Topic: Vertical console placement: Does it affect durability?

[Mop it up]

This is something I've always wondered about. When the Wii or any other disc-based system is set up in a vertical position, does it put more strain on the disc spinner? Or does it not make a difference? I've always figured that being vertical would cause the drive to wear out faster, because it has to work against gravity. But some say that the momentum of the side of the disc spinning down would even out the extra effort needed for the other side to spin up, so it would make no difference.

Have there ever been any tests on this?

[ThePerm]

Depends on the console probably. Wii can go both ways, but it was designed to be vertical. I think one of the designers said please "put it upright" or something. Xbox 360 and ps3 have had issues and they too are supposed to go both ways. The original Xbox was tested to have a slot loader, but they were scared people would put peanut butter in the slot.

[TJ Spyke]

I've never seen any problems with the Wii being vertical.

As perm said, both the Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3 have had problems reported when being vertical. The PS3 especially doesn't seem designed to be vertical and feels like it will fall over. I would keep the 360 and PS3 horizontal.

[Ian Sane]

I keep all my consoles horizontal entirely because of balance issues.  If I keep them vertical the cat can knock them over or I could accidentally bump them.  There is a risk of things crashing around and keeping them horizontal just eliminates that sort of accident.

[Guitar Smasher]

This is something I've always wondered about. When the Wii or any other disc-based system is set up in a vertical position, does it put more strain on the disc spinner? Or does it not make a difference? I've always figured that being vertical would cause the drive to wear out faster, because it has to work against gravity. But some say that the momentum of the side of the disc spinning down would even out the extra effort needed for the other side to spin up, so it would make no difference.

Have there ever been any tests on this?

If you want to talk the physics of the disk spinning, well gravity doesn't play a part of it (the disk as a body doesn't displace at all vertically, so gravity does no work; the line of action of gravity also goes through the center of mass, meaning it doesn't apply any net torque).  The only reason you supply spinning power is to maintain the angular velocity, which would otherwise decrease due to friction.

However the weight of the disk would apply a vertical shear stress on the spinner.  Predicting how this would affect performance over time is not possible since we don't really know the specs of each component.

[jrlibrarian]

Also, if your 360 or PS3 is vertical, and you bump into it while a game is being played, it has the chance of effing your game up pretty well. I have had a few where they are so scratched that the machine won't even read them any more. I keep my 360 horizontal to avoid that happening again.

[Dirk Temporo]

Also, if your 360 or PS3 is vertical, and you bump into it while a game is being played, it has the chance of effing your game up pretty well.

That's true of any disc-based hardware, vertical or not.

[UltimatePartyBear]

Depends on the console probably. Wii can go both ways, but it was designed to be vertical. I think one of the designers said please "put it upright" or something.

I'm almost positive he was just talking about making it look pretty.  Personally, I've never used the vertical stand with my Wii because there's a vent on the side that would be covered up.

[TJ Spyke]

What are you talking about? All of the vents are in the back, and are NOT covered up when using the  vertical stand.

[NWR_insanolord]

What are you talking about? All of the vents are in the back, and are NOT covered up when using the  vertical stand.

Wrong.

[TJ Spyke]

What are you talking about? All of the vents are in the back, and are NOT covered up when using the  vertical stand.

Wrong.

It's not covered up though, the stand has a empty spot for that. Simply put, ventilation on the Wii is not effect putting it vertically in the stand.

[NWR_insanolord]

The stand doesn't cover it up, but the floor/table/whatever that it's standing on does.

[ThePerm]

the stand has enough empty space under it to ventilate any blocked air through its seems. Don't put it on carpet though because this will cause your Wii to suffocate. I did this when i first got my Wii, all i had to do was vacuum it out, and let it cool down. I haven't had a problem since. I've always had my Wii vertical for space reasons.

[Mop it up]

I see, so no one really knows huh? I was just wondering, because I recently had the disc drive wear out, and so it got me wondering if the placement makes any difference. If it does, it'd probably just be a small one.

And yeah, the stand causing the exhaust vent to be covered makes no sense. In fact, that might be another reason that I placed it horizontally.

[UltimatePartyBear]

the stand has enough empty space under it to ventilate any blocked air through its seems.

I don't think it allows enough airflow.  Regardless, it certainly restricts airflow by at least some amount, and I prefer no restriction at all, just to be safe.