I Sold Broken Consoles - Or Did I?!

TronicsFix

29 Mar 202416:00

Summary

TLDRThe video documents the troubleshooting process of two Xbox consoles that were sold but reported as non-functional by customers. The seller investigates the issues, discovering a damaged HDMI port on the Xbox Series X and potential overheating problems on the Xbox One X. Through detailed inspections and repairs, including replacing the HDMI port and possibly the APU on the Xbox One X, the seller aims to resolve the issues. However, the Xbox One X's problem remains undetermined, leading to the decision to either replace the motherboard or use the shell for another console.

Takeaways

🔧 The seller received two returned Xbox consoles that customers claimed were non-functional.
🎮 The Xbox One X was reported to overheat during intensive gaming, specifically with Red Dead Redemption 2.
🌐 The seller had slow internet, which caused delays in installing the game for testing.
📦 The Xbox Series X had a damaged HDMI port, which the customer mentioned might have been mishandled during shipping or inspection by Geek Squad.
🛠️ The seller discovered a missing clamp and damage on the HDMI port, which might have caused the connection issue.
🔄 The seller replaced the HDMI port on the Xbox Series X and tested it to ensure a proper connection.
🧐 The seller was unsure if the Xbox One X's overheating issue was due to their疏忽 or a problem that arose after shipment.
🌬️ The Xbox One X's fan spun up loudly during testing, indicating potential ventilation or APU issues.
🔧 The seller decided to replace the vapor chamber and heat sink on the Xbox One X to address the overheating problem.
🛠️ After repairs, the Xbox Series X worked correctly, while the Xbox One X remained problematic and was reacquired by the seller.
📌 The seller's thorough inspection and repair process aimed to ensure that the consoles function as intended before being resold or returned to the customer.

Q & A

What was the issue reported by the buyer of the Xbox One X?
-The buyer reported that the Xbox One X would overheat when playing intensive games like Red Dead Redemption 2.
How did the seller respond to the reported issues with the Xbox consoles?
-The seller asked the buyers to send the consoles back to inspect and identify the problems. They also installed a game on the Xbox One X and conducted a thorough inspection of both consoles' hardware.
What specific problem was found with the Xbox Series X HDMI port?
-The HDMI port of the Xbox Series X was damaged, and the port's clamp was missing, which could have been the reason for the HDMI connection issues reported by the buyer.
How did the seller attempt to fix the Xbox Series X HDMI port issue?
-The seller used a hot air soldering station to remove the damaged HDMI port and then replaced it with a new one, ensuring the pins were soldered on solidly and adding thermal paste and a clamp for proper heat management.
What was the suspected cause of the Xbox One X overheating?
-The seller suspected a faulty vapor chamber or an issue with the APU (Application-Specific Integrated Circuit) as the potential causes of the Xbox One X overheating.
What steps did the seller take to address the Xbox One X overheating issue?
-The seller replaced the vapor chamber and heat sink, reformed the thermal pads for better contact with memory chips, and ensured that the thermal paste was applied correctly.
What was the outcome after the seller attempted to fix both consoles?
-The Xbox Series X was successfully fixed, but the Xbox One X still had issues, leading the seller to believe it was a problem with the motherboard or the APU. The seller bought back the Xbox One X from the buyer.
How did the seller test the fixed Xbox Series X?
-The seller tested the fixed Xbox Series X by connecting it to a TV via HDMI, ensuring the console turned on, and checking if the HDMI port worked correctly and didn't overheat.
What was the buyer's reaction to the issues with the Xbox One X?
-The buyer of the Xbox One X opted to have a refund and return the console to the seller instead of having it repaired.
What was the seller's final decision regarding the Xbox One X?
-The seller decided to keep the Xbox One X and either replace the motherboard or use its shell on a different console, as it was a less common version and had some value.
What was the overall outcome of the seller's efforts to diagnose and fix the consoles?
-The seller successfully fixed the Xbox Series X but was unable to resolve the issues with the Xbox One X, which led to the decision to either replace the motherboard or repurpose its shell.

Outlines

00:00

🛠️ Xbox Repair and Diagnostics

The paragraph discusses the process of troubleshooting and repairing two Xbox consoles that were reported as non-functional by customers. The seller is actively engaged in diagnosing the issues, which include overheating for the Xbox One X, especially during intensive gaming, and a faulty HDMI port on the Xbox Series X. The seller also reflects on the possibility of missing certain issues during the initial inspection and is committed to fixing these problems, even reinstalling parts such as the HDMI port and checking for damages or missing components like the clamp. The goal is to ensure that the consoles work correctly before being sent back to the customers.

05:01

🔧 HDMI Port Replacement and Testing

This paragraph details the steps taken to replace the damaged HDMI port on the Xbox Series X. The seller uses a hot air soldering station to remove the old port and carefully replaces it with a new one, ensuring proper alignment and secure soldering of the pins. The seller also adds thermal paste and reassembles the console for testing. Despite uncertainty about whether the HDMI port was damaged prior to shipping, the seller takes responsibility for the issue and replaces the port at no charge to the customer. After fixing, the HDMI port functions correctly, even when the cable is moved around, indicating a successful repair.

10:03

🌡️ Overheating Issues and Component Inspection

The focus of this paragraph is on the investigation and resolution of the Xbox One X's overheating problem. The seller suspects a faulty vapor chamber as the potential cause and decides to replace it along with the heatsink. The process involves removing the existing thermal paste, installing new thermal pads, and ensuring good contact with memory chips. The seller also replaces the X-clamp and conducts a thorough test of the console. Unfortunately, after reassembling and testing the console, the same overheating error persists, and the fan barely spins, indicating a possible issue with the motherboard or the APU. The seller is left with the option to replace the board or use the shell on a different console.

15:04

📦 Console Refund and Future Plans

In this final paragraph, the seller shares the outcome of the repair attempts and the decision made with the customer who returned the Xbox One X due to overheating issues. Instead of having the seller fix the console, the customer opted for a refund and returned the console to the seller. The seller now owns the console again and has the option to either replace the faulty motherboard or use the shell for another console. The seller also references a previous video where a damaged Xbox Series X was purchased, repaired, and improved, inviting viewers to watch that content for more information on the repair process.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Xbox

Xbox refers to a line of video game consoles developed by Microsoft. In the video, the user is troubleshooting issues with two different models of Xbox consoles - the Xbox One X and the Xbox Series X. These consoles are central to the video's theme as the user is selling them after repairing and is now dealing with customer complaints about their functionality.

💡Overheating

Overheating is a condition where a device operates at a temperature higher than is safe or intended, which can lead to malfunction or damage. In the video, the Xbox One X is reported to overheat, particularly when playing intensive games like Red Dead Redemption 2. This issue is a primary concern for the user as it affects the performance and reliability of the console.

💡HDMI port

The HDMI port is a standardized connector used for transmitting high-definition video and audio data from a source device to a display device. In the context of the video, the HDMI port on the Xbox Series X is malfunctioning, preventing the console from connecting to a TV properly, which is a critical issue since it prevents the user from testing and demonstrating the console's functionality.

💡Thermal paste

Thermal paste is a compound applied between two surfaces to fill in the microscopic air gaps and ensure efficient heat transfer. In the video, the user checks and re-applies thermal paste to ensure proper heat dissipation from the console's components, which is crucial for preventing overheating and maintaining the performance of the Xbox consoles.

💡Vapor chamber

A vapor chamber is a heat transfer device used in electronics to dissipate heat more efficiently than traditional heat sinks. It is often used in gaming consoles to manage the heat generated by the CPU and GPU. In the video, the user suspects that the vapor chamber of the Xbox One X might be faulty due to the console's overheating issue.

💡X clamp

The X clamp is a component used in Xbox consoles to secure heat sinks or other parts in place. In the video, the user realizes that the X clamp was missing from the Xbox Series X, which could potentially lead to inadequate cooling and is a critical part of the repair process.

💡Geek Squad

Geek Squad is a technical support and repair service offered by Best Buy. In the video, the buyer of the Xbox Series X mentioned taking the console to Geek Squad for inspection. The user speculates that the shiny spots on a label might be the result of Geek Squad's inspection process.

💡Soldering

Soldering is a process of joining two metal work pieces together with a filler metal, typically by melting the filler metal into the joint with a torch or soldering iron and allowing it to cool, creating a bond between the work pieces. In the video, the user uses a hot air soldering station to remove and replace the damaged HDMI port on the Xbox Series X.

💡Fan

A fan in the context of a computer or gaming console is a cooling device that regulates the system's temperature by circulating air. In the video, the user examines the fan of the Xbox One X to determine if it is functioning correctly, as part of the troubleshooting process for the console's overheating issue.

💡Motherboard

A motherboard is the main printed circuit board (PCB) in computers and other electronic systems that connects and communicates with other components such as the CPU, memory, and other peripherals. In the video, the user suspects that the motherboard of the Xbox One X might be faulty, as the console continues to overheat and shut down despite all other checks and repairs.

💡ApU

An ApU, or Accelerated Processing Unit, is a type of system on a chip (SoC) that combines a CPU and GPU into a single chip. In the video, the user speculates that if the replacement of the motherboard does not resolve the overheating issue of the Xbox One X, the problem might lie with the ApU, which is an integral part of the console's processing power.

Highlights

Seller's experience with two Xbox consoles that customers reported as non-functional.

Xbox One X was reported to overheat while playing intensive games like Red Dead Redemption 2.

The seller is installing the game Red Dead Redemption 2 to diagnose the overheating issue.

Xbox Series X had a damaged case and HDMI port issues reported by the buyer.

The HDMI port on the Xbox Series X was visually inspected and found to be damaged.

Seller's recollection of the Xbox Series X video where the console was initially tested and found functional.

The seller disassembled the Xbox Series X to inspect and repair the damaged HDMI port.

A missing clamp was discovered on the Xbox Series X which could have contributed to the HDMI port issue.

The seller replaced the HDMI port on the Xbox Series X and tested it for functionality.

The Xbox One X was showing signs of overheating, even with proper ventilation and thermal management.

The seller suspected a faulty vapor chamber in the Xbox One X as a potential cause of the overheating issue.

The seller replaced the vapor chamber and heat sink in the Xbox One X to address the overheating problem.

After repairs, the Xbox Series X was successfully fixed and the HDMI port worked without issues.

The Xbox One X continued to show errors despite repairs, indicating a possible issue with the motherboard.

The seller decided to buy back the Xbox One X from the customer due to the unresolved overheating issue.

The seller shared a previous video where they had worked on the Xbox Series X, providing context for the current situation.

The seller's commitment to diagnosing and fixing the consoles, showcasing a thorough and methodical approach to problem-solving.