RF PC Engine: No video...

[goombakid]

I just got an RF PCE. I tried testing it prior to modding it for AV. I have my TG-16 RF box still on my TV. Channel was set to channel 95, turned it on with a game in it, nothing but a blank screen. Switched the TV to channel 96, no go. The channel selector switch on the console was broken, so I had to stay with channel 95.

Tried cleaning the connectors with a cloth and a plastic card. It gave me something to show me some kind of life sign: ¼" vertical black and white bars with some kind of animation going on with the lines.

I did a quick and dirty AV (well, more just a V) mod using the expansion port pins. Just the same effect, just with a cleaner picture.

I opened up the console. The pins showed no wear or loose solder joints that I could see with my magnifying lens. The plastic protector behind the HuCard slot was cracked and taped up. There was one pin that I thought might be causing problems, as it was slightly bent almost touching an adjacent pin. Straightening that didn't help it.

I've also tried cleaning the board a little with alcohol. After letting it dry, powering it on still didn't work.

What could've caused the console to not work like this? I've tired 2 different PCE games and both power on in the console to a blank scree or the vertical lines. I know the games work since I tested them with my Region modded TG-16. Is there any fix for this? As far as I see, the caps are all fine.

[Fidde_se]

There could be many things.

Usually the most likely is usually what it is, bad connection between hucard and connector,
could also be between connector and board, but that's more rare.

As you say the plastic behind the slot has been cracked and taped up it means someone at some point has been fiddling around with it, an amateur could have done everything from esd damaged it to broken something physical.

there are not many electrolytes to change in it either.

if you turn it on and off rapidly does it show something new on screen every time?

bad connections between the hucard and connector usually shows a white picture and the following times turn on fast showing the screen in different colors, green is common, but yours is garbled?
like when hucards are beyond repair, but as they work on other systems it's not them...

sometimes random things or colors can be seen when one of the main chips are damaged, can you see if it looks like someone tried to region modify it? sometimes when people try to lift legs they don't do a god job, lifting the wrong or leaving small strains of nearly invisible solder to other legs that can short it out either for good or just temporarily depending on what they did.

[oldskool]

Check the Official Turbografx-16 download link here in this section of the forums.  It's got some diagnostic flow-charts which may help.

Good luck.

[majors]

Tried cleaning the connectors with a cloth and a plastic card. It gave me something to show me some kind of life sign: ¼" vertical black and white bars with some kind of animation going on with the lines.

sometimes random things or colors can be seen when one of the main chips are damaged

When I got my Shuttle it came with no power. When I found a wall wart with the correct rating, all I got was a green/blue screen (like if you had a bad card connection) with some wavy lines. It turned out to be a bad wall wart, the only thing I could not test was the amps so I assume that was the issue. I found another correct rating PSU and it's been fine ever since. Do you have a 2nd power supply to test?

[goombakid]

When I got my Shuttle it came with no power. When I found a wall wart with the correct rating, all I got was a green/blue screen (like if you had a bad card connection) with some wavy lines. It turned out to be a bad wall wart, the only thing I could not test was the amps so I assume that was the issue. I found another correct rating PSU and it's been fine ever since. Do you have a 2nd power supply to test?

I tried 2 different PSUs: One with selectable voltages and one 9V 1A. Both react the same way. The 9V 1A one works fine when tested on my TG16.

Usually the most likely is usually what it is, bad connection between hucard and connector,
could also be between connector and board, but that's more rare.

I took a toothbrush to clean off some residue from the connector. I used my magnifying lens to check the pins and they all looked uniform. When a HuCard is inserted, it's pretty tight in there.

if you turn it on and off rapidly does it show something new on screen every time?

bad connections between the hucard and connector usually shows a white picture and the following times turn on fast showing the screen in different colors, green is common, but yours is garbled?
like when hucards are beyond repair, but as they work on other systems it's not them...

When I power on after I first insert a HuCard, I get either a light purple-ish screen, white screen, or the vertical lines on one game. On another, I just get a black screen.

sometimes random things or colors can be seen when one of the main chips are damaged, can you see if it looks like someone tried to region modify it? sometimes when people try to lift legs they don't do a god job, lifting the wrong or leaving small strains of nearly invisible solder to other legs that can short it out either for good or just temporarily depending on what they did.

As far as I see, there is nothing that shows that a region mod has been attempted. The ribbon cable connecting the HuCard slot to the mainboard doesn't seem to be damaged. I inspected the ICs on the mainboard. Some of the pins look oxidized, but upon closer inspection, it looks like something may have spilled inside it.

I already arranged to have a replacement sent. I'd like to tackle this myself, but I am low on the resources to fully go into repair for this.

I appreciate everyone's help in this matter.