Why are new Game disc drives so crappy?

[SuperNES]

i just noticed, why do most or all of the new systems' disc drives develop errors? my Xbox now has a terrible disc read error, i can barely get it to play a game at all, but it plays Audio CD's just fine! same with my gamecube. (well, i bought it that way) and at any given day, you can find at least 5 PS2's with a disc read error on ebay, and even more people trying to sell you something to fix it. my Dreamcast? fine. never had a problem with that. nor with my PSX. and both those sytems i bought used. and i have never heard of a PC's CD/DVD drive going bad like that. so my qestion is: what the hell is up, MS/Sony/nintendo?[/u]

[oldschool JP]

Thats somthing ive been wondering for a long time you would think with technology getting better cd/dvd drives would be as well.

I got a panasonic 3do fz-1 about 10 years ago and never have i had any problems with it its been great but when the system died off i got a new ps1 for the holidays and was happy but about 2 years latter i had to start putting it upside down to play games and then it was dead.

But my dreamcast is still working and reading games great

Then i got an xbox when it came out and i would have to save all the time in morrowind 3 or i would lose hours of worlk with dirty disc errors and it was brand new.

It seems to be just like the lightbulb there is one still going after 100 years or so and its still burning but the lightbulb company wants you to keep getting burned out bulbs so you have to keep putting more money into there company. maybe thats what the videogame companies want you to do just buy another system to fix it.

So for the next system either get better technology so fans dont have to worry or think about it or when it breaks fix it or send the part for free.

[Sylentwulf]

Because moving parts wear down.

Most likely the reason the 3D0 hasn't worn down yet is from lack of use and a $600 price tag, maybe the used better parts for that money.

I know the Jaguar CD, DC, PS1, PS2, and Xbox all develop problems quickly.

Haven't heard much about the gamecube, but I sell a TON of 4.5mm bits on ebay where the person says "my gamecube stopped reading discs and I'm gonna try and fix it before I throw it in the trash) so I'm guessing GC have that problem too.

[drummy]

What about the Sega CD and the Saturn? Anyone have any info on these?

[YoshiM]

What about the Sega CD and the Saturn? Anyone have any info on these?

I honestly haven't heard much about Saturn problems but from personal experience my Saturn, which was purchased from a video store, still works great to this day.

[crazyjackcsa]

One thing it could be is the speed at which the disc spins. Faster=More wear.(My theory falls apart for the PS1)

The Saturn has always been one of the most reliable systems built, which is one of the reasons I bought it and collect for it.

[Querjek]

Companies are spending less money on disc drives and more money on competitive marketing.

[Raedon]

I don't collect actively the CD systems for this reason. Though, I seem to have found that I might as well collect Gamecube.