Sharp Twin A/V Problems - Solved!

[egg_sanwich]

I've recently had the pleasure of owning a handful of Twin Famicoms. Whilst a beautiful and functional system, it is not immune to problems. The most common problem I have encountered (aside from broken disk belts, of course), is an issue related to the A/V output.

Fuzzy picture. Cracking or no audio. Either or both of these can ruin a fun 8-bit gaming experience.

The culprit? A/V out plugs that have simply broken over 30 years of repeatedly being plugged/unplugged. As you can see in the image, there are two metal prongs attached to the A/V sockets which can become brittle and break over time. Sure, you can try to wiggle your cords to get a clear picture/sound, but at the end of the day all we really want to do is kick Dr. Wily's ass.




Solution: new sockets.



I recently picked up a handful of new A/V sockets from Osaka's Den Den Town. I' m not sure of availability in North America, so can't speak to that. However, you could try your local hobby store. Anyways, simply pull out the old sockets, replace with new, add a bit of glue to keep them snug, and presto! Clear and beautiful 8-bit graphics and chiptune beats to keep you entertained for years to come.




Next time your Sharp Twin starts acting up, check the quality of your A/V our connections. Also, I have a few extra sockets available if anyone is interested. $2+shipping from Japan - PM for details. 

[Frank_fjs]

Great, thanks for sharing this useful bit of information.

[keropi]

thanks for the tip! 

[80sFREAK]

Why do you think i do not sell twins anymore? Exactly this, twin(especially turbo twin) is a good machine, but Sharp failed in design of small details such as RCA connectors. Another reason - faded pads.

[egg_sanwich]

Why do you think i do not sell twins anymore? Exactly this, twin(especially turbo twin) is a good machine, but Sharp failed in design of small details such as RCA connectors. Another reason - faded pads.

It's crazy that they would cheap out on a part that undergoes the most physical stress of probably any on the machine (besides controllers perhaps). I even modified my A/V cables to fit much looser, so as to not break these again!

[Duke.Togo]

Thanks for the tip, I may take a look at mine as there is a little audio buzz. I have the same issue with the RF on one of my regular Fami's; have anyone found this to be a problem in them also?

[80sFREAK]

I can say with regular Fami it could be only after some sort of blind brute force. First aid - resolder it.