TV- Don't know what to do

[SDSorority]

Hi everyone. Our TV (a Dynex 40") will play our Netflix via the Wii, but it will no longer receive basic cable channels (nbc, cbs, fox, etc), and if it's in TV mode, it'll stay on a blank screen and won't turn OFF.

Is it worth it to repair, or should we be looking for a new TV? I think the original price of the TV was under $500 from Sam's Club, and we've had it for 3-4 years now, so the warranty is up.

What would you do?

 

[LJSquishy]

I would get a new tv. Any repair at all would probably be a minimum of $200 and this is the ultimate tv buying season right now with thanksgiving and christmas sales.

 

[Nayan]

Sadly for the price to repair it you could buy a top of the line plasma. They aren't worth repairing so you'll be looking for another one. Stay away from the lower brands (like Dynex, Haier, etc.) and get something good quality like LG, Vizio, Sony. They can be had for a good price at WalMart.

 

[ilovemk76]

I would buy a new TV.

 

[ssawka]

Sadly for the price to repair it you could buy a top of the line plasma. They aren't worth repairing so you'll be looking for another one. Stay away from the lower brands (like Dynex, Haier, etc.) and get something good quality like LG, Vizio, Sony. They can be had for a good price at WalMart.

ITA! Even if it can be fixed, I would not go through the trouble on a Dynex brand. The cheaper brands really are disposable. This is not to sound "snobbish", it is just that there is generally a reason why the cheaper brands are cheaper. That is not to say that you should go with the most expensive brand either, as some brands are overpriced.

 

[JB2K]

Hi everyone. Our TV (a Dynex 40") will play our Netflix via the Wii, but it will no longer receive basic cable channels (nbc, cbs, fox, etc), and if it's in TV mode, it'll stay on a blank screen and won't turn OFF.

Is it worth it to repair, or should we be looking for a new TV? I think the original price of the TV was under $500 from Sam's Club, and we've had it for 3-4 years now, so the warranty is up.

What would you do?

"Dynex" is the store brand for Best Buy -- not Sam's Club (AFAIK, Sam's Club only sells familiar name brand TVs).

Before you jettison the TV, have you checked with the cable company?

Seems many cable companies are making it to where the subscriber must rent one of their boxes to receive any channels, at all...

 

[Nayan]

While that's true, it wouldn't cause her TV to hang up and not turn off.

 

[SDSorority]

While that's true, it wouldn't cause her TV to hang up and not turn off.

Yeah that's what I thought too.

We don't have cable- just the free channels like NBC, FOX, CBS, etc. We have always been able to get these free channels because the Dynex has a digital tuner inside. When we put the tv in TV mode, we can't change the channels, adjust the volume, turn the tv off, or put it back in AV to watch Netflix via the Wii- we have to unplug it from the wall, turn the tv back on, then immediately change it to AV to get it to do anything at all.

....what a pain. Blerg.

 

[mrodgers]

Sadly for the price to repair it you could buy a top of the line plasma. They aren't worth repairing so you'll be looking for another one. Stay away from the lower brands (like Dynex, Haier, etc.) and get something good quality like LG, Vizio, Sony. They can be had for a good price at WalMart.

Beings that a top of the line plasma would be several thousand dollars, I highly doubt it would cost several thousand dollars to fix a no-name brand $500 at the time 4 year old TV. That would be quite foolish.

Now, you could get the top rated lowest featured model plasma for what a no-name brand $500 television cost 4 years ago. Sears has the Panasonic 50" no-features 1080p plasma for $700 that includes a $100 gift card. Since Walmart has the 720p for $548, somewhere might have the 720p for around the $500 price tag. Increased screen size than what you've got and better picture quality to boot.

 

[MomToOne]

I have a problem with my TV where one of the inputs blew out, but the rest are still good. I just had to move my Satellite box from the regular input to input 2. I'm in a rush and can't explain it better right now, but start googling "TV inputs" and I'm sure some explanations will come up.

 

[Nayan]

Beings that a top of the line plasma would be several thousand dollars, I highly doubt it would cost several thousand dollars to fix a no-name brand $500 at the time 4 year old TV. That would be quite foolish.

Now, you could get the top rated lowest featured model plasma for what a no-name brand $500 television cost 4 years ago. Sears has the Panasonic 50" no-features 1080p plasma for $700 that includes a $100 gift card. Since Walmart has the 720p for $548, somewhere might have the 720p for around the $500 price tag. Increased screen size than what you've got and better picture quality to boot.

It was just an example, but to repair my 6 year old Sony would cost $1500 so I could get a decent plasma for that . I would stay away, at least for awhile, the Panny and Samsung plasmas. They are having a nasty issue with glass cracking and making the TV inoperable with the 2012 models.

 

[4HppyCamprs]

I would suggest buying a new TV as well. I am not a technogeek as we just bought a flat screen to replace our TV that has a terribly annoying low level screech. If you have a membership to a club such as Sam's or Costco (we have both) not only are the prices more competitive they have extended warranties included in the purchase price. Our Vizio has a one year manufacturers warranty but it is extended to two years by Costco. We got a smart TV so it has netflix, amazon and other apps built right into the TV.

 

[SDSorority]

I would suggest buying a new TV as well. I am not a technogeek as we just bought a flat screen to replace our TV that has a terribly annoying low level screech. If you have a membership to a club such as Sam's or Costco (we have both) not only are the prices more competitive they have extended warranties included in the purchase price. Our Vizio has a one year manufacturers warranty but it is extended to two years by Costco. We got a smart TV so it has netflix, amazon and other apps built right into the TV.

I'm looking at a VIZIO smart tv too- do you like it? Does it have a web browser, or just apps?

 

[kdog_1981]

If money matters (aka budget board)... Why are you buying a smart tv? With a Wii and/or ps3 Xbox there really isn't a need for it. Another thing if you are just watching movies or basic tv with no HD box. Stick with a 720 tv since there cheaper. Plasma are cheaper and have a good picture. The plus is size and weight as well. Just remember you are going into a huge sales time with Christmas. TVs are going on sale or have dropped already. Look for sales. Do research on the tv before you buy it (consumer reports). I'm very knowledgeable about these things. I want a 3D tv but don't want a smart tv (read above no need for me). I'm waiting for prices do drop more to justify the purchase.

 

[kdog_1981]

I'm looking at a VIZIO smart tv too- do you like it? Does it have a web browser, or just apps?

The earliest Smart TVs can still compete on level ground with the latest, since it's only been a year or so since they've been in shops. But it won't be long until we start hearing complaints from those customers that "I can't stream that resolution." or "Why can't I watch programs with that new MP4 codec?" or "That app doesn't work for me. Why can't I get the latest OS on my TV?"

This being said...I would stay away from it. Sales are crap on them for a reason. Stick with your iPad or iPhone. TVs and smart don't mix

 

[princesspwrhr]

Hi everyone. Our TV (a Dynex 40") will play our Netflix via the Wii, but it will no longer receive basic cable channels (nbc, cbs, fox, etc), and if it's in TV mode, it'll stay on a blank screen and won't turn OFF.

Is it worth it to repair, or should we be looking for a new TV? I think the original price of the TV was under $500 from Sam's Club, and we've had it for 3-4 years now, so the warranty is up.

What would you do?

Do you even watch the TV? or do you just use it for Netflix & gaming? I ask because if it's not being watched or utilized then why bother with repair or replacing? I realize I'm in the minority, but we would just leave it as is and just use netflix. We have a decent (nice?) 40in wall mounted something or other that my MIL decided we needed for Christmas a few years ago, she paid about half and I know what our side cost, so I know it's not a cheap piece of junk. Not long after, my husband finally realized that we were never home to watch it, the shows that were on were junk and we were essentially throwing $ away each month on cable. We dropped the cable and kept netflix. That was 3 years ago - we haven't looked back.

If you find that you don't miss the tellie while you're trying to decide the best course of action (repair/replace), maybe a longer trial run without it is in order. Maybe you'll find you don't need it either and you can save yourself the cost of repair/replace and the cable bill.

 

[Nayan]

Do you even watch the TV? or do you just use it for Netflix & gaming? I ask because if it's not being watched or utilized then why bother with repair or replacing? I realize I'm in the minority, but we would just leave it as is and just use netflix. We have a decent (nice?) 40in wall mounted something or other that my MIL decided we needed for Christmas a few years ago, she paid about half and I know what our side cost, so I know it's not a cheap piece of junk. Not long after, my husband finally realized that we were never home to watch it, the shows that were on were junk and we were essentially throwing $ away each month on cable. We dropped the cable and kept netflix. That was 3 years ago - we haven't looked back.

If you find that you don't miss the tellie while you're trying to decide the best course of action (repair/replace), maybe a longer trial run without it is in order. Maybe you'll find you don't need it either and you can save yourself the cost of repair/replace and the cable bill.

She doesn't have cable, she get's the channels from an antenna so for her it is a big issue.

 

[SDSorority]

She doesn't have cable, she get's the channels from an antenna so for her it is a big issue.

Yep, this is correct. We have been without cable for over a year now... maybe two, just watching the basic NBC, ABC, CBS, FOX, and PBS on the only high-def tv we have in the house (which is the now broken one that won't pick up these channels). I'd rather have a tv that gets these stations than have one that only streams Netflix, since that's what our bedroom tv already does with the Roku box (one of the older analog non-high-def tv's). Don't get me wrong, Netflix is great (I can watch Phineas and Ferb until the cows come home) but having the local news is nice sometimes, especially in the winter when office closings are a possibility.

This is the TV I'm looking at- the stand that we have holds 40-50" TVs, so I think we'd want to stick to something that size instead of having to get a whole new stand, too. $528 seems to be a fairly good price for a 42" tv I'd think, plus it has the internet streaming capability of youtube, netflix, pandora, etc.

http://www.walmart.com/ip/VIZIO-42-...080p-120Hz-E3D420VX/15992330?findingMethod=rr

 

[princesspwrhr]

We don't even get those and don't miss them, that's why I threw it out there. Only have the one tv in the living room. Like I said "I know I'm in the minority"

 

[Nayan]

That's a nice one and it also got good reviews at Amazon. Sounds like a good deal to me!