Tech Support for PS2...

[GrizZz FD]

So.... whaddya figure I should get the girlfriend and her 7 year old son guys?

I was going to get them a DVD player, but have decided to blow the extra $$ and get a PS2 or an XBox since they already are DVD players (remote purchase extra $$). A Nintendo Gamecube or PS1 will not suffice, since they don't play DVD's.

PS2 is winning the race right now...

PS2 Pros & cons: It's a Sony product (con). They have the most games and the cheapest games... PS2 games are $30 - $75 around these parts (pro). It'll play old PS1 games too, which are even cheaper (pro). It has 5.1 audio (pro). Free internet access (pro). More expensive than XBox, no matter which bundle you choose (con). Bundle with ATV Offroad and Internet (pro).

XBox Pros & cons: It's a Microsoft product (con). From the ads I've seen, they got pretty crappy games (con), and expensive at $50 - $80 each (con). It only plays XBox games (con). Paid internet access (con). Cheaper than PS2 (pro). Bundle with 2 crappy games (con). 8GB hard drive (pro).

And back to my Sony rant..... tommorow, I have a customer coming in, needing a new head unit installed for his truck. So I'll be installing his new Xplode to replace his 2 year old exploded (ha!) Xplode. Some people never learn...

<img src=http://members.shaw.ca/grizzz/pbear.jpg height = "225">

[Redline Fox]

I'd not suggest X-Box since it is more geared towards older gamers. But I'd not suggest Sony since they are poorly constructed.

Actually, the Gamecube is around $100, and comes with a game I think, so, you could buy the Gamecube and still have money left over for a cheap DVD player.

[Sephiroth]

I would also suggest the gamecube since is made for toddlers anyway, and it's cheap too.

@ GrizZz

You have to contact your local ISP for the free internet access. But if the have cable there should be no worries, dial up is another story. I had to pay $5 extra a month just to play online with AOL. As soon as I heard the guy say that I returned the Network Adapter. AOL SOB's

[Redline Fox]

We should all know by now that AOL is a run by a bunch of scumbags...

[Fnork]

You could probably get a Gamecube and a cheapy DVD player for roughly the same cost as an XBox or PS2, and from a gaming perspective the Gamecube beats both of them hands-down. It has a great selection of games that will be easy enough for a 7-year-old to play, while still being fun enough that you'll have no problem playing it with him.


I *highly* recommend the game "Super Monkey Ball 2" (or Super Monkey Ball 1) - it's a ton of fun, especially when you've got a few people around to play it with you. Plus, most of the mini-games are designed so you only really need to use one or two buttons (in addition to the control stick), so it's very simple to learn. Make sure to get a memory card though, because many of the mini-games have to be unocked in single player (it's based on a point system, so you can keep playing the easy levels over and over again to unlock stuff - the hard levels just let you do it faster)

"Super Smash Bros. Melee" and "Super Mario Sunshine" are also a lot of fun, and there are tons of other good games too

[GrizZz FD]

Hey that's good advice guys, and has me leaning towards the Gamecube with a seperate DVD player..... Thanks!

<img src = "http://members.shaw.ca/grizzz/pbear.jpg" height = "225">
<i>BEER - Helping white guys dance since 1842</i>

[GrizZz FD]

Well, I've decided to get a Gamecube... that's gonna be best for a 7 year old, and cheapest. The bad part is the only Gamecube bundle I've found in town comes with a "Zelda" disk... containing 4 old Zelda games and a demo for a new one.

In other words, I buy a fancy new Gamecube, and get crappy old N64 and Super Nintendo games with it, rather than a game made for gamecube. Bastards.

So I'll have to buy another game... I saw "Luigi's Mansion" for 25 bucks... But I won't get any of the new games, as they are 60-70 bucks a pop. That can wait for Easter or whatever.

As for a DVD player... I can get one for 100 beans... so...

That's 140 (GC) + 25 (LM) + 20 (memory card) + 20 (extra controller) + 100 (DVD)... that's almost $350 after taxes.

Or (& here I go again)... I get an Xbox & remote or PS2 & remote for 230 + 30 + taxes... hmmmmm maybe I should think some more again...

& I still gotta get stuff for my niece & nephews... hmm....

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[Sephiroth]

A PS2 remote?
What for?

[Redline Fox]

Crappy Zelda games? No such thing.

[Redline Fox]

Update on PS2 Repairs.

Sony repaired my PS2 unit for free, even though the warrenty was expired and I had opened the case in an attempt to correct the problem my self. Though, this does help confirm Sony is aware of the PS2's relability problems and does not want its consumers to know for sure, the professional and helpful manner in which they addressed the problem gives them a lot of positive points in my book.

[Sephiroth]

I think some PS2's are made to break just so you can send it back and pay them for the repair cost. But thats cool your's was fixed for free.
Thank gawd mine wasn't one of those who were made to break, or I think it is but the way I treat it, it should'nt break.

[Lithium |HH|]

I had a PS2 for almost two years. It never gave me trouble, until i starting using it to watch DVDs, when my koss died. After a few months of blockbuster dvds my ps2 took a big shit. Mostly because i ne ver cleaned it once in those two years. Thankfully i opted for the 25$, 2 year insurance by sears, not sony. With only a few months left on my sears warranty, i replaced it at no charge other then the gas to run to sears.

As far it goes with sony, i disagree with grizz. Truth be had, most people only remember the bad stories, and not the good ones of anything, especially products. Any brand name you can imagine, and your going to recall one of its failed devices, rather then the reliable ones. Because no body goes, "hey this kenwood is really nice, and reliable." or "You know what, im really satisfied with my new motorola reciever." sshhhyyyaa...

As far as audio, game, and even pc setups go, ie: (Vio, ps2), im all for sony.

The ps2 in my opinion is the premere game console out. I had mine hooked up via USB, for downloading savegames, and cheats off the net. Even game addons are available through that route. Whats a game cube compared to a DVD player, game machine, and semi-pc addon.

The catch to any fragile product, is to care, and maintain it. Also if you have a dvd player, dont smoke your ps2's engine, gears, or drive, watching them on it. Save the wear and tear for games.

[Lithium |HH|]

Yea sepper, PS2 remote, for watching movies. I have a cheap one that i got for $12.99 from the mall, and a sony one from my original purchase that was $19.99.

The Xbox has one too, in fact you cant even watch DVDs on the xbox with out a extra $19.99 remote. Where as the PS2 you can use the controlers to wtahc movies.

[rIFTEr [HSV]]

If you look around, PS2 has many games that are geared towards kids. The PS1 mainly has the most and PS1 can play on PS2. Online play on the PS2 is better but has one draw back, you need to buy an extra component to use it. Some games for the PS2 WILL be Pay-To-Play which can be a drawback, althou, there will be many that will not be like this, see the new game from EA - Need For Speed: Underground as an example. I am sure Socom and ATV Off Road Fury 2 are also free to play. I think most of the P2P for the PS2 will be sports games like NHL2004, NBA2004 (Do not see why people would pay to play them, since another will be out the year after).

Anyway, I guess GrizZz has already made his purchase...

[Diamond]

hey but remember grizzz, PS2's don't play all DVD's. Something to do with the regions crap. You actually are better off with a stand alone dvd player, you can find them for a pretty decent price nowadays