Adam thanks so much for checking out the Ninten-drawer! I really appreciate the kind words and hope this brings a bunch of front loaders back to life 🙌🙌🙌
Great video Adam. I'd like to add something: rubbing alcohol is a general term used for surgical spirit. Actually what you want to use for cleaning electronics is Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol). Rubbing alcohol (in american english) is an isopropyl or ethanol based liquid, and it has impurities. Don't use rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit) or ethanol. Use only isopropyl alcohol.
macho nacho put one of these in a NES with a transparent case so you can see the mechanism at work when you insert a cart. its really cool how they engineered that thing
I might be a purist when it comes to this, but I enjoy the process of getting games to work. Pushing the cart down, the blinking, the wiggling of the cart plus reset button and all of a sudden, it works! I love it. Just like back in the late 80s early 90s.
I didn't know that a pin could bend! That's good to know! Thanks! My friend and I cleaned all of our games with Brasso metal polish. After that we would clean it with rubbing alcohol. We read about it online and tested it on NES games we didn't care for. You would be surprised on how much gunk you get off with the Brasso. All of our games work like brand new that have been cleaned this way!
I preordered one from Rocker Gaming's etsy store the day Tito's video was posted. I had been thinking about replacing the port in my old NES, so this came onto the scene at the perfect time.
Been waiting for like 5 years for a BLW to come in stock but ain't every coming back at this point so as soon as I saw this a week or 2 ago I pre-ordered one without a second thought. Totally worth it.
The Blinking Light Win's death grip was absolutely BRUTAL in my experience. I tested like 3 games on it and haven't hooked the NES back up since. So glad there's a new option that gives me a reason to experience these games (almost) fully OEM again.
I'd heard of this! one of these days if I can get a hold of my original NES I would totally track down this upgrade (I've done a full disassembly before to clean the contacts that way just to be sure, it wasn't super difficult!) for my system.
I like how you talk about removing the 10NES chip and adjusting the console’s pins like they were solutions from an ancient time. I actually found myself doing those things to my NES earlier this year. It was a nightmare for someone who had never opened an NES before but I got there in the end. It’s still nowhere near as good of a solution as the product shown in the video but it at least means I no longer have to spend close to an hour trying to get my games to work.
I have been waiting for this as I commented on your playload video from this month. Thank you very much. Really bummed out about the Game Genie aspect of this. It's the only way I play games. I used it when I was growing up and now I still use it just to enjoy playing. But still awesome thank you.
*1985 (America):* _"Lets make the NES game insertion feel like popping in a VHS tape!"_ 🤓 *2024 (America):* _"Lets make the NES game insertion feel like popping in a Bluray Disc!"_ 😎
Adam, I know RF is pretty useless these days, BUT I will say that RF imo does actually give a better display on HDTVs compared to composite or using the crappy AV to HDMI boxes. I'm not saying it's great but for anyone playing these old consoles on modern TVs that don't have a Framemeister or an RGB Scart mod, etc. I would actually recommend RF over the other options.
No way RF will look better than composite. But in a way, i understand what you mean. NES graphics are very simple color wise and some games seem to have been developed to take advantage from the fuzzy RF signal (mostly in games designed in Japan for the Famicom). A while ago, i tested my NES games with RF vs composite, on my crt and lcd tv and surprisingly the RF signal (with good handmade cables) looked pretty decent, specially on the CRT. But then i switched to composite and it was like watching NES in HD 😆, everything looked sharper and with more difined colors on both, the crt and the lcd.
The whole death grip on the blinking light win is so exaggerated. I have two of them, and after a while of using it the pins have broken in so well that it has become super easy to remove the cart. It just takes a little breaking in thats all.
We have a proper fix to the VHS debacle of the NES. Just took them almost 40 years to FIGURE IT OUT! i would totally use the DO NOT PRESS DOWN for your cousin from BOSTON! Ha-Ha! i just heard of this VHS issue not too long ago & was shocked not more games were destroyed because of this. Goes to show just how awesome cartridge games are. I may still get this, but i do have a Model 2 & that is a straight forward cartridge placement as well. Ninten-Drawer would have been a cheaper fix though!
I have been planning on getting a retro nes. I have my childhood games but not the system 😁. Now i have been looking at the famicom top loader instead which one should i get.🤔
I actually have a Blinking Light Win in my NES, and the death grip annoyed me so much that I ended up bending all the pins a bit to make cartridge removal easier. It still works, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had issues someday.
@@nickwest932 Ohhh, you meant the expansion audio used in some Famicom games. But the base NES system doesn´t have 8 audio channels, it´s 5 audio channels ( 2 square waves, Triangle, Noise, and DMC/PCM audio channel )
Does the Ninten-Drawer have spots to put the unused screws? There is a GameCube mod, the Flippy Boot I think, that has spots to put the unused screws so they aren't lost, and I think that should be the standard for all mods like this.
I saw this as an open source project a while ago and was prepared to invest in some. Then I saw compatibility was shoddy so decided against it. I also hate ribbon cables and it doesn't solve the potential damage of the 'death grip'; just enables you to grip the cartridge to initiate the damage.
By the way that little story about physical vs digital media your 110% right... been on a physical media kick lately... its actually nice to own the real silicon they were programed on. No dlc, no updating... but they work. Just clean the pins...
I boiled my connector to clean it up, then bent the pins so that the cartridge would boot without even being pressed down. It still boots games first time every time 10 years later. I've done it to several NES consoles in the meantime and they all perform the same. I've always felt that products like the blinking-light-win and this are a solution for a problem that honestly doesn't exist.
What I use to clean connectors is "CRC QD Electronic Cleaner," it's around 10 bucks for a (big!) can on Amazon, and is purpose-made for just about anything with wires in it. Only caveat: do NOT just spray it willy-nilly into the cartridge, if there's any overspray or drip it can damage the label. Instead, spray some into a little cup and dab Q-tips or foam tips into that. Happy cleaning!
It's been thirty years since I was blowing in cartridges for my NES. The world's greatest physicists could take an entire year proving again and again that you shouldn't blow in the system either. I could spend a decade with them getting my doctorate. My senior thesis would still be: But it Worked. 😂 In all seriousness tho, rubbing alcohol on a qtip
I already have mine modded for RGB along with cutting the 10-pin. Might as well make it fully reliable once the thing gets back in stock. With regards to dirt, I keep all my NES carts in ziplock bags to minimize dust/dirt.
I pre ordered this to swap out my Blinking light win can’t wait to receive this. FYI WD40 electronics contact cleaner is the best for cleaning contacts I use it on all my stuff .
Another flaw with the blinking light win, after a while the mother board connector breaks if taking out carts often... Tried jb welding it no go. It really puts a ton of stress on it because of the death grip. Basically trash. My hi-def NES has a BLW and never take out the everdrive. Does get dirty after a while so brasco on the pins seems to work. Shines up very nicely.
The BLW's death grip is probably why it permanently broke my Game Genie 😢 Nonetheless, the reason why I keep my childhood NES is because I want to use a Chip Maestro or Famimimidi which are cartridges that you can hook a keyboard or musical instrument and use the 2A03 soundchip to make music. Neither the Chip nor the Famimi are in production anymore 😭
The reason windex is better is because it's both rubbing alcohol and soap, high enough concentrations of rubbing alcohol can melt plastic as well, whereas ammonia free windex can't do that. ammonia or "classic" windex is harmful for the environment and potentially damaging to plastics. also rubbing alcohol alone can dry out plastics and potentially make them brittle over time, and look super dull. the soap in windex is much gentler and sorta "remoistens" the plastics. although you should probably be using something like mr sheen or car interior plastic polish on plastics to keep them lasting longer. plastics are absolutely porus so it can absorb some of the rubbing alcohol and "evaporate" some bonds over time with regular cleaning. usually you should use something like distilled water, making sure to wipe the pins dry. rubbing alcohol also has never ruined any PCB, as most people use rubbing alcohol for cleaning, even considering macbook repairs which are quite complex. if you do use rubbing alcohol on plastics, at least use very low concentrated, mix with distilled water to dilute it.
I've had a bottle of whoosh(the cleaner that apple stores use), which I can tell you, it's just very diluted windex. it smells like windex. it's probably some form of windex that is based on distilled water instead of alcohol.
There are specially designed cleaning solutions that work and won't damage the circuits and the pins... Loctite 7039 comes to mind but there are many i am sure.
A very good solution to an age old problem. Although I still say the VCR NES is still an AWFUL design for cartridge loading, that this does a respectable job fixing. If you want an NES just try and get a top loader or a more modern solution like the Analogue NT. Adam I gotta say this felt very much like a console cleaning video. I almost felt the need to pull out the good ol' Adam Koralike Colnsole Cleaning Bingo card (tm).
@@AdamKoralik Are they just ported over via the 72 Pin Cartridge? Cause I kinda remember this BetaMax to VHS converter thing, where you play Beta on a VHS player.
My NES has very dull and wrong colors, I think it may be the capacitors. If I could get those fixed, then I may actually consider this. Until then though, I'll deal with my NES as is. I need to figure out what causes the colors, and then this would be perfect!
For thouse that don't konw that RF thing he give is just an picec of metal that allowed it to compay with FCC rules. Since the RF modulator mead the TV see it as an TV Station.
Nintendo made a poor design choice back then...only to make the Nes look more like a VCR than an Atari console. I remembered that as recently as earlier today.
Hey there, I understand your frustration, but wishing harm isn't productive. Nintendo's decisions might not always align with everyone's views, but expressing hate doesn't help. Let's hope for better decisions in the future that benefit both players and preservation efforts. 🎮
All my refurbished 72 pin connectors fire up first try. You are not doing it right Adam or are missing/ broke some pins. BLW is awful. Had one & sold it as soon as possible. The death grip is no joke & it looks like this new device is grippy too. I'll just stick with the original connector. Pushing the carts down is a feature my man.
![Felix "Unfair" | [Stray Kids : SKZ-PLAYER]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/Oswujxm2Ag0/mqdefault.jpg)
Adam thanks so much for checking out the Ninten-drawer! I really appreciate the kind words and hope this brings a bunch of front loaders back to life 🙌🙌🙌
Thanks for making it!
Both links Adam provided show it to be sold out. Please tell us there will be more? Can we sign up for notifications for when more are available?
very cool device.
@RockerGaming Any idea of when a restock is going to happen?
Adam: My channel feels like 2011
Me: so what… that’s like 3 years ago…right?
Same reaction 😂
That's the era when I got my Dreamcast and this channel was the best guide there was on everything Dreamcast. Those videos were perfect help for me.
Great video Adam. I'd like to add something: rubbing alcohol is a general term used for surgical spirit. Actually what you want to use for cleaning electronics is Isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol). Rubbing alcohol (in american english) is an isopropyl or ethanol based liquid, and it has impurities. Don't use rubbing alcohol (surgical spirit) or ethanol. Use only isopropyl alcohol.
Adam has been using Windex (or Windolene in some countries 🤪) for years and nobody has been able to convince him to change to isopropyl alcohol.
@@Minty_Meeo Everybody is free to use whatever fancies them. It was simply a suggestion, based on over 20 years as an electronics technician.
macho nacho put one of these in a NES with a transparent case so you can see the mechanism at work when you insert a cart. its really cool how they engineered that thing
I might be a purist when it comes to this, but I enjoy the process of getting games to work. Pushing the cart down, the blinking, the wiggling of the cart plus reset button and all of a sudden, it works! I love it. Just like back in the late 80s early 90s.
I didn't know that a pin could bend! That's good to know! Thanks!
My friend and I cleaned all of our games with Brasso metal polish. After that we would clean it with rubbing alcohol. We read about it online and tested it on NES games we didn't care for. You would be surprised on how much gunk you get off with the Brasso. All of our games work like brand new that have been cleaned this way!
I preordered one from Rocker Gaming's etsy store the day Tito's video was posted. I had been thinking about replacing the port in my old NES, so this came onto the scene at the perfect time.
Been waiting for like 5 years for a BLW to come in stock but ain't every coming back at this point so as soon as I saw this a week or 2 ago I pre-ordered one without a second thought. Totally worth it.
The Blinking Light Win's death grip was absolutely BRUTAL in my experience. I tested like 3 games on it and haven't hooked the NES back up since. So glad there's a new option that gives me a reason to experience these games (almost) fully OEM again.
It’s literally the reason I own a game genie makes to easy to get the games out
I'd heard of this! one of these days if I can get a hold of my original NES I would totally track down this upgrade (I've done a full disassembly before to clean the contacts that way just to be sure, it wasn't super difficult!) for my system.
If this was around when I was a kid(1993) I would have a better view of the NES
r/holup
It's always been my favorite system. Maybe because I always have and still do use Game Genie only.
Ooohh I’ve been waiting for this one. Totally buying.
I like how you talk about removing the 10NES chip and adjusting the console’s pins like they were solutions from an ancient time. I actually found myself doing those things to my NES earlier this year. It was a nightmare for someone who had never opened an NES before but I got there in the end. It’s still nowhere near as good of a solution as the product shown in the video but it at least means I no longer have to spend close to an hour trying to get my games to work.
The Top Loader laughs in the face of this fix.
I have been waiting for this as I commented on your playload video from this month. Thank you very much. Really bummed out about the Game Genie aspect of this. It's the only way I play games. I used it when I was growing up and now I still use it just to enjoy playing. But still awesome thank you.
I love to see modern solutions that keep older systems working.
I installed this today! Works flawlessly
Yes Adam 👌🤙
So no one sells new 72 pin connectors anymore? I put one in my NES I got from ebay around 2001 and it's still working great.
*1985 (America):* _"Lets make the NES game insertion feel like popping in a VHS tape!"_ 🤓
*2024 (America):* _"Lets make the NES game insertion feel like popping in a Bluray Disc!"_ 😎
Adam, I know RF is pretty useless these days, BUT I will say that RF imo does actually give a better display on HDTVs compared to composite or using the crappy AV to HDMI boxes. I'm not saying it's great but for anyone playing these old consoles on modern TVs that don't have a Framemeister or an RGB Scart mod, etc. I would actually recommend RF over the other options.
No way RF will look better than composite. But in a way, i understand what you mean. NES graphics are very simple color wise and some games seem to have been developed to take advantage from the fuzzy RF signal (mostly in games designed in Japan for the Famicom). A while ago, i tested my NES games with RF vs composite, on my crt and lcd tv and surprisingly the RF signal (with good handmade cables) looked pretty decent, specially on the CRT. But then i switched to composite and it was like watching NES in HD 😆, everything looked sharper and with more difined colors on both, the crt and the lcd.
The whole death grip on the blinking light win is so exaggerated. I have two of them, and after a while of using it the pins have broken in so well that it has become super easy to remove the cart. It just takes a little breaking in thats all.
I also think the death grip was for the first run only, I bought one from a later batch and had zero problems with a "death grip."
I was all in until I saw the Game Genie not working. I hope support for this can come in the future revision soon. Love the design of this though!
Thanks for the video. Any uk sellers lined up?
You'd have to ask Rocker Gaming I'm afraid.
We have a proper fix to the VHS debacle of the NES. Just took them almost 40 years to FIGURE IT OUT! i would totally use the DO NOT PRESS DOWN for your cousin from BOSTON! Ha-Ha!
i just heard of this VHS issue not too long ago & was shocked not more games were destroyed because of this. Goes to show just how awesome cartridge games are. I may still get this, but i do have a Model 2 & that is a straight forward cartridge placement as well. Ninten-Drawer would have been a cheaper fix though!
I have been planning on getting a retro nes. I have my childhood games but not the system 😁. Now i have been looking at the famicom top loader instead which one should i get.🤔
I actually have a Blinking Light Win in my NES, and the death grip annoyed me so much that I ended up bending all the pins a bit to make cartridge removal easier. It still works, but I wouldn't be surprised if it had issues someday.
I picked up the AV Famicom, instead of the NES, for 2 reasons. First, it is a top loader, and second, it has the full 16 channel sound, rather than 8.
16 channel sound?! 🤔
@@jsr734
Castlevania with the added channels is next level audio from the NES!
@@nickwest932 Ohhh, you meant the expansion audio used in some Famicom games. But the base NES system doesn´t have 8 audio channels, it´s 5 audio channels ( 2 square waves, Triangle, Noise, and DMC/PCM audio channel )
@@jsr734
Thanks for the correction! I could have sworn I read 8 channels years ago. Memory like a steel trap, just rusted sometimes.
@@nickwest932 The SNES has 8 audio channels. May be you were thinking of the SNES.
Does the Ninten-Drawer have spots to put the unused screws? There is a GameCube mod, the Flippy Boot I think, that has spots to put the unused screws so they aren't lost, and I think that should be the standard for all mods like this.
Not that I noticed.
I wish this was created many years ago, but it's good for those who still have and play their NESs these days
“Ninten-Drawer” *laughs in Butthead*
I saw this as an open source project a while ago and was prepared to invest in some. Then I saw compatibility was shoddy so decided against it. I also hate ribbon cables and it doesn't solve the potential damage of the 'death grip'; just enables you to grip the cartridge to initiate the damage.
The nes barely reading cartridges is part of the experience!
By the way that little story about physical vs digital media your 110% right... been on a physical media kick lately... its actually nice to own the real silicon they were programed on. No dlc, no updating... but they work. Just clean the pins...
Good video! Great product! I see they are sold out now! Hope they get some more in stock! Nice!
If one already has a Blinking Light Win pin connector, is the NintenDrawer worth the replacement?
That's a matter of opinion honestly. It's definitely an improvement, but if you're comfortable with the BLW, then probably not.
I boiled my connector to clean it up, then bent the pins so that the cartridge would boot without even being pressed down. It still boots games first time every time 10 years later. I've done it to several NES consoles in the meantime and they all perform the same. I've always felt that products like the blinking-light-win and this are a solution for a problem that honestly doesn't exist.
Sad both stores show the Pre-Orders are already sold out.
Sold out as predicted 😞.... will have to wait.
Wow. What a cool solution.
What I use to clean connectors is "CRC QD Electronic Cleaner," it's around 10 bucks for a (big!) can on Amazon, and is purpose-made for just about anything with wires in it. Only caveat: do NOT just spray it willy-nilly into the cartridge, if there's any overspray or drip it can damage the label. Instead, spray some into a little cup and dab Q-tips or foam tips into that. Happy cleaning!
On reading my comment, the "do NOT just spray" sounds a bit harsh... Let's just say that was the "voice of experience" talking, LOL.
It's been thirty years since I was blowing in cartridges for my NES. The world's greatest physicists could take an entire year proving again and again that you shouldn't blow in the system either. I could spend a decade with them getting my doctorate.
My senior thesis would still be: But it Worked. 😂
In all seriousness tho, rubbing alcohol on a qtip
I already have mine modded for RGB along with cutting the 10-pin. Might as well make it fully reliable once the thing gets back in stock. With regards to dirt, I keep all my NES carts in ziplock bags to minimize dust/dirt.
I pre ordered this to swap out my Blinking light win can’t wait to receive this.
FYI WD40 electronics contact cleaner is the best for cleaning contacts I use it on all my stuff .
Works perfect just remember to do the region set🤣
I saw a video by the creators on this, great fix
13:10 *WindowLean™️*
Another flaw with the blinking light win, after a while the mother board connector breaks if taking out carts often... Tried jb welding it no go. It really puts a ton of stress on it because of the death grip. Basically trash. My hi-def NES has a BLW and never take out the everdrive. Does get dirty after a while so brasco on the pins seems to work. Shines up very nicely.
The BLW's death grip is probably why it permanently broke my Game Genie 😢
Nonetheless, the reason why I keep my childhood NES is because I want to use a Chip Maestro or Famimimidi which are cartridges that you can hook a keyboard or musical instrument and use the 2A03 soundchip to make music. Neither the Chip nor the Famimi are in production anymore 😭
Nice
Both links are sold out. 😊
The reason windex is better is because it's both rubbing alcohol and soap, high enough concentrations of rubbing alcohol can melt plastic as well, whereas ammonia free windex can't do that.
ammonia or "classic" windex is harmful for the environment and potentially damaging to plastics. also rubbing alcohol alone can dry out plastics and potentially make them brittle over time, and look super dull. the soap in windex is much gentler and sorta "remoistens" the plastics. although you should probably be using something like mr sheen or car interior plastic polish on plastics to keep them lasting longer.
plastics are absolutely porus so it can absorb some of the rubbing alcohol and "evaporate" some bonds over time with regular cleaning.
usually you should use something like distilled water, making sure to wipe the pins dry. rubbing alcohol also has never ruined any PCB, as most people use rubbing alcohol for cleaning, even considering macbook repairs which are quite complex.
if you do use rubbing alcohol on plastics, at least use very low concentrated, mix with distilled water to dilute it.
I've had a bottle of whoosh(the cleaner that apple stores use), which I can tell you, it's just very diluted windex. it smells like windex. it's probably some form of windex that is based on distilled water instead of alcohol.
it would be neat if someone found a way to add in an eject button to the drawer
There are specially designed cleaning solutions that work and won't damage the circuits and the pins... Loctite 7039 comes to mind but there are many i am sure.
And that's why I need to Figure out if there is something I need ti figure out before I can "figure it out"
A very good solution to an age old problem. Although I still say the VCR NES is still an AWFUL design for cartridge loading, that this does a respectable job fixing. If you want an NES just try and get a top loader or a more modern solution like the Analogue NT.
Adam I gotta say this felt very much like a console cleaning video. I almost felt the need to pull out the good ol' Adam Koralike Colnsole Cleaning Bingo card (tm).
Why was Nintendo against Imports? Speaking of how come no one made a Fami-Com to NES Connector?
What do you mean? Famicom games on the NES? That definitely is a thing.
@@AdamKoralik Are they just ported over via the 72 Pin Cartridge? Cause I kinda remember this BetaMax to VHS converter thing, where you play Beta on a VHS player.
Nah, just simple 60 pin to 72 pin adapters. They've existed since the 80s.
I never blow in my cardtridges I use 91 percent rubbing alcohol q tips and windex glass cleaner
I've seen some people suggest 91% Isopropyl Alcohol for cleaning cartridges but I've yet to test it myself.
Darn it. Sold out. I asked to be put on reserve list
My NES has very dull and wrong colors, I think it may be the capacitors. If I could get those fixed, then I may actually consider this. Until then though, I'll deal with my NES as is. I need to figure out what causes the colors, and then this would be perfect!
SOLD OUT
Nes is classic i remember having to keep the cartridges clean
So please to meet you in Wolverhampton a great chat about your pluto 👍
Thanks for coming out!
Sold out?!
I want 2 Nintendo Drawers how can I get 2 for myself?
Link in the description.
I used retropie to fix my old consoles
1 hour after this post both stores sold out 😂
makes me wonder why the NES did die off two or three years after its release due to all the problems people had just getting the games to work?
Nintendrew‘s Brother
Sold out...
My dumb nephew actually destroyed my NES somehow when I wasn't looking, I may need to get one of these to fix it
For thouse that don't konw that RF thing he give is just an picec of metal that allowed it to compay with FCC rules. Since the RF modulator mead the TV see it as an TV Station.
its just not the same without pressing it down.....
Adam rules Dreamcast
SOLD OUT on both stores :(
Nintendo made a poor design choice back then...only to make the Nes look more like a VCR than an Atari console. I remembered that as recently as earlier today.
Sold out. Bummer
sooooooo don't buy until they make a revision 2 that's going to be better with gamegenie support...ok
I Still hate Nintendo for purposefully ruining game preservation for the sake of short-term profits. I wish Nintendo the worst.
Hey there, I understand your frustration, but wishing harm isn't productive. Nintendo's decisions might not always align with everyone's views, but expressing hate doesn't help. Let's hope for better decisions in the future that benefit both players and preservation efforts. 🎮
@@segaherman_twitch didn't say I wished them physical harm. Just financial
@@segaherman_twitch people are allowed to vent.
@@Zack29810 I sapose so
And it's sold out....😭
Must be nice to get everything game related for free
I mean, that's not true. But okay.
All my refurbished 72 pin connectors fire up first try. You are not doing it right Adam or are missing/ broke some pins. BLW is awful. Had one & sold it as soon as possible. The death grip is no joke & it looks like this new device is grippy too. I'll just stick with the original connector. Pushing the carts down is a feature my man.
Great this is sold out already.
Clicked on both links after the video and they’re both sold out. BOOOOO
Lol sold out
Nintendo is great. And sega mostly sucks. Prove me wrong.
I don't have to, Sega already did that. 💅
@@AdamKoralik Ight.
Adam, you clearly overestimate the collective intelligence of people. That tongue in cheek warning plate should be the one pre-installed.
Hahaha.