PS1 My PS1 is dying. LET’S PLAY RIDGE RACER ON IT!

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

So, my PS1 is starting to fry. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I usually need to flip it upside down to get it to work. It’s not TOO BAD because I have multiple things that can play PS1 games, but you know me: I’d like to play PS1 on an actual PS1. It’s a passion system for me, which means I love it irrespective of better options existing.

Today, after a few resets, I got Ridge Racer to work. It was all fine until the loading system ended, at which point the horrors began. It seems that not all the textures were loaded properly, resulting in… this.

 

[Action_Hank]

Maybe you should instead disassemble the console and find the fried capacitor or whatever.

 

[Required Username]

Have you considered buying a replacement optical drive?

 

[TruxtonTatsujin]

Same thing happened to mine, I used my PS1 for a good year upside down until the laser finally gave out.
Thankfully it's actually really easy to replace, simple as unplugging the old one and putting in the new. Just make sure you buy the right one for your model.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

I’m not into the idea of getting an ODE for my system (other systems are another story, but I like to keep my system as original as possible).

My console is a 5501. I’ve been told and seen people discussing how hard it is to actually get replacement drives, with so many scams and shams out there. What’s the usual going rate right now of some trusted ones, and where are they? I’d generally be willing to pay up to $60 for it, but I can be swayed.


I also do plan, sometime this summer, to get the capacitor replaced. That may be a fools errand, but they are near the end of their expected life and it might be nice to swap them out.

Post automatically merged: Apr 28, 2025

So, my PS1 is starting to fry. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I usually need to flip it upside down to get it to work. It’s not TOO BAD because I have multiple things that can play PS1 games, but you know me: I’d like to play PS1 on an actual PS1. It’s a passion system for me, which means I love it irrespective of better options existing.

Today, after a few resets, I got Ridge Racer to work. It was all fine until the loading system ended, at which point the horrors began. It seems that not all the textures were loaded properly, resulting in… this.

While clearly not ideal, I kind of find this beautiful? The game isn’t affected in any gameplay or auditory fashion (music doesn’t skip, which is SHOCKING). The world has this surreal vibe to it.

The game has since loaded perfectly fine. Again, my system is dying, but it’s a slow and painful death where sometimes nothing goes wrong. I’m just happy I got to record this visual freak out, since it looks kind of cool!

 

[TruxtonTatsujin]

My console is a 5501. I’ve been told and seen people discussing how hard it is to actually get replacement drives, with so many scams and shams out there. What’s the usual going rate right now of some trusted ones, and where are they? I’d generally be willing to pay up to $60 for it, but I can be swayed.

I've always used the Chinese aftermarket drives you can get on eBay, they cost about $30-40 US. I haven't bought one in a long time so I can't recommend you a seller. I've installed a few and they've never given me any issue.

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

sexy white consoles, I had the same Sony CRT back then, now im a JVC i'Art chad and never went back. Still have a VGA Trinitron for the aperture grille quality

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

sexy white consoles, I had the same Sony CRT back then, now im a JVC i'Art chad and never went back. Still have a VGA Trinitron for the aperture grille quality

This will be my personal CRT until it goes. I’m at a point in my life where getting multiple is ill advised.

Thankfully, I love it! It’s not a PVM, but it’ll do for me until I’m messing with SCART stuff in my later years.

 

[Nebulon_Galaxy]

This will be my personal CRT until it goes. I’m at a point in my life where getting multiple is ill advised.

Thankfully, I love it! It’s not a PVM, but it’ll do for me until I’m messing with SCART stuff in my later years.

Multiple ill advised? what?

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

Multiple ill advised? what?

I’m moreso saying that I’ll move from my home soon and CRT’s are usually cumbersome to move and store. I’m also in an apartment, so storage isn’t very much.

 

[Amag0k1]

So, my PS1 is starting to fry. Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn’t. I usually need to flip it upside down to get it to work. It’s not TOO BAD because I have multiple things that can play PS1 games, but you know me: I’d like to play PS1 on an actual PS1. It’s a passion system for me, which means I love it irrespective of better options existing.

Today, after a few resets, I got Ridge Racer to work. It was all fine until the loading system ended, at which point the horrors began. It seems that not all the textures were loaded properly, resulting in… this.

If you need to flip this upside down to get it to work, then it is the laser, as the lends may have over heated, causing problems with focus / raising element.

When you flp it over, it gets rid of the problem, as the lens is already down (with the help of gravity) and does not drop back as a result of wear and tear. But this is not a permanent solution.

I would recommend getting ODE for it and replace the laser completely.

You may want to replace the PSU within it also, as often they can go around the same time as the laser, if you open it unplugged and powers off (DO NOT LEAVE IT OPENED WITH POWER ON), take a photo, and see if you have any swollen caps, as they tend to cause higher resistance and as a result change current flow.

V / I x R



... >_> i mean sssssssssss ....

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

If you need to flip this upside down to get it to work, then it is the laser, as the lends may have over heated, causing problems with focus / raising element.

When you flp it over, it gets rid of the problem, as the lens is already down (wit the help of gravity) and does not drop back as a result of wear and tear. But this is not a permanent solution.

I would recommend getting ODE for it and replace the laser completely.

You may want to replace the PSU within it also, as often they can go around the same time as the laser, if you open it unplugged and powers off (DO NOT LEAVE IT OPENED WITH POWER ON), take a photo, and see if you have any swollen caps, as they tend to cause higher resistance and as a result change current flow.

V / I x R



... >_> i mean sssssssssss ....

I’ll open it and show that off. I’ll ask you all if it looks like there’s some swollen caps.

 

[Yankee]

I’ll open it and show that off. I’ll ask you all if it looks like there’s some swollen caps.

You'll be able to tell if there are. It's usually not a subtle difference. They'll be bulging noticeably.

Best of luck with it. Maintaining these machines is becoming a lost art at the same time as it's becoming more necessary than ever.

 

[OPT1MUS]

How are the startup screens (PS logo, etc)?
And the menu?
Same thing?

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

How are the startup screens (PS logo, etc)?
And the menu?
Same thing?

Nah. The boot is perfectly fine. I got a certain region freeing cart in the mail today and I just played Vib-Ribbon on it no problem! I’m going to open it up soon though. Disconnect it from power and such, you get the drill.

The game was played with the system upright. No issues on the CD reading.

 

[Zeroskill]

Can you still open the tray to put in a music cd to play while driving? Yes, I am old enough to remember this.

 

[Required Username]

My console is a 5501. I’ve been told and seen people discussing how hard it is to actually get replacement drives, with so many scams and shams out there. What’s the usual going rate right now of some trusted ones, and where are they? I’d generally be willing to pay up to $60 for it, but I can be swayed.

I've got the same model but my drive is totally shot, no spin-up, nothing, so I've been considering buying one of those Ebay clones. If/when I do I can post here which seller I used and if it worked properly.

 

[TamagotchiTamaHero24's iconTamagotchiTamaHero24]

The caps seem to be fine. I cleaned this system only a few months ago, so I knew it probably wasn’t that. It seems to just be an aging disc drive, promoted by the fact that I tried the disc swap trick on it. I think that was something that really accelerated the damage. Thankfully, I won’t make that mistake again.

 

[Amag0k1]

View attachment 63502View attachment 63503
The caps seem to be fine. I cleaned this system only a few months ago, so I knew it probably wasn’t that. It seems to just be an aging disc drive, promoted by the fact that I tried the disc swap trick on it. I think that was something that really accelerated the damage. Thankfully, I won’t make that mistake again.

I think lens only issue. However how old is your system? As in how long have you owned it? Do you know when it was last serviced?

Also note, that's is the psu caps. But there are more on the main board, if not too much trouble, can you get a look on both sides of the board?

 

[OPT1MUS]

Nah. The boot is perfectly fine. I got a certain region freeing cart in the mail today and I just played Vib-Ribbon on it no problem! I’m going to open it up soon though. Disconnect it from power and such, you get the drill.

The game was played with the system upright. No issues on the CD reading.

Hmm... looks something related to the video module: I fixed something like that 28 years ago, but - not having the console under my hands - it's hard to say.

As for the CD reading, well as you certainly know, you could act on the trimmer, but I usually do not recommend this to people, if they don't know the correct rotational angle. The console upside down sure is a way to solve the problem, but in the long run it can be even more harmful than the problem itself. There's a trick I used back then: you just need a piece of polystyrene and some old telephone cards (or something similar, provided it's made of smooth plastic). You only have to put them under the lens frame: you need to cut the polystyrene and the cards to the right size, so that they perfectly fit between the supports of the lens frame. Use the polystyrene as base, and then you add a certain number of cards until the lens rests on them (but still free to slide).

 

[Gym Ghingham]

When my first PSX console stopped working, i was so devastated i didn't play any videogames almost for 2 weeks, gaming is connected with awesome memories it is more than just having fun.

 

[Another Iori]

I’m not into the idea of getting an ODE for my system (other systems are another story, but I like to keep my system as original as possible).

My console is a 5501. I’ve been told and seen people discussing how hard it is to actually get replacement drives, with so many scams and shams out there. What’s the usual going rate right now of some trusted ones, and where are they? I’d generally be willing to pay up to $60 for it, but I can be swayed.


I also do plan, sometime this summer, to get the capacitor replaced. That may be a fools errand, but they are near the end of their expected life and it might be nice to swap them out.

Post automatically merged: Apr 28, 2025

While clearly not ideal, I kind of find this beautiful? The game isn’t affected in any gameplay or auditory fashion (music doesn’t skip, which is SHOCKING). The world has this surreal vibe to it.

The game has since loaded perfectly fine. Again, my system is dying, but it’s a slow and painful death where sometimes nothing goes wrong. I’m just happy I got to record this visual freak out, since it looks kind of cool!

Maybe my perception is influenced by some indie low-poly horror games, but it also seems to me that you're experiencing a dreamlike version of 'Ridge Racer'... the game and the system we loved so much are unfortunately dying, yet for some reason they're still working, creating a kind of purgatory suspended between life (a normally functioning game) and its forthcoming electronic death...