Broken Consoles. Should You Buy Them?

Buying Broken Consoles
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Should you buy broken consoles? That’s an interesting question. In this video I discuss my experience and strategies when it comes to buying broken retro consoles to refurbish and build my collection.
//Stuff From Video:
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---
Timestamps
0:00 Intro
2:19 Broken consoles that may not be broken
5:21 Common problems with broken consoles
8:54 Consoles with known issues
10:51 How I repair broken consoles (DIY)
16:47 Thought and conclusion - Is it worth it?
-----
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// TOOLS AND GEAR I Use For Video Game Console Modding (Soldering Equipment, Flux,
►All other stuff I use: www.amazon.com/shop/machonacho...
-----
// These stores provide fantastic GEAR and MODS for RETRO CONSOLES! If you use the following links below, I received a small percentage from sales at no cost to you. This is a great, free way to support the channel (Affiliate)!
○ Stone Age Gamer (Flash Carts and other great Retro Tech)
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○ eBay (Second Hand Retro Gaming Gear and More. It’s where I buy a lot of the consoles I mod!)
► ebay.us/NCwNkl
○ Sendico (Proxy Service to bid on Japanese Auctions. I use Sendico to get great deals on Retro Consoles directly from Japan!)
► sendico.com/referral/MachoNacho
-----
// Intro Music for Retro Renew Series by Matthew McCheskey:
► matthewmccheskey.bandcamp.com/
-----
Disclaimer: This video is only for entertainment purposes. Any injury, damage, or loss that may result from improper use of tools, equipment, or from the information in this video is the sole responsibility of the viewer and is to be used at the discretion of the end user/viewer and not Macho Nacho Productions or Tito Perez. If you are uncertain about any step of the process or feel unsure about your skill level, seek a more authoritative source.
Affiliate Disclosure: I get a small percentage of each sale that uses an affiliate link or coupon code. It’s a great way to help SUPPORT my channel at no cost to you so I can continue to make these videos for all of you, everyone wins! And as always, thank you for your continued support of my channel!
#RetroCollecting #BrokenConsoles #MachoNachoProductions

[@Mrx7tloma]

Biggest tip I learned. If you see someone selling a huge lot of systems and they state they have not attempted repairs on. Step away if you notice they sell refurbished or modded consoles. These are obviously ones they couldn’t repair and are now attempting to pass them off to someone else in a repair failed state.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Good tip!

[@fireexit14]

100%. I always avoid sellers who claim "They never tried the console because they're missing the DC cable" or something similar, regardless of whether they sell refurbished or not

[@Mrx7tloma]

@@fireexit14 depends on what it is sometimes. I have got a lot of handhelds where they stated couldn’t test did not have charger. Then I face palm hard because I’m like it takes double A. Which it works for me because I get them dirt cheap and they always work.

[@johnnieduke95]

There's just something about bringing life back to faulty old electronics that makes me smile

[@TheRationalPi]

Absolutely! Especially when you know that working out-of-production consoles are just getting more rare by the day, saving one from the landfill is really gratifying.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Completely agree!

[@IdentifiantE.S]

@@TheRationalPiFr that’s so cool and good for the planet !

[@X862go]

Agreed couldn't give you a little because it's at 69 nice 😅

[@cheezyfriez12]

Don't forget deep cleaning an unloved controller or system!

[@jm3493]

I love the feeling of fixing a console. Even if I cannot fix them, I've at least got a donor console for the future.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

It’s an amazing feeling for sure!

[@hadesmcc]

Tips that I've learned: patience and perseverance go a long way. Also, talking to Simon and/or reading his threads, helps a lot too! Great video as always. P.S. - to anybody out there trying to get the help of somebody else to fix something, be respectful.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Simon is an incredible resource

[@hadesmcc]

@@MachoNachoProductions Pretty much. :)

[@ianfairbanks1318]

@@hadesmcc who is this simon?

[@FearHeyZeus]

@@ianfairbanks1318did you ever find who simon is?

[@ianfairbanks1318]

nope@@FearHeyZeus

[@gunpeiyaboi5280]

discovering your channel piqued my curiousity enough to buy a 2 pack of broken game boys for almost the price of a working one. one toothbrush with isopropyl alcohol later, along with some frankensteining, and I had one fully functioning DMG-01 and another in almost perfect condition besides a screen that I replaced with an IPS kit. although the whole process felt like one big gamble, i'm glad i took the risk on my own agency as well as your guidance. thanks for the return on investment and helping to build a community of gracious living through bespoke gaming devices 🙌

[@shadowarez1337]

The thrill of fixing something broken is what drives me to eBay for parts/not working i repaired a Broken Gigabyte Aorus Extreme x570 when i seen the cost $2000 i had to try at the insane price of $250 took a chance paid off big time.

[@andipajeroking]

Wait what, 2000$ for a mobo? Who in the right mind pays more than 200$ for a working one....

[@Y2CAE]

I'm so happy to see you talking about this in a video! Been watching your videos since early lockdown, and over the years I've been building a collection of retro consoles, with each one modded and customized, all of which were faulty from ebay or a thift store. There are some really awesome tips in here, keep up the awesome work!

[@tigheklory]

Great video Tito! The way I have most of my consoles is I bought them when they were clearanced. For example I got my Sega Nomad for $39.99 CIB in Electronics Boutique back in the day. I got my Neo Geo Pocket Colors when Walmart was blowing them out one Black Friday for $30. Same with the GB Micros. That is the best way to pick up consoles and handhelds, but obviously you need to have the money and forethought to get them when nobody wants them.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Oh man that’s amazing! I wish I had the foresight to do that when I was a kid

[@tigheklory]

@@MachoNachoProductions Yeah well, I'm 48 so I wasn't a kid when I got all that stuff. LOL.

[@Beavernator]

THIS is how I've always collected things... Especially game at the VERY end of its life... Those games always end up being expensive...

[@justinmohns8279]

It was so awesome when EB Games here in Canada liquidated all their Gameboy Micros. I was buying them for ~$40 iirc. I cleaned out all the stores in in town.

[@jasonyates7568]

Great video! Your time and effort has not gone unnoticed. Keep up the great videos Tito. About 90% of my 40+ console/handheld collection has been labeled and sold as "broken". My 11 year old son and I have been restoring them together (under my watching eye, lol) and sometimes referring to your videos for help if we hit a snag. The satisfaction of restoring them back to their glory days is an absolute joy (for the both of us and it gives us something to bond over as well). Building memories that he'll hold on to forever. Thanks again Tito.

[@SpinDlsc]

The fat PS2 (with 1 controller) that I bought half a year ago only had the issue of not being able to read discs, and only cost me 40 bucks on eBay. Bought a replacement lens and re-greased the rails. Now it works like new! And of course, I now have OPL on my memory card and an SSD loaded with all my game backups on it. Went on a roughly 100-hour PS2 gaming binge immediately after fixing it, so I'd say I got my money's worth out of it! I definitely want to learn proper soldering though, as I have an old Sega Genesis that I want to recap.

[@MayorMori]

Your videos are so good and entertaining. I really enjoyed seeing you refurbish this console. Thanks for sharing the tips too. You’ve inspired me to buy and repair some Gameboys. Keep up the great work.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

So glad you enjoyed it!!

[@rorykelly8275]

I love saving old stuff, I get loads of it given to me broken and now have around 2 years of work backed up. There's nothing better than getting things working like new again. As usual, thanks for another great video Tito.

[@djstyles97]

You and your channel have definitely been an inspiration for me to take up this hobby. Thanks again for the great content.

[@timit2thelimit]

So glad I found your channel as someone juuuuuust getting into console restoration. Thanks so much for sharing your knowledge, resources, and process

[@Xucru]

found your channel couple of weeks ago, and your content is amazing, very well produced in every detail. I'm just beginning my retro games collection so this help me a lot. Greetings from Brazil!

[@Sendico-En]

Nice video Tito! We love seeing these old gems brought back to life ♥

[@onasazi]

Great video! Loved it! I also started to do the pick up broken consoles while in pandemic. If i can’t fix, if will serve as for parts. As you mentioned in your video, most of the time the fixes are someone easy.

[@SuperLuigiGuy64]

Been doing this myself, very informative. Thanks Tito.

[@frvo]

I did buy a broken launch model PS3 CECH12 (Japanese version). I hope one day I could swap the RSX video processor for a 65nm (frankenstein it 😁)

[@johnnyreiling5633]

Love your videos man. It might just be the warm colors and soothing music but I find your videos therapeutic. Keep it up man 👍

[@cursodetecnologia]

Tito, I'm your fan, I live in Brazil and I really admire your work! You are a inspiration for me, I wanted to share with you a little of that feeling that you bring to me when you open your channel! Your channel is by far the best retrogamer channel on KZbin!

[@fredlc4391]

Thank you for your dedication and videos. Its because of you that I've started modding consoles and am looking to repair and mod more in the future. No regrets.

[@TheRedOwl]

You should do more vids on frequent refurbs of stuff you buy, would be great content to chew on! And happy to see people like you who try to save old unwanted or slightly broken electronics which may or may not need abit of work to bring them back to life.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

I’d definitely love to do more refurb videos! They’re a lot of fun

[@justinmohns8279]

@@MachoNachoProductions Looking forward to your video on plastic polishing when I finally send you that Konami thing.

[@Mospen]

This is an excellent video covering a wealth of information on repairs. Your Perspective is very informative and I appreciate the links you provide in the description. You truly are an inspiration!

[@bobafittness1346]

I just got into the hobby cause of your channel. Well put together videos and top advice. Thank you for that.

[@ScruffyLookinRGB]

Great advice Tito! Congradulations on getting that MD up and running again that is one beautiful console.

[@A3rgan]

Thanks for the shout out and glad to see another SEGA CDX / Multi-Mega saved! :)

[@xpacerx]

I love these resurrection videos especially with the voice over on what was done.

[@WhatAboutZoidberg]

Great video overview, especially the 303 protectorant. Def gonna try that out on a few of my darker systems.

[@kurama251]

Great video and awesome advice. The only thing I would have mentioned is while buying a broken console and having faith in your repair skills/luck on not getting someone's mess up is consider the total price of the console and all that you may need to buy to repair it. If it still adds up to being full price, you may as well get back to hunting for a deal or just get it straight out. (Obviously hunt for the better deal) but I know some won't be able to have the patients lol

[@Mrshoujo]

*Patience

[@k.k9206]

That was great! really awesome tips on buying and repairing!

[@SCorpG22]

Great video Tito, I really enjoy your channel, always have. And to this day, your intro is still sublime.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Thank you dude! So glad you’re enjoying the channel!

[@jessragan6714]

This is a great video and a fairly comprehensive introduction to console repair. I haven't done anything as heavy duty as you have, but I have swapped the shell on a Game Boy Advance, installed an ODE in a Dreamcast with a wonky GD-ROM drive, and replaced the DVD-ROM drive in a Playstation 3. And yes, a successful repair is oh so satisfying!

[@eol6632]

Another great video Tito. I have found that Sega megadrive/Genesis systems in America tend to have the same malfunction'd most of the time 1. Voltage regulator: this is from plugging the wrong power source in 2. Cartridge slot needs cleaning 3. The soldering points for the power need to be reflowed.

[@nihilism242]

Such a great video! Thank you so much!

[@rafadaolio]

I loved this video! that's actually my new hobby.. I was able to fix a broken gamecube with a falty laserdisc, but replace it with the Picoboot and have future plans to do the same with other gaming consoles, thank you so much for this great content! :)

[@RetroRick1990]

Great video, thanks for sharing, months ago, I bought a Macintosh classic that was broken, the problem: one connector from the pcb and the crt video was loose. I paid very cheap, and I am 100% happy 👍

[@moveit05]

Great video like always...👍💯

[@adamgardner28]

Your Nomad video last year made me want to purchase a used Nomad to fix up. The ebay pics showed the console working, but when it arrived, it would only power on and not play games. I replaced the AC adapter, cleaned out the contacts, and nothing. The seller said the games worked with A LOT of messing around. I ran out of vacation time and had to go back to work. The Nomad still sits in a box waiting to be resurrected. This video re-inspired me...

[@Boopop1024]

Being green 🌎 and retro games consoles 🕹 - an excellent combination 😁

[@PContreras-se4rp]

The one thing I know for sure with console repairs is that I'm not touching another 3DS unless I have to; those ribbon cables in the hinge are wack. Every other console, though, we ball.

[@ohmlord]

You're soldering has really improved.. Just thought I'd say, also I love how often you post now...just really like seeing the channel build

[@just_ugu]

Great video! I hope we have more repair stories in the future, I'm specially curious on your ways of dealing with stuck screws that had the top part destroyed (I don't know the exact term, English is not my first language)

[@Antpie94]

Should be a macho nacho referbs channel of just fixing random eBay consoles.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

I like it!!

[@nicholasfarley5967]

I would always go for contact cleaner for terminals and cartridge ports. For cartridge ports spray some on and then use some tough kitchen towel/paper wrapped around a credit card. Way cheaper than those 1up carts and works on any system.

[@justinmohns8279]

Anapan here! Thanks for the mention! It was such a chore to re-cap a Game Gear when someone just threw in random caps in an attempt to fix it. it was sold as good condition, but died after 10 minutes play. Inside was a complete mess. I fixed it, but it was horrible.

[@TheCludo]

My boyfriends grandparrents once found a Green DSi XL with a dead top screen. Wer bought another broken unity for repair parts and now we have a working Green/Blue DSi XL

[@CraigyGInDaHut1993]

Reading up helps a lot and watching repair videos. Watched plenty of your videos on modding but never done it yet apart from software mods. Did get a backwards compatible PS3 for £20 as the person's daughter stuck 3 DVD's in the drive. Took it apart and got the discs out. Took a while to get it realigned to work properly but is flawless now.

[@azcheermva]

I din’t buy a faulty console but I repair my 12 years old ps2 phat console, i didn’t find a replacement video output but I managed to mod into a hdmi port, I feel so happy to bring it back to life!!

[@lain328]

With all the mods out there, I hope Less consoles get get thrown out for having bad lasers. Even if you can't repair the disc diver, there are still other ways to play the games.

[@69skatermike]

What an important part arpeggios played in retro music. Nice intro

[@r.a.w.talentart]

Lovely stuff. I've worked with Simon Lock before and made a custom SNES for him. Great guy and he knows his stuff Cheers Tito

[@ethanwashoe5868]

I recently got into this hobby of trying to repair broken consoles, I was able to fix some Ps2’s that couldn’t read disks but also broke one. It is very rewarding but also crushing when it doesn’t work. Anyway I love these videos hope to see more of you fixing broken consoles

[@Evercade_Effect]

Great guide. It kinda makes me want to do this if the price is right

[@kanggoo57]

i buy every broken console in a thrift shop. usually super simple to fix, ps2s especially are prone to just have a dirty laser, easiest flip of my life.

[@d.r.807]

Yes! This is exackty what i have done the last three years. In fact, i have managed to source over 15 consoles that all required minor repairs to get back to working order. Most notable finds and fixes include a backwards compatible PS3 console, two jailbreakable PS4 consoles, a softmodded OG XBOX and soft modded Nintendo Wii. Thanks for making this video!!

[@MauriceHall]

Great video!

[@djlancematthew]

I have had a lot of the same experiences when it comes to buying consoles. I have other ways than buying them online that I get them. Getting an unopened console has been a joy of mine for quite some time.

[@frankiesilva7176]

“If someone can build it, someone can fix it” just gotta be willing to put in the work

[@MachoNachoProductions]

I love this!

[@Aeduo]

Except for weird proprietary components/custom silicon, especially you get in to the newer electronics.

[@Bakamoichigei]

Aww man, you're givin' away all our best tricks! 😂 Totally right about people just not bothering; I've got like a dozen "for parts, non-working" Super Famicom consoles, and almost every single one just needs the caps replaced. (No sync from the Multi Out, but the RF works fine.)

[@_Moon-Drop]

this is a great video thank you!

[@ezrawalker]

Excellent video.

[@CharlesSpadina]

Enhorabuena por el vídeo Tito. Saludos desde Irlanda! :)

[@stephenshelottiii3272]

I get a great sense of accomplishment from fixing broken and ugly consoles. Great video Tito!!

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Same here! Thanks Stephen!

[@AcidRyo]

informative vid for those who are new to collecting/modding community.

[@robertwolfmodz5246]

Awesome video man!

[@cbaker2102]

ive bought so many "broken" gameboys, and all i did was clean the motherboard, and it was working again

[@HighDollarHobo]

Good job on the Sega cdx Tito! I've been researching replacement laser for my ps1 and see it's a huge risk of failure 😂

[@emdotrod]

Back in 2022 my friend gave his PS2 slim because he no longer use it. I tried to mod it and now I have 3 PS2s

[@numberoneappgames]

This was good starter for anyone that wants to buy older consoles and fix them up to save some money. :D

[@TheMeerviin]

That's why I've started repairing smartphones, satisfaction that I get from every unit repaired keeps me wanting more :)

[@davidhunt240]

Thanks for making a video on the venerable CDX 😀there are lots of useful tips for the novice getting into fixing up consoles as a cheap way of growing a collection (and saving stuff from landfill) I've being doing this for a long, long time now - and I've found it to be a satisfying hobby ☺ for soldering tips (and some salty talk on politics and corporations) have a watch of Louis Rossmann's videos on board level repair. About a decade ago, I bought three of these from a Sega collector who was having a clearout of "dead" stuff, they all needed new laser modules. Stripping one apart, I found the Sanyo SF-C93 laser assembly - and using a Philips calibration CD I was able to get the "dead" lasers to work again by adjusting the photodiode offset a very tiny amount, that enabled the PWM to the motor drive to work and make the spindle rotate. Then it was a relatively simple matter of adjusting the Multi-Mega (CDX) CD player PCB PLL to be in the middle of the disc frequency and the feedback from the opamp tracking circuit not to produce too much overswing - that makes games lockup when the head move back and forth quickly. The anti-static link is there because the photodiode array has a huge impedance, in the order of giga ohms, thus is easily damaged by high voltage discharge of its inherent capacitance (20pF) it's a bit pointless though as the end of the flex cable should be grounded for real anti-static protection and a ground wire soldered to the chassis during installation - I've repaired several 1st generation CD players and the service manuals are at pains to describe the lengthy anti-static precautions. It is difficult to put electrostatic suppression onto these photodiode arrays without affecting their performance, so it is really just shipping protection and after that, be careful....

[@exige7227]

I have bought a few broken gameboys and PSP's over the years. Its pretty rewarding when you get it working!

[@0neWhoKnocks]

It is quite a nice feeling and a lot of fun. I bought an untested as is OG Xbox. I plugged it in and turned it on and it booted up just fine, but put a game in and nothing. I dropped in a replacement laser assembly and I was in business! While I was at it, I re-pasted the Cpu and Gpu and of course swapped in a new clock cap. I also modded it with Silent fans a 1tb hdd and softmodded it with the xbmc4gamers dash!

[@Mr.Hatchet224]

Love this episode

[@KatsuyaTheFuuk]

I just ordered a "For Parts or Repair" Halo Reach edition Xbox 360 off of eBay, and I'm really looking forward to seeing what there is to do. The seller said he's calling it this because he doesn't have cables to test it, so anything can happen. Ready for anything!

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Nice! Best of luck!

[@KatsuyaTheFuuk]

@@MachoNachoProductions Update: It went very well! Had a dead DVD laser, and that was it. Replaced the laser, and it's back to being a fully functional 360. So glad it turned out so well

[@HornHeaDD]

Great vid, man.

[@Leinner16]

I started giving some cleaning and care to Joysticks and controllers, everytime taking a harder challenge. Aside from being interesed in repairing/modding for me the most important thing is having the right tools and a lot ammount of care!.

[@fabulousfilou7235]

Great Video as always I do quite the same things that you describe in your video. Funny enough the last system i restored and moded (i live in PAL region...) was a Sega Mega Drive 2 with the Mega CD 2 addon. I paid about 50€ for it and now it works perfect. These systems get quite pricy. Restoring newer systems are quite challenging for me atm. Still have to get better at some methods. Just bought a hot air gun and i practice. You can do a lot of damage very quickly with these things.

[@thegreatgario3478]

i still can't believe what i found in a broken sega CD model 1 once - the drive doesn't open (i know how to fix it, needs a new gear) the game that was stuck in it was shining force CD so uh yeah definitely made the purchase of the broken console worth it :)

[@joanalbertmayolcolom]

I started this journey, unknowingly, many years ago when I "repaired" an Ipod from a friend of mine with a knife (i repaired it, but also kinda ruined it aesthetically hehe). Now I'm waiting for a broken Pokémon Mini to start the journey again, with proper tools, full access to the internet and an adult mind. I don't know why, but tinkering with stuff always makes me happy!

[@JBITProjects]

Great video and thanks for all the tips! Definitely struggle when it comes to repairing DVD drives, they can be very frustrating. I bought some lasers off Ali and still didn't fix it , and after watching this I fear Simon may be correct.

[@TRUENOGTAPEX1600]

Lots can go wrong, but that's how you learn. All my consoles including my Neo Geo MVS cabinet were purchased for parts, broken etc. All have been revived by me and even improved upon. It's saved me tons of money and I've even been able to cash out some of the sweat equity I've put it which is cool.

[@mgreco712]

When I got into this, I was shocked at how many issues were fixed by simply giving the system a good clean!

[@JustAPersonWhoComments]

Fixing them is like unlocking a secret cheat code for savings and satisfaction. Plus it's a great way to keep consoles out of the landfill and make friends with repair shop owners

[@Sturmvogel]

More videos like this please. Interested to hear how you refurbished the SNES shown. Like repairing cracks or missing pieces in the console itself. Did you buy a new shell? I second buying used stuff from Japan. Japanese people by and large take good care of their things. Even when buying consoles or games listed as "Rough" they're usually in way better condition than stuff listed as "barely used!" here in the States.

[@terencerenshaw91]

The best satisfaction is fixing a system from your childhood.🕹🎮

[@haleypotter417]

Was watching your laserdisc gaming video again recently, and was wondering if you had heard of the Domesday duplicator? I would love to see your style applied to an installation of it.

[@marty_mcvader]

I buy broken consoles almost exclusively. Half the time, just giving the cartridge slot a good cleaning brings them back to life. Other times, it’s been a relatively simple fix, like bodging a broken power port on a PS2, or a busted AV connector on an Atari 2600. As for the ones with faulty disc drives, I usually just go the ODE route.

[@reyesalvarezraul]

Thank you !

[@linkdelodela]

If you start doing repairs tutorial, i'm hype for it

[@MRgrimlock84]

Understanding common faults is my most important tip. I've successfully repaired about 95% of the broken consoles I've acquired since I have a good idea of what it needs before it even arrives.

[@frogjmon]

@ 6:20 if someone wants to practice removing a component I usually suggest going to a goodwill and finding some cheap electronic to take apart for practice. Or look around the house and see if you've got something that's busted anyway.

[@Falcon5698]

My biggest rule is to avoid buying consoles with stock photos or newer consoles that have display/power issues. If a console turns on and displays an imagine on screen 90% of the time those are totally fixable and can be done by a person with avg skills. When you get into power and display issues than % goes drastically down, and better left to experts like TheCod3r. Sometimes those power issues are bad power supplies, but majority of the time they are bad chips and/or shorts that need advanced skills and equipment to repair.

[@MachoNachoProductions]

Great advice! I agree to avoiding listings with stock photos.

[@SoundToxin]

For stuff like the GBA and GBC, not powering on often means it just needs a good scrub inside and then everything will work, so I like the ones that don't power on. For newer stuff it does get a bit more complicated.

[@damian9303]

I find often that so long as you can’t see blemishes on the screens of untested portables that’d signify a broken display, they usually always work once you buy the appropriate adapter for cheap

[@Cirius1993]

One of the things, I found - buy disassembled consoles and lots with multiple consoles in one. Most of the time you can fix almost all of it and sell repaired surplus, making price for the one you keeping almost zero. And you can keep non fixable ones for parts to another lots. This saved me a LOT of money.

[@dephataznboi]

Luckily the most difficult problem I had to do when fixing a broken console is a power fuse on the GBA. Those things are so tiny!

[@hungry_bug3641]

300 bucks instead of 700+ is definitely worth it! great work! probably felt so rewarding, I can feel the satisfaction through the screen lol

[@briangilmartin662]

I've never bought any broken consoles, though I did replace the laser on my PS2 slim a few months ago. It was the first time I'd done something like that and I was really happy when it loaded my Dynasty Warriors 5 Xtreme Legends game on the first try. I'll have to keep this video in mind if I ever decide to buy a broken console for a similar repair.

[@hdlts2]

Great video!! Where/how did you learn to fix everything? I’m currently learning how to solder doing Pokémon replacement batteries and minor repairs fixing PS4 and Switch stick drift. Other than the practice Solder kits, any other tips or specific consoles for someone just getting started?

[@cloudff72000]

This advice holds very true. I managed to snag a Vita for $80 - turns out all that was needed was a charger. Buying it at a local store would have run me around $200

[@SoundToxin]

I just got a Vita (second gen) a few weeks ago that was sold for repair saying it didn't power on or anything, but the first charger I tried worked and after charging like 30 mins it powered on with no issues.

[@drivenbyfate]

I got mine for $30 the same way. The Vita has this problem where if the battery is super dead then it won't show as charging, especially over USB. But leave it plugged in long enough with an AC adapter and it will trickle charge enough for the console to start working again.

[@SoundToxin]

@@drivenbyfate I heard about that ahead of time so was fairly comfortable gambling on the one I got, but I got an orange light the second I plugged it in. It's possible the seller hadn't even tried to charge it, or that their charger was lower power or something. I have a 5 port Monoprice multi-usb charger on my desk and already had a microUSB cable plugged into it. That was the first thing I tried and it seemed to work great. It probably puts out a little more juice than the stock charger would or something. I've read about people having success using power banks and such when their other charger wasn't working to revive the undercharged battery.