My NES Died... NES Front Loader or Top loader?

[Frizo]

I dont know how exactly, but I have cleaned my Games SEVERAL times, and the NES keeps freezing. I have an NES clone called the "Factor-5" and they work swell. So I am going to buy a new NES. I have heard NES 2's (top loaders) are better. Is this true or not?

I have heard there is no lock out chip, or they changed it to make it better, so no blinking light. Again, is this true? Any NES 2 facts will be appreciated! Thanks!

[fiddlepaddle]

NES2: better, except it has a single composite out rather than separate audio/video. Original NES "feels" more retro, though.

[StanJr]

Top loader all the way unless you like working your butt off for 10 mins. trying to get a game to hit the contacts just right on a front loader.

 

I still need to get one myself.

[Atariboy]

The top loading NES doesn't have composite video of any sort, just poor quality rf out. Unless there's been a recent advance, composite video mods for it suck with a banding effect being quite evident.

 

I'd go with a traditional front loading NES with superior video quality. You can probably cure your problems for years to come with your current console by disabling the lock out chip, replacing the cartridge connector, and keeping your games clean. If you suspect there's something else broken on it, I'd suggest purchasing another front loading NES for its replacement.

[Frizo]

Okay, Top loader it is.

Sorry Atariboy, but i dont wanna end up being on life support for lack of air.

You know, blowing on carts and everything

[nikthel33t]

just pick up a refurb front-loader. works perfectly if you keep your games clean.

[johnny_boy]

Personally, my dream NES console would be a Famicom AV. Not sure if any work needs to be done for North-American cartridges, but top-loading + composite output sounds pretty sweet. I believe they are constantly over-priced on ebay, though.

[famicommander]

The smartest thing to do would be to just buy a new 72-pin connector. They go for between 5 and 10 dollars on eBay, and they're incredibly easy to replace. I did it, and now my NES works like new.

[kevincal]

The original NES is the best. The picture quality from the top loader is not good at all... Plus it really doesn't play games any better than a toaster... It's mostly to do with how clean your cart's contacts are.

[Atariboy]

Sorry Atariboy, but i dont wanna end up being on life support for lack of air.

 

It's okay with me, I don't have to play on it.

 

All I know is I'm glad I've been able to eliminate rf from every console I own besides the O2 and Intellivision. I know I certainly wouldn't pay a premium for sucky video when it's so easy to keep a front loader operating well.

[CGQuarterly]

So many people don't understand how easy it is to refurb your own NES. Replacement 72-pin connectors are pieces of crap. You just need to take your NES apart and clean the contacts on the connector that you already have. While your in there, disable the lockout chip. It WILL work like new. From then on, just make sure you take your NES games apart and clean them before you insert them into your newly refurbed NES for the first time. And then NEVER blow in them again. MY NES and all the games work perfectly.

 

Chris

[2600Lives]

It's VERY easy to change those 72 pin connectors. You want a great working NES? Get a used front loader, get a new 72 pin connector (they're super cheap, like 10 bucks most places), and install it. Then, clip the lockout chip, and you'll rarely, if ever have to worry about the games crapping out again.

[nathanallan]

Yep, the 72-pin connector is pretty easy to replace. I did it and clipped the lockout chip and my NES plays great and never blinks. When I find my cutting tool I bought just for that I'll take a picture of it. Dng handy thing; blue with a full grip and tiny cutting blades about 1/4" long.

[nathanallan]

Mine are almost identical but blue. They work great and are wicked sharp. Jameco part number 146712, $5.95.

Edited August 7, 2009 by nathanallan

[CGQuarterly]

It takes about 15 minutes to clean your existing connector, and the only thing you need to buy is some super high grit sandpaper. Other than that all you need is some white paper, a piece of thin cardboard, alcohol, and a can of compressed air, which most of us have around the house. Cheaper and easier than replacing your connector with a cheapo aftermarket one, and you can do it right now instead of waiting for the POS replacement connector to show up in the mail.

 

Just take apart your NES and remove the connector. Wrap a piece of high grit sandpaper (the black stuff) around a piece of thin cardboard (just thick enough to put some pressure on the contacts, but not so much that you have to force it in there.) If you can't find a piece of cardboard that's the right thickness, just fold the sandpaper over a few times to thicken it up. Gently insert and remove it several times over all of the contacts, being careful not to snag it on the back of any of the pins. Then blow the connector out with the can of air. Get a piece of paper, fold it over a few times and get one edge wet with rubbing alcohol. Insert and remove it over and over until the paper starts to fall apart. The edge of the paper should look dirty. Do that with a couple of pieces of paper, then do the same thing two more times with a dry piece of paper. By the end, the paper shouldn't really be getting dirty. If it is, you might need to hit it with the sandpaper again (in which case you need to repeat the subsequent steps with the paper.) While your in there, do a quick visual inspection to check for bent pins. If you see any, bend them back with a small eyeglass screwdriver or something.

 

That seems like a lot of work, but it probably takes about 15 minutes, and when you're done you will have a good as new Nintendo brand connector, into which your games will glide with almost no force needed. You have to really push to get your games into the replacement connectors, and you have to pull pretty hard to get them back out. I tried using obe of those deals, but I couldn't help but worry that it was going to damage my games eventually.

 

Chris

[Ace_1]

Why bother with sandpaper when all you can do is just wrap a thin towel around a cartridge's contacts and spraying it with Windex? Windex removed some very nasty gunk that had built up on some of the cartridges that I got used and removed all traces of corrosion on one of my 6 Genesis Model 2s. And while you're at it, get a thin needle and tighten the pins(all of them, not just the ones that seem excessively bent). New 72-pin connectors are pointless; you just have to clean the slot and tighten the pins on the existing connector. I did that to 2 Front-Loader NESes, and they've worked perfectly. You don't even need to push the cartridge down to get a game to boot.

 

And remember: ALWAYS disable your 10NES lockout chip. It's a pointless chip that in the long run will cause more problems than anything else.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Ace_1

[Frizo]

Okay guys, The Front loader, many people will hate me for saying this, but its the truth. The Front Loader...wasnt well made...at all.

That is why Nintendo made the top loader. Dust got caught in the giant space where you put in the cart. And the lockout chip, dont even get me started. You know how it blinks? Most of the time its the lock out chip. Top loader wins, hands down. I did some research. NES Top loader has better controllers, better deisign. I dont notice ANY differances between Composite/AV or RF. So Top loader it is.

[CGQuarterly]

I was just posting what worked for me. If the Windex works, then go for it. My whole point was just that people should fix the stock connector instead of buying an inferior replacement. And you are absolutely right about the lockout chip. I haven't messed with mine only because my NES is RGB modded and I don't want to screw with anything, especially when my deck works just fine.

 

Once you get your connector all cleaned, it is imperative that you clean your games. This is best done by opening up the cartridge with a security bit, and then rubbing the contacts vigorously with a white plastic eraser like this, which you can buy at any stationary or art supply store. 99% of the time, that will make your game contacts look like they are brand new without harming the contacts at all. If that isn't enough, you may have to try something more abrasive, but I have only had to do that once or twice.

 

I refurbed my 72 pin connector about 4-5 years ago, and ever since then, I just always make sure to clean the contacts of any new game I buy using the eraser, and my NES still works like a champ. If one of your games gives you trouble, just clean it again. Keeping your NES happy really isn't that difficult, and it's a shame that more people don't realize that. And one more time, NEVER BLOW IN YOUR CARTS AGAIN.

 

Chris

[CGQuarterly]

Okay guys, The Front loader, many people will hate me for saying this, but its the truth. The Front Loader...wasnt well made...at all.

That is why Nintendo made the top loader. Dust got caught in the giant space where you put in the cart. And the lockout chip, dont even get me started. You know how it blinks? Most of the time its the lock out chip. Top loader wins, hands down. I did some research. NES Top loader has better controllers, better deisign. I dont notice ANY differances between Composite/AV or RF. So Top loader it is.

 

If you can't tell the difference between RF and composite, then you have a crappy television. Yes the dogbone controllers are better, but you can just buy one and use it with the toaster NES. The top loader was designed to be cheaper to manufacture, not better. It has a cult following because it is rare and because it does not have the blinky problems. A properly cared-for toaster works just as well as a top loader, and has a better picture. Even a composite-modded top loader has video issues not found on the toaster.

 

Chris

[STICH666]

Top loader is great for reliability but has horrible picture quality.

 

Toaster has horrible reliability but the picture and sound is excellent.

[Frizo]

Okay guys, The Front loader, many people will hate me for saying this, but its the truth. The Front Loader...wasnt well made...at all.

That is why Nintendo made the top loader. Dust got caught in the giant space where you put in the cart. And the lockout chip, dont even get me started. You know how it blinks? Most of the time its the lock out chip. Top loader wins, hands down. I did some research. NES Top loader has better controllers, better deisign. I dont notice ANY differances between Composite/AV or RF. So Top loader it is.

 

If you can't tell the difference between RF and composite, then you have a crappy television. Yes the dogbone controllers are better, but you can just buy one and use it with the toaster NES. The top loader was designed to be cheaper to manufacture, not better. It has a cult following because it is rare and because it does not have the blinky problems. A properly cared-for toaster works just as well as a top loader, and has a better picture. Even a composite-modded top loader has video issues not found on the toaster.

 

Chris

I do have a crap tv. tube, about 10 inches. But that is ONLY for my NES since it wont work on my 22 inch lcd screen.

(No Tube = No Zapper. No Zapper = No Duck hunt. No Duck hunt = )

 

 

Also, the Top loader, as many people, is better reliability. I dont care what the video looks like. As long as i can tell what the things are (better than 2600 graphics) Im set.

Edited August 7, 2009 by Frizo

[Atariboy]

Okay guys, The Front loader, many people will hate me for saying this, but its the truth. The Front Loader...wasnt well made...at all.

That is why Nintendo made the top loader.

 

They made the top loader because it was significantly cheaper to produce in 1993 and 1994, allowing them to lower the price point to $50. It addresses areas the original was deficient in with the cartridge port, but don't mistake it as being the better built of the two.

[Frizo]

Okay guys, The Front loader, many people will hate me for saying this, but its the truth. The Front Loader...wasnt well made...at all.

That is why Nintendo made the top loader.

 

They made the top loader because it was significantly cheaper to produce in 1993 and 1994, allowing them to lower the price point to $50. It addresses areas the original was deficient in with the cartridge port, but don't mistake it as being the better built of the two.

 

Im not mistaken.

Its the better on IMO

so, if you dont like it, I dont wanna start the "I hate you!" or wars.

So, have fun blowing your lungs out.

[godslabrat]

The top loading NES doesn't have composite video of any sort, just poor quality rf out. Unless there's been a recent advance, composite video mods for it suck with a banding effect being quite evident.

 

I'd go with a traditional front loading NES with superior video quality. You can probably cure your problems for years to come with your current console by disabling the lock out chip, replacing the cartridge connector, and keeping your games clean. If you suspect there's something else broken on it, I'd suggest purchasing another front loading NES for its replacement.

 

+1

 

Get a front loader and a new cart connector. You won't need to spend any time messing with the system, and you won't have to deal with the NES2's crippled video capability (the banding is HORRIBLE).

 

In terms of reliability, I don't really think my top loader is that much better than my front-loader used to be. TOTALLY not worth giving up the superior video for.

[godslabrat]

I do have a crap tv. tube, about 10 inches. But that is ONLY for my NES since it wont work on my 22 inch lcd screen.

(No Tube = No Zapper. No Zapper = No Duck hunt. No Duck hunt = )

 

 

Also, the Top loader, as many people, is better reliability. I dont care what the video looks like. As long as i can tell what the things are (better than 2600 graphics) Im set.

 

Well, then I really don't think you're in a position to say that the video issues on the top loader are unimportant...