Tips, Tricks and Fixes

[Nielsb90]

The last two days I've had 8 freezes in Eat Lead and 4 freezes in Bad Company 2!! I have a slim that is a year old.. Doesn't feel like a bad laser to me since I've had that before, and back then it would start lagging first..

Somehow it ALWAYS freezes when I have loads of points!!!

[Rike255]

Originally Posted by Nielsb90

The last two days I've had 8 freezes in Eat Lead and 4 freezes in Bad Company 2!! I have a slim that is a year old.. Doesn't feel like a bad laser to me since I've had that before, and back then it would start lagging first..

Somehow it ALWAYS freezes when I have loads of points!!!

Solution: Stop being good at games

[Azyiu]

So finally it happens... just got hit by the YLOD on my lanuch 60Gb in the living room while watching a BD. Ok, I will attempt what has been mentioned and report back later... oh well...

[OG Pooh]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

So finally it happens... just got hit by the YLOD on my lanuch 60Gb in the living room while watching a BD. Ok, I will attempt what has been mentioned and report back later... oh well...

Just one of the reasons I don't ever use consoles to play movies or CDs... Today's consoles aren't very reliable to begin with, so I am definitely not going to have them pulling double & triple duty.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by OG Pooh

Just one of the reasons I don't ever use consoles to play movies or CDs... Today's consoles aren't very reliable to begin with, so I am definitely not going to have them pulling double & triple duty.

Perhaps I am wrong, but you are running the same risk while playing games.


Anyway, I don't have a heat gun, and am not exactly a DIY guy... so I think I am just going to have to send it back to Sony.

[OG Pooh]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

Perhaps I am wrong, but you are running the same risk while playing games.


Anyway, I don't have a heat gun, and am not exactly a DIY guy... so I think I am just going to have to send it back to Sony.

Of course you run the same risk while playing games. But if all that is done with a console is gaming, it sees much less use than if it is being used to play games and movies (and maybe even music). Say during an average day, you play 3 hours of games & watch just one movie (we'll call the movie at 2 hours). That's 35 hours a week. Stop playing movies & the console sees 14 hours less use per week... Hmmm, one console works 35 hours a week & one works 21 hours. Which one is more likely to crap the bed first? Sure any machine can go at any time, but why put needless wear & tare on a machine that quite frankly, isn't built that well to begin with?

Besides, I'm kind of snobby when it comes to my A/V gear, so I simply wouldn't use a console as a movie player. In fact, I keep a seperate DVD player rather than using my BD machine.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by OG Pooh

Of course you run the same risk while playing games. But if all that is done with a console is gaming, it sees much less use than if it is being used to play games and movies (and maybe even music). Say during an average day, you play 3 hours of games & watch just one movie (we'll call the movie at 2 hours). That's 35 hours a week. Stop playing movies & the console sees 14 hours less use per week... Hmmm, one console works 35 hours a week & one works 21 hours. Which one is more likely to crap the bed first? Sure any machine can go at any time, but why put needless wear & tare on a machine that quite frankly, isn't built that well to begin with?

Besides, I'm kind of snobby when it comes to my A/V gear, so I simply wouldn't use a console as a movie player. In fact, I keep a seperate DVD player rather than using my BD machine.

You certainly have a point there, but then I don't really play that much games anymore. I get maybe 3 hours A WEEK of game time out of that said PS3, and the rest of the week I might only watch 2 - 3 BDs on it, that's all.

Plus, I was watching a BD when that happened, so a seperate DVD player couldn't help me in that case. Nah, it is no big deal, and I am just going to buzz Sony tomorrow and go from there.

[OG Pooh]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

You certainly have a point there, but then I don't really play that much games anymore. I get maybe 3 hours A WEEK of game time out of that said PS3, and the rest of the week I might only watch 2 - 3 BDs on it, that's all.

Plus, I was watching a BD when that happened, so a seperate DVD player couldn't help me in that case. Nah, it is no big deal, and I am just going to buzz Sony tomorrow and go from there.

It sounds like it was just it's time.

I've got an Atari 2600 from the late 1970s that still works, but I'm on my 4th 360 since it launched.

I didn't mean a DVD player could have prevented your PS3 from pooping out. I was simply saying that I'm a little overcautious. While our BD player could easily play DVDs & CDs, we have a BD player, a DVD player, a CD player & a CD Recorder, all in use.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by OG Pooh

It sounds like it was just it's time.

I've got an Atari 2600 from the late 1970s that still works, but I'm on my 4th 360 since it launched.

I didn't mean a DVD player could have prevented your PS3 from pooping out. I was simply saying that I'm a little overcautious. While our BD player could easily play DVDs & CDs, we have a BD player, a DVD player, a CD player & a CD Recorder, all in use.

Yeah, I think it is just time too. Oh well...

[OG Pooh]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

Yeah, I think it is just time too. Oh well...

Good luck.

[Rike255]

Originally Posted by OG Pooh

Of course you run the same risk while playing games. But if all that is done with a console is gaming, it sees much less use than if it is being used to play games and movies (and maybe even music). Say during an average day, you play 3 hours of games & watch just one movie (we'll call the movie at 2 hours). That's 35 hours a week. Stop playing movies & the console sees 14 hours less use per week... Hmmm, one console works 35 hours a week & one works 21 hours. Which one is more likely to crap the bed first? Sure any machine can go at any time, but why put needless wear & tare on a machine that quite frankly, isn't built that well to begin with?

Besides, I'm kind of snobby when it comes to my A/V gear, so I simply wouldn't use a console as a movie player. In fact, I keep a seperate DVD player rather than using my BD machine.

So you're trying to avoid paying money to fix one machine by buying an entirely separate one to do exactly what the first does? Doesn't really make sense to me. Now you have 2 machines (including all the remotes, cables, space usage, etc that they entail), and if your PS3 was going to break it's still going to break, just a little further down the road.

[OG Pooh]

Originally Posted by Rike255

So you're trying to avoid paying money to fix one machine by buying an entirely separate one to do exactly what the first does? Doesn't really make sense to me. Now you have 2 machines (including all the remotes, cables, space usage, etc that they entail), and if your PS3 was going to break it's still going to break, just a little further down the road.

What can I say... I'm into my A/V gear, much like many people here are into their BD collections. At one point, our rack sported 3 VHS players/recorders. Now there are none. We've actually downsized quite a bit. Most of our gear is in storage. I don't mind the cables, remotes & all that stuff. Actually, every couple of months I tear down the whole system, clean the inputs, rerout the cables, etc, etc. It's my hobby.

Like I said, I'm into A/V gear and (not that I'm proud of it) I'm a bit snobbish about it, so I simply would not use a game console as a movie player... Ever.

[Rike255]

Originally Posted by OG Pooh

What can I say... I'm into my A/V gear, much like many people here are into their BD collections. At one point, our rack sported 3 VHS players/recorders. Now there are none. We've actually downsized quite a bit. Most of our gear is in storage. I don't mind the cables, remotes & all that stuff. Actually, every couple of months I tear down the whole system, clean the inputs, rerout the cables, etc, etc. It's my hobby.

Like I said, I'm into A/V gear and (not that I'm proud of it) I'm a bit snobbish about it, so I simply would not use a game console as a movie player... Ever.

Haha fair enough. I think most of us around here know what the snobbish stuff is about.

[Uxi]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

Perhaps I am wrong, but you are running the same risk while playing games.


Anyway, I don't have a heat gun, and am not exactly a DIY guy... so I think I am just going to have to send it back to Sony.

The DIY fix is only temporary anyway.

Definitely sucks... while I don't expect it to last forever, or even be a tank like an Atari or Colecovision, I would hope for at least 7-10 years. $599 should definitely have lasted more than 3 years. Unfortunately, I'm a sucker and just bought another PS3. I'm thinking reality is somewhere halfway between shoddy engineering and planned obsolescence...

Considering some of the various reballing services popping up to deal with this issue (you know it's at least semi-widespread by seeing all the Reflow/Reball mini-businesses popping up).

[PaulGo]

I am sending my fat 60gb unit in for repairs (bought shortly after launch) to Sony. Cost $129 which includes shipping both ways. If I wanted the slim unit they would exchange it for a rebuilt one for $99.

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by Uxi

The DIY fix is only temporary anyway.

Definitely sucks... while I don't expect it to last forever, or even be a tank like an Atari or Colecovision, I would hope for at least 7-10 years. $599 should definitely have lasted more than 3 years. Unfortunately, I'm a sucker and just bought another PS3. I'm thinking reality is somewhere halfway between shoddy engineering and planned obsolescence...

Considering some of the various reballing services popping up to deal with this issue (you know it's at least semi-widespread by seeing all the Reflow/Reball mini-businesses popping up).

Yeah, it definitely sucks, especially unlike some hardcore gamers, I only use it for games for maybe 8-10 hours per WEEK at the most! And I mostly only use it as a BD player...

You know what sucks more? Mine was bought in the US and I brought in back to HK in 2007. I called Sony Hong Kong first thing this morning, and they told me they WON'T repair anything not bought and sold in HK. WTF?! Screw them!

Worry not, I have two options now.

A) Send it to a local store (I know two claim they are able to repair ANY console), and have them fix it. Or.

B) Just take it like a man and buy yet another slim one (I already have a slim one for the bedroom)

[jeabombers]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

Yeah, it definitely sucks, especially unlike some hardcore gamers, I only use it for games for maybe 8-10 hours per WEEK at the most! And I mostly only use it as a BD player...

You know what sucks more? Mine was bought in the US and I brought in back to HK in 2007. I called Sony Hong Kong first thing this morning, and they told me they WON'T repair anything not bought and sold in HK. WTF?! Screw them!

Worry not, I have two options now.

A) Send it to a local store (I know two claim they are able to repair ANY console), and have them fix it. Or.

B) Just take it like a man and buy yet another slim one (I already have a slim one for the bedroom)

Seriously. Truly. Go to the youtube link that is on here. It is AWESOME. I know NOTHING about electronics, but I fixed my "YLOD"'d 60gb. I don't even know what it is that I actually *did*, but it works now! It will cost you $30 tops (for a heat gun (any hardware store, I got mine at Harbor Freight for $13) and the thermal paste, which can be bought at Best Buy (my recommendation.))

[vividos]

Hello All,

Recently my 60GB PS3 will no longer read discs of any kind. It is out of warrenty and has had the laser replased before by Sony over a year ago. I've done some research and have reviewed my system quite a bit in trying to fix it. Here is what I have tried/found:

* Loaded up the service menu and chose option 3 to repair corrupted file system. It did this, said there was something corrupted and re-loaded fine. It would still not load discs.

* Removed and opened the blu-ray drive and cleaned the lense with lense cleaner. Re-assembled and still wouldn't read.

* Removed and re-attached (double checking connections) of all ribbon connectors. They are secure.

* I have, with the case open, observed what happens when I insert a disc while powered on. The drive accepts the disc, it spins about 2 revolutions and stops, and repeats this several times. Nothing ever loads and eventually it stops. While this is going on, the lense emits a red light.

* I have pushed the laser assembly to the top of the drive track, powered on and watched as it moves alone the drive shaft fine and back into place.

At this point I know i need to replace something but I want to hear from some people who know more than me what this could be. My initial thoughts are that even though the laser is emiting light its not working correctly. The price difference between a replacement KEM-400AAA laser unit ($60) and a entire drive (minus the control board on the back of the drive case) ($80) is minimal.

I would imagine the entire case would be a good option at this point, far cheaper than the $150 Sony charges. I am concerned though, as none of the replacement drives i've seen come with a control board (everyone says it wouldn't work with a different PS3 anyways)...how could i tell if the board was bad? (I imagine if it _was_ I wouldn't see any of the 'life' i witnessed from the drive (moving, spinining a little, lighting up).

What do you all think? (And yes, the replacement laser that Sony put is has the 'white' clip for the ribbon cable...I've read those are cheap and don't last long (in this case a year) compared to the ones that are 'brown'..... dunno...read that in a few places).


Thanks!

[Azyiu]

Originally Posted by jeabombers

Seriously. Truly. Go to the youtube link that is on here. It is AWESOME. I know NOTHING about electronics, but I fixed my "YLOD"'d 60gb. I don't even know what it is that I actually *did*, but it works now! It will cost you $30 tops (for a heat gun (any hardware store, I got mine at Harbor Freight for $13) and the thermal paste, which can be bought at Best Buy (my recommendation.))

Thanks for the info. Then again, I have a potentially good news to report... checked out one of the two shops I mentioned, and they charge only around USD 55 for the repair, parts and labor included with a one week turn-around time. I am bringing my 60Gb fat boy down there on Friday, wish me luck.

[Uxi]

Originally Posted by Azyiu

Thanks for the info. Then again, I have a potentially good news to report... checked out one of the two shops I mentioned, and they charge only around USD 55 for the repair, parts and labor included with a one week turn-around time. I am bringing my 60Gb fat boy down there on Friday, wish me luck.

Ask them if they reball or just reflow.