PS2: Vertical or Horizontal?

[deepfry]

A friend of mine just had his ps2 stop reading discs after a year and 3 months (he got a launch ps2 the lucky bastard!).

Anyways, while he was looking for info on the problem, he came across a few sites which stated that the ps2 tends to run better while positioned vertically.

Has anyone else heard this? How do you guys have your ps2s?

[Marty McFly]

When I had mine (got it at lanch and made the very stupid mistake of selling it), I had mine horizontal. My one friend has it vertical though. I guess it all matters on preference.

As for it running better vertical, I haven't really noticed the difference. I never had any problems with my PS2 though, mind you.

[elwood731]

Actually, problems I have read said that placing it vertically can actually be damaging to game discs. Placing it vertically can lead to the system burning holes in the disc (not actual holes, little rings). As for it going bad horizontally, I would chalk it up to Sony's long line of shoddy construction that has led to the PS1 and PS2 both having lots of hardware problems.

[risin]

If your ps2 is on a sturdy table you dont need to worry about the disc being scratched. Ive read that the ps2 might scratch the disc if the ps2 gets knocked over or if its shaken while the console is running.

Positioning the ps2 vertical may make the ps2 run cooler. I have mine in the vertical position because i think it looks better.

[elwood731]

It is not scratched, it is burnt. It is not from people knocking the system over, it just comes from regular use in the vertical position. This is not an isolated problem, it has been reported with a fair deal of frequency. My advice is to run it vertically at your own risk.

[MARVEL]

Finding those damn vertical stands was a bitch. I had my PS2 for almost two weeks before I found one. I use mine verically because it is hooked up to my only Sony system which is a mini system that I've had for almost 8 years. It sits perfectly beside it on my entertainment center because of the smaller footprint.

[IKEA_boy]

Even though I don't have one I always have a problem of absent minded children playing with my stuff and pulling controllers too far resulting in a Nintendo on the floor. So I would put it horizontally so the center of gravity is a bit lower and pulling would just move it and not topple it.

[Joe Michaels]

Vertical is cool, but the all that stuff came up about disc scratching and because of shelf height I had to lay it back down.

A friend of mine just had his ps2 stop reading discs after a year and 3 months (he got a launch ps2 the lucky bastard!).

The same thing happened to me. I exchanged it. I'm not going to say how, but I had to resort to desperate tactics.

[deepfry]

Can you guys point me to where you read about the burning problems related to positioning of the ps2? Thanks!

[dvds'r'us]

I put mine horizontally. I had my PS2 vertically for exactly a week until my friend was playing a game and had the controller basically wrapped around me while I was sleeping and I moved, and knocked the system on to the floor about a 3 ft. drop! Also the tv fell as well because it was hooked in the back and the cord was not long enough so it pulled the tv along with it. I'm very lucky though that my PS2 nor 19" tv are broken. Thank God! but maybe that's a good reason why I put a warranty on my PS2. But ever since then it's been horizontally in a different place where theres a 99.9% chance that the PS2 will never fall. Everythin still runs smooth! but before my 1 yr. warranty is up I'm gonna exchange it. Just to be sure that my PS2 will last. I'll also put another warranty on top of that.

[MARVEL]

Wow dvds'r'us sounds like you got crazy lucky on that one. But I thought about something like that and anchored mine down to where the controller will come out before the player even moves. Of course right after I did this the cord got wrapped around my ankle as I stood up and it worked like a charm. And thank goodness.

[deepfry]

Okay, so for those who have their ps2s vertical, I have a few more questions:

1) How long have you had your ps2 situated that way?
2) When did you get your ps2?
3) Have you had any problems with discs?

Thanks! (I just don't want any harm to come to my discs or my ps2 if I can do anything to prevent it!)

[risin]

Ive had mine since feb but i dont play it that often, i didnt use it for 4 months in 01. Ive never had a problem with any games. It has always been in the vert postion, i just think it looks cool.

[SolidSnakeASS]

Horizontal, vertical is suck.

[four]

i have mines verticle, i have no space for it to be any other way.

i've only had it a couple of months, and i've had no problems, i just go the verticle stand today, and the official dvd remote (which is a godsend compared to the piece of shit free one i got).

[Sam_Lowry]

I have the same probelm. No difference. Don't send the PS2 in. Fight For Another ONE!! Like I am!!!!!!!!!!

[Sturmwehr]

Ahh, the joys of having non-Sony made equipment (GC)...

Either way, it's beginning to be noticed that the PS2 has problems with positions.

You see, gears, UV readers, receptors, ect. wear in the position that gravity pushes them. So... if you change your PS2's position from vertical to horizontal, or vice versa, you'll be literally wearing the the components out on the other side as well. I talked with a friend of mine at EB, and he stated that in the last 6 months, he's been having PS2 owns complaining about how their GTA3 or MGS2 no longer works because of these "rings" circling the middle and out layers of the disks. Also, using both horizontal and vertical positions on and off potentionally cuts your PS2 life by a quarter or more.

Way to correct this?
Don't change the PS2's position, and make sure it's on a stable surface.

[1138]

Originally posted by Sturmwehr
So... if you change your PS2's position from vertical to horizontal, or vice versa, you'll be literally wearing the the components out on the other side as well. ...Don't change the PS2's position, and make sure it's on a stable surface.

This doesn't make sense to me. If it's wearing out at all, then keeping it in the same position will wear it out the fastest because it continues to wear out at where it's already worn. (Bleh, what a hrrid sentence to read/say). Switching its position to start wearing at a new spot will prolong how long until it wears out in my estimation.

[SilentBob]

I keep mine Horizontal after what happened too my copy of TimeSplitters. I bought a launch system and bought TimePlitters the day after launch (because no one had them at launch day go fig.) Me and my friend played the thing for a good 4 hours and then we decided to place it verticle. Well when it started to load up the level it just kept loading and loading until i thought ok something is wrong here. Took out my disc and in the middle of the CD rings was a big etched in (not scratched) circle. Needless to say it has not gone verticle again and have had no problems yet.

[hemmel]

Let's see. I got my PS2 on October 3rd of last year (birthday gift). I has been in the vertical position basically since then (the first week or so was horizontal, until I got the vertical "foot"). I have had no problems with it at all, and there a no rings or anything on my discs.

Plus, it does look cooler that way.

[xanfan]

Mine is horizontal, mainly because when I bought the system the store threw in a free stand.

[Iguana Man]

Horizontal !!!

Here's my take - If you read about potential problems having it in a vertical position, and practicaly none about it in a horizontal position ----- why take the chance ?? -----

I've read & seen problems resulting from putting it in the "cool" position. You lay out your hard earned cash for these consoles, it seems like a no brainer to me - how cool does it look after munching your $50 dollar games !

Seriously though, for those without a problem in the vertical position - good for them I say. However, I put mine horizontaly on a sturdy flat surface, gave it good ventilation and plan on leaving it that way.

[Joe Michaels]

As for it going bad horizontally, I would chalk it up to Sony's long line of shoddy construction that has led to the PS1 and PS2 both having lots of hardware problems

I woudl agree. I don't think it matters which way you position the thing,
PS2 has had alot of problems with launch units failing in this way.

[Marty McFly]

Originally posted by Joe Michaels
I woudl agree. I don't think it matters which way you position the thing,
PS2 has had alot of problems with launch units failing in this way.

My one friend bought a PS2 when he purchased the Xbox at launch, and, oddly enough, that 8 month old PS2 stopped reading discs while his Xbox works better than ever.

Sony may be domineering the market, but making poor-quality systems isn't a way to get my business. What's weird is that they really didn't learn from their PSX mistakes. A good portion of them didn't even last 2 years before dying.

[Naminator]

I have had my PS2 since launch (That's a whole story on its own for me), along with a vertical stand since day 1. I haven't changed or moved it since. It was picked up a few times, but that's it.

Haven't had one single problem.

BUT, another problem that relates to both vertical and horizontal is that you shouldn't leave your discs in the system when it's turned off - that causes the lens to be pushed down, and it has problems reading your games. The repair for something like that's real nasty too - apparantly, it's $99 US to get it repaired from Sony.

So, DON'T MOVE YOUR PS2, and DON'T LEAVE DISCS IN IT

[elwood731]

Originally posted by Marty McFly
Sony may be domineering the market, but making poor-quality systems isn't a way to get my business. What's weird is that they really didn't learn from their PSX mistakes. A good portion of them didn't even last 2 years before dying.

And why should they learn any lesson? Despite the PS1 being overly deffective (in saying that, I mean more than the normal number of bad units, which GC and XBOX also experience), the PS1 was still the dominant system over the Saturn, N64, and even the Dreamcast. Now with the PS2, Sony is still dominating over XBOX and GC, and will continue to this generation. The thing is, most people who had a defective PS1 simply went out and bought another one. And Sony laughed all the way to the bank.

So they will continue to until it actually hurts sales. I don't see it doing that anytime soon, though maybe if they continue this trend with the PS3. By that time I expect MS to launch a new system at the same time to compete. If there are problems with the PS3, people will simply switch over, even the long time SOny loyalists.

But that's with any business, no one worries about customer support until it affects the bottom line.

[Joe Michaels]

BUT, another problem that relates to both vertical and horizontal is that you shouldn't leave your discs in the system when it's turned off - that causes the lens to be pushed down, and it has problems reading your games. The repair for something like that's real nasty too - apparantly, it's $99 US to get it repaired from Sony.

Some launch units developed problems with the reading capability for DVD based discs. The newer units seem to be fine, in fact, mine has fallen at least 3 times now from a height of around 3-4 feet (onto carpet) and is still ok. It tore the shit out of my Medal of Honor disc but a little game doctor fixed the scratches.