Experience with KSM-440BAM from totalconsole?

[TheShadowRunner]

Hi,
I'm wondering if someone already bought a KSM-440BAM laser assembly from this website:
http://www.totalconsole.com/KSM-440BAM- ... p_370.html
They claim they are brand new AND original from Sony, not cheap knockoffs.
I really could use one, but I wonder if someone has experience with this site/this product to see if they're really genuine..
Thanks for any tip.

TSR

[TriMesh]

I haven't bought one, but I'm extremely dubious about that claim. Partly because it's an item that's been out of production for so long and partly because the official Sony service part came with the rubber shock isolators and that one apparently doesn't.

From the photo it looks decent quality though.

[Administrator]

Looks like they got hold of some new old stock from somewhere (EG: they might have a good connection with a friend who worked at a Sony production factory and he found them) and made a white plastic case to house them, a ribbon extension cable and a cardboard box. I'd buy one for my consoles because they are all broken and it would be nice to have them working again, but then again, if I'm going to play some games, I'll just use PSIO anyway.

[TheShadowRunner]

Thanks for your inputs. I'm dubious as well TriMesh.. ^^;
The product can be seen better in this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-TNJK-InFNM
I'm trying the difference game with a known genuine KSM-440BAM but so far no obvious difference..

[Apsley Garrard]

Hi.

I just got hold of one of those totalconsole units. I believe they really are sony made. I'm comparing it to a legit 440BAM lens and the aren't any differences. For example, in clone lenses, you can tell right away that they tried to copy the mabuchi sticker on the motor or also that the spindle tray has a different texture to a real one. None of those issues are present on this unit.

Anyway, I'll post pictures tommorrow comparing the two, so you guys can see.

[TheShadowRunner]

This is great news Apsley, by all means please do!

[Apsley Garrard]

WhatsApp Image 2018-02-01 at 07.26.14(3).jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2018-02-01 at 07.26.14(2).jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2018-02-01 at 07.26.14.jpeg

WhatsApp Image 2018-02-01 at 07.26.14(1).jpeg

There they are. If you think of any other picture I can take, please let me know.

I bought 4 of these units. I've tried all of them and they all have worked perfectly. No issues whatsoever. If these are copies, they are hands down the best copies out there.

[rama3]

No, these aren't copies. They're new old stock.
It's important to remember that those supplies aren't going to last forever.
Some day the stock will be used up. Sony isn't making them anymore.

[TheShadowRunner]

Thank you very much Apsley, I see a very small difference in the gray plastic part, the mold "circles" appear fainter. So does the printing on the blue sticker, hmm.. I wonder what the experts TriMesh and Shadow think about those close up shots
rama3, that's what the site claims but how can you be so sure..

[Apsley Garrard]

Those circles appear fainter because of the light in that photo, my bad. I'm looking directly at the units right now, and the circles look exactly the same. And yes, the printing is different, BUT it doesn't look like the type of printings they usually put in chinese copies, like this one:

Nuevo-Lector-ptico-440AEM-KSM-440ADM-KSM-440ADM-440BAM-Lente-Del-Laser-KSM-440BAM-Para-Sony.jpg

[TriMesh]

Thank you very much Apsley, I see a very small difference in the gray plastic part, the mold "circles" appear fainter. So does the printing on the blue sticker, hmm.. I wonder what the experts TriMesh and Shadow think about those close up shots
rama3, that's what the site claims but how can you be so sure..

It's really difficult to say - back in the day there were copies that were visually and functionally indistinguishable from the originals. It could be some of those, or it could actually be an original Sony part. If the performance is the same as the original, does it really matter anyway?
If someone has one of those totalconsole parts and a scope it would be interesting to see what the eye pattern amplitude is and how it compares with the one from a low-hours PSone with the factory pickup assembly.

One other thing to do is look at the little PCB on the sled motor and see if the markings differ from the Sony ones.

[Administrator]

I have a brand new PSone. I could compare the eye pattern on that with one from TotalConsole

[rama3]

Does it really matter though? The original is already low quality, guaranteed to break after not too many hours of use.
A better quality replacement, or at least replacement parts, now that would be awesome

To be specific:
The entire chassis with the plastic rails is a bad design. The rails wear down and then it's very hard to get the proper level back with repairs.
On that note, there are no level controls.

Both motors tend to wear down and these days, you're lucky to find a drive where the motors don't already show signs of failure: Loud carriage movement and rattling spindle motor.

On the plus side, the pickups and laser diodes seem to hold up much better!
I can almost always reuse the pickups.
There is just one catch: Those plastic tabs for "level control" wear down, and then the pickup becomes useless.
Maybe it's possible to create new tabs that can be made to be level with the CD again.

[TheShadowRunner]

One other thing to do is look at the little PCB on the sled motor and see if the markings differ from the Sony ones.

Good idea, Apsley could you give it one last check? ^^;

[TheShadowRunner]

So a bit of a warning, I ordered 1 a week ago and while they marked it as shipped, the package still hasn't been handed over to USPS..
My friend in Finland ordered 2 weeks ago and has the same tracking indication (USPS Awaiting Item) as of this day, too.
Buyer beware..

[Administrator]

They could be busy. Give them some time. If nothing happens for about a month (since they are not pre-orders), then start to worry.

[TheShadowRunner]

About a month, for an item in stock, you must be joking.
I wished they replied to emails to at least explain what's going on.

[Apsley Garrard]

So a bit of a warning, I ordered 1 a week ago and while they marked it as shipped, the package still hasn't been handed over to USPS..
My friend in Finland ordered 2 weeks ago and has the same tracking indication (USPS Awaiting Item) as of this day, too.
Buyer beware..

That's weird. But I didn't order from their site, but from amazon.com. Apparently, they are also selling those there, so I can't really tell how that company works because the shipping and all was handled by amazon. It only took 3 days to arrive from the US to Spain.

[Administrator]

About a month, for an item in stock, you must be joking.
I wished they replied to emails to at least explain what's going on.

Ah, that's pretty bad then. Maybe give it 1 more week and see what happens. If not, issue a chargeback.

[TheShadowRunner]

I received the Totalconsole laser this week-end and fitted it today, finally!
Of course I checked it versus a genuine KSM440BAM (lifted off a PSone) and now believe it's definitely genuine too.
The markings are exactly the same, everywhere (including the sled motor board), the plastic parts definitely look like they came from the same molds and most importantly it runs perfectly smooth and silent (even during seeking) without any need to tweak the potentiometers (on a PU7 board).
I tested all the media I could throw at it, from mid-range Verbatim to high-end Taiyo, and of course originals, it doesn't skip a beat playing FMVs, a real pleasure.