Weird Buzzing sound

[scarmullet]

I got my famicom today  it works allright but there is a weird buzzing noise from the system and it corresponds to how far the second controller is from the system. What is the problem?

[133MHz]

Most likely a dirty/loose microphone volume slider.

[scarmullet]

the slider is locked into place

[fredJ]

Try to move it back and forth, or tap it a little

[Xious]

I get a bit tired of answering this question too.. Perhaps I should make a general HW Problems F.A.Q.? 

The FC microphone circuitry is the cause, yes, however the actual culprit is the metal contacts on both the slider and the matching contact points on the controller PCB. Over time, they build up corrosion, which acts as resistance across the line. If you clear off the oxidation correctly, and adjust the shape of the contacts, you can make it perfect again without adding any extra components, as has been suggested elsewhere. 

[jpx72]

the slider is locked into place

It only seems locked, push harder and it will slide. I had that too, I was afraid it's glued

[Xious]

Forcing it may damage the fingers on the prongs of the 'slider'. As it's going to need cleaning anyway, I suggest that you open the controller, then clean the contacts, being careful not to bend the fingers.

In my own workshoppe, I have some chemicals and tools that I use to clean them and then adjust the prongs (and the fingers on the prongs), both to both remove the oxidation and to give better contact, but you can still achieve a great deal of improvement with isopropyl or ethyl alcohol, a cotton swab, patience and a steady hand.

If you want a speedy solution, and you plan to play the system solo, you can also disconnect the Player-II controller from the system mainboard, which will remove the source of the interference. You'll need it for 'Zelda no Densetsu', but very few other games require the microphone. 

[scarmullet]

I do not intend to play it solo, me and my brother are trying to beat Transformers Comvoy No Nazo haha.

I am going to have to tear the system down, the controllers and all that. I also need to remove lots of stickers and oil the eject lever a tad. Its a bit finicky, its tough to remove cartridges with it.

Cant an eraser clean the pads on a controller circuit board?

[Xious]

Don't lubricate it with oil. Use something like white lithium grease. I would advise using 90% or better isopropyl or ethyl alcohol, or an appropriate de-oxidizing solvent for the microphone contacts; the PCB is usually not the problem, but the prongs on the switch itself are almost always heavily corroded..  

[scarmullet]

I was talking about the face buttons.  This weekend I will work on my famicom
Post Merge: January 07, 2012, 10:46:16 am
The Famicom had old spider egg sacks in it, gross. I cleaned out the system, lubricated the eject lever, and now to work on the controllers.

[manuel]

spider egg sacks

WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHH!! 

[scarmullet]

I didn't realize how unresponsive the controllers were, now...its just........making me cry twin waterfalls in how well it works now.

Pretty good for $7+shipping.

now in the market for a disk system.

[Xious]

I sell restored Famicom Disk Systems and Sharp Twin Famicom systems, although I'm running low on stocks. 

[scarmullet]

I noticed you do repro discs, could you place an english translated disk image onto a disk in lieu of the Japanese one? Like the english translation of Nazo No Murasame Jo and Doki Doki Panic?

[ericj]

If Xious can't do it, I definitely can.