How's your luck with TV's?

[Grumpz]

Here’s a brief history of mine…well now that I’m done typing, it’s not too brief and it isn’t good.

Got married 12 yrs ago, bought a 27” Trinitron with some wedding money. Had the tube replaced under warranty due to a burnt out pixel. Ended up moving 2 yrs later, and the movers dropped the TV. Damaged the picture but still watchable. Had to take them to small claims court because they claimed it was already damaged. Won the case but was only awarded $175 bucks. Couldn’t fix it or buy a new one with that. What a joke! So now we jump ahead few yrs. The TV dies, obviously had its life expectancy shortened by the drop. So I go out and buy a 26” Toshiba LCD. No problems with this TV all…touch wood! I LOVE IT.

Now, let’s jump ahead to a yr and a bit ago. I move again and now it’s time for a real TV to fit in our great room. We sit around 15’ away. I do a bunch of research and find out the LG 47LBX is a good TV. My parents are in Direct Buy, so I can get this TV for $2100ish after taxes! CHEAP! So I buy it, bring it home, and within 2 weeks I’m getting horizontal static type lines running through it and audio drop outs. LG sends out a repair guy, he replaces a board which takes 4 weeks. The new board does the same thing, so another board is ordered. The new board is even worse. So finally after dealing with LG’s customer service for like 6 months, they allow me to exchange the TV. Unfortunately, they’ve replaced the 47LBX with the Scarlet. These blow compared to the TV I had, so I “upgrade” to a 50” plasma. It takes 2 months to complete the swap. Bring the plasma home, and right out of the box, the picture is horrible, but even worse, when using the PS3 for games or movies, black horizontal bars start to flicker across the entire screen.

So now I’ve had enough! I call LG and demand my money back. They actually try and send out a repair guy knowing the history from the first TV!! After another few weeks of bickering, they finally agree. So it took about 1 yr, 1 LCD, 2 repair visits and 1 plasma and where did it put me you ask? Right back to needing a new TV!

So this time, about 2 months ago, I look at current reviews and based on price, narrow it down to the Samsung 650/750 which everyone seems to like and the Sony KDL52W4100. I end up going with the Sony because it’s at least $400 cheaper than both the Samsung models and I waited close to a month to see if there was going to be any real movement. Anyways, I bring the Sony home and I love it! Everything works great…then……….4 days after the 30 day exchange warranty expires, a pixel stays open dead center on my screen! YOU’VE GOT TO BE KIDDING ME! I just spend $2300 bucks and it’s already got a flaw!?!/!? I Phone up Sony, they send a guy out the next day and he says this is normal and Sony may not repair it! C’MON, IT’S 34 DAYS OLD AND IT’S GOT A WHITE DOT IN THE MIDDLE OF IT!

Anyways, a week later the repair shop calls, and the guy says we’ve got your part. So 2 days later they pick up the TV and return in the same day! SO FAR SO GOOD
I’m serious…TV’s have shaved 5 yrs off of my life…I KNOW IT!