PS3 died - cheapest replacement option

[techwanabe]

I have a PS3 I bought in 2008 and use mostly as a bluray player and netflix box. Today when I powered it up, it was on a little while and then just powered back down again with a beep and the red light came on. I've tried to power it back up a number of times but after a matter of seconds, it just powers back down with a beep. It appears it just decided to fail today, might be a fan crapped out?

So unless there is something I'm missing, I may be in the market for an inexpensive replacement. Since I'm being hammered with bills I'm looking to see if I can replace this 6 year old unit with something comparable for minimal cost.

Suggestions?

 

[zerocool84]

Craigslist because any normal options will be expensive as they are still selling for hundreds of dollars.

 

[techwanabe]

So I see.

Has anyone seen the symptom I described where it starts up normally, but then after a matter of seconds to minutes, it simply shuts off with a beep and the light goes red?

 

[mnewsham]

Your cheapest option if you are tech savvy is to look up some repair guides and see what you can do about picking up 1 or 2 broken PS3s and scraping them together to make a single functioning PS3.

 

[artemicion]

If it's happening immediately and it doesn't feel hot to the touch, I'd suspect power supply problem rather than overheating. Some of the comments in this thread discuss some possible solutions:

http://www.reddit.com/r/PS3/comments/1hn07o/ps3_turns_itself_off/

If you have to buy a replacement, I'd wait for a Cowboom console sale. They're really good about returns/replacements, so it's less dicey than Craigslist. When they have console sales, their prices are often cheaper than Craigslist too. IIRC, PS3 slims go for $100 when there's a daily deal for them on Cowboom.

 

[Lil Frier]

http://www.cowboom.com/product/1067652/

Cowboom has the Slim 120-GB model for $100 right now. The only complaints I have with Cowboom are that the majority of consoles come without controllers, and they usually have some heavy cosmetic damage.

eBay will run you $120-150 for the cheapest, functioning consoles. Craigslist is hit-and-miss, as you don't know the condition, and while some folks will be reasonable ($75-125) for a barebones lot, most will throw in 5 ancient sports games and ask for $200.

 

[pathos]

If all you're doing is using your ps3 as a blu ray and netflix box, have you considered replacing it with an actual blu ray player?

Sure, the ps3 does do an excellent job of blu ray playback, but if all you're using it for is br's, then you're kind of wasting money by repurchasing one.

And, even the cheapest bluray players will have netflix and hulu on them these days.

Now, granted, if my ps3 went down, I'd replace it with another ps3. But, I play alot of games on mine

 

[xantub]

If all you're doing is using your ps3 as a blu ray and netflix box, have you considered replacing it with an actual blu ray player?

Sure, the ps3 does do an excellent job of blu ray playback, but if all you're using it for is br's, then you're kind of wasting money by repurchasing one.

And, even the cheapest bluray players will have netflix and hulu on them these days.

Now, granted, if my ps3 went down, I'd replace it with another ps3. But, I play alot of games on mine

Same thing happened to me some 3 months ago, my old fat PS3 died just like you described. Sending it to Sony costs almost as much as buying a new one. Buying a refurbished one is expensive but you may get lucky. I just looked in Craigslist for a couple of days, there are people who offer repair services (much cheaper than Sony but obviously more shady) but in the end I just bought one from someone who got a PS4 and was getting rid of his old PS3.

But if you just want a Netflix/Bluray player, buy a Bluray player (most have Netflix, Youtube and other online streamer options), that's by far the cheapest option as bluray players are less than $100.

 

[techwanabe]

Some good options to think about. It's true I rarely use it for gaming anymore, just movies and Netflix these days.

I'll review some of those suggestions.

 

[techwanabe]

If it's happening immediately and it doesn't feel hot to the touch, I'd suspect power supply problem rather than overheating. Some of the comments in this thread discuss some possible solutions:

http://www.reddit.com/r/PS3/comments/1hn07o/ps3_turns_itself_off/

If you have to buy a replacement, I'd wait for a Cowboom console sale. They're really good about returns/replacements, so it's less dicey than Craigslist. When they have console sales, their prices are often cheaper than Craigslist too. IIRC, PS3 slims go for $100 when there's a daily deal for them on Cowboom.

It doesn't feel hot to the touch - it hadn't been on long when it simply shut down with a beep and the light changed from green to red.

 

[mmntech]

I'm guessing it's one of the fat models. If you bought it in 2008, it's probably one of the later ones with the 65nm processors. Those don't really YLOD. Plus, if your console does YLOD, it usually beeps three times, not once.

It's probably some other internal component failure. I'd suspect the power supply as well. Fortunately, those things are pretty modular inside, and replacement parts are easy to come by.

 

[Bman123]

Its the power supply, order a new PSU and change it yourself. Last time I checked they weren't that expensive

 

[Sonikku]

Worse comes to worse, you can always bite the bullet.

 

[techwanabe]

I'm guessing it's one of the fat models. If you bought it in 2008, it's probably one of the later ones with the 65nm processors. Those don't really YLOD. Plus, if your console does YLOD, it usually beeps three times, not once.

It's probably some other internal component failure. I'd suspect the power supply as well. Fortunately, those things are pretty modular inside, and replacement parts are easy to come by.

Yes, it was one of the latter day fat models - single beep then off. Blew out the dust but didn't change anything.

I could try replacing the power supply or if there is some place with close out specials as the last guy suggested -- if I can find any.

 

[mmntech]

Yes, it was one of the latter day fat models - single beep then off. Blew out the dust but didn't change anything.

I could try replacing the power supply or if there is some place with close out specials as the last guy suggested -- if I can find any.

Follow Cheap Ass Gamer and see if he's got any deals listed. You'll probably get one cheap now that everyone wants a PS4. I'd check refurb Slims as well.

Repairing the Fat PS3s is fiddly (lots of screws) but not too complicated. The PSU is mounted next to the BD drive under the top panel. I suspect they tend to overheat over time, as there's not a lot of airflow through that area. I noticed it can get scalding hot really quick. The slims changed the design to actively cool the power supply.

 

[Rakehellion]

So I see.

Has anyone seen the symptom I described where it starts up normally, but then after a matter of seconds to minutes, it simply shuts off with a beep and the light goes red?

If it lasts for several minutes, then it sounds like it's overheating. Replace the thermal compound.

 

[gmaster456]

Worse comes to worse, you can always bite the bullet.

Where the hell is this? I'll take 3

 

[Lil Frier]

They're the 12-GB models, which turns me off. I'd rather go with the used crapshoot of Cowboom, where they regularly have models of 60-160 GB at $90-100.