OK, so, as most of you know, I got my first FAMICOM less than a week ago. It is a HVC-001. It is clean and in good condition. The first thing I did was clean the game I bought with it. Then I checked the cartridge slot with a cleaning kit. I am using the official and original AC adapter and an NES RF modulator.
I own "Super Mario Bros.", and a 20 in 1 pirate cart. I have ordered 25 more games in a wholesale lot, and they will be here soon. Just one problem plagues me....
My FAMI gets really really hot. Heat just radiates out the rear vent above the RF board, while the main board stays cool. I really really really really want to play and enjoy the gratest system ever created. But I have never played for more than 15 minuets. I am afraid something is wrong. After less than 10 minuets, the system's RF board gets warm. After about 15, it gets hot. If I pick it up, and sniff it, it smells like solder.
I am dying to play it, but afraid of hurting it. So I ask. Does the HVC-001 naturally get hot. Does it just get hot like the Dreamcast, and that is normal, or is it something that I need to address before I should play it anymore?
Come on, you guys all own one or two or threeethousand, please help me.
I don't know, but that sounds weird. Are you sure you've got the right power? Could there be something that's dripped in the famicom at that area? Have you taken it apart to see if that looks clean?
I don't own a fami yet, so I don't have a good idea of what it should be like, but that sounds odd...
I don't have any idea what the problem could be. You say the "RF board" -- I'm assuming you mean where the cords connect at the back of the Famicom. You should play around with the AC adaptor and RF switch you're using...test out different ones that are compatible. For instance, the RF for the NES works in place of the Famicom RF. See if you can determine if it's the Famicom or the adaptor or RF switch. If it's the Famicom, you're best bet might just be to see what happens at 20 mins. and then 30 mins., etc. I've never had any issues with overheating.
What power supply are you using?
Quote from: shthree on September 27, 2006, 01:59:48 pm
What power supply are you using?
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v498/8-bitcultmember/Random/FAMIDAPT.jpg)
The official adapter for the HVC-001. I am using an official NES RF switch. <-(should not matter)
And yes, I have completely checked the inside. All is clean. I mean the system looks almost new. There was just a little bit of dust.
I left my FAMICOM on for an hour last night, with a fan pointed at the rear vent.. It stayed nice and cool. The moment that I removed the fan, it was hot in less than 10 seconds.
Do HVC-001's get warm in this area at all? Is this normal? I mean it functions fine, but I worry for the components.
Quote from: JC on September 27, 2006, 12:33:35 pm
I don't have any idea what the problem could be. You say the "RF board" -- I'm assuming you mean where the cords connect at the back of the Famicom. You should play around with the AC adaptor and RF switch you're using...test out different ones that are compatible. For instance, the RF for the NES works in place of the Famicom RF. See if you can determine if it's the Famicom or the adaptor or RF switch. If it's the Famicom, you're best bet might just be to see what happens at 20 mins. and then 30 mins., etc. I've never had any issues with overheating.
Yes, the RF board is where the cable comes out. If it is normal for it to be warm, then I will not worry about playing it this way. After all, my Dreamcast gets hot enough to start a fire, and I play it all of the time. But if it is not normal...
What adapter do you use JC? And is your FAMI, the same model as mine, HVC-001, and not the "New FAMICOM"?
...>_<
I guess that I will go and purchase a step-down converter. I found a 200w one online for $24.99, and the FamiCom is only rated at 4w.
I wonder how many people on this forum actually own a FamiCom...
We're sorry, but if you read the post on the Updates section, you would see that we are very busy at this time, with other things outside of this forum...
And I own a Famicom, I'm using the same hook-up as you. I have no problems however. I have no idea what your Famicom's problem is...
Quote from: super56k on September 29, 2006, 11:30:16 pm
...>_<
I guess that I will go and purchase a step-down converter. I found a 200w one online for $24.99, and the FamiCom is only rated at 4w.
I wonder how many people on this forum actually own a FamiCom...
What am I missing here? Prepare to slap me if it's obvious... :) You live in the US? That's a 60Hz 120V power supply... (read somewhere that is goes from about 105 to 130) Japan is 100V 50/60Hz. Are they not close enough to be OK? What kind of step-down are you considering buying 'cause the only ones I've seen are for 220V to 110V.
The only time I had a machine overheat like that was because there was some kind of short on the case shielding.
I'm with shthree, close enough to be ok! something else must be wrong. My question is who on this forum doesn't own a famicom?
Quote from: shthree on October 01, 2006, 01:01:08 am
Quote from: super56k on September 29, 2006, 11:30:16 pm
...>_<
I guess that I will go and purchase a step-down converter. I found a 200w one online for $24.99, and the FamiCom is only rated at 4w.
I wonder how many people on this forum actually own a FamiCom...
What am I missing here? Prepare to slap me if it's obvious... :) You live in the US? That's a 60Hz 120V power supply... (read somewhere that is goes from about 105 to 130) Japan is 100V 50/60Hz. Are they not close enough to be OK? What kind of step-down are you considering buying 'cause the only ones I've seen are for 220V to 110V.
The only time I had a machine overheat like that was because there was some kind of short on the case shielding.
I was planning on buying this step-down converter:
http://www.voltage-converter-transformers.com/japanese-up-down-transformers.html
The first one on this page.^
As far as voltage differences, I measure 16vDC from the adapter, 13v with the FamiCom as a load.
I asked the person I bought it from, and he said that I should use a step down converter.
Also, I believe that my particular FamiCom, may be a newer model than most. It lacks any shield around the RF board, and as I ave mentioned before, has the board with the video contact marked. It has a blue cart connector, instead of the really old metal one, and it looks so prestine, that it can't be that old. Maybe this new version is pickier on voltages?
I assumed that the vent on the rear was for heat to escape, and maybe this is usually a warm area, but I doubt that it is as warm with Japan voltage, as mine is with the US. Once I get the converter, I will give you an update on this situation.
Thank you, all who have posted. I guess my Fami will be MIA until I get this converter. This also delays my review on my Pirate-Multi that I was writing, as I do not have screen shots yet, to go with the review. :(
Actually, you can send the review to me if you want, without pictures. Some of the things on our website have no pictures yet, and we update them as we get pictures. :)
Quote from: featherpluckinfilm on October 01, 2006, 08:42:54 am
My question is who on this forum doesn't own a famicom?
I don't own one :) I've got a disgusting amount of clones though...
super56k: I've not seen those 100/120 before or even heard of them. Hope it works for you.
Quote from: featherpluckinfilm on October 01, 2006, 08:42:54 am
My question is who on this forum doesn't own a famicom?
Time to make a poll... ;D
Quote from: FamicomJL on October 01, 2006, 01:57:09 pm
Actually, you can send the review to me if you want, without pictures. Some of the things on our website have no pictures yet, and we update them as we get pictures. :)
I am free Tuesday, I am going to try and keep a fan on it, that keeps it nice and cool. So I can at least get a shot of the menu, and maybe of the "DIN DUN" and "CIRCUS TROOP" title screen. I assume, I can just RAR it up, and email it to you?
Quote from: shthree on October 01, 2006, 03:31:16 pm
Quote from: featherpluckinfilm on October 01, 2006, 08:42:54 am
My question is who on this forum doesn't own a famicom?
I don't own one :) I've got a disgusting amount of clones though...
super56k: I've not seen those 100/120 before or even heard of them. Hope it works for you.
Well, I am certainly going to try it out. I need to get my hands on a clone, I am trying to find a place that I can buy a PocketFami.
Bad news folks.... My Famicom is officially dead. :'(
In the quest to solve it's overheating issues, I tried what I thought was a suitable adapter. It was 9v had suitable amperage, and the correct polarity. It even had the same size tip. But it turned out that it's output was AC. Why on earth would a console adapter output AC!? Do you know what adapter I tried? It was a spare NES adapter.
Now my 25 wholesale Famicom games are arriving. Along with a "MULE JOYSTIC" controller. And I have nothing to use them on. :'( So, I am going to purchase another HVC-001, and not use it even once, until I obtain my step-down converter. I am going to test my Fami's AC adapter, but it should still be fine. Major bummer!
I know that one of the rules here is no spamming smilies, but I could not possible fill this post with enough " :'(" smiles to represent how sad this makes me.
Damn that sucks, man. :( At least you put in a good effort to get yours working. I haven't tired very hard to figure out what's wrong with mine. You should grab yourself a converter, if you don't already have one, and play those games you've got coming on a NES. Better than nothing.
Quote from: JC on October 10, 2006, 08:35:51 pm
Damn that sucks, man. :( At least you put in a good effort to get yours working. I haven't tired very hard to figure out what's wrong with mine. You should grab yourself a converter, if you don't already have one, and play those games you've got coming on a NES. Better than nothing.
I suppose that I could do that in the mean time. But I cannot find a converter that does not have that stupid extra cable to hook up a game from your region. I dissabled the lock-out chip in my NES a long time ago, so I do not need such a cumbersome device. I wish that I could find one of those honey-bee converters, or maybe a "TV GAME" converter.
None of my NES carts have a converter inside. At least they do not feel heavy enough. I have yet to receive the game-bit I ordered, and so, I can't be too sure yet. Not to mention, I heard that a Famicom game would not fit on one without removing the case first. :-\
Any suggestions on where I could pick up a converter for a good price? It seems as though there are none on ebay currently. Not to mention they always go for so high.
This is the one that I bought, and it works perfectly. You just have to e-mail the guy and tell him you want one.
HERE (http://cgi.ebay.com/NINTENDO-NES-ADAPTADOR-JUEGOS-IMPORTACION_W0QQitemZ300019157974QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3605QQcmdZViewItem)
Quote from: JC on October 11, 2006, 08:36:14 am
This is the one that I bought, and it works perfectly. You just have to e-mail the guy and tell him you want one.
HERE (http://cgi.ebay.com/NINTENDO-NES-ADAPTADOR-JUEGOS-IMPORTACION_W0QQitemZ300019157974QQihZ020QQcategoryZ3605QQcmdZViewItem)
Wow, it's all in Spanish. Well, if you got one there, then he must understand English. The price isn't too bad either. When I get home tonight I will take a better look. Thank You.
Ok, so I bumped a semi-old topic, but I have some valid findings that I believe that everyone at "Famicom World" should know.
So, my replacement Famicom arrived. There are slight visual differences in this ones appearance. The "FAMILY COMPUTER" logo on the front is a slightly darker red, and seems to be more beveled. Although I have not opened this new one up yet, I am pretty sure that this one has a shield around the RF board. The beveled depression that the "EJECT" tab sits in seems slightly wider, as do the corresponding "POWER", and "RESET" buttons. There are other slight differences, such as the positioning of the "Nintendo" logo, etc.
This is obviously a different production model of the same HVC-001 console, than the one I already have. This being said...
WHY THE HELL DOES IT OVER HEAT?!?!?!? ???
I measure 16vDC from the adapter, 13v with the FamiCom as a load. The board gets a solid 5vDC, as it needs, but the RF board just gets a straight feed from the adapter. 13vDC - 16vDC in this case.
With all this being said, I have deduced:
It is not healthy for you to play your FamiCom with USA voltage. Buy a converter damn it! >:(
Mine should arrive next week. :)
I don't understand though, my Famicom only was really hot on the first day of use!
Wa Ha!
I just played "Hoshi No Kirby" for like an hour and a half straight! My FamiCom only got as warn as most consoles and never reached Nuclear Meltdown!!! :D
...all thanks to this!
(http://www.voltageconverters.com/mmVOLTAGECONVERTERS/Images/products/VC100J/main_VC100J.jpg)
I bought it at "http://www.voltageconverters.com/japan_voltage.html:, and it arrived today at around noon.
Buy one, your FamiCom will thank you.
Um. Jedi. You ought to write when you post something. I don't think two periods count. :P
And cool item there, super56k. I'll have to get me one to use with all my pirate consoles! And pretty cheap, too. I bet it's so awesome to be able to play without worrying about ruining your Famicom. Finally, nuh?
Quote from: JC on November 09, 2006, 08:07:15 am
Um. Jedi. You ought to write when you post something. I don't think two periods count. :P
And cool item there, super56k. I'll have to get me one to use with all my pirate consoles! And pretty cheap, too. I bet it's so awesome to be able to play without worrying about ruining your Famicom. Finally, nuh?
Thank you. Let me know if and when you get one, and how it works out.
Quote from: Jedi QuestMaster on November 09, 2006, 01:05:05 pm
Oops - 0.0 <-that's what I typed in (made it smaller, though)
...some sort of negative number? :P
Maybe I should've used this: :o
I'm thinking of buying one of those. My Famicom hasn't gotten really hot yet, but I think I may need it for just in case.
MY current problem with my Famicom is that my good VCR isn't letting it work right. The video comes in great, but I either barely hear the sound or the sound is SWAMPED with static noise. It's VERY annoying and I'm always afraid. It looks like I'm going to have to stick with emulation until I find the right VCR. :(
Quote from: FamicomJL on November 10, 2006, 01:36:02 pm
I'm thinking of buying one of those. My Famicom hasn't gotten really hot yet, but I think I may need it for just in case.
MY current problem with my Famicom is that my good VCR isn't letting it work right. The video comes in great, but I either barely hear the sound or the sound is SWAMPED with static noise. It's VERY annoying and I'm always afraid. It looks like I'm going to have to stick with emulation until I find the right VCR. :(
Ah-Ha! In lies the destruction of FAMICOMs. :(
Allright. As I know from my findings, the internal voltage of a FAMICOM is clamped at 5v DC to the main board. However, all excess power dissipates via heat. The heat sink is attached directly to the clamp. However, the RF board gets straight, unregulated voltage form the AC adapter.
It would seem as though the adapter has nothing to regulate the output voltage, and so the higher the input, the higher the output. Under ideal circumstances, (100v AC) the output. is a steady 9v DC. But from a US outlet, (120v AC), I would measure around 14v DC output, with the FAMICOM and a game as the load, and a wopping 17v DC with no load! :o
>So, maybe the large amount of unregulated voltage surging through your FAMICOMs RF board has finally started to kill it.
My overheating issue, (covered throughout this thread), all arose from my lack of FAMICOM technical nowledge. The heat in both FAMICOMs that I own had reached temperatures, that I believe where hot enough to melt the plastic. The thing smelled like a "Light-Bright".
With this being said, using your Nintendo FAMICOM without a step-down transformer, is the same as COOKING YOUR FAMICOM ALIVE!!! I can not stress this point enough. Since the purchase of my transformer, I have had not a single problem with enjoying my FAMICOM to it's fullest. :)
I need to compile all of my findings and information found throughout this thread into a single downloadable document. :-\
Haha. A lot of jargon in there that I don't understand. But, we'd love to have something about this for the site. :-*
k
I am getting a famicom for christmas but I need to work on stuff before it is in a good home. I need to know the following:
Humidity - can it affect any game system or cartridge/disk?
Temperature - is basic room temperature ok for the system?
and Electric - Is a step down converter necessary if I use the original ac adaptor in a power strip or electric outlet?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.
Quote from: Rob64 on November 15, 2008, 05:18:51 pm
Humidity - can it affect any game system or cartridge/disk?
Temperature - is basic room temperature ok for the system?
and Electric - Is a step down converter necessary if I use the original ac adaptor in a power strip or electric outlet?
Thank you in advance for any advice you can give me.
Humidity - Can effect disks but as long as you store them properly in their cases they should be fine.
Temperature - Unless you are keeping it in an oven or refirdgerator the system will be fine.
Electric - You havent said which part of the world you are from but if its not Japan theres a good chance you will need a stepdown convertor.
Oh sorry, I am from America.
I did ask the owner of japan game stock and this is what he said when I asked about the converter:
"Ac in Japan and US are the same..you do not need converters...only
european customer need step down converter
AC plugs in japan and US are the same...if you buy our system you can
plug it on your plugs..you need to have the AC or original AC adapter
(that we sale we our game machine)"
????
You'll be fine with the ac adapter that comes with it if you're in the US. Browse through the site a bit and you'll see that answered many places. Humidity & temperature shouldn't be a problem--just don't play it out in the rain. Treat it the same as you would with a NES.
Quote from: Rob64 on November 15, 2008, 05:27:58 pm
I did ask the owner of japan game stock and this is what he said when I asked about the converter:
"Ac in Japan and US are the same..you do not need converters...only
european customer need step down converter
They are not the same, but they are close enough that it doesn't matter to the Famicom.
yes, it's between 110 and 120V here, Japan gets 100V, and IIRC the famicom divides this by 10, so you overload it by a mere 1-2 volts.
You can use it but there is a difference...here's some info
http://stores.ebay.com/the-Feather-Pluckn-Famicom-Shop/Using-a-Famicom-in-America.html (http://stores.ebay.com/the-Feather-Pluckn-Famicom-Shop/Using-a-Famicom-in-America.html)