Tech Tuesday – Which Tv Shall I Buy? Think Warranty

This week for Tech Tuesday, I want a little talk about modern Tech and warranties

As I am a self-confessed AV Geek, with an unhealthy addiction to upgrading my Home Cinema system (all be it Window Shopping these days), I often get asked..

“Which TV should I buy?”

OR

“Is this one any good?”

Or words to that effect. My first answer is always the same. It may sound flippant, and even a little rude and non helpful but in my opinion in this throw away age that is also combined with a recession it is something that needs to be considered very early on in the buying process. The Answer? OK here it is…

“Buy the one with the longest warranty!”

Let me paint the picture.

Do you remember when you were a kid and you got your first TV set? I do. It was a hand-me-down from my Dad and it had been through two previous tours of duty, one in the Front Room, then it got demoted to my parents bedroom, finally it made it’s way to me. After 5-7 years of hard labour meeting the needs of a young family it found it’s home in a spotty teenagers room to be eternally displaying images of Ken and Ryu throwing fireballs at each other. I would say it gave me a good couple of year before I was allowed another newer upgrade. Not that it was broken, far from it. It is probably somewhere now laughing at all the broken LCDs and Plasmas that litter the TV graveyard.

You see in those days the old CRT type TVs were things made to last a generation. But unfortunately the birth of the flatter and slimmer panel meant that this ever long TV was on its way out.

I am going to put it simply. LCDs and PLASMAS do no simply go on. Plasma TVs for instance have a sell by date, there is a time (OK it may take a few years) when the gases start to fail and it is time to change, that is if they see you through the full course.

Recently (read as 4 years a go) I bought a lovely Toshiba LCD TV, and was asked do I want the extended warranty? Obviously i said NO. I mean I was brought up on TVs that do not fail! But 11 months later fail it did. Luckily for me it was a fault that Toshiba recognized – a DARK seam appeared down the centre of the screen and apparently it was where they joined two panels together – anyway I was allowed a refund, which I took. I bought myself a beautiful Panasonic Plasma. It was 1080p and stunning. I was a very happy man

Is this right???

Unfortunately it also went the way of the Dodo, but this time at 13 months. It wasn’t a fault with the display as such, it was a failed power supply. Panasonic quoted me £200 to replace. Yeah right!!

So I had to go and buy my latest display, a Panasonic G10. This time when the spotty sales guy nervously offered me an extended warranty, I almost snapped his hand off. Believe me he was more surprised than I was. I mean it is just not British to take out an insurance policy. But it should be. I took out the longest one I could get as I really do not want to go through the pain of having no TV and or paying out for another one.

Going off subject slightly, but to back up my point. As some of you who read this (all two of you) know I have recently upgraded the Projector in FRC Towers from an Epson TW680 to the 3200. And both of these projectors come with a 3 year warranty on the projector and lamp. This is what should be there as standard for all tech these days. 12 months is just not enough. I love the way Epson deal with issues too. They just hot-swap it out for you. No argument, no repair, just bring you a brand new projector a day after you tell them of a problem. It gives great peace of mind.

I just wish all manufacturers would have the same level of customer service and/or level of warranty.

About The Author – Scott Lawlor

Chief Editor of FRC. A self confessed geek with an unhealthy thirst for all things Home Cinema. Whether it is the latest Action film or Subwoofer. Check out his home set up HERE

Have you had any issues with Tech failing? Do you remember your first TV? Comment below…