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Defective Console DVD Drives?
ksplatter asks: "I Purchased an X-Box back in January of this year. Everything was working just fine until I bought a game called Outlaw Golf about 2 months ago. I literally had not one problem with the unit before this. So after playing the game a couple of times I went to insert the disc one day and the X-Box told me it was unable to read my disc. I thought it was odd but continued anyway. Ever since then, my console has been more and more picky in deciding which disks (games or DVDs) to actually play. It is to the point where now the unit is completely useless. I called Microsoft and the tech support blamed the problem on rental companies (i.e. blockbuster) putting stickers on the CD that damaged the DVD lens. They told me they can't do anything for free but for 100 BUCKS M$ would replace the drive. I went on the Message board for the game that started this problem and they blamed the issue on some cheap/defective DVD drives that were installed in X-Boxes between last November and January. I was curious if anyone out there ran into this problem and what they did. Is there any sort of action I can take against Microsoft?" I't like to point out that this can be a problem with some Playstation 2 systems as well. I am now on my second PS2 unit (obtained after the price drop) because my original unit could no longer read DVD-based games or movies (however my original Gamecube, purchased at about the same time, is still purring along just fine). Might this be a sign that the early DVD units provided by both companies were just not able to handle the environments in which they were placed (ala hot TV cabinets, dusty living room floors, smoke filled areas and so forth)?
Though it is annoying, as it recurs. I have a PS2 that gradually builds up dust until it can't do anything anymore. All you need to do is open it up and take out four smaller screws on the DVD drive, and take a cutip and rubbing alcohol to the lens :) Reassemble, and voila! It works! The xbox problem might have a similar solution. Of course, it voids your (useless ?) warantee.
Ok, here's my experience with disc-based consoles. I've had a Sony PSX (original model, bought new, but not at launch), a Sega Saturn (older model, bought used), and Sony PS2 (bought at launch).
PSX - Had some skipping problems, but I could count the number of incidents on one hand. Those experiences were never such that a game became unplayable.
Saturn - Like a rock. No problems ever.
PS2 - Like a rock. No problems ever.
I use my consoles a pretty fair amount, although I'm sure I'm not nearly as heavy a user as some. I do make sure that I keep my consoles well-ventilated, which means not sitting flat on carpet and not inside of an entertainment center cubbyhole. Hard flat surface, with room for air to flow all around it. That's about all the work I've done to protect them.
And, my consoles haven't ever been sitting in the same place all the time. I take them over to friends' homes when we get together for a gaming night. I've carried them to my parents' home (3 hour road trip) and my parents-in-law's home (9 hour road trip), always using a padded console carrying case. Even with that kind of travel, no problems whatsoever.
Just my experience. YMMV.
Curmudgeon Gamer: Not happy
I experienced similar issues with my PS2 before I'd had it for even six months. It turned out to be a known issue with a working if not well documented solution.
Basically, the unit first got real picky when it came to reading the 'blue' game discs. This worsened until it wouldn't read them at all. At one point a few weeks ago, it started having problems with regular DVD games.
A little research with google showed that *lots* of folks were having the same problem. I looked a little deeper and found a solution that has worked perfectly for me.
I had to open the unit, voiding the warrantee unfortunately, and gain access to the cd/dvd mechanism under the black shroud. Off to the side of the reader is a small screw that required loosening by about a quarter revolution. The websites said that this screw was a fine tuning (focus) mechanism for the laser which over time comes out of focus. I don't really buy that, it looked to me like it just provided 'tension' for the laser positioning sled as it was positioned over a guide rail with no visible electronics near-by.
In any case, it worked like a charm and I can once again play all my games. I don't really see the connection between this particular screw and reading discs, unless certain discs require the laser to move into positions that are more 'deep' or 'shallow' than others and that the tension of the screw was preventing movement into those more extreme positions.
I wasn't happy about voiding the warrantee, but I'd rather do that and take my chances than give Sony ~$100.00 USD for a new laser assembly which is their _Official Solution_ to the problem which they suggest is normal wear and tear. That's BS though because this is happening to people with NEW units.