US SNES stuck in 50Hz mode

[RobIvy64]

This is a weird problem! My roommate's SNES started booting up in 50Hz mode, then switching to 60Hz mode a few seconds after turning it on...

Now it boots and runs only in 50Hz mode. This system is bone stock and hasn't even been opened. I have no clue whats going on, do you? If I plug any of the games into my super famicom (modified cart slot) they work fine. Any ideas?

-R

[blackevilweredragon]

you know, interesting thing, and i wonder if it's related..

i noticed on my SNES, which never was opened (before i got it), had something "growing" on the circuit board..  It was causing a short, preventing boot (it was in 60Hz, but it just gave me a black screen)...

maybe the same thing is happening to this?

[RobIvy64]

Well I cracked it open to see if anything unusual was going on (loose cart connector, dust) and its very clean and everything is seated well.

[blackevilweredragon]

this is weird then, without a doubt...  nothing physically wrong, unless a resistor died or something?  (or any part for that matter)

[RobIvy64]

this is weird then, without a doubt...  nothing physically wrong, unless a resistor died or something?  (or any part for that matter)

Well I'll throw you another curveball. I just turned it on and now its fine....

We'll see if it does it again... a SNES posessed.

[FM-77]

i noticed on my SNES, which never was opened (before i got it), had something "growing" on the circuit board..

What do you mean by this? :ph34r:  

[kendrick]

I've seen this before. Moisture from humidity (or from a spill) can cause mold or fungus to grow on a circuit board. Ordinarily a game console will run fine after it's dried thoroughly, but it's possible for there to be enough organic material left over to cause a short. If the circuit is forgiving enough, this would be enough to be the equivalent of a jumper resistor. Once had a VMU with this kind of problem, from being dropped in barbecue sauce by the previous owner.

If you think of all the coffee, cola, and chips that people handle whilst gaming, it's hard not to be disgusted at the idea of what you might find attached to a used game or a used console.

-KKC, who has nothing useful to contribute in answer to the original question of the thread. :)

[radorn]

I recently bought a used PAL SNES (I live in Spain) and proceeded to open it for a good clean.
I found what seemed to be residues of pizza inside :lol: it was just dried and wasn't causing any major problem, fortunatelly.
I wonder what kind of tortures may that poor console have endured haha... and just how many years ago was that pizza eaten.

[NFG]

I once opened an N64 that had crackers inside.  Crackers that were too large to have gotten in there through any of the vents.  I have NO idea how it happened, they certianly didn't have the tools to do it...

[RobIvy64]

OK, so it started doing it again, but only for a few seconds after you turne it on.

My roommate accidentally shoved in a Playstation AV cord into the AV port on the SNES. It didn't mess anything up, but in fact fixed the problem.

No BS on this!