PSX upgrade? Perhaps?

I know most if not all PSX models have shit lasers. I'm curious, is it possible to replace this with more current lasers, perhaps better quality parts?

 

I recently put a SCPH-102 laser in my weird one that plays anything. Works just great.

 

Wait, are we talking PS1 or PSX?

 

I'd assume PlayStation. Why people insist on calling it the PSX is beyond me.

 

Apparently it was named PlayStation-X at some point, and the press refered to it as such. Sony later Removed the X from the name, but the PSX acronym persisted.

Anyway. There are many places arround the net that sell replacement lasers that work on PlayStation and PSOne. Shouldn't be hard to find them with some googling.
I don't know who manufactures them or how good they are, though.
I really should get some myself, to have replacements just in case.

 

That very reason is why I own 8 PlayStation. lol I often find them for £2 - £10 so I just grab them If I do see them.

 

Interestingly, when I worked at Virgin Megastores about 9 years ago, the 3-letter code in their system for PlayStation was PSX.

 

This is it sadly.

 

I don't know if there are better quality laser assemblies for PS1 but you can buy replacements online for not too much, maybe $20 to $30. I bought some awhile ago when I modded a couple PS1s I got dirt cheap cause their lasers had died or stopped reading games well enough to play. It's important to know there are several different models of PS1 and different laser assembly types that fit them. SCPH 100x, and 300x I think used a model ACM assembly. 500x I think uses ADM. 700x and 900x use AEM. The PSOne aka SCPH 10x series uses a BAM laser assembly. The AEM and BAM I've heard are most reliable as well as those models of PS1s in general. Also you can use the wrong model laser assembly in some model PS1s if you make it fit phsyically. To use BAM on the original SCPH-1001 I had to use a knife and carve off some of the case but in the end it fit and works great.

I'm sure in warehouses in various places there are just stacks of unused laser assemblies for PS1. They made so many systems as it was so popular and the early model lasers were poorly designed and had to be replaced so they made alot of new assemblies. One of the reasons PS1 has a bad rep with the laser is that early laser models (AAM, ABM too maybe?) in the early PS1 models were located close to the power supply section of the PS1 which would get warm or even hot and the plastic used in some of the parts would deform and cause the laser to come out of alignment with the disc surface which is very bad. Later versions use better materials and shouldn't have that problem I believe.

 

For how cheap playstations are going for I dont know why you wouldn't just buy a replacement instead of going to the trouble of replacing the laser.

 

This topic reminds me that i still need to fix my first PS1, a SCPH-1001. That thing lasted for 7 years till it finally died (Both reading and spinning disc). I'll check for prices this weekend.

 

I commented it in other threads, the X is because when the PS1 was still in development and it was shown to the media, the used codename was "Playstation eXperimental" (just like the N64 was called Ultra 64 when it wasn't yet released). When the PS1 was released they decided to call it just PlayStation, but for that moment people was already used to call it PSX.

 

RRRrrrrrergardless, PSX =/= PS1.

 

As I've read on wikipedia, the early laser required voltage changing for certain stuff, whereas later models auto switched the voltage. Any laser from anything past a SCPH-5500 should be perfect. My PlayStation that boots anything couldn't read certain discs with it's original laser but it plays everything perfectly with the laser from the SCPH-102 I put in.

 

Sorry folks, I'm just going with what I'm used to, and that happened to be PSX for the original playstation. A common theme I've seen is folks saying "why not just get a replacement" which isn't what I'm going for at all.

What I wish is to replace the laser with a more current, higher quality piece.

 

To achieve what exactly?

 

Well, as time goes on, the amount of units out there slims. Ten years ago you could get a sega genesis, 32x, and a sega cd for $20-30. Now it ranges from $50 on up. There are more ps1 units out there then were produced for the older generations (Maybe minus the 2600) however as time wears on, more and more will crap out. Those that break will be disposed of/donated. The broken donations people buy will be disposed of. So basically I'm storing up for a long winter, and trying to add to the lifespan of my consoles. And off in the future buying another console to replace the parts won't be a valid option anymore.

 

More importantly, just buying another console means you'll get another used laser. When you buy a replacement laser it has not been used before. It's not hard to put them in. If done right it's like having a brand new PS1.

 

I have 8 PlayStation right now, why do you think that is? I buy them whenever I see them for £5 or less. Unless it's boxed, then I'll stretch to £10.

My favourite console ever.

 

I see lots of old PlayStation consoles on flea markets. Most of them are in poor condition, but sometimes when you open the CD tray the inside looks like new. With a bit luck you can buy them for under €5.

It's a good idea to buy PS1 spare parts or consoles in this time because they are widely available and pretty cheap. I also think the prices for lasers will rise in the future.