VirtualBoy with factory original finger cot?

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Cytlan
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VirtualBoy with factory original finger cot?

Post by Cytlan »

So I was taking apart my VirtualBoy to see if I cannot fix a problem with it, and to my surprise I found this stuck beneath the servo PCB. The device itself appears for all intents and purposes to never have been fully disassembled (you know that classic feel of a screw that hasn't been undone for 20 years?), and the latex seems to have aged quite well, being fused in several spots. Doesn't seem like it was being worn at the time it was screwed down.
What do you think? Is this the result of a stray finger cot on the assembly line, or is it an aftermarket accident?
Either way, I had a good laugh when I found it.

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koitsu
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Re: VirtualBoy with factory original finger cot?

Post by koitsu »

Picture does not show what circuitry is under the supposed latex, nor where said PCB is mounted in the device. Said supposed latex may be used as a barrier to keep through-hole pins/legs from touching something conductive inside of the case, thus alleviating a short. A more definitive answer may lie in how said supposed latex is attached (and where) to the PCB; at first glance it looks like it's somehow glued to a mounting hole, but can't really tell.
Cytlan
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Re: VirtualBoy with factory original finger cot?

Post by Cytlan »

The finger cot is covering a connector, but I don't think it's for insulation. There's an insulating piece of plastic under the cot, so that's all taken care of. Given how symmetrical the design is, you'd expect there to be one at the other side as well if that was the case.
I don't think it's glued. It's been screwed down, and over time has gone stuck.
To me, it doesn't look intentional.
Here's a few more pictures: https://imgur.com/a/MIKhyHe
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koitsu
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Re: VirtualBoy with factory original finger cot?

Post by koitsu »

Thanks for the additional photos. Yeah, looks like an assembly/manufacturing mishap. Was this Virtual Boy malfunctioning in any way as a result of this?
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Memblers
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Re: VirtualBoy with factory original finger cot?

Post by Memblers »

That is funny. One other funny experience I had was with kevtris, opening a Bung SNES Gamestation to repair it (it was new but I blew it up), and there was a long black human hair inside it.

One time at work I had repaired a brand new board, almost shipped it out with my repair notes on a post-it note. It wouldn't be very comforting for someone to open up a mission-critical piece of equipment to find a "not working" tag on it.
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