Blank PCB Found in Gyromite

So!



I found a copy of Gyromite at a local pawn shop. It didn't feel like it had a converter but I grabbed it anyways. When I opened it up, not only did it NOT have a converter, but it also didn't have anything on the board. It was the correct PCB, NROM-128, but no CHRROM, no PRGROM, no resistor, no CIC - nothing. Not even any signs of solder on the H or V or anywhere else. Maybe a misprint? Any insight would be awesome.



Hard to believe it lasted this long without someone knowing. Also goes to show my local pawn shop doesn't bother testing games.



Photos - http://imgur.com/a/DmBI8
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Comments

  • Hybrid would be the fellow I would go to regarding this. He has a web page for game errors as well (IamError) or something like that.

    not sure how desirable it'd be amongst others, most other "misprint collectors" only care about label misprints or upside down labels.

    I wouldn't think it'd run huge money, as it wouldn't be too difficult to replicate with a nice desoldering iron.



    Just my thoughts. definitely odd to see locally
  • First time ive seen anything like that. Pretty cool tho.
  • how much did it cost??
  • Looks like someone switched out the board on it . Gyromite should be a nrom 256 board not 128 .
  • Originally posted by: johnnyboy113



    Looks like someone switched out the board on it . Gyromite should be a nrom 256 board not 128 .





    Now that you mention it, you're right. Gyromite is on a 256. hmm... 

     
  • Originally posted by: johnblueriggs

    Originally posted by: johnnyboy113



    Looks like someone switched out the board on it . Gyromite should be a nrom 256 board not 128 .





    Now that you mention it, you're right. Gyromite is on a 256. hmm... 

     




    Seeing this made me think of a gyromite I had or have somewhere, have to look , it had no rom chips on it but it had this little black square in the middle . I thought it may have been a famicom board that should have been with a converter cart but the game actually worked! Anyone have any info on something like this?
  • It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!
  • Originally posted by: Mario's Right Nut

    It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!





    Right , I was just thinking this .
  • Originally posted by: Mario's Right Nut



    It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!



    What makes you say that? I don't see a hint of solder of flux residue anywhere on that board, nor any damage.

     
  • Some of the eyes are black.
  • Why go through all the trouble though? Hardly a game worth taking parts off of... especially to make it look so clean.
  • well damn i wanted to have something new for my site still a strange find though.
  • Originally posted by: Lincoln

     
    Originally posted by: Mario's Right Nut



    It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!



    What makes you say that? I don't see a hint of solder of flux residue anywhere on that board, nor any damage.

     



    Have to agree with Lincoln here.  I don't see any trace of previous chips.  That "black" color looks to be the green of the pcb.  From looking at it, I'd be shocked if it had ever been populated.
  • Originally posted by: BeaglePuss

     
    Originally posted by: Lincoln

     
    Originally posted by: Mario's Right Nut



    It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!



    What makes you say that? I don't see a hint of solder of flux residue anywhere on that board, nor any damage.

     



    Have to agree with Lincoln here.  I don't see any trace of previous chips.  That "black" color looks to be the green of the pcb.  From looking at it, I'd be shocked if it had ever been populated.



    It is very clean, but if it was never populated, why are the contacts clearly worn, as if the game has been played a lot? What would it ever have been played for without any chips?? Hope it is actually a factory error and not some moron's attempt to 'do something cool' or some such, ha

     
  • The board would have that "wet" or "melted" look around the rings from where the solder and chips were removed. It is impossible to remove parts and leave the board that clean. This has to have been a factory error, which means this game never worked right out of the box. Feel bad for the kid who bought it. But then again, it is gyromite.
  • ok heres a challenge (for those with desolder guns)take a board strip it clean and post results before/after pics i'm unsure if its a factory error

    only one thing is known the board is not a gyromite board and has been placed inside a system multiple times
  • Originally posted by: 85collector

     
    Originally posted by: BeaglePuss

     
    Originally posted by: Lincoln

     
    Originally posted by: Mario's Right Nut



    It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!



    What makes you say that? I don't see a hint of solder of flux residue anywhere on that board, nor any damage.

     



    Have to agree with Lincoln here.  I don't see any trace of previous chips.  That "black" color looks to be the green of the pcb.  From looking at it, I'd be shocked if it had ever been populated.



    It is very clean, but if it was never populated, why are the contacts clearly worn, as if the game has been played a lot? What would it ever have been played for without any chips?? Hope it is actually a factory error and not some moron's attempt to 'do something cool' or some such, ha

     



    Over the past 30 years it's probably been tried a few times. Doesn't have to be played to be worn, just taken in and out of the system. Plus how much spit did that thing collect with kids blowing on it trying to coax it into working?

     
  • I don't know what it's worth, but it must be rare to find a screw-up like that from Nintendo. Pretty cool find.



    It has to be authentic, without a doubt. That gold plating is extremely thin. When it's soldered to, the solder will absorb the gold.  No way the gold can be restored, without re-plating the board, which is quite an extreme measure.
  • I think i know what you have



    Those m9 rob displsy sets have gyro carts in it, those have no chips on it to. Used to be there a red sticker on the back ?
  • Just seen the pictures, its from that set used to have it and i opend it up myself.



    Btw the nes zapper and rob are empty to jusy loose shels. Same with the duck hunt btw



    so its a part of that set its so hard to get loose pieces of it. 
  • Originally posted by: 85collector

     
    Originally posted by: BeaglePuss

     
    Originally posted by: Lincoln

     
    Originally posted by: Mario's Right Nut



    It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!



    What makes you say that? I don't see a hint of solder of flux residue anywhere on that board, nor any damage.

     



    Have to agree with Lincoln here.  I don't see any trace of previous chips.  That "black" color looks to be the green of the pcb.  From looking at it, I'd be shocked if it had ever been populated.



    It is very clean, but if it was never populated, why are the contacts clearly worn, as if the game has been played a lot? What would it ever have been played for without any chips?? Hope it is actually a factory error and not some moron's attempt to 'do something cool' or some such, ha

     





    I agree with the others.  I see no signs of soldering or de-soldering.  There would be some type of evidence on the soldermask and pads.



    The worn pins are probably from countless past owners trying to boot the game.

  • Originally posted by: steven78



    I think i know what you have



    Those m9 rob displsy sets have gyro carts in it, those have no chips on it to. Used to be there a red sticker on the back ?





    Originally posted by: steven78



    Just seen the pictures, its from that set used to have it and i opend it up myself.



    Btw the nes zapper and rob are empty to jusy loose shels. Same with the duck hunt btw



    so its a part of that set its so hard to get loose pieces of it. 





    Very cool. A ROB retail display set might be worth more than a functioning set...?
  • Originally posted by: retrofixes

     
    Originally posted by: 85collector

     
    Originally posted by: BeaglePuss

     
    Originally posted by: Lincoln

     
    Originally posted by: Mario's Right Nut



    It looks like someone desoldered it and damaged some of the eyes. They put it in there to sell it to said pawn shop or yahoo on the internet.



    Pretty good attempt at stripping though. I can't ever make it look that clean!



    What makes you say that? I don't see a hint of solder of flux residue anywhere on that board, nor any damage.

     



    Have to agree with Lincoln here.  I don't see any trace of previous chips.  That "black" color looks to be the green of the pcb.  From looking at it, I'd be shocked if it had ever been populated.



    It is very clean, but if it was never populated, why are the contacts clearly worn, as if the game has been played a lot? What would it ever have been played for without any chips?? Hope it is actually a factory error and not some moron's attempt to 'do something cool' or some such, ha

     





    I agree with the others.  I see no signs of soldering or de-soldering.  There would be some type of evidence on the soldermask and pads.



    The worn pins are probably from countless past owners trying to boot the game.





    i tryed mine first in a NES didnt work so opend it up, most people dont open up games
  • Originally posted by: Ichinisan

     

    Originally posted by: steven78



    I think i know what you have



    Those m9 rob displsy sets have gyro carts in it, those have no chips on it to. Used to be there a red sticker on the back ?





    Originally posted by: steven78



    Just seen the pictures, its from that set used to have it and i opend it up myself.



    Btw the nes zapper and rob are empty to jusy loose shels. Same with the duck hunt btw



    so its a part of that set its so hard to get loose pieces of it. 





    Very cool. A ROB retail display set might be worth more than a functioning set...?



    yes for shure i sold mine for 1200 euro 4 years ago. 



    edit: its basicly a display copy, just as rare as the m9 itself



    edit again: all the stuff is glude on the plastic tray but only not the games, as you can move them around the display
  • Originally posted by: steven78



    Just seen the pictures, its from that set used to have it and i opend it up myself.



    Btw the nes zapper and rob are empty to jusy loose shels. Same with the duck hunt btw



    so its a part of that set its so hard to get loose pieces of it. 





    Awesome, thank you for the insight! So this was purely for display purposes, then? 



    I guess my other question, since this is the 'Price Check' forum is how much is something like this worth?
  • If i would miss one of those games, would pay atleast 150 usd to complete it. But if you dont need to complete the set then much less i think. However it is kind of a demo release version. So cart only collectors and variant collectors maybe.



    There is a duckhunt version also, cool cart set to own.
  • Haven't heard anyone use this terminology yet:



    Non-functional mock up / mock-up unit. It's just like all those display model phones retailers put on display so that people won't think they can steal it and use it. Looks like someone didn't realize that here and might have stolen it anyway, separating it from the rest of the set. Of course, it didn't work, but they made money anyway by passing it on to other unfortunate souls until it became something... fortunate. It's certainly worth more than a standard or pin-adapter copy of Gyromite.
  • I can confirm this is authentic as I just found the exact same thing. Normal sticker on the back of the cart, sold as working, lol.



    http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v662/Baddflash/Mobile Uploads/Classic Consoles/801E3857-2CF4-4A25-A6B6-30EB79BCA04C.jpg
  • I see so many un-sellable copies of Gyromite at the flea market. I already look through them occasionally for indications that they might have a Famicom converter inside (looking for heavy ones with a certain style of feeler coming off from each pin contact). I wonder if I should start looking for extremely light ones and open them up to find one of these.
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