Apparently the BBC is going to air a program which questions the integrity of Sony systems and demands Sony address the problem of "YLOD." According to the program, Sony is more or less refusing to fix a problem. You can read about the program and what it will detail in the link provided. What's interesting, is that Sony has decided to counter this and a letter from Sony provides useful information, so I thought I'd bring it up here.
"The yellow indicator is simply a non-specific fault indicator that can be triggered in a range of different circumstances. For example, it could indicate a problem caused or exacerbated by the console's power supply, by overheating, by poor ventilation, by software issues or by any one of a range of issues that may inevitably affect any complex item of consumer electronics"
"The results show that of all PS3s sold in the UK to date, fewer than one half of one per cent of units have been reported as failing in circumstances where the yellow indicator is illuminated."
"The comparison with other console warranty issues is wholly inappropriate, in circumstances where – as here, and as discussed further below – there is no evidence of a manufacturing voiding defect affecting any PS3s; where the voiding identified by the expert contacted by the BBC is within the tolerance levels set out by the applicable IPC standard; and where that expert analysis considered a sample of only three units and reached no firm conclusions as to the existence of a defect that could be detrimental to device operation."
"evidence provided by organisations of this sort who have a commercial interest in the repair of electronic goods must be treated with caution."
This is good advice for both addressing RROD and YLOD, regardless of where it comes from.
"Once the warranty period has elapsed, the customer will be charged £128 (inclusive of VAT). This figure reflects the cost of repairing a PS3 to the high standard required and includes a door-to-door courier exchange service and other general administrative costs. SCEUK does not profit from this service; in fact, it operates it at a loss in order to offer customers with OOW PS3s the best price possible."
"ony has invested substantially in creating state-of-the-art diagnostic and servicing facilities to support both in-warranty and OOW repairs. As regards the purported solution to the supposed "yellow light" issue adopted by commercial repairers, effecting a reflow correctly, to the required engineering standards and in a properly controlled static-safe environment requires the use of an infra-red BGA soldering station, which must be set up and programmed to run at very specific temperature profiles. Each such station costs tens of thousands of pounds. The diagnostic equipment required to test that the solder has been performed correctly costs a similar amount."
Some unknown costs.
"Consequently, even if a yellow indicator/system shutdown were triggered by a soldering issue/voiding, it would be misleading for you to suggest to viewers that the basic solder reflow process you describe in your letter to XXXXX of 7 September 2009 is necessarily a reliable procedure when performed in that way, or that it can properly be done cheaply and quickly."
In other words, don't assume you can fix it.
"Various commercial organisations not authorised by SCEUK provide repairs to PS3s and other consumer electronic devices. For example, [Third-party repair company] – who, you informed us, participated in the "PlayStation Repair Action Team" activity which you recently staged in Great Marlborough Street (see below) – charge customers £103.50 (inclusive of VAT) to repair and return customers' PS3s which (in the company's words) are affected by the "yellow light of death". This figure is only £24.50 less than the cost to the customer of high-quality SCEUK repair, conducted using state-of-the-art equipment. In addition the consumer needs to arrange and bear the cost of getting the console to this organisation."
Consider where you send your PS3?
The letter, is of course, Sony imploring BBC not to air the program as to not cause a "panic" among PS3 owners (and of course to not scare off potential buyers). It should be noted that the person in charge of the program does freelance work for MS and the itming is very interesting.
http://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/sony-tackles-bbc-over-ps3-failure-report
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