my first n64 portable (problems)

[crazyjuicebox]

Hey O wiser people than me. Im making my first portable and everything was going ok and i got done hooking up the battery and the regulator to the n64 and the red light turned on so im all excited so i decided to test it out on my tv (cause i decided to keep the av out option even when i do put in my psONE screen which i havent done yet.). Then it comes up with a black turning to red screen and so forth. Then i did the usual blow on the cartridge jumper pack d. all of the above and so forth. Then something finally worked and the game played! Then the next day i tried to test it out and the red screen came up again and i tried everything and it still wont work. I think it might be the jumper pak please help! (im thinking of just buying an expansion pak tell me if i shouldnt) Thanks in Advance!

[hailrazer]

Sounds like you are getting a short somewhere. Blow off all the chips on the board with compressed air.

Check all connections for solder or wire shorts, especially if you have done a cart slot relocation.

[crazyjuicebox]

yeah i checked and i maked sure i checked with the voltage meter. I did try to get the jumper pak out of its case before all of this but i dont think i hurt it, but m going to borrow my friends to test it out. (i did buy this on ebay it seemed in pretty good condition it worked before...) thanks !

[hailrazer]

Make sure the jumper pak is not in backwards

[crazyjuicebox]

yeah i tried both ways i ordered an expansion pack but i was gonna put the screen on tomorrow but i guess that plan is ruined. any other suggestions? i think the jumper pak is just broken.

[Snow_Cat]

Can we get a pic of the jumper pack?

[crazyjuicebox]

its not taken apart but ok

[crazyjuicebox]

sorry file sizes are too big! but i pried the little vent pieces of plastic so i could see inside if there was anything immediantly wrong so there is a square hole in the back with the silver heatsink showing and its a bit tattered but nothing that gives an immediat red flag or at least not for me. thanks

[Snow_Cat]

Okay.
If you do want to try and test your jumper/resistor/terminator pack below is a diagram and instructions.

Spoiler:

Original scans hosted by n64.icequake.com. Original PCB artwork © 1997 Nintendo.

If you have a multimeter (and steady hands, these are the measurements you should get from the ground pins (in the bottom row) to other pins:

Code: Select all

  _Z  51  51  51  51  51  51  _Z  51  51  __  51  51  51  51  __  __
00  __  00  _X  __  00  __  00  __  00  00  00  00  _X  00  00  __  00

Pins __ are open and should appear open (no reading) to all pins.
Pins 00 are ground and should all be short, (very close to 0 ohms) to each other.
Pins 51 are to an individual a resistor and should appear to be 51 ohms to ground, and 102 ohms to each other.
Pins _X are to the capacitors and should appear short to each other, and start very close to 0 ohms to ground and logarythmically(awk spelling) increase off the scale when checked.
Pins _Z are jumpered and should be short (very close to 0 ohms) to each other, and open (no reading) to all others..

[crazyjuicebox]

mmk but i dont have a gamebit is there anyway to get it open without it? (i opened the n64 with pliers and some wat of a pen) sorry to keep asking a bunch of questions!

[Snow_Cat]

... I don't know.

Come to think of it; I've only ever been handed parts of an N64 after someone else has allready disassembled it.

[crazyjuicebox]

yeah i already ordered an expansion pack whether the jumper pak worked or not im going to mess around with it some more wish me luck and if u have any suggestion please post them! thank you!

[crazyjuicebox]

thanks i got the pak apart and took the ohms and i was right is was the chip im glad i got the official expansion pak for $4! thanks i really appreciate it! ill keep u filled in on my ventures if u care.

[crazyjuicebox]

Does any one know an easy way to relocate the game reciever easily is there like a plug or something I could get? How did u guys do it? Without soldering every single pinplease! Haha thanks!

[Snow_Cat]

BTW, a memory pack cannot be tested this way.