Ever get the feeling most people couldn't tell if their HDTV is working correctly (much less
actually watching high definition content)? Apparently that's changing on a massive scale, as
DigiTimes cites unnamed industry sources saying the refund on cheap LCDs has risen recently. More discerning customers have higher standards for picture quality -- just
ask your cable company -- increasing the refund rate for LCD TVs to 25-30%. Obviously, most of our readers are the kind of people who whip out the
calibration tool and start testing as soon as a new TV arrives, but if the masses are picking up on previously unnoticed issues, hopefully standards for quality -- even at the low end of the price scale, will rise to match.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Garst @ Jun 23rd 2008 4:59AM
Looks like the end of Vizio's reign of terror. Sure Vizio is a fine if you have basic cable or satellite programming, but not so much for anything better than that. Maybe not even HD cable.
ceilingfanboy @ Jun 23rd 2008 10:57AM
I don't know. There are still a lot of people that read the Consumer Reports reviews and come into stores thinking that Vizios are the best TVs you can get. Most people also don't understand that there is a huge difference between what you see on the sales floor and what you see in your house after calibration and proper lighting. What I see as being the more likely thing to happen is that Vizio changes its strategy to create premium TVs. The only way I see brands like Samsung and Sony choking out Vizio is if the market drives prices low enough that the premium price on them no longer becomes a factor. Well, that and possibly quicker development in the OLED department than expected.
venk @ Jun 23rd 2008 5:11AM
Looks like the LCD manufactures attempt to convince people that "one dead pixel is not a flaw" has failed miserably, as it should have.
GhostDoggy @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:03AM
I wonder what percentage of this is based on cowsumers simply feeding standard definition or compressed analog signals, viewing standard definition content, or watching HD content abused in its distribution through services like DBS and cable companies.
Garst, you are complaining about Vizio because of why? You paid too much for whatever non-Vizio you got? I look inside my Vizio and see LG as the panel manufacturer. Vizio makes none of the internal components. I do not remember you complaining about BMW using GM transmissions. LOL
A lot of factors can go into the cause of cowsumers returning product.
MrGuru @ Jun 23rd 2008 10:12AM
and thats the reason why the quality is lowered. beacuse of that fact alone. they DONT make any components. so the slap stuff together and make a set, so off of that fact quality drops considerably... yes companies may share panels, but then the diffrence in quality is huge, most companies make the internal components in house, and thats where the cost goes up on other sets.
TrentD @ Jun 23rd 2008 10:32AM
Ah, a Vizio owner spurned.
Keep believing that your Vizio is a decent TV - it may have looked that way at Sam's Club, but it doesn't compare to a real mainline HDTV. I'm glad you enjoy yours, but Vizio TVs are low end junk, period.
DEEZNUTZ @ Jun 23rd 2008 10:57AM
@ Trent,
I would not go so far as call VIZIO low-end junk. They are bringing HD to mass adoption, which helps the industry as a whole. More HDTV's in homes = more and more support for content. They also stand by their product.
I wouldn't recommend it as someones main HDTV set, but for a bedroom or just casual TV watching, it's plenty good.
DrXym @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:07AM
I don't think I would care about one or two dead subpixel but if there were a few, and especially if they were all black or all white then that set would be going back to the store pronto.
J.Goodwin @ Jun 23rd 2008 6:56AM
Yeah, this seems a lot like dead pixel issues with the second string manufacturers unless overall quality has suddenly dropped, which seems unlikely (since typically it goes the other way with displays).
It'd be nice to know exactly why they're returning them.
Jim Mallory @ Jun 23rd 2008 7:09AM
Given that Vizio's are often considered "disposable" flat planels (no real service options after the warranty expires)...I would think a high failure / return rate is to be expected.
I see Vizio's at the local CostCo and they seem to do OK with the standard CostCo high-def feed and given the price that is acceptable, it is just the lack of post-sales service that keeps me away from them.
fd @ Jun 23rd 2008 10:15AM
Hopefully people will start complaining en-masse about over-compression, tiling etc on (HD) Cable & Satellite.
We returned our HD cable box to Time Warne after a couple weeks because the only thing satisfying to watch was HD Net and some documentaries. The clerk at the counter said it must have been my HDTV because she has HD and it is perfect. Yeah right, maybe an eye checkup is due or you have been watching NTSC SD for too long?
Right now we have over a dozen HD channels on regular cable ... it is not too bad given that they're better versions of the local channels, but our main ABC station for instance has Audio & Video out of sync and video going in spurts.
I swear the same HD stations over the air are crisper and lag free.
Same with a family who has FIOS. The only thing that should still be improved, likely at the source station is the fast computer animations and transitions that get jagged edges.
J.Goodwin @ Jun 23rd 2008 2:07PM
FIOS is good (very good, and it sounds like the consensus is that it's the best compressionwise available), but it still doesn't hold up next to HD disc formats.
FIOS isn't going to make you stop walking over to your shelf to pick up the Planet Earth set instead of sitting there watching it on Discovery (or whatever it's called now).
Nick @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:22PM
I'm all about name brand large TVs, but off brands are a decent idea if you're going for a 32 incher or less. The blacks on my element TV aren't as deep as the DLP I'm saving for, but with the CC service plan, I'll be set for 5 years no matter what goes wrong with it, down to 1 dead pixel, and I still spent less than I'd have on a name brand of the same size.
retro77 @ Jun 23rd 2008 3:46PM
This means that prices will increase so that they can increase their quality.