posted 10-27-2000 08:29 AM            

quote:

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Hi. I was one of the unlucky few to receive my PlayStation 2 today. The reason I
was unlucky is that my machine is defective. It won't read any disc I put in the
machine. If I force it to read a disc by selecting the browser option, I get a disc
read error message. It's not my disc, I have tried using several working
PlayStation games, music CDs, and movie DVDs all without success. It's
impossible to contact Sony right now to find out about a replacement(ha!) or
having the unit repaired, their phone lines are swamped. Any other reports of
defective PlayStation 2's or how many there might be? I would have preferred not
to even have gotten a unit verus having one with a defective DVD-ROM drive. In
my eyes, the worst console launch ever. Not mainly because my unit is
defective, the total lack of Customer service on Sony's part is what really bugs
me.

Mike G.

That's really too bad. We've gotten a few letters like this -- problems like
these are inevitable, but we're hoping it's not a wide-scale problem.
Readers?
- David Chen

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HERE'S ANOTHER......

quote:

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I waited 10 hours in rain to get this hunk of **** PS2, and what happens? Last night I wake up at 3:30
AM and my brother is playing Madden. I go get something to drink and I come back to see that the
game froze. Thinking this was something that was not totally unusual, we just reset, only to find out
that now the system will not read games AT ALL. So now I'm out 1 PS2 and there really isn't much that
i can do. My brother is going to call Target and a Sony support line and see if there is anything we can
do. If we fail to get it to work, then I am going to make Target give us a guarantee that we're getting a
system from the next shipment or I'll be more pissed than I already am.

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Not good so far, but not surprised....

posted 10-27-2000 08:35 AM            

I'd rather have a defective game than a defective SOLD OUT console. This same crap happened with the PSX, now the past is coming back to haunt them.

posted 10-27-2000 08:42 AM               

He hit reset and it would not load anything. The browser reported disc problems...

Of course, I guess it is only normal. EVERY new electronics device that comes out has defects!

posted 10-27-2000 09:00 AM               

Hey, you are correct!

I have had many problems with Sony equipment. I have a Sony stereo setup from several years ago. The CD player was crap..

It skipped all the time, and just recently cut out on me (doesn't matter though, my PC sound system DESTROYS this).

I had a Sony discman (this happened to several people I know) that broke in a year. Pissed me off...

I also had a launch PSX, which lasted for a while. I had to start turning it upside-down after about a year. Just 6 months ago it totally died (it got worse and worse as time passed).

Now, I don't know about PS2 overall. I get the feeling it is of higher quality than the PSX, however I DO have more concern about stability. Maybe I got unlucky.

posted 10-27-2000 09:03 AM               

quote:

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Yeah, Sony is an awful electronics company. Everything they make breaks soon after it's first use, right

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posted 10-27-2000 09:23 AM               

------------------
I'm the man!
For I am DAN!

posted 10-27-2000 09:33 AM               

Second, did you all expect that all PS2s would work perfectly? That's just plain stupid. All product launches occur with some defective units, in any industry. CD players, DVD players, and videogame systems. I bet if you that two years from now, the number of defect PS2s compared to how many sold won't be much less. I'm pretty sure Sony worked hard to make sure that the PS2 is pretty solid as far as quality goes....so they don't have the same type of mess they had with the original PS when it launched.

posted 10-27-2000 10:26 AM               

As an example, I shall demonstrate how they would turn the current top story at CNN.com into an anti-Sony, pro-Sega story:

~~~~~

quote:

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Source: http://www.cnn.com/2000/WORLD/meast/10/27/mideast.02/index.html

RAMALLAH, West Bank (CNN) -- A clash fought with rough-hewn stones and acrid tear gas escalated to a full-fledged gun battle in Ramallah, West Bank, on Friday, as Palestinians and Israeli soldiers entered a fifth week of bitter, ugly conflict.

At least 145 people, almost all Palestinians or Israeli Arabs, have been killed in the fighting, which began after a visit to a disputed east Jerusalem shrine by a right-wing Israeli politician on September 28.

The fighting in Ramallah on Friday began at the end of the Muslim noon prayers when thousands of Palestinians marched to the edge of town to confront Israeli soldiers stationed there. Several Israeli jeeps pulled into place to block the road, and the confrontation began as it has almost daily with rock- and firebomb-throwing Palestinians facing off against Israelis armed with rubber-coated steel bullets and tear gas canisters...

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This is bad news for Sony... they're a worldwide company, and these problems in the middle east are sure to screw up their production. Good luck getting ahold of a (defective) GayStation2 anytime before Christmas... of next year!!! Maybe you should try something by Sega instead... they won't be affected by this strife on the West Bank.

SEGA!

~~~~~

As you can see, the difference between "Sega fan," a group of people among which I count myself, and "Hedgehog-humping Total ******* Sega Freak Bitch" is quite stark. Just to put things into clearer perspective for regulars at the gaming-age forum, Opa-opa lies somewhere between your average gamer who enjoys Sega's work, and these two jackasses.

posted 10-27-2000 10:38 AM            

next thing you know, you'll be saying that you don't like waffles or something...

posted 10-27-2000 10:38 AM               

quote:

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Second, did you all expect that all PS2s would work perfectly? That's just plain stupid. All product launches occur with some defective units, in any industry. CD players, DVD players, and videogame systems.

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While this maybe true, that doesn't mean people can't be pissed off about it. I don't think it's so absurd to truly be pissed if you just dropped 300+ dollars for a defective system that won't be replaced for quite sometime due to Sony's inability to produce sufficent units for launch. Every product launch has it's defective units, but that doesn't make it excusable.

posted 10-27-2000 10:40 AM            

It happens, yes, but I'm not sure that the fact that *it happens all the time* as has been pointed out by various members is going to ease the frustration and disappointment of the people who were unfortunate enough to be stuck with defetive hardware; such a notion takes greater significance when one considers the sheer level of effort put forth on their part to secure one yesterday in the *first* place; seems as though very few people were fortunate enough to make their rendezvous home a five minute trip, from reading reader responses on various websites.

With the demand being as high as has been the case, it could be argued that having that happen to you is worse than not being able to secure one at all.

------------------
I sa ya, I sa ya
I si ma cozy
I sa ya, I sa ya
Tra si ma cozy
Santi-u ni du na
Dra ma ta jo

posted 10-27-2000 10:42 AM               

Sure . . . okay . . .

There were plenty of reports of faulty DCs.

Ohhhh, and then that 3rd party software thing . . . that was Segas fault. They manufacture the GDroms.

posted 10-27-2000 10:53 AM               

BTW, I think it's DC's that were Made In China that caused the problems (some games would freeze or would not load). But it doesn't sound as bad as these PS2 problems (nothing loads at all).

posted 10-27-2000 11:11 AM               

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At least with the faulty DC's, you can bring it in and get a replacement right away

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Yah, because they weren't selling as many.

500,000 is still the largest launch shipment of any console ever . . . it's got to be one of the biggest launches for any home entertainment electronics.

posted 10-27-2000 11:16 AM               

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At least with the faulty DC's, you can bring it in and get a replacement right away.

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Thats very true. No problem to get a replacement because the stores are filled with them as nobody is buying them.

posted 10-27-2000 11:18 AM               

I knew it would take less than 24 hours for a "defective PS2" thread would start.

Am I good or what?

posted 10-27-2000 11:25 AM               

1. Sony SDP-E800 DD processor, terrible, the worst sounding pro I have ever heard. The thing hissed like crazy. Dumped it and got a Denon what a difference. Night and day.

2. Sony 900mHz cordless phone. Piece of sh1t! I have to take it back. THing cuts in and out like crazy. Called Sony and they actually told me that it was a "feature". Well, they can take their "feature" and stick it.

3. Their VCR's seem to work like champs though. No complaints there.

Anyway, thought I would share. I just know you guys are interested

posted 10-27-2000 12:22 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by msanti:
Oh, and I have had 4 DC's crap on me as well. Good thing I had purchased the EB extended warranty thingie. I knew it would be a good idea.

Mike S.

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Oh, come on!!! That's total B.S.! I can think of very few people who have taken their DC back once, let alone FOUR times! Why do find it just a little hard to believe you???

posted 10-27-2000 01:45 PM               

In any case, this sort of thing is somewhat inevitable; it wouldn't be such a big deal if Sony hadn't sold out all of their units, and the poor bastards with a defective PS2 weren't completely screwed. The question is how MANY are defective; aside from what Dave said the DC really wasn't that defective a machine, and Duane's the first person I've heard of that's complained about Saturns being anything but rock-solid in all but the rarest of cases. (Oh, and I don't HAVE one of those PSXes, Duane, but have the "PSX only works on it's side" problem. The heating problem wasn't really cleared up for ages, it just wasn't as blatent).

As for Sony's record? Hell, leafing through some old consumer's reports will show that Sony is GREAT at gee-whiz gadgetry but often truly sucks at making a product that won't shudder and die after a year. (Or a month). It depends on the product, of course, and they certainly aren't as bad as RCA, but they're no Panasonic either.

On a related note, I've never heard of massive problems with a N64 or SNES. NES sure, because it was rushed and is poorly designed, but Nintendo builds 'em to last. So does Sega after a fashion (I haven't heard too many complaints about the top-opening Sega-CD either).

Oh, and there is absolutely, positively, zero reason we should sympathize at ALL with Sony in the slightest any more than we should sympathize with Sega or Nintendo. They exchange a good for money. Just as they expect that the money will be legal tender, we can (and should) expect that the good they give us in exchange is free from defect. If they screw up, it's perfectly acceptable to holler about it. In Sega's case it wasn't entirely their fault (although it mostly was) but if a PS2 is defective, it's defective, and that's a pissed off consumer buying a product that they've had MONTHS to get right. That's the rationalization for buggy japanese launches, isn't it?

posted 10-27-2000 02:11 PM               

Oh, I work at a major retailer and twelve PS2s crapped out on me.

Oh, and to the person who mentioned Dreamcast's initial GD-ROM problem. There is no confirmation that that problem had anything to do with Sega. From what I understand, there are several plants capable of making GDROMS and third parties can choose to use any of them they wish or go with another company.

Every console launch has problems, sure. But I am overly cautious with regards to Sony. Between myself, familly and friends we've had over ten PSXs overheat and malfunction. I can understand why others would be overly cautious as well.

Yet another reason to wait on buying a PS2.

posted 10-27-2000 02:16 PM               

"Yeah, its a most unenviable position to not be able to meet demand."

Yes it is, when you have two competitors with superior products coming only eight to ten months later and one competitor that is already entrenched.

posted 10-27-2000 02:18 PM               

quote:

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Originally posted by jasn3:
Because you're a raging Sega freak?

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If that was directed at me, why do you say that? What have I done or said to give you that impression? Although I do like Sega, I am in no way an irrational, "raging Sega freak".

posted 10-27-2000 02:24 PM               

Jap DC - cos my brother plugged it into the 240v mains

Turbo Duo - bit fuzzy output possibly to do with the hardwired scart

Saturn - Had to turn it upside down once but it's fine now.

On the other hand, I'm f^cking glad I gave up on PC gaming =)

------------------
I'm the man!
For I am DAN!

posted 10-27-2000 02:25 PM               

Sheesh.

posted 10-27-2000 02:54 PM            

You can't handle the truth. If what I am saying is BS, then say so. But don't flame me all because I am quoting real life experiences.

posted 10-27-2000 04:57 PM            

I'm on my second DC.