Famicom World

Family Computer => Technical & Repair Assistance => Topic started by: JetBlackSVW on September 20, 2015, 11:37:50 am

Title: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: JetBlackSVW on September 20, 2015, 11:37:50 am
Hello,

I have problems with my newly acquired Famicom, on all games I have scrambled graphics like this:

http://i.imgur.com/G1vK5Fm.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/G1vK5Fm.jpg)

The background graphics are a broken mess, the sprites look fine though and the sound works without problems.

The Famicom worked totally fine after I did an AV-Mod, I could play Rockman 3 for a few minutes. After that I tried a Pal Mega Man 2 with a NES-to-Famicom pin adapter, it ran fine for 10 seconds then the graphics glitched out.

I already tried cleaning the cartridge connector and reflowing its pins, but no success. The mainboard looks ok optically.

Doe anyone know how to fix this?
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: aguerrero810 on September 20, 2015, 12:23:22 pm
I don't know about the graphics, but i do know that PAL games don't work very well on NTSC systems. On Ninja Gaiden for example, the pal version's music is horrendous. on Battletoads, the sprites are all garbled like your picture shows. Have you tried other games with the system?
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: JetBlackSVW on September 20, 2015, 12:34:04 pm
Yes, the picture is from Rockman 3, a Famicom game, the same also happens with my other Famicom games, Batman and Ninja Ryukenden.
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: jensma on September 20, 2015, 03:26:12 pm
Moin,

Try to remove the AV circuit, maybe it's causing problems. And check for dripped solder.

Good luck!
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: HVC-Man on September 20, 2015, 05:36:05 pm
Looks more like a faulty PPU VRAM chip. They're easy to replace and are an off the shelf part.
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: JetBlackSVW on September 21, 2015, 06:24:10 am
Okay, which one is the faulty RAM chip?

http://i.imgur.com/wGGRGZd.jpg (http://i.imgur.com/wGGRGZd.jpg)

What are the exact specifications of this chip? What I have to look for, when I want to order one?

Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: 80sFREAK on September 21, 2015, 08:21:46 am
Quote from: HVC-Man on September 20, 2015, 05:36:05 pm
Looks more like a faulty PPU VRAM chip. They're easy to replace and are an off the shelf part.
Not only VRAM(U4), but latch(74LS373) as well. That's something really new, faulty RAM chips  ???
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: HVC-Man on September 21, 2015, 05:03:14 pm
I've bought a Famicom before with a bad VRAM chip. Replacing it fixed the broken graphics.
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: JetBlackSVW on September 25, 2015, 03:34:28 am
So, to be sure I should replace U4, U2 and U1, too?

And where I can buy these chips?
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: 80sFREAK on September 25, 2015, 04:48:18 am
I would start with U4  ???

ebay.com
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: JetBlackSVW on November 03, 2015, 12:33:50 pm
So, I replaced U4, U2 and U1 with new chips but still the same broken graphics :'(

Also looked for broken traces and found nothing.
Title: Re: Famicom with scrambled/broken graphics
Post by: HVC-Man on November 03, 2015, 02:18:46 pm
The PPU is bad then. Either find one from back in the RGB PPU days, or get another Famicom.