Most Unreliable Console?

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Vexer1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby Vexer1 » July 12th, 2014, 3:17 am

The original front-loader NES can be pretty unreliable simply because of easily dirt can get into it, the top-loader has a much better lifespan.

kew9820001
Posts: 87
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby kew9820001 » July 12th, 2014, 7:56 am

The Game Gear, Turbo Duo, and Turbo Express systems were unreliable due to the fact they were manufactured using cheap capacitors that tended to leak just after a couple years. I have two Game Gears and a Turbo Express. I changed the capacitors out with high quality ones and now they all work flawlessly. Probably the MOST unreliable system I've ever owned would have to be the fat PS3. It went YLOD on me and I managed to fix it temporarily until it happened again and again and again. I finally got fed up with it and ended up using it for parts.

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VideoGameCritic
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Most Unreliable Console?

Postby VideoGameCritic » July 12th, 2014, 10:19 am

I think I've been through about three Dreamcast systems so I'd put that at the top of my list.  Also, I don't think the original Playstation was made very well; fortunately those games run on the PS2.

Does anybody still have an Intellivision I with a working reset button?  I need to get my buddy to fix that for me.

Teddybear1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby Teddybear1 » July 12th, 2014, 4:47 pm

I have bought two Intellivision I's from Ebay in the past few years.  Both had poorly-working controllers that basically rendered the unit useless.  I mainly wanted one for my collection to be able play the games that will not work on the Intellivision II:  Coleco games Donkey Kong, Venture, Mouse Trap and strangely enough, INTV Corp.'s Slap Shot.

While I am biased (I love the Inty II controllers and appreciate their durability) it is somewhat disappointing.  Those hard-wired controllers on the first system just leave little hope.

ptdebate1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby ptdebate1 » July 12th, 2014, 5:24 pm

[QUOTE=videogamecritic]I think I've been through about three Dreamcast systems so I'd put that at the top of my list.  Also, I don't think the original Playstation was made very well; fortunately those games run on the PS2.

Does anybody still have an Intellivision I with a working reset button?  I need to get my buddy to fix that for me.[/QUOTE]

Apparently, it's possible to find a Compact Flash interface for Sega's Naomi arcade boards. If you download the Dreamcast ISOs to the compact flash card, you can run them on the arcade hardware. This would mitigate the concern of GD-ROM drive failure. And, of course, at some point in the future there will no longer be any functioning Dreamcasts or replacement GD-ROM drives extant, so this might be the only way to play Dreamcast games natively at that point.

The CD-ROM drive of the original (I mean first revision) PS1 was made completely out of plastic. Those things failed pretty fast as the plastic warped from the heat produced by the console. After the first revision, they fixed the problem, such that more recent PS1 consoles are just as reliable as later PS2 models.

I prefer to play PS1 games on my PS3 slim since even the most reliable PS2 revisions are highly prone to disk read errors late in their life, but to each his own. One thing that's good about playing PS1 games on the PS2 is that the PS2 uses real hardware rather than software emulation--the original PS1 CPU is actually inside the PS2--it's cleverly used as an I/O processor when not being used for playing PS1 games.

HardcoreSadism1
Posts: 526
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby HardcoreSadism1 » July 12th, 2014, 5:35 pm

I have to go with Famiclones, but that is obvious...

The worst built famiclones, however, lean toward the "Blockzone" variety. If you're lucky, putting in the batteries alone fries the main board.

Gamezone 2000's are the only even sought after Block-Zones... Sold in ordering catalog as 9999-1 units. Probably because they break far less often. It's sad when most 90's ripoff tech is built better than today's China Clones.

a1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby a1 » July 12th, 2014, 5:36 pm

Well the only system that has ever completely died on me is the 360 so that gets my vote. The original far PS2 isn't very well made either. I had to open mine up to adjust the lens and it still wouldn't read black backed games.

Oltobaz1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby Oltobaz1 » July 13th, 2014, 4:37 pm

Systems I've had problems with:

- Front loading NES, like pretty much everybody else. Fixing it is kind of easy though, if you know what you're doing.

- Game Gear & PC Engine GT are subject to sound issues, due to faulty capacitors. 

- Having an hard time counting how many PS1 and PS2 systems I've owned. Lens issues lead to various problems, such as games not loading -especially PS2 Blue CD Roms- DVDs movies no longer working, etc.. Came across some faulty Mega Cds and PcEngine Duo as well.

- My first two fat PS3's died due to the infamous Ylod problem, issues I've actually documented on these boards.

I'll usually sell faulty systems for parts or repair, there's actually a market for such things, even though it won't make you rich. It does help in funding replacements, I'm lucky enough to have all of the above in working condition. Gave up on the Fat PS3s though, Slims are the best!







ptdebate1
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Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby ptdebate1 » July 13th, 2014, 4:56 pm

[QUOTE=Oltobaz] Gave up on the Fat PS3s though, Slims are the best! [/QUOTE]

The PS3 Slim (not super slim) might actually be the only well-made piece of Sony console hardware. All of the other console revisions have a problem of some kind or another.

Oltobaz1
Posts: 1605
Joined: December 31st, 1969, 7:00 pm

Most Unreliable Console?

Postby Oltobaz1 » July 13th, 2014, 5:30 pm

Currently have two PS3s, a 320 gigas for 'regular TV use' I've had for a while now. Can't complain, works like a charm. I also recently purchased the Ultra Slim 500 gigas, so that I could equip my recently acquired Vewlix L arcade machine (along with a Slim 360). It performs flawlessly, so far.


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