[null]

Looking for a 42in full HD LED (or LCD) TV for immediate purchase in Bangalore. Not looking for any other features like 3D or SMART TV. Main criteria - lower price, good picture quality for SD channels (with a cable set top box).

Pl. suggest the models which offer the best bang for the buck (along with their price if you know).

Thanks

[nishantgandhi]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

I would be clued into this thread - AFAIK, this kinda problem happens to all of them. My friend had a 2.5 year old samsung - gone on the blink with weird white lines that would be seen at different points in the display at different times. Cost? 20k for motherboard, zero guarantee of any repairs. he had to buy a new one!

Originally Posted by coolboy007

My 3 year old Samsung lcd had the same fate last month with weird flickering lines and what not, called samsung guys and he said panel is gone, repair cost to be 17k with not a single day of warranty.

Bought a new Sony led tv, gave the dead samsung to dealer for a buyback of 3k. These new breeds of led/lcd are not reliable, our 9 year old Akai crt still works flawlessly.

Had exactly the same experience in Samsung 42 LED in a close friend's family. There were dead pixels smartly hidden under the top-left stickering, which coincidentally peeled off on its own just as soon as the warranty expired. So exactly after 1 year and 1 month, we saw blackened out top left corner and it spread like cancer to engulf the screen shortly. Samsung service center quoted 26.5k for LED replacement (because the power supply and motherboard are fine - there is sound coming) and with a 1 month warranty on repairs.

My uncle (ably assisted by me!) is currently in talks with higher ups at Samsung to understand why their new gen TVs are designed to surreptitiously fail as soon as warranty expires. His other question is - do these companies use fake/old/refurbished spare parts for repair that they cannot offer a longer than 1 month warranty on repairs? Let's see how uncomfortable Samsung gets in their replies. As of now, we just have assurances.

[phamilyman]

Originally Posted by nishantgandhi

Had exactly the same experience in Samsung 42 LED in a close friend's family. There were dead pixels smartly hidden under the top-left stickering, which coincidentally peeled off on its own just as soon as the warranty expired. So exactly after 1 year and 1 month, we saw blackened out top left corner and it spread like cancer to engulf the screen shortly. Samsung service center quoted 26.5k for LED replacement (because the power supply and motherboard are fine - there is sound coming) and with a 1 month warranty on repairs.

Now I am totally convinced that it is worthwhile to wait before buying a LED TV only when one can travel abroad to Thailand

The upfront savings should be invested in a bank to pay for the eventual replacement!

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Now I am totally convinced that it is worthwhile to wait before buying a LED TV only when one can travel abroad to Thailand

The upfront savings should be invested in a bank to pay for the eventual replacement!

I don't think the failure rate is that high .

Almost all households have flat panel TV's these days. Of these I would say less than 4% fail. ( when one fails 100 people discuss about it and forget about the 99 TV's they own that didn't fail)

Even among the 4% failed ones, of these 80% fail in the first 3 months. If it lasts 6 months there is a slim chance of it happening.

Again I don't have concrete stats to prove it , but based on assumption from what I see / hear / came across.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Now I am totally convinced that it is worthwhile to wait before buying a LED TV only when one can travel abroad to Thailand
....

Or you could buy at Gaffar market at prices that are close to what you'd get in Bangkok.
It's just not worth the while to lug a large TV as accompanied baggage and then deal with Customs!

[S_U_N]

Why not buy extended warranty? Sony is offering total 3 year warranty (2 years extended at an extra price). What is covered in the warranty is not clear, but one can ask Sony.

Also Panasonic offers 3 years warranty (last two years only panel is covered, but that is also the most expensive part).

Toshiba also offers 3 years warranty on many models.

[anupmathur]

Originally Posted by S_U_N

....
Also Panasonic offers 3 years warranty (last two years only panel is covered, but that is also the most expensive part).
.....

Are you sure about this?
I recall that Panasonic offers a 3 years warranty only on their plasma TVs.
One year on the LCDs.

[nishantgandhi]

Originally Posted by phamilyman

Now I am totally convinced that it is worthwhile to wait before buying a LED TV only when one can travel abroad to Thailand

The upfront savings should be invested in a bank to pay for the eventual replacement!

I suggested my friend a different approach. I advised them to buy a Panasonic plasma. At half the cost of 42 inch LED of same/competing brands and with way better motion control, IPS panel and picture quality, it really is a no-brainer. Besides, Pana offers 3 years warranty on plasmas. So its like having your cake and eating it too.

Originally Posted by S_U_N

Why not buy extended warranty? Sony is offering total 3 year warranty (2 years extended at an extra price). What is covered in the warranty is not clear, but one can ask Sony.

Also Panasonic offers 3 years warranty (last two years only panel is covered, but that is also the most expensive part).

Toshiba also offers 3 years warranty on many models.

Yes you are right. Sony has recently started offering 3 year warranty on LEDs and that's one reason why it is under active consideration by my friend. Otherwise, there were abundant horror stories about Sony after-sales - very similar to Skoda!

[S_U_N]

Originally Posted by anupmathur

Are you sure about this?
I recall that Panasonic offers a 3 years warranty only on their plasma TVs.
One year on the LCDs.

When I was at the brandshop last week, I could see the 3 year note on all the TV's.

BTW: Panasonic has now updated their site to include 50ST60.


BTW: I got the TV on Saturday. Will post detailed review in a month.

[Raccoon]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

I don't think the failure rate is that high .

Almost all households have flat panel TV's these days. Of these I would say less than 4% fail. ( when one fails 100 people discuss about it and forget about the 99 TV's they own that didn't fail)

Even among the 4% failed ones, of these 80% fail in the first 3 months. If it lasts 6 months there is a slim chance of it happening.

Again I don't have concrete stats to prove it , but based on assumption from what I see / hear / came across.

I guess it is. Recently, our TV guy (not part of any ASC), who is probably amongst the best technician I'v come across, said the same thing - failure rate is very high in recent LCD/LEDs. Usually happens after the warranty is up. He told us not to give up our CRT, if durability is a factor.

Its pretty much the same in most of the products today. Laptops for eg. Things are built NOT to last too long, so that you keep buying more and more often. You gotta be extra alert and informed to select the stuff that may last RELATIVELY longer.

In this scenario, I feel it just does not make sense consider TVs as a long term investment, like it was in the past. And buy a TV with 3 year warranty on all components. Else expect to start looking for a replacement just after a year or two, at most.

[anupmathur]

The way I see it is that a company that offers optional extended warranty on their TVs must have a better product than the ones that don't offer this facility.
The cost for extended warranty is far lower than the cost of replacing the panel or the motherboard.

[Fillmore]

Originally Posted by Raccoon

I guess it is. Recently, our TV guy (not part of any ASC), who is probably amongst the best technician I'v come across, said the same thing - failure rate is very high in recent LCD/LEDs. Usually happens after the warranty is up. He told us not to give up our CRT, if durability is a factor.

Whatever these technicians say should be taken with a pinch of salt.

But I would be interested in the actual results too. Can someone open a poll to confirm some stats ?
I guess my account does not have the privilege to start one.

Possible options

1. I own an >
*LCD
*LED
*Plasma

2. My TV Never Failed, it is >
*Less than 1yr old
*Less than 3yrs old
*More than 3yrs old

3. My TV Failed, it is >
*Less than 1yr old
*Less than 3yrs old
*More than 3yrs old

Note: Failure in this case means the repair/replacement cost was more than 10% that of the TV cost.

[hrman]

It makes sense going for a TV which offers three years warranty or extended warranty offered by the dealer. Croma/ Reliance digital usually have two/ three year extended warranty at a cost, which kicks in as soon as the manufacturer provided one year warranty expires.
It is worth taking it for peace of mind.

[diyguy]

This is one reason I started buying white goods at Croma for the past few years. They offer an extended warranty of two additional years (insurance based) on most things you buy there.

[Raccoon]

Originally Posted by Fillmore

Whatever these technicians say should be taken with a pinch of salt.

You gotta know who to take with a pinch of salt and who not. And what I said is not based on just what one tech said. What others here are saying also seems to corroborate this. Also, what they are saying is for stuff that is manufactured 3-4 years ago. Recent stuff is most likely even less durable... we will know for sure only in the next couple years.

Originally Posted by hrman

It makes sense going for a TV which offers three years warranty or extended warranty offered by the dealer. Croma/ Reliance digital usually have two/ three year extended warranty at a cost, which kicks in as soon as the manufacturer provided one year warranty expires.
It is worth taking it for peace of mind.

In that case, you have to add the cost of the extended warranty in the purchase price, when you making a buying decision. After doing that, I don't think the extended warranties will look attractive at all, compared to the ones giving 3 years warranty.

I think extended warranties are like a win-win situation for manufacturers. First device products that will fail just after the base (1 yr) warranty, and so scare people into buying extended warranties and even make more on a non-durable product (which, to being with, would mostly cost less to manufacture than a durable product).

Originally Posted by diyguy

This is one reason I started buying white goods at Croma for the past few years. They offer an extended warranty of two additional years (insurance based) on most things you buy there.

Insurance based? Does that cover component failure/manufacturing defects, etc?