toptenmaterial Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 In an alternate universe where I have money to burn, is it a good idea to buy a used 1st gen PS3? What is their longevity, and how much do they cost? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedRaider Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Well to start with, make sure to buy a CECH-A01. This is the model I originally bought at launch. Comes with a 60GB HD and is fully backwards compatible. A larger HD can easily be installed as well. Problem with these units are the weak-arse laser units. They will fail. Some people experienced over-heating problems as well. Trying to find one online at a reasonable price, that isn't some internally hacked-up POS, might prove to be difficult. Glad I bought mine back in the day! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boog Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 The lasers fail first, but they're easy to replace. The bigger issue is the YLoD. Excessive heat gradually damages the CPU/GPU sockets until the system fails with a brief yellow light at boot. The connections can be 'reflowed' but it's only a short-term fix. Each reflow has a shorter lifespan. I suspect most daily use systems have failed by now. Unless you know the history, beware of buying a reflowed unit that will fail again in a few months. Even a NOS console won't hold up after prolonged of daily use unless you add thermal paste and extra cooling before using it. Better off with a PS3 Slim and a separate PS2. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
VW Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 Problem with these units are the weak-arse laser units. They will fail. Very true. Mine failed and three out of three other friends of mine also had 1st gen ps3s that had the laser fail. Although sometimes when the laser fails, you can manually clean it and then it will read discs again but I would just get a slim and then get a separate ps2 as Boog says if you really want that compatibility. If you really want a launch ps3 for some reason, I will gladly sell you mine. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Protoplasym Posted August 31, 2012 Share Posted August 31, 2012 The lasers fail first, but they're easy to replace. The bigger issue is the YLoD. Excessive heat gradually damages the CPU/GPU sockets until the system fails with a brief yellow light at boot. The connections can be 'reflowed' but it's only a short-term fix. Each reflow has a shorter lifespan. I suspect most daily use systems have failed by now. Unless you know the history, beware of buying a reflowed unit that will fail again in a few months. Even a NOS console won't hold up after prolonged of daily use unless you add thermal paste and extra cooling before using it. Better off with a PS3 Slim and a separate PS2. What he said ^.... 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cybercylon Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I wouldn't. Most of the pre-owned crap I have gotten from Gamestop has met an untimely death. As others have mentioned, there were heating problems... the laser will die... it would be six years old now. You don't know someone else has treated it. From all you know, it came from a smoking hoarder house with 500 cats. Buy new PS3 slim and a PS2 for those needs. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xenomorpher Posted September 1, 2012 Share Posted September 1, 2012 I would get a slim and a PS2. My BC 60gb got the YLOD last December during a Silent Hill 3 marathon. Not only is my hard drive tied to that specific console with all my saves, but the game disc is also stuck inside. I guess the slim models have a release button so you'd at least get your disc should your system fail. No matter what system you buy, BACK UP YOUR DATA. I didn't bother and had no idea that I couldn't get my data unless I got the system fixed from a 3rd party company. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptenmaterial Posted September 1, 2012 Author Share Posted September 1, 2012 The old PS2 phat is a reliable choice? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mord Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 The old PS2 phat is a reliable choice? Mine has been so far. Bought it late 2002 and it's still chugging along just fine. Really should try to dig up a spare or two while I still can however just so my 100+ eggs aren't all in one basket. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I'm glad I bought 2 phats waaay back. The original release day unit failed and I got another from Sony since it was under warranty and it's been solid ever since. The second phat I got used from a recyclery place about a year after that and it's been great too. I can't tell if that was refurbed or anything but its working fine. I also have a slim which I seldom use because of the lack of PS2 support. Its easy and cheaper to get a slim PS3 and a slim PS2. But a good working phat PS3 is a sweet thing. I can't ignore that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Seob Posted September 2, 2012 Share Posted September 2, 2012 I still have my European 60Gb release unit, and it is still running fine. Always made sure it had enough "breathing" room, didn't put it inside a cupboard where it can't disperse heat. And i don't run it for long hours so i hope it will be with me for more years to come. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) In an alternate universe where I have money to burn, is it a good idea to buy a used 1st gen PS3? What is their longevity, and how much do they cost? Thanks. Surprised nobody mentioned the quality of PS2 playback on it. While I'm unaware of any signifcant accuracy problems with the earliest PS3 consoles released here (After all, they basically had a PS2 inside so it should be close to perfect), it seemed at the time that the processing job it would do with the image with such things as upscaling left a lot to be desired. Lots of side by side comparisons showing how the PS3 was negatively affecting PS2 games back 5-6 years ago. Also judging off numerous threads I remember reading at places like AVS, it apparantly it was incapable of properly presenting widescreen PS2 games and would botch the aspect ratio a bit. And if a game was progressive scan compatible, at least when upscaling became available initially, selecting it would output your games at 480p. So instead of starting off with a superior image and then having your PS3 upgrade it to HD for your HDTV, it was either output at 480p or deinterlace and upscale 480i to HD (I can't swear that they never addressed this issue in a patch though). So if the point of this discussion was considering a PS3 purchase to be able to better enjoy your PS2 software on your HDTV, it seemed to leave a lot to be desired back then. I didn't mind too much missing out on it (My 80 gig was purchased not long after they dropped the half emulation/half hardware PS2 BC that they moved to a while after launch to reduce cost). My slim PS2 purchased at launch hooked up via component to my SD Trinitron works well and looks good and I just bought a brand new console a few months ago to serve as a backup. I say you'd be better off going a similar route to enjoy PS2 software. Edited September 3, 2012 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptenmaterial Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 @Atariboy: Thanks. My intention was not so much upscaling PS2 games as it was for consolidating space. I don't mind 480 or lower! My iPhone 3GS has a beatiful display, and so does the PSP for movies. It's just that I found the idea of a Playstation all-in-one to be pretty cool. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted September 3, 2012 Share Posted September 3, 2012 (edited) In that case, I can certainly see this being an option worth considering. An official wireless Dual Shock that will play all three game libraries with no controller cord, virtual memory cards for the PS/PS2, and a single console to handle all three. Not a bad way to clear some clutter on an entertainment center. Too bad they're expensive ticking time bombs these days that will eat a game disc if you have the misfortune of getting the inevitable YLOD while a game is inside.... Edited September 3, 2012 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
toptenmaterial Posted September 3, 2012 Author Share Posted September 3, 2012 ^^ You make a good case in the second paragraph. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowCoder Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 1. When my PS3 40g YLOD'd, I was able to eject the disc by holding down eject while powering on the console. 2. Mine died after running long hours of Netflix almost nightly for 3 months. 8 hours a night. I'd had the console 3 years before that, and it ran perfectly. 3. I also recommend getting a PS3 slim and PS2 separate units. If one dies, you'll still be able to play the other. 4. They have stands that could allow your PS2 to sit vertically, if space concerns you. 5. My PS2 slim that I got as soon as they went to $110 is still running great. Avg 10 hours play time a week. Just do my best to keep the dust and grime out. (Now that I've said that, it'll croak tonight.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 I think there's a new model coming out and of course the idiots at Sony won't lower the price. I think this one might be even smaller (and probably more reliable) so I think that might be even more reason to get the newer model and a slim PS2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ComputerSpaceFan Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Just to add a couple of questions / comments to this. I see a lot of praise for the PS3 Slim which is a relief cuz that's what I've got and I am hoping it will last a long time. Mine is three and a half years old, 128Gig model. It has a decent amount of space around it but I am thinking I might hook up a small fan just to be certain, or is the threat of dust kicking up a bigger worry over the PS3 Slim overheating? Did Sony vastly improve heat handling with the Slim? Also, I was under the impression on the original launch PS3 that they actually had software emulation of PS2 titles, and not "they basically had a PS2 inside" as Atariboy says above. Am I wrong? Finally, I've never thought about backing up my data. Then again there's not much on my PS3 that I would be sad to lose. Once I finish my games I'm finsihed and am unlikely to go back to them. If my PS3 Slim died tomorrow and I got a new replacement and signed in to PSN on it, I would be able to redownload all the games I bought before, right? Obviously any progress would be gone. Maybe I should look into the backup option?; Is that the cloud save stuff I've been reading about? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 Just to add a couple of questions / comments to this. I see a lot of praise for the PS3 Slim which is a relief cuz that's what I've got and I am hoping it will last a long time. Mine is three and a half years old, 128Gig model. It has a decent amount of space around it but I am thinking I might hook up a small fan just to be certain, or is the threat of dust kicking up a bigger worry over the PS3 Slim overheating? Did Sony vastly improve heat handling with the Slim? Yes its improved big time. The slim does need to be ventilated but it's not nearly the power\heat beast the phat is. Just keep it relatively dust free and well ventilated and the slim I would think should last far longer than a phat. Also, I was under the impression on the original launch PS3 that they actually had software emulation of PS2 titles, and not "they basically had a PS2 inside" as Atariboy says above. Am I wrong? The original units were hardware and some models used software emulation. I think the PS3 wiki can show exactly which ones. example: The 60GB models used hardware, basically like having a PS2 inside the PS3. The 80GB model partially used emulation (software, warts and all). Finally, I've never thought about backing up my data. Then again there's not much on my PS3 that I would be sad to lose. Once I finish my games I'm finsihed and am unlikely to go back to them. If my PS3 Slim died tomorrow and I got a new replacement and signed in to PSN on it, I would be able to redownload all the games I bought before, right? Obviously any progress would be gone. Maybe I should look into the backup option?; Is that the cloud save stuff I've been reading about? If you don't back up and your PS3 crashes your saves are gone. You can re-download your games on the new unit when you register your new unit (register the unit from the main XMB. Up to two PS3's can be registered.) So not a big issue if you don't care about your saves. If you do care then you should either manually backup your saves to a USB or better yet just use the PS3 backup utility once a month to dump it to USB. If your too lazy to do this then you can subscribe to Plus and each and EVERY game you play on your PS3 will prompt you if you want to save your stuff to the cloud and then you don't have to worry about it ever again. Keep in mind many games have 'locked' saves so you cant back them up without using plus. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SlowCoder Posted October 12, 2012 Share Posted October 12, 2012 The phat PS3 was like an old school Cadillac. A big beast of a machine, but it had style. The slim lost that style, and looks like a toy. If I thought it was worth the trouble and money, I'd have fixed my phat instead of getting a slim. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Atariboy Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 (edited) Launch model PS3's in North America had the PS2's GPU chip and CPU chip included. Later models before PS2 compatibility was removed completely went to a hybrid hardware/emulation based setup where the Emotion Engine CPU chip was emulated but the PS2's Graphics Synthesizer GPU chip was stlll present. If it had been completely emulation based, they'd of never removed it. It was the drive to cut costs that killed off PS2 compatibility when the chance to save money by not including the Graphics Synthesizer chip became more attractive financially to Sony than including PS2 BC was. Edited October 13, 2012 by Atariboy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
atarian63 Posted October 13, 2012 Share Posted October 13, 2012 4 ps3 phat units around the house 2 BC types, none have failed. 2 get used daily with netflix or movies Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
godsey1 Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 I have a 60 from when they came out, and it still works perfect. We watch all of our DVD's, Blurays and 3D movies on it along with all my gaming. It plays my PS2 games great (as far as i can see). If something happens to this one and it can't be fixed, I will get another 60 to replace it. Tony Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cimerians Posted October 21, 2012 Share Posted October 21, 2012 I just popped a 1TB drive into my 60 the other day. Took about 24 hours to backup and restore 400GB from my old unit to the new one. lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evilevoix Posted November 20, 2012 Share Posted November 20, 2012 I just received a 60GB Launch PS3 but of course it is a YLOD unit (I got it for free!!!) Sony wants $130 to repair it. What does Sony do to fix it? Is it worth the risk of it failing again? Sony also offered me a PS3 SLIM 120GB for $99 shipped if I give them my Free YLOD PS3 60GB. What should I do? I love the backwards unit and a working one fetches BIG bucks but I also have a PS2 SLIM and even a PS1 hooked up to a CRT Via component but man that PHAT PS3 with Spiderman font is so cool looking. Advice? Does Sony really fix these units or delay the inevitable? Thanks guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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