WHAT IS THE PS3 RSX REBALL SERVICE?
 
Specifically, the RSX Reball service includes the complete removal of the RSX graphics chip from the PS3′s motherboard so the original BGA consisting of 1254 lead-free solder spheres can be replaced with new lead-tin eutectic solder spheres. The RSX graphics chip is then precisely re-attached to the 1254 pads on the motherboard then coated with premium thermal compound (Arctic Silver 5) to help dissipate operational heat to the fan/heat-sink assembly. The system then undergoes a testing phase to ensure the procedure has been completed successfully before it is finally reassembled.
 
Its an intricate and labor-intensive procedure that requires a great deal of patience but the reliability of the RSX chip is going to be practically “bullet-proof” simply because of the targeted elimination of the most probable cause of failure (degraded / micro-fractured solder spheres on the RSX chip from years of extreme heat-cycles and poor ventilation).  
 
It is important to remember though that this symptom can also be attributable to other chip failures on the motherboard too, such as the Cell Broadband Engine™ CPU or memory chips. In these instances our RSX re-ball service will be totally ineffective in resolving the “yellow light / red blinking light” symptom, and the console will ultimately need to be replaced.

DO YOU REBALL THE CBE / CELL BROADBAND ENGINE CHIP?
 
No. This service includes the reball of the RSX graphics chip only. We currently do not offer any separate services to reball the CBE CPU chip.
 
HOW LONG WILL THE PS3 REBALL SERVICE TAKE?
 
Due to the high demand for this intricate and labor-intensive service procedure, all repairs are processed on a “first-come first-served” basis and completion time may vary between 2 to 5 days, not including weekends or transit time to and from your address. Actual ETA will be provided to you via email upon our receipt of your console and issuance of a Work Order Number. To begin the repair process, follow the instructions on our main PlayStation 3 repair page.
 
HOW MUCH WILL THE PS3 REBALL SERVICE COST?
 
The cost for the PS3 RSX Re-Ball Service is $99.00 and includes free return shipping by Fedex Ground on successful repairs. If you are a resident of Florida, we are required to collect 6% sales tax. Other optional services are also available for an additional fee. 
 
 
HOW MUCH WILL I HAVE TO PAY IF THE PS3 REBALL SERVICE DOES NOT FIX MY YLOD / RED BLINKING LIGHT?
 
If the repair attempt is unsuccessful, you will receive a full refund minus return shipping charges. Alternatively you can apply the amount you already paid towards the purchase of a brand new PS3 from us.
 
WHAT PERCENTAGE OF PS3′S ARE NON-REPAIRABLE EVEN AFTER PERFORMING THE REBALL SERVICE?
 
We are currently seeing approximately an 11% non-repair rate where the “yellow light / red blinking light” is still present immediately after the RSX chip had been re-balled. While most initial “yellow light / red blinking light” symptoms are directly related to the RSX chip, it is important to remember that some are attributable to other solder fractures or chip failures on the motherboard, such as the Cell Broadband Engine™ CPU or memory chips. In these instances our RSX re-ball service will be totally ineffective in resolving the “yellow light / red blinking light” symptom, and the console will ultimately need to be replaced.
 
To put things into perspective, the original 60GB “CECHA01″ PS3 model has nearly 60 chips on just one side of the motherboard, and any one of them has a potential to cause the “yellow light of death”, especially since they all utilize the same lead-free solder as used on the RSX chip. Quite simply, it is not always going to be the RSX chip’s fault, so be cautious of other shops that claim to have “near-perfect” success rates with their RSX reball repair procedures. 

 
IS THE PS3 REBALL SERVICE A PERMANENT FIX FOR MY “YLOD”?
 
The lead-free solder spheres beneath the RSX chip is by far the most common point of failure causing the “yellow light / red blinking light” symptom due to the extreme temperatures this one chip reaches, and our PS3 Reball service focuses on the specific replacement of these solder spheres with superior lead-tin spheres. On un-tampered consoles it is the most reliable repair procedure that can be offered to resolve the YLOD issue, however the reality is there is no such thing as a totally “permanent fix”. Here’s why:
 
The “reball” procedure is performed on only one of the system’s chips — the RSX graphics chip. When you consider the PS3 motherboard contains approximately 60 chips, any one of them can theoretically fail at some point in the future for the same reasons why the RSX chip failed in the first place. If your PS3 has never been previously tampered before it is sent to us, we will provide you with a Lifetime Labor Warranty. All you need to do is take care of the round-trip shipping charges to and from our Service Facility and we will re-perform the actual “revival” of your unit whenever you require us to do so. The Lifetime Labor warranty expires when the PS3 can no longer be revived or when you no longer own the unit. 
 
HOW LONG IS THE PS3 REBALL SERVICE WARRANTY?
 
In order for us to provide our customers with a limited Lifetime warranty, the PS3 console must have an un-tampered original Sony or RSOL PC / PS3RepairShop.com warranty sticker. If the PS3 was ever sent back to Sony for repair or has a warranty sticker that was issued by another company (or has been totally removed), the customer will receive a 30-day warranty. Why?

There are just too many random variables that we would need to take into consideration, such as not knowing what procedures were previously performed on the unit. Since we cannot be certain of the procedures that were performed, we can only offer a minimal warranty for your unit. 
 
If the YLOD were to reoccur on a PS3 that previously had our RSX reball procedure service already performed, chances are it is due to some other (non RSX) chip failure. However we will perform whatever labor procedures are necessary to revive your unit again at no additional charge and for as long you wish to keep sending us your PS3. If the failure reoccurs within the first 30 days we will cover one-way shipping, otherwise your only out of pocket costs will be the round trip shipping charges to and from our Service Facility. Our Lifetime Warranty may be viewed in full at www.rsolpc.com/warranty.

HOW DO I SEND MY CONSOLE?
 
We’ve been shipping & receiving PS3 consoles for quite a while now, so we have a pretty good idea what works and what doesn’t work when it comes to safely shipping a console across the country. We recommend the shipping box be at least 17″x17″x8″ as this provides sufficient space around the console so packing materials like bubble-wrap and packing peanuts can provide enough protection to the console during transit. The most common mistake we see is when customers use a box that is just large enough to accomodate the console only. The end result is often a PS3 that has a crushed front edge near the power button.
 
HOW MANY SOLDER BALLS ARE THERE ON THE RSX CHIP?
 
We have seen some misinformation on the internet that the PS3′s RSX chip has 1344 solder balls. This information is false as the RSX BGA actually consists of 1254 balls. Here’s the proof. The last row of the diagram shows each column’s total in red, and then the grand total of these values is calculated at the end of the row. Just an FYI to get the correct information out there because we’re seeing more and more shops claiming to offer a reball service for PS3 consoles but they all seem to be copy & pasting the erroneous 1344 number into their service descriptions.

For more details please visit www.PS3RepairShop.com.

R.S.O.L. PC Services, L.L.C. d/b/a PS3RepairShop.com has been serving South Florida since 2003 and provides national video game console sales and repair services.

Customers wishing to get their PS3 revived from the dreaded “yellow light of death” will save the standard $14.50 return shipping fee if their order is received before 11:59pm Eastern Standard Time on 2/11/2012.

For more details please visit www.PS3RepairShop.com.

R.S.O.L. PC Services, L.L.C. d/b/a PS3RepairShop.com has been serving South Florida since 2003 and provides national video game console sales and repair services.

Lauderhill, FL, April 14, 2011 — RSOL PC / PS3RepairShop.com has announced they will finally begin offering a long-term solution for the common PlayStation 3 failure known as “Yellow light of death”.

Since the launch of the PlayStation 3 console back in 2006, an increasing number of first-generation units have unexpectedly displayed a symptom that has become known as the “Yellow light of death”, “YLOD” or “red blinking light”. According to Sony, this is the result of a “general hardware failure” within the system. Independent repair facilities have been able to determine these failures are usually attributable to micro-fractures of the BGA on the RSX GPU, and began offering a low-cost repair service known as “reflow” to address the problem.

PS3RepairShop.com has always taken the unique position of advising unfortunate PS3 owners to avoid the “reflow” repairs because of the proven unreliability, short warranties and greater long-term cost of ultimately having to completely replace their PS3 with a new unit. Their recommendation instead was to utilize Sony’s out-of-warranty exchange program since it guaranteed the most significant component inside the PS3 chassis (the motherboard) would be replaced at a cost considerably less than the price of purchasing a new console. The other solution they recommended was to have a procedure known as “re-ball” performed, where the RSX GPU is physically removed from the motherboard so new solder balls can be applied. The downside with this latter solution was the associated high-cost for this labor-intense procedure, where most independent repair shops would charge approximately $140 to $150.

Since summer 2010, PS3RepairShop.com has been diligently working towards providing a low-cost but long-term solution in response to the numerous “YLOD” PS3 repair inquiries they have had to turn away. In May, 2011 they will finally introduce their $99 flat-rate RSX GPU Re-Ball Service, and will provide all customers with their famous 1-year repair warranty.  

However, there are going to be a few requirements and important information that customers should note before they send their unit in for repair: 

• The PS3 must not have been subjected to any previous YLOD repair-attempt. If its been worked on before, they won’t take accept it.
• Service time will not be completed “same-day” like PS3RepairShop.com’s other repair services; service time will range between 5 to 10 business days due to the labor-intensive procedures and testing necessary to provide a reliable repair.
• Not all “YLOD” failures are the result of degraded solder on the RSX GPU; a small percentage may be the result of some other chip failure on the motherboard instead. A “YLOD” caused by some other chip failure cannot be determined until after the RSX GPU has been re-balled, and if the “YLOD” is still present after the re-ball procedure, the PS3 will be considered “non-repairable” and returned to the customer with a small charge being billed to cover the return-shipping costs.

Although the service is not expected to launch until 5/16/2011, PS3RepairShop.com has stated customers always have the option of deciding when they wish to send in their units. They may choose to send their units before or after the official launch date but should keep in mind that all repairs will be performed on a “first come, first served” basis.

For more information, please contact support@ps3repairshop.com.

R.S.O.L. PC Services, L.L.C. d/b/a PS3RepairShop.com has been serving South Florida since 2003 and provides national video game console sales and repair services.