Editing PlayStation (console) (section)

===Hardware problems===
Early PlayStations, particularly early 1000 models, experience skipping full-motion video or physical "ticking" noises from the unit. The problems stem from poorly placed vents leading to overheating in some environments, causing the plastic mouldings inside the console to warp slightly and create knock-on effects with the laser assembly. The solution is to sit the console on a surface which dissipates heat efficiently in a well vented area or raise the unit up slightly from its resting surface.<ref name="problems">{{cite web|title=Sony PlayStation 1st-gen specs difficulties |url=https://www.engadget.com/products/sony/playstation/1st-gen/specs/|website=[[Engadget]]|publisher=[[Verizon Media]]|location=[[New York City]]|access-date=18 August 2014|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084637/http://www.engadget.com/products/sony/playstation/1st-gen/specs/|archive-date=19 August 2014|url-status=dead}}</ref> Sony representatives also recommended unplugging the PlayStation when it is not in use, as the system draws in a small amount of power (and therefore heat) even when turned off.{{sfn|McDonnell|1997|p=20}}

The first batch of PlayStations use a KSM-440AAM laser unit, whose case and movable parts are all built out of plastic. Over time, the plastic lens sled rail wears out—usually unevenly—due to friction. The placement of the laser unit close to the power supply accelerates wear, due to the additional heat, which makes the plastic more vulnerable to friction. Eventually, one side of the lens sled will become so worn that the laser can tilt, no longer pointing directly at the CD; after this, games will no longer load due to data read errors. Sony fixed the problem by making the sled out of [[Die casting|die-cast]] metal and placing the laser unit further away from the power supply on later PlayStation models.<ref name="problems" />

Due to an engineering oversight, the PlayStation does not produce a proper signal on several older models of televisions, causing the display to flicker or bounce around the screen. Sony decided not to change the console design, since only a small percentage of PlayStation owners used such televisions, and instead gave consumers the option of sending their PlayStation unit to a Sony service centre to have an official [[modchip]] installed, allowing play on older televisions.{{sfn|Harris|1996|p=20}}