Lets celebrate the few reliable flat TVs!

[jhal]

Speaking of Panasonic, I have a 26" VIERA series set from 2007 that is still going strong. I just purchased, used, from a pawn shop, another VIERA of the same year, just a little bigger (32") for what would be considered a "score" price.

I gave it to my mom for her bedroom. Who knows how many hours it has on it, but so far, so good.

I also have a Panasonic DVD player from 2001 that is still going strong as well. I have yet to replace it with a Blu-Ray, because most of those are throwaways.

I bought it new in 2001, and it was about $240.00.

[rca2000]

I KNOW that panasonic has "gone downhill" in recent years on quality. I work on them every day.

Recently, we had a BUNCH of Pana 42" LCD sets, I think LC-42e3 or such model# , that had what I call a "footlight problem" on the panel. This means that at the bottom of the panel, there were "dark shadows" that pointed upwards, like "footlights on a stage", more or less evenly spaced across the bottom of the panel. This was caused by either uneven LED illumination or diffusion from the BL led's. Pana FIRST tried to DENY a problem existed(you can SEE this on a dark or light scene mainly), then to RIG the panel with TAPE somehow--that did nothing of course...then they tried replacing the led "modulator board"(this is the driver board for the BL leds--that gives"local dimming",) this did not help...then they gave us new panels...STILL the same. Finally--they ADMITTED the whole SET had been "outsourced" , that the panels ALL had this defect...and that we had to just ACCEPT the problem and tell the seller that it did not EXIST!!

What a sham....

[Username1]

I remember a thread that went something like this......... "Do you think CRT sets will ever make a comeback? " Can we see the day when the Black Plastic CRT sets go up in price on CL cause the FP's don't make it till they're paid off....?

[tubetwister]

There was talk about Sony and Toshiba selling their tv businesses but
that may have changed at least in Sony's case with the new CEO and President Kazuo Hirai
who was recently quoted as saying :
"Televisions are at the center of the household, and as a product are an important, core part of Sony's DNA, so the business will continue, especially as a return to profitability has come into view,"

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by Eric H

I was just over at a friends house for dinner, they have an eleven year old Panasonic Plasma in their Living Room, still looks like new, it cost them $11,000 dollars back in the day though so I guess it should last a while.

Cost only $1,000 a year.

[Grim Reaper]

Originally Posted by rca2000

I KNOW that panasonic has "gone downhill" in recent years on quality. I work on them every day.

Recently, we had a BUNCH of Pana 42" LCD sets, I think LC-42e3 or such model# , that had what I call a "footlight problem" on the panel. This means that at the bottom of the panel, there were "dark shadows" that pointed upwards, like "footlights on a stage", more or less evenly spaced across the bottom of the panel. This was caused by either uneven LED illumination or diffusion from the BL led's. Pana FIRST tried to DENY a problem existed(you can SEE this on a dark or light scene mainly), then to RIG the panel with TAPE somehow--that did nothing of course...then they tried replacing the led "modulator board"(this is the driver board for the BL leds--that gives"local dimming",) this did not help...then they gave us new panels...STILL the same. Finally--they ADMITTED the whole SET had been "outsourced" , that the panels ALL had this defect...and that we had to just ACCEPT the problem and tell the seller that it did not EXIST!!

What a sham....

I am on the verge of buying a Panasonic Viera Plasma 50 or 55 ST60 when available. Is that going to be a mistake?

[Chip Chester]

We've got a mid-2000s 55" Hitachi Plasma that just won't die. It weighs around 150 lbs, is not even full-res (maybe 720, though) and has some image processing/conversion shortcomings, but it looks great over-the-air, and on a good HDMI signal. Remote rotating stand, and it sounds good, too. Sucks electricity like there's no tomorrow, and is a fairly efficient electric heater. It's now at my kid's college apartment, where it's his albatross. We've moved on...
Chip

[Sandy G]

...I read about stuff like this, I just go back to The Ship's Radio Room, where my 1949-50 Zenith Claridge is, pat it gently, tell it how much I LOVE it, & laugh broadly...63 yrs old, & goin' strong...

[davet753]

I'm still watching my first flat screen, a 32" Westinghouse LCD that I paid $799 for about 8 years ago. I bought a 24" Westinghouse LED ($179) last year for the bedroom, and have been very pleased with the picture quality (not so much on the sound quality). While I never pay attention to "Consumer Reports", I do try to read up on the internet reviews. Despite my good experience with these sets, Westinghouse Digital generally doesn't get many rave reviews.

[holmesuser01]

I worked in a movie theatre for many years until last November.

In the lobby, we had a pair of Hitachi-built LCD 46" flat screens with the Christie name on the cabinet.

These two sets ran for 20 hours a day everyday from 2004 to the present, and have never had a problem of any kind.

OTOH: In the last 2 weeks, I've been called by folks with 46 and 52" VIZIO sets that are dead with no warning. I'm still not working on one that someone expects me to fix for practically nothing.

If one falls into my hands for free, THEN, I'll put some effort into fixing it.

[Rod Beauvex]

Originally Posted by Eric H

I was just over at a friends house for dinner, they have an eleven year old Panasonic Plasma in their Living Room, still looks like new, it cost them $11,000 dollars back in the day though so I guess it should last a while.

$11,000!!??

You know, to put that in perspective, according to Phil Nelson, in 1954, the RCA CTC100 retailed for $1,000, which in 2013 is $8,630.71

[ChrisW6ATV]

The LG LCD monitors I installed in San Francisco Airport in summer 2007 are still all working fine after 5.5 years at 24 hours per day. After about a year maybe, we did replace a board in each one due to a factory recall, so I guess I can only count 4.5 years at 24 hours per day with no problems.

Their convergence, corner focus, and color temperature/balance are all still flawless as well.

[walterbeers]

I have a 50 Inch Panasonic which so far I've had no trouble with it. It's a TH-50PX80 Viera. It was MFG Nov. 2008, so I've had it a little over 4 years. Colors seem really good and it gets a lot of use. I still miss working on the old tube sets though. At least they were made to repair. I know some people that have bought these newer flat screens and they quit in a year or so. I guess I'm really lucky so far. I'm sure I would attempt to repair it as long as the screen is good and not broken. So far it's been a very good TV, which I also have hooked up to use as a computer monitor, so I can stream video.

[Rod Beauvex]

Originally Posted by ChrisW6ATV

The LG LCD monitors I installed in San Francisco Airport in summer 2007 are still all working fine after 5.5 years at 24 hours per day. After about a year maybe, we did replace a board in each one due to a factory recall, so I guess I can only count 4.5 years at 24 hours per day with no problems.

Their convergence, corner focus, and color temperature/balance are all still flawless as well.

Ummm, is it even possible for these things to come undone on an LCD? :p

I won't lie. I bought a 23" Acer LCD, and I don't miss the clumsy old CRT monitor at all. LCDs, while I think they have a tiny bit father to go yet, have pretty much caught up and passed CRTs now.

[mstaton]

Originally Posted by holmesuser01

OTOH: In the last 2 weeks, I've been called by folks with 46 and 52" VIZIO sets that are dead with no warning.

Check the U33 (3.3V adjustable)voltage regulator if you ave not already. One of the fuses may be blown on the main board also. Could be missing the 12V from the PS, could be all 3. Funny, I just repaired a 52" and a 47" about the same age/same issue. Of course you may be aware of these failures already.