My LCD HDTV Just Went Out and Just Past Warranty

[NickD 203]

With a bit of knowledge on this subject, the vast majority of problems with both automotive and consumer grade products is either a flux solder connection, some components are too large to be wavesoldered on a PCB so are manually installed, not leaving the iron on long enough to burn off the flux. Or insulation displacement type connectors, they are all that way now, that do not quite displace the insulation for a firm contact. Either may work for a couple of years, or one day past warranty if you are unlucky, and depending on the function, may cause just a minor annoying problem or the entire thing is dead.

On occasion, do find a bad bond within the confines of an IC, either very tiny aluminum wires are ultrasonically welded or the IC leads are directly welded to dimples on the IC. Those you have to replace the IC, but with preprogrammed microcontrollers or ASIC's custom made integrated circuits, they can nail you to the wall.

Your home should have an over abundance of surge protectors, I have huge ones in my circuit breaker box that clamp any spikes greater than 170 volts for a 120 VAC line, most homes have two out of phase such lines that can be added together to give 240 VAC.

If a device was hit by a transient, and many are, that is why they invented trashcans. With the way the market is today, just a small handfull of components, all special, can easily outprice the cost of a new device.

Should be a big sign, buy at your own risk.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

Where can you get a 32" for $300?

Costco, Sams, Wal-Mart. Maybe even Circuit City since they're going out of business.

720 is pretty cheap nowadays and it's possible to get a brand-new "generic" (which is actually not saying much since LCD is still a pretty new market and the "no-names" are probably pretty competitive with the "named" brands.)

If you have to spend $300 to fix that one, do it. Otherwise, save up a few more pennies and upgrade to 1080 w/120hz, blu-ray, surround sound, etc. Or, head down to the thrift store and buy an old clunker, go to that one website and get your $40 discount on some new digital rabbit ears, and you're all set!

Even the cheapest no name 32's I have seen are close to $400. Check out the warranty on the no names. On some of them, by the time you follow their rules, it will be close to the cost of a new set. I am not up to date on the Vizio warranty, but a year or so ago you had to pay $150, plus ship it in box that you had to by from them, etc, bringing the cost of a warranty claim to the $300 range. If you needed service, the money you saved over buying a name brand was gone.

Hmmm...very interesting and very good to know.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

Where can you get a 32" for $300?

Costco, Sams, Wal-Mart. Maybe even Circuit City since they're going out of business.

720 is pretty cheap nowadays and it's possible to get a brand-new "generic" (which is actually not saying much since LCD is still a pretty new market and the "no-names" are probably pretty competitive with the "named" brands.)

If you have to spend $300 to fix that one, do it. Otherwise, save up a few more pennies and upgrade to 1080 w/120hz, blu-ray, surround sound, etc. Or, head down to the thrift store and buy an old clunker, go to that one website and get your $40 discount on some new digital rabbit ears, and you're all set!

Even the cheapest no name 32's I have seen are close to $400. Check out the warranty on the no names. On some of them, by the time you follow their rules, it will be close to the cost of a new set. I am not up to date on the Vizio warranty, but a year or so ago you had to pay $150, plus ship it in box that you had to by from them, etc, bringing the cost of a warranty claim to the $300 range. If you needed service, the money you saved over buying a name brand was gone.

Hmmm...very interesting and very good to know.

Read the terms of the warranty closely. A lot of people are surprised when it comes time to make a claim. Perhaps Vizio is better today, but it wasn't that long ago that it was quite expensive to get warranty service. IMHO, Samsung makes a great LCD. I prefer them over Sony. In plasma, I like Panasonic and Pioneer Elite.

[Hilarious Clinton 452]

I talked with a repairman over the phone this morning and he said it sounds like the systems control panel needs replacing ($200) plus $100 labor. It's a Philips 32" LCD 720p that we bought back in November of 2007. Philips had sent an offer for an extended warranty right after we purchased the TV and I tossed it aside. It's been a great TV otherwise and the repairmen says they're good TV's. I guess it was just my bad luck.

Dang. I don't buy extended warranties either.

FWIW Costco doubles TV warranties to 2 years for free.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I talked with a repairman over the phone this morning and he said it sounds like the systems control panel needs replacing ($200) plus $100 labor. It's a Philips 32" LCD 720p that we bought back in November of 2007. Philips had sent an offer for an extended warranty right after we purchased the TV and I tossed it aside. It's been a great TV otherwise and the repairmen says they're good TV's. I guess it was just my bad luck.

Dang. I don't buy extended warranties either.

FWIW Costco doubles TV warranties to 2 years for free.

Costco rocks. That's good to know.

Read the terms of the warranty closely. A lot of people are surprised when it comes time to make a claim. Perhaps Vizio is better today, but it wasn't that long ago that it was quite expensive to get warranty service. IMHO, Samsung makes a great LCD. I prefer them over Sony. In plasma, I like Panasonic and Pioneer Elite.

I've read that Samsung LCD's are really good. Perhaps when we're in the market to get one for the living room.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

I talked with a repairman over the phone this morning and he said it sounds like the systems control panel needs replacing ($200) plus $100 labor. It's a Philips 32" LCD 720p that we bought back in November of 2007. Philips had sent an offer for an extended warranty right after we purchased the TV and I tossed it aside. It's been a great TV otherwise and the repairmen says they're good TV's. I guess it was just my bad luck.

Dang. I don't buy extended warranties either.

FWIW Costco doubles TV warranties to 2 years for free.

Costco rocks. That's good to know.

Read the terms of the warranty closely. A lot of people are surprised when it comes time to make a claim. Perhaps Vizio is better today, but it wasn't that long ago that it was quite expensive to get warranty service. IMHO, Samsung makes a great LCD. I prefer them over Sony. In plasma, I like Panasonic and Pioneer Elite.

I've read that Samsung LCD's are really good. Perhaps when we're in the market to get one for the living room.

Samsung's are at the top of most ratings, but the bottom line is what looks good to you. It is subjective, just like sound is when buying audio equipment. What sounds good to me may sound worse to you.

[one...two...tree 2,762]

I talked with a repairman over the phone this morning and he said it sounds like the systems control panel needs replacing ($200) plus $100 labor. It's a Philips 32" LCD 720p that we bought back in November of 2007. Philips had sent an offer for an extended warranty right after we purchased the TV and I tossed it aside. It's been a great TV otherwise and the repairmen says they're good TV's. I guess it was just my bad luck.

Dang. I don't buy extended warranties either.

FWIW Costco doubles TV warranties to 2 years for free.

Costco rocks. That's good to know.

Read the terms of the warranty closely. A lot of people are surprised when it comes time to make a claim. Perhaps Vizio is better today, but it wasn't that long ago that it was quite expensive to get warranty service. IMHO, Samsung makes a great LCD. I prefer them over Sony. In plasma, I like Panasonic and Pioneer Elite.

I've read that Samsung LCD's are really good. Perhaps when we're in the market to get one for the living room.

Samsung's are at the top of most ratings, but the bottom line is what looks good to you. It is subjective, just like sound is when buying audio equipment. What sounds good to me may sound worse to you.

When I was looking to buy, the Samsung did catch my eye, but hadn't read any reviews on them and remembered years ago, their TV's were notoriously bad. It's funny how reputations can change.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

When I was looking to buy, the Samsung did catch my eye, but hadn't read any reviews on them and remembered years ago, their TV's were notoriously bad. It's funny how reputations can change.

Samsung has actually overtaken Sony on the majority of ratings reports. You are correct, a few years ago, Samsung was considered junk. Today, LG is the up and coming brand.

[DeadPoolX 9]

We have a Samsung 32" LCD TV and it's great. Any image problems we've had are result of Telus TV service (which could use a sharper picture).

[NickD 203]

I talked with a repairman over the phone this morning and he said it sounds like the systems control panel needs replacing ($200) plus $100 labor. It's a Philips 32" LCD 720p that we bought back in November of 2007. Philips had sent an offer for an extended warranty right after we purchased the TV and I tossed it aside. It's been a great TV otherwise and the repairmen says they're good TV's. I guess it was just my bad luck.

You didn't disclose the nature of your problem, no sound, no picture, no nothing? Very similar to a notebook computer in design with the HD, memory, Lan, keyboard, and CD. Uses a long florescent tube normally at the top for back lighting with an inverter to power it that is also a common problem. That is an easy fix. The LCD is made of very fine runs of a conductive ink that is easier to conterfiet a dollar bill than to repair, a segment of your picture will be missing, want more for that damn thing than what you paid for it. The rest is dirt cheap three layer logic they want a fortune for. Oh, the latest problem is lead free solder, they know your purchase is going to end up in a land fill someplace and don't want to contaminate the water.

Ha, I had a five year old monitor that caught fire, it didn't blow the fuse, that was all I needed to to get a brand new one free, postage prepaid. I don't have anything good to say about Sony, so won't, much prefer Panasonic. They weren't interested in taking over our entertainment industry. Much of Phillips is assembled in the USA using imported parts, down in Tennesee.

[pedroh 21]

jvc here, and i love it

[Ban Hammer 13,355]

I talked with a repairman over the phone this morning and he said it sounds like the systems control panel needs replacing ($200) plus $100 labor. It's a Philips 32" LCD 720p that we bought back in November of 2007. Philips had sent an offer for an extended warranty right after we purchased the TV and I tossed it aside. It's been a great TV otherwise and the repairmen says they're good TV's. I guess it was just my bad luck.

goose did it!

it's things like that which make me make major purchase with my credit card, as my credit card extends the warranty by a year. keep that in mind in the future.

[Jasman0717 9]

That sucks We just got a Sony 52" from Sears. It was on sale for about $750 under normal. Samsung and Sony are highly rated and recommended by Consumer Reports.

[yogib37 3]

I was about to say, if it's a VIZIO i understand but Philips is a good brand...i guess it's just bad luck

sorry 4 u

What is wrong with VIZIO. I had a VIZIO 32" for over a year now and I did not have any problems with it, and did you know SONY makes them?

So dont say sony is better then VIZIO cause they are the same

[yogib37 3]

I was about to say, if it's a VIZIO i understand but Philips is a good brand...i guess it's just bad luck

sorry 4 u

What is wrong with VIZIO. I had a VIZIO 32" for over a year now and I did not have any problems with it, and did you know SONY makes them?

So dont say sony is better then VIZIO cause they are the same

shoot I cant edit, I just saw this, I have a VIZIO. not had

me bad