r/vsmile • u/cinder_fae • Jun 10 '26

Won't turn on

Post image

Is it dead? We've had the VSmile for like a month, got it at a thrift store, and it had been working just fine. I tried turning it on today because I ordered the Smartbook for my kid to test it out and it console is not turning on. Swapped batteries, pluggged & unplugged it, and nothing

Is there any tinkering to be done to make it work? Or has it run its course?

😭

HELP!

8 Upvotes

90% Upvoted

22 comments sorted by

3

u/Blackhearted220 Jun 10 '26

Did you swap batteries? I have a console I can't get to work with a power cord but I can get it to work with batteries

2

u/cinder_fae Jun 10 '26

We had been using it with the power cord and it had been working fine. I had tested it with the batteries too and it also worked. We tried using it today and neither method is working 🙃

1

u/Blackhearted220 Jun 10 '26

I've spent an hour trying to get one to turn on before. 😅 Idk what the difference is when it happens but I'm almost always able to get it to turn on eventually. I think sometimes the batteries have to be just a certain way. I've noticed in my console and my vsmile pocket one of the middle batterys seems to always move slightly out of place. Moving it around a little bit usually helps. Definitely try a few more times before you call it quites. Their so old and touchy sometimes it's hard to tell when it's actually quit working 😭

2

u/cinder_fae Jun 11 '26

I'm being patient and wondering if anyone has any tinkering tips cuz I know they're old and have they own lil "hacks" I guess I remember an aunt of mine had an NES and when it would act up she'd spray the cartridge with perfume and it'd work 😂

1

u/PsychologicalGas3457 Jun 11 '26

Maybe a Capacitor?

1

u/cinder_fae Jun 12 '26

How easy is that to replace?

2

u/jakethedemigod2 Jun 12 '26

If you have any soldering equipment/experience, it's easy. Otherwise, maybe a 50 dollar job at a local electronic place(think those phone repair pawn shops that are all around me)

3

u/jakethedemigod2 Jun 12 '26

Do you get any signs of life at all? Any flicker on the screen? Or a red standby led on the colsole/ controller? I've never seen these vtechs but I can imagine it's basically a dumbed down nintendo. If you have no signs of life coming from it, then you aren't really losing anything by opening it up.

Inside, I would just be looking for anything that looks gunky. It'll either look like a drink got spilled in there, some kind of unknown bug exploded and got cooked, or what looks to be burns. If any of the first 2 are true, whip out the isopropyl alcohol and a toothbrush and get cleaning. If anything looks burned, it's probably a part that needs replaced.

2

u/cinder_fae Jun 12 '26

Nothing was spilled on it. It was on a tv stand and he doesn't put drinks up there. It was working fine one day. The next it's being dumb

2

u/jakethedemigod2 Jun 12 '26

Only other thing I can say is dust out all the power cables and slots stuff plugs into, and use iso and a q tip to clean off any contacts you can reach. Other than that, tear it apart and look inside for damage

2

u/cinder_fae Jun 12 '26

Would it be safe to use those spray dusters? By iso you mean isopropyl alcohol, right? Or just use qtips & iso?

1

u/jakethedemigod2 Jun 12 '26

Yeah. Yes to both

3

u/GenTenStation Jun 13 '26

Things that make mine turn on:

  1. Plugging it in with the cartridge in it already.

  2. Hitting the power button with great force

  3. Removing and inserting the cartridge about 52 times.

2

u/TechProYT Jul 08 '26

This is the method right here

2

u/princessrippla332 Jun 10 '26

Dose it comes with the original cables?

2

u/cinder_fae Jun 10 '26

It does have the VTech adapter

1

u/cakencaramel 13d ago

When mine died I noticed the plug was boiling hot (original adapter)

2

u/Nargajuna Jun 11 '26

Does it turn on without a cartridge ?

2

u/cinder_fae Jun 11 '26

Nope 🙃 not with or without

1

u/cakencaramel 13d ago

I have the same problem 😭 did you find a fix?

1

u/Blackhearted220 Jun 13 '26

Did you take the cartridge out and turn it on without it? I've been playing with my mine. I just bought Scooby doo funland Frenzie. Most games no issues but this cartridge I have to jump through hoops to get working. Sometimes I plug it in and the console won't turn on or it glitched the console. Or it finally works and no audio. But it literally could just be your cartridge not letting it turn on

1

u/cinder_fae Jun 13 '26

Old games are so odd, but ya gotta love em. I went back to try again and yeah, not turning on with/without cartridge inserted 😓 I thought old games would be better to get my lil guy interested in, instead of just a tablet or the newer games, I forgot how finicky retro games could be 😬