PS3 BSOD - Regular tricks won't fix this issue...

As the topic says...

I managed to acquire a PS3 from a colleague at work, who said that if I manage to get it working, he'll sell it to me for $50.

"Cool," I thought, "I enjoy a challenge."

Well, this is one challenge that has me stumped. Here's the gist:

PS3 turns on. Sound comes through but no picture. I figured that it was the usual HDMI not being recognized issue, so I tried resetting the inputs. Nope, nothing. I tried using the A/V cables, but no picture through that either, but still, sound. Concering this, I've tried every single BSOD solution I could find on Google, and nothing's been able to fix this.

I can, however, boot into the recovery menu and use every single option fine. Picture, sound, HDMI, the works. Hell, even when resetting the PS3 to default settings, HDMI is detected and fully works to 1080i (or 1080p whatever it autodetects). However when it tries to load up the XBMC, no picture whatsoever.

I even tried updating it to 3.50, thinking it could be a problem with the way the previous firmware was loaded. Nothing.

I'm fresh out of ideas and getting quite confused. The only thing I can think of that's causing the problem would be something wrong with one of the chips, but as stated before, recovery console loads up fine and is even viewable at 1080i.

Any thoughts?

Just to state: I'm using a Samsung 24" monitor that does upto 1080p (and works perfectly fine with my Xbox), so there's definitely no problem with the monitor.

 

I enjoy a challenge too, and this IS one.

Some questions first though. I'm assuming it worked on your friends TV/Monitor at one point and then just stopped right? If it has never worked, I think I know the answer (HDCP). If it did work previously and has now stopped - diff issue.

Is your display HDCP compliant? Working with an Xbox doesn't count as the Xbox doesn't require an HDCP compliant monitor and in fact, what you describe perfectly matches a non HDCP compliant monitor reaction.

Questions above aside, some more...

Is it true to say when you reset it to default settings, which is 480p, you get video. And when it detects available modes it says 1080i and 1080p, but if you select these the video drops out?

When you say the recovery menu is viewable in 1080i, what do you mean? The screen res is actually 1080i or it detects 1080i as an option (which subsequently fails)?

 

It has worked before, but doesn't work now. My monitor is HDCP compliant. I even tested it on a different friends TV (he has a PS3), and that didn't work.

It also won't work with regular A/V cables.

The 10801 thing: When you use the recovery console to format your HDD, or reset to default settings, it will go through the first time setup (where you have to set time/date, etc). It detects HDMI and asks if you want to switch to it. When you click yes, it then asks if you want to use the maximum possible settings. I click yes, and it sets it as 1080i. I get picture (while still at first setup).

I keep going through to Internet options (which I don't have any Internet at home at the moment), cancel through those. After that, when it wants to load into XBMC, it BSODs. I can still select settings and everything (I get sound indicating it's selecting options), but I get no picture.

e; I should also mention, it's a PhatPS3

 

Yup, that's a doosie. Not working with regular A/V cables is the most bizarre. I would say dud HDMI chip, but nothing quite lines up.

Honestly, no freaking idea. Tried ringing Sony? It's free.

 

Kind of the same, I got a broken PS3 last weekend.

If any video cable was plugged in the PS3 would not turn on. The light would flash blue and then immediately turn off after going to red.

When video plugs were not plugged in it would happily start up and I could hear the van going. Obviously no display.

I opened up the ps3 and there were some burn marks around the HDMI area. I continued on with the usual heat gun YLOD fix and its purring along no problems at all. Running quite cool.

I did read somewhere that having a few burn marks is not the end of the board. Just try heat gun trick.

 

Tried to reflow the motherboard, no picture.

Completely stumped...

 

picture in recovery mode...
no picture in normal boot...
hdmi or component....

mate, im stumped too.

actually, have you tried setting it manually to 480p? (or whatever the lowest res is in recovery mode), i understand that it seems to work at 1080i but maybe it's worth a shot.

how did the motherboard look?

 

Did you reflow it on a rework station?

Whats BSOD?

Blue screen of dead?

 

Motherboard looked pristine. Barely touched. No dust or anything, no burn marks on the heatsink, nothing cracked. I'll try the 480i/p thing tonight, but I'm not holding my breath.

BSOD: Black Screen of Death - common name for where you get a black screen through video, but you get sound coming from speakers/headphones.

What do you mean by "reflow on a rework station"?

 

I think he just means "reflow it properly". Reflowing solder with a hot air gun is not exactly a good way to do this.

I've also got a dead PS3 here. I knew it was dead when I bought it; it was displaying the Red Screen of Death on bootup. Now (after a bit of messing around with it), it turns on for about 10 seconds and then turns off, without ever displaying a picture.

 

I didn't even know there was a way to reflow it properly. I'll do a bit of searching to see if I can find a way.

 

Well, the "proper" way would be to actually remove the chip, clean it and the PCB, reball the chip, and then solder it back down. Unfortunately even basic reflow stations aren't cheap, and the basic ones aren't powerful enough to handle big chips (as used on the PS3) properly.