Attempting a repair on 3 N64 consoles, one has no video at all, one has no audio, and the last one displays only a black screen. N64 #1 No Video 1:35 N64 #2 No Sound 4:26 N64 #3 Black Screen 8:54
Dunno if you will see this or remember the first console board, but what do you think was the issue? Would reflowing the IC connections have been a worthwhile try? And when you take down a N64 board; do you use thermal past when reapplying the heat-sinks or is it not needed?
I bought an n64 off ebay with the black screen issue. It was a dirty cart connector. 😅 I also recapped it and added a region free 3d printed cart slot. It was a fun time repairing it.
The one with no audio was C28. I know because I captured myself on video when I accidentally shocked it with 12v and instantly restored audio. That was a year and a half ago and it still works. It was also a NUS-CPU-09. C28 didn’t have the mark to indicate lead-free but I’m reasonably sure that Panasonic had already begun reformulating their electrolytic capacitors for RoHS compliance (Reduction of Hazardous Substances, AKA lead-free or Pb-free) for the caps that went into these late-model consoles. They aren’t missing the stabilizer like the Taiwanese caps that were made with half of a stolen Japanese formula but they still fail faster than the originals from the ‘90s. I had already replaced the output caps and the AMP-NUS chip with no improvement so I decided to see if the chip was even getting power. I proved pin 1 and got nearly 12v but my probe slipped. My probe momentarily bridged pins 1 & 2 sending 12v into C28. It’s rated 25v so it shouldn’t hurt anything but it definitely had an effect! I’d link the video but it’d probably get the comment filtered. Pin 2 from AMP-NUS goes nowhere else and I know it wasn’t zapping the NUS-AMP that changed anything because I had already swapped out the chip. It may look like the trace to pin 2 also goes through a via but that via is vestigial and goes nowhere.
Also, most late-model charcoal consoles have the green cartridge throat. Most (all?) Jungle Green consoles actually have a semi-transparent milky white cart throat, so it’s not really from a Jungle Green console. Probably just using some leftover plastic pellets in a place where it won’t be seen. These consoles were probably EP1 Racer or Pokemon Stadium bundles since Nintendo had pretty much stopped making all other charcoal sets by the time they started making NUS-CPU-09. Also, there is one more revision… NUS-CPU-09-1. Not sure what’s different but it doesn’t correlate with the heat sink revision. Only some of the NUS-CPU-09 consoles have the revised heatsink.
Thank you bub! I got a N64 cheep. No video output. Followed your troubleshooting, got it to work! The jumper pack needed to be reseated. Thanks for the help!
@@michaelwoldeyesus6060 Basically yes. Back when the N64 was releasing the jumper pak upgrade, it came with a plastic piece used to remove the original jumper pak. It's used to correctly pry out the jumper pak. Once I removed it, I cleaned all the contacts using 50% isopropyl. I also used compressed air. I did did not disassemble the jumper pack. I opened the system and cleaned the contacts in the cartridge bay also. While I was there I carefully cleaned the rest of the system. I am using a OLD SCHOOL avi to hdmi adapter. So I basically remove any corrosion that may have been on the system. I hope that helps you out. Happy gaming!
My N64 which I purchased new in Feb 2001 has the clear green cartridge tray, that's apparently how the later ones came but all the older ones I've been in has been gray.
Good vid-Most video issues are cleaning issues like you said. Here are a couple more no video problems that aren't game connector related. Sometimes the mainboard connector going to the power supply will be dirty causing no voltage on one of pins. If you have voltage going into board but low voltage on 3.3 or 5 volt lines suspect a bad IC. I'll give one example. I bought one off Ebay a few months ago and description said untested. I got it and guy had already changed the 2 large ICs and all caps. It ended up being the video DAC that was problem. This was easy to detect just by lifting the pins going to the supply and voltage returned to what it was supposed to. Hope this helps someone.
I almost forgot I had a couple where the 5 volt regulator was problem causing no video. This is usually case if its right at or slightly below 4.9 volts. If its 4.95 or more it will usually work. If its real low such as 3 volts suspect a bad IC somewhere. Also cleaning the jumper port will sometimes fix no video if the voltages are ok.
I just looked it up, it turns out some of the last revision n64s Nintendo used left over green cart slots during the end of the n64 life span. If you notice I mention “I’ve never seen an n64 with the revised heat sink” hence the reason I’ve never seen an n64 with a green slot like that. Thanks for the comment.
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer I wasn't calling you out, just letting you know that it's a thing and not necessarily a sign that it's been tampered with. I definitely haven't seen many, but I have come across 10-12 with the green cart slot. I never knew the specifics of why, but I didn't figure that there was some random person going around swapping out cart slots. It's even stranger that I've seen those green cart slots in the black ones, but I've never seen one in an actual jungle green 64. Like I said, every one I've ever seen has had a clear cart slot. So I don't know why they even made them in that color when they weren't going to use them in the green ones.
I'm Batman it’s all good I never knew that so it’s something for future reference. I just assumed that someone took these apart since the screws and heat sink were put back together poorly on the first unit since it came from the same seller.
Hi I was wondering whats wrong with my N64. It has no sound or video. Do you have any suggestions? I tried using a AV to HDMI converter thinking it was my 4k tv, but nothing. Tried just using the AV cables. Same thing. Don't even get that slight static when the TV catches the N64 signal. Im feeling nostalgic and wanna play my first video game. Donkey Kong 64. Any help or suggestions will be appreciated 🙂
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer Hey sorry for the late reply! Yt doesn't alert me when people comment on my comments unless I go into notifications. So I took it apart, and cleaned the frame, the circuit board (with the 93% style alcohol.) And it was gross lol. Mine was produced in 1998 and hasn't been cleaned once. Found this white salty stuff on the bottom of my N64. Easily came off with water. Found a few stains which I had no idea where they came from. Cleaned that. And it worked on its first try at flipping the power switch on! Then I unfortunately realized that was all for nothing 😕. The whole reason I wanted to play it was to re-live childhood memories of playing Donkey Kong 64. Turns out the EEPROM 16k is burned out. Its basically what keeps the save data. For the past 4 days been trying to find yt walkthroughs as good as yours or any walk throughs that will tell me how to transplant my copy of Kobe Bryant in NBA Courtside EEPROM 16K to my copy of DK64 so it can save again. But no luck. Don't know the first thing about doing this transplant and repair shops aren't common around here unfortunately 😔
Hi in the last part of the video where you remove the card connector you don't show how you put back, my question is it needs to be soldered back to the mother board or just plug back ? Cheers very good video 👌😎
I have Nintendo 64 that is having a really weird issue with the Video and Sound nothing working but when I touch the GPU and CPU on the board it gets warm. That means it's working but I have no idea why it it isn't displaying
I have my second N64 that has no picture and no sound either... I'll try to recap them. Very strange, as both of them are Japanese N64s. Maybe they used some surplus Game Gear capacitors? :D Those get bad fairly quickly as well.
The second N64 with the green funtastic cartridge slot probably was that way from the factory. Many later revisions of the N64 reused the green cartridge slots from the funtastic series, probably leftovers that Nintendo had. The fact that it has the revised heat sink pretty much confirms my theory.
Yeah you’re right, some people already confirmed it in the comment section. Also, I think the green funtastic console had a white opaque cartridge slot. They must’ve used the green ones because they had a bunch from molding them but not ever using them for their green consoles.
Thanks for the videos. They have helped me fix a couple n64s in the past. Recently I got one that turned on and had no image but then the red light cut off and it killed my ac adapter. Have you ever ran into anything like this?
The AC adapter will reset itself after 15-30 mins or so, I think it has a resettable fuse or something along those lines. Keep in mind the fuses on the AC adapter could actually blow and some revisions have 2-3 fuses if I remember correctly. This usually happens when someone mistakenly put in the Ram expansion or the jumper pack the wrong way. Try the adapter again before you rule it dead.
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer Thanks! It does work. But im worried it's just going to do the same thing again when I plug it in. Have you ever encountered this problem?
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer yeah lol I just watched your video where you said you hated working on them. I know the jumper pack isn't reversed so I'll try and see if I can find the short. Thanks for your help and quick responses.
That first unit is gone I sold the board for parts, and yeah the third one was pretty nasty. I should be posting something new soon, it’s been a while.
I have one cart (the super 64 300+ games one) and the console flashes once on a CRT screen but stays black. I don't really know how to do any of the stuff you showed in this video I am not remotely tech savvy and don't have any of those tools, could it be anything else? i've already cleaned all the things I can clean with isopropyl and nada.
@@KaiserMattTygore927 yeah I see, but you gotta figure out if the console is bad or the game. Try with a cheap sports game, or take the console to a local game shop, they should be more than happy to test your stuff for you. Sometimes those multi carts are dodgy, and other times the console goes bad.
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer Local game shops don't exist around here, all that exists near me are gamestops, so do they test N64s? because that's all that's left around here now. And how cheap are those "sports" titles, because I really don't want to waste any more money on stuff that won't work.
@4:33 I also have the NUS-CPU-09 from the year 2000 with the same problem, no sound. I'm so glad I found this videos because I suspect that a new cap will fix mine as well. Mine is the Pokemon Special Edition N64 with Pikachu on it and you should know that mine also has a clear green cartridge tray and it doesn't look like anyone has ever been in it. I have done a continuity test on the those 4 capacitors that you mentioned and the very left one at "C24" on the board has no continuity. These are the caps that say "33 EHA 0N4" on them. I am going to replace that when I get a chance and I will report back.
Yes the 33uF caps I believe there is 3-4 of them test them for shorts. Yes my mistake I was informed by other commenters that the green cartridge tray was used by Nintendo in the last revision N64s, I felt it was out of place because I didn’t know. When you test both ends of the cap for continuity you should hear a beep with your multimeter that’s usually means the cap is bad.
Do you have a specs list of the different capacitors on the boards? Wanting to order the caps in bulk before I get a few in the mail but have no idea what they are yet.
So my daughter and I were playing the N64 last year. She tried to change game but didn’t hold down unite and picked up whole game console by the game cartage and it fell from about a foot. After that no picture. Just red light. What should I start with?
Hi, thank you for this video. Very informative. I had n64 with no video or power, i replaced all caps and worked for few minutes before it freez, after several days off i turned it on and get no pic. Not sure what else beside cleaning the entire system and re touch up all major solder point. Is there a site that can tell me all the exact cap values? Maybe the new caps has issue or not exact correct value?? Thanks.
Awesome job! I've got one that is the same way that I picked up from a junk yard along with an official red and an official green controller. Hoping a good scrubbing for me does the trick like it did for you!
Hi broth i like to watch your video this muy first one i and was very surprised you're a master keep making videos like this. I have a question how is called the liquid that you used to clean the nintendo 64 ?
Actually your video helped me today and sort of repair a non working N64 i was given for free. I am delighted and want to send high regards to your contribution. Cheers
Weird my green 64 has a clear no color cartridge slot. I don't remember if we gave it to someone at anything but damn Not sure if we bought it new either
If you can’t find the correct capacitors value try ordering from mouser.com they should have everything you need. Keep in mind if you have a capacitor with a higher voltage you can use it. For instance if you have a 68uf 15v you can use it to replace a 68uf 10v. But the Farad ratings have to be the same. You can try a different capacitor that’s close like a 47uf but it may not be too great in the long run.
Thanks for the vids man. Saved me from having to buy a "new" one. After scrubbing it down with IPA, I found I had like lint in my cartridge slot. Wouldn't have looked there if it wasn't for your vid of you pulling stuff out and then getting a signal. Like and Sub'd now.
We pulled out the 64 last night and it didn't work, my son ordered another online. Today i retried it with different ports. Mario Kart works only in port 4 Starcraft says no controller while in 4 so i plugged it in port 1 It now works..... weird or what a"
So you have a dirty controller port tried spraying some alcohol or deoxit into the controller port and try inserting the controller a few times try to really work the port to get a better connection. Also, try to use a first party controllers because the third party ones are pretty bad.
PunkNDisorderlyGamer Hi, so I still have no video or sound even though I followed your steps (cleaned, reflowed and replaced every cap but the 68 ones since I couldn’t find them). Do you have any idea on what it can be? My model is the 006, thank you very much!
I'm so upset, I have a N64 from when I was a kid but it doesnt run long ( it was really beaten up ) Anyways I bought one off of Players Choice video games. They are supposed to be refurbished, running and all. Payed $180, it didn't work. So I emailed them sent it back ( I payed for the shipping ) they sent me a knew one.. It doesnt work either. The red light turns on but it's a black screen and no noise, nothing! I'm upset cause I was going thru a stressful move so I did not have time to email them and try to get this problem resolved. It's been months now. I have an N64 that does NOT work :c All I wanted was to play my favorite games again. I really hope I can fix it with the help of this amazing video. But I am still mad because I spent almost $200 for one that is not running when I already have my old one which I could of fixed. Oh well.
It’s unusual so many consoles aren’t working for you, did you try cleaning your games or another TV? Also, make sure it’s on composite video and not HDMI or some other output.
great video! I tried my N64 recently but it only works with Mario kart and not mario party/super mario 64 and loads of other games. How can I fix this?
Benjamin De Los Reyes , i bought mine here for my jungle green N64 console5.com/store/n64-nintendo-64-smd-cap-kit.html , they also have cap kits for the power supply if you need them.
My 64 just started messing up on me. It will start up and play for about a minute or so then it will go to the black screen. Are dirty cartridge pins the best place to start? I already tried a new power supply and av cables and no improvement
Amer T that’s a tricky one, I would reseat the expansion or jumper pack and clean the cartridge slot really well. Is the problem on all games and at the same time or does it some time play for longer periods? Does the console fire back up after it black screens or do you have to wait a bit for it to cool down?
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer hi, I have the same issue with my console . It does it with any game it will play for 2-3 min then it freezes or it goes black 🥲 what can I do.
Some games boot up an some take a few tries. I've thoroughly cleaned the whole system an cartridge an cartridge pin connection an on the board and get same results.
Sounds like dirty cart connector or game. I would open up the console and remove the cart connector and clean under the cart connector and the connector.
console5.com/wiki/N64 I use this website to find my model number n64 and each cap has a value listed on here that corresponds to the silkscreen location on the n64 board.
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer wow thank you very much it really helped. One more question, what happened to the 1st N64 with the black screen, whats the fix for that one, i have the same problem!!
Leopoldo Gonzalez sorry my friend I don’t know the fix, I can’t always fix them all but I still show my work. Also, consider subscribing for more videos👍
@@PunkNDisorderlyGamer i found out that the real problem was with all my cartridges, considering 24 years without using nor cleaning them. I used isopropyl alcohol and an old toothbrush on the terminals and it worked! And sure I'll subscribe to your channel 👍🏽 thanks
