rags india
New Member
You all might have read good reviews about Samsung LCD TVs. I also read them and decided to buy only Samsung LCD TV due to its perceived Value For Money. But little did I realize that I was
in for a huge disappointment when I bought a high end Samsung LCD TV model LA 40 B 530 ( 5 series Full HD TV) paying whopping 61K Rs!!. This review is not aimed at giving details of features of the LCD TV, but to enlighten the prospective buyers of Samsung LCD TVs about is extremely poor quality control in its production lines. So, read this review and decide whether you still would like to go for Samsung LCD TVs.
I bought this model, LA 40 B 530, a 40 inch, full HD LCD TV with all the latest features, paying 61 thousand rupees at Bangalore. Got the delivery on 8 Jun 09. As I read in some other review, everything was good, an SMS immediately after I gave a call to its Customer Care Center for demonstration, prompt arrival of the technician, etc. Everything was good till he installed the TV. Immediately after installation , the technician switched on the TV. Within 5 secs, the picture went off but audio remained on ( I had given the Set Top Box (STB) input through AV in). The technician could not explain the phenomenon and switched off and on the TV. This time the picture came and remained. He promptly attributed the fault to the loss of signal from STB. Since the problem didnt repeat again that evening, I also thought the same. That evening was a happy evening at home with the new big TV and a newly bought Sony component home theatre.
The next morning, when I switched on the TV, same thing happened again, no picture, but only audio. this time, even after switching off and on, it happened again, Also I found that, before the picture went off, the backlight flickered dangerously ( LCD TVs use backlight for screen projection whereas the Plasmas use tiny gaseous pixels). After about 5 switch off and on, the picture held. After observing the problem for 2-3 more days ( by now the switch off and on increased to 15-20 times before the picture held on), i reported the problem to customer care center. An engineer arrived the next day and as expected, initially attributed the snag to the Hathway STB. But when I told him that the backlight goes off, he thought that it may be some loose connection of strip cables inside the TV. he opened the TV ( imagine how it feels to have your brand new high end TV being operated ruthlessly in front of your eyes!) and reconnected all the strip cables. To my horror, when the TV was opened, I found the strip cables not properly taped (to avoid loose connection). He could do only that much because, there is no other part inside the TV which he could finger, everything is sealed. he switched on the TV, but only to see the screen going off again in 5-6 secs. He agreed that the system was defective piece. He had to, because everything else was perfect, power supply without fluctuation, supply to the TV through V Guard stab and spike buster multi plug extender, etc. I was thoroughly disappointed. During the process of opening, I also observed that the TV did not have any warranty seals on it!! Generally you see the seals put over the screw holes in electronic gadgets to prevent any mishandling. In this Tv there were none of those! This means, the dealer can even do some local repair to the TV (if he had some transit damage) and pass on the product to you!!
Next day when I rang up the service center, the manager promised me that the set would be replaced with a new one, but i need to give them the copy of invoice voucher. I promptly gave it with a detailed explanation of the snag. But the manager said that the approval has to come from the company headquarters at Delhi which may take anywhere from 7-10 days. Already 5 days have passed, let me see how good is this reputed company in its customer care.
At this moment, here I am, sitting in front of this beautiful looking brand new high end TV, which doesnt function most of the time, gives me heart attacks whenever functions because of its dangerously flickering backlight!!.
This shows that, even the so called reputed consumer durable companies have very ordinary production line quality control. If this can happen in a latest model high end LCD TV, imagine what will be the quality of a cheaper product. At least, I had this problem immediately after i bought the TV, so that the fault is covered under warranty. But imagine having such problems immediately after one year when the warranty lapses! I asked the engineer who came to my house for repair, what would be the repair cost if the same problem comes up after lapse of warranty period. He replied that it will cost about 70% of the cost of the system ( about 40 thousand Rs as they have to fully replace the LCD screen!!). With such kind of poor quality control in Samsung anything can happen any time!!!
I should have gone for Panasonic Plasma, which I had initially zeroed on. But due to popularity of the LCD TVs, I decided for this TV. So, here I am , regretting my decision of going for this lousy Samsung Tv. It may be possible that the problem i faced in the TV is due to transit damage. But such kind of snags shatter your confidence in the type of Tv (that is, LCDs)itself! LCD Tvs seem more delicate than Plasmas. My confidence in LCD Tvs has shaken so much that I am even skeptical about the replacement TV I am going to receive in a few days. I will never recommend any LCD Tv to anybody henceforth.
So, my friends, decide whether you want to take chances by purchasing Samsung LCD Tvs for the benefit of few thousand rupees lesser price or go for truly reputed products such as Sony or Panasonic.
in for a huge disappointment when I bought a high end Samsung LCD TV model LA 40 B 530 ( 5 series Full HD TV) paying whopping 61K Rs!!. This review is not aimed at giving details of features of the LCD TV, but to enlighten the prospective buyers of Samsung LCD TVs about is extremely poor quality control in its production lines. So, read this review and decide whether you still would like to go for Samsung LCD TVs.
I bought this model, LA 40 B 530, a 40 inch, full HD LCD TV with all the latest features, paying 61 thousand rupees at Bangalore. Got the delivery on 8 Jun 09. As I read in some other review, everything was good, an SMS immediately after I gave a call to its Customer Care Center for demonstration, prompt arrival of the technician, etc. Everything was good till he installed the TV. Immediately after installation , the technician switched on the TV. Within 5 secs, the picture went off but audio remained on ( I had given the Set Top Box (STB) input through AV in). The technician could not explain the phenomenon and switched off and on the TV. This time the picture came and remained. He promptly attributed the fault to the loss of signal from STB. Since the problem didnt repeat again that evening, I also thought the same. That evening was a happy evening at home with the new big TV and a newly bought Sony component home theatre.
The next morning, when I switched on the TV, same thing happened again, no picture, but only audio. this time, even after switching off and on, it happened again, Also I found that, before the picture went off, the backlight flickered dangerously ( LCD TVs use backlight for screen projection whereas the Plasmas use tiny gaseous pixels). After about 5 switch off and on, the picture held. After observing the problem for 2-3 more days ( by now the switch off and on increased to 15-20 times before the picture held on), i reported the problem to customer care center. An engineer arrived the next day and as expected, initially attributed the snag to the Hathway STB. But when I told him that the backlight goes off, he thought that it may be some loose connection of strip cables inside the TV. he opened the TV ( imagine how it feels to have your brand new high end TV being operated ruthlessly in front of your eyes!) and reconnected all the strip cables. To my horror, when the TV was opened, I found the strip cables not properly taped (to avoid loose connection). He could do only that much because, there is no other part inside the TV which he could finger, everything is sealed. he switched on the TV, but only to see the screen going off again in 5-6 secs. He agreed that the system was defective piece. He had to, because everything else was perfect, power supply without fluctuation, supply to the TV through V Guard stab and spike buster multi plug extender, etc. I was thoroughly disappointed. During the process of opening, I also observed that the TV did not have any warranty seals on it!! Generally you see the seals put over the screw holes in electronic gadgets to prevent any mishandling. In this Tv there were none of those! This means, the dealer can even do some local repair to the TV (if he had some transit damage) and pass on the product to you!!
Next day when I rang up the service center, the manager promised me that the set would be replaced with a new one, but i need to give them the copy of invoice voucher. I promptly gave it with a detailed explanation of the snag. But the manager said that the approval has to come from the company headquarters at Delhi which may take anywhere from 7-10 days. Already 5 days have passed, let me see how good is this reputed company in its customer care.
At this moment, here I am, sitting in front of this beautiful looking brand new high end TV, which doesnt function most of the time, gives me heart attacks whenever functions because of its dangerously flickering backlight!!.
This shows that, even the so called reputed consumer durable companies have very ordinary production line quality control. If this can happen in a latest model high end LCD TV, imagine what will be the quality of a cheaper product. At least, I had this problem immediately after i bought the TV, so that the fault is covered under warranty. But imagine having such problems immediately after one year when the warranty lapses! I asked the engineer who came to my house for repair, what would be the repair cost if the same problem comes up after lapse of warranty period. He replied that it will cost about 70% of the cost of the system ( about 40 thousand Rs as they have to fully replace the LCD screen!!). With such kind of poor quality control in Samsung anything can happen any time!!!
I should have gone for Panasonic Plasma, which I had initially zeroed on. But due to popularity of the LCD TVs, I decided for this TV. So, here I am , regretting my decision of going for this lousy Samsung Tv. It may be possible that the problem i faced in the TV is due to transit damage. But such kind of snags shatter your confidence in the type of Tv (that is, LCDs)itself! LCD Tvs seem more delicate than Plasmas. My confidence in LCD Tvs has shaken so much that I am even skeptical about the replacement TV I am going to receive in a few days. I will never recommend any LCD Tv to anybody henceforth.
So, my friends, decide whether you want to take chances by purchasing Samsung LCD Tvs for the benefit of few thousand rupees lesser price or go for truly reputed products such as Sony or Panasonic.
That is all. I have atleast half a dozen friends who own the 37inch or 40 inch version of the samsung 5 series. Never had any problem. There is no quality issue also.
