HDTV extended warranty's/service plan

[caseymou]

What are some opinions of the "service plan" warranty's being pushed by the electronics stores? Most people I talk to seem to buy them and they are convinced the projection tv's must be cleaned once per year (at $150 a pop). What is actually done in a cleaning? I am looking to buy a Panasonic 53" ws around Christmas for around $1700 but the store where I am purchasing wants another $400 for the service plan. This adds roughly another 25% to the buying price and makes the deal seem not-so-great. I have been burned by the "service plan" before but I have never owned a projection TV.

[trubluluc]

Caseymou-

I have a mits 55, and I did buy the extended service. I have had it almost a year now and thankfully so far so good. Most people I spoke with prior to purchasing the set, recommended the service plan. In addition to cleaning (really, just deep dusting) I was told they realign the guns, and make sure all is well.
Also know that the price of the plans is negotiable, the inclusion of the plan makes the salesman look good, as well as being a higher margin sale.
So bargain with them, get the 5 year plan for the 3years price. Or have them discount the tv 1 to 2 hundred less and buy the policy.

-Luc

[caseymou]

I thought all of the new tv's had an auto self alignment system. I think on the Samsung all you do is push one button and most of the other tv's there is an on-screen procedure-but no physical movement. Any other opinions? My price for the TV is already discounted so I would probably have to pay the $400 for s.p. After 1 year are you still happy you purchased the service plan, Trubluluc?

[trubluluc]

As said, so far, so good with the tv.
I think of it like car insurance, it's best if you never need it, but it's good to know you have it just the same.
It's your call.

-Luc

[Ron-P]

I paid $350 for a 5 year in home, 100% coverage for my 46" Mits 16x9.

When I first got the TV it had a few geometry speed bumps, no big deal, but I wanted it perfect. Not sure how to fix it myself, I called out a tech and watched his every move through the service menus. He left, of course only getting it about 50% better. I then made a geometry template, layed it over the screen and went in and made it 100%. Got a little out of my $$$ and learned a few things to boot. IMO, $70 a year is a no brainer for a RPTV. Lot's can go wrong. It's my security blanket.

Of course, now that the set has been ISF calibrated, if anything goes wrong, I'd need to go in and change a few things back before calling out a tech.

Get the warrenty, they are worth it.


Peace Out~:D

[scottvamp]

I have been around and owned big screens for about 11 years now. Slowly the colors/blacks/constrast/blurry picture will became more noticeable. 90% of the time it is dust on the mirror. Once a year I take the back off and "polish" the mirror and dust inside. Every time it is like a brand new picture. My parents 10 year old 50"rca gets a real thick layer of dust in a short time. My 2 year old 52"rca - when I went in for the 1 year cleaning, it was spotless. I guess they are paying more attention to the dust problems. Never heard of people having to re-a-line the crt guns. But urben legend for (my big screen won't work) $200 service bill and a 65 cent fuse was the only problem. ;)

[goingganzo]

i got the sercis plan on my tv it was a larg amount of money and if something breaks not like a cheap tv you have to spend alot to fix it and uslay they charge 100 dollars just to come to your house

[Dr. Spec]

Get the warranty - at $2000 plus for an HDTV, its worth the peace of mind. The color guns cannot be replaced individually in some cases, and if a gun burns out, it might be $800-1,000 fo the set of three.

Doc

[brettw22]

Originally posted by Ron-P
......now that the set has been ISF calibrated.....

What is ISF calibrated?

[ntculenuff]

at ultimate we push the extended coverage just for the cleaning alone on big screens..it intails taking apart the set cleaning them inside and out re-aligning the guns, lubing all the gears in the gun motors, re-calibrating them, checking all the souldering for cracks and such, and basiclly transforming the set back to the day you bought it...(you dont notice the convergance getting out of alignment as much, because you watch it every day) plus it will cover every thing the manufacture wont such as "acts of god" (what a great loop hole for the manufacture) spilling something on it and frying the bored and so on.. if you dont have any issues with the tv and only have us come out and clean and re-align the guns ultimate will give you have of the $$'s you paid for the coverage as an in-store credit...most manufactures recomand a good cleaning and convergance of the tv once every 5 years...
just my 2cents

[caseymou]

Good info everyone.
Doc Spec-
In my case the tv cost is ~$1700 and the SP is $400.
This means the SP cost adds another 25% to the cost of the set. The sweeping and cleaning I can do and the convergence is built into most menu's (I think). I should probably post the specifics of the SP.

[Ron-P]

What is ISF calibrated?

Below is a link to Gregg Loewen's site, he is the one who calibrated my Mits. They do everything that your normal service tech does not. Of course, it will void you warrenty, but there are ways around that. I can not recommend it enough. If you've spent several K on a good HD TV, spend another $400 or so and get the most from your TV. For the most part, Gregg did everything to my set that is on his list. He spent about 7 hours ISF calibrating my set and it shows. No TV service tech and no home theater calibration disk can do what these ISF techs do.


http://66.201.107.3/services.shtml


Peace Out~:D