How many colors did PlayStation debugging stations come in?

Hi, I'm new.

I've been reading all the threads on this forum I can about the various models of the PlayStation that came out, especially the blue and green ones.

However, I've noticed some possible color discrepancies in the photos that I've been looking at of various debugger models.

For instance, here is a nice photo of a DTL-H1000.



It looks like it is a deep Navy or Royal Blue. However, I have seen some like this one:

Now, this one is also labeled as DTL-H1000 (from a poster on racketboy)


But it looks much lighter. Is it just the flash? Does the blue coloring fade over time?

I've also come across this photo on a different collecting forum:



It looks like the two blue units in the middle are slightly different shades. Also you can see that the controller ports on the leftmost blue one are much lighter than the rest of the case, something that isn't true on some other models I've seen.

There's also this unit on the forum here from user Teancum, that looks quite odd:



This one looks the deepest blue of them all, but the controller ports are very light. Is it possible that this unit has had the controller port replaced at some point with parts from a lighter colored unit?

 

All blue debugginstations came out of the factory the same shade of blue. The differences you see in the pictures are the results of different types of lighting/camera settings, and/or the harsh effects of time and science; specifically colors fading due to exposure to sunlight and other similar situations.

Theres only 2 colors of debugginstations: blue and green. Thats it. Maybe there were some grey models for show purposes but we all know what that would look like.

 

The debugging stations only came in blue and green. If they seem off (like Teancum's) it's because they are sun faded. The black one is the Net Yaroze developer station.

 

I see. Is it normal for the controller ports to be such a lighter shade of blue? Going by this image they should match the console fairly closely:



Or perhaps the last unit (Teancum's)in my post has had the ports swapped with a more faded unit some time in its life?

 

Only Blue and Green were made. They fade from the air and UV light (the sun).
The buttons and controller ports became different colours quicker because they either had a higher or lower flame retardant mix than the console did.
To keep your consoles plastic in good shape, keep it away from UV light. If you want to preserve it, it must be stored in the dark in an air-tight bag with the air sucked out. Having a moisture absorption pack inside is also a good idea.

 

Grey debugging stations were made as well, for use in trade shows, just like the DTL-HxxxxxS units later.

 

Wow. I have never seen a photo of it in Grey. Good post Twilight

 

My green debug has black controller/memory card port, while in the first photo it seems that the two green debugs have green ones.

 

Well, I suppose it's self-explanatory, but clearly your system has had the ports replaced with those from a Net Yaroze.

Back in the day developers were more concerned with convenience and functionality than collectibility. These systems weren't nearly as special to them as they are to us now. It might seem strange to cannibalize some black parts from a very expensive Yaroze rather than track down a replacement from a more common and cheaper SCPH-100X series, but when there's work to be done you use what you can find about the office.

 

That's exactly right.

 

It would most likely be due to having controller / mem card plugged in, thus preventing the ports being damaged by UV.

 

It seems so.

Although I've seen numerous references to these systems being "sun faded" that seems a misnomer. It looks like they might actually do the reverse. They darken over time after exposure to sunlight. Have a look at this DTL-1001 from the forum:



There were previously stickers covering the lighter areas of the casing and protecting them from UV. When the stickers were pulled off they left lighter areas underneath.

Alternative theory: The adhesive of the stickers somehow reacted with the plastic of the console and caused the discoloration.

 

No, that blue under the sticker is the original color (or at least closer to the original color). The area was protected from the sun by the sticker. When these sun "fade" they dont go lighter, they fade darker, similar to the yellowing of the white/grey consoles. It's quite simple to understand, really.

The controller ports seem to be less affected because the plastic may bave been different, containing less of the ingredient (supposedly a chemical, the fire-retardant) that causes the discoloration. Same reason that super nintendos sometimes yellow unevenly, see here: http://www.atariage.com/forums/uploads/monthly_09_2012/post-16281-0-08553500-1346654125_thumb.jpg and here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/redbeardmathpirate/5629952502/

 

That's exactly what I was saying.

Now, what is a good reference photo for a pristine blue unit? I have this one in my photo collection from a page that said that it had just been removed from a previously unopened box.



I think that it is slightly lighter colored than many of the units I've seen offered for sale around the net.

 

Just out of curiosity, I understand how retr0bright works and I use it a lot on old computer parts, but would it work for colors or cases like such?

 

Retrobrite should work, but you have to be careful about how it is mixed. On the problems and pitfalls page there is this image and info:



" Use of Hair Bleach products on dark coloured parts.

Lorne found a hair bleach product that originally looked promising on beige parts, however, when this was tried on dark blue coloured parts that had turned almost black, it was noticed that the surface had changed as shown below.

The best guess as to the chemical in the hair bleach that caused this is called Terpene; this has chemically etched and denatured the surface slightly. If you wish to try a hair bleach product, please stay away from any that appear to contain solvents or chemicals such as terpenes."

 

I have been using retrobright for some time, so I have enough trust in my mix to go try this finally. Thanks!

 

Alright, but If I were you I would try it on a part that is hidden within the casing first to make sure it doesn't harm the plastic. There is a mechanism underneath the eject button that is made of the same plastic as the case, but it is completely hidden when the system is assembled. I think that would be the best test piece to see if it will "denature" it.

If you do, be sure to post pictures!

 

Of course, I would not do anything without a complete testing process. Way too risky, but I think this might pay off.