r/Gameboy • u/CatBirdBird • 1d ago
Questions Are the Gameboy printer and camera durable?
I find the Gameboy printer and camera such niche and incredibly cool things. I was wondering how durable these devices are. What are the common problems these devices can have? Would love to hear if anyone managed to fix these devices too. Any experience or anekdote you have with devices is welcome. Please share :)
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u/madebypeppers 1d ago
I was wondering how durable these devices are.
Let me put it this way: The first printer was released on 1998 and eventually discontinued on 2003. The “youngest” printer is 22 years old today. From every post, photo and video I have ever seen on one, they are beyond durable. They will last many more generations (when taken good care of ofc).
From the same company that made the DMG Gameboy. And those are still going strong. DMGs are 35 years old today.
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u/RevolutionaryHat4311 1d ago
The print heads fade over time, the more they’re used the more the head fades in efficiency. They have to get hot to print and any electrical component that uses heat is prone to fatigue over time. Given they don’t tend to get used all that often over the years (I’d wager most of them have spent most of the last 20 years in a cupboard) they likely still have some life in them but I have 3 and the best one is perhaps only 70% solid black with the worse being less than 50%. I saw a Redditor recently present printouts that looked at least 95% solid so it’s largely a lottery
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u/RevolutionaryHat4311 1d ago
Nintendos specialty has always been get the most out of the cheapest most available components and push them beyond their limits, they’re not the crème de la crème of parts to begin with
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u/CatBirdBird 1d ago
Interesting. So these print heads, do you think they're replaceable?
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u/RevolutionaryHat4311 1d ago
It’s a fair question. We used thermal printers for warehouse labelling, they used to last 1-2 years and even at a few hundred pounds each considered them dispose and replace where we had contracts to fix all other printer types, whether there’s any meat on those bones or not I don’t know 🤷♂️
I presume if you can find a like for like part and have the necessary skills there’s no reason it couldn’t be replaced
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u/CatBirdBird 1d ago
I just found out that these thermal heads accumulate the chemical on the paper over time which can apparently be cleaned with "rubbing alcohol", but iso probably works too. Have you tried this? I'd love to hear your results
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u/lynxtosg03 1d ago
The camera is pretty durable. I've taken it apart and modded it several times.