New model slimline PS2, question about the AC power adapter
January 14, 2005 7:44 PM Subscribe
PlayStation 2 DoohickeyFilter: I bought the new-model slimline PS2, and am confused by part of the AC adaptor. [mi]
The new PS2 has a "power brick," like most laptops. A wire leads from the system to the brick (the AC adaptor part), and then a different wire plugs into the brick on one end and the wall socket on the other. Now, on the wire that leads from the brick to the PS2, about an inch up from the yellow plug that actually goes into the unit, there's what looks like a thick tube of black plastic. The wire passes through the center, loops around the outside of the tube, then goes back in and continues out the other side. It's either too tight to be moved, or adhered somehow, so you can't slide it or pull the loop larger. For the life of me, I can't figure out what this is supposed to do, and there's no reference to it in the manual. Any ideas?
The new PS2 has a "power brick," like most laptops. A wire leads from the system to the brick (the AC adaptor part), and then a different wire plugs into the brick on one end and the wall socket on the other. Now, on the wire that leads from the brick to the PS2, about an inch up from the yellow plug that actually goes into the unit, there's what looks like a thick tube of black plastic. The wire passes through the center, loops around the outside of the tube, then goes back in and continues out the other side. It's either too tight to be moved, or adhered somehow, so you can't slide it or pull the loop larger. For the life of me, I can't figure out what this is supposed to do, and there's no reference to it in the manual. Any ideas?
Best answer: Could be an interference filter. If so, it's a little block of ferrite dust, which tends to absorb high frequencies. I haven't seen one before where the power cord loops through the ferrite twice, but ones where the cord simply goes through the ferrite once are pretty common.
posted by hattifattener at 8:04 PM on January 14, 2005
posted by hattifattener at 8:04 PM on January 14, 2005
3rd for RF filter.
I'd love it if the parts listing called the "power brick" just that.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 8:07 PM on January 14, 2005
I'd love it if the parts listing called the "power brick" just that.
posted by Jack Karaoke at 8:07 PM on January 14, 2005
Best answer: Ralph Baer, the godfather of all video games, came across this phenomenon as a solution to RF interference while working at Coleco in the mid-1970's. Check out this article, the ferrite rings are mentioned in the fifth paragraph.
posted by Aquaman at 8:25 PM on January 14, 2005
posted by Aquaman at 8:25 PM on January 14, 2005
Response by poster: Thanks, folks. I'm certain you're correct. That was very enlightening.
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:32 PM on January 14, 2005
posted by Faint of Butt at 8:32 PM on January 14, 2005
4th for RF filter. I'm surprised you've not been exposed to these before. I have lots of electronics equipment (though mostly from Japanese companies) with ferrite core loops on the cables. I see a lot of digital camera -> video leads with them too. Perhaps they're not as common in North America.
posted by wackybrit at 8:48 PM on January 14, 2005
posted by wackybrit at 8:48 PM on January 14, 2005
Great question! I've got the same thing on the USB connection cable that came with my Canon Powershot S40 digital camera, and I've always wondered what it's for.
It's a little tube of black plastic just as you describe, with the cable looping through and around just like you describe. Only this one can be opened easily and it contains two half-tube sections of a dark metal. Confirms the explanations above.
posted by bruceyeah at 1:04 AM on January 15, 2005
It's a little tube of black plastic just as you describe, with the cable looping through and around just like you describe. Only this one can be opened easily and it contains two half-tube sections of a dark metal. Confirms the explanations above.
posted by bruceyeah at 1:04 AM on January 15, 2005
The "power brick" is, of course, one of the ways they made the new PS2 smaller. They moved it out of the console and into the "brick".
posted by kreinsch at 7:36 AM on January 17, 2005
posted by kreinsch at 7:36 AM on January 17, 2005
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by hindmost at 8:03 PM on January 14, 2005