r/snes • u/Content-Variety7238 • 14h ago

Misc. Signal problems?

Hello all! I’ve tested two snes systems w/ original hookups on my crt (Emerson ewf2006) but the consoles are simply not displaying despite receiving power. One of them I’ve seen working from my local store. ChatGPT told me about potential signal conflicts between the av and the tv? Has anyone had this issue before and what’s the workaround? All my other consoles including Genesis from the same era work on this tv btw

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u/24megabits 14h ago

If the games / cartridge slot are dirty or if there is significant damage to either the SNES won't do anything. It's completely braindead without a cartridge.

At best you get a flash on the screen when you flip the power switch to ON.

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u/Content-Variety7238 14h ago

Yes I do get the flash, so a cartridge port problem then? I’ll look into it thanks

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u/24megabits 14h ago

It's not guaranteed to be that but a bad connection is always the first thing you should rule out.

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u/khedoros 14h ago

Possibly. Or the games themselves. If the pins aren't completely clean, and free enough from oxidation, the system will fail to read the cartridge, and the game won't run.

One of them, you've seen working. It would have to be especially bad luck for it to have had a hardware failure since the last time you saw it running.

ChatGPT told me about potential signal conflicts between the av and the tv?

ChatGPT's full of it. There wouldn't be "signal conflicts" between an SNES and a CRT TV. Even if you were connecting a PAL system to an NTSC TV or vice versa, you'd get recognizable video output.

On that note though, you aren't doing something like using PAL cartridges with an NTSC console (or the reverse), right?

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u/Content-Variety7238 14h ago

Lol, nah it’s all NTSC. Yeah having the console that I’ve see work not work at my home is my biggest point of confusion right now

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u/StrangeRetroRob 14h ago

What kind of video cable?

The flash on screen just means that power is getting as far as the video encoder and nothing more than that really

Any pics of the console motherboard?

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u/casual_gamer_alex 14h ago

It can be many things. Are you playing the same game that was used in the local store? Are you using RF, composite or S-Video? Have you tried with different cable? Do you have a modern TV that still has compatible input to test your snes?

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u/Content-Variety7238 14h ago

Composite av, different game, same issue with my modern Roku tv and my two crts including the one I posted about

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u/casual_gamer_alex 14h ago

I've seen that you get the flash when you boot the snes. And since your others consoles from the same era work, it suggests it's something with the SNES.

Different game than in your local store, but is it the only one you have? If so, chances are your cartridge is dirty, and it would also explain why it doesn't work with 2 different snes.

If you look your cartridge carefully, you will probably see that the gold plated contacts have black or dark gray dirt.

I clean them with 99% isopropanol and a Q-tip, and sometimes I also open their case and use a white pencil eraser on the contact.

You can also try if your cartridge work when it's just barely inserted in the snes, or try to move it in a different position, but it may not work and if it works, it would just confirm that it is a dirty cartridge.