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My SNES broke.
- Thread starter Idioteque
- Start date
truffleshuffle83
Banned
you should be able to get one used by itself for like 25 bucks off ebay, that is unless you want the ultra rare gold edition aka "stained yellow" edition
bob_arctor
Tough_Smooth
Idioteque said:
Just go the Ebay route. I got one in minty fresh condition, in its original gray color, the cartridge deck cleaned, an official controller and Super Mario World for only $40.00
Just stay on top of it in terms of care/cleaning and you should be good. I tracked down an "Official SNES Cleaning Kit" also off Ebay for $1.99 and that covers the cartridge deck and also the gold contacts of the games (though you can just use a q-tip and alchohol for that or if gunk gets really bad, some kind of contact/terminal cleaner from a hardware store).
Red Scarlet
Member
Mine hasn't stained..what causes that?
topic starter.
topic starter.Improper gaming conditions? Bad plastic in a run?
Anyway, this is the perfect excuse to emulate a large variety of your games, assuming you never find a good one (yeah right!). Try flea markets or pawn shops/small stores or the like. They usually carry old things.
Also, NEVER use alcohol to clean your system or your carts. Hell don't use cleaning kits either, waste of money. Just plugging and unplugging your carts pretty much clean your head (unless you spill stuff on it or something). But if you have to a swap and water works just fine, just dry it afterwards.
Anyway, this is the perfect excuse to emulate a large variety of your games, assuming you never find a good one (yeah right!). Try flea markets or pawn shops/small stores or the like. They usually carry old things.
Also, NEVER use alcohol to clean your system or your carts. Hell don't use cleaning kits either, waste of money. Just plugging and unplugging your carts pretty much clean your head (unless you spill stuff on it or something). But if you have to a swap and water works just fine, just dry it afterwards.
truffleshuffle83
Banned
i was in cleveland last year at some local game store and i scored a brand new snes for 25 bucks lol. find of the year by far
id also recommend getting the mini model
id also recommend getting the mini model
My Super stained a long time ago, humidity might be the cause, I live near Memphis, it gets extremely humid here. It was fine for years though. It's only certain portions of it though, the plastic right around the cart is fine, but the bulk of the shell is yellowed.
Still plays games great though. I have almost bought one of those mini Super's off Ebay multiple times, but common sense and restraint got the better of me.
Still plays games great though. I have almost bought one of those mini Super's off Ebay multiple times, but common sense and restraint got the better of me.
the year 20XX
Member
Paladin69 said:
Well, yeah, but there's something else about the plastic in SNES systems that causes a lot of them to randomly turn a weird yellow color.
Red Scarlet
Member
I used to live in humid areas, and also used to smoke, though.
truffleshuffle83
Banned
um im pretty sure the old model didnt have composite out. the video outputs are teh same for snes,gamecube,and the 64. you can buy a 3rd party madcats s-video out and it works fine?
Red Scarlet
Member
I don't see an S-Video thingy on mine..got it in 92 (whenever SF2 came out). Was a 'control set'.
..pakbeka..
Member
can't you send it to nintendo? call them, maybe they still fix snes's
The port for the system's S-Video output is the same one as port for RCA cable output (ie Yellow, Red and White). It's also the same exact one on N64 and GCN (so you can reuse those cables). But like said before, only the bulkier model support S-Video while the smaller one can only do RCA cables.
yudaan said:
That's consistent with the sunlight explaination. Only the top of the console will be exposed to sunlight it its intended position, not the bottom. I used to work in a used game store during the SNES era. We'd get units traded in soaking in cat piss or covered with other manner of grime that were still grey. Then we'd get yellow ones, which weren't necessarily dirty.
If I had a digital camera I'd take a photo of my SNES to show you. It's yellowed all around the sides and on top except for a square around the cartridge slot because I've had one of those Super 8 units sitting in that slot for about 10 years, so the sunlight never faded that area.
VALIS said:
I have also heard that the resin or whatever used for the plastic in the middle is different from the one used for the main shell. Don't know if that's truly the case or not.
My Super looks just like yours, and it actually yellowed while it was in storage for a couple of years.
chrysostom
Member
Mine is yellow on the Bottom and the top looks brand new. The whole thing was fine before I kept it in the basement for a couple years... the dampness/humidity must've done it.
Action figures do this also. For specific examples, look at old he-man figures. Theheads were soft rubber, but the bodies were plastic, and ones that have been loose will have bodies that fade, while the heads retain their original color.
Not sure if it's sunlight though, maybe exposure to the air?
Not sure if it's sunlight though, maybe exposure to the air?
keeblerdrow
Member
My SNES was pampered. It was never even in the same building as cigarettes, it was cleaned weekly and it was kept in an entertainment center out of direct sunlight... and it still stained.
SonicMegaDrive
Member
Actually, it all depends on the plastic used to make the SNES.
See, some types of plastic used 'yellows' after a few years(even without exposure to sunlight, smoke, filth, etc).
The ones that don't turn yellow are the ones that were manufactured using the superior plastic. I think these were the later ones, but don't quote me on that. I only say that because the SNES I bought in 1991 eventually yellowed, but the one I bought in '95 hasn't aged a bit.
See, some types of plastic used 'yellows' after a few years(even without exposure to sunlight, smoke, filth, etc).
The ones that don't turn yellow are the ones that were manufactured using the superior plastic. I think these were the later ones, but don't quote me on that. I only say that because the SNES I bought in 1991 eventually yellowed, but the one I bought in '95 hasn't aged a bit.
GitarooMan
Member
SonicMegaDrive said:
I think this is probably right. I had a launch SNES, I don't smoke, didn't really expose it sunlight, filth, and its a healthy yellow on just certain parts of it. Definitely a issue with the type of plastic I think.
Pack of Wild Rats
Member
I got mine in 92 and it hasn't stained at all. No smoking and kept out of sunlight mostly.
Jive Turkey
Unconfirmed Member
Same here...Although only mildly stained.keeblerdrow said:
It's all about the plastic used in different runs on different parts. The main top piece seems to be the most likely one to go yellow, but I've also seen the bottom piece go yellow without the top piece doing it, and I've seen the two coverplates by the cart slot go yellow by themselves too.
It does seem to be directly linked to the sun, since my brother's SNES was in the same position for several years, and it got a gradual fade of yellow from one corner to the other, which pointed pretty much directly to his window, which was on a 45 degree to the console (and no sunlight directly hit the console). I wouldn't doubt that other things can have an effect on it too, like cigarette smoke, humidity, dust, or greasy/dirty children's hands. Ordinary light bulbs might even be able to do it eventually on some plastic batches.
I don't think I've ever seen the cartrige door go yellow, probably because it's tucked away from everything whenever you have a cart in the system.
BTW, you guys have seen what powdered fabric dye + boiling water can do to a yellowed SNES, right?
It does seem to be directly linked to the sun, since my brother's SNES was in the same position for several years, and it got a gradual fade of yellow from one corner to the other, which pointed pretty much directly to his window, which was on a 45 degree to the console (and no sunlight directly hit the console). I wouldn't doubt that other things can have an effect on it too, like cigarette smoke, humidity, dust, or greasy/dirty children's hands. Ordinary light bulbs might even be able to do it eventually on some plastic batches.
I don't think I've ever seen the cartrige door go yellow, probably because it's tucked away from everything whenever you have a cart in the system.
BTW, you guys have seen what powdered fabric dye + boiling water can do to a yellowed SNES, right?
It soaks into the plastic (probably even easier if the plastic is cheap and capable of yellowing easily) without affecting the grey ink of the logo. It seems so much nicer and more real than just black spraypaint.
Unfortunately, it seems to leave behind a bit too much black residue on the surface, which can rub off on things, and it doesn't soak in very deep so it can scratch and come off it you try to clean it too hard. And the finish is a little dull.
I was experimenting with cleaning the unit first with paint thinner, and found that it made the plastic softer so the color soaked in better and got a shiny finish too, but the plastic got warped by the heat and I haven't found another dead SNES to experiment on since then. I'm thinking the regular way (just boiling it, no crazy paint thinner) with some sort of spray-on clear protectant (Armor All or something) would probably get the best results.
Red Scarlet
Member
So it makes it look like a bee?
That's because it's just one of the pieces. You have to take it apart and dye the pieces seperately. Soaking in boiling hot water is probably bad for the Mode-7.
Here's a pic of the assembled remains of the one I warped.
Your results may vary, depending on which parts you decide to dye.
Here's a pic of the assembled remains of the one I warped.
Your results may vary, depending on which parts you decide to dye.
siamesedreamer
Banned
Idioteque, I'll fricking send you mine. Seriously. I was gonna throw it away this weekend (well, the wife was gonna make me), but I saved it and its just sitting in a box in a closet. It still works. I have absolutely no use for it.
PM me if you're interested. I don't care about giving it away as long as its going to someone who will take care of it.
PM me if you're interested. I don't care about giving it away as long as its going to someone who will take care of it.
Red Scarlet
Member
Oh, yellow carpet. Black looks neat!