I bought my Samsung 50" plasma last year from JD electronics and was extremely pleased with it.
I had done the due diligence - compared it with Panasonic, read everything written about it on the net, figured out the requirements and went ahead and bought it in November.
The TV COMES HOME to its new place.
The electrical setup at home was as follows -
Electrical Mains - > Active Spike Trip protector (at the mains) - >Inverter (yes due to some strange requirements - the entire house circuit flowed through the inverter)->3-stage protector power strip (including TVS diode, mov)->2KV Proton Servo Stabilizer (yes the real stab) ->TV.
The setup was to let you know that I was serious about maintaining a consistent and standard power input to all the devices.
THE PROBLEM and FREQUENCY
One night in mid June the video failed and the audio was working. Changing the source didn't work and even the TV remote didn't work.
I switched the TV off and the powered it back on and everything was back to normal.
Ten minutes later the same thing happened. Again off-on.
Fifteen minutes later same thing - Off/On
Thirty minutes later same thing - OFF /ON
Then it stopped doing that and everything was normal.
SAMSUNG'S RESPONSE
I called Samsung and they responded with a few hours and the technician came in the next day and explained that he had to replace the power circuit (smps) part.
It took about 4 days and he came in and took the TV down - opened up the back and it had barely 3 panels in it !! . He replaced it and asked me to monitor it.
RECURRENCE AND TREATMENT OF SAME ISSUE
Two weeks later the same problem - video disappearing (audio working) and off/on worked again.
July second week - another technician came and replaced the replaced panel with a newer one.
SECONDARY ISSUE and solution
In the meanwhile I had also mentioned that I was seeing a bit of TIR compared to the beginning. The Zee Cafe logo as well as TLC was leaving a big red/white ghost mark on the screen.
It was easily solved by running the plasma 127 colors for fifteen minutes - but I was wondering why it happened after 6 months and especially after the board change.
SAMSUNG VISITS AGAIN
The technician came in again and replaced the new part with the older part and asked me to monitor both ! I don't understand why he had to replace a part for that.
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
Two days later (Third week of July) - the video conked again with a twist. The OFF/ON didn't work now. I tried various durations of 15 mins, 30 mins, and it still didn't work.
Called up Samsung again and let them know about it. In the meantime it still didn't power up regardless of the connect/reconnect of various electrical plugs and switches and arrangements.
SAMSUNG PROPOSES A DEAL
The technician came home and said that he was recommending that I get a refund! I told him that I had spent quite some time researching this model and by god I wanted a repair or replacement and not a refund!
THE STANDBY ARRIVES
One week went by and nothing - I called up samsung and they sent a standby 24" LCD (which btw was from Saravana Stores
- though the tech denied it - there were huge stickers on 4 sides of the box).
GOODBYE
One week after that - the tech came again to get a better photocopy of the receipts/warrant/documents for the head office in delhi.
Today two service men came and said that the time had come to say goodbye to the big guy and one of them handed me a cheque :sad:
The guy at Samsung said that I could keep the standby for a few more days till I get a replacement TV.:indifferent14:
Sidenote
1. Very impressed with Samsung response times.
2. Courteous technicians
3. Annoying/incompetent phone support people as always
THE FUTURE
Well the gloom stops here- Now begins the fun part - research for a new TV - will it be a 51" or 64" 3D Plasma or a non 3D Projector
hyeah:
I had done the due diligence - compared it with Panasonic, read everything written about it on the net, figured out the requirements and went ahead and bought it in November.
The TV COMES HOME to its new place.
The electrical setup at home was as follows -
Electrical Mains - > Active Spike Trip protector (at the mains) - >Inverter (yes due to some strange requirements - the entire house circuit flowed through the inverter)->3-stage protector power strip (including TVS diode, mov)->2KV Proton Servo Stabilizer (yes the real stab) ->TV.
The setup was to let you know that I was serious about maintaining a consistent and standard power input to all the devices.
THE PROBLEM and FREQUENCY
One night in mid June the video failed and the audio was working. Changing the source didn't work and even the TV remote didn't work.
I switched the TV off and the powered it back on and everything was back to normal.
Ten minutes later the same thing happened. Again off-on.
Fifteen minutes later same thing - Off/On
Thirty minutes later same thing - OFF /ON
Then it stopped doing that and everything was normal.
SAMSUNG'S RESPONSE
I called Samsung and they responded with a few hours and the technician came in the next day and explained that he had to replace the power circuit (smps) part.
It took about 4 days and he came in and took the TV down - opened up the back and it had barely 3 panels in it !! . He replaced it and asked me to monitor it.
RECURRENCE AND TREATMENT OF SAME ISSUE
Two weeks later the same problem - video disappearing (audio working) and off/on worked again.
July second week - another technician came and replaced the replaced panel with a newer one.
SECONDARY ISSUE and solution
In the meanwhile I had also mentioned that I was seeing a bit of TIR compared to the beginning. The Zee Cafe logo as well as TLC was leaving a big red/white ghost mark on the screen.
It was easily solved by running the plasma 127 colors for fifteen minutes - but I was wondering why it happened after 6 months and especially after the board change.
SAMSUNG VISITS AGAIN
The technician came in again and replaced the new part with the older part and asked me to monitor both ! I don't understand why he had to replace a part for that.
ANOTHER ONE BITES THE DUST
Two days later (Third week of July) - the video conked again with a twist. The OFF/ON didn't work now. I tried various durations of 15 mins, 30 mins, and it still didn't work.
Called up Samsung again and let them know about it. In the meantime it still didn't power up regardless of the connect/reconnect of various electrical plugs and switches and arrangements.
SAMSUNG PROPOSES A DEAL
The technician came home and said that he was recommending that I get a refund! I told him that I had spent quite some time researching this model and by god I wanted a repair or replacement and not a refund!
THE STANDBY ARRIVES
One week went by and nothing - I called up samsung and they sent a standby 24" LCD (which btw was from Saravana Stores
- though the tech denied it - there were huge stickers on 4 sides of the box).GOODBYE
One week after that - the tech came again to get a better photocopy of the receipts/warrant/documents for the head office in delhi.
Today two service men came and said that the time had come to say goodbye to the big guy and one of them handed me a cheque :sad:
The guy at Samsung said that I could keep the standby for a few more days till I get a replacement TV.:indifferent14:
Sidenote
1. Very impressed with Samsung response times.
2. Courteous technicians
3. Annoying/incompetent phone support people as always
THE FUTURE
Well the gloom stops here- Now begins the fun part - research for a new TV - will it be a 51" or 64" 3D Plasma or a non 3D Projector
hyeah:
i explained i just had a few questions about firmware and i dont need any help in installing.