Minor Mega Drive Assistance.

[shoggoth80]

Hey all. I know. Not Famicom. But.
I just got a model 1 Mega Drive. Really like it. I think it is pre TMS lockout if what a friend says is true (don't see it on start up).  Minor issue with the power switch. It functions, but has to be pushed way over, and is very easy to flick off.

I'm finding little in the way of Google regarding this. Is this dirt/debris, a worn switch, or spring? Internal positioning?
A buddy brought it back from Super Potato, so exchange isn't an iron here. Lol. I know the system works, therefore I know it's repairable.

Anyone run into this before?

[famifan]

  that reminds me my fami still has worn-out power switch... so sometimes the picture is getting a lot of  noise/flickering unless i find the proper positioning by switching it back and forth again and again.

i could also suggest to inspect the PCB around the switch. Should be no PCB cracks, no broken solder point/traces/pins and so on.

ideally, the switch should only has two firmly distinctive positions: "off" and "on".

you should be able to desolder it and open it apart to determine the internal wearage. not sure if just cleaning will make it works like charm again.

[P]

I'd open the the console to take a look at it. You should be able to clean the parts at least. Pure plastic parts can be cleaned in just soap and water but electronics/PCBs/metal parts are best cleaned with 90%+ isopropyl alcohol without water.

[shoggoth80]

I think I know what is up. Without a cart in there it powers up just fine, no hard pushing on the switch or anything. The model 1 Mega Drive has a cart lock that pops out. I don't recall that being on US Genesis consoles, and US carts don't have the cut out for the lock tab. So, I need to read up on how to mod or remove the flip out lock piece.  Just took some scrutiny... this is my first Mega Drive vs. having owned North American Genesis consoles in the past. Learning curve. Lol. You would think that would be an obvious thing, but apparently not.

[famifan]

it's piece of cake. this lock piece is easily removable. just unscrew it and take it off.

[shoggoth80]

Yeah, I figured that once I pulled the case off, and inspected how the mechanism worked. I really didn't expect the lock out lever to be an issue, because well...in the many, many years that I have been gaming and collecting... I had never thought about grabbing a Mega Drive, or diving off the deep end with the 16bit Sega. Honestly, very few people in my circles talked of Genesis, let alone importing a Mega. Owned Genesis in the past, but limited exposure and all that. Water seems pretty warm. Lol.

Really n00bish, but there we have it. Lol. Hopefully someone else besides me can learn from this thread.