compl3x Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Those of us old enough to have used a cartridge based console remember insering the cart, the game failing to start, taking it out and blowing out the dust which we all thought was why the game wouldn't start. Apparently, that was nonsense. When I was a kid with a Nintendo Entertainment System (NES), sometimes my games wouldn?t load. But I, like all kids, knew the secret: take out the game cartridge, blow on the contacts, and put it back in. And it seemed to work. (When it failed, I?d just keep trying until it worked.) But looking back, did blowing into the cartridge really help? I?ve talked to the experts, reviewed a study on this very topic, and have the answer. .... So the Answer is No So, dear readers, all signs point to no: blowing in the cartridge did not help. My money is on the blowing thing being a pure placebo, offering the user just another chance at getting a good connection. The problems with Nintendo?s connector system are well-documented, and most of them are mechanical ? they just wore out faster than expected. Having said that, it?s true that kids can be grubby, and getting crud into the cartridge or slot was a real problem ? I suspect that most of that crud was not just dust, though, and required a more thorough cleaning than a moist mouth-blast could provide. In fact, Nintendo released an official in 1989 in an attempt to keep both the slot and cartridges clean. Ultimately, Nintendo redesigned the NES console, releasing an NES 2 console in 1993 that?s commonly known as the ?top loader.? Its main feature? A top loading slot. It was more like the original Famicom, using a slot that held up better to abuse. Similarly, the SNES (Super Nintendo Entertainment System) was a top loader. I shortened the article. If you wish to read the whole thing, you can find it at the link below: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/142550 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick H. Supervisor Posted September 25, 2012 Supervisor Share Posted September 25, 2012 I call lies. I never encountered a problem with my cartridges that wasn't solved by blowing in to the cartridge. +Matthew S., siah1214, Charisma and 15 others 18 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Max Norris Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Used to take an eraser (gently..) to the contacts on older carts, helped sometimes when the unit didn't boot properly. Don't think blowing ever helped for me anyway. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Travelar Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Shenanigans. Blowing definitely helped. Charisma, farmeunit and FiB3R 3 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+Matthew S. Subscriber² Posted September 25, 2012 Subscriber² Share Posted September 25, 2012 You know this thread can become soo dirty in... :rofl: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CG-88 Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Lies lies lies!! lol It always worked, was magic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I call lies. I never encountered a problem with my cartridges that wasn't solved by blowing in to the cartridge. Reseating without blowing would ave worked to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick H. Supervisor Posted September 25, 2012 Supervisor Share Posted September 25, 2012 Reseating without blowing would ave worked to. :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliot B. Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 It would have help if lots of dust or light dirt was on the contacts but otherwise, it is probably a placebo effect. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HawkMan Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 :rolleyes: :rolleyes: Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lnmnky Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 NES: Needs Extra Saliva Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nashy Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I call lies. I never encountered a problem with my cartridges that wasn't solved by blowing in to the cartridge. Like the article said. It wasn't the blow, it was you re-seating the cartridge. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Osiris Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Lies, blowing always helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
+John. Subscriber¹ Posted September 25, 2012 Subscriber¹ Share Posted September 25, 2012 It helped. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Elliot B. Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Lies, blowing always helps. Does in a marriage. AJerman, KCRic, Charisma and 1 other 4 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slammers Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Article is false because blowing in the cartridge worked heaps for me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
0nyX Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 FACT: Blowing in the cartridge worked. End of discussion The Laughing Man 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nick H. Supervisor Posted September 25, 2012 Supervisor Share Posted September 25, 2012 Reseating without blowing would ave worked to. Like the article said. It wasn't the blow, it was you re-seating the cartridge. :pinch: I know. Apparently people can't smile at their own childhood magic, sorry about that. All humour shall cease immediately. Alera 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
.Neo Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 Lies, blowing always helps. That's what he said. MarkusDarkus and Osiris 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Detection Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I used to blow into the cartridge and into the console slot but I think it would have worked the same just by taking it out and putting it back in again without blowing, but blowing it made you feel as if you fixed something :) Conclusion: Blowing on cartridge has as much effect as touching wood :p Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lizardslap Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 worked great for me so would spam turning it off and on until you saw the Nintendo logo pop up Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dan~ Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I usually took it out, threw it around the room in ager, kicked it a few times, ate the corners then put it back in. Worked fine then Alera and Charisma 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kaos DComo Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I ran one of those Nintendo World Class Service centers back in the early 90's and the main problem was actually the design of the NES. When you put the cartridge in and then press it down, you are spreading the pins of something called the 72-pin Flex Connector. Over years, this action spreads the pins too far apart and causes weak contact, nonetheless add that many people didn't use the cartridge dust jackets. What you have is now a dusty, dirty connections. Did blowing in some cartridges fix them, for a short period of time? Yes! But not for the reasons you'd think. Your breath contains condensation which when blown in the connectors, would loosen up some of the dirt. When you then put this into the NES Control Deck, the dirt would then be 'scraped' off causing contact of the pins. Over time, you'd find that this was not sustainable. Nintendo did release a cleaning cartidge and deck cleaner, which mainly used rubbing alcohol as the cleaner. You could save yourself the $14.95 and simply use your own alcohol and a few cotton swaps. (This wouldn't however, clean the control deck.) The main fix for that was to have the 72-pin Flex Connector replaced, which I must have replaced hundreds of them. You can indeed still get these, and Amazon actually carries them now: http://www.amazon.com/NES-Pin-Connector-Nintendo-8-Bit/dp/B000A3IA0Y (I used a parts depot between NOA and Parts Express... I think I paid about $8.00 each or so, but I also used to buy 100 at a time.) I have 6 NES Control Decks and all of them work as excellent as they did when they were new. Cheers! Drew freak180 and Charisma 2 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beyond Godlike Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I dont really know myself, I always blew the cartridge...cause i was 5 and that was the habit back when i had the original NES. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thechronic Posted September 25, 2012 Share Posted September 25, 2012 I don't care what the experts say. Blowing helped, or millions of people were insane. The Laughing Man 1 Share Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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