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Well [expletive]. Bent AES cartridge slot pins.

Kujako

Kujako

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Back from SOCAL Game Expo where I picked up a few AES carts. Tried testing the first one, and got a green screen but with audio. Took a look and it seems the cart killed the specific pins that prevent video but still let the game run.

Anyone have a good source for replacement parts and is there any hope of just replacing the impacted pins rather than the entire slot(s)?


1781095621792.jpeg
 
Im confused, are there more pins bent than the ones at the top in that image?

The pins to the far end of each side should just be ground pins, so bad connection there is unlikely to be an issue, unless bridged to something else.

I guess they bended in a way to not allow the cart to make full contact or something? Try bending them back. Not having connection to all GND pins should likely be ok.

https://wiki.neogeodev.org/index.php?title=AES_cartridge_pinout
 
What was wrong with the cart that made it cause this? Something lodged in it?
 
buffi said:
Im confused, are there more pins bent than the ones at the top in that image?

The pins to the far end of each side should just be ground pins, so bad connection there is unlikely to be an issue, unless bridged to something else.

I guess they bended in a way to not allow the cart to make full contact or something? Try bending them back. Not having connection to all GND pins should likely be ok.

https://wiki.neogeodev.org/index.php?title=AES_cartridge_pinout
Click to expand...
Just the pins shown. Any game now boots (I can hear audio) but has a green screen. I can try bending them back, but they're really smashed.
 
Are you sure that damage is new? Bending them back to a working position seems nearly impossible. This is how people end up replacing the whole slot.
 
Neo-Alec said:
Are you sure that damage is new? Bending them back to a working position seems nearly impossible. This is how people end up replacing the whole slot.
Click to expand...
I was using the system prior to heading to the convention. It's of course possible that the pins where damaged previously and this was the final straw, but it seems an odd coincidence.

I have a "donor" system, but I would prefer to find a new set of slots since desoldering these without causing damage is a major pain. I would of course prefer to just pull and replace the pins. But that's going to be a harder part to find (might see about pulling a pin from the donor).

there are these: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2251832665967688.html but they lack the anchor screw holes. So not wild about them. Neo Geo store has some. But they're charging WAY too much.
 
From everything I've heard of the unofficial replacement slots, they're usually a weird fit for carts compared to the originals.

Good luck bending the pins back. Definitely open the console and do it carefully.
 
Neo-Alec said:
From everything I've heard of the unofficial replacement slots, they're usually a weird fit for carts compared to the originals.

Good luck bending the pins back. Definitely open the console and do it carefully.
Click to expand...
I'll get it under the ol' inspection scope this weekend, but I do not have high hopes of success with bending the pins back. So still looking for a replacement part.
 
(sigh) as expected the pins broke when I tried to straighten them.

[The pins were really smashed down and almost twisted together somehow]
20200101_000150_000001 copy.jpeg


[All broke when bending them back]
20200101_000852_000002 copy.jpeg


Games do boot now, but without sound. So a lateral improvement (had sound but no picture before).
IMG_2343.jpeg



At this point I have three non-working AES consoles. This one, one with a bad NEO-B1 (corroded pins and pads) and a beat up Neotropolis modified unit with a weird sound problem (sound files are not loading, with one sample being used for all sound effects. Might be a Yamaha chip problem).

I have some of the Chinese after market 100 pin slots on order (they were 10 bucks, so why not). Thinking I'll try removing the NEO-B1 and seeing if I can fix that unit, failing that it becomes the donor board and I can pull the 100 pin connectors from it, while at the same time I'll socket and replace the Yamaha YM2610 on the other (I have a replacement chip and even an appropriate socket, I just never got around to trying it because of how much of a pain those are to remove). Might also remove some of the Neotropolis mods.

Edit: tried some other carts, and I get sound with some... picture seems worse than it was before, jumping around a bit. Which makes some sense given the reduction in ground pins.

Also found these: https://www.aliexpress.us/item/2255799982787679.html right pitch (2.54mm) with a 100 pin variant and seems higher quality, but not sure I want to commit ~75 USD for a pair without confirming they're a good fit. looks like the listed price is for five not one, so not too bad a price all things considered.
 
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