Debate: Is it worth replacing HDMI ports on old consoles? Found a wild stat that changed my mind

I was looking up HDMI port replacement guides for my Xbox 360 and stumbled on a stat from a repair shop in Austin that said 60% of console HDMI failures are actually just bad solder joints, not broken ports. That surprised me because I always assumed the port itself was toast. Now I'm torn between trying a reflow myself or just buying a used console for $40. Has anyone else here tried just reheating the pins instead of replacing the whole port?

2 comments

2 Comments

spencer1991mo ago

Tried the reflow on my PS3 a few years back with a heat gun. Worked fine for about 6 months then the issue came back. Ended up just buying a used console anyway.

jamiesingh1mo ago

6 months is honestly pretty good for a half baked heat gun fix. Most people I know who tried that got maybe 2-3 months before the YLOD or RROD came back. The real problem is people think reflowing is some magic bullet when really you're just temporarily reconnecting cracked solder balls. Without proper flux and a real rework station you're just delaying the inevitable. Used consoles are cheap enough now that I don't even bother with the whole heat gun circus anymore.