CurtPalme.com Home Theater Forum

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

DAMN. 40 days out of warranty, my PS3 has crapped out. Apparently the laser died since it won't read any disks. Other things (e.g. streaming from a media server) work fine but it won't read or recognize disks.

The PS3 had less than 200 hours of use. It has never been exposed to any dust, and the ambient temp is always between 70-81. (The PS3's shelf was 81F yesterday when it died.) There was NO reason for it to fail.

I can't believe a solid-state laser could fail this fast. But apparently this is common -- I posted on the PS3 forums and a bunch of people chimed in that my laser had died.

This BLOWS. Sony will be happy to fix it, of course, for only $149. And will I be paying for the privilege again in another year? Or maybe I'll get the dreaded yellow light of death instead.

Any ideas if there are ways to shame Sony into fixing this for free?

Or maybe I could take it back to Walmart for an exchange??

**Curt Palme** · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:27 am Post subject:

I think it was Analogrocks that emailed me last year about repairing PS3s. Apparently there's quite a bit of info on the net on changing them.

**AnalogRocks** · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 1:57 am Post subject:

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Yeah, what I read is that you can't get parts from Sony, so you have to go hunting for dodgy sources on ebay, usually for $70 or more, and often they fail quickly. Then you have to figure out how to tear the guts out yourself. If you don't screw it up, and if the gray-market part doesn't smoke on you, then you might save $70. Hardly seems worth it.

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Did someone say......Sony strikes again!!!!!!!!! Evil or Very Mad

Did you check to see if the disc is spinning when the laser is trying to read?

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

I can't tell. I don't hear an obvious spin-up sound.

Mr. Green · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:50 am Post subject:

You have to decide if it's worth paying for a fix or buying new. Walmart might be good about the return, never tried though. I'd say it's worth a shot.

Good luck hearing the DVD spinning or anything other than the fans. PS3's make a LOT of noise.

Too bad they appear to be a pain to take apart/ fix or I'd suggest you buy a new one, swap lasers that day, return it with the bum laser and say it doesn't work, making Sony fix it for free and resell it... not that I'm suggesting you be dishonest in any way... Wink

draganm · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 8990 Location: Colorado

Oddly enough my Toshiba HD-A2 is still working perfectly. Laughing

Mr. Green · Posted: Mon Jul 13, 2009 4:52 am Post subject:

WTS · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1276 Location: Calgary

Gary,

I have a new BR drive unit for the PS3 if you're interested.

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

How much, Walter? And where do you get them? What's your expectation of reliability?

Looking at videos of replacing the laser, and considering the chances of screwing it up, I'm not sure I want to tear it apart that much just to save $70 or so...

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Dont forget there are 2 different lasers for the PS3. The 400 and the 410. 30 day warranty unless Walter gets them from somewhere else....... Mr. Green

drice1234 · Joined: 07 Oct 2006 Posts: 1309 Location: Allen, Texas

I have repaired about 6 or 7 PS3's by replacing the drives. Below are some links that may be helpful

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kW5ZmRVp8_E

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7O-8NzYHr80&feature=related

http://www.psxboy.com/348_PS3-Lens-with-Mechanism-KEM-400AAA.html

WTS · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1276 Location: Calgary

Gary,

I bought it off of ebay(actually beun bought it for me as it was ship only to the USA) from some place/guy that was recommended by other people (can't remember if it was on AVS or the PS3 forum) who had purchased them to replace/fix their PS3s. If I remember right I think I got it for about $70USD. I don't know if its the 400 or 410. Actually they only had 1 or 2 forsale because they were keeping the others for themselves to fix units(PS3s) they bought off of ebay.

Why would there be 2 different lasers for the PS3? One for the old revs and one for the newer revs?

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

The earlier version had a 1 eye laser and played all formats.

The later version had 2 eye/laser. 1 for cd/dvd and the other for just BluRay.

The 400 series is 1 eye and the 410 series is 2 eye. Here is a chart with application:

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Here's a little better pic of the 2 eye laser.

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Interesting, Mac. I have a CECHH01 -- which has the 2-eye laser. It won't read BD *or* SD disks. So it must not be just the laser itself that failed, but the circuit board that drives both lasers? Or something like that?

macgyver655 · Joined: 22 Aug 2007 Posts: 8508

Thats kinda why I asked if the disc was spinning up. Anyways maybe this helps answer your question as to whether you should try fixing it your self or not. You'll be throwing parts at it until it works. if you send it to Sony it will get fixed.......but how long will it last???????? And for how much cost considering you have to also pay to ship it to them. Its a crap shoot at the least. Good luck in trying to decide what to do. I have no recommendations for you, sorry.

WTS · Joined: 08 Mar 2006 Posts: 1276 Location: Calgary

I'll check and see which drive unit I have when I get home.

garyfritz · Joined: 08 Apr 2006 Posts: 12088 Location: Fort Collins, CO

Don't bother on my account, Walter. I don't think it makes sense for me to try to fix this thing. Like Mac said, I'm not even sure exactly what's busted.