Nintendo 64 hookup problem :(

[chrisno51]

I'm not sure what to do. I got a new TV a couple months ago (my old TV went out) I just tried hooking the 64 to it, haven't played it since I got the new TV, and it won't seem to work. All the other systems I have do. I used the RF switch on my SNES and NES and that works perfect, but when I put it on the N64 nothing happens. I think I've tried nearly all the TV settings too. Any suggestions on what to try? And has anyone else had a problem like this after buying a new TV? It's a flatscreen RCA (it's not one of the more modern ones that has a flat back to it though, a standard TV). Why will it work with all my other system except N64? I just thought that maybe some of you great toonzoners might have a suggestion?

Thanks! :)

[mookie75]

I'm not sure what to do. I got a new TV a couple months ago (my old TV went out) I just tried hooking the 64 to it, haven't played it since I got the new TV, and it won't seem to work. All the other systems I have do. I used the RF switch on my SNES and NES and that works perfect, but when I put it on the N64 nothing happens. I think I've tried nearly all the TV settings too. Any suggestions on what to try? And has anyone else had a problem like this after buying a new TV? It's a flatscreen RCA (it's not one of the more modern ones that has a flat back to it though, a standard TV). Why will it work with all my other system except N64? I just thought that maybe some of you great toonzoners might have a suggestion?

Thanks! :)

Did that RF switch work with the N64 on your old television? I can't remember anymore if the RF switch from the NES/SNES is interchangeable with the N64.

Do you still have the other connector with the red, white and yellow plugs? If you do, you could always use that instead. I'm assuming that your television has the right plugs since it's new. (My old television is so old it doesn't even have the red, white and yellow sockets. I have to use a little side box for them.)

[Michael24]

Do you still have the other connector with the red, white and yellow plugs? If you do, you could always use that instead. I'm assuming that your television has the right plugs since it's new. (My old television is so old it doesn't even have the red, white and yellow sockets. I have to use a little side box for them.)

I was going to suggest those A/V jacks as well, because I was confused. Did the N64 come with one of those RF cables like the NES used? We've always connected it via the A/V cable, and it works fine on our HD widescreen TV we bought about two years ago.

[chrisno51]

Did that RF switch work with the N64 on your old television? I can't remember anymore if the RF switch from the NES/SNES is interchangeable with the N64.

Do you still have the other connector with the red, white and yellow plugs? If you do, you could always use that instead. I'm assuming that your television has the right plugs since it's new. (My old television is so old it doesn't even have the red, white and yellow sockets. I have to use a little side box for them.)

Yep the RF switch worked fine with the 64 on my old TV and yes it's interchangable with the SNES. I've also just tried the colored plugs too, which again it work with my SNES but not the 64. My 64 does work, it worked perfectly fine until I got the new TV.

Thanks for trying to help though.

[Swordfish_II]

Do you have another TV you can try it on?

I know my 64 sometimes takes a couple tries before I can get it to display something other than a blank screen.

Try vacuuming out the cartridge slot.

[mookie75]

If it's still working fine on other televisions, then it makes me wonder if the N64 is the problem. Perhaps you have to do something with the television? Hit an "input" or "video" button or something like that? The only other thing I can think of without actually being there is to make sure that all the plugs are pushed in all the way. That sounds like silly advice, but I have this vague memory of my N64 not working the first time and it was because one of the plugs on the back -- which had felt and looked like it was in all the way -- could actually go in further.

[julie_450]

I also have this problem with my N64.

The system worked perfectly on my old television. After buying a new tv and pitching the old one, the system no longer worked. The plugs are all the same on the back of the new tv as they were on the old. There are also 3 (1 red, 1 white, 1 yellow) plugs on the side. None of them work with the N64.
After trying to get the system to work with numerous new televisions in my house I kind of gave up. I now know for a fact that there isn't an issue with the system as I have recently played it on a friend's old tv. That being said, I would really love to know if there's anything to fix this problem and/or why the problem exists in the first place. Any help or suggestions would be great.

Thanks in advance.

[defunctzombie]

If the end of the rf has a channel 3/4 switch, make sure you put your tv on that channel. If 3 doesn't work, switch it to 4 and try again. You could always try hooking it through a vcr if the tv won't work. I've done that too.

[Tanooki]

When mine wouldn't work, I just turned it off then on again a couple times to get it working properly. Annoying, but I did what I needed to in order to play some Kart64.

[Undrave]

If the end of the rf has a channel 3/4 switch, make sure you put your tv on that channel. If 3 doesn't work, switch it to 4 and try again. You could always try hooking it through a vcr if the tv won't work. I've done that too.

Yeah you should try to patch it through another device. I plug mine through my DVD recorder just because the plugs are at the front :p

[Psychopulse]

Maybe it needs cleaning? Try using a Q-tip and some alcohol to clean the cartridges and the inside. Mine still works, even on big screen TV's.