[F1aReD]

Does anyone have any experience with Samsung quality, such as how long it lasts, etc? It just get's so repetitive so stand at Best Buy and look at TV after TV, they all look the same..but something about the Samsung Smart TVs, the color/picture quality was amazing! They just look so good.

However, at a different forum there seems to be a number of people saying there 3 or 4 yr old Samsung died or had problems..which is making me re-consider. What is the oldest LCD TV anyone has that has actually lasted beyong 5 yrs?

Thanks

 

[Drucifer]

As owner of five, look elsewhere

 

[Davenlr]

What is the oldest LCD TV anyone has that has actually lasted beyong 5 yrs?

Thanks

OK, dont laugh. My 37" Polaroid still works perfect. Its so old, it doesnt even have an ATSC tuner in it.

My well over 5 yr old 46" Sharp Aquos looks as good as the day I bought it. I liked the PQ so much, I replaced it last year with a 60" Aquos.

Cousin has a 55" LG he loves.

Truth is, they are all pretty much the same if calibrated right. Look at warranty's, location of service center, availability of local service, features you want, etc. Only the truly el-cheapo off brand models are going to have a sub-par PQ.

 

[sigma1914]

As owner of five, look elsewhere

You bought 5 that you don't like? That's smart.

 

[sigma1914]

...

Truth is, they are all pretty much the same if calibrated right. Look at warranty's, location of service center, availability of local service, features you want, etc. Only the truly el-cheapo off brand models are going to have a sub-par PQ.

Excellent advice.

 

[lugnutathome]

It's not the PQ that would be the issue. On avsforums sometime back it was a common statement that the Sammies used some components barely within spec and this resulted in in a limited lifespan. I do not know if this has changed or not. This was several years back chatter and a lot has changed I'm sure.

Really you need deep dive over there and see what the scuttlebutt is currently.

Don "should take my own advice time permitting" Bolton

 

[F1aReD]

Hmm, I've seen alot of threads about Sharp over at AVS, I'll have to do some research and look at them in the store. I've also liked the PQ of some LG sets, buy the guy at Best Buy said LG was on the lower end, Samsung was better. Thanks for the replys!

 

[Drucifer]

You bought 5 that you don't like? That's smart.

The don't like part came after the purchase.

 

[Davenlr]

Hmm, I've seen alot of threads about Sharp over at AVS, I'll have to do some research and look at them in the store. I've also liked the PQ of some LG sets, buy the guy at Best Buy said LG was on the lower end, Samsung was better. Thanks for the replys!

Please check out AVSForum, and unless he is one of the 0.01% of Best Buy employees that actually knows more than the customer, I wouldnt listen to a word any of them said. Ive never owned one, but I would not consider LG as low end set. Westinghouse, Sanyo, Dynex, Insignia, etc are low end. Some consider Vizio a low end set, some dont. All opinions, really.

 

[hilmar2k]

I have a older LG that has been great. I also had a Vizio that died after 2 years.

LG = good
Vizio = bad

 

[Stuart Sweet]

I've read all the threads about older Samsungs dying but I bought one anyway. I figure they probably learned from their mistakes.

 

[spartanstew]

You can read threads about failing TV's from every manufacturer.

Samsung is no better or worse than others in that regard.

What matters (to some) is the final picture, which you can't gauge at the store. You need to find expert and user reviews regarding how the display (the particular model) looks after final calibration - they'e not all equal, especially with black levels.

 

[bobukcat]

You can read threads about failing TV's from every manufacturer.

Samsung is no better or worse than others in that regard.

What matters (to some) is the final picture, which you can't gauge at the store. You need to find expert and user reviews regarding how the display (the particular model) looks after final calibration - they'e not all equal, especially with black levels.

Word! :yesman:

 

[Stuart Sweet]

The one thing that I'll say, and I agree with the enthusiasts here, is that there is no way to completely disable the auto-dimming feature on the Samsungs without losing a lot of other functionality. You can minimize it but you'll still see it if there is, for example, one line of white text on a completely black background.

I'll also mention that my Samsung had some jumpiness with Auto Motion Plus with the first few software releases but it seems much better now.

 

[PCampbell]

I have 4 and so far I have not had any problens. Oldest is 6 years old.

 

[harsh]

You can get a one month subscription to Consumer Reports online for under $4.

In looking at the ratings of various TVs, it seems obvious that brand is not a determining factor in satisfaction.

Regardless of what the people who are still clinging to their 15+ year old TVs say, most modern TVs are kinda flimsy and should not be compared with the TVs or brand names of yesteryear.

The other issue (especially with flat screens) seems to be that repair is decreasingly an option when they crap out. Where old TVs could be repaired board-level or with the replacement of an off-the-shelf component, the new TVs may require a complete electronics or panel replacement (I worry especially about the LED backlit TVs).

 

[sigma1914]

You can get a one month subscription to Consumer Reports online for under $4.

In looking at the ratings of various TVs, it seems obvious that brand is not a determining factor in satisfaction.

Regardless of what the people who are still clinging to their 15+ year old TVs say, most modern TVs are kinda flimsy and should not be compared with the TVs or brand names of yesteryear.

The other issue (especially with flat screens) seems to be that repair is decreasingly an option when they crap out. Where old TVs could be repaired board-level or with the replacement of an off-the-shelf component, the new TVs may require a complete electronics or panel replacement (I worry especially about the LED backlit TVs).

Consumer Reports is not where you go for electronic purchases like TVs. They're extremely skewed and flawed.

 

[klang]

Consumer Reports is not where you go for electronic purchases like TVs. They're extremely skewed and flawed.

They are a fine source for reliability data. For the ratings you have to see if what they consider important is the same as what you consider important. Always been that way..

 

[Laxguy]

You can read threads about failing TV's from every manufacturer.

Samsung is no better or worse than others in that regard.

What matters (to some) is the final picture, which you can't gauge at the store. You need to find expert and user reviews regarding how the display (the particular model) looks after final calibration - they'e not all equal, especially with black levels.

+1.

I would search through CNN and Consumer reports for info, too.

Looking at store displays, and/or and talking with most salespeople is a waste of time, at least as far as PQ and reliability go.

 

[koralis]

For what it's worth, Samsung had its second-generation DLPs melting the plastic inside, which they fixed with a replacement part.

A year or so later the screen was half-blacking out during use. Seemed to be a heat issue. (An external fan blowing on the component fixed that)

I used mine without much problem (barring the need for the extra fan) till about year 5 when the color wheel blew apart and I replaced it and the lamp.

After another 3 months the system would just power down periodically for no apparent reason and it only started getting more and more frequent until I replaced it this month.



So, I'm a little dubious about Samsung's testing methodology. Granted, it was a first gen part, but spending that kind of cash I expected longer trouble-free service. It's just an annecdote, but I'm avoiding samsung for the time being, myself. Bad vibes.


I'm pretty happy with the new LG 55LE5600 I just got as a replacement though! I'll let you know how I feel in 5 years.