Nintendo Wii scratching discs?!

[Querjek]

Last night, I got a Nintendo Wii. Everything worked fine--I got the internet connection and system updates downloaded this morning (I needed to change the channel on my router for it to work properly). Wii Sports, the only game I have so far for it, worked last night. It also worked earlier this morning, perfectly fine. The disc hasn't left my console since I put it in, but when I tried to load it earlier, I got a disc read error. I tried it again, but to no avail. I took the disc out to see if it was ok, and I found a circular scratch near the outer edge of it. The scratch definitely wasn't there when I opened it last night.

Anybody have similar experiences or any advice? I called Nintendo but they're closed until Monday, so I may just have to wait this one out for now :-/

[Xizer]

Is your system vertical?

Game consoles aren't meant to be vertical - the Xbox 360 has problems when it's vertical too.

[Enixis]

I've been playing vertical since i got my Wii 2 weeks ago. Never encountered any scratches on my copies of Wii Sports and Zelda. However i do take them out from the disc drive after i'm done playing.

[n.ooka]

Is your system vertical?

Game consoles aren't meant to be vertical - the Xbox 360 has problems when it's vertical too.

Wait, the Wii isn't meant to be played vertically? If that's the case why would Nintendo include a vertical stand and advertise it being played vertically.

[Querjek]

Wait, the Wii isn't meant to be played vertically? If that's the case why would Nintendo include a vertical stand and advertise it being played vertically.

Because it looks cooler vertically. There's something to do with gravity that makes disc drives work better when horizontal, probably related to the balance of the disc or something.

Does anybody have any idea as to whether it would be a good/bad idea to go get another Wii game and check if that one works alright? I'm tempted to go get something shitty like Rampage since it's cheap (by comparison), to see if that works or gets scratched, but I don't really want to spend $30 if I can avoid it.

[Gamereviewgod]

The Wii is fine vertically. Every single piece of marketing shows it that way. I've have it that way since day one without a single problem. Nintendo wouldn't include the stand in the box. Hell, it even looks like it's meant to be vertical by its design. You won't have any issues.

Why not just go rent a game for $5 and see if it does anything? Paying $30 for a test, especially one as awful as Rampage, doesn't sound that smart. It sounds like a fluke though. Aside from the case Wii Sports comes in (or lack thereof), none of my games have scratches.

[PapaStu]

Is your system vertical?

Game consoles aren't meant to be vertical - the Xbox 360 has problems when it's vertical too.

Scratching of discs when the system is vertical really only happening because someones moving the system while its turned on and the disc is spinning.

I've had my Launch PS2 upright since I bought it (spring 01) and its never scratched a disc, our Wii has been in its stand since it came out of the box on launch day and nothings been scratched. Our slim PSTwo has been vertical as well since it came out (Oct 04) and nothing bad has ever happened.

[Xizer]

This whole vertical console nonsense is just a fad imo.

It's a ridiculous idea anyway - having your system standing vertically is just begging for it to get knocked over. It's unstable.

[chicnstu]

This whole vertical console nonsense is just a fad imo.

It's a ridiculous idea anyway - having your system standing vertically is just begging for it to get knocked over. It's unstable.

Um...no it isn't. The stand for the Wii comes with an extra circular piece that goes on the bottom that makes it very difficult to knock over. It just slides when you try.

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

This whole vertical console nonsense is just a fad imo.

It's a ridiculous idea anyway - having your system standing vertically is just begging for it to get knocked over. It's unstable.

Yeah, I know. Every time I try to put a game in my Atari 2600, the stupid thing falls over. ;-)

[jajaja]

Yeah, I know. Every time I try to put a game in my Atari 2600, the stupid thing falls over. ;-)

Is there an Atari 2600 that are also build for vertical stand? Never heard of it, but im not into 2600 hehe.

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

Is there an Atari 2600 that are also build for vertical stand? Never heard of it, but im not into 2600 hehe.

Hey, the side is flat. We don't need no steenkin' stand.

[Lone_Monster]

Is there an Atari 2600 that are also build for vertical stand? Never heard of it, but im not into 2600 hehe.

That, I'm sure, was a joke.

Also, saying that systems were not meant to be played vertically is ridiculous.

If they weren't, like others have said, why would they make a vertical stand? Why would all advertisements show it vertically?

If they weren't, why would the 360 overheat (more) on the side where it's supposed to be placed horizontally? And the same thing, why would all advertisements show it vertically?

Just because there's a possibility of the disc scratching doesn't mean it's always going to happen. I've had my 360 fall down while I was playing a game, and luckily the game wasn't scratched.

[Xizer]

Let me put it this way: Disc drives were not designed to be used on their sides. It's just unwise to try and use a disc drive standing on its side.

[PapaStu]

Let me put it this way: Disc drives were not designed to be used on their sides. It's just unwise to try and use a disc drive standing on its side.

You don't think that Sony or Nintendo or Microsoft worked into their designs for cd/dvd rom readers to be able to work on their sides? Have you seen a Wii? You realise that if you use what Nintendo gave you out of the box, it would be on its side... or that Sony when they launched the PS2 sold Vertical stands for it and when the Slim PSTwo came out, a metal stand that screws into the bottom of the system was sold as well? Good Grief.

[iamchris]

I can solve this WIi not supposed to be on its side nonsense once and for all. if the Wii wasnt supposed to be on its side, why are the button labels written so they're read correctly when the wii is on its side?

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

Here is a simple way to figure it out. If someone has the exact model number of the drives in the PS2, Wii, XBox 360, etc, they can check the tech specs for the drive. In the specs they usually list the orientations that the drive may be used in.

[DonMarco]

Let me put it this way: Disc drives were not designed to be used on their sides. It's just unwise to try and use a disc drive standing on its side.
You probably say the same thing about toasters, VHS players and washing machines, I bet. Also, the Dreamcast. And Pez dispensers.

[MrRoboto19XX]

You probably say the same thing about toasters, VHS players and washing machines, I bet. Also, the Dreamcast. And Pez dispensers.


Brilliant.

[jajaja]

That, I'm sure, was a joke.

Hehe ye, i know, but i just had to ask ;)

[maxlords]

Scratching of discs when the system is vertical really only happening because someones moving the system while its turned on and the disc is spinning.

I've had my Launch PS2 upright since I bought it (spring 01) and its never scratched a disc, our Wii has been in its stand since it came out of the box on launch day and nothings been scratched. Our slim PSTwo has been vertical as well since it came out (Oct 04) and nothing bad has ever happened.

What he said. Same goes for my Launch PS2 and my Wii.

[Niku-Sama]

my Wii hasnt scratched any thing either and its been on its side.
ny NES works better up side down but i think it might be scratching a EPROM some where

[The Shawn]

If it's any consolation I play my 360 with the monitor on it's side. It just hurts my neck, and my glasses fall off once in a while. That way I don't have to worry about playing it the right way!


Anyway's I think you prob. got a defective system, just take it back and get another one.

[Nature Boy]

You don't think that Sony or Nintendo or Microsoft worked into their designs for cd/dvd rom readers to be able to work on their sides? Have you seen a Wii? You realise that if you use what Nintendo gave you out of the box, it would be on its side... or that Sony when they launched the PS2 sold Vertical stands for it and when the Slim PSTwo came out, a metal stand that screws into the bottom of the system was sold as well? Good Grief.


What we think about what you've mentioned is irrelevant I think. The fact of the matter is that drives work better when they're horizontal. Marketing departments can get R&D to do all *kinds* of things that an engineer wouldn't normally do, simply because it looks better. This, I'm betting, would be one of those things.

Funnily enough, though, I had a PS1 that worked really flaky *unless* I put it on it's side. :)

[Jimmy Yakapucci]

That's typical for the old PS1s. After a while, some of them would not work right unless you turned them upside down.

[atari_overlord]

My wii kept freezing while being set on its side in the stand. I layed it flat and no more freezing. Could be a bad system but I like my systems down flat anyway so I dont really care.

[PapaStu]

What we think about what you've mentioned is irrelevant I think. The fact of the matter is that drives work better when they're horizontal. Marketing departments can get R&D to do all *kinds* of things that an engineer wouldn't normally do, simply because it looks better. This, I'm betting, would be one of those things.

I know that Marketing has power to push R&D to do all kinds of idiotic things, but one would think that R&D would also be smart enough to go after drives that were designed well enough to be able to work without fail on their side, EVEN if drives are generally designed to be horozontal and not vertical. If R&D didn't look into it, an oversite like that would only seriously damage that consoles image if it couldn't be used in a manner they signed off on and was a selling point for the system.




Funnily enough, though, I had a PS1 that worked really flaky *unless* I put it on it's side. :)

Yeah the launch model PlayStations are known for having that problem because they were creating so much heat under the unit that unless it was on its side the system couldn't stay cool enough to run properly.

[JWKobayashi]

Had no problems here. I've had my Wii on it's side since launch also.

One day I played Zelda for about 10 hours straight, and no problems. I really don't think that there'd be a problem with it. Like someone else said, it should say in the specs what orientation the drive is meant to be used in. I've seen PC drives that come prebuilt in a media-center style case that are intended to be mounted vertically.

If standing vertically is a problem, why haven't more systems had widespread problems?

[Nature Boy]

I know that Marketing has power to push R&D to do all kinds of idiotic things, but one would think that R&D would also be smart enough to go after drives that were designed well enough to be able to work without fail on their side,

I'm a software developer, not a hardware engineer, but trust me - people don't *care* if what you've designed will work without fail. They want it to look/work/act this way and it's up to you to do your best. The tail wags the dog all the time in this sort of thing...

[rbudrick]

As much as many systems and optical disc drives in general are designed to read while on their sides, every console I know of that was designed that way has had many reported instances of scratching discs or otherwise not functioning properly while on their sides.

So while they WERE designed to do it, they don't generally function as well in the long run by average. I say by average because many folks have never had a problem and might never have one. But there's no doubt, vertically oriented optical disc drives are bound to have more instances of problems than horizontal. Many successful strides have been made to *minimize* this, but it probaby will not be a problem that disappears forever for some time, if ever.

-Rob