Can't say I'm entirely surprised to see this happen (still a bummer), but today I finally managed to run my original production run 60GB PS3 to death.
For those unfamiliar with PS3 hardware death (the equivalent of the RRoD), which would be the vast majority of users, it goes something like: Press power, green light, one yellow light blink, then green, followed by intermittent red light blinking until the power button is pressed again (solid red light). Subsequent presses of the power button produces the same light sequence. No menu, etc.
The irony is that my Zephyr 360 still works after a little over one year (no RRoDs). However...
Considering the 360 has seen modest use (with plenty of lengthy inactive periods) as it has only been used to play games and watch the occasional HD-DVD, and considering that the PS3 has logged close to 5,000 hours (roughly figuring 440+ Folding units @ 8 hours per data packet, plus hundreds of hours spent watching DVDs, BRDs, video off HDD, plus PS2 and PS3 game time), I'd say it soldiered on like a trooper until The End.
It once ran for 6 months non-stop (zero down time at all), which is when most of those Folding units were completed.
So, the dilemna is do I replace it immediately with a quieter, greener low wattage 80GB unit, send the old 60GB unit in for repair (long out of warranty), or... just crack it open and see what might have gone wrong.
I'm not buying a used unit, but I am considering buying a 40GB MGS4 LE bundle rather than buying a generic PS3.
Alternately, I could wait for a good Black Friday deal on a new, current 80GB unit, but... I pretty much want a replacement PS3 within the week given the amount of usage my original saw on a regular basis.
RIP 60GB. You were a friend to the end. lol!
