PS1/2 Phat PS2 with scratchy/staticy audio on startup.

[ChiefReginod]

Is this a common issue?

It's the same when connecting via either composite or RF to a CRT TV. Also tested with external speakers via composite. The static begins on startup even with nothing else attached but the A/V cables (removed all controllers, memory cards and the network adapter). It persists until powering off the system. Sometimes it's a few seconds before the static begins.

I've had this same system for 10+ years and it's very clean, so I'm guessing a capacitor went bad or something. If you have a similar issue and don't know how to fix it, please post anyway so we can get an idea if this is happening to more than a few consoles as they age.

 

[MottZilla]

Did you verify the AV cable is good?

I'm not sure I've heard of failing caps causing audio to become scratchy or have static noise. Usually failing caps leads to a volume reduction often to the point of no audio. Another thought, did you do a close inspection of the AV port on the console? Make sure there are no bent or damaged pins.

 

[ChiefReginod]

I tried another AV cable but got the same results. I also tried cleaning the AV port on the console and the cable connectors with isopropyl alcohol.

The main reason I think it might be a bad cap is that I've had it in the same spot in my entertainment center for years with no change until recently. Last time I played anything on it was sometime last year and it's been unplugged since then. So, no bumps anything like that. I mean it could be some other component, but either way it seems like more of an issue of age than wear and tear.

 

[MottZilla]

You might need to open it up. Before you do you might want to track down a service manual for the model you have. Often they have schematics so you could find out what capacitors are involved in audio output. That will make it a lot easier so you don't have to examine all the caps on the board. Especially if it is a bad capacitor that doesn't have obvious signs of failure.