Game Gear distorted screen

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zerko
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Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Wed Jan 12, 2011 7:41 am

Hello!

I have the following problem with my Game Gear. When you start the game, the image is distorted with many little color squares, it looks like not the right sprites are loaded. I've tested it with four different cartridges and all the games work - you can start the game and move through the level, but the screen displays distorted image. I've replaced some of the capacitors and the screen is bright and visible. I think the problem is in the any of the integrated circuits. If anyone have the same problem, please give me suggestion where is the problem and is it possible to be fixed.

Thank you in advance!
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bicostp
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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by bicostp » Wed Jan 12, 2011 9:51 am

Have you tried reseating the screen's ribbon cable? (If it has a connector; I don't have a Game Gear to check against.)

zerko
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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Thu Jan 13, 2011 1:26 am

The screen cable is soldered directly to the board and the solder joints are between the ribbon and the motherboard and cannot be accessed with soldering pencil. I don't have a heat gun to try with it, but the joints look OK, so I don't think they are the problem.

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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by 17daysolderthannes » Tue Jan 18, 2011 5:15 pm

did you try capacitor replacement? The #1 cause of Game Gear issues is the capacitors. For whatever reason, Game Gear capacitors have a short life compared to most other electronics.

zerko
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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Wed Jan 19, 2011 2:16 am

I've changed every capacitor, excluding the 0.47uf and 68uf capacitors, but there is no improvement. I cannot find replacement capacitors for these three.

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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by Snow_Cat » Wed Jan 19, 2011 6:43 pm

Maybe the solder on the VDP cracked/dried out.

Have you tried reflowing/touching it up with your iron?

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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by HotDog-Cart » Wed Jan 19, 2011 6:59 pm

Zerko, ya russiya?

I notice your pictures have a timestamp which appears to be in russian.
Image

zerko
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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Thu Jan 20, 2011 2:24 am

I'm Bulgarian, the language is close to the Russian, although not the same, but we use the Cyrillic alphabet.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cyrillic_alphabet
:)

zerko
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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Thu Jan 20, 2011 5:02 am

Snow_Cat wrote:Maybe the solder on the VDP cracked/dried out.

Have you tried reflowing/touching it up with your iron?
I've resoldered the VDP, but nothing changed. I'll try to resolder all ICs.

zerko
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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Thu Jan 20, 2011 6:47 am

I've resoldered all ICs without improvement.

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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by Snow_Cat » Thu Jan 20, 2011 7:59 pm

I'm stumped, my old one had similar problems but started working after a reflow.

Is the distorted image stable when you pause a game, or does it dance?

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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Fri Jan 21, 2011 1:34 am

When I pause the game the image is absolutely still.
Friend of mine suggested the problem is in the crystal quartz oscillator, but i cannot find one with the same frequency to change it.

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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by Snow_Cat » Sun Jan 23, 2011 2:26 pm

What frequency are you looking for?
I am certain that most suppliers on the internet will take your money and ship you the part, but I do not know what companies are native to Bulgaria.

http://www.opencircuits.com/Supplier Does the screen still scroll left to right but the image appears 'smeared'?
The lines (vertical/horizontal) could have come loose from the screen. This also happend to my game gear- the 'fix' risks the complete and total destruction of the screen (and the awful odor of burnt plastic).
[size=85]on Youtube[/size] manneke187 wrote:Sega game gear LCD screen attempt FIX

using a soldring iron to heat up the data enterence ( like the Game boy lines )
There are two sets of lines, vertical and horizontal, manneke187's screen needed its horizontal lines mended, I do not remember if the game gear has both sets of lines in the same place, only not reacting negatively enough to "Let me try that!" after the initial success...

You could try using a bit of paper to avoid having the plastic stick to your iron, if replacing the crystal does not work.

zerko
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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by zerko » Mon Jan 24, 2011 2:10 am

On the crystal is written 32.2159 T.Q.C., but I don't know the units - KHz or MHz.
Also I cannot find exactly the same frequency - the nearest I've found is 32.768.
The screen scrolls, and the game is fully playable if you know by heart the level design.
I'll try the resoldering fix when I have the time.

Thank You very much for your answer!

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Re: Game Gear distorted screen

Post by jcx223 » Wed Feb 02, 2011 7:59 pm

Found this page as I too am working on LCD in a Game Gear, owned since 1993 ROFL, but anyway, I have tested capacitors, and everything else. Then it occured to me, looking at the data cable, it was "bent" a little tightly from the factory, and after about 20 years, lol, there appeard minute cracks within the data cable, in the spots where the bends were, across more than half of the cable(backside, unscrew screen and lay back to access this side). You must use a magnifying glass to see, as I said, they are minute, but present. Sad to say, I do not think I will find replacement, if not maybe at a flea market or ebay(have to buy a fully functional unit). My only option is the latter, I've had it so long, have the tv tuner, super wide gear, rechargeable battery, full case of games, original game gear case.

Just thought I would let the poster know, I too was working on a game gear, and these are the findings on mine.

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