Is it really worth buying high-value televisions?

[cha_indian]

LCD being different medium has short life due to its physical nature. Just like CD Player lens etc. They are delicate too. making it compact for low foot print makes things even worse. Just a small loose contact in micro sockets inside and we get problems.

CRTs : We had Televista around '73 (One section Valve Tube, Black and white) Which was replaced by Nordmende in '86/87 which was replaced by Sony Trinitron in 2001. Which is still working. Family says to dump Sony and buy LCD I said NO . Brightness is still intact, so I presume Tube is OK. Average life of CRT can be said to about 15/20 years.

But I must say modern TVs are power saving and picture quality is superb comparatively.
Regards.

The CRT TVs from the 80s and early 90s where extremely well made, especially the colour TVs. Our BPL-India worked for almost 19 years and at the end, the picture tube was still good....only the circuit board conked, maybe due to the modification done to increase the channels from 12 to 90!

 

[nivlacbot]

Sony Trinitron

That word just sent back to 1990. That's what I had growing up - I think i moved out of the house before the TV. Built to last hyeah:

 

[Hari Iyer]

My Philips 29" Pixel Plus CRT TV is now 12 years old and my elder brother is more than happy with them. It does not have a single issue till date and does not have any sign of giving up. Super built quality by Philips.

 

[grebe925]

I bought a Panasonic 27" CRT 15 years ago that I used for a few years until I bought my first LCD TV. I donated it to my maid's mother who took it to her village. It's still going strong from what I hear notwithstanding it's rustic environment.

 

[drkrack]

Might seem like a philosophical question but hear me out..

I had a Panasonic plasma TH-42PV8D bought in 2009 for 46K INR.

This week one cursed day, it refused to start and would just sit there blinking twice.

Long story short - service technician visits - says it is a "back light issue". However to repair it, the parts are no longer being manufactured since Panasonic has exited the plasma business.
He then offered me some hope that the company may offer a trade-in after factoring in depreciation; but a few days later, even that is retracted. So basically if i can lay it face up, it is an expensive coffee table.

I've escalated up the panasonic chain but not too hopeful.

In my family I have had a couple of 50+ inch LCD Samsung screens go kaput within 1-4 years.

• So it seems the televisions are not being made as they used to.
• The cost is huge
• Service is questionable. Repairs are pricey/impossible.

So now I'm wrestling with whether it makes to go big-50K+ again or go for a smaller cheaper set, knowing that its days are numbered.

Thanks

My all the three CRT TVs lasted more than 10yrs and finally we gave them to house workers etc where they are still being used. CRT has a resolution restriction not a life restriction. The LED and LCD don't have a resolution restriction but they can't be used endlessly as CRT TVs. Plasmas were worse than LCD as far as the life of TV is concerned, So don't expect a long-term usage scenarios with this technology.

Full HD TVs aren't as costly as they used to be, with limited 4k content availability buying a perfect VFM HDTV makes lot of sense. TVs from The Chinese and cheaper Indian Manufacturers? using the same A+ grade display panels make a great buy and a substantial price difference from branded ones. I got a 42"Vu TV at 18k and its running great for 2+yrs now. Even if it gets conked in 2 more years My losses will be pretty low. I cannot make out a huge difference between a 42" Sony TV at my In law's place as far as Picture quality is concerned. So buying such VFM brands makes lot of sense. 4k Oled TVs are prohibitively costly as of now, but sooner they'll be cheaper and VFM once the technology becomes easily accessible. Its a cycle for any new technology and often repeats itself. Market forces make sure that the technology runs a full cycle till the profits are reached for the investment of R&D.

Another option is to get a full HD PROJECTOR in the same price, your viewing experience will be enhanced manifold. The DLP projectors have excellent contrast ratios and 3LCD ones have better bright levels. Choose your preferences and you may have to shell 15k for lamp changes once in 3-5yrs depending upon your usage. Though projectors will be an overkill for News Channel /SaaS bahu serials having a cheaper HDTV for these purposes along with a projector for movies and sports action makes a great combo (this is what I'm having currently). So buy a most VFM TV for your display size and commonly available content and upgrade in 3-5yrs (believe me, you'll upgrade no matter what you buy so limit the losses) , once the newer technology becomes VFM. Earlier technology used to change once in 2 decades but nowadays hardly any technology lasts 6+ yrs.


Sent from my Redmi Note 3 using Tapatalk

 

[nivlacbot]

Fair points

• I hear quite a few people going VU. Just want to check out the PQ myself - even if it conks, damage will be limited.
  Is there any service? I could barely get into the panasonic toll free number after umpteen tries. I can't imagine what the smaller players must be providing.
• With a pre-schooler in da house, i think a TV is needed. Can't go down the Proj route atm I feel.
  There may be long spells of continuous use (streaming + ccast) so don't want to be spending on lamps.
  Starting/stopping needs to be push-button. Projector seems more involved with screens, lighting, et. all
• On the tech life-cycle, this is another thing we can't control. e.g. I got a plasma due to lower cost / better PQ on the day. However few years later Panny exited the plasma scene altogether. Newer disruptive tech or business decisions can screw the paying customer.

 

[corElement]

It's highly subjective. For example my 34" monitor was 60k which might seem absurd to 90% of people here but rather than buying a separate big tv and seperate work monitor for 40/20 I put in all of it in a device that will meet all my requirements.

Similarly if I had 2 lakhs to spare I would definitely prefer to go for oled because as a designer I can instantly make out the differences in quality between an equally priced LED set and it would be worth it to me because it matters to me. I would ofcourse also sell it when it reaches a period of potentially going bad to avoid risk.

 

[bunty16]

I do have same issues with my LG LED panel gone blank just within 4 years and technology changing so rapidly that you wont get replacement parts after 4-5 years, one of my friend had same issue with Sony,later I bought micromax 40 inch in 2015 for 21000/- from flipkart still working fine

 

[dolfin]

I don't think they want their TVs to last long.

Well, I had a different experience. My Samsung Series 5 TV lasted for almost 10 years before I exchanged it for new SUHD TV last year. It was still in working condition. Before that I had LG CRT TV which also lasted for 10+ years and I exchanged it in working condition.

Technology is changing so rapidly that any TV becomes a relic in 10 years. 6 - 8 years is a good life as per my personal opinion.

 

[asliarun]

Might seem like a philosophical question but hear me out..

I had a Panasonic plasma TH-42PV8D bought in 2009 for 46K INR.

This week one cursed day, it refused to start and would just sit there blinking twice.

Long story short - service technician visits - says it is a "back light issue". However to repair it, the parts are no longer being manufactured since Panasonic has exited the plasma business.
He then offered me some hope that the company may offer a trade-in after factoring in depreciation; but a few days later, even that is retracted. So basically if i can lay it face up, it is an expensive coffee table.

I've escalated up the panasonic chain but not too hopeful.

In my family I have had a couple of 50+ inch LCD Samsung screens go kaput within 1-4 years.

• So it seems the televisions are not being made as they used to.
• The cost is huge
• Service is questionable. Repairs are pricey/impossible.

So now I'm wrestling with whether it makes to go big-50K+ again or go for a smaller cheaper set, knowing that its days are numbered.

Thanks

Apologies in advance - I have the exact opposite point of view on this. You also have to take into account that the TV price is relative to what people are earning in that era, what people are paying for other things like cars, clothes, cars, etc.

By most measures, people's incomes have doubled since 2009 if not tripled, and has easily increased 10x since 1990s. When you paid 20-30k for your Trinitron in the 90s which was "built to last 20 years", you basically paid the equivalent of 200k for that TV.

Now it can be argued how durable your current day 200k TV is going to be, but more importantly, the 50k you are spending today for your TV is equivalent of spending 5k on a TV in 1990s or 2000.

If anything, TVs have become super cheap, and the quality you get at most price points is phenomenal value compared to the price. Yes of course, they have skimped on cost where they can which also means they skimped on quality and durability. But truth is, people want to upgrade their TVs every 5 years nowadays. Nobody wants to keep a dinosaur.

One can make a "old is gold" luddite kind of argument and it probably even works for very selective things like amplifiers and speakers, but I honestly do not think it works at all for TVs. You could probably cherry pick a Panasonic plasma TV from the yesteryears and compare it to some average LCD TV of today and the plasma would probably still stand out. But then the true comparison would be against an LG OLED TV with 4k HDR, and the differences are night and day, even including the much vaunted "deep black levels".

To reiterate, I do not mean to offend at all with my post. And like i said, apologies in advance. My only intent is to present another point of view. But I very often see this myth persisting of "old is gold" and honestly in most cases related to electronics, it is not true at all. Things are built to a price - that is what engineering and manufacturing is all about. The only reason things lasted much longer earlier is because, guess what, they were super expensive. Manufacturers built super expensive things back in the day because very few people could afford it in the first place, and the ones that did wanted quality.

Today, everyone wants a flat screen TV - it is not a "rich person's toy" at all. Of course, there's a price gradient in flat screen TVs as well and the price-performance ratio also varies drastically across the spectrum, but the truth also is that technology evolves so rapidly that people have realized it just does not make sense to hold on to electronic devices for more than a few years. Your cellphone, your computer, your TV, your AVR, all become rapidly obsolete. That Nokia 3310 that was built like a tank - it is utterly obsolete today. And for good reason too.

If you watch a Netflix or Amazon Prime 4k HDR streaming video, such as Mozart In The Jungle - it is a thing of beauty to behold. There is no way at all 720p non-HDR content and TV would even come close to that level of quality. And a couple of years down the line, these 4k HDR TVs will also become cheap as chips.

 

[nivlacbot]

Yes of course, they have skimped on cost where they can which also means they skimped on quality and durability. But truth is, people want to upgrade their TVs every 5 years nowadays. Nobody wants to keep a dinosaur.

Same disclaimer - no offense intended.

I agree that on the VFM aspect at 32" but over that telly's are expensive (at least for me). Does everyone need 4K to watch their soaps/sitcoms? YMMV

Enthusiasts can upgrade as frequently as their hearts desire but that should be their choice.
I for one, would not want to be cycling TV sets within 5 years. Especially if manufacturers are selling lemons - built to last for <5 years + then sell insurance & extended warranties.


50K doesn't feel like much considering you can't get a decent phone for that amount today. That's a 5-6 inch screen.

Here's what I got from Panasonic escalation:

We regret for the inconvenience caused to you.
We got the confirmation from our service team that your product is not repairable as required part is not available.
And also we are unable to process for commercial solution as your product is more than Five years old.
Solicit your kind understanding in this regards.

With Regards,

<name removed>
Customer Service / West Region
Panasonic India Private Limited

So I guess that's that. I may still end up forking out the money because it's one of my top3 addictions.

 

[asliarun]

To clarify, I was not commenting on the budget at all. Those are personal choices and to each their own.

I was only responding to the "is it worth it" comment. To me, yes, I do feel the value you are getting from a higher end TV is worth it. Firstly the size. This is the same funda as a phone. When you are used to a 4" phone, you will feel that a 5.5" phone is way too big and awkward. But when you start using the larger screen phone, and then look back at your 4" phone, it will suddenly become unacceptably small.

Same for TVs. By the way, I do not at all think the sweet spot is 32" - i think it is at 42-50" nowadays. I recently replaced my LG 42" which I was able to run without problems for about 9 years. I didn't pay all that much for it either (am forgetting but i recollect it was okay priced and was a mid range model).

But in all honesty, watching on a 65" is indeed a significantly superior experience to watching on a 32" screen. And as for 4k HDR, it depends. In a 65" or even in a 55" screen when you are seated close enough (6-7 feet), the 4k resolution is certainly noticeable. More importantly, HDR has a dramatic impact - the pictures look like they would pop out of the screen - I can't describe it but it is magical (and i am not indulging in hyperbole).

Maybe I am too much of a geek myself, but I do feel I am not talking about features for the sake of it. As for programming, again, I will only say that the landscape is changing very rapidly. If you do watch Netflix and Amazon Prime and if you have a decent internet connection of over 25mbps - which is very doable in India today, then there actually quite a few TV series and movies on 4k HDR. I have practically stopped watching live TV nowadays - except for sports.

 

[ssf]

Received my Sony 65" 64K 9000E HDR TV two days back. Am still experimenting with its caliberations.

Is the TV worth it ?

A big definite yes !!! Why ?

1. I would have thought that the 65" would look odd and big in my room but it does'nt. Infact, I would think I could place a 75" without it looking awkward.

2. The cost. Well, this aspect is relative but this is a TV that is not as expensive as an OLED of this size but is definitely more expensive than a full HD tv of this size. I for one think for the features that this tv offers it's good value for money.

3. One of the main things we look at when we buy TV's, the picture quality. I was looking at a 55" OLED c series LG tv and a LG UH 65 OT Led side by side and to be honest, I did not find either of the TV's impressive. May be it was the settings or the content that was playing or the lighting in the showroom. The Sony has its downsides, but when I tune in to Netflix, wow, even with my 8 Mbps connection the picture quality is amazing, especially with HDR content like Iron Fist etc. No way my old plasma can compete with this quality of picture. I am upgrading my internet connection to 20Mbps soon so that i will be able to stream 4K HDR and am sure it will be worth the cost.

So, for me, is it really worth buying high-value TV's. I would think, a definite YES !!! If it breaks down in the next 4 to 5 years, all the more reason for me to upgrade to that 75" (Joking really, I could barely afford this one )

 

[nivlacbot]

Just to clarify - not questioning the value of the new features. So bring on the 4K, HDR, Huge screens, OLEDs.

I got the biggest TV I could fit in my living room and then stubbornly defended the entire room layout around that tv - much to the chagrin of everyone in the house.

Would I like to drive a Merc over a Maruti - hell yeah!
The question is if the Merc had a life of say 3-5 years, would you still go for it?

There will always be a shinier better car on the horizon to buy but that's beside the point.

 

[nivlacbot]

Infact, I would think I could place a 75" without it looking awkward.

That's a slippery slope there my friend. Congrats on your new sethyeah:

Bitten by Panny's apathy, I marched into the local showroom resolved to buy a 32" low cost set and be done with it.
Once there, I realized once you go 42, there is no 32. Still, I've put on blinkers to stay at the 40-43 bracket ; fingers crossed.

 

[shaiju_o_thomas]

I think a high value OLED is the best bet for anyone who is a movie aficionado. Nothing beats an OLED. I was auditioning TVs past few days for my friend and the picture quality on high-end TVs is worth the investment. You can negotiate prices as well. I have seen 65C7 OLED for as low as 3.24L. With such high-value products it is always recommended to buy additional warranty.

High-value does not automatically translate to high performance. LG high-value Super 4K TVs are utter crap. So is Samsung QLED; not crap but for the price they disappoint.

For TV serials any TV would do

 

[ItsMe]

I have a 32inch samsung LCD TV which was imported from UAE in 2008, and still going strong without any issue. I also had another Sony 32inch LCD which was bought locally in 2010, but the panel failed just after the warranty period (1 year). I had to dump that Sony in trash as the repair cost was almost 70% of TV cost.
TV is now getting limited to Soaps for my MIL and cartoons for my kids and daily dose of 10 min news for me and my Samsung is still holding good for the same. Beyond that I have a small HT with a PJ where I watch all movies (BRs), play xbox, watch netflix etc. In my case TV has been replaced by netflix/hotstar and a good HT will suffice which can be upgraded component wise when you need it. Another advantage is that you can access your netflix/hotstar in your laptop/mobile which gives ability to catchup with your shows whenever you want.
I definitely will not go ahead with TV upgrades whenever they come up with a new technology, and will rather stick to a cheap ones in future if I have to upgrade it as it is going to be primarily used by my MIL and kids. I feel a full HD itself is an overkill for all these soap operas and pokemons...

 

[nivlacbot]

I also had another Sony 32inch LCD which was bought locally in 2010, but the panel failed just after the warranty period (1 year). I had to dump that Sony in trash as the repair cost was almost 70% of TV cost.

:sad: Ouch.

This is a recurring trend I'm observing - there are only a few things that can go wrong however when they do it's like 75% of the cost of the set.

Is there any evidence to suggest LCD/LED as a technology is more prone to failure?

 

[manjunath.forum.all]

Thanks all once again.
Finally fixed on
LG 55UJ752T 4K Ultra TV Online in India With Magic Zoom | LG Brand Store

Hoping i get this between 1.45 to 1.5L

 

[ItsMe]

:sad: Ouch.

This is a recurring trend I'm observing - there are only a few things that can go wrong however when they do it's like 75% of the cost of the set.

Is there any evidence to suggest LCD/LED as a technology is more prone to failure?

The version from a dealer was that, as TVs become cheap every company was forced to fight in the competitive space by reducing price which inturn forced them to use low cost parts and hence the low lifespan