46" Full Hd Lcd Under $1k?

[skyeow]

I have been out of touch of the tv world for a while, need help from all your experience users.

Mum's 46" Samsung LA46F71B suddenly dead and cannot switch on at all. Took it down to the shop and it is going to cost $650 to repair the power supply. I don't think it is worth repairing and told mum with addtional 400 to the repair cost, she can probably get a new one.

She handed 1k to me now and ask em to buy her a TV with the same spec, .

Is that possible to get a 46" full HD LCD at less than 1k? Thank for your help in advance.

[GregA1503560021]

Is that possible to get a 46" full HD LCD at less than 1k? Thank for your help in advance.

I saw a 52" full HD screen in JB Hifi today for under $700. Might have been plasma though.

I'm not even sure what the going prices are.. just came here to start looking.

[pgdownload]

I'd suggest that $650 is probably a bit excessive? Now you know what the issue is perhaps a few calls to some repairers would (hopefully) find some cheaper prices. If not then it shouldn't be too hard finding a 46" TV (Plasma or LCD) for around $1000. I saw a 50" TV an electronics store going for $650 the other day.

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[phoenixman78]

If you were talking about a plasma not a problem but for an LCD I really doubt you'll get anything of quality for that price but if you hunt around you'll find brands like Hisense that do a 47" somewhere around the $1000 mark.

Oh and regarding the repair cost Peter, yes it's expensive but $650 isn't excessive to repair a power supply on a 46" LCD TV. I agree to shop around for the best repair price but I'd be amazed to see the cost drop to the $500 mark. It certainly makes a case for extended warranties.

Edited December 13, 2010 by phoenixman78

[kulfi]

The TV in question is 4 years old and that means parts are in short supply. The realistic thing one can expect from an extended warranty is a part-refund or replacement with something inferior due to depreciation.

If the OP wants to spend $1000, then how about buying a 50" Samsung C451 HD plasma for $750 plus another $200 or thereabouts for a 5-year extended warranty ? Or just pick up a 46" LED-backlit Full HD Sanyo from Dick Smith. I believe it comes with a 3 year warranty.

I still think it may be possible to get a 46" branded LCD for the $1000 mark after Boxing Day so holding out for a couple of weeks is also an option.

[skyeow]

I am not in a hurry to buy one, mum is away till end of Jan. Boxing day day sale will be a good time to buy. Myer is the best option?

I am not sure the repair cost is for the power supply. He didn't say anything about what he needs to repair, he only told me when I asked him "Maybe this board, and maybe another board too"....

[pgdownload]

The realistic thing one can expect from an extended warranty is a part-refund or replacement with something inferior due to depreciation.

? The realistic thing is surely a replacement TV of equal or better capability. So if you bought a 42" Panasonic HD TV in 2010 then in 2014 you'd be able to get a 42" Panasonic HD TV of similar or better specification. The fact it might cost 50% less for the insurer to supply it is just a benefit for them, not a detriment for you)

I am not in a hurry to buy one, mum is away till end of Jan. Boxing day day sale will be a good time to buy. Myer is the best option?

Currently it appears the major retailers are in a bit of a discount war. Myer was due to stop its heavy discounting (slim margins) a few months ago but have extended it until the end of the year as none of the others (Harvey Norman, CLive Peeters, etc. are letting up either) - this was announced at their AGM.

So yes Myer are competitive and can also price match. The other factor is availability of stock which might get tight in some popular lines. As you might have noted, if you go Myer then first buy a suitable amount of Myer Gift cards. You'll get a 10% bonus when buying anything (above and beyond any deal you make) paying in gift cards.

FWIW, I wouldn't expect to see any massive further discounting over the next two weeks. Boxing day sales will probably see a fair amount of on floor stock and particular models heavily discounted as retailers clear out the store a bit. You'd just have to be lucky (or knowledgeable enough to see a good set at a good price)

Regards

Peter Gillespie

[JSmith]

Myer is the best option?

Not IMO mate as they rarely deal in my experience but this really depends on the store and staff. Don't go to Hardley Normal... I find Bing Lee, Good guys, and JB to some extent are the best to get deals from.

JSmith

[DM Dave]

Fair chance that the TV has just blown a capacitor which should cost under $100 to replace.(A "friend" could possibly do it for as little as $40-$50).

Even a power supply should be nowhere near $650.That is a bad joke!

Suggest finding a reputable repairer.

Ask him if the damage is due to a power "brown out"-common reason for "power supply"/capacitor/transistor failure,or a power surge-ditto.If so claim on your power supplier.

46" 1080p LCDs < $1K at the moment confined to TCL and Bauhn.I'm happy with the latter at $799-possibly a second shipment on the way.Don't know about the former.

Samsung/Panasonic 50" 1080p Plasmas should be < $1K on New Years day sale at JB HiFi.46" LEDs a hundred or two more.

Think Good Guys had Toshiba LCDs @ $1200 asking price recently.46" or 47".Try twisting their arm,especially if it is a run out model-ring around.Possibly one "out the back".

4 years ago,your mother's TV was sometimes sold with a 7 year warranty-worth double checking.That was certainly the case with "Hardly Normal" and that specific model at one stage.

Another possibility is the on/off switch may be faulty.May just be "stuck" or not "resetting".

Edited December 14, 2010 by DM Dave

[Basil1503559642]

Fair chance that the TV has just blown a capacitor which should cost under $100 to replace.(A "friend" could possibly do it for as little as $40-$50).

Even a power supply should be nowhere near $650.That is a bad joke!

Suggest finding a reputable repairer.

Ask him if the damage is due to a power "brown out"-common reason for "power supply"/capacitor/transistor failure,or a power surge-ditto.If so claim on your power supplier.

Yeah,get some quotes if you have the time and you will probaly get another 4 Years out of it by which time a similar type LCD will probaly cost $200.

It doesn't take much to stuff the PS on modern gear(particulary LG & Sammy),people living in Unit blocks or near high use business's such as Maccas & KFC(spikes when they close & turn off everything) should always go for the extended warranty.

[skyeow]

4 years ago,your mother's TV was sometimes sold with a 7 year warranty-worth double checking.That was certainly the case with "Hardly Normal" and that specific model at one stage.

Another possibility is the on/off switch may be faulty.May just be "stuck" or not "resetting".

Sadly she couldn't find the receipt at all, I have been searching all around her house without any success.

I will open the Tv panel and have a look, hopefully it is just a capacitor problem.

Thanks for your advise.

[DM Dave]

Kindly excuse me for posting off topic,however there is possibly/hopefully some relevance.

To a brown goods salesman on commission-an extended warranty carries a bonus that exceeds his percentage on a TV.Throwing in an extended warranty that he cannot sell as an add on makes him more money.True!

Main premature failure on a decent TV usually caused by electricity supply to premises.True!

It has been my experience of late that voltage under supply/brown outs cause more damage to TVs than surges.

Not my intention to hijack this thread.Quite happy to expand on the theme,if invited.

[skyeow]

Hi all,

I opened up the TV, the two fuses(one at the Live and one at the Neutral) are blown. Took a closer look at the PCB, two big diodes have some burnt mark around the lead. Take a multimeter to measure and found two of them are shorted.

Any comments?

[Owen]

Main premature failure on a decent TV usually caused by electricity supply to premises.True!

It has been my experience of late that voltage under supply/brown outs cause more damage to TVs than surges.

Not my intention to hijack this thread.Quite happy to expand on the theme,if invited.

Please do, I'm curious to see how you can substantiate those claims.

I have seen plenty of dead electronics due to component failure and lightning strike yet none I could attribute to brown out (an under voltage situation).

[Owen]

Hi all,

I opened up the TV, the two fuses(one at the Live and one at the Neutral) are blown. Took a closer look at the PCB, two big diodes have some burnt mark around the lead. Take a multimeter to measure and found two of them are shorted.

Any comments?

It's not likely the diodes are the cause of the failure, more likely collateral damage due to a short down stream.

Switch mode power supplies can generally be repaired, especially if you can get hold of a circuit diagram. Components are normally cheap and labour should not be much either.

Unless there are other problems the quoted repair price seems excessive.

Edited December 15, 2010 by Owen

[DM Dave]

Owen writes- "Please do, I'm curious to see how you can substantiate those claims.

I have seen plenty of dead electronics due to component failure and lightning strike yet none I could attribute to brown out (an under voltage situation)."

Honestly doubt that you have seen more recent TV failures caused by lightning strikes than brown outs.Actually that is a bizarre claim-where do you live- "Lightning Alley".

Doubt you would recognize the problem in the first place.What do you put component failure down to on a reasonably new TV- let's say 2-3 years old?

Industry denial of the problem is self serving.

You are an expert in your own imagination.

Edited December 15, 2010 by DM Dave

[DM Dave]

In answer to Owen.

In the last 15 years at this address I have suffered damage to CRT TVs on 4 occasions.

One was an excellent Toshiba (brand of first choice) which had served me well.A purchase made when working in the industry.Not fussed.

Three other failures have involved two TEAC CT-M806SV s.Excellent TVs and the same personal choice that Peter Familiari had made,as I later discovered in an Age Green Guide article of his.

First failure was a blown "transistor".I knew it was due to a brown out - bleeding obvious.

Cost eventually paid by Powercor ~ $460 by memory.That is not a misprint!

The garbage I went through,especially from the TEAC authorized repairer was astounding.Having a bit of knowledge and sticking to my guns won out.Repairer was Powercor's choice,incidentally-repeatedly told me failure not due

to surge,which I already knew.

Second failure was attended to by an enthusiast friend.He could not find a fault.Told him to put it back together-reckoned it would work.It did.Turned out to be an on/off button malfunction-he had reset it internally without

realizing.

Third fault most likely same as the first.Could not be bothered going through the same BS with Powercor.Will give it to a friend who can repair it himself.Screwdriver,multimeter and soldering iron required- plus a new part or so.

As prices on 1080p have got to a reasonable level,I have moved on this last year.All LCDs.Yep Owen,you're screwed-wanna buy up plasmas while they are still manufactured and spare parts available.

Living in the Otway Ranges,I'm used to lightning.Missed by several meters one afternoon.Ditto North Queensland.Best electrical storm I've seen was Brisbane in the early 1970s-hit Milton Shopping Center.

Only lightning damage I've ever encountered was friend's PC modem connection.Telstra paid for a new PC.

Surges and brown outs cause a lot of problems.Some not immediately apparent.

Edited December 15, 2010 by DM Dave

[Owen]

Honestly doubt that you have seen more recent TV failures caused by lightning strikes than brown outs.Actually that is a bizarre claim-where do you live- "Lightning Alley".

Doubt you would recognize the problem in the first place.What do you put component failure down to on a reasonably new TV- let's say 2-3 years old?

Industry denial of the problem is self serving.

You are an expert in your own imagination.

I have been in the service industry for over 30 years and can do component level service if required, although its not normally worth the effort theses days as labour is too expensive and replacement boards too cheap.

I have seen plenty of electronics killed by lighting ( I never said TV's), mostly computer equipment directly or indirectly connected to a phone line but also switch mode power supplies.

Switch mode power supplies used in TV's, commuter equipment and most electronics these days are much more prone to failure due to spikes (an over voltage condition) and component failure then old transformer based supplies. Brown outs on the other hand (an under voltage condition) are typically harmless.

While it is possible to kill the switching transistors in a switch mode supply due to over current under low input voltage conditions a properly designed supply will simply shut down if the input voltage is too low and wont restart unless the input is within spec, hence avoiding any problems.

The most common failed components are electrolytic capacitors, these die due to ageing and heat or less often due to poor quality. Semiconductor components fail as well, often for no apparent reason.

Thermal stress or cycling is often the root cause which is why its good to keep electronics cool and not turn on and off unnecessarily.

Edited December 16, 2010 by Owen

[DM Dave]

Hi all,

I opened up the TV, the two fuses(one at the Live and one at the Neutral) are blown. Took a closer look at the PCB, two big diodes have some burnt mark around the lead. Take a multimeter to measure and found two of them are shorted.

Any comments?

Sounds quite suspicious to me.

Suggest finding a competent TV repair person.Put it to him that you strongly suspect that power surges may have caused the damage you have found.

Some salespeople are there because they are actually enthusiasts.More likely to be found at "specialist" shops.If browsing at a quiet time-explain that you are looking for a replacement for your mother's TV,and why.You may be surprised to find who is out there in the repair field and more than happy to help.

I'm lucky enough to have friends whose main income is derived in other areas.Fantastic at fixing electronics when they have the time and inclination.

Boxing day/New Years day is one of the best periods for picking up a genuine bargain.End of financial year being the other.

You are faced with a dilemma.Oddly one course of action may solve the other.Odds are that someone is going to end up with a second TV.

[DM Dave]

Owen,

As is often the case-you use self serving "part" quotes

-ask for information on a given subject

-change topic when you are wrong again.

Watch out for "brown outs" towards the end of the coming holiday period.Turn off TVs,'fridges and pumps especially-at the wall.

Power companies know exactly what they are doing.So did NEMMCO,now AEMO.Ditto state and federal governments.We are being taken to the cleaners!

[DM Dave]

Sadly she couldn't find the receipt at all, I have been searching all around her house without any success.

I will open the Tv panel and have a look, hopefully it is just a capacitor problem.

Thanks for your advise.

Some stores eg The Good Guys,get your 'phone number for the receipt.

Worth checking with your retailer-your mother's 'phone number may be sufficient to bring the transaction up.Any extended warranty should show.That particular model was sold by some retailers c/w 7 year warranty-most likely from

Samsung.

Ringing Samsung with the serial number may be worth a go.

Edited December 17, 2010 by DM Dave

[Owen]

Still waiting for that explanation of how “brown outs” cause damage and on what basis you come to the conclusion that “brown outs” are the dominant cause of failure.

I have over 30 years servicing and maintaining a large range and quantity of electronics, most of which is vital and has to be kept operational 24/7 365 and I cant remember ANY failures due to brown out. The majority of failures are not even supply related.

[DM Dave]

Owen,

Are you talking TVs this time or just trolling again?

[Owen]

I am talking any electronic device and those equipped switch mode power supplies in particular like TV's and monitors. TV's are not special or different and are no more or less susceptible to damage or failure than other equipment fitted with switch mode supplies.

You said:

Main premature failure on a decent TV usually caused by electricity supply to premises.True!

It has been my experience of late that voltage under supply/brown outs cause more damage to TVs than surges.

Not my intention to hijack this thread.Quite happy to expand on the theme,if invited.

I'm inviting.

[DM Dave]

Owen,

I suggest you reread the whole thread.I will attempt to type more slowly in the future for your benefit.

You have flip flopped again.

I reckoned my comment may have been pertinent to this thread,although a bit off topic.OP has pretty well ruled out under voltage as a cause,since that post.

Your much trumpeted experience in the electronics field seems to be a lot of spin-one interpretation could be that your boyfriend is a night carter and you replenish his lantern batteries-I dunno or care.

You seem to have a few well worn and often quoted copies of "Sight and Sound".Big deal!

Best advice I can offer you,is get hold of a good psychoanalyst- one who is versed on Eric Berne's working hypotheseis of "the Little Hitler script" and Jung's ideas on "Troll".You are very,very predictable!

Perhaps you could start a thread entitled "Why I am always right and DM Dave is always wrong".Could be a source of some amusement.

Um......no,I do not find you inviting.....UGHH!