Author Topic: Plasma T.V. (Read 793 times)

Puke · « **Reply #15 on:** June 16, 2003, 02:38:16 PM »

Hey, great news! I was starting to become wary about buying on but now this article has given me new zest for the plasma flat-panel!

Way cool. I'm gonna research that site more in-depth as soon as I can.

Eagler · « **Reply #16 on:** June 16, 2003, 03:12:22 PM »

how do they know - can't remember many/any 50" plasma tv's floating around in '93 - so the "they'll last 10 years" info is just an educated calculation .. ie guess

maybe the article is the plasma groups attempt to hype their sales

did hear they have a screen burn in problem too

I say, get a huge HD CRT and sink it flush in the wall .. wal-lah "flat" panel tv... turn the fp into a fake one, you don't need a real fireplace in SD anyway

SKurj · « **Reply #17 on:** June 16, 2003, 03:20:31 PM »

work for a tv repair shop....

A sony tube lasting 30 years??? a set around 12-15 yrs old may last you another 5-10. A set you bought within the last 5... may last you another 5.... (tube sets)
Since about 91 modern tubes do not last, seen several Sony's come through the shop less than 2 years old with tubes gone...

I am not bashing Sony, as we likely see more Sony's than any other but of course that makes sense... More that are sold, more that will need repair.

Flat screen tubes don't last as long as the old curved ones...

Boss has a 32" HDTV in the shop now... it fell over, the panel which you hook up your rca cables etc to, is damaged. Repair... well ya can't, replace $400.

If you have to have plasma, get the extended warranty, and then see if you can use one of those credit card warrantoes to extend the warranty further...

Mebbe I am a pessimist, but I tell anyone who asks... You want a TV? Spend no more now, than you wanna spend 5 years from now when you are replacing it.
Everyone wants 32" tv's for $200... the companies are trying to give the people what they want. The only way to do so is to cut corners and cut quality.

Plasma tv components won't be repaired they will be replaced, my guess the cheapest repair for a plasma will still run $1000 or more...

SKurj

Pfunk · « **Reply #18 on:** June 16, 2003, 04:16:04 PM »

I worked for an electronics store HiFi buys for two years and I can tell you one thing about plasma TV's unless you have an HDTV signal its gonna look like sheot. Typical cable television is not boradcast in 16:9 format and ALL plasma tv's are 16:9. Granted you can take a non 16:9 picture and stretch it, but it distorts the image considerably and you can also make it fit but it will be "letterboxed" but with bars to the left and right of the as opposed to horizontal bars. Many sets do not have to capability to effectively shift the picture over time to prevent burn in. If a set doesnt have this capability count on having two nice lines in your picture in no time. Unless you plan on only watching DVD's with a player that has a Progessive Scan Component Video Output all the time or if you dont have HDTV save your money. Go into an electronics store and watch a conventional TV signal on a plasma and looks HORRIBLE, you can see every pixel in the set and they are quite blurry. You also have to include the cost of the mount to put the television on the wall or any other location besides the stand it comes with, this will run you about $700-1000 for a good quality mount. Also all plasma tv's are not created equal those Sampos are POS's. Yeah they might use some of the same components as other sets but the quality is not there. If you want a good plasma with an excellent picture expect to spend at least $7000-$13000 and why would you have it any other way. What I mean is why the hell would you spend $2000-$4000 on a TV that in all actuallity will look no better than an HDTV projection TV which can be had for less than that? One of the very best models is the Pioneer Elite series

Pfunk · « **Reply #19 on:** June 16, 2003, 04:33:10 PM »

My suggestion is NOT to buy any tv at this price point from bestbuy, trust me I worked there and there is NO training of the employees to deal with this high of a technological standard. 90% of the people there are pimply faced high school boys that work there for the discount they receive and NOTHING more. When the BB I worked out started to carry plasma TV's our "training session" lasted all of about 30mins. Their Performance Service Plan is a joke, it was around $500-$800 for a plasma at that time. Service takes at the very least 3 weeks, even with "in-home" service. The BB technicians are not properly trained in regards to servicing the televisions and have to come out multiple times to fix a set with a simple problem. I would recommend going to a HiFi Buys/Tweeter store, the guys that work there do it for their passion of electronics and are the most highly trained retail sales associates in the country. Just to start working there I had to go to Atlanta for 3 days 8hrs a day for an intensive training session on EVERY product we sold. This is not to mention the 1-2 refresher courses that were mandatory for us to attend each year. Every one that works there is full time with benefits, this is the career not some part time job. You mentioned San Diego well tweeter has few stores there. http://www.tweeter.com

SAN DIEGO - MISSION VALLEY Tweeter
1144 Camino Del Rio North
San Diego, CA 92108
619-220-7000

SAN DIEGO - SPORTS ARENA Tweeter
3445 Sports Arena Blvd.
San Diego, CA 92110
619-226-3500

SAN DIEGO - CLAIREMONT Tweeter
5504 Balboa Ave.
San Diego, CA 92111
858-277-8003

SAN DIEGO - LA JOLLA Tweeter
8610 Genesee Ave.
San Diego, CA 92122
858-550-8000

Puke · « **Reply #20 on:** June 16, 2003, 08:26:43 PM »

I actually have a 10% off any one item coupon for a Tweeter store. I was just listing that Sony from BB 'cause I was shopping around and the link was available, though not sure Tweeter carries that model but I think they do. Anyway, all that I'm reading is really very, very good stuff. When we went into that store, it appeared to wifey and me that this Sony blew everything else away in picture. But we hear the blacks aren't as good as some other systems and we aren't sold on that model just yet. We have time, but the new house is perfect for a flat panel, just the shape of the living room and all the windows and where the couches go, flat panel over fireplace is the best. But $$!!