After a couple years of my PS3 sitting due to no picture from HDMI or composite. I decided to buy one from the classifieds. I actually had the parts for an HDMI fix because I’m pretty sure I know what’s wrong with it. Right now the composite shows up briefly but it’s like the HDMI keeps trying to engage.
Anyway I just wanted to have a working ps3. So I saw a blue one in the classifieds for $60. It came with a controller and three games. Plus a blue PS3 is kind of rare, so extra bonus. Or so I thought.
When I showed up at the address it was one of those houses with multiple families under one roof. The place was very dark, but looked clean and organized. The PS3 was connected and they showed it working with games and the controller. So I gave them the money and grabbed the PS3 and left. As soon as I stepped out into the light, I immediately noticed, that it was not in as good of shape as it had seemed in the dark.
It was in the running for worst console I’d ever seen. It looked like a dog had had it’s way with it and the controller was in rough shape too. However, I had given them the money and it seemed to work, so I just left.
Well, it turned out to be even worse than I had initially thought. The case wasn’t blue from the factory, they had attempted to paint it… Poorly.
When I hooked it up and ran it, yes, it works, but it also reeks of smoke and the controller has drift and the d-pad doesn’t quite work right. Also the disc intake mechanism doesn’t work very well.
I cleaned the console on the outside. Disassembled the controller, fixed the drift by dumping a bit of isopropyl down into the potentiometer, moving the stick around and then spraying it out with an air compressor, the d-pad was due to grime and a couple missing screws, one screw for the controller board and the other for the case. I grabbed a couple similar sized screws to tighten everything up. Then thoroughly cleaned the controller and, well, it’s not too bad.
After doing all that, I suddenly felt the urge to try to fix my broken console that is in much better condition. I disassembled it to the motherboard only to realize I couldn’t find the parts I had bought before my hospitalization. I looked everywhere… Anyway, I gave up looking and just examined the board. I found a scorch mark or something around the HDMI pins and HDMI chip. So I decided to clean and reflow the solder in those areas.
After reassembly, the HDMI still doesn’t work. Likely it’s a fried chip. However, component video does work! I was able to hook up my component cables to get an HD signal and a optical cable for digital audio. I call that a win. I may buy another chip sometime and replace it to get the HDMI working again, but… Probably not.
as for the other PS3. My son and I were talking about it and thought it would be cool to strip the existing paint and repaint the shell when we paint his bumper. THAT might actually look pretty cool. If not, i might do a case swap.
