Placing my console on carpet

[Rik]

Sometimes i like to play my Various classic consoles sitting in front of TV with console sitting on the carpet in front of me.I thought about this and figured that's not too smart because of the static that can develop and zap the controller ports or other chips in your console.So i put a piece of plexi glass underneath the console.Then i thought that's probably worse, since plexi glass is plastic.I now use a piece of rubber carpet underlay between console and carpet.I've never seen any caution notes in any manual about this, but it seems like a very real possibility that placing any console on carpet is asking for trouble.Any one else ever think about this?

[superdevil]

Sometimes i like to play my Various classic consoles sitting in front of TV with console sitting on the carpet in front of me.I thought about this and figured that's not too smart because of the static that can develop and zap the controller ports or other chips in your console.So i put a piece of plexi glass underneath the console.Then i thought that's probably worse, since plexi glass is plastic.I now use a piece of rubber carpet underlay between console and carpet.I've never seen any caution notes in any manual about this, but it seems like a very real possibility that placing any console on carpet is asking for trouble.Any one else ever think about this?

 

Some consoles are known to develop problems sitting on carpet, but it's usually due to heat build-up instead of static discharge. The original Intellivision came with a warning flyer telling owners to not place the console on the carpet because it could fry the circuitboard, after numerous reports of overheating. It said to place a book or a board between the console or carpet so that heat could dissipate easier, and this is something I do to this day, whether it's a 360 or a 2600.

[+Random Terrain]

What about a piece of wood from an old computer desk or a wooden chopping block/cutting board?

[superdevil]

What about a piece of wood from an old computer desk or a wooden chopping block/cutting board?

 

That's exactly what I use, an old cutting board.

 

Sometimes I use an old encyclopedia too.

Edited June 11, 2010 by superdevil

[Video]

I suppose it is technically possible to zap a controller port, I know the C=64 was pretty finicky about it's ports. But never heard of it on carpet, though why not? you build a charge by walking on it (and touching something yowza)

 

It's more likely that the pile is clogging air vents and the system is just getting to hot though. I figure a piece of plexiglass/anything solid flat and handy, should work just fine to protect the system. I got an old metal TV tray that I used to use to keep the console off the carpet.

[Rik]

Yeah, i guess a console is more prone to excessive heat when placed directly on carpet, especially a shag!, ala 70's!When i think of it, a console or anything that has chips in it can can zapped pretty well anywhere.Just walking around the house on the carpet and then to were your console is, you can zap, dry air makes it worse, if you directly touch a chip.That's why they say to wear a grounding strap on your wrist when working inside your PC, or touch the chassis to drain any static on you.I have heard a few times about the controller ports on the ColecoVision being prone to getting zapped useless.