I just started playing DVDs in the PS2 and there's a bit of a problem. My volume is normal and fine when the PS2 is off. Then, I turn on the DVD and I have to jack the volume on the TV way up to even be able to hear it. This produces an annoying, intermittant buzzing sound. Is there some kind of internal volume control in the PS2 that I need to set? Do I need to buy the remote?
"My image spoke to me, yes, to me and often said...YOU ARE THE SON OF INCESTUOUS UNION." - The Pixies, Nimrod's Son
The old remote does nothing as far as the sound volume goes. That buzzing actually drowns out the sound on me with some of my DVDs. I expect I'll either just buy a regular DVD player or look into the PSX when it comes out stateside.
The PS2 is really a poor DVD player. I can't play DVD's on mine unless I directly hook it up to my TV(not through VCR or Digital Box). If I don't hook it up directly, it scrolls up and down really fast and cuts in and out. Apparently one in ten PS2's do this as a botched attempt to stop pirates.
And even if my PS2 is hooked up correctly, it skips really badly. Sometimes it performs fine, sometimes it doesn't. It seems to find "layer changes" rather easily, while other PS2 or DVD players don't.
They wouldn't let me trade my PS2 in. So you might just have to buy a regular DVD player :(
Originally posted by ShotGunShepThe PS2 is really a poor DVD player. I can't play DVD's on mine unless I directly hook it up to my TV(not through VCR or Digital Box). If I don't hook it up directly, it scrolls up and down really fast and cuts in and out. Apparently one in ten PS2's do this as a botched attempt to stop pirates.
And even if my PS2 is hooked up correctly, it skips really badly. Sometimes it performs fine, sometimes it doesn't. It seems to find "layer changes" rather easily, while other PS2 or DVD players don't.
They wouldn't let me trade my PS2 in. So you might just have to buy a regular DVD player :(
That sounds like Macrovision protection, which should be on all PS2s.
Willful ignorance of science is not commendable. Refusing to learn the difference between a credible source and a shill is criminally stupid.
Regarding the buzzing, it's when certain colors dominate the screen (Cartman's bright red coat for example). I've not had any problems with volume when playing games.
Another oddity is for some reason, Princess Mononoke stops and goes back to the root menu in the exact same spot, despite playing fine on the laptop and piping the video into the SVHS plug on the TV.
I had been seeing some skipping, both in games and DVDs, but putting the console horizontally rather than upright took care of that.
As a fomer Sony employee, I can say for a fact that the PS2 is made from the cheapest parts available (just like they way the are cheap with employee's pay). It is the most shittiest DVD player, a tier above first-gen players. The X-Box is far more reliable for DVD playback. But I would recommend using a dedicated DVD player. Some disc will have problems with the PS2 no matter what. Especially with screen flicker and subtitles. And Guru is right, that is Macrovision when you try to play though a VCR. A lot of people with TV/VCR combos have problems with this. It is easy to dupe the DVD player though. If you want to play other regions.
I've had similar volume issues, but aside from that and its refusal to play a fairly banged-up DVD out of the 24 Season One box set, I've had zero problems playing any sorts of DVD with my PS2, from old scratched disks to subtitled cheapies. Then again, I don't have a first-gen system, so maybe it's something they dealt with between production runs.
Kansas-born and deeply ashamed The last living La Parka Marka
"They that can give up essential liberty to gain a little temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety." - Benjamin Franklin
The first generation PS2 where made from good parts and where sold at a loss too. The newer ones cost way less to make although some are not as noisy due to better fans. The most cost cutting thing is the laser. If anyone's PS2 still plays EVERY game with no hiccups at the 7 year mark, I would be very impressed.
So do you think that cartridge consoles have longer life potential than disc consoles? I mean, all you need to make your NES work is a new 72 pin reader, provided that your games aren't all dirty.
How expensive is it to replace the laser, and can it be done easily?
Originally posted by ShotGunShepSo do you think that cartridge consoles have longer life potential than disc consoles? I mean, all you need to make your NES work is a new 72 pin reader, provided that your games aren't all dirty.
How expensive is it to replace the laser, and can it be done easily?
Actually, I've never repaired or upgraded my NES and I still play it all the time. So yes, I think cartridges were better.
"My image spoke to me, yes, to me and often said...YOU ARE THE SON OF INCESTUOUS UNION." - The Pixies, Nimrod's Son
Originally posted by SeVen ™The first generation PS2 where made from good parts and where sold at a loss too. The newer ones cost way less to make although some are not as noisy due to better fans. The most cost cutting thing is the laser. If anyone's PS2 still plays EVERY game with no hiccups at the 7 year mark, I would be very impressed.
I pretty much play mine an hour a day, sometimes more, and it never has a problem.
“To get ass, you’ve got to bring ass." -- Roy Jones Jr.
"Your input has been noted. I hope you don't take it personally if I disregard it." -- Guru Zim
Other than some freezing that required a reboot on all the 2002 EA Sports games (works witht he 2003 and 2004 games), I've had no problems with my first gen ps2.
My first gen PS2 died about two months ago. The laser slowly quit reading...first PS1 games, then DVD, then finally PS2 or anything else I put in there.
Tried cleaning and everything else in the world. And it always set flat in the same exact spot the whole time I owned it.
The Amazing Salami's Not-So-Random W of the Arbitrary Segment of Time
CRZ CRZ says:Also, since the time change your sig has grown by 166% - please work on that.
For problems where DVD playback is much quieter than the volume level of gameplay, have you tried pressing the Select button during DVD playback, and selecting the (I think it's) Volume option? Set that option to +1 or +2 and see if it helps. I had to do that with my first PS2.
Also, the aforementioned PS2 was a launch day system, and has died out. I got it refurbished by Sony for free, and it died again about 6 months later. My personal suspicion is that the things overheat too much (mine always had troubles during the hot summer months, but played fine in the winter).
Anyway, if you check GameFAQs for a PS2 Hardware FAQ, you'll find a bunch of info on PS2s dying, not reading discs, etc. The most important nugget of information available there is that apparently, since PS2s die out so much, somebody brought a class-action lawsuit against Sony, and the end result is Sony has to fix broken PS2s for free. I don't know how much of the details are true, but I will state for the record here:
My PS2 was over a year out of warranty when Sony repaired it for free.
It seems that as long as you have never dropped/knocked over your PS2, and never immersed it in water, and you get Disc Read Errors, you qualify for the free repair. Those were the only questions they asked me over the phone. They also had me try the "Diagnosis" option in the Setup Menu, but (obviously) it didn't make the PS2 work. After that, they gave me an address to send my PS2 to, and a warranty code to include with a letter stating my name/address and a description of the issues the PS2 was having. It took about 3 1/2 weeks for me to get my PS2 back, but I only live about 25 miles away from where I had to send the PS2 to, so turnaround time for others may be longer.
By the way, when they returned it, they included an invoice which stated that all they did was replace the laser assembly.
Those store updates seem to be from a couple months ago. http://blog.us.playstation.com/2011/06/14/playstation-store-update-191/ too verbose to c&p but there you are