LCD and
plasma TVs are far more reliable than older
rear-projection types, according to a report by Consumer Reports. On average, only 3% of flat panel TVs need repairs, with the majority of those repairs being free thanks to warranties. Rear projection TVs had a far higher repair rate of 18%, probably due to the limited life of the bulbs contained in these TVs. When flat panels TVs did need an out of warranty repair, they cost around $260 for LCDs, and nearly $400 for plasmas, with rear projection TV repairs costing around $300. The report also called out expensive extended warranties, saying that they're only worth it if you're particularly paranoid and they're cheaper than any possible repairs.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
GhostDoggy @ Nov 4th 2007 5:42AM
This means little to nothing to the person that buys their first flat panel and it fails within the first year. For instance (knocking on wood), my first flat panel failed in the 10th month of ownership. Compare this to the first rear-projection set that failed once in its forth year. Both covered under manufacturer's warranty.
I think its a little skewed in the numbers because for the longest time and for the majority of rear projection televisions were based not on bulbs, but on cathode ray tubes. If you were to look at the technologies within RPTVs five years ago I would be curious to know how they all held up.
Shape @ Nov 4th 2007 8:24AM
I want a 60" or larger TV. I can't afford an LCD or plasma that big. Projection TVs have their place. It is unfortunate that they are disappearing from the marketplace.
HDpurist @ Nov 4th 2007 9:15PM
I'm glad rear projection is disappearing from the market. LCDs and especially Plasmas have a far superior PQ - and with the elimination of RP, FPDs won't carry a premium cost that they had when RPs existed. 50 and 60" Pioneer Kuro Plasmas are the absolute best. Nothing better exists today.
Brian D @ Nov 4th 2007 11:13PM
competition drives prices down,elimination of rear projection tv's will not lower the price of big tv's, if anything they will slow the prices being reduced.....
Raptor007 @ Nov 5th 2007 8:54PM
An onsite technician came to "fix" the buzz coming from my roommate's plasma (turned out the sound was normal and we just hadn't noticed before, somehow).
Anyway, he mentioned an interesting fact: he said for every 1 LCD he fixes he fixes 10 plasmas, and for every 1 plasma, 10 DLPs. Doing a bit of math, we've got an estimated LCD failure rate at 1% that of DLP, at least as far as this technician's experience goes.