I pretty much leave mine on most of the time just like my computer, I've never had a problem. With all that use, mines about 3 years old and still working fine.
I have had mine since release day in 2000, and it is still running strong. I don't play it every day, but I do use it to watch DVDs in my bedroom fairly frequently. I am very happy with it 5 yrs later.
i, too, got mine pretty much when they first came out (bought it for $300!). it is still working fine for me. however, i've heard that if you play a lot of DVDs in it, then that wears it out faster. i have a DVD player, so i don't play any in my PS2. YMMV
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"No Free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms." - Thomas Jefferson
"Only fools are heroes - because you never know when some lunatic will come along with a sadistic choice."
The newest PS2 (Slim one) should last a long time. The earlier ones (bigger PS2) were a coin toss. A lot of people had issues with them overheating, not reading discs and such.
I bought my PS2 in 2000. I had to send it back for repair in 2002 or so.
I've had friends who also have this issue. Might have something to do with smoke or smoking in the house and smoke depositing resin and such on the lens and inner workings, I dunno.
But I've totally given up on my PS2. I only play PC games now.
Last PS2 game I bought was THUG in 2003. Before that, GTA:VC in 2002.
PS2 is past it's prime. It's gonna be all about the PS3 and XBOX 2 pretty soon, in about 18 months.
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