F...TVs

[mredskins]

So my $3000 dollar 42 inch Phillips TV is now broken after only 3.5 years of service. Plasma BTW.

I have a black band that will not go away on the right side, basically it is the band that is there when you are watching 4-3 picture but when you switch to high def it remains. Called Phillips and basically they said look in the yellow pages for a repair shop, great customer service.

I called Geek Squad and they want $150 just to look at it! By the time they repair it probably be 300 or 400 dollars. Might as well by a new one for 600 dollars.


So basically never buy Phillips I have two other HD TV's both Samsung and they work great.

Funny how my Sony CRT lasted 10 years and I swear I even dropped it several times during moves, I gave it away for this TV and it was still working! Grrrr!!!!!!!!!!!!

[DynamiteRave]

$3000 for a 42 inch TV? I paid $400 for my 38 inch HDTV. Granted it's not plasma.. I've seen big screen (50 inch+) HDTV's go for far less than that...

Is the plasma the only thing that's kicking up to $3000??

[GMScud]

Are you in the DC area? If you are, I know a great repair guy who fixed one of my HD's, and he's very reasonable. $60 to diagnose the problem, and if he can fix it for you, he'll deduct that $60 from the total bill. He got one of my TVs -a 32 inch Sanyo HD- back up and running in a few days.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Are you in the DC area? If you are, I know a great repair guy who fixed one of my HD's, and he's very reasonable. $60 to diagnose the problem, and if he can fix it for you, he'll deduct that $60 from the total bill. He got one of my TVs -a 32 inch Sanyo HD- back up and running in a few days.

where about is this guy? I am in northern Baltimore but willing to drive to someone good.

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by mredskins

where about is this guy? I am in northern Baltimore but willing to drive to someone good.

He's in Gaithersburg, so he was about a 15 mile drive from me, but worth it.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by GMScud

He's in Gaithersburg, so he was about a 15 mile drive from me, but worth it.

Ok shoot me his contact info! thank you!

[Dirtbag59]

Originally Posted by GMScud

Are you in the DC area? If you are, I know a great repair guy who fixed one of my HD's, and he's very reasonable. $60 to diagnose the problem, and if he can fix it for you, he'll deduct that $60 from the total bill. He got one of my TVs -a 32 inch Sanyo HD- back up and running in a few days.

Obviously this post is very old but that is exactly how these repair companies should do business. I have to imagine Geek Squad looses a lot of money on the diagnosis alone.

[Monkeydad]

Originally Posted by DynamiteRave

$3000 for a 42 inch TV? I paid $400 for my 38 inch HDTV. Granted it's not plasma.. I've seen big screen (50 inch+) HDTV's go for far less than that...

Is the plasma the only thing that's kicking up to $3000??

I paid $800 for my 42" Samsung HD. Still working perfect after years and it was a floor model.

The reason I will not buy a plasma is right here...they're basically disposable TVs. My rear projection has a good enough picture, but has replaceable parts.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Buster

I paid $800 for my 42" Samsung HD. Still working perfect after years and it was a floor model.

The reason I will not buy a plasma is right here...they're basically disposable TVs. My rear projection has a good enough picture, but has replaceable parts.

This statement is utter nonsense and should be ignored. If you leave your Plasma TV on 24/7 its half-life (time before the brightness of the TV is half what it use to be) is ~11 years. If you intend to watch your TV 6 hours a day you're looking at a half-life of ~30 years. I very much doubt you will be able to find replacement parts for your TV after 10 to 15 years let alone 30 years.

Note that this calculation is based on older Plasma models that were rated 30,000 hours.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by saden1

This statement is utter nonsense and should be ignored. If you leave your Plasma TV on 24/7 its half-life (time before the brightness of the TV is half what it use to be) is ~11 years. If you intend to watch your TV 6 hours a day you're looking at a half-life of ~30 years. I very much doubt you will be able to find replacement parts for your TV after 10 to 15 years let alone 30 years.

Note that this calculation is based on older Plasma models that were rated 30,000 hours.

I was going to say something to this when he posted it but figured I don't give a crap. My plasma for the record is completely repairable for $300 bucks it needs a new control board. So to say plasma TV's are throw aways, is a false statement.

[saden1]

Originally Posted by mredskins

I was going to say something to this when he posted it but figured I don't give a crap. My plasma for the record is completely repairable for $300 bucks it needs a new control board. So to say plasma TV's are throw aways, is a false statement.

It's Buster, he is [fill in the blank].

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by mredskins

I was going to say something to this when he posted it but figured I don't give a crap. My plasma for the record is completely repairable for $300 bucks it needs a new control board. So to say plasma TV's are throw aways, is a false statement.

So are you gonna take your tv to the guy I recommended? I thought my screen was done, and for $150 including labor he replaced a few transistors and it's as good as new.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by saden1

This statement is utter nonsense and should be ignored. If you leave your Plasma TV on 24/7 its half-life (time before the brightness of the TV is half what it use to be) is ~11 years. If you intend to watch your TV 6 hours a day you're looking at a half-life of ~30 years. I very much doubt you will be able to find replacement parts for your TV after 10 to 15 years let alone 30 years.

Note that this calculation is based on older Plasma models that were rated 30,000 hours.

Now they're up to what, 65 or 70k I believe?

[saden1]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Now they're up to what, 65 or 70k I believe?

They're up to 100K now though that figure is a bit suspect because it's based on theoretical calculation with optimal conditions.

[mredskins]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Now they're up to what, 65 or 70k I believe?

from what I have learned and many others it really doesn't matter the life span of the screen it is the circuit boarders inside that go way before the screen ever does.