Notes on Repairing Broken PlayStation Portals

Overview

• Purchase Details: 11 broken PlayStation portals bought for $75 each.
• Market Pricing (May 2024):
  • Parts: $1 - $150
  • Used: $160 - $180
• Goal: Assess condition, fix issues using available parts.

Initial Testing

• Turned On: All portals powered on successfully.
• Screen Condition: No visible problems on any screens, which is good news!

Testing Individual Portals

Portal 1

• Issues:
  • R2 button gets stuck.
  • L2 shows some wear.
• Repair: Removed R2 button, found a broken plastic piece. Reassembled and replaced buttons for better functionality.

Portal 2, 3 & 7

• Condition: No problems found in testing, fully functional.

Portal 4

• Issue: Missing thumbstick.
• Solution Attempt: Tested various controllers for compatible thumbstick.
• Temporary Fix: Used paper to create spacing for an Oculus Quest 2 thumbstick, which worked but is not a long-term solution.

Portal 5

• Issue: Left thumbstick does not move up and down.
• Repair Attempt: Disassembled and cleaned, identified potential grease issue. Reassembled, thumbstick now functional.
• Concerns: Unknown root cause for issue; will need further examination if future problems arise.

Portals 6, 8, 9, 10 & 11

• Portal 6: Similar thumbstick issue as Portal 5 but difficult to repair due to brittle tabs. Likely a factory defect, noted parts are unavailable.
• Portals 8 & 9: Missing right thumbsticks, awaiting parts.
• Portal 10: Damaged stick cap and internal components, not fixable without parts.
• Portal 11: Another non-functional thumbstick issue, no fixable parts available.

Conclusion

• Overall Findings: Only a couple of portals are fixed so far.
• General Issue: Availability of parts limits repair options significantly.
• Future Prospects: Anticipation of third-party manufacturers creating compatible parts, enabling more repairs.
• Additional Resources: Reference to a related video on repairing DualSense controllers.

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