Is it bad to keep a cartridge in your console?

[Bowser N64]

Well, I knocked into my Donkey Kong 64 cartridge, while it was inserted in my N64, with the door today. However, I did not hit it very hard, and it seems to work fine. I didn't hear a dreaded "crack", as was discussed somewhere in the posts above, so I'm very thankful for that.

Edited May 7, 2008 by Bowser N64

[theking21083]

Well, I knocked into my Donkey Kong 64 cartridge, while it was inserted in my N64, with the door today. However, I did not hit it very hard, and it seems to work fine. I didn't hear a dreaded "crack", as was discussed somewhere in the posts above, so I'm very thankful for that.

 

Wow, your signature is longer than all of your posts put together.

[Bowser N64]

Is there anything wrong with that? I've seen signatures that are crowded with distracting pictures. Mine is just text.

[fdurso224]

Is there anything wrong with that? I've seen signatures that are crowded with distracting pictures. Mine is just text.

 

Hi:

 

Nah, nothings wrong about it. Just a little humor (^_^)

 

Anthony....

[A.J. Franzman]

Is there anything wrong with that? I've seen signatures that are crowded with distracting pictures. Mine is just text.

Images are not allowed in signatures here at AA. Albert also despises large text sigs but only specifies that the font size not be increased (in Guidelines), with no mention of number of words/lines. ISTR that he mentioned elsewhere wanting to limit it to something like 1 or 3 lines or so (I know, mine is longer than that), but he doesn't seem to be about to do so.

[Bowser N64]

Okay, good. I don't want to break the rules or anything.

[GreenDayRlz]

If your worried about stress on the pins, taking it out removes more metal from it then leaving it in.

[RickHarrisMaine]

depends on the console. its really bad to store a cartridge in a Dreamcast, for instance.

[A.J. Franzman]

If your worried about stress on the pins, taking it out removes more metal from it then leaving it in.

I think you're referring to contact wear, which is not the main issue being discussed here. In most cartridge-based systems, the contacts in the cart port are in effect a bunch of individual tiny springs. Leaving a cartridge in place all the time keeps these springs onder constant tension, which over a long period of time (maybe as little as a few weeks) will weaken them until eventually they will have problems making contact with the cartridges. IMO, wear is much less of an issue as long as you keep the cartridge and port contacts clean. Contact deformation is known to be a real issue with 2600s, and I suspect most other cartridge-based systems as well.

Edited May 20, 2008 by A.J. Franzman

[Bowser N64]

That's interesting, but I don't think it really matters. Why not just spend some money getting the system repaired if it quits making contact? You wouldn't repair often.

[shadow460]

depends on the console. its really bad to store a cartridge in a Dreamcast, for instance.

 

LOL, good one.