PAL SNES having a black screen of death (Sometimes flickers green)

Niels Van Son

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Hello,

So I got a PAL Super Nintendo for 7 euros with Super Mario World (Yeah, that's cheap, but it has no controller). However, everytime I'm trying to get the game working, the console gives a red led (Usual stuff) but that's about it. No image or sound on the TV. It sometimes flickers some green lines on the top of the TV for some reason but it's really regular and the green lines only appear for a fraction of second.

I tried cleaning as much things I could, but not having a nintendo security screwdriver, I can't get behind the motherboard.

I'm using a GC video cable and a 12V 4A power supply.

Do you have any ideas ?

Thank you.
 

Aerocool

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Im no SNES expert, but did you try to flick that tiny switch in the back near the AC Input? Maybe it doesnt work if the switch is in the wrong Position.

Edit: and try another AV cable, maybe yours is broken.
 
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Jack Daniels

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Quite weird I don't have any RF port. But anyway, may be a model that was specifically made without rf
what? no, there's no snes or even super famicom model without one. the switch was only on other models, it's for switching between ntsc and pal, and can be made yourself (some shops sold pre modded consoles).
there should be a small RCA i think is the official name for the connector witch can be used to connect the console to an old tv connectet like your VCR would have been connected back in the days (tulp co cable plug should do just with original cable the detected frquention would be better set.
 

Niels Van Son

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what? no, there's no snes or even super famicom model without one. the switch was only on other models, it's for switching between ntsc and pal, and can be made yourself (some shops sold pre modded consoles).
there should be a small RCA i think is the official name for the connector witch can be used to connect the console to an old tv connectet like your VCR would have been connected back in the days (tulp co cable plug should do just with original cable the detected frquention would be better set.
Oh yeah, I didn't know that. Thanks.
 

Jack Daniels

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Oh yeah, I didn't know that. Thanks.
the problem could well be the cable, though depending on what the power led shows it could also be short cicuit.
the failure you descriped is most reneral fail screen, and the snes wasn't that nice built so it's easy to see what is wrong except when it's the power supply.
if you cot an empty snes cartridge, there's a hw test rom for snes, just you'll need to burn it to a real cardridge...
and if you can read schematics: http://img37.imageshack.us/img37/8863/snscpugpm0102.png
 

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start by trying a game you know works. black screen is usual an issue on the connector side of things. clean the cart you have with alcohol or windex with a q-tip untill it stays completely white. check inside the snes if there's anything clogging the connector. test the game on another snes if possible. an rf cable from a megadrive or NES or whatever should also work to test if the cable is the issue. if you see the screen flicker when you turn on the snes the cable should be fine. if the cable is bad you should at least get sound if the snes starts up.
 
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Niels Van Son

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The screen flickers, the only game I have in Super Mario World, I tried to clean the connectors as much as I could, and Unfortunately nobody around has a Super Nintendo or even a game on it, on an old tv it does horizontal green scan lines all the time, but nothing except that, no background, no sound.
 

Jack Daniels

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The screen flickers, the only game I have in Super Mario World, I tried to clean the connectors as much as I could, and Unfortunately nobody around has a Super Nintendo or even a game on it, on an old tv it does horizontal green scan lines all the time, but nothing except that, no background, no sound.
that's not much, but what side of france are you from? since i can see if i can still find the games for my snes (mine is broken beyond repair) i should have at least 3 real games and one of the first gen copy boxes (wich will need a battery replacement to work again) at my brothers place... only thing is those are english versions (pal) not france, since...
 
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Jack Daniels

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Well, now it makes a lot of flickering (green and violet horizontal lines) and a sometimes do the sound old crt TV does when they are on
sound like a corrosion problem with the graphics processor. but i'm not sure it'll help if i send the games, plus i'm not sure they'll work (my snes died about 5 years ago). and i'm not sure where i left all stuff, sure you can pm mei mean if i still find them i would send them for just the send costs... but getting more of the disturbence on your screen sounds like it's over anyway... know that you can also get your pc a full snes upgrade (cardridge slot, emulator and 2 controller slots) or mod a raspberry pi (3)... it's cheap should fit nicely in the case and about all options shold be addable with https://retropie.org.uk/ and https://www.retrode.com/
 
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Lumstar

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Quite weird I don't have any RF port. But anyway, may be a model that was specifically made without rf

That doesn't sound right. It was NTSC systems that had a model made without RF. (the pictured design is NTSC exclusive, and officially can't play PAL games)
http://www.spaghettioh.com/wp-content/snes/snes_model2.jpg

Any other SNES should at least have an RCA plug for RF. Usually next to a channel select switch.

PAL Gamecube cables are a bit different for video from the PAL SNES. But audio is the same. http://www.gamesx.com/wiki/doku.php?id=av:nintendomultiav
 
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