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What are your opinions about the Consoles from the 8bit Generation to now- how long will for example am Megadrive or an Xbox work without problems ?
Do i have to expect that i.e. all Mastersystems will have defect Parts (like the Gamegears where nearly all have the "sound problem" with the speaker) ? And do you think in -maybe- 20 years no working MDs are still available and we all have to play Emulators ?
The general rule of thumb with machines is, the more moving parts it has the faster it breaks. Moving mechanical parts are subject to wear and tear, require lubrication and need to be properly calibrated, so those are usually the most fragile part of any machine.
Mega Drives have no moving parts at all internally (no CD drive, no cooling fans, etc), so about the only thing about them that can break are electrical components such as fuses or capacitors. In most cases, those can be fixed fairly easily. Dust and grime can also be harmful, but a little cleaning goes a long way.
This in contrast to those fragile DVD-based machines of today. You're lucky if your machine lasts the entire lifetime of the console, but there is a worrying large number of people who have already gone through four or more machines in this current generation.
I have good hope that in 20 years time, there will still be working Mega Drives. For CD- and DVD-based machines, the prospects aren't that great.
A good example: most Atari 2600s found in the wild are still in working condition. And those machines are about 30 years old! Dirt, humidity, and electrical surges are the real enemies of cart-based systems, but a well maintained cart-based machine may outlive us all. I also think that raw materials used "back in the day" were probably of higher quality. Newer systems have smaller, "better" electronics which probably cost a lot less to make and don't last as long. That's just a suspicion, since I'm not technically inclined, but it seems like things made 20-30 years ago used superior materials for the most part since raw materials were cheaper.
how long the systems last is about 90% owner care and about 10% parts fatigue. Most people's systems are left on the floor and full of dust, pet hair, and god knows what else. They get kicked around, knocked over (while running), yanked off of entertainment centers from tantrums, thrown in closets, cars, etc., and just get generally mistreated. All of my systems, at least once they were in my care, are kept in an entertainment center with good ventilation (the ones that need it, pre-CD systems and Sega CDs don't get very hot) and are never subjected to rough play. Because of this, I have NEVER had a system I have personally owned cease to work, not even my FC Twin that the internet swears will commit suicide after 2 weeks. The only system I have nearing death is my game gears because of the capacitors. They still work, but you have to turn the brightness all the way down when starting them or they shut themselves off. Also, one of the d-pads are broken, but that's my mom's fault. Any problems I have come across were pre-existing from the previous owner, like the broken reset button on my Genesis 2 or the inability for either 32X to play Chaotix even though I've tested it on a friend's setup. My PS2 has hundreds and hundreds of hours of play, and it still works like the day I bought it.
the reason older systems appear to be more durable is that they don't undergo the heat and other problems modern systems have. Also, the number of components on newer systems is staggering by comparison, and anyone can identify that more parts=more chance of one failing. Older systems had problems too, though, look at the NES. Many people went through more than 1 NES back in the day because of the dogshit pin connectors. Changing a pin connector is no different than changing the laser in a PS2. Up until the current gen, usually a new laser would fix all problems, and the only reason the laser went bad was dust/dirt or physical impact one way or another. The current gen usually has problems relating to inferior heatsinks or heatsink attachment methods. Even the early PS3s are starting to have problems stemming from the heatsink. Technology is just getting to the point that passive plate air cooling isn't enough, they will need to start moving to a more effective water-type cooling system.Quote:
Originally Posted by sketch
The damn finicky lockout chip in the NES didn't help things either... In many cases NES cartrige connections don't need to be replace, rather heavily cleaned, possibly polished to remove oxide buildup (fine sandpaper or emery board), and disabling the 10NES chip does wonders. (makes you wonder how much of the added reliability of the NES 2 comes from the lack of the chip rather than the toploading mechanism)
Many of those replacement 72-pin connectors tend to be really stiff too, you really have to force the carts in and yank them out.
I still have the very first Genesis, 7800, SMS consoles I ever bought. But I am on my second PS1, enough said.
That's one good thing about the N64 using cartridges. ;)
Never had a console stop working. I try to take good care of everything I own. I've only broken one game in my life, while in a (non game-related) fit of rage, and it still bothers me today that I did that.
funny you say that because there are stacks of non-working N64s at my Play N Trade. Just because it uses a cartridge doesn't make it bullet proof. Nintendo's proprietary stubborness costs their hardware dearly in longevity and reliability. The Genesis is probably the most tried and true piece of electronics ever built with years of proven use for every component in arcades and computers.Quote:
Originally Posted by kool kitty89
Good point; the simplicity of earlier systems definitely helps their longevity. But there are always people who cut corners and made cheap junk (I understand Colecovision and Atari 5200 controllers fail at an incredibly high rate).Quote:
Originally Posted by 17daysolderthannes
Personally, the only console I ever had stop working was an XBOX. Last system I bought, first system to ever break. All my old gaming machines are still running strong... and hopefully will for a long time to come. And responding to your question of "one day will everyone only play on emulators?", I think the answer is no. Even if all the systems die, there are plenty of people who are able to fix them.
A regular XBOX? Usually regular XBOXes are fairly resilient since, like the Genesis, they were built mostly from off the shelf parts. As for system repairs, I don't know about that. Are you prepared to spend $200-$300 to fix a Genesis? I guarantee thats what you would get charged by a professional electronics repairman, especially since it would be a whole lot of guess and check work. Keep in mind, though, there are still tons of record players from the 70's floating around that work fine, and those DO have moving parts, lots of them.Quote:
Originally Posted by TjN001
17days, I still have my FC Twin I bought early last year and it works each and everytime. I wonder what those people that said it dies easily were smoking? They probably worked for Messiah and were trying to hype the Gen NEX. Now THAT was a POS..
I think some of it may have been owners of the first gen FC Twin that had a green sky in Star Fox and a longer incompatibility list. Ever since it was packaged in a Yobo box with the Yobo logo on the actual system, reports seem to be more positive.Quote:
Originally Posted by RowdyRodimus