Samsung 32" LCD TV - Cost of repair = Cost of TV

[captrajesh]

Hi all,

Our office guest house has Samsung 32" LCD TV Model No. LA32R81 BL/XR.

The TV has started malfunctioning. The image is pale and the TV switches off after a while. Sometime later, it switches on and the process continues as long as power supply is available.

The company's technician visited and has given a quote for Rs. 25066/-. The break up is as below: -

Panel cost - 21300/-
Tax amt - 2663/-
Service chg - 1000/-
Service tax - 103/-

The TV is about 3-4 years old and usage is not extensive. Could someone enlighten me if the cost of repair is justified?

Regards


Rajesh

 

[alokbharti]

not justified..

you can easily acquire 2009 model Samsung 32 inch TV for 25-30K..
with 1 year warranty..

LCD technology evolved a lot during last 3-4 years so you end up getting better picture quality..

no point repairing..

 

[adder]

Well the panel do cost quite a lot.

No use repairing it with a lcd panel that has a contrast of just 1000:1 ,the R81 in india mostly had CMO panels.
You are better off with the newer ones with better contrast,image processing and power consumption.

 

[n_thacker]

Dont waste your time & money on repairing. Now you get TV with better features in that range. Rather exchange that TV and get discount on new one. Brands in the Rs25K range Toshiba, Pana C10, VU Hollywood series, VDOcon, LG

 

[captrajesh]

My suspicion is that the Guest House caretaker is trying to pull a fast one by colluding with the technician to unsurp the old TV (Assuming that we would buy a new one)

Even assuming that the panel would cost 25k, does the problem warrants change of the panel?

 

[magma]

why can you not take another independant repairman opinion

 

[hemantwaghe]

Captain do not waste money in repairing.
BTW my friend got 32 Inch LCD 3 years back from bangkok ,without paying duty.
Installed it in his second vacant flat
Very very less use and one day panel was gone in 15-18 months.
Shocker- Cost of repairing was more than price he paid in bangkok.
So lying as junk..
Also repairman told him that because of no use panel has gone.Initially we refused to believe ( and still is) ,but his uncle in bangkok bought same tv ( samsung Bordeaux first generation)with him,installed in guest room ,did not used and that lcd too had similar fate!!( Either the batch may be faulty or what the technician was telling is true!)

 

[captrajesh]

why can you not take another independant repairman opinion

I agree Magma but that would require a knowledgeaable & reliable person.
The one I know of, Joyshri Electronics near my house, the guy is out of town and would be back only after couple of days. So thought I'd check with the experts in the forum.

Captain do not waste money in repairing.

My point is, does the symptoms warrant replacement of the Panel?
Are there some settings which would result in such a thing?

The display is very pale (as if contrast is set to '0' and brightness is set to max) The TV plays for few minutes and switches off. Switches on after sometime and runs for couple of minutes and switches off. This cycle repeats as long as power is supplied.

 

[pnredkar]

Now Looking at the description of your problem: Is it really a panel problem? This seems more like the bulged capacitor problem that people have been reporting on the net (Just google "Samsung capacitor problems"). The symptoms seem similar. Please investigate further before panel change.

BTW I had a similar experience. I had bought a Panasonic 32" TV for about 80k in 2005. It conked-off in 2007. The TV displayed vertical stripes alternately on and off. Repair charges estimate >50K. I decided it was not worth replacing the panel as a new TV was available then at about 45k. I temporarily bought a smaller TV (Sony 19" LCD) and only currently replaced the 32" TV with another Sony 32" TV (EX400).

- Prasad.

 

[captrajesh]

Now Looking at the description of your problem: Is it really a panel problem? This seems more like the bulged capacitor problem that people have been reporting on the net (Just google "Samsung capacitor problems"). The symptoms seem similar. Please investigate further before panel change.

Thanks for the info Prasad but what is described is not our prob I guess.

Anymore expert opinion on the symptoms guys?

 

[pnredkar]

Sorry. Then it may actually be a panel problem.

Anyways, all the best for handling this problem. I had written about my similar experience in the previous post. You will have to make some hard decisions now.

Guess, the reliability of LCD TVs is no where close to those of CRT TVs.

- Prasad.

 

[KDM]

Sorry. Then it may actually be a panel problem.

Anyways, all the best for handling this problem. I had written about my similar experience in the previous post. You will have to make some hard decisions now.

Guess, the reliability of LCD TVs is no where close to those of CRT TVs.

- Prasad.

Too right it isn't! I picked up a set in Jan 2009.

It worked well for a little under 2 years and then gave a problem, which Sony then diagnosed as being a panel failure. Sony told me that they would have to replace the panel, for which they quoted 13K. As the TV itself cost Rs 38K, I gave them the go ahead and was required to pay down 50% which I did. Am still waiting for my set to come back from servicing.

So much for the Sony brand name and reliability.

 

[sid_lochan]

Deleted the post.