YLoD – Options

After doing some YLoD research, I have pretty much ruled out any sort of self repair. If I had the tools I would probably give this repair a go, but I do not, I will have to look at other options.

Sending the PS3 to Sony a second time in 10 months for another $150 (plus tax) is not an option.

I am holding out some hope that my AMEX Gold card is going to provide me with some sort of extended warranty benefit. I sent in an inquiry to see if this service was just good for new purchases, or if a repair would also be covered. I am pretty sure AMEX only covers original merchandise purchases, but it is worth a shot to ask.

Another repair option is a company in Utah called KGR; for $100 it sounds like they can fix YLoD, but the only downside is that I am throwing another $100 after this original PS3 60GB system. Maybe it is just time to let it go?

I could always get a new PS3, but after this experience, that really rubs me the wrong way.

Last but not least, I could just give up all together on the PS3 and Sony, and get a standalone Blu-ray player. This may seem drastic, but it would probably mean the kids’ Wii goes into the living room, and I more or less give up console gaming in favor of other pursuits (i.e. PC gaming). Hey, it could happen.

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10 thoughts on “YLoD – Options”

  1. Hmm, I’ve had some good luck with PS2 and PS3.

    PS2 was a launch model and never died on me. I gave it away rather than have it collect dust.

    PS3 is launch model and still solid. Would like quieter model but just not playing enough to bother. Nor even watching that much Blu-Rays.

    But I can’t wait for the next generation! 😉

  2. Ymir on ps3 is a very easy fix. Simply take the console apart all the way down to just CPU and gpu on the board(no special tools required) just a torx screwdriver for plate screw on top. Get a hot air gun heat the 2 processors up evenly for about 5 mins. Let the board cool for 20mins. Put it all back together tight and jobs a good un. Fixed many of these even on tv…

  3. Dave – If I had a heat gun or knew someone that did, I think I would give it a try. The PDF that I linked to, pretty much shows a simple process to correct. The KGR site states they clean, do the heat gun thing, and replace the non-lead solder with lead solder that should last much longer. After a lot of reading last night, I bet the solder is part of the problem with the yellow light BS.

    wco81 – My original PS2 died at some point after the Slim model was released. I ended up having to get a slim replacement for $129, but sold it on eBay for $99+ to help cover the cost of the PS3. I am more upset that Sony has poor customer service than I am that the PS3 has quality issues. When I did my Blu-ray repair, they clearly sent me back a referb unit – same SN on the shell, but different insides – because the unit saw my original HDD has having come from a different PS3! Having to have two repairs in 10 months, with Sony not offering any help is ridiculous.

  4. The irony of failed consoles… the whole reason I bought another console was I was sick of constantly upgrading my computer hardware at the house to keep up with the games – I just wanted to drop a disk in and play. I just went through the same junk with Microsoft regarding my broken XBOX360, included below for your amusement.
    =============================================================
    Microsoft Support Team,

    What a piece of junk. My wife bought me an XBOX360 for Christmas 3 years ago, replacing my good old PS2 console, and now the console has died for the SECOND time in 3 years. I just got off the phone with support, and of course it’s out of warranty and is going to cost me $100 to repair the console. Why on earth would I throw another $100 into a console that has a lifespan of less than a year and half. My PS2 still works to this day with no issues.

    So I now own a $300 broken game console that has failed not once, but twice. With this kind of reliability and willingness of your company to stand behind its’ products – I will be investing my money into another company that care about their reputation. This is an embarrassment to your company and I feel sorry that your support personnel cannot accommodate repairing a defective product from your company.

    This is clearly a poor customer experience. I own a lemon and your company’s response is that I need to pay extra for sugar.

    ——————————————————————————–

    From: Xbox Customer Support
    Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 5:36 AM
    Subject: – Console is displaying 3 Flashing Red Lights

    Hello ,

    This is Agee, with Microsoft XBOX Support services.

    We understand your concern about your issue, and we are sorry to hear that you are not satisfied with the repair offerings we have provided. The best way to have complicated matters such as repairs and warranties resolved are to work directly through phone support. As you indicate in your e-mail, you have already spoken with phone support about your concerns and phone support provided you with all of the options for repairing your Xbox. While we are concerned that you are not satisfied with the results of the conversation, we stand behind what phone support offers to resolve your repair issue.

    We do track and report all complaints, and we will note that you are not satisfied with the service offerings we have provided. All feedback is taken into account in determining our service offerings. Should you change your mind and accept the offering provided by phone support, do not hesitate to call back so they can work with you to set up a repair and get your Xbox up and running again.

    For further assistance, you may contact Xbox Customer Service for US and Canada by calling 1-800-4MYXBOX (1-800-469-9269) at your earliest convenience, and we’ll be happy to help you. We are open everyday from 6am to 10pm Pacific Time.

    For international customers, please contact Xbox Customer Service in your local region. (To find the correct Customer Service number for your region first use this link http://www.xbox.com/en-US/ChangeLocale.htm to select the appropriate country and then use the contact number found under the support menu). You may also choose to call international assistance (direct dial to US) by dialing 425-635-7180.

    If you need to reply to this e-mail, please reply ‘with history’ (include any previous e-mail) so we can expedite our service to you.

    To expedite service, please provide Service Request Number when you call.

    Thank you for visiting Xbox.com. If you should have future questions on Xbox products or services, please be sure to revisit our Web site as we are continually adding information to enhance our service.

    Best Regards,

    Agee

    Microsoft Xbox Support Services
    http://support.microsoft.com/

    ——————————————————————————–

    Sent: Tuesday, May 25, 2010 7:53 PM
    To: ‘Xbox Customer Support’
    Subject: RE: – Console is displaying 3 Flashing Red Lights

    Dear Microsoft Customer Non-Support Team,

    Thanks for the lack of help. I turned the power on, held down the eject button and held the disk tray in which apparently reset the error condition and now the stupid thing is working again. Thank goodness for youtube. You’re a bunch of shysters. Your “severe hardware failure” from all the news groups I read is a manufacturing defect introduced in your rush to beat PS3 to market. You all should ashamed of yourselves. You rush to get a product to market, we pay a premium fee to be the first ones on-board the XBOX360 express – and then you stop the train in the middle of the desert and tell us we need to pay an additional fee to take us the rest of the way or we need to get off. WTH

    You losers should be running the country – they have the same support model.

    I’ll be sure to spread the good word about Microsoft’s support model. Thanks for nothing. Great job!

    Sincerely,

    Another Unsatisfied Customer

  5. Sucks to have a broken console. I am still trying to decide if I get mine fixed (or attempt to have it fixed) for another $129 (repairs + shipping). The only reason I want mine fixed is because of backwards compatibility, and all my saved game data. Just noticed that Amazon is sold out of PS3 systems; new SKUs should be forthcoming.

    Or I could just get a stand alone blu-ray player and eBay all my PS3/PS2 stuff. That option is a little hard to swallow …

  6. Nice thing about a standalone is that it should be much quieter.

    But the flip side is that they may still load more slowly than the PS3 and aren’t as easily upgraded via firmware updates. Many do have Wifi or USB or ethernet now but no guarantee of forward compatibility with new features they may roll out.

  7. Just followed along your step I post – can’t wait to see how step 2 goes… As for the blu-ray player, we picked up a Sony for cheap at the Walmart. $129 and good to go, no issues at all with it (understanding you might be soured by another Sony product)… Still have yet to watch the new Star Trek in full-on HD. Sounds like a good idea in T-minus 35 minutes when the kids go to bed. Hoping to read of a successful repair tomorrow. Good luck.

  8. JAK – Hope your new Blu-ray player works out of you. Which model did you get? I may still consider a stand along player or a PS3 slim (now that I have my data recovered) for everyday use to prolong the life of my super-duper original post-op PS3.

    For what it is worth, I have been a long time fan of Sony electronics. I think I was more bitter about the PS3 support policy than anything else. Two repairs for $150 in 10 months? Seriously?

    For the latest update, see: YLoD Repair – Part III (Sumbitch Actually Works)

  9. Despite running low on coffee intake this morning, my eyes worked well enough to decipher BDP-S360 from the front console. I remembered we actually picked it up for $88 on sale because I was too cheap to pay for the $129 model. Ha! I think Walmart was clearing out the old model to make way for the new model. Anyway, plays movies like a champ, and on a budget. I keep toying with the idea of building a media center PC and going that route, but much like game console systems, I like the simplicity of just dropping a disc in and letting it rip.

    And for those of you living under a rock like me and haven’t (or hadn’t in my case now) seen the new Star Trek movie – what a great flick. It surpassed all of my expectations and then some. This is the first time in more than a decade that I’ve been hoping for another Star Trek movie.

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