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I have an old PAL Nintendo 64 that I wanted to play the other day. Unfortunately, it wouldn’t work. The machine itself turns on and the red light lights up as usual, but I can’t get any picture on the screen. I’ve tried different cables including an old SNES cable (that worked some years ago) and a GameCube s-video cable. I have a fairly new TV, but I’m certain I’ve configured it correctly. My SNES works just fine on it. Any help would be appreciated! Update: It works! I’ve tried: Removing the Expansion Pack (original) and putting it back in.To blow on the cartridge and on the machine (not recommended).Different games.Different AV cables (that work on my SNES).Cleaning the connectors on a cartridge with both dry Q-tips and with isopropyl alcohol. When I started the machine I didn’t see or hear anything. The screen didn’t even flicker. I retried the steps some time later and magically it worked. I’ve listed all the solutions I’ve tried, as I don’t know which one solved my problem. Thanks for all the help!

No picture could mean the game is not loading up. In that case, it’s best to clean the contacts of the game cartridge. I use isopropyl alcohol. If it’s not the game, make sure to clean the AV plug or buy a replacement cable. Note that the N64 does not support RGB SCART. N64 units are pretty tough. I bought one from a stand drenched in rain water and still managed to get it working. Hopefully, you can get your system working. Good luck!

Sometimes that happens to me. Seems to be the game or connections with the console and cartridge. If I keep trying to get it to work (by reseating the game) it usually works. Notice I did not say “resetting” earlier. Try a different game, see if that one works.

Hey moppskaft, not sure if you are still working on your N64 but i dug up some info that could be worthwhile to check out. First of, there seem to be a lot of people with the same issues as you are having. It looks like you have already done all of the most common errors like faulty cables and dirty connections. So what i found is this video http://www.booads.com/videos-re-how-do-i… that shows how that person fixed his with an identical issue. Of course not sure if it will work for you but give it a try. Can’t hurt :) there are also a few forums that discuss this problem as well they are at http://gametz.com/Welcome.html this site explains the hardware http://n64.icequake.net/ So I hope this helped you somewhat, if not get back with us on here and let us know so we can continue to get your legacy console going again:) Good luck

The same thing happened to me it’s because of the new tv’s, Put your expansion pack in the n64 then try it again.

No…. N64 run on either 240p or 480i depending on the game, let me also add that most all the N64 games are 240p and won’t play on most newer TVs and is only properly viewable on SDTV CRT’s. 480i is full reselution SDTV signal and is viewable on any SDTV and HDTV. I ran into this problem when I was trying to circuit-bend my sega genisis which runs on 240p and had to stick a digital pass through between the TV and sega. Digital pass throughs (DPT) are fairly easy to obtain for low cost. Radioshack sells a DPT called a RF Modulator and I believe it goes for 35-50. That will fix your problem with the N64’s resolution.

Is your pin clean??????? I own a video game store and specialize in nintendo.. use a worn out paper fingernail file.. in 2 years I have never had a customer bring a console back. It works in 10 seconds.. clean games with lysol toilet bowl cleaner without bleach . Use a q tip with a small amount then use 91% alcohol to clean the lysol residue.. I never have games come back. Never blow on games!!!! The game store ms Update Never, never, never blow on games or inside your pin. When you blow on games it makes the copper pins inside the game tarnish. The tarnish is what keeps the games from working. The game store ms. Update NEVER and I mean never ever blow on games. The reason games dont work is that the copper pins in the game tarnish due to humidity. When u blow on games it makes it worse. Ive heard all kind of secret cleaning methods. Now let me tell you the 2 that work every time. To clean a pin in consoles use a worn out paper fingernail file, it takes 10 seconds. If a system turns on this trick will work. Now for the 2nd cleaning trick is for cartridge games a qtip and lysol toilet bowl cleaner without bleach then a qtip and 91% alcohol. These 2 cleaning methods work and work all the time.. in 2 years I have never had a console or games brought back to my store not working.. michael the game store ms

Hi all, bought my sister a 64 for Christmas. We had the same problem with the red light and nothing on screen. We played around with our tvc’s aspect ratio, changing from 16:9 to 4:3 and the games starting working!!! If you have an option for “original” aspect ratio that should work too :) Good luck!

Fixed!!! I was having the same problem today. I got a 64 from Craigslist and it wasnt working. Tried 3 tvs (2 hdtv’s & 1 analog) using the red/white/yellow cord. The red light was coming on the system but the tv screen was totally blank. But turns out all I had to do was rub Isopropyl Alcohol inside the game (007 Goldeneye) w a Qtip and put it back in and it worked! It worked on the analog and Vizio 32" hdtv. Looked better in HD. I got a good amountof black and green out of the game.

If none of the pin tip tricks work for you, try applying a gentle pressure to the AV connector up or down. VERY slight, then power on your N64. If this works, the problem is likely a bad connection in the cable or the N64. If you replace the N64 cable and the problem persists, you’ll have to follow a guide available here to repair the connectors inside the N64.

We have a Nintendo 64 and had no picture on the TV when we turned it on. Sony TV Insert AC Adaptor into the Nintendo 64 (Retro-bit.Power Super Retro 64 AC Adaptor cost $39.95 (AUD) Insert the AV Cable into the Nintendo 64 (Tomee AV Cable - Compatible with GC/ N64/SNES) $14.95 (AUD). We put the N64 game into the console before we turned it on. The Nintendo 64 red light came on. On the TV select: Video 2/Components (This is where is says the TV choices of TV, HDMI 1, HDMI 2 etc) Put the Red AV cable into red hole Yellow AV cable into green hole White AV cable into blue hole It worked - The games are playing on the screen. Good luck