Wii Production Problems
Discussion
I know production is slow, but I didn't think it had ground to a halt. No 1 selling console in the UK yet it seems there is nowhere that has these for sale at the moment.
Tell us more about what you've heard.
* Edited - I missed out a whole chunk of what I was thinking when I posted this *
Tell us more about what you've heard.
* Edited - I missed out a whole chunk of what I was thinking when I posted this *
Edited by TheKeyboardDemon on Monday 26th March 23:05
Looking around the internet the only "Wii production issues" stories I can find are form the end of 2006 and seem to be rumours only. Everything else suggests Nintendo are having no issues making the things; it's a really simple machine technologically speaking (simple CPU, optics, mechanics, cooling, chipsets, etc) so short of IBM & ATi going bankrupt not a lot is going to stop them cranking em' out.
Edit: Now I could fully understand them pulling the plug on Gamecube production as the Wii can play it's games and the price points aren't too different when you look at retailer discounting (Spotted a Wii, DS and any four games bundle for order in Bluewater HMV... they didn't have any Wii's but you could order one and it'll be there in a week or so).
Edit: Now I could fully understand them pulling the plug on Gamecube production as the Wii can play it's games and the price points aren't too different when you look at retailer discounting (Spotted a Wii, DS and any four games bundle for order in Bluewater HMV... they didn't have any Wii's but you could order one and it'll be there in a week or so).
Edited by ThePassenger on Monday 26th March 20:57
ferrari355gtb said:
Maybe the news isn't in the public domain yet, only heard yesterday. Memory chip problems I think, looked like a major issue and possible impact of months rather than weeks. Can anyone else confirm ? (hope I'm not spreading rumours)
Can't confirm it from the usual sources; doesn't mean to say it isn't real but usually one of the big chip vendors hitting problems is known about quite quickly. They're pretty generic in terms of supply so not a major issue if their primary vendors got issues... just swap to another. Samsung, Hynix... so long as it's the same spec... machine won't care.
tim2100 said:
bromers2 said:
Sources saying production has stopped until they can sort out their quality issues (effects the DS too).
Which sources??
Agreed. Nothing on El reg or inqurer about any memory manu having issues either supplying or with quality. Keep in mind that Nintendo are using the same places that companies like Dell get their parts from so if Nintendo aren't able to ship due to say Hynix getting a bad batch of waffers then Dell, Apple, Sharp and any other company using them are equally as screwed, assuming all of those companies have been idiots and not got a secondary supplier already on contract. Don't take this the wrong way but Sony, Nintendo and Microsoft make bugger all of their consoles... it seriously wouldn't surprise me to know all three have the same vendors components in them.
However, 'sources' could well be Sony marketing division who are busy doing another version of "all i want for christmas is a psp" and throwing FUD at their biggest rival; I say "biggest rival" because the demand for Wii's outstripping the supply can be spun as an issue with component supply... you want a XB360... they're everywhere.
Considering 'sources' say the DS is affected (which is hammering the PSP like the fist of an angry god and has done since it was GBA) but not Wii, DS & GameCube (which is still made and probably gets its components from the same supplier) my vote is for the later option.
tim2100 said:
bromers2 said:
Sources saying production has stopped until they can sort out their quality issues (effects the DS too).
Which sources??
We distribute them and have been told production has stopped.
Another intersting fact - 90% of PS3's have to be re-worked (back to the start of the production line) for faults, similar issue at Ninendo except they've decided to sort out the quality issues.
ferrari355gtb said:
tim2100 said:
bromers2 said:
Sources saying production has stopped until they can sort out their quality issues (effects the DS too).
Which sources??
We distribute them and have been told production has stopped.
Another intersting fact - 90% of PS3's have to be re-worked (back to the start of the production line) for faults, similar issue at Ninendo except they've decided to sort out the quality issues.
90% failing QA? That's way above normal (even taking in to account the BR optics escapades). Same with the Wii production being stopped. If it were issues with components then you'd see other companies complaining (if it were IBM's fab plants you'd see opeds on POWER chips being affected as well). Plus if the quality of the parts was that crap you'd see Wii's failing a lot out in the field, neither the PS3 nor Wii are showing signs of it.
I think the person who told you this is misinformed or has the wrong end of the stick.
I don't think there's a problem with the ones out on the in general public, all I've heard is that when they (PS3's and Wii's) get to the end of production line 90% of them have to go back to the start again for re-work until they reach the final quality control. It's not an issue with the individual components but the process of putting them all together. It's costing Sony a shed load and I'm guessing Nintendo were in a similar position and have decided to call it a halt to sort it out.
Heard on Monday so I'm surprised it's not out in the public domain yet.
Heard on Monday so I'm surprised it's not out in the public domain yet.
I find the 90% reworking very hard to believe. If the chips are damaged/ broken then they would stop putting them into the manufacturing line as they are tested first. And if the assembly is wrong they can't go back and de-bug 1million curcuit boards.
I think someone somewhere has heard something and got totally the wrong end of the stick
I think someone somewhere has heard something and got totally the wrong end of the stick
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