Original Post

A problem often encountered by Virtual Boy users are glitchy displays, leading to horizontal lines, reversed or generally distorted images, or even complete loss of display activity.

All those symptoms are usually caused by the ribbon cables connecting the LEDs to the motherboard becoming loose, or peeling away from the display PCB.

Fixing your Diplay: Oven method

DogP has come up with a way to fix the problem by opening the system up, removing the display, sticking it in the oven to re-melt the adhesive, and reassemble. It’s not a difficult procedure, except that the typical security bit can’t get to the deepest screws on the VB, so you either need a special screwdiver, a modified bit, or a modified screwdriver.

You can find a guide to fix your displays on DogP’s Project:VB.

Fixing your Diplay: Bypass method

Another way has been proposed by DanB. To permanently fix the problem, his idea was to replace the loosening ribbon cables with some better wires, which he soldered to the PCB. This solution requires much more skill, though, and should only be performed by solder experienced people with a steady hand and a huge portion of patience.

The complete guide can be found here.

Fixing your Diplay: New methods (RECOMMENDED)

Some more methods have recently been developed by DogP to permanently fix the cable problem (contrary to the probably non-permanent oven method): Thread.

  • This topic was modified 16 years, 4 months ago by KR155E.
335 Replies

Yes.

DogP

Actually it looks like the screen or mirror is cracked. Well great. the only Virtual Boy I can find stops working after one day. ohhhhhh

hi all this is my first post on this site i been a fan of the vb since there was a release party at my local mall. but any ways i recently got a vb with 6 games crack stand n then found out glitchy screens. n i got the system by trading my hard drive and laptop ram

any ways i was wondering if there’s another link for the oven method since the links dead, if there’s a guide on modifying a screw driver to open the vb or if there some one i can send this to and get it repaired without if costing an arm and a leg.

i am good at fixing stuff like the nes or opening up a psp but with the vb i just don’t wanna break it and would feel better having some one who knows what they are doing to fix it

Well, I can’t get DogP’s site to load. is there another site with the info on fixing my display so the left side works???

check this:
VB parts on ebay
its a testet and working head Unit,Stand is broken and the eyeshades misses a plastic part…but in your case…u only need the head Unit….
its 39,99 $
maybee this is a not so expensive solution?

greets from cologne

http://cgi.ebay.nl/JP-Nintendo-Virtual-Boy-parts_W0QQitemZ290324695389QQcmdZViewItemQQptZVideo_Games_Accessories?hash=item4398b3495d&_trksid=p4634.c0.m14.l1262&_trkparms=|293%3A2|294%3A30

thanks but i would rather fix mine and save $40 althoe i need a new eyeshade p=iece n a broken stan means i can use the conector to make a modded stand but im to cheap / poor

Does anyone know exactly how long we supposed to leave the displays in the oven?

Not sure if this helps anyone on this topic, but I do repair systems

just trying to help 😛

I used to do the oven method/heat gun but I just don’t like it as much anymore, was fine for friends or family since I could easily re-do it if the problems returned.

Now I only do the solder method.

Its a much more solid and reliable method.

http://www.JohnnyPhantom.me

The sites still in the works so bear with me 😛

I repair glitchy eye problems for $20 (plus shipping both ways)

and if you only have 1 eye giving you “guff” I don’t just repair the problematic eye, but also the other eye incase any future issues occur.

Hi. I’m new to this forum, as I just received my first Virtual Boy. This is supposedly new old stock from the Dubai lot found last year.

What I’ve noticed is that prior to pushing my face against the unit, clearly the left eye image is not coming on. Sometimes it’s black, sometimes there are red horizontal lines. What’s strange though, is that when I put my face against the unit, within a second or two, the left eye image comes up and I have no further problems with it while playing. This happens every time that I power on the unit. Does this scenario sound like a sign of a unit that is beginning to have problems?

Yes, my VB sometimes acts like that too. I have no idea why this happens, but I think it has been answered on this forum a while ago.

Thanks. I couldn’t find the post about it, but from what you said it sounds fairly common.

💡 thank you so much! :thumpup:

Will this technique fix a problem where the brightness on my VB doesn’t seem as bright as it should be / sometimes drops in brightness and then back up?

If the brightness flickers, yeah… that should do it… if it’s just always dim, it could be the problem (I’ve never seen any other display problems other than the cables, except the few I’ve destroyed from abuse over the years of doing random “science projects” on them 😉 ).

DogP

Hey everyone,

I’ve found another method for the soldering fix! 😀 , its not my own but I figured it might help some people out if I posted it here. :thumpup:

it’s allot less complicated compared to the method using NaOH to expose the copper tracks and has fewer procedures to go through to get the tracks soldered down 🙂

New method? I believe it’s been known here for over two months…

Nice Video! It’s always easier to see things in action than to read about them.

It seems I missed to update the sticky with this method. Could someone who is up-to-date help me with updating the text, please?

Anyone tried this? I have one screen that has serious problems and want to try this!

e5frog wrote:
New method? I believe it’s been known here for over two months…

I said another not new 😀

P.S. im new so i wouldn’t of known it’s been here for 2 months and so far I’ve only read this topic so sorry 🙁

That’s mbuchman’s video, from this thread:

http://www.vr32.de/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?post_id=8767

DogP

 

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