Desperately looking for help

CONFUSED???? The the "BIG-chip-in-the-middle" on my image is IC732. IC304 is the 52pin QFP to the right of the "BIG-chip-in-the-middle".If it worked when the "Thingy" was there and does not work when the "thingy" is not there good indications are you need to put the thingy back. More concern....If you used a 100 watt soldering Gun from Radio Shack (p/n 640-2193) you have bigger problems than a missing component (i.e. Blown IC, Electrical over stess). Do you have the "thingy" that came off or has it attached itself somewheres on the board? I would solder the "thingy" that came off back using a pencil point soldering iron with controled temp. Make sure there are no solder shorts and the board is clean of wire trimmings and flux. Hook it back up and turn it on.Please follow precautions and unplug the PS from your AC power source before soldering or working on the board. If it is still dead chances are the large IC is Kaput, Done, finished, pushing up daisy's, fork sticking out of it. If the system is Dead my last thread of hope would be www. ebay.com

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I�m not sure but it looks like the �mini-chip thingie� is a filter cap if so it should not stop the playstation from working, may not work like you like but should do something. Did you use any static protection? If not you may have fried one or all the chips on the board just opening the thing up. You also said you heated the thing up too much almost all parts are heat sensitive some of the are EXTREAMLY sensitive, in the range of being able to take about 300F for 30 seconds, how long did you hold that 800F soldering iron on there? Remember Sony also heated it up to put it on and there heat time counts too its not like you can let it cool and try again its all about total time all together. I would try replacing the missing part just to see but I think your going to end up getting another game and trying again, and hope the saying third time is the charm is not always the case.

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Hi George,

bad luck! That�s why we professionals get so much money for it. Those "thingies" are mainly capacitors or resistors. If a capacitor is missing you might with luck not even notice it. A resistor, that�s different, you will notice it, what means it doesn�t work any more. Now your problem is to identify the part ( hope you didn�t loose it ). I supect that it�s a resistor and it should be in your case white at the bottom and black at the top with a white number printed on it. This white number gives you the necessary value of that part ( for example: 104 = 10 KOhm ) You just have to find a part with the same marking on the old board, - desolder it (using two small irons with low heat at the tip (250�C -270�C) simultaniously)( don�t put to much heat on it !!! ), - remove old solder from the pads ( that are the both spots where the component needs to be soldered to) of your defect board where the component is missing carefully with solder wick which can be bought at any electronic shop for hobbyists for little money, - clean the area with isopropanol or something similar - apply a small amount of fresh solder ( use thin solder wire with flux core ) to one pad using one (small) iron with temperature mentioned above, - use a small tweezer to hold the component in the middle of the body , - adjust it this way to the desired final position in X-,Y- and Z-axis (just hold in place), - put your soldering iron to the pad with that solder already applied and wait until it gets molten again and is wetting the components contact area ( this should be about 3-4 sec, the time for a good solder joint), - now take the iron to the other pad, use the solder wire and solder the second side ( again: 3-4 sec ...)

This should work for your problem. But if not fit with soldering you might need a little training before you ruin your board totally.

The other method is to look for an electronic shop in your area and ask if they could help you once you have the correct part.

And after all that, pray that it�s gonna work and there�s not much more damage to the board for static voltage discharge ( ever heard of ESD ) or whatever reason.

Good luck

Wolfgang

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Hi George,

bad luck! That�s why we professionals get so much money for it. Those "thingies" are mainly capacitors or resistors. If a capacitor is missing you might with luck not even notice it. A resistor, that�s different, you will notice it, what means it doesn�t work any more. Now your problem is to identify the part ( hope you didn�t loose it ). I supect that it�s a resistor and it should be in your case white at the bottom and black at the top with a white number printed on it. This white number gives you the necessary value of that part ( for example: 104 = 10 KOhm ) You just have to find a part with the same marking on the old board, - desolder it (using two small irons with low heat at the tip (250�C -270�C) simultaniously)( don�t put to much heat on it !!! ), - remove old solder from the pads ( that are the both spots where the component needs to be soldered to) of your defect board where the component is missing carefully with solder wick which can be bought at any electronic shop for hobbyists for little money, - clean the area with isopropanol or something similar - apply a small amount of fresh solder ( use thin solder wire with flux core ) to one pad using one (small) iron with temperature mentioned above, - use a small tweezer to hold the component in the middle of the body , - adjust it this way to the desired final position in X-,Y- and Z-axis (just hold in place), - put your soldering iron to the pad with that solder already applied and wait until it gets molten again and is wetting the components contact area ( this should be about 3-4 sec, the time for a good solder joint), - now take the iron to the other pad, use the solder wire and solder the second side ( again: 3-4 sec ...)

This should work for your problem. But if not fit with soldering you might need a little training before you ruin your board totally.

The other method is to look for an electronic shop in your area and ask if they could help you once you have the correct part.

And after all that, pray that it�s gonna work and there�s not much more damage to the board for static voltage discharge ( ever heard of ESD ) or whatever reason.

Good luck

Wolfgang

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Hello Dr. Fuzz, this is Dave. I'm right in the middle of giving myself an appendectomy and could use your advice on some of the finer points. Let's see, I've made a lateral cut across my stomach and for the life of me [heh heh] can't remember if the appendix is on my right or my left.

If your there, please pick-up!!!! Hello, hello ... urk

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