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Sony PSP Defects Reported

Posted by Zonk on from the psp-means-please-send-parts? dept.

Among many to report on this issue, OneHungLo writes "GamesAreFun.com is reporting that several defective PSP units have been shipped, suffering from problems such as dead pixels, broken UMD drives, air bubbles in the screens, dust in the screens, and the analog "nubs" not working, or actually falling off. They also have a video of a UMD popping out of the PSP as it's running, due to the unit being twisted/turned. I wonder how long it will be until Sony issues an official statement about this?"

14 of 439 comments (clear)

  1. Isn't it about time by antifoidulus · · Score: 4, Funny

    That slashdot gets a psp icon? Kind of strange having the ps2 controller and the gameboy represent the psp....

    --
    Monstar L
  2. Sony Quality? by jellomizer · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Sony use to be known for the quality of their products. With mistakes like this and running to save costs will hurt them in the long run. After a while I will rather get my Sorney or a Genuine Penophonix version which has better quality.

    --
    If something is so important that you feel the need to post it on the internet... It probably isn't that important.
  3. Ouch, my nubs! by Tackhead · · Score: 4, Funny
    > and the analog "nubs" not working, or actually falling off.

    I hate when that happens. So much for the nipple being the only natural interface.

  4. Stop the presses! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    Version 1.0 of product xxx has problems!

  5. Aren't most 1st gen portable products similar? by francisew · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Isn't buying a 1st gen. protable electronics device just begging for this kind of trouble?
    Why poeple buy bleeding edge products is beyond me.

    1. Re:Aren't most 1st gen portable products similar? by badasscat · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Isn't buying a 1st gen. protable electronics device just begging for this kind of trouble?
      Why poeple buy bleeding edge products is beyond me.

      I don't understand this mentality. Why would buying a product that's presumably been tested and deemed ready for the marketplace be "begging for trouble", whatever "generation" it is?

      In fact, going back through history you can find just as many examples where the first generation of something is built significantly better than the later generations. The Atari VCS, for example; the early models had 1/4" thick plastic and actual metal armor plating on the bottom of the casing - later models had much thinner plastic and no armor plating, they were much more prone to cracking.

      I don't see why portables need to be any different. Companies build products, they market test them, and then they put them out there. The public is not a bunch of beta testers; they're supposed to be building in certain tolerances and you would hope that if they're going to err, they'll err on the side of caution (as Atari did with the early VCS).

      I guess my point is twofold:

      a) Our expectations for "first generation" products these days are too low, and
      b) I think it's just as likely as not that later generation models will be worse as it is that they'll be better. You can't just look at the PS2 and Xbox as representative as the entire history of home and portable electronics; many devices do become less reliable as their production costs are cut back to save money down the line.

      I have no idea if these PSP defects are widespread or if they're isolated incidents. There does seem to be a pattern, though, that suggests that in general, the PSP's build quality is probably not quite as good as many had expected, and I doubt that's ever going to change. Sony does not really have a history of redesigning products to be tougher. If there's an actual defect in the laser mechanism or something like that, then yes, they may do a minor redesign to correct errors (as they did with the PS2), but build quality is a different issue. They're not going to start using thicker plastic or reinforcing the unit with carbonized steel or do away with the "analog" nub - build quality issues are probably issues you'll just have to learn to live with. I'm sure Sony would tell you to just be more careful with the PSP.

      As for the dead pixel issue, it's always a possibility in an LCD-based product, especially one with a fairly high-resolution display like this. You'd hope the warranty and/or return policy would cover it, but I guess the supply is such that stores in Japan are not accepting returns right now because of it. I doubt this problem is more widespread than on other LCD-based devices, though - this is a screen made by Sharp, which is one of the world's largest LCD producers. It's not as if they don't have experience making LCD displays.

  6. its simple by asv108 · · Score: 4, Interesting

    If you choose to buy the first release of any consumer electronic, you are playing Russian roulette, especially with portable electronics such as (game handhelds and mp3 players). Not that a stern warning will deter the mindless herds from waiting outside of electronic retail conglomerates in the cold, in order to buy a product at the highest possible retail price.

  7. I take it with a grain of salt... by GearType2 · · Score: 5, Insightful

    I've seen the video... and read the articles... but I still don't believe it that much. Dead Pixels I believe. Even the DS has this problem(as did the GBA and GBASP). But I have yet to see anyone report problems of the nubs not working or their psp not turning on except on this one small site linking to another small site.
    If this is an issue, I put it in the barrel of consumers causing the problem, or just being a very small number of people, below 1%.
    The UMD popping out, seems a little odd. Twisting the unit, I can understand, I mean, it's a small portable device, I could do the same with my old walkman. But during normal play? I doubt it.

  8. Oranges to Oranges by American+AC+in+Paris · · Score: 4, Insightful
    Company A releases a sweet little handheld gaming system in time for Christmas. The system is truly innovative and well-designed. The system has a few issues, but for the most part it meets or exceeds most people's expectataions.

    Company B releases a sweet little handheld gaming system in time for Christmas. The system isn't particularly revolutionary; its biggest selling point is that it features very powerful components for a handheld system. The system has a variety of issues, several of which should have been caught in the design/development phase.

    Which of these systems would you rather own?

    --

    Obliteracy: Words with explosions

  9. video screenshots by Wakkow · · Score: 5, Funny

    Here's some screenshots from the video, in case it gets slashdotted:

    |O|

    |O|

    1. Re:video screenshots by poot_rootbeer · · Score: 4, Funny

      Oh no! The screenshots must have gotten blown up by those two TIE Fighters!

  10. More Evidence by bi11 · · Score: 5, Informative

    (1) Square button's problem
    It makes a creaking noise and stucks
    because there is a gap between the button and its rubber (and, of course, the board)
    http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/controller/ka nbotsu_001.jpg
    http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/controller/ka nbotsu_genin_002.jpg

    (3) Power failure and/or Chip defect
    Power indicator light illuminates, but...
    http://www.asahi-net.or.jp/~cf6y-oot/system/power_ 001.mpg

  11. Re:Got to be careful with some of these reports... by dmayle · · Score: 4, Informative

    DS suffered from these as well, for example

    Way to defelect attention. It should be noted that Nintendo has vowed to fix any dead pixel problems that occur within the the warranty period...

  12. Re:Playstation 2 by SoCalChris · · Score: 4, Insightful

    That sounds pretty lousy to me.

    They should have shipped you a new one right away, and had you ship in your old one. They could even take a hold on your credit card for the new one until your old one was received.

    To me, not being able to use a brand new item for weeks is totally unacceptable.