vizio 46 lcd panel replacement free sample

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Vizio, America’s second best selling LCD TV brand, is now telling some broken set owners that their televisions cannot be repaired. If the set is past the 12 month factory warranty, Vizio advises owners to buy from them a replacement set !

HD Guru came across Jeff  Bartran’s letter to Vizio CEO and founder William Wang complaining that the company’s service department had deemed “un-repairable” his 13.5 month old, high end $1868 Vizio 55-inch

HD Guru investigated to determine if Bertran’s experience was unique. It didn’t take long to find eight additional cases of “un-repairable” out-of-warranty Vizios posted in the last thirteen months alone on the consumer complaint website consumeraffairs.com.

The un-repairable defects included black screens, dark spots and red and green lines. Vizio replaced defective in-warranty sets with refurbished units, which a number of owners complained also failed soon after the warranty period.

Vizio’s Florida customer service center confirmed in a phone call that defective set owners are indeed told that their TVs are un-repairable when the failure turns out to be the backlight unit (BLU), which is the light source within all LED and LCD flat panels.  Mr. Bertran told HD Guru that according to Vizio, his set’s problem was, indeed, backlight failure. He also stated Vizio offered him a replacement at a discount , however at a price  higher than he could get from Vizio’s etailers offering the same model.

Should an under one year old set be deemed un-repairable, Vizio’s warranty policy is to replace it (at their option) with a used, refurbished set they call “Recertified.” An out-of-warranty set becomes an expensive doorstop.

HD Guru contacted Vizio’s media relations company for a comment along with a request for a list of “un-repairable” models and the problems that would cause them to be so labeled but no response was forthcoming.

“First of all, we do not currently have any OW (out of warranty) PDP (plasma) or LCD TV models where our standard response is to tell the customer that the unit is unrepairable and can’t be fixed.  Our policy and practice is to fix customer units to keep them in the home and in the brand.

Having said that, we do occasionally work with OW customers where their defective OW unit might require extensive parts replacements that cause the unit to be uneconomical to repair.  These cases are not common, but when we do run across them, we typically will offer the customer an option of buying a new set at a discounted price….in addition, we do occasionally run across a unit that just won’t stay fixed or stumps our technical people as to the cause of the defect….this is not a common occurrence, but when that happens, we will offer to replace the unit at a discounted price…..our goal here is always to keep the customer in the Panasonic brand.”

Check out our other “Disposable TV” article. Before purchasing a Vizio or a non-name brand TV, consider a set from company that actually builds them. Vizio and off-brands purchase their sets from assemblers, while name brand companies like Samsung, Panasonic, and LG have invested billions of dollars in panel and component manufacturing plants. They want to keep your business and so maintain extensive nationwide parts and service networks.

As mentioned above, we asked Vizio media relations (early Wed.) to explain why its HDTVs are un-repairable when a backlight fails and for an explanation as to what Vizio defines as a defect that is un-repairable. In addition, as an aid to our readers we asked for a list of Vizio models and the associated defects that make the sets un-repairable.

Late Thursday night, after this article was published, Vizio responded . The spokesperson did not honor our request for an explanation as to why Vizio calls a bad backlight(s) un-repairable (other companies repair sets with the same defect) nor did they provide us with the list of un-repairable Vizio TV models and their associated defects we requested. Instead they made a response regarding defective panels, although we never inquired about panel defects.  Below is Vizio’s response verbatim.

“Panel defects are extremely rare with VIZIO televisions.  In cases where a panel defect does arise, VIZIO’s policy is to replace the unit as opposed to sourcing, shipping and installing a replacement panel because it is considered  “beyond economical repair” (BER). Panels can be replaced, but it is economically impractical because the cost of a new unit is comparable and comes with a full manufactures warranty. VIZIO is addressing it’s customer service response to ensure there are no further misunderstandings.”

“At VIZIO, customer satisfaction is paramount.  Our customer service personnel are instructed to provide consumers with all of their options. VIZIO honors all in-warranty repairs either by replacing parts, or by replacing the unit. Consumers with out-of-warranty units always have the option to replace parts and repair – their decision comes down to cost.  When the cost to repair a unit nearly meets, or exceeds the cost of a new unit, Vizio counsels the consumer that it is deemed Beyond Economical Repair. The final decision to repair or replace is at the consumer’s discretion.  This extends to panels, backlights or any other component of any VIZIO unit.

The average price figures we show are a bit higher than the average for all big TVs on the market. That’s both because the largest sets carry a premium and because CR tends to purchase a lot of expensive, high-end sets. That allows us to test the latest features, such as Mini LED backlights in LCD/LED TVs, which can help boost contrast and reduce halos, and high dynamic range (HDR), which can produce brighter, more vibrant images.

TCL, Vizio, and Hisense are additional brands to consider, especially if you’re on a budget. With TCL and Hisense, higher-end sets (the 6- and 8-series TVs from TCL, and 8-series sets from Hisense) have done very well in our tests, offering a lot of bang for the buck in terms of both picture quality and high dynamic range (HDR) experience. TCL’s higher average price is due to its top-tier sets having newer technologies (Mini LED, 8K resolution), plus a push into very large screen sizes. The company also offers many low-priced sets that haven’t done as well, lowering the brand’s Overall Score. Vizio sets have done well for overall picture quality across the board, though they generally fall behind a bit when it comes to HDR.

In this size category, we again see much greater differences in pricing between the least and most expensive sets from major brands than from smaller players. For example, there’s a $600 difference between the cheapest ($400) and priciest ($1,000) 65-inch Hisense TVs in our current ratings. With Samsung and Sony, that difference is a whopping $2,400. One reason for Samsung’s large spread is the debut of itsfirst QD OLED TV ($3,000), which is now in our ratings (though it arrived too late this year for our statistical analysis). Sony TVs tend to be expensive in part because the company offers several OLED TVs, which tend to cost more, and because it stopped making lower-end LED/LCD sets. (See the best 65-inch TVs under $1,000.)

As in the 70-inch size category, Hisense, TCL, and Vizio appear to be good options for those on tighter budgets. Their better-performing sets tend to be pricier but still less expensive than comparable TVs from LG, Samsung, and Sony. Hisense has the best balance of price and performance of the group. But given the wide differences in performance and price between the best- and worst-performing models within these brands, you should look at specific models to determine the best value.

Average prices go from a low of $342 (for Toshiba, which makes Fire TV Edition sets sold at Amazon and Best Buy) to a high of $1,034 (Sony’s average). As we note above, Sony focuses on higher-priced sets, and both Sony and LG’s average prices are pulled up by their OLED sets—these TVs can look great, but they tend to cost more than all but the very best LED/LCD models.

Two years ago, Vizio began offering OLED TVs, but that hasn’t yet had a big impact on its average price, because the majority of its sales are still less expensive LED/LCD TVs.

In term of Overall Score, there’s a bit of drop-off after LG. Some models from Hisense, Insignia (Best Buy’s house brand), TCL, Toshiba, and Vizio might be worth considering for less finicky viewers who are on an even tighter budget. As we mentioned earlier, some higher-end Hisense and TCL sets deliver very satisfying overall picture quality and enjoyable HDR. Many sets from the other brands do well for overall picture quality, but the trade-off is a less satisfying HDR experience. Insignia seems to be a decent choice for budget-minded consumers, earning a higher average Overall Score than Toshiba despite having a lower average price.

In fact, the price range is fairly narrow in this size category once you get past those top three brands. Hisense and TCL emerge as good possible options for those on the tightest TV budgets because their average price is actually lower than a few brands’, such as Vizio and Toshiba, that have lower average scores.

Apart from LG, there’s not much of a difference among the other brands in either average price or performance, but Hisense has the lowest overall average price, while Vizio has the highest.

Today, flat screen TVs range from LED and LCD televisions that have been around for a few decades to upgraded models known as OLED and 4K TVs, which boast better picture quality. Plasma screen TVs were once a popular type of flat screen TV. However, they have fallen out of popularity. Most TVs sold today are also smart TVs, which means they can connect to the internet. Older flat screen models that need repair are sometimes not smart. The table below describes these common television types and how much each usually costs to repair.

Repairs for LCD TVs cost between $60 and $475. LCD televisions are one of the most popular options on the market, available in a wide range of sizes and styles. They use an LCD (liquid crystal display) with backlights to produce images. The backlights, screen, and other components may get damaged over time and need repairing. The most common problems for LCD TVs are bad power supplies and dead capacitors that may need repair or replacement.

LED TV repairs range from $60 to $475, depending on the scale of the problem. LED televisions are a specific type of LCD TV that use LED backlights to illuminate the liquid crystal display. These TVs usually produce more colorful and vibrant images and are more energy-efficient, but the LED backlights may need to be repaired or replaced over time. Another common problem is a broken inverter that requires repair or replacement.

Smart TV repairs cost between $100 and $475. These TVs have Smart technology and connect with your home’s Wi-Fi network to download updates and access apps and the internet. They are more advanced than other TVs but still have various components that can break and require repairs. Many Smart TVs can have basic components. So even though they may be more expensive to purchase, they are not necessarily the most expensive to repair. That comes down to how the television is made and what makes it Smart. Common repairs include power supply replacement, bulb replacement, and backlight repair.

Plasma TV repairs average $100 to $485. These televisions are made up of pixels filled with gas that light up when an electrical current is applied. They are less popular today, and most companies have stopped making them. But they can still be found in many homes and are subject to problems like screen burn and distorted colors. While some repairs on these TVs are possible, such as when the power supply fails, many issues cannot be repaired due to the rarity of replacement parts. Screen burns and problems that require screen replacement render the television not-fixable.

OLED TV repairs cost between $100 and $1,000 on average. They are the next step up from a standard LED TV, with OLED standing for organic light-emitting diodes. OLED televisions can achieve deeper blacks and higher contrast compared to standard LED screens. However, they can be very expensive to purchase and repair. Unfortunately, some OLED TVs are quite susceptible to “burn-in,” which is officially known as permanent image retention. When this occurs, an image remains on the TV even though it is shut off. The problem may require screen replacement.

You might not know exactly which part of your TV is broken or damaged at first. The symptoms of a broken television vary from vertical colored lines across the screen to audio issues, power problems, and even situations where the television starts normally but then turns itself off. For this reason, most repairs start with a diagnostic so that the problem can be found and a plan made for repair. For some repairs to be made, the part will need to be replaced, while in other cases, repair or replacement of that part may not be possible. The table below shows common problems and average repair costs for each.

Repairs for this problem cost between $100 and $475. If your TV’s picture appears for a moment and then vanishes, it may be an issue with the inverter. The problem might also be a faulty circuit board. Inverters and circuit boards can be repaired, but the extent of the damage might require a full replacement of one of those parts. A repairman will open it up, diagnose the issue, and decide on the most efficient solution.

The cost to repair this problem is between $100 and $475. Sometimes, a television may shut off randomly after a short time because the sleep timer is accidentally engaged. However, the problem may also exist inside the television and require professional repair. One common reason the TV turns off is that it is overheating. The TV shuts off after a few minutes to prevent serious damage to the system. Fixing it may require an easy cleaning or may require the replacement of an overheated circuit board or power supply.

Repairing horizontal lines on your TV costs between $150 and $475. It might be an issue with the motherboard, or it could be a problem with loose cables between the panel and the control board. Sometimes, the fix is as easy as resetting the television to factory defaults or updating the firmware. However, the problem may exist inside the TV, and to fix this issue, the repair person needs to open the television to diagnose the problem.

HDMI port repairs for a TV cost between $60 and $260. Sometimes, HDMI ports fall out of position and may simply need to be repositioned. Heavily used HDMI ports may also wear out over time or become bent after cables are inserted and removed often, and the TV is turned on and off frequently. In other cases, one might stop working due to a more serious fault and require full replacement of the port.

TV panel repairs average $200 to $2,000 because different types of televisions have materials that vary significantly in cost. An older LED TV might cost between $200 and $400 to fix, but a 4K TV may cost several thousand to repair. Additionally, some panels cannot be repaired. For this reason, many companies do not offer panel repair. So if your television gets a crack in the panel, you may be better off buying a new unit instead.

In some cases, your TV components may not be able to be repaired, or it might be more cost-effective to replace them with new ones. The repair price includes the cost of new parts, plus the labor required to fit them into place and remove the broken components. While some components can be replaced, they may be extremely expensive or cost-prohibitive to do so. This is mainly in the case of panels and screens because they often contain too many parts to replace on their own. The table below shows average costs for a variety of common replacements:

Fuse replacement in a TV costs between $60 and $150 and is one of the easier replacement jobs for a repairman. Glass and ceramic fuses on your TV’s power supply board may blow in certain situations and need replacing. To replace a fuse, the repairman opens the TV to access the power panel and swaps out the fuse. Bear in mind that the TV may have a more serious electrical problem if the fuse blows more than once.

Replacing a TV capacitor is inexpensive, starting at $60 to $300. If more than one capacitor needs replacing, it is usually less expensive to replace the entire board. Capacitors cannot be repaired, so replacement is the only option. Replacing the capacitor may fix problems with slow start-up times, screen flickering, disappearing pictures, and sound problems.

TV bulb replacement costs average $100 to $200. Bulbs are usually found only in older models of LCD TVs or projection TVs. They are used to illuminate the display so that the picture can be seen. Bulbs are relatively easy to replace, but the material costs are a little higher with bulbs when compared to other components, leading to varied replacement prices from model to model. Replacing a bulb can fix a flickering television or a dark screen problem.

TV backlight replacements cost between $100 and $200 on average, depending on the television size and scale and the type and number of lights required. If you have LED lights, parts may be more expensive, leading to higher total costs. Usually when backlight problems occur, the bulbs or diodes are dead and need to be replaced. Replacing the TV backlight helps fix the problem where the TV is half or fully dark when turned on, and the image is only partially visible.

HDMI port replacement on a TV costs between $200 and $350. Damaged or broken ports may simply stop working or be incompatible with certain HDMI cables. In this case, a new port must be fitted and connected to the circuit board, requiring a couple of hours of labor. Replacing an HDMI port helps you regain the use of the port, which may have failed due to a bent piece or a problem with its connection to the circuit board.

TV motherboard replacements average $200 to $450. Often when a problem occurs with a motherboard, it needs to be completely replaced rather than repaired. The motherboard controls the TV’s functions and features, and a broken motherboard makes your television completely unusable. Replacing a motherboard may fix all sorts of problems, including missing sound, random shut-downs, failure to connect to the internet, and HDMI ports that are not recognized by the TV.

TV screen replacement costs at least $400 to $4,200 and may even cost more. The screen is the most expensive part of a TV. So usually, the cost of replacing it is higher than just buying a new unit because of the labor involved. In some cases, this is because the screen cannot be replaced without also replacing most of the other components, particularly for TVs like LED, LCD, or plasma. Most professional repair companies do not offer screen or panel replacement as a service. The only way to get a new screen is to have it fixed under warranty by the manufacturer.

TV panel replacement costs a minimum of $400 to $5,000 and often a lot more on some of the high-end 4K and Smart screen displays. Because the cost of a replacement panel is so high, it is usually more cost-effective to simply purchase a new television. Like the screen, this is due to the number of components involved. Therefore, most repair places will not offer panel replacement as a service.

Damaged cables can cause a TV to flicker or grow dim. Repair prices for damaged cables are $75 to $200. Samsung TV owners cite this flickering or dimming of the screen as a common issue with this brand. Sometimes the settings for the eco sensor or the energy-saving feature create this problem. Turning either of those off may fix the issue. In some cases, Samsung TVs may experience overheating and a resulting hardware failure or motherboard problem that requires repair or replacement of the motherboard.

Hisense TVs have a history of display difficulties and could cost you about $100 to $200. Typically, it means you need a new inverter, or it could signal the beginning of the end for your Hisense television. A black screen may also indicate a problem with the motherboard, which usually requires complete replacement. A technician can test the TV to determine whether the motherboard is bad.

The Vizio TV is known for its screen of death (a blank or black screen) and usually costs about $200 to $400. The problem is most often a blown motherboard, and replacement is the only option. A factory reset may be a solution. If that doesn"t work, the motherboard is the best possible answer. Vizio TVs also commonly have problems with lines on the screen. This issue is occasionally fixable with a hard reset or factory reset. However, it often requires a motherboard replacement, too.

Often, you must decide whether it is worth repairing your TV. In some situations, the cost of repairs is higher than the price of a new TV. For example, when screens are cracked or damaged, the cost of replacing a panel is usually much higher than simply buying a new TV. For major repairs, it is often cheaper to buy a new TV. However, for minor repairs, it is less expensive to call a repair person and get the TV fixed.

Not all TV screens can be fixed or replaced. Certain types have components behind the screen that can be damaged by its removal. However, if you choose to proceed, remove all external cables, unplug your set, and lay it face down on a flat, soft surface. Remove any screws holding the frame in place and then gently remove the frame and set it aside. Put your new screen in place and reconnect the internal cables in the same manner you disconnected them. It is usually best to get a professional to handle TV repairs, and the cost of replacement screens is often very high. So, it may be more cost-effective to get a new TV.How many years will a flat-screen TV last?

Comfortable – that description may not seem to be the most praiseworthy profile for a 42" LCD; but believe me, comfortable is a very valuable and illusive commodity in the HDTV marketplace. VIZIO"s new GV42L 42" LCD is comfy.

Before I elaborate on the merits of comfortableness, let"s take care of the formalities. The GV42L LCD HDTV has a resolution of 1366 x 768, with an 8 ms response time, an 8-bit processor yielding 16.77 million colors, which are all industry standards for a 42" LCD in this price range. (Its 1600:1 contrast ratio is above the usual 1000:1.) And, oh, by the way, this VIZIO pumps out a bright, luscious high definition image.

But it"s this sensation of slipping into a comfort zone when using the GV42L that distinguishes this HDTV in the marketplace. The VIZIO product designers must be extremely simpatico with the customer, because most of the TV"s features work like you think they should.

With the GV42L, the tuners are truly integrated. They share the same antenna input. When you perform one Auto Search, both analog and digital channels are located. And as you surf through the channels on the remote, you progress through both NTSC and ATSC. VIZIO even has a hyphen (-) key on the remote so you can select digital channels like 36-2. Once you experience this all-too-convenient system, you realize someone at VIZIO is thinking about your well-being.

The TV does exhibit a bit of pizzazz with its silver racing stripe side panels. On the right hand one, the Control buttons (Power, Channels, Volume) are out of sight, but not out of reach.

One glance at the back and I realized that not everything was peaches and cream. Though VIZIO provides an extensive selection of connections, they are facing down. I"m just not convinced that side mounting the connectors would make wall mounting more difficult or less elegant.

To ensconce even the novice in the comfort zone, VIZIO provides poster-size, highly graphic, informative, step-by-step, installation and programming instructions with a color-coded chart for all the possible AV connections. And as you dig deeper into the nuances of the setup menus, the 77-page manual is well written in plain English. Though don"t expect a highly detailed or technical description of the more esoteric features like Color Transient Intensity or Adaptive Luma.

As usual, to calibrate the monitor, I attached the DVI out on the Oppo OPDV971H DVD player to the HDMI input on the VIZIO and used the Digital Video Essentials DVD test patterns to adjust black level, white level, and color bias. Also, for the first time, I tried the Datacolor Spyder TV Pro system to tune the TV. (My next review will be devoted to Spyder.) The settings determined by Spyder were very similar to the ones from the Digital Video Essentials process. And both proved to be fairly close to the GL42L"s default settings.

With that problem solved, now, the VIZIO design team should take another stab at their universal remote control. This multi-component-capable unit is backlit, thank you very much. But the buttons are too small to accommodate the hard-to-read labels stenciled on them. In the dark, the backlight just does not suffice for deciphering the squashed lettering.

With sources from the laptop, the GV42L looked great. I was expecting that its 42" size might be too large for normal 19" LCD tasks. But images in Photoshop were gorgeous. The DVD playback through the computer was top notch. Though at this size, I think I would still prefer a 1920 x 1080 resolution monitor, which would provide a little more screen real estate.

Almost every HDTV spec sheet nowadays states its viewing angle as 170 degrees or more. The manufacturers are dreaming. Yes, you can see the image at that angle, but it is usually degraded beyond acceptable. That"s the case with this VIZIO. Without getting my protractor out, anything farther than 55 or 60 degrees off center, (a viewing angle of 110 to 120 degrees), became too washed out. And that angle becomes less if you are off center in two directions, for example sitting to the side and below the screen.

The GV42L HDTV produces a bright beautiful high definition image. And I appreciate how VIZIO has added features to this new model and improved its usability while still maintaining a competitive price. I think that you"ll find watching HD on the GV42L will definitely put you in your comfort zone.

With this model, VIZIO has upped the ante on the features they are including. I love the two HDMI inputs and the audio outs. The truly integrated tuners are a big plus. And the extensive Picture Adjustment controls will keep most tweakers satiated.

For those of you who don"t plan on calibrating your monitor, the out of the box settings are close enough for you to plug and play. If you do want to become more intimately involved with your HDTV, the manual is helpful. From the tuners to the color-coded connectors, the more you use the GV42L, the more you realize that the VIZIO design team is watching out for you.