$99 PS2???

http://sony.gamerfeed.com/gf/news/4432/

links this report

http://ultimategamez.com/newspro/fullnews.cgi?newsid1065718031,8453,

... don't know, seems like a much bigger drop than Sony would be prepared to do. A smaller one, maybe, given the GC's recent succes... but that? I doubt it. But still... if its true...

I heard this rumor too, but it sounds a little far-fetched. Not to say that I don't think it's something Sony wouldn't do, but I think in their current situation a price-cut like this just isn't necessary.

Yeah, it definitely sounds a bit out there. Now $150... that I definitely would believe.

I'm not sure about this one.

For one thing, I've not received any promotional material, or any information at all, regarding any price drop, though our Sony rep comes in this Wednesday...

That aside, I can almost believe it might happen, as doing so would essentially destroy Xbox and GC sales for the holidays, and PS2 has a large enough lead for them to take that chance (and hell, the profits come from the games anyway).

But on the flip side, Sony would probably be eating at least $60 per console if they did drop the price, therefore I can't help but wonder, if the rumor has any credibility at all, if Sony would consider it worth the risk to sell tons of software... that $60 would be recouped with about three sales of $50 games, so it isn't entirely unplausible...

We'll just have to see.

Even though this would completely destroy the GC's chances of selling decently this holiday season, I kinda want it to happen since my damn PS2 doesn't work half of the time and I might need to replace it soon. Stupid Sony and their shitty hardware.

But why should they spend the money to make good quality hardware when with lower quality hardware they will make significantly more money (in saving money on quality and on replacements, which everyone will need)?

...

Originally posted by OB1
Even though this would completely destroy the GC's chances of selling decently this holiday season, I kinda want it to happen since my damn PS2 doesn't work half of the time and I might need to replace it soon. Stupid Sony and their shitty hardware.

Have you tried taking the damn thing apart and cleaning it? Every few months or so my PS2 starts to play up (only playing some games, only playing some DVD's, not always reading the disc, etc.) and my friends start to harp on about how shitty the PS2 hardware is. Until I simply open it up and clean it and it works perfectly everytime.

Also, most people I've seen complaining about their PS2 breaking just give it a clean and it works fine, too.

Hey guess what? My ancient NES still works. So does my N64, my Dreamcast, my Gamecube, my PS2, my PSX, my X-Box, and all of the other consoles that I have. The PS2 is a shitty piece of hardware.

My PS2 has trouble reading PSX discs.

Have you tried cleaning it?

I've cleaned my PS2 many times, the exact way that Sony told me to. I don't want to open up the system.

Yeah, I don't really want to take apart my PS2 either. I'd rather not make the system any more broken than it already is.

Actually it will read PSX discs but you have to turn the system over on its side.

I dunno. I never had a Playstation problem, save for an original Playstation, but it lasted a robust seven years of constant use. My first NES didn't even last half as long. Also, one of my original GameBoys shit out on me within three years. Conversely, I have an Intellivision, which anyone whose ever owned one knows they're hardly durable, and it's been going for a solid 18 years.

I seriously do think it's just that people don't take care of them properly. I give all my systems a good cleandown every month.

Well, with the PSX not even out yet, I'm not surprised your PS2 can't read PSX disks. :D

I dunno. I never had a Playstation problem, save for an original Playstation, but it lasted a robust seven years of constant use. My first NES didn't even last half as long. Also, one of my original GameBoys shit out on me within three years. Conversely, I have an Intellivision, which anyone whose ever owned one knows they're hardly durable, and it's been going for a solid 18 years.

I seriously do think it's just that people don't take care of them properly. I give all my systems a good cleandown every month.


I cover my systems whenever I'm not using them, and I force myself and anyone else who plays with them to wash their hands.

Sony makes shitty hardware, simple as that.

You know what I'm talking about! Besides, the new "PSX" doesn't use a special kind of disc anyway.

He's got you there, DJ! :p

My cousins had a Dreamcast. It broke quickly. They got a new one. It's messed up and keeps reading discs badly... you have to constantly clean off the head thing with a Q-Tip and it still too often fails to read a game in midgame... and one of my N64s (I have two) broke... it reads games, but it won't read the in-cartridge saves of games with those. It reads the carts as blank and not saved on. That system also reset the memory in my SSB cart so that it looks like I've never played it... and I'm really lucky it didn't do that to Zelda:MM... and I remember another cousins' original NES being a major pain to get to work, and that was like ten years ago.

My (original) Game Boy also has several dead lines on its screen. Our other GB also has some, I think... not sure, I never use that one.

I must be lucky [or you're unlucky] because almost all of my systems still work just fine, except an old Atari that I used to have a long time ago [my bro pulled the cart out while it was still on, fried the thing] and an NES that had the usual problem [you know what I mean].

Originally posted by OB1
I cover my systems whenever I'm not using them, and I force myself and anyone else who plays with them to wash their hands.

Sony makes shitty hardware, simple as that.

Then, my friend, either I have great luck or yours sucks. :shakeit:

I've never had any problems with any non-Sony consoles. And many others have reported problems with their PS2's so I'm definitely not alone.

Originally posted by OB1
I've never had any problems with any non-Sony consoles. And many others have reported problems with their PS2's so I'm definitely not alone.

So then either my luck is good, or I take better care of my stuff than a lot of other people. I'm betting on the latter.

Not a chance. I'm the most anal-retentive person in the universe when it comes to taking care of my electronics. During the first few years that I had my N64 I used to put the system back into its original packaging every night. I clean my systems regularly, have everything neatly organized, and cover every system before I go to bed. I also keep my GBA games in the little plastic sleeves that they come in.

That's insane... there's being careful and there's going too far. Keeping GB games in the plastic sleeves and the N64 in its box? That's 'too far'. :) I used to keep GB games in the plastic boxes, but abandoned that years ago... now I just keep them in this GB-holder bag. It has spaces for games in one part but that only holds like ten games and I have many more so they're just loose in there. But its a zippered-closed section so they are relatively safe... though I do often have to blow on them to get the dust off so that they'll work.

On that note... what did they do to N64 carts that avoids that problem? I've never had to do that with them, unlike GB games (or, of course, NES carts...)...

Originally posted by OB1
I've never had any problems with any non-Sony consoles. And many others have reported problems with their PS2's so I'm definitely not alone.

Almost all people that I've seen (at forums) complain about their PS2 having problems are given the advice to open it up and clean it. And you know what? Every time they come back and say that it works perfectly. You would be surprised how much dust gets in there.

My PS2 has worked perfectly since the day I got it. Not a single skip even. Maybe that's just me though.

OB1, that IS too far. No need to cover a system that's self-covering, and it looks a lot better OUT. With that logic you should cover your TV too, and your moniter, and your PC! Don't forget the plastic sheet over your bed. However, from the sounds of it ABF just leaves his games lying around in a mud puddle :D. Okay, not NEARLY that bad, but I do always keep my games in the plastic cases they came with, if they came with cases. I also always put my games away because it's more orderly that way. I tend to keep my controllers wrapped up and put next to the system (still plugged in, just wrapped up to that plug, or close, and set next to the system). I also keep my various portables safely tucked inside some containers to protect their screens. Though, with the new SP, I'm content just leaving it where I place it when it charges since it protects itself. Oh, and I NEVER "unplug a system when I'm done using it". Never have, never will. Too much work for no real reason at all. Besides that, my systems look nice all stacked up how they are. Wash their hands before using the system? That's just compulsive disorder. I can understand if you just ate pancakes or something. I wash my hands if there's syrup or soda on them too before using a controller (well, I do that anyway, because stickiness feels icky), and tell others to do the same if they just ate something messy. Ohterwise, what's the point?

Anyway, Weltall does seem to have had bad luck with Nintendo systems, oddly enough. Not the first I've heard about such complaints. I myself have always had my GBs work perfectly from day one to now. They just seem to endure. I mean, I've dropped my various GBs more times than I care to count, simply because I'm VERY clumsy. They survived perfectly. The worst that would ever happen is the battery pack would pop out. My NES works to this day as well. Aside from the cartridge slot, it's well built. I was starting to have some problems loading some games, but I fixed that by opening up the system a few years ago and using a glasses repair kit screwdriver to lift up the connecting pins inside the NES a tad. It was more than enough. For a while, I actually had to force games to fit in, but they all loaded percectly. Now, the pins are perfect resistance. SNES and N64? Perfect! The one problem is one I caused myself. When I was over at a relative's and playing my SNES, which was in the middle of the room, someone tripped over the power cord and broke a bit of plastic that kept the thing straight. Now I have to tape the cord at an angle to get the system to power up, but it still works most of the time (though occasionally it'll go into a weird "safety mode" or something like that when the connection is there but faulty, so I end up having to fiddle around a bit).

DJ, you are lazy, I am not. Simple as that. :p

Originally posted by OB1
Not a chance. I'm the most anal-retentive person in the universe when it comes to taking care of my electronics. During the first few years that I had my N64 I used to put the system back into its original packaging every night. I clean my systems regularly, have everything neatly organized, and cover every system before I go to bed. I also keep my GBA games in the little plastic sleeves that they come in.

Hahaha! That's like the exact opposite of what I do. Although, I do take of my consoles, I do, however, leave them out for long periods of time, leave catridges out of boxes [but with the open end turned so that it isn't exposed as much to dust], and just generally leave stuff out so I can get to it quickly.

My computer games I always keep in their CD cases either in a box or in a CD-rack. My N64 and NGC games I have in a box lid... its the perfect size to hold most of my collection. I keep the NGC games in their cases, but the N64 ones are loose (standing upright). Systems? By the TV. Only one can be plugged in at a time, though, due to the number or available outlets. And the GB games are loose in that GB case. :)

As for protecting GB screens... yes, that is an issue. I try to usually keep my GBs in the GB-bag I've got (its got two sections, one with the games and another padded one for systems), but I obviously can't always... and while for some reason my original GB is okay (somewhat scratched screen, but not awful) my GBC is terrible. Lots of scratches everywhere on that screen... its not good. Oh well... one more reason for the GBA. :)

Oh yeah, and I think the original GB is quite possibly the most durable system ever. Nothing can damage that thing unless you REALLY try...

That's true, but for the other home consoles with those air vents it's always good to cover them at night, despite what DJ thinks. That might be going to the extreme, but it still helps keep dust out.

I don't do that with my systems and they all work fine, well, except for my PS2, but I blame Sony for that. :)

Well of course they work fine, but my systems will probably last longer than yours...

To be fair, it's only the old Nintendo systems of mine that crapped out on me, and I know the Gameboy was an anomaly, but the original model NES was by far the worst-designed, shoddiest hardware I've ever owned. Again, to be fair, my Super NES, going on nine years of age, still works as good as the day I got it.

But covering vents to keep dust out? That IS anal, especially since 99% of it gets in via air intakes while the thing is running.

The GB isn't an anomaly. It's indicitive of Nintendo's quality... a quality/toughness level that has dropped in recent years with systems like the NGC and GBA-SP but is still above the competition's, I'd say.

Originally posted by A Black Falcon
The GB isn't an anomaly. It's indicitive of Nintendo's quality... a quality/toughness level that has dropped in recent years with systems like the NGC and GBA-SP but is still above the competition's, I'd say.

Poor choice of words. I mean that my GameBoy kicking the bucket was an anomaly.

To be fair, it's only the old Nintendo systems of mine that crapped out on me, and I know the Gameboy was an anomaly, but the original model NES was by far the worst-designed, shoddiest hardware I've ever owned. Again, to be fair, my Super NES, going on nine years of age, still works as good as the day I got it.

My NES still works, while my PS2 barely does anymore. Yeah, the NES sure was shoddily built!

But covering vents to keep dust out? That IS anal, especially since 99% of it gets in via air intakes while the thing is running.

Yes it is anal, but my systems are still in perfect condition because of my extreme care. Well, everything but Sony's piece of shit hardware. Covering the vents at night after you've cleaned your system helps keep dust out.

Ah. Yes. Having them lose some lines on the screen is normal, though... both of mine did it, as well as my cousins', so I think its normal. :)

Originally posted by OB1
My NES still works, while my PS2 barely does anymore. Yeah, the NES sure was shoddily built!

Yes, they were. And if you even try to tell me you turn it on and get the game working the very first time every time, without blowing on the cart or inside the machine or performing all sorts of little tricks which are pretty famous because the NES WAS A PIECE OF SHIT, then you are either the world's luckiest bastard or your NES was never once used until about six months ago.

No. Just because YOUR NES is bad doesn't mean they all are! Sure, many have had problems with the loading mechanism, but its not that badly built... and the version 2 NES is quite good.

Yes, they were. And if you even try to tell me you turn it on and get the game working the very first time every time, without blowing on the cart or inside the machine or performing all sorts of little tricks which are pretty famous because the NES WAS A PIECE OF SHIT, then you are either the world's luckiest bastard or your NES was never once used until about six months ago.

That's the first mistake you made. Blowing into your system and carts is very damaging to them. You're supposed to dip a cue tip into hydrogen peroxide and gently clean the contacts on your carts and inside the system in order to clean it. Everyone blew into their carts and systems which is why some of them broke down so fast.

I've been blowing on my GB carts to get the dust off them to get them to work (never need to blow in the system, though) forever and all my GBs still work perfectly...

So you've been lucky so far. You should really stop doing that.

Well of course they work fine, but my systems will probably last longer than yours...

I have a lot of older systems that I do that with and they still work just fine.

Well mine will probably last a decade longer than yours, so :shakeit:

'lucky'. No, I somehow doubt that. See, I can't see any possible way that simply blowing into a GB cart to get rid of the dust and let the game be read in the system (games I haven't played in a while generally need that before they will run) could hurt the contacts...

Whenever you blow into a cart or whatever some of your saliva gets onto the contacts, and that is very bad for them.

Yeah, so I avoid spitting into the carts... :)

Originally posted by OB1
That's the first mistake you made. Blowing into your system and carts is very damaging to them. You're supposed to dip a cue tip into hydrogen peroxide and gently clean the contacts on your carts and inside the system in order to clean it. Everyone blew into their carts and systems which is why some of them broke down so fast.

Well then go back in time and tell that to my eight-year old self.

Besides, I've been blowing on my Intellivision carts forever and most still work just fine.

Yeah, I've heard its bad for them, but the danger seems greatly overstated... never heard of anything bad happening because of blowing on carts... and it seems to work to make them run. Okay, maybe like spitting or something is bad... but just blowing the dust off? How?

Well then go back in time and tell that to my eight-year old self.


:rolleyes: I was just explaining to you why you had problems with your NES.

Yeah, I've heard its bad for them, but the danger seems greatly overstated... never heard of anything bad happening because of blowing on carts... and it seems to work to make them run. Okay, maybe like spitting or something is bad... but just blowing the dust off? How?

Bubba, when you blow at anything there's always some saliva that travels with your breath.

I still doubt that it'd actually destroy games.

Damage.

No it won't, and you must be blowing all weird and messy because many people can blow without blowing spit. Do you wear gloves all the time and try not to touch anything you haven't washed by any chance? (Well, come to think of it, if you did one you wouldn't need to do the other, but that would assume clean freaks have any sense of logic anyway :D.) Yeah, I know spit occasionally sputters out on accident (and woe to those who are unfortunate enough as to see someone spit on their birthday cake by accident, knowing you WANTED some of that cake), but generally I avoid doing that to my stuff, and so long as you wipe it off if it even happens and dry it (which I did whenever I did that) before exposing it to electricity, no harm no foul AT ALL. In fact, the only reason Nintendo even put that warning there is for legal reasons, knowing someone somewhere would eventually spit on it while blowing and then immediatly power the system up.

Um, OB1, your stuff hasn't lasted this long BECAUSE you did all that. It lasted that long AND you did all that. No connection.

And no, the magical saliva you IMAGINE, because it's just a metaphor, for Sharky, didn't short out so very many systems. The reason so many NES systems got all broked was because the stupid "ZIF" system broke itself. The pins got too loose from the pressure of the carts (you'll see how easy that is to happen if you crack open your NES, which I know horrifies you to no end :D (don't bother telling me you've done it before silly, that was FUNNY)), and the carts would just slide right in without making proper contact. A little tweaking with those pins and some cleaning with something better than wind gets those working just fine. Read that last sentance. It proves beyond a doubt that saliva didn't do anything so terrible. The one thing saliva CAN do, short out the cart or system, would prevent something as simple as pin alignment or cleaning from possibly being able to fix it. The mere fact such actions DO fix it proves it's not the case. What other damage could it do? Slow decomposing? Never noticed a bit of rust or any other sort of rot in the stuff I've fixed, plus if that was the case, then again, cleaning and alignment wouldn't fix it!

Remember Full House? You're like that dad from it, you know... Oh what was his name... Oh yeah... DAN! AHAHHAHAHAHA! *points and laughs* You've been brainwashed!

OB1: Everything should be washed *daze*

DJ: ....Right... anyway... one other thing.... The point about most of the dust that even gets into the systems being sucked in when it's on is indeed absolutely correct. Silly OB1, convincing himself that his actions have somehow had a direct impact on protecting his system. The amount of dust entering and leaving when it's off and no wind is moving through it at all (unless you set it next to a fan) is very low indeed. The idea of thinking preventing that minimal amount of dust protects your system when so much more is constantly moving about in there is just crazy. If you REALLY want to protect it from dust, open them up now and again and blow some compressed air around. I do that all the time with the systems I can actually get into. I know I'm actually HELPING it too, as opposed to your systems which are likely filled with dust (except for the 1% you prevented thanks to your oh-so-careful putting away at night actions :D). However, I do acknowledge that even if I didn't it wouldn't really lower the life span of my system by very much, if any. It's not like I leave my systems with the cases OFF lying around all the time.

There's a diff between things that WILL protect it, like putting your games in safe containers and such, and stuff that WON'T, like your neurotic stuff. I'm not surprised that rather than admit it, you claim everyone else is filthy. Self defense really. Eventually, you'll realize you're acting in utter futility. That won't be enough though. You'll keep doing it even though you know it's worthless just because you need the mental satisfaction, that "click" where your brain finally says "it's alright, feel complete now". Now OB1, rather than attempt the futile act of getting us all to become neat freaks (and OB1, it's not laziness, your acts do NOTHING to really protect your system at all, that's why we avoid it, much like how we are "too lazy" to dance the dance of safety around our systems before bed each night), turn the camera around and try lightening up. To think, with your own VERY obvious neatitude disorder, you once accused me of being too paranoid :D.

Oh c'mon LAUGH, that was funny!

Yeah, that is ironic... :)

And I agree. OB1 is obsessive and it won't add a lot of life to his systems. Sure, I could do more than I do, but I think I do plenty to protect my systems... I don't leave games lying around on the floor, for instance...

I don't think the reason most NESs went bad was because of people blowing on cartridges. That practice was in place long before and lasted long after the NES. The reason the NES was so faulty was because of that crazy spring-load cartridge design, which easily and quickly, in many cases, misaligned, which is why the famous practice of using the black plastic sleeve to keep the spring-load anchored down came into being. My NES simply would not work period unless I did that.

Simpletons, the very first thing you'll learn in any computer maintenance class is that blowing into electronics is BAD. Unless you have a completely dry mouth there is always going to be some amount of saliva traveling with your breath. Are you really that stupid? I haven't had to blow into my NES or carts once since I've started cleaning them the right way. Ask any computer or console repair person about this and they'll tell you that I'm right.

Oh horror, my games will break! Yeah, right... it can't be very bad at all or people would have games breaking because of it all the time...

*sigh*

Are you really that dumb? Of course your carts won't melt if you blow into them, but it does damage them over time. That is also why if you ever called Nintendo technical support back during the NES days they would always tell you not to blow into your carts and systems.

You overstate the danger. And anyway, I'm talking about GB, not NES... you never have to blow into the system, for one...

I'm overstating the danger by saying "it does damage them over time"?? You are incredibly dense, ABF. You see everything in extremes. It's either "it'll blow up your system!" or "it won't do anything at all!" with you. :shake:

If it hurts them at all its very minor to the point of being irrelevant, I think.

You think wrong, as usual.

I doubt it.

:rolleyes:

I only rarely blow into my SNES carts, because they usually work pretty good.

I had to clean my used copy of Space Station Silicon Valley with hydrogen peroxide in order for it to work.

What it still comes down to is that NES machines broke far more often than most other consoles, and it was not due to people blowing in cartridges.

Yeah, I had to clean the contacts for some of the N64 games I got used... the games wouldn't run until I got the stuff off them. I actualy cleaned Mischief Makers with a toothbrush... :) See, we don't have Q-Tips.

None of my N64 games have ever gotten dirty enough to not work, however, or even required any cleaning.

My NES has lasted much longer than my stupid PS2.

Originally posted by OB1
My NES has lasted much longer than my stupid PS2.

Have you tried opening up and cleaning it?

OB1: You think that(cleaning the cartridge out with hydrogen peroxide, that is)'d help my copy of Space Station: Silicon Valley? It locks up during certain parts of the game, and always at the same moment. I figured that I simply recieved a defective copy.

Have you tried opening up and cleaning it?

Not yet.

OB1: You think that(cleaning the cartridge out with hydrogen peroxide, that is)'d help my copy of Space Station: Silicon Valley? It locks up during certain parts of the game, and always at the same moment. I figured that I simply recieved a defective copy.

Before you try cleaning it make sure that you don't have an expansion pak in your N64. Silicon Valley is one of the few N64 games that locks up when an expansion pak is inserted. And if that's not the problem then take a couple of cue tips, dip them into hydrogen peroxide (make sure they're not dripping wet), and wipe the cartridge contacts with it.

HOLY CRAP!! I *do* have an expansion pack in! That's probably the problem! Thanks. :D

Unfortunately, I think I threw out the old... silicon chip thingie that came with the N64. I better rummage around for it when I get home.

Hahaha, it also took me a while before I remembered that little detail when I first got the game. :D

It'll be a real bummer if you can't find that little plastic placeholder thingy since I believe the N64 won't run without it. If worse comes to worse you could always call Nintendo customer support and ask if they could send you another one.

Hmm... ya think they'd send me a new one? I *am* a poor college kid, after all. :eek:

Well considering that the only other way you could get one is by buying a new N64, Nintendo just might be nice enough to send you one for free. I've had good experiences with them. Just tell them that SSSV doesn't work if there's an expansion pak plugged in and you lost the black plastic thingy.

Cool, I'll try that this weekend. Thanks.

Sure. Tell them that Artie McFunkleton sent you. They'll know what it means...

...

...or hang up on you.

I saw a copy of SSSV in the store once used... several of the contacts were competely chipped off. Somehow I doubt it'd work, even with an expansion pack...

You mean even without an expansion pak. The game will not work if there's an expansion pak in your N64.

Yeah, right... without. Though I hadn't heard that about that game...

It was mentioned in a few magazines and gaming sites back when the game first came out.

Really? I'd forgotten that... strange. I didn't know any games were incompatible with the expansion pack. I know that Blast Corps is incompatible with the Rumple Pack, though. :)

Yeah it's pretty annoying.