XCVG's Guide to the N64 (FIXED VERSION LINKED AT THE END OF THE SECOND POST)

[TheNineRings]

This is an awesome guide. It will be very usefule for noobs like me.
Also whats up with this smiley?
I like it, but dont know where to use it.

 

[ShockSlayer]

It appears that I have accidentally misplacedd it in the wrong section, lulz

 

[eurddrue]

Kay, to get this straight, at the end of the n64 production, they just stuck whatever parts they could together to make working n64's there are rev3, rev5, rev8, and rev9 that are black with a green or sometimes red cartslot cover. No, not the actual flaps, but the part that surrounds the cartridge connector.

 

[Mako321]

yes.

 

[XCVG]

Added some revision information.

 

[Jewjo]

I've wired the PTH08080 (WAS) up like the diagram, but it isn't putting out 3.3v from any location. I'm using a 2.1k ohm resistor (red, brown, red). Any ideas?
(I'm testing from the 3.3v spot on the diagram and the B+ on my prot. circuit.)

 

[XCVG]

Test between the 3.3V spot and P- instead. Try it from a power supply instead of batteries.

 

[Jewjo]

Test between the 3.3V spot and P- instead. Try it from a power supply instead of batteries.

No dice. P- and any other spot gets 0.

Here's a shoddy picture taken with my computer. It might be able to help you help me.

Red is my resistor; yellow represents the leads on the pth08080; and light blue labels the visible parts of my prot circ.

 

[XCVG]

Like I said before, try it with a power supply instead of batteries. Any crap wall wart should work, just get the polarity right.

 

[Jewjo]

Like I said before, try it with a power supply instead of batteries. Any crap wall wart should work, just get the polarity right.

The thing is, I don't know what a wall wart is. I'm actually the biggest newb here.

 

[eurddrue]

Wall wart = those big ugly power bricks at the end of a power cord. The black box thing that plugs into the wall. Just make sure it outputs 3.3v.

 

[snowpenguin]

Nope, not necessarily.

It has to be regulated.

Or else if you don't draw the exact amount of amperage provided, the voltage changes.

Of course if it's 3.3v it's probably regulated considering the specificness to tenths of a volt but uh, yeah.

 

[Jewjo]

I don't think I own such a thing. Or I probably do, but am too ignorant to realize it.

Anyway, it doesn't matter because I just fried my N64 by accidentally bridging the 3.3v line and the ground, while trying to make sure that they weren't bridged. Apparently the unit was on as it sparked. I thought, "No biggie, I have another N64." However, while opening that one up, I noticed how shoddy my LED mod that I had done prior was, so I tried to fix it. I guess the two ends were touching or something, because the unit won't power on now. That's 2 N64s fried within 10 minutes. And those were both from my childhood. I guess I need to buy a new one now.

EDIT: I forgot the overly dramatic smilies.

 

[eurddrue]

were they off wall power? Either one? Because you probably just toasted the psu temporarily.

 

[Jewjo]

were they off wall power? Either one? Because you probably just toasted the psu temporarily.

Both were. Is that fixable?

 

[XCVG]

*Can'tSayThisOnTV*, what I meant was get a random wall wart and USE IT TO TEST THE REGULATOR. It's called eliminating a variable. The battery is an unknown variable. The protection circuit is an unknown variable.

 

[snowpenguin]

were they off wall power? Either one? Because you probably just toasted the psu temporarily.

Both were. Is that fixable?

Unplug it from everything and let it sit for a few days.

 

[Jidan]

Apologies for the bump, but the official Nintendo 64 controller does!'t need the exp slot desoldered - I just ripped off that part of the board and it works fine Of course, I didn't check for traces I BARELY missed, But I don't assume there are many if any. So to my knowledge, you can just grab the slot and bend off that part. If I decide to sacrifice another controller to test it, I will and I'll let you guys know. Just to make sure I didn't get lucky.

 

[XCVG]

Apologies for the bump, but the official Nintendo 64 controller does!'t need the exp slot desoldered - I just ripped off that part of the board and it works fine Of course, I didn't check for traces I BARELY missed, But I don't assume there are many if any. So to my knowledge, you can just grab the slot and bend off that part. If I decide to sacrifice another controller to test it, I will and I'll let you guys know. Just to make sure I didn't get lucky.

Okay, thanks. I'll add that later today. You just grabbed and ripped? I've never done it to an official controller but for both my 3rd party ones I carefully pried it off.

 

[Jidan]

Broke the PCB under it clean off