NEW 72-pin connectors (sharing info)

[vomitsaw]

Hey fellas. Some of you are probably already aware of this, but just thought I'd share for those who didn't.
If you're looking into doing any NES modding and need a new 72-pin connector, of course you could always disembowel an old Game Genie and use it's connector. OR, you could purchase them at Newark Electronics for about $4.75. (Manufacturer part number 50-36SN-12 / Newark part number 44F4821). http://www.newark.com/cinch/50-36sn-12/ ... tid=286999

I went ahead and bought four of them to try out for a while. The first thing I noticed is that the image shows the connector having little mounting tabs on both sides, which would have been handy. But alas, they're suspiciously missing from what was actually shipped. Not a big deal really, just a slight disappointment.
So here it is:




What I REALLY found interesting was how strange and excessive the packaging was. They're all lined up end-to-end in this long plastic tube thing.




What if I had ordered FIFTY of them? And what's with this box and all the extra padding?





Thought I'd share.

[Skyone]

Pretty lame that they didn't come with the screw posts.

[Life of Brian]

That's a lot cheaper than gutting overpriced stuff from the local used game store. Thanks for the tip, and great pics!

[nevermind1534]

I ordered a battery socket from them, and they did the same extreme over packing.

[arfink]

The overpacking is due to the fact that most orders through places like that are pretty large, and they won't spend extra for smaller than average boxes. The plastic tube, AFAIK, is industry standard for shipping parts like that in large quantities. Institutions like the tube because automatic PCB stuffing machines load things into long dispensing racks in strips like that. I get my EPROMS and other chips all coming in tubes like that.

[vomitsaw]

*** UPDATE ***

Upon further inspection I've noticed that the pin spacing is a little off. Not by much, and it should still work fine it most cases, but it IS a little off. The pitch between the pins on this connector is .1" (2.54mm) and I believe the NES used some stupid non-standard pitch like 2.5mm. I've been pulling my hair out trying to find a supplier for this connector. I KNOW somebody's making them because they're in every 72-to-60 pin converter, Game Genie and Yobo/FC Twin/Retro Duo system out there. Anybody here know anything? Manufacturer/part number? I'm going to start a long series of phone calls to different companies if not. It's driving me mad.

[demonofaj]

If I can just put in my .02 cents, why don't you just buy those Family Converters? I believe Play-Asia has a bunch in stock. I just hacksaw the part with the 72 pin connector off, and then voila, giant pins for you to directly solder to (and on a thick circuit board, no less), and it has the screwposts which is even better. Plus it comes down to like 8 dollars shipped!

[nevermind1534]

If I can just put in my .02 cents, why don't you just buy those Family Converters? I believe Play-Asia has a bunch in stock. I just hacksaw the part with the 72 pin connector off, and then voila, giant pins for you to directly solder to (and on a thick circuit board, no less), and it has the screwposts which is even better. Plus it comes down to like 8 dollars shipped!

But this is half the price, and is in the US.

[vomitsaw]

If I can just put in my .02 cents, why don't you just buy those Family Converters? I believe Play-Asia has a bunch in stock. I just hacksaw the part with the 72 pin connector off, and then voila, giant pins for you to directly solder to (and on a thick circuit board, no less), and it has the screwposts which is even better. Plus it comes down to like 8 dollars shipped!

I remember buying one of those from Lik-sang back when they were around and yeah, ultimately ended up using the connector in one of my previous projects. I looked all over the Play-Asia site and couldn't find any trace of the NES-to-Famicom converter. Have a link or something? It drives me nuts because obviously those connectors are coming from somewhere. But WHERE... *rubs chin*

[Dark-Aries]

If you find where...I'll dub you the Sherlock Homes of Benheck, becasue then I can finally make good NES cart connectors that won't ever die again...

[weaponepsilon]

not to crap or anything, but couldn't you just use an old 72 pin zif? Granted it is awesome to use new connectors but why not recycle the old 72 pin? Hardwiring the cart end of it to the PCB and use the PCB end after filing it down enough to accept the cart. Possible??

[Sun-Wukong]

EDIT: Never mind, my ignorance was showing.

[DK]

If I can just put in my .02 cents

Shouldn't that be 0.2 dollars = 2 cents ?

[eagle5953]

I caught that too, but I knew what he meant.

[eurddrue]

If I can just put in my .02 cents

Shouldn't that be 0.2 dollars = 2 cents ?

Actually, .02 dollars = 2 cents, and .02 cents equals two hundreths of a cent. I just had to be a dick...