Keeping the ol' Playstation 2 out of the grave (Update! How to replace laser.)

[Lord Il]

I was wondering if anyone could recommend a reputable seller to buy a new PS2 laser lens from. The required laser lens is a KHS-400B for model number SCPH-30001. I've combed the pages of ebay and I'm not sure what to think. I don't want a refurbished unit nor do I want something from a third party manufacturer with questionable quality.

I'm doing the repair myself to save money as it's a fairly straightforward fix. My concern is just getting a new and correct replacement part for a fair price (Prices seem to average around 30 bucks).

[Lord Il]

No one, huh?

It's okay. I'll find something eventually...  and make it live once again! bwahahahahaa..! *ahem* ... I'm okay, REALLY!!

My old PS2 was probably one of the first few versions when the system first hit North America (remember how ridiculously rare they were at the time?). I was happier than a crow with a half-eaten MacDonald's french fry back in December, 2000 when I rushed to the local Wal Mart Saturday morning to get one of the remaining (less than 8 ) PS2s left. Needless to say, I'm still quite attached to it.

[exckilla]

You could probably pick up a ps2 quite cheap now

[Lord Il]

I could actually. PS2 slims are everywhere. Prices are reasonable.
But I'm going to keep my old antique going anyways. Like I said, I'm still attached to the old thing.

I don't know if the rumored PS2 emulator for the PS3 is ever going to happen. If it does become reality, I won't hesitate to get it. However, I still want to get the old PS2 working good again anyways just because. Since my PS2 has some years on it this is the reason why I'm going to fix it myself to save money on labor costs. I believe a $30 part is worthwhile.

[Mad Hatteress]

I really wish I could help you; I only know how to work games on the damn thing. I hope you get the old gal up and running soon. ...And then buy a Shin Megami Tensei title or I won't love you anymore.

[Lord Il]

Aww... don't be that way. I SHALL look into Shin Megami Tensei! lol!

Thanks just the same though. I'll check out ebay's listings again one of these days and find something.
hmm... Maybe this'll be one of my New Year's resolutions to get the PS2 working at 100%.

Right now it's.. not completely dead. PS1 and PS2 blue disc (CD format) games won't load anymore, DVDs skip at random spots. PS2 DVD format games still work, but it's hit-or-miss when loading them which is annoying.
These are all classic signs of a worn out laser eye.

[Soske]

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.amazon.com/BRAND-LASER-LENS-KHS-400B-SONY/dp/B0020PEJUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260598266&sr=8-1

[Foggle]

Never watch DVDs with your PS2. It FUBARs the console/lens eventually.

[Lord Il]

Is this what you are looking for?

http://www.amazon.com/BRAND-LASER-LENS-KHS-400B-SONY/dp/B0020PEJUA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1260598266&sr=8-1

That's precisely what I'm looking for. What's important is that it clearly shows the Sony logo on the housing.

There are listings on ebay which have made me nervous because the logo is not present. Without the logo, it leads me to believe that a third party manufacturer made it and thus, garbage.

Thanks, Soske. I'll keep that in mind.

Never watch DVDs with your PS2. It FUBARs the console/lens eventually.

I've heard that said a lot. And I used to play a ton of DVDs in that thing. It used to be the only DVD player in the house.

[exckilla]

You stick with your ps2's I think I will stick with my xbox360, luckly no red lights of death or e74 problems yet

[Lord Il]

^lol!
Heck, just keep it well-ventilated (the power brick as well) and it could last a long time for you.

[exckilla]

^ Yes I have mine well exposed to the cooling elements in my bedroom. 

[Lord Il]

Okay guys. For those wanting to replace a worn out laser on a PS2 (fat version), this might be for you.

Symptoms of my worn out PS2 laser:
-Games take longer than normal to load or may not load at all. Sometimes a reset is needed to help it load.

-Disc read error notification

-DVDs skip at random spots when played

-Blue PS2 games (CD format) absolutely will not load - example: ICO

-Music CDs will almost never play

Let me first say that YouTube is a wealth of information when it comes to doing your own repair work. But do be careful because what some people may say to be "correct" may not always be the right way. When swapping out my old laser for a new one, I made certain to check several sources beforehand.

I personally think that doing your own repair work is a great learning experience and can save you a lot of $$$. When electronics like this get a few years on them, I don't see the point in paying someone to repair them for you when you could buy a new replacement console for close to the same amount of money. Only my opinion though!
Even with that said, if you are at all not confident in doing the repair yourself, don't do it. If you feel you have nothing much to lose and want to learn how to do it, go for it.

This link provides a good guide for disassembling the unit:
http://www.neoseeker.com/Articles/Hardware/Guides/ps2diy/2.html
There are YouTube vids on this task too such as this:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B7fhRUZazRE
(Do not completely disassemble the innards once the top cover is removed as that vid shows. You're only concerned with removing 4 tiny Phillips screws which holds on the cover for the DVD drive.)

And here's the vid I used to get the necessary info for the swap:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bv4y8rOytuU



Notes: When the top cover of the PS2 is removed, plug the PS2 in, eject the disc tray and then unplug it with the tray remaining out. This allows access to the laser.

Chances are you'll need to re-use the laser guide arm (the white plastic piece) from the old laser and attach it onto the replacement laser. This is done by simply removing one small screw and using it to re-attach it on the new one.

Be very, very careful when removing the ribbon cable from the old laser. Pull the attachment tabs left and right as far out as they will go (see vid). The ribbon cable should then slip out easily, it shouldn't need to be tugged at.
Make sure the ribbon cable is re-attached to the replacement laser the same way (not reversed).

If your PS2 originally had a KHS-400B type laser, be confident that a KHS-400C will replace it perfectly as this is what I've done. According to my research, a KHS-400C is supposed to be more robust than the old 400B.

No calibration of the new laser should be required as long as nothing else is touched within the DVD drive when doing the repair.

The links I provided here are just what I used and was successful with them. You may find better guides out there.

I'm sure I've forgotten some piece of info to put here.

Good luck!


On a side note, hook your PS2 up to a HD TV using component cable (the cable with the separate green, blue, and red video inputs). Believe me, the picture quality is so much sharper. Mind you, the resolution only peaks at about 480i but it's far better than the alternative!