My Nintendo has a blinking light and no video; is it fixable

nes

Every game I try in my Nintendo Entertainment System just flashes the red power LED on and off and never sends a signal to the TV. I've tried inserting several different games. I've tried inserting them in all the way or just barely enough to push down. I've cleaned the cartridges as best as I can (mostly blowing really hard). Can I fix this problem or should I retire the trusty old friend?

Best Answer

This is due to a poor connection between the cartridge's contacts and the pin connectors. There are a few fixes for the problem:

  • Use rubbing alcohol with a cotton swab on the cartridge's contacts.
  • Try turning on the system without pushing the cart down into the NES. Just insert the cart so it connects into the slot, but leave the door open and don't push it downwards.
  • Lastly, you can replace your pin connector. It requires opening the system up, but it is a relatively painless process, and you can get replacement 72 pin connectors dirt cheap on ebay. There is a good tutorial for it here: http://www.jandar.net/nes72pin/