# Troubleshooting an 8-Bit NES

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troubleshooting-an-8-bit-nes/147638>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [January 10, 2003, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troubleshooting-an-8-bit-nes/147638 "2003-01-10T00:17:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![brianjedi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@brianjedi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brianjedi)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troubleshooting-an-8-bit-nes/147638/21 "2003-01-21T04:06:27Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by mnemosyne \*  
> **I guess its too late to suggest “did you blow in it?” ?**

Try disassembled, cleaned with rubbing alcohol, a toothbrush, and Q-Tips. After that, I can actually get some stuff to work. Probably going to see about getting a new connector soon, if nothing else works out.

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**Author:** ![Mr.Moonlight](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Mr.Moonlight](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mr.Moonlight)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 5:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troubleshooting-an-8-bit-nes/147638/22 "2003-01-21T05:38:52Z")

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As I recall, when playing Duck Hunt, if I darkened the room and maxed the contrast on the TV set, I would score a hit without really having to aim… but that is not what you wanted to know.

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**Author:** ![Ian\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/ecccb3/32.png) [@Ian\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ian_G)\
**Post date:** [January 21, 2003, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troubleshooting-an-8-bit-nes/147638/23 "2003-01-21T07:26:51Z")

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that home made game boy is sweet.

what always worked for me was to use games hooked up to the game genie. You don’t have to use it but games run more consistently with it. But, I think the genie my also be the reason some of them stopped working. just keep trying it will work.

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**Author:** ![ElwoodCuse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/edb3f5/32.png) [@ElwoodCuse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ElwoodCuse)\
**Post date:** [January 23, 2003, 6:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/troubleshooting-an-8-bit-nes/147638/24 "2003-01-23T06:56:58Z")

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Nintendo is being totally obtuse about the whole emulator issue. Seeing as how they make $0 from sales of old 8-bit games and systems, I don’t understand why they don’t make their own emu that works on GameCubes or even PCs so they can continue to profit.

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