I'm using one side of the two 50-pin dual-row connectors, with vertical headers and a ribbon cable about 4" long . Since my extension connects to the sockets on the opposite row at the other end, I took the strands of 22-AWG wire and U-ed them into each pair of sockets to complete the connection. I've tested each pin and they all go through to the cartridge slot, but when I plug this into the system it gives the same screen that you would get if there was no game in the system.
I think the problem is that the pin headers aren't long enough, since they're barely making contact with the cable connectors and are still a little bit shorter than the pins on the cartridge slot. I've been looking for longer headers, but all that I could find were PCB spacers, and although they would work, the puchacing requirements have been crazy: one distributor only allowed for overnight shipping, so a £5 order was £45 with shipping; another had the minimum order set at 20,000; and another required at least a $30 order, while the cost per row was $0.46.
The length of the headers I have are 11.5mm, including the post housing. If anyone has done the cartridge relocation without taking the extension slot off (I had two boards go bad while doing this), can you tell me how long your headers are? I measured that, for full contact, I need 5mm on the connector side and 6mm on the system side, plus the thickness for the post housing. If I take the pins out of the housing they may be long enough, but having 48 free pins doesn't sound like a good time.
Does anyone have any longer headers, and could you tell me where I could purchase them? Thanks.
