PS2 Technical question

[Gandalf]

I heard of a freidnt eh other day that if you run DVDs on your PS2, it wears down the laser, causing slower loading times and the like. Has anyone else heard anything along these lines?

[phongn]

Pray tell, how do you wear down a laser?

Even PS2s aren't that shoddily made, though he may be referring to the motor.

[Datana]

There are some issues with the PS2 laser unit for early model units (1000x, 3000x -- essentially, the first three or four variants). In these, when a CD or DVD can't be initially read, it boosts laser power significantly in an attempt to read it. Extended use of this function burns out the laser in far less time than would be expected; I've known people who've had to replace their PS2 in a matter of months. Some things (music CD-Rs, homemade DVDs, Game Shark CDs, and dirty game CD/DVDs, for instance, which all have a lower reflectivity) would trigger this mode almost invariably.

The problem resulting from this, however, is a laser that simply won't read at all (or won't read specific discs, especially DVD-9s [this is the cause of the Xenosaga load problems some people have been having]). This won't affect load times. If this shows up, Sony will replace the unit if you contact them -- provided that you haven't modded it or used a cheat disc in it.

[Death from the Sea]

I heard of a freidnt eh other day that if you run DVDs on your PS2, it wears down the laser, causing slower loading times and the like. Has anyone else heard anything along these lines?

I have heard this alot, especially from a friend of mine who works at EB and interacts with lots of people that have had that problem, himself included.

[Gandalf]

There are some issues with the PS2 laser unit for early model units (1000x, 3000x -- essentially, the first three or four variants). In these, when a CD or DVD can't be initially read, it boosts laser power significantly in an attempt to read it. Extended use of this function burns out the laser in far less time than would be expected; I've known people who've had to replace their PS2 in a matter of months. Some things (music CD-Rs, homemade DVDs, Game Shark CDs, and dirty game CD/DVDs, for instance, which all have a lower reflectivity) would trigger this mode almost invariably.

The problem resulting from this, however, is a laser that simply won't read at all (or won't read specific discs, especially DVD-9s [this is the cause of the Xenosaga load problems some people have been having]). This won't affect load times. If this shows up, Sony will replace the unit if you contact them -- provided that you haven't modded it or used a cheat disc in it.

I haven't modded it and I got it at Christmas. I am releived, thanks.