this post was submitted on 28 Jan 2024
412 points (99.8% liked)

196

18146 readers
929 users here now

Be sure to follow the rule before you head out.


Rule: You must post before you leave.



Other rules

Behavior rules:

Posting rules:

NSFW: NSFW content is permitted but it must be tagged and have content warnings. Anything that doesn't adhere to this will be removed. Content warnings should be added like: [penis], [explicit description of sex]. Non-sexualized breasts of any gender are not considered inappropriate and therefore do not need to be blurred/tagged.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact us on our matrix channel or email.

Other 196's:

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 
all 15 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] KoboldCoterie@pawb.social 37 points 2 years ago (2 children)

For anyone not aware:

When we blew in Nintendo cartridges, we weren't cleaning dust off of them that was causing the problem; we were spitting in them just enough for worn down connectors to work a little longer. Not intentionally, obviously, but that was the end result, and why it worked.

[–] osbo9991@lemm.ee 57 points 2 years ago (1 children)

I think it is more likely that the act of taking the cartridge out and reinserting scrapes away at grime that is stuck on the pins, creating better contact with the connector in the console. Blowing into them likely did nothing.

[–] Paradachshund@lemmy.today 23 points 2 years ago

I'm glad that to this day how this works is a matter of folk legend and conjecture.

[–] shinratdr@lemmy.ca 11 points 2 years ago

That’s not the reason, it’s because the constant removal & reinsertion of the cartridge across attempts to get it working causes the pins on the inside of the console to scrape against the contacts on the cartridge enough to remove some corrosion and form a proper connection. Saliva and the blowing had little or nothing to do with it.

The proper method is to use contact cleaner, rubbing alcohol or an eraser to remove the corrosion from the contacts on the cartridge. This is basically the same thing but instead of scraping off the corrosion with the console cartridge slot pins, you’re removing it evenly and cleanly.

[–] Bunnylux@lemmy.world 30 points 2 years ago

They never stopped to ask if they should

[–] SnotFlickerman@lemmy.blahaj.zone 20 points 2 years ago

Thanks, I hate my old game collection now.

[–] SternburgExport@feddit.de 14 points 2 years ago

On a sidenote: Don‘t blow into cartridges as the humidity of your breathe will further oxidise the contacts making the problem worse. The only reason this „worked“ is because by re seating the cartridge it got a better connection point.

[–] Dekthro@lemm.ee 13 points 2 years ago (1 children)
[–] Otherwise_Direction7@monyet.cc 6 points 2 years ago

That dust do look really creamy tho ngl

[–] LodeMike@lemmy.today 4 points 2 years ago
[–] Noodle07@lemmy.world 1 points 2 years ago

And now we can't even give cartridges a lick anymore

[–] Bluefalcon@discuss.tchncs.de 1 points 2 years ago

Instant classic!