Technical and Repair Assistance

[chimyfolkbutter]

Here is something I wrote on the digitalpress board 4 yrs ago on adjusting the FDS head. Good Luck:

Well folks, I fixed about 3 dead drives already. I replaced the belts and I had to adjust the motor and the head to get them working. There is actually a method that works to perform this.

1. Change the belt. I also used JF Good's belt.
2. Tune the motor all the way down! I believe it is counter clockwise (just look for the negative sign on the motor and adjust that direction). This is the real trick! All three drives I had to adjust the motor to run slower.
3. Now adjust the heads.

So, the errors really tell you what's going on.

a. When you turn the head adjustment screw, the trick is to get it right at the beginning of the disk track. So, if you see an Error 21 "Disk Header block (NINTENDO-HVC*) part is wrong", 22, "Disk Header Block Recognition isn't read and can't be ignored", this means that you are "BEFORE" the beginning of the header track. You need to adjust the head forward until you finally read the disk. This takes time. You basically have to keep loading a disk until you see the FDS game boots up. It is a great feeling when you see it!

b. If you adjust the head forward too much, you get a Disk Error 27, "Block end mark seen and ends prematurely". Or even Error 28, 29. Turn it back to the beginning until you get the error 21,22s.

I have been using this methodology for 3 FDS and I fix them everytime if the belt, motor adjustment, and alignment are the problem. If you have any electronics problems then you are SOL.

So, I have given everyone the secrets to adjustment and it really is not a secret anymore!

If you have a broken drive and you need it fixed, PM me. I can probably take a look at it. Anyway just PM me.

Good Luck and let me know if my methodology works for you.

[mid30s]

Hi,

still getting no joy at all .......... though i am so chuffed that i have so many helps from the forum.

its been a good lesson for me to deal with more than 20 yrs old famicom stuffs...

really appreciate it.

Big juicy thank! 

Ta

[DuxPrime]

Hello,

I'm sure this is a noob question, but please bear with me.

I just recently purchased an A/V Famicom (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=230362096246&ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT) and a 72-to-60 pin adapter so I can play my American NES games on it. However, upon setting up, all I get is a red, or sometimes green screen. Hitting the reset button doesn't cause the screen to blip like it does on my NES. I'm also using the stock Japanese power adapter that came with it. Am I doing something wrong? I realize I should be using a step-down converter, but I just wanted to give it a quick test to make sure it worked. Any help is appreciated. Thanks!

[NintendoKing]

The US game needs to be put in backwards, are you doing that?
Japanese and US pins are reversed.

[DuxPrime]

I just tried reversing the game. Still the same issue. Any other suggestions?

[PatMan33]

The US game needs to be put in backwards, are you doing that?
Japanese and US pins are reversed.

I still forget to do this from time to time.

[133MHz]

Give the contacts on the converter and the AV Famicom a thorough cleaning. A solid color screen means that the games aren't making good contact with the system due to dirty contacts.

[petik1]

Hey guys, I finally got my famicom working today, but there is a problem. The A/V is off. I get it on channel 12 and 93, but It's in black and white and the audio is just static. I have this RF unit http://www.japanvideogames.com/v/vspfiles/photos/SNES-RF-1.jpg. What is the problem? The RF thing inside the famicom, the RF unit, or my TV? Thanks in advance!

[NintendoKing]

Channel 95 tends to be the Famicom Channel.
Try that channel.

Edit- Because on my tv I get sound on channel 8, and on channel 98 I get black and white video; that waves really badly.
But channel 95 is the sweet spot on most televisions.

[133MHz]

Where are you from?

[petik1]

I'm from the US.

[petik1]

95 doesn't work on any of my tvs. 93 and 13 work, but i occasionally get color on 13, but no sound

[NintendoKing]

95 doesn't work on any of my tvs. 93 and 13 work, but i occasionally get color on 13, but no sound

Flip the channel switch and try channel 95 again.

[Peps1ru1es92]

okay, i don't have a famicom, but to clafify something important, it's CABLE 95. Your tv needs to be in cable/STD/IRC/HRC mode to get a famisiginal on channel 95.

[petik1]

Well, to be honest, I dont know how to do that. My TV is just a little magnavox tv and it's not hooked up to a box or anything for shows. Thats what big Tvs are for!