Virtual Boy with no image.

I haven't openned this unit yet but I have this Virtual Boy that has no video b whatsoever.

Any tips where to look at before I open this up?

 

Do you hear or feel faint hum like the mirror's running inside? If it is humming, odds are the LCD panel has loose ribbon cable, unfortunately damned common problem. If there's no humming sound and you are sure you have the unit turned on, the problem could be dead power circuit.

You do have the controller plugged in? And the battery pack with 6 good AA's or an AC tap with SNES power supply that checked good?

 

Do you get sound? Make sure a game is inserted then turn and on and press the A button a few times to get to some sound. Or better yet, use a game with sound off the get go.

If you get sound, then likely it's the display ribbon cables like wily said. Checking for the hum will help ensure this. If it's the display cables disconnected I'd recommend getting them soldered. Let me know if it is, I'll get you in contact with trusted display solderers.

 

I have my trusty ol' retro bits... two of the screws are terribly deep no way i can use my bits for this, any place to order longer bits?

 

I got mine from ebay. Something like this one:
http://www.ebay.com/itm/4-5mm-Secur...541671?hash=item2a3c9ce527:g:0qUAAOxyHIlTbZVF

 

Thanks, never had been confronted to such a deep screw hole.

might not have the patience, I'll try to heatgun a pencil tube and have my way with these 4 screws but I'll get this long bit still!

 

You will very likely need to repair the LED panels. I am currently working on a Virtual Boy that had working displays, but I bought it to tinker / learn with... Currently, the right LED is working perfectly, but the left LED still needs work.

I'm doing the solder fix on the LED panels, rather than baking the panels (which I wouldn't suggest). It is very fine pitch soldering. Not for the faint of heart.

If you want to open your Virtual Boy properly, just buy a good set of security bit screwdrivers:
https://console5.com/store/atknnd-s...et-3-8mm-and-4-5mm-for-nintendo-and-sega.html

*Edit - If you are running out of patience just opening the VB up, just wait until you try repairing the LED cables. Very challenging.

[ Edited again - wilykat is right - LED, not LCD. ]

 

Technically it's not LCD. It's LED.

 

I'm not running out of patience but sinfe this is a unit we bought and plan on to selling it back. (In store) it takes room in the backstore.

I ordered longer bits.

 

Ok, I heated the LED units ribbons with my soldering iron and then stuck everything into place with some self adhesive hangtabs that I cut to size. So everything is now sitting tightly and shouldn't move too much.

I still have some lines showing up though, you can see them in the pictures joined in this post.

Any tips? Should I just change these units completely?

If it gives me more trouble I'm considering soldering everything up with individual wires... (that would be a pain though)
I saw some parts online and they're expensive.

 

just solder about a 1/16th of inch of the ribbon connector where it meets the circuit board, thats what i do with my repairs done 10 vbs already this year, ill see if i can find a pic of it, just use a shit ton of flux and be gentle

 

Here's one I did a few years ago:

https://instagram.com/p/BIlTesbh_gt/

 

get a t tip ribbon soldering pen its made to repair lcd ribbon solder joints with out melting ribbon

 

How would that not melt the ribbon cable?

 

the t tip iron has a strip of thermel silicone on it its gets ribbon up to proper temp with out burning it its same tip used to repair vw and bmw speedo ribbons on there lcd units console 5 sells the tips but not the iron for it u can find the iron and tip together on ebay