friends work, They got it in, But later soon dissapeared

 

Might have been a recall

[Stevie Goodwin]

I heard that a power filtering could shorten the life of the chips. Would a power surge help

[famicommander]

They sold 50 million of those things, you'll be able to find them for the rest of your life pretty easily.

[keepdreamin]

I heard that a power filtering could shorten the life of the chips. Would a power surge help

 

Print this out and put it up next to your TV.

 

[Osgeld]

I think if one is worried about a machine crack it open and run it, see what gets warm

 

if its a 3 pin power regulator swap it, maybe add a heat sink, if its one of the chips, add heat sinks to it (I mean self stick ram heatsinks are cheap on the china express)

 

check caps, look for worn area's, its a old machine, it may need to be looked at once in a while

[NE146]

Just keep the SNES right there under your wing, don't make it fly but maybe make it sing. Keep it cozy and warm. Also don't let anything dirty get through, wait up until it gets in, always find out where it's been.. you gotta keep that SNES HEALTHY AND CLEAN!

[AtariLeaf]

I can understand the concern. There's sometimes a fear that anytime you turn on a machine it might not work or develop some problem. This is the reason I have so many of each machine that I own. Not because I'm a hoarder but so that I have a steady stream of replacements and parts machines available. That's also the reason I've really started getting into learning diagnostics and repair of some of these old machines. It's pretty much a necessity nowadays with these consoles and computers being 20,30 or even 40+ years old.

 

I think the OP has two choices - enjoy the hobby and play your machines and if a problem develops, fix it or replace it. The second choice is to take up a different hobby like knitting or stamp collecting instead.

[Tanooki]

^Or third choice, emulate the sucka on something newer as it's just ROMs anyway. Want it to feel better, buy a USB to your favorite controller adapter.