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Controlling a Sony Playstation PS3 (game addiction help)

Electrobrains

Jan 2, 2012
259
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Jan 2, 2012
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259
Hello friends!

I got a cry for help from a single parent mother.
Her 16-year old son has got Video Game Addicted. He plays both day and night and has stopped going to school. Now the social authorities has placed him in a therapy for some weeks and the mother brought me his Sony Playstation PS3. :D

I offered her that I can manipulate the thing and build a timer into it, that would only allow the boy to play at specified times.

Of course the easiest would be to cut the power cord and install a cheap clock timer. The problem with that is of course that the boy can easily manipulate the timer or even cut the cord and connect another cable (in that age they start to get understanding of how to do such things).
Added to that is that he now is bigger and stronger than his mother and she sometimes even is afraid of him.

So, my idea is to go deeper. I opened the PS3 and looked a bit at the power supply and I think that could be a good place to attack...;)

See included photos!
To start this project, my questions to you:

1. Has anybody already done something similar (I don't need to reinvent the wheel)?

2. Do you have other (good!) ideas, how to control a PS3? I never used such thing. Would it for instance be possible to set a timer in software, protected by a password?

3. As you see, the power supply has a 12V power output and a 4-pole connector labeled "5VSB", "GND", "STBY", "ACIN_DET".
Before I start measuring and manipulating, has anyone of you experience with those signals or knows exactly their function?
I suppose SB and STBY stand for Stand-By and DET for detection.

PS3_PS2s.JPG

PS3_PS1s.JPG
 

CocaCola

Apr 7, 2012
3,635
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Apr 7, 2012
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3,635
First off I would tell the parent to man up and say the PS3 went bye bye...

But, if i was to install a timer i would go for the simple attack, hook a timer and relay up to the Harddrive and Blu-ray player supply lines... Or even interrupt the soft on/off power button if you want to keep it even more simple...
 

BobK

Jan 5, 2010
7,682
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Jan 5, 2010
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7,682
If he is truly an addict, he will find a way to defeat it. A relay would be particularly easy to defeat.

Bob
 

NeonBlack

Jan 6, 2017
1
Joined
Jan 6, 2017
Messages
1
First off:
Umm PlayStation 3? If your timer goes off on anything other than just turning off the tv screen, while the game is saving... Your PS3 will probably tank on you. They are evil like that. They mean it when they say, NEVER SHUT OFF SYSTEM WHILE IT IS SAVING INFO.
Second:
Sadly, I remember this all the way back with Ultima III. Then all the divorces, job losses, school drop outs, with EVERQUEST....
Tell mom to set a family schedule , including walks for talking about whatever comes up and weekend board games and such. Most of all , good school work can earn an hour of video time here and there. This is not a discussion, is her reply , after a week or so the child will start to enjoy it. Unless the parent uses the video games as a baby sitter, then she is just screw in herself..

There should be a thread on this. Many children MANY..... are now self centered, tantrum throwing , out of control gamers.
They are throwing away their education, family, selves, etc....... Read up on the number of children and adults that Die from playing to long , slamming to many energy drinks, etc......
I feel for her. I've been there many times.
\m/
9075702283 if you need to talk.
 
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