My...err...I need help

[pacgreg]

Ok, so what do you do when a game partially works?

I got a cart that only displays gibberish when I try it with any console, well only gibberish except for the ActiVision logo in the corner and the copyright that it alternates with, those work fine. The music only plays on a blue moon when all the stars align and air raid cartridges are sold nib at garage sales. When it doesn't it just clicks and beeps. The game is just Pitfall 2 so I can't tell if it's worth fixing, but I don't know how to fix so... can I get some help please?

Thank you!

[GodzillaIsMyCopilot]

This is going to sound simplistic, but, have you tried opening and cleaning it?

[Philflound]

You don't have to open it as it already is exposed. Try the qtip with alcohol on the contacts. Exposed games always get dirty. Though lately I've been finding more and more dead carts, including Activision. Cleaning didn't help. Though I'm not tossing the games yet as I test everything on a 7800 and I'm wondering if some of these games aren't working on the 7800.

 

Phil

[+batari]

Most of the graphics and sound are controlled by the DPC chip in the game so the symptoms you are describing point to that chip being bad (or with a bac solder joint.)

 

The best bet is to open it up and reflow the solder on the chip. Failing that, you might as well just get a new one.

[pacgreg]

I have cleaned it and resoldiered where it looked a bit damaged and nothig changed so I guess that one's dead then.

[Chuck D. Head]

Yeah, it's not an expensive game. I too seem to be finding more "bad" 2600 carts lately, hope it's not a sign of the bitrot apocolypse.