Nintendo Popeye tabletop ... with issues?!?

OTTOgd

I have the opportunity to buy a Popeye that powers up but screen doesn't turn on. Is this easily fixable?

Found this page that shows it could be a fairly simple fix by replacing the two capacitors, no? Or possibly a detached wire?

http://www.tehkella.net/retro/?p=1413

TokyoBatman · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 5:30 am Post subject:

It's hard to say until you open it up.

Are the capacitors swollen or leaking?
Check the ribbon cable to the board.
Check the board to see if any thin lined metal has been broken. (Where the metal isn't connected or burnt black)
Check all the wires.
Reflow soder

If you have sodering skills and identify a problem area. It may not be dead.

Did the seller open it to look for the problem? If so and he didn't find any problem areas... I'd be more worried about not being able to fix it.

OTTOgd · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 6:14 am Post subject:

I have no idea what he did or didn't do but I'm assuming nothing. He's an online kijiji seller just stating the issue and no asking price, along with a bunch of other tabletop projects. One doesn't see these Popeyes often so I was contemplating the gamble of a $50 offer.

blanka · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 7:24 am Post subject:

I suspect the rubber connector between pcb and LCD to be faulty. And that is a tricky one. capacitor is easy to try, but I really doubt that helps.
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Rik · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 10:36 am Post subject:

It's possible the LCD panel is broken too... If the correct corner is chipped off where it connects to the board, the panel won't work and can't be repaired... And you can't see the damage unless you open it.

Could also be something stupid like they opened the game and lost one of the polarizing filters... Smile

Working is good, at least you know what to look at, but it is possible that it's beyond repair without parts from another game.

OTTOgd · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 11:37 am Post subject:

Well, I made the 2+ hour drive (there and back) to grab Mario (woohoooo!) and gambled on Popeye! And you know what? I think it's just missing a dark-tinted plastic sheet piece ...? Very difficult to see sprites but the game is playing with batteries.

I'm about to dismantle them both to compare but you are all more knowledgeable than me! Love to hear your thoughts and opinions! *fingers crossed*

This is a photo of the games without power.

TokyoBatman · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 1:52 pm Post subject:

Hey hey! That's great news! Time to put those high scores on the board Smile

OTTOgd · Posted: Mon Nov 12, 2018 6:56 pm Post subject:

So, I took them apart and checked screen panels and it seems that the Popeye /polarizing filter was more yellow than dark-gray. Odd. So, I swapped in the Mario polarizing filter to test. Popeye plays! (See Highscores)

... but now Mario is missing half the screen. I'm guessing this is due to the padding strip(s), perhaps.

OTTOgd · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:03 am Post subject:

Well, via ebay, I've ordered polarized film used with cellphones (Galaxy Note 5; $5.30 CAD (w/ shipping & tax)) and hope they'll do the job after I cut them down to size.

I also scanned my crummy films (see the no PF one!) and included dimensions.

Patiently waiting for the mail!

OTTOgd · Posted: Wed Nov 14, 2018 10:48 am Post subject:

Btw, I also added an adapter to Popeye. It's a battery-free alarm clock now!

OTTOgd · Posted: Tue Dec 04, 2018 8:45 pm Post subject:

Okay, so I finally received in the mail (we recently had a postal strike) from Axiology Imports in Surrey, BC the 'Samsung Galaxy Note 5 LCD Polarizer Film'.

I cut it up into two pieces and it works great! Have to say that if you want to create perfect replications, consider buying two films. The odd-shaped film was forced to be slightly less wide than the 3 1/4" it should have been but unnoticeable.

Btw, I also fixed Mario Cement's missing half the screen by simple cutting the polarizer film remains into four 1/8 x 2 15/16" strips and added those to the layers (double layered on top, double layered on bottom) to add thickness and 'push' the padding strips into making a better and firmer connection with the board.

Sorry, no pics taken of the process. Cheap fix!