Looks like I can't really make fun of the RROD anymore...

...This weekend, my PS3 fell victim to the slightly less dreaded (but at least as annoying) Yellow Light of Death. Sony wanted $130 for repairs, so I said "F that" and fixed it myself. However, it is still annoying that the YLOD is apparently a notable problem amongst older PS3 problems and yet Sony expects their customers to pay for the repairs themselves. I guess the YLOD vs. RROD connundrum comes down to whether you'd rather have a lower risk of youd console dying but a higher risk of having to pay for it yourself, versus a higher risk of the consolde dying and lower risk of having to pay. Also, Sony offers no means of transfering data to a replacement system. I guess the "slim" models of the PS3 and Xbox 360 are more reliable, but in the case of the PS3, the older models have more features like PS2 game playback and more slots.

Lesson learned in all of this: when tech support wants to charge you through the nose, try FIXING IT YOURSELF before you resort to giving the manufacturer more money. If I didn't have the tech savvy to fix a PS3, I probably would have called Sony's corporate customer service and tried to nag them into fixing my PS3 for free (which apparently works for many people), but still, it sucks having a system break on you.

I have a launch PS3 and fortunately I have not had single issue with it. I do feel your pain though regarding console failures. One xbox dead, and four xbox 360's replaced. All free of course, but It still sucked. All four 360 RROD happened during the first eight months of release. Four years later and no issues. My last replaced one lasted four about four years before I traded It in for a Halo reach 360.

How do you fix the YLOD?tomarlyn

"This fix uses a heat gun to heat up the CPU / GPU and direct chipsets and allows them to fall back in place."

[QUOTE="tomarlyn"]How do you fix the YLOD?waltefmoney

"This fix uses a heat gun to heat up the CPU / GPU and direct chipsets and allows them to fall back in place."

[QUOTE="tomarlyn"]How do you fix the YLOD?waltefmoney

"This fix uses a heat gun to heat up the CPU / GPU and direct chipsets and allows them to fall back in place."

Do not do this if you do not know what you're doing. I know a place in my town that re-flows boards and they see consoles that get screwed up like this all the time.

I also have friend that fixes PS3s for some cash on the side and he makes a killing off refurbishing PS3s that people screwed up doing exactly this.

im not gonna make fun of you.. i now have a ps3 slim because my 60 gig died with ylod. they are all ticking time bombs... thats why sony wouldnt coveranything over a year old on its new extended warrenty last year. they knew a huge amount of old ps3s would die because of it. they covered it up by trying to say the slim was made to cut costs when stand alone blu ray players went from 800 bucks to 150 in less then 8 months.they only lost money on each ps3 sold in the first few months because they had to pay extra forsomething about a part in blu ray players that caused a shortage to all blu ray players. so sony had to out bid or pay off others to let them use the parts for the ps3. sony might trick alot of people here but they cant fool me:P

[QUOTE="waltefmoney"]

[QUOTE="tomarlyn"]How do you fix the YLOD?sandbox3d

"This fix uses a heat gun to heat up the CPU / GPU and direct chipsets and allows them to fall back in place."

Do not do this if you do not know what you're doing. I know a place in my town that re-flows boards and they see consoles that get screwed up like this all the time.

I also have friend that fixes PS3s for some cash on the side and he makes a killing off refurbishing PS3s that people screwed up doing exactly this.

[QUOTE="sandbox3d"]

[QUOTE="waltefmoney"]

"This fix uses a heat gun to heat up the CPU / GPU and direct chipsets and allows them to fall back in place."

tomarlyn

Do not do this if you do not know what you're doing. I know a place in my town that re-flows boards and they see consoles that get screwed up like this all the time.

I also have friend that fixes PS3s for some cash on the side and he makes a killing off refurbishing PS3s that people screwed up doing exactly this.

Yeah, a little know how surely goes a long way. My same friend who fixes PS3s just pieced out a rig (similar to the on in my sig) for about $3,000 and then immediately sold it for $4,500. INSANE. He basically tinkers around with hardware all day for fun and makes cash in the process.

I just got mine back 2 months ago and broke again with the same problem couple of days ago. This is the third time it broke since 2007. But I think RROD happens many times more. You can still make fun of it. Make fun of how 360 only lasts an average of 5 hours and while ps3 can last at least a week without breaking.sethman410

if these are consumer expectations i have serious doubts for this industry's future.

My original 40GB PS3 (got it right at release) stopped reading discs. Sony wanted $150 to repair it so I decided to wait for the slim. Fortunately I haven't had an issue with my current PS3. I've only gone through one 360 and my original was a launch 360.

All electronic companies will charge you for repairs when the warranty is up. The 360 launched with a 3 month warranty versus the standard 1 year of most electronics. A whole lot of negative press and class action lawsuit threats later and they upped it to a year. Eventually, they extended it to 3 years rather than face legal consequences.

The ps3 has never has the abundance of problems the 360 had, nor were they ever as common. I've had two ps3s, a launch 60 gig and a post MGS IV 80 gig. Both still work.

On the flipside I've had two Samsung LCD TVS and neither made it to two years before they died. One didn't even make it 18 months. I was able to fix the latter, though, but it was still ridiculous.

[QUOTE="sethman410"]I just got mine back 2 months ago and broke again with the same problem couple of days ago. This is the third time it broke since 2007. But I think RROD happens many times more. You can still make fun of it. Make fun of how 360 only lasts an average of 5 hours and while ps3 can last at least a week without breaking.Firebird-5

if these are consumer expectations i have serious doubts for this industry's future.

[QUOTE="Firebird-5"]

[QUOTE="sethman410"]I just got mine back 2 months ago and broke again with the same problem couple of days ago. This is the third time it broke since 2007. But I think RROD happens many times more. You can still make fun of it. Make fun of how 360 only lasts an average of 5 hours and while ps3 can last at least a week without breaking.sethman410

if these are consumer expectations i have serious doubts for this industry's future.

you say it like its a good thing

The initial 360s had high failure rates within a year, I think that was the main problem. If like 20% were breaking within 1 year that puts a big spotlight on it, and to make matters worse there were some people claiming/reporting problems within HOURS. Basically it sounded like they had quality control problems. it was reported that something like 50% of early models failed after 3 years out which is absolutely rediculous if true. It seems like at least the initial "quality control" issues are fixed, but even the new models probably will last 3-5 years.

PS3 has exceptionally low failure rates within a year, but it doesn't sound like they're all that much better than 360 after 3 years out. 360 might be 50%, but based on on anectotal evidence it wouldn't be surprising if PS3 was like 25% after 3+ years. That's not great. Considering both these systems have alot of same components as a laptop, it seems pretty obvious that they will ALL require repairs eventually. But I think they should be built to have like 90% still in service after 5 years (without needing any repairs).

[QUOTE="tomarlyn"]How do you fix the YLOD?waltefmoney

"This fix uses a heat gun to heat up the CPU / GPU and direct chipsets and allows them to fall back in place."

All electronic companies will charge you for repairs when the warranty is up. The 360 launched with a 3 month warranty versus the standard 1 year of most electronics. A whole lot of negative press and class action lawsuit threats later and they upped it to a year. Eventually, they extended it to 3 years rather than face legal consequences.

The ps3 has never has the abundance of problems the 360 had, nor were they ever as common. I've had two ps3s, a launch 60 gig and a post MGS IV 80 gig. Both still work.

On the flipside I've had two Samsung LCD TVS and neither made it to two years before they died. One didn't even make it 18 months. I was able to fix the latter, though, but it was still ridiculous.

[QUOTE="Pug-Nasty"]

All electronic companies will charge you for repairs when the warranty is up. The 360 launched with a 3 month warranty versus the standard 1 year of most electronics. A whole lot of negative press and class action lawsuit threats later and they upped it to a year. Eventually, they extended it to 3 years rather than face legal consequences.

The ps3 has never has the abundance of problems the 360 had, nor were they ever as common. I've had two ps3s, a launch 60 gig and a post MGS IV 80 gig. Both still work.

On the flipside I've had two Samsung LCD TVS and neither made it to two years before they died. One didn't even make it 18 months. I was able to fix the latter, though, but it was still ridiculous.

WilliamRLBaker

I said threats of class action lawsuits. If you want to be a MS apologist fine, but don't misquote me to make it easier.

so... wait... your saying that sometimes things break and i might be charged for a repair. when did this start happening?

Man that sucks, i hope my old 60GB launch model never get that problem.

I've had a ps2, 360, and ps3 break on me...stinks when it happens.

I think cause there are so few cases, is why they charge for it. Cause it's kind of a hassle for them. zaibutzu

Every one of my friends has had their PS3 break at least once (I've had it break 2 times) and just about everyone I talk to regularly on my PS3 friend's list has had their PS3 break. Sony makes a profit off the repairs since it only costs about $40 to fix it yourself (This is only if you don't already own a heating gun). I had Sony fix it the first time and they deemed it "Unfixable" and sent me back a refurbished one (causing me to lose all of my saves) that lasted me another monthsb before that broke as well.

You see YLOD cases at least once every week on the PS3 forums. It's more frequent than people think and I think the actual issue that causes it is very similer to the RROD. The main issue is the cheap lead-free solder that is crumbling over time.

The sad thing for me is..I'm still on my launch 360 and my PS3 ate it...

Hows that for thinking I'm in the clear after afterall this time with my 360 and the one unitI didn't thinkI would have a problem dies on me...

It is what it is...

Not trying to spread lies, but I thought if you PS3 had the YLOD, like mine had, you get a new one with no charge. Unless if that was the warranty I had...

Sony wanted $130 for repairsTimstuff

This is sort of why I don't want to buy another PS3. The 60gb launch model I had failed on me a week ago as well. It's a manufacturer defect. Even if you get it fixed, it will die again. I read that it has to do with lead free solder that cracks after time used in the PS3.JunkTrap

A launch 60gig would be close to four and a half years old now. That's kind of outside the realm of manufacturer defect.

[QUOTE="JunkTrap"]This is sort of why I don't want to buy another PS3. The 60gb launch model I had failed on me a week ago as well. It's a manufacturer defect. Even if you get it fixed, it will die again. I read that it has to do with lead free solder that cracks after time used in the PS3.Pug-Nasty

A launch 60gig would be close to four and a half years old now. That's kind of outside the realm of manufacturer defect.

im not gonna make fun of you.. i now have a ps3 slim because my 60 gig died with ylod. they are all ticking time bombs... thats why sony wouldnt coveranything over a year old on its new extended warrenty last year. they knew a huge amount of old ps3s would die because of it. they covered it up by trying to say the slim was made to cut costs when stand alone blu ray players went from 800 bucks to 150 in less then 8 months.they only lost money on each ps3 sold in the first few months because they had to pay extra forsomething about a part in blu ray players that caused a shortage to all blu ray players. so sony had to out bid or pay off others to let them use the parts for the ps3. sony might trick alot of people here but they cant fool me:P

monson21502