Card slot problem or ?

LostFlunky · 09/15/2012, 12:03 PM

I have a non-working TG16 that has been sitting in a box for years...

When I bought it, it would seem to work for a little while and then stop, and nothing I could do would get it to work again... It was always the same thing on boot - a solid coloured screen, usually light blue or dark green.

I decided to pull it out of hibernation and do some troubleshooting. I grabbed 2 HuCards off the shelf (Bomberman 93 and Bloody Wolf).

Bomberman 93 loads up and plays with no issues.
Bloody Wolf will boot up to a garbled startup screen and become unresponsive after that.

Looking at the contacts, it seems that Bloody Wolf must be thinner, as the contacts hardly move when the card is inserted, but the Bomberman 93 card causes the contacts to bend all the way as it is inserted and then stop about half way in their positions.

So, I gave it a good cleaning. No difference.

So I grabbed a big mitt full of games to test. With interesting results.

The first picture is of the games that boot up without issue. The 2nd is of the games that either will not boot at all or may boot to a garbled title screen.

LostFlunky · 09/15/2012, 12:07 PM

Now, all the games that work on it are TTI releases.

All the games that do not (except Bonk III) are NEC releases.

It is most likely just the card slot (and thickness of the cards), but do any of you guys think there might be something else going on here?

Is it possible there was some hardware check on the NEC released cards that was removed on the TTI cards? If so, that would indicate a failure somewhere else in my machine...

thesteve · 09/15/2012, 02:36 PM

dont think the TG16 does any hardware check
put a piece of paper on the back of a no boot, and see if it works

LostFlunky · 09/15/2012, 03:22 PM

I've tried different thicknesses of tape with 3 different hueys and none of them will load properly.

Has there been any discussion of bending the pins back a bit to add some tension? I haven't been able to find it if there is... I want to try it but I haven't found a tool small enough to catch only the end of the pin and none of the surrounding plastic.

thesteve · 09/15/2012, 03:25 PM

i think it has been discussed, but rarely needed.
try a sewing needle

PCEngineHell · 09/15/2012, 06:15 PM

The pins in the system may also just happen to need a extensive cleaning. It could be that one in particular is just throwing things off for you because maybe is has some oxidization on it or something.

thesteve · 09/15/2012, 06:32 PM

a good cleaning has worked wonders for most, if not all here

esteban · 09/16/2012, 08:12 AM

I have pondered your dilemma for a long time.

I have determined, via divine inspiration, that the HuCARDs are faulty.

Send Bonk 3 and Bomberman '93 to me and I'll tell you if they function properly in my TG-16.

You're welcome.

Drakon · 09/16/2012, 08:15 AM

Haha man you really make me laugh

Quote from: esteban on 09/16/2012, 08:12 AMI have pondered your dilemma for a long time.

I have determined, via divine inspiration, that the HuCARDs are faulty.

Send Bonk 3 and Bomberman '93 to me and I'll tell you if they function properly in my TG-16.

You're welcome.

LostFlunky · 09/16/2012, 08:27 AM

Quote from: esteban on 09/16/2012, 08:12 AMI have pondered your dilemma for a long time.

I have determined, via divine inspiration, that the HuCARDs are faulty.

Send Bonk 3 and Bomberman '93 to me and I'll tell you if they function properly in my TG-16.

You're welcome.

Aww shit - I already sent them off to another forum member.