eBay Game Gear - First Look and Repair

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  • čas přidán 2. 08. 2024
  • I won an untested Sega Game Gear on eBay. Did I get lucky or...?
    Channel Membership: czcams.com/users/retrobitstvjoin
    Patreon: / retrobits
    Amazon: www.amazon.com/shop/retrobits
    Twitter: / retrobitstv
    Gamebit Screwdrivers - amzn.to/3JEsWJV
    Hakko FX888D Digital Soldering Station - amzn.to/2TYYrbI
    Hakko FR301 Desoldering Tool - amzn.to/3cP8VR3
    Hakko-CHP-170 Micro Cutter - amzn.to/3mT3btH
    Hakko 633 Soldering Iron Holder - amzn.to/3xiTJpj
    YIHUA 959D-Digital Hot Air Rework Station - amzn.to/3ioSgXb
    Velleman Circuit Board Clamping Kit - amzn.to/2Z2ZdqG
    Peak Atlas ESR+ Capacitor Tester - amzn.to/3DZkz9A
    Console5 - console5.com/store/
    Thanks to our awesome Patrons and Channel Members for their support!!!
    Peter (Melair)
    Kevin Gonzalez
    Jon Ingersoll
    John DiLiberto
    John Trammell
    Paraffine
    Pinay Collectibles - / pinaycollectibles
    Josh K
    Mitch Hoffman
    Alex Smith
    Wolfgang Behrens
    Vince Valenti
    Eli
    William Sullivan
    Eric Stacey
    Ryan Brooks
    James Taylor
    FULLSET
    [mi.low]
    Allister Fiend
    Erik (goodjonx)
    Pierre Kressmann
    RobF228
    Jim Leonard
    Rayner Daniel Pedersen
    00:00 Introduction
    00:55 History and Specs
    02:40 eBay Purchase and Unboxing
    05:13 Initial Inspection and First Test
    08:25 Disassembly
    10:39 Capacitors and Model Identification
    13:21 Cap Removal and Cleaning
    18:13 Cap Replacement
    20:51 Power and Audio Board Recap
    28:46 Second Test
    30:14 No Audio
    32:11 Gameplay and Conclusion
    *Retro Bits earns money from Amazon and eBay Partner Links
  • Věda a technologie

Komentáře • 74

  • @tiemanowo
    @tiemanowo Před rokem +4

    20:15 wait. You sure that was a good polarity? It looks like you are soldering a negative side of a capacitor (leg with stripe) to a positive pad.

    • @8bitbubsy
      @8bitbubsy Před rokem +2

      That's indeed incorrect! I wonder if he noticed lateron...

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +5

      Good eye! I did indeed screw up the orientation when I formed the compound bend in the legs. I did not go back and fix it off camera yet the Game Gear is working fine so I assume they are just "optional" decoupling caps. I will go back and fix them. Thanks for mentioning it; I watched the replay a dozen times when editing and totally failed to notice!

    • @axemanracing6222
      @axemanracing6222 Před rokem +2

      @@retrobitstv Unfortunately, it might work but could cause damage. Try to fix it before powering up again!

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +4

      @@axemanracing6222 All fixed now! I still can't believe I screwed that up. When filming it's easy to forget what you're doing when worried about framing the shot properly, getting the lighting right, remembering to disable the autofocus, etc.

  • @wonderrob3225
    @wonderrob3225 Před rokem +3

    I had Game Gear as a teen through twenties while in the U.S Coast Guard. You could pick up TV on an antenna, even at sea. You could play incredible games in full color. When all you had was one bunk and one locker for yourself and all your worldly possessions, Game gear was an amazing luxury.

  • @anotheruser9876
    @anotheruser9876 Před rokem +5

    Heads up! The two caps nearest to the "Made In Japan" on the main PCB have the polarity flipped from the original. Check @11:26 vs @20:40

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +2

      Great catch! When I took went to form the compound bend in the legs I must have screwed up their orientation. Oddly enough, I didn't fix the mistake off camera so the Game Gear is working despite the wrong polarity. Probably just decoupling caps. I will still fix them. Thanks for the heads up!

  • @RetroKrazy
    @RetroKrazy Před rokem +8

    Ideally you need to cover the plastic connector points if using hot air to remove the surface mount as spotted you slightly melted one. I try a different method on my nexy video this Wednesday which works and for newer people to soldering, is safer IF they take care. Good save though and one hell of a cheap price you paid for that lot!

    • @drifter7508
      @drifter7508 Před rokem

      Was just gonna comment on that 😅

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +1

      Agree, in hindsight I should have covered more. I didn't think the hot air spillage would melt the plastic but it totally did. I also may have bumped a connector with the iron at some point too 😅

    • @RacerX-
      @RacerX- Před rokem +2

      @@retrobitstv This is totally a problem with the A1200 too as a couple of the caps are right next to the keyboard connector. You could also desolder the connector which is pretty easy. In areas like these and small boards I find it far less damaging to just cut or twist the cap off. I know I will probably get hate over that but I have done it for more then 15 years and have to this day never lifted a pad. I have lifted several pads using the Hot Air method though. My guess is the amount of heat you have to use helps lift the pad easier.

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +2

      @@RacerX- I have seen many people use your method without issue. I think it'd most likely be a problem where leakage has caused so much corrosion the pad is already marginal to begin with. I've yet to lift a pad either but I've only done a couple of SMD recaps so far :P

    • @RacerX-
      @RacerX- Před rokem +1

      @@retrobitstv 100% agree it is always a case by case really. You made the call and it worked for you so that is great. I recapped a Macintosh PPC 6100 one time and the caps were so crusted that they literally fell of the board with very little contact. It was the easiest one I have ever done. No tools required! hahaha. Amazingly no damage and all was good after.

  • @dancingwiththedogsdj
    @dancingwiththedogsdj Před rokem +4

    I HAD so much fun with my Game Gear..... Had about 30 games, the TV Tuner was amazing, and the master cart adapter was sweet! I remember actually taking my Genesis on a summer trip with my dad and I was a young teenager.... We'd take a small camper and go visit family for a week and have a blast (although at the time I may not have appreciated it like I do now, but it was always fun) and I used my TV Tuner on the Game Gear to hook up the Genesis to because I was craving some, "Hard Drivin'" and it was quite playable even on the tiny screen (as playable as Hard Drivin' could be, whew it was a struggle for ports of that game) .... I actually have a Game Gear game still in the plastic case, "Alien(s)" or something similar tied to the movie. Great video and enjoyed your take on it! 🍻🌎❤️🌮😁

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +2

      Thanks for sharing! That's a great hack, using the TV tuner with a standalone console!

    • @dancingwiththedogsdj
      @dancingwiththedogsdj Před rokem +2

      @@retrobitstv it had a A/V input jack on it and I just happened to have the correct adapter because I wanted to try it anyways.... It was fun. Lol

    • @axemanracing6222
      @axemanracing6222 Před rokem +3

      @@dancingwiththedogsdj Oh yeah :-D now I remember watching VHS on this, with the power supply connected. What a mess :-D

    • @wonderrob3225
      @wonderrob3225 Před rokem +1

      I had Game Gear as a teen through twenties while in the U.S Coast Guard. You could pick up TV on an antenna, even at sea. You could play incredible games in full color. When all you had was one bunk and one locker for yourself and all your worldly possessions, Game gear was an amazing luxury.

    • @dancingwiththedogsdj
      @dancingwiththedogsdj Před rokem

      @@wonderrob3225 Thank you for your service and glad it seems to have been a fun distraction to help you through. Have a wonderful day/evening! 🍻🌎❤️🌮🎶

  • @tetsujin_144
    @tetsujin_144 Před rokem +1

    Those old Sega ads are fun.

  • @TheVGhunter
    @TheVGhunter Před rokem +1

    *Watches video*. *Deep Breath* I have 5 of these that needs recapping and I just realized my patience may not be up to doing all 5. This gives alot of knowledge for doing the job though so ty!

  • @christianorthodoxy4769
    @christianorthodoxy4769 Před rokem +2

    That little portable gaming system was Awesome! 🔥 In it's time. 🎮

  • @P5ychoFox
    @P5ychoFox Před rokem +2

    It was about 2005 when I last saw a Game Gear running fine on it’s original capacitors. Luckily apart from the capacitors, nothing much else seems to go wrong with them.

    • @tokin420nchokin
      @tokin420nchokin Před 3 měsíci +1

      I had a va5 on og caps working till 2023! All the other units caps were leaky as can be

  • @retrooz4725
    @retrooz4725 Před rokem +2

    Benn Venn LCD was back in stock last week. You are right $70 US for the kit is a luxury but the difference is night and day compared to the original.

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem

      I was shocked to discover how big the aftermarket is for these systems but I'm glad there are replacement and upgrade options for just about every component!

    • @tokin420nchokin
      @tokin420nchokin Před 3 měsíci

      ​@@retrobitstvyou really should stick the BV ips kit in there! It is a really nice kit, probably too nice for the game gear lol😂

  • @tokin420nchokin
    @tokin420nchokin Před 3 měsíci +1

    Man you got a killer deal on that. Those games were worth more than 49 dollars most likely.

  • @mogwaay
    @mogwaay Před rokem +2

    Totally agree with Console5 wiki, it's brilliant.

  • @JamiesHackShack
    @JamiesHackShack Před rokem +4

    Enjoyed it! I had use of one of these in my youth and between the games and TV tuner it was a blast. It absolutely went through batteries like nobody's business though of course! 😂

  • @tetsujin_144
    @tetsujin_144 Před rokem +1

    4:05 - "I'm sure you were the popular kid in school if you were walking around with that clipped to your waist"
    Yeah what would a trip down memory lane be without a refresher course on decades-old trauma

  • @philcarter9738
    @philcarter9738 Před rokem +1

    You have to love 90's gaming TV adds, they just don't make them like that anymore 😄

  • @JohnGotts
    @JohnGotts Před rokem +1

    I see that you adjusted the positions of some of the replacement caps you installed. The Console 5 replacements require finangling to fit inside the case. They work, though.

  • @Soup_it
    @Soup_it Před rokem +1

    Thank you sir for keeping retro tech alive.

  • @emilianotechs
    @emilianotechs Před rokem +1

    Thanks for the video I have a soldering iron and I've been thinking about tackling some recapping jobs and I bet I could do a game gear!

  • @LeftoverBeefcake
    @LeftoverBeefcake Před rokem +2

    Dear sir, your "Official Retro CZcamsr" certificate is being mailed out, now that all the requirements are met. Sincerely yours, the Official Retro CZcamsr Home Office

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +1

      Nice, I'll be checking the mail with great anticipation! Is there a secret handshake that I need to learn? :P

  • @lyledal
    @lyledal Před rokem +2

    OK. I am intrigued by that "fresh baked olive loaf" handheld! Someone should have made that happen!

  • @Pau_Pau9
    @Pau_Pau9 Před 7 měsíci +1

    I just won a bidding for Game Gear on eBay.
    And what do you know!?
    Retrobits has a repair video!
    Thanks for the inspiration to fix the broken GG!

  • @infinitecanadian
    @infinitecanadian Před rokem +1

    The Game Gear was the most coveted console in the dentist's office.

  • @axemanracing6222
    @axemanracing6222 Před rokem +1

    I had a GG + TV receiver + battery pack. King of the crowd. Then ,when digiTV came up it was worthless. Had good days but I don't mind selling old stuff to get new stuff.

  • @hadessuk
    @hadessuk Před rokem +3

    Great deal you got yourself, just the link cable is worth close to that price. Unlike the Game Boy link cables, there aren’t any modern replacements…

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem

      Huh, I had no idea! Also not sure why it came with two link cables and two copies of Sonic 2. 🤷‍♂️

  • @sorcererstan
    @sorcererstan Před rokem +1

    What you really should have protected with Kapton tape (or better) is the plastic connectors. Lucky you didn't melt them worse. Just my 2 cents.

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem

      Yea if I were to do it again I would definitely use more tape on the plastic connectors!

  • @OffGridAussiePrepper
    @OffGridAussiePrepper Před rokem +1

    congrats..... wish i was that lucky

  • @jdmcs
    @jdmcs Před rokem +1

    We had one back in the day... and it died back in the day... and dad threw it out back in the day. Did those capacitors cause an early demise of our much-enjoyed Game Gear?
    Great save! [Starts looking for a Game Gear to restore.]

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +1

      Ah bummer! My folks tossed or gave away all of our old family computers too. I wish I had that Apple //c and Laser 128 now!

    • @jdmcs
      @jdmcs Před rokem +1

      @@retrobitstv I wish I had our Apple II+ and IBM Portable Personal Computer now, but my folks gave them both away after we got our new Pentium computer.

  • @user-yr1uq1qe6y
    @user-yr1uq1qe6y Před rokem

    I hear Arctic Retro here. Thought we were in for a visit from Tommy.

  • @Idelacio
    @Idelacio Před rokem +2

    Memories, having a rechargeable power pack was a must for any game gear owner. :3
    Curious how you got mickey running on the mister, everything I tried is just the master system rom and breaks when renamed. I know they are technically the same data but something else must be needed...
    Oh, nm: turns out there are two different rom versions after all. Ree. ¬.¬

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem

      I tried 3 different versions of the game and they all had color palette and control issues until I renamed one from .gg to .sms and then it worked fine. Apparently the core can't distinguish when a game is a direct port from the master system.

  • @av_oid
    @av_oid Před rokem

    Make sure you don’t leave those Dura-Leaks in the Game Gear when you put it away!

  • @mark6302
    @mark6302 Před rokem

    castle of illusion is the bomb

  • @BestSpatula
    @BestSpatula Před rokem +1

    Did you research to see if there were any surface mount caps that would have fit on the pads of the PCB? Also, I like ordering these from mouser/digi-key as you can be pretty picky about quality. You can also use tantalum caps which won't ever leak.

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem

      My friend Lee over at @MoreFunMakingIt discussed using non-polarized surface mount parts and has had success recapping several units that way ( czcams.com/video/s4TFVS7EYls/video.html ). I tend to blindly trust Luke over at Console 5 and went with that as the easy mode option instead of measuring the pads and trying to find suitable polarized SMD replacements :)

    • @BestSpatula
      @BestSpatula Před rokem +1

      @@retrobitstv ah yes the research and measurement stuff can be super time consuming. I like your videos. Never had a game gear but jealous of friends who did. Always cool to see instructionals on how to save them.

  • @noelitoangeles287
    @noelitoangeles287 Před rokem

    Comes a TV Tuner for Game Gear

  • @billh2808
    @billh2808 Před rokem +1

    I liked the Game Gear but damn did they eat batteries. You almost had to buy AA's by the gross to keep playing it.

  • @digitalarchaeologist5102

    I noticed you probably have the same hot air and soldering station as me, a so called "Horusdy"? Is the de-soldering gun you have compatible with it?

    • @retrobitstv
      @retrobitstv  Před rokem +1

      The hot air station is branded as "YIHUA" but could easily be sold under a variety of other made-up brand names :) amzn.to/3ioSgXb I purchased the desoldering gun a year or two earlier and it's a stand-alone Hakko unit amzn.to/3cP8VR3

    • @digitalarchaeologist5102
      @digitalarchaeologist5102 Před rokem +1

      @@retrobitstv Thank you very much for the links

  • @MaggieKeizai
    @MaggieKeizai Před rokem +1

    Funny. I'm as annoyed today by the "SEGA!" screams in their ads as I was in the 90s.

  • @BaneMcDeath
    @BaneMcDeath Před rokem

    My GG barely has a display or sound. Controls work fine though. :'(

  • @infinitecanadian
    @infinitecanadian Před rokem +1

    I hate it when people list these for parts. These should be fixed if at all possible.

    • @emilianotechs
      @emilianotechs Před rokem

      But a lot of times people listing them for parts gets them fixed right?

    • @infinitecanadian
      @infinitecanadian Před rokem

      @@emilianotechs I hope so.

  • @jleditzig
    @jleditzig Před rokem

    The answer to your question is: I, and many other people, don't.

  • @dennisp.2147
    @dennisp.2147 Před rokem

    Kinda kludgy using cheap thru-hole caps instead of the correct part.

  • @rosemarysandcastle
    @rosemarysandcastle Před rokem

    that was a bargain all the same. nice find