(Sept. 28, 2009) Samsung chose CEDIA to unveil the remainder of its 2009 HDTV line to its dealers. The showings included Samsung’s new 2009 LED backlit LCDs, the B8500 series (bottom photo) and a new 65″ CCFL (cold-cathode fluorescent) backlit LCD (top photo).

The 8500 series consists of two models, the 46″ LN46B8500 ($3599.99) and the 55″ LN55B8500 ($4499.99). These two LCDs (note: Samsung refers to them as LED TVs in the USA) are the 2009 replacement for the well received A950 LED backlit models. Features of the 8500s include:  true 240 Hz refresh, white LED local dimming backlights, 2ms rated panel response time and a “rated” dynamic contrast of 7,000,000:1 (to restate the HD Guru’s position, dynamic contrast is a meaningless spec, though HDTV makers keep publishing a spec.).

Features include 1.6″ depth (a new record for backlit LED displays), Internet connectivity for access to Yahoo, Flickr, YouTube and other web based content and widgets. The 8500s are shipping now.

The LN65B650 is a CCFL backlit LCD (Samsung calls it an LCD TV). The 65″ size is new for Samsung and according to industry sources Sharp manufactures the 65″ LCD panel within the LN65B650. A Samsung representative would not confirm who makes the panel.

As stated in the press release “LCD 650 Series TVs will deliver Auto Motion Plus™ 120Hz refresh rate, fast 4ms response time for motion clarity and high dynamic contrast ratios for deeper, more natural blacks. The LN65B650 will also include expansive networking and connectivity capabilities including Samsung’s Medi@2.0 Suite, the unique Touch of Color™ design, and it will meet the latest Energy Star® qualifications. ” The rated dynamic contrast ratio is 100,000:1 The 65″ retails for $6000 and ships this month.

Samsung introduced its latest front projector (photo) from its “Joe Kane” series. The A600 boasts a glossy black finish, low noise, under 13 pound weight, 220 watt lamp, inputs include two HDMI, component video, composite, S-video and a 15-pin VGA connector.

The A600 is “Full HD” using a 16:9 Texas Instruments 1080p DLP chip with a six-segment color wheel, 1000 ANSI Lumen rated brightness and a 3,000:1 rated contrast ratio. The A600 retails for $1795.

Panasonic

Panasonic announced the release of its 2009 58″ and 65″ S1 and V10 series plasmas along with prices. (TC-P58S1 $2295.95; TC-P65S1 $3199.95; TC-P58V10 $2699.95; TC-P65V10 $3999.95.) You can find these HDTVs for far less by checking out at the HD Guru Pricegrabber website by clicking this (LINK) or under the “Check Prices” banner in the left side column of this page. The HD Guru Pricegrabber website currently offers the TC-P65S1 for as low as $2249.

Panasonic’s finally unveiled at CEDIA  its 85″ plasma monitor (photo). Unlike its 103″ version, the 85″ operates on a standard 120 volt AC outlet. The image was bright and clean. Panasonic’s Pro division sells it and with sales geared to commercial installs such as conference rooms. It retails for $30,000, a far cry from the 65″ S1 streeting at under $2300.

Panasonic displayed to the CEDIA crowd its new 3D truck which housed a 103″ 3D Full HD Plasma and featured new 3D demo content, including the trailer for the upcoming movie, AVATAR.

LG

LG brought its upcoming wireless and wired LCD flat panel HDTVs to Atlanta. The top-of-the-line 55LHX combines slim contemporary design, LED backlighting with local dimming, wireless HD reception and it’s the first LCD in the US to receive THX certification.  The LHX has a rated dynamic contrast ratio of 5,000,000:1 and is 240 Hz with a scanning backlight. The 55″ 55LHX retails for $4799 and should be in stores next month. The image looked quite impressive and could be one of the best LCDs ever. We look forward to reviewing when it becomes available.

The LH model has wireless 1080p connectivity and 120 Hz refresh, but uses standard CCFL backlights instead of LEDs. The LH85s have a rated contrast ratio of 80,000:1. They’ll be available later this fall as a 47″ model (47LH85, $2399) an as a 55″ (55LH85, $3199).

The SL90 series (photo) is an LED edge-lit, 120 Hz, LCD HDTV besting Samsung’s LN6000 series product by .05″ with a depth of just 1.15″. According to the press release “LG uses a special film lamination technology for better color tuning, gradation and reduction of glare – all in a sleek, minimalist package.  The lamination process completes the flat surface, virtually eliminating the visible line between the screen and the bezel when the set is turned off. “

The SL90s have a rated dynamic contrast ratio of 3,000,000:1 and like the others listed, has LGs proprietary “Picture Wizard” for easy set up of the user picture controls without tools or test discs. It also includes ISF CC for expert calibration with proper measuring devices. The SL90s will be available later this fall in the 47″ and 42″ screen sizes with retail prices of $2,599 and $2099 respectively.

The SL80 models are 1.8″ at their slimmest point, have 240 Hz with scanning CCFL backlights and the same flat all-glass face as the SL90 models. They’re available now in the 42″ ($1599), 47″ ($1899) and 55″ ($2799) screen sizes.

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(July 29, 2009) Buy a high-ticket electronics item like an HDTV today and you can be sure the salesperson will try to sell you an extended warranty that’s supposed to protect your considerable investment well beyond the length of time offered by the manufacturer.

Adding a relatively inexpensive extended warranty seems like a no-brainer so many consumers do, yet because the HD Guru frequently receives emails from buyers complaining about difficulties getting the terms of these warranties honored, we decided to investigate.

Not surprisingly, we found that often what you hear on the sales floor, read in the literature and see online is not what you get.

Best Buy, for instance, recently introduced its “Geek Squad Black Tie Protection” plan. It’s “Like Having A Geek Always With You,” proclaims the pamphlet handed out in the stores by blue shirted staff members. “If a product guarded by Black Tie Protection needs four qualified repairs throughout the duration of the plan,” the pamphlet assures consumers, “we’ll make sure that you get a new one.”

While that sounds reassuring and in and of itself may provide sufficient comfort to induce one to buy the plan, unfortunately, it’s not exactly true. According to the terms of Best Buy’s service contract rather than being “a new one,” the replacement “…may be new or rebuilt…” (“rebuilt” meaning used and refurbished) “…at our discretion.”

Best Buy’s pamphlet also states that “…for TVs 30″ and up… we’ll loan you a TV ASAP if it looks like we can’t get yours fixed on the first visit.” Sounds good, but read the actual service contract and you’ll be surprised to learn that there is no mention of a loaner TV.

Best Buy’s service contract (available upon request at a Best Buy store or on its website) does go to great lengths to state terms and conditions, with the list of terms opening with “This is a legal contract, (hereinafter referred to as ‘The Plan’). By purchasing it, you understand that it is a legal contract and have had the opportunity to read the terms and conditions within.”

However, take the time to actually read the contract rather than relying on the pamphlet and you would also learn that if Best Buy (BB) can’t repair the TV it will “…replace it with a product of like kind and quality that is of comparable performance, or reimburse you for replacement of the product with a voucher or gift card, at our discretion, equal to the fair market value of the product, as determined by us, not to exceed the original purchase price of your product including taxes  (italics added by HD Guru)”.

The “fair market value” is not you might reasonably assume, the price you originally paid, but rather the covered product’s market value at the time of repair as determined by a BB employee. Of course by the time the extended warranty kicks in, the product can be up to four years old and worth next to nothing!

While we can’t cite an actual example of compensation received by a customer for an un-repairable TV covered by Best Buy’s “ Black Tie Protection Plan”, we do know that this past April,  Best Buy voluntarily recalled one of its “house brand” Insignia LCD HDTV models (Post Here). Many of these recalled sets were less than three years old and sold new for up to $1000 plus tax. Best Buy provided gift cards amounting to $500 or about half of the original purchase price.

When asked to comment about the pamphlet’s claims versus the written legal contract’s actual terms, a Best Buy’s spokesperson pointed out that its service contract program’s underwriter, AIG Warranty Group, a division of AIG (yes, that AIG), ultimately determines a covered product’s value.

The spokesperson also acknowledged that despite the pamphlet’s claim, Best Buy’s service contract does not include a loaner program but that the company currently supplies 37″ Insignia LCD loaners to customers whose TVs can’t be repaired during the first service call. Whether the set in need of repair is 32” or 65” the loaner is 37” because it’s the only set size the program offers.

Here is Best Buy’s official response via email (verbatim in bold).

Replacement value

We continue to advocate for the best possible scenario for our customers, and we think they know that. We’ve had virtually no complaints from them about replacements. Replacement value is complicated because the establishment of value for replacement is determined not just by Best Buy, but by the underwriters of our plans.

We’ll continue to work with our underwriters to clarify replacement criteria in our terms and conditions, and to represent the best interests of our customers.  Our progress will be reflected in our service plan literature, and ideally in continued customer satisfaction with our service plan fulfillment.

Timing for loaner TV

We say ASAP in our Geek Squad Black Tie Protection brochure because timing on loaner TVs varies depending on whether Geek Squad is doing the repair – or we’re relying on a third-party.  When we’re doing the job, we can provide that replacement TV immediately, usually right out of our Geek Squad van.  But in some cases, we rely on third parties to reach customers who aren’t in our service area.  Still, we agree that our customers may want more details around when a loaner would be available to them.  And we’ll make changes immediately in our Geek Squad Black Tie Protection literature to include more details about timing.

On line Sellers

Our recent article “On Line HDTV Stores Get Nailed For Consumer Fraud” (Link) reports that a number of Brooklyn based etailers were cited for fraud and fined by the NYS Attorney General. We checked one of the merchants still in business called “Foto Connection” that sells service contracts written by Brooklyn based Consumer Priority Service (dba CPS). We contacted CPS’s customer service department and asked for a copy of its contract. The customer service rep said it’s not available online and that a written request by US mail was required to obtain a copy—not exactly a forthcoming policy for a legitimate company, which we then suspected CPS of not being.

A check of the New York City office of the Better Business Bureau revealed that “BBB processed a total of 23 complaint(s) about this business in the last 36 months, our standard reporting period. Of the total 23 complaint(s) closed in the last 36 months, 21 were closed in the last 12 months. 2 regarded contract disputes;1 Customer Service; 12 Warranty Issues; 3 Refund or Exchange; 3 Repair Issues and 2 Service Issues.”

To Buy or Not To Buy?

Retailers and etailers offer either their own or third party service contracts. Before purchasing either kind, be sure to read it carefully, even if you need a jeweler’s loupe to clearly see the exclusions and other conditions hidden within the contract’s fine print.

HD Guru checked out the service contracts offered by 6th Avenue Electronics and P.C. Richard and Son, two NY/New Jersey Metropolitan area retail chains. Both contracts proved to be far more straightforward and concise than either Best Buy’s or Target’s.  Best Buy’s plan is printed on twenty pages of a 4″ x 8.25″ pamphlet, P.C Richard’s contract terms occupy just 2/3 of a single sided letter size page.

Consider the cost before purchasing a service contract. For instance, Target’s total three years from purchase service contract for a $1300 HDTV costs $79, while BJ’s Wholesale club’s three total years from purchase service contract for the same price TV costs $119. Fined web retailer Foto Connection’s three total years CPS service contract costs $209.30

Best Buy’s four years from purchase date “Black Tie Protection service contract (including the manufacturer’s standard one-year warranty) is $229.99 for a $1299.99 HDTV. In other words you’re paying 17.5% of the set’s total cost for the three additional years of coverage. After reading all of the contract’s terms and conditions, is that a worthwhile investment? Thats your decision!

Remember too that many credit cards will double the manufacturer’s warranty, so check the terms of your credit card(s) before using one to make a purchase.

-HDGuru® with Michael Fremer
——
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(6/27/09 by HDGURU®) The old adage “If the deal sounds too good to be true, it is” applies to purchases of HDTVs, camcorders, digital cameras and other consumer electronics on the Internet.  This week the office of the NY State Attorney General concluded a settlement agreement with seven Brooklyn based e-tailers, making them pay $665,000 to consumers they cheated, adding another $100,000 in investigation costs. “These companies engaged in the worst kinds of consumer fraud, from classic bait-and-switch schemes to blatant lies and bullying sales tactics.” said Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.

The press release adds “Under the agreements secured today by Cuomo, two of the companies, Camera Wiz and Sonic Photo, will dissolve completely.  The following five companies will completely revamp their business practices and be subject to ongoing monitoring: Best Price Camera, Foto Connection, 1 Way Photo, 86th Street Photo and Broadway Photo, LLC.  All of the companies will pay substantial monies to provide restitution for consumers who were subjected to the companies’ illegal business practices.”

How do unscrupulous retailers “bait and switch” customers?  While methods may vary from store to store, the first part of any good con is to snag the victim. Prospective buyers want the lowest price possible, and bait and switch operations offer prices that are lower than offered by legitimate dealers (often below cost).

The games begin after the order has been placed. The victim gets a phone call from a dealer sales rep who either advises switching to another, supposedly superior product, or claims the product purchased is designed for a foreign market and lacks the US warranty and English language instructions. Or the salesman will attempt to get the victim to buy upgraded or overpriced items (HDMI cables, screen cleaning kits, mounts, practically worthless extended warranties, etc.) Say “no” and the store will simply not ship the product.

If you have a problem with your main purchase, or are dissatisfied with an accessory, according to the press release, these unscrupulous companies make returning them almost impossible by requiring customers to speak to a live representative during limited business hours and then refusing to answer those calls.

The press release adds “all the fined companies obtained fake ‘consumer testimonials’ through websites that claim to be impartial consumer based ‘rating’ websites, but are in fact are pay-per-click-based websites filled with content provided by the websites proprietors.”. Here’s the full release (NY AG Secures Agreement With Electronics Companies Using Illegal Business Practices).

The Complete List

The seven companies fined operate under over one hundred company names and websites! The HD Guru obtained the list from the NYS Attorney General’s Office, posted here (List of Bait and Switch E-tailers).

Recourse

If you believe you are a victim of illegal practices of one of the listed companies you may qualify for restitution. The NYS Attorney General appointed The New York Better Business Bureau to handle claims. They must be submitted from July 1, 2009 to December 1, 2009 by calling the NY BBB at 212-533-6200 (as of July 1).

How To Avoid A Scam E-tailer

Be wary of sellers located in Brooklyn, NY. For reasons not exactly clear this NYC borough has the highest concentration of scamming e-tailers. The state of New Jersey appears to have the second highest number of bad retailers; however there are many legitimate merchants in the Garden State.

Check out http://sheddingsomelight.com/ for a list of dealers and their business aliases having high numbers of complaints. Here you’ll also find helpful tips on how to detect scam merchants.

Go to review websites, look for the volume and severity of the bad reviews while disregarding the positive reviews because many may be self-generated by the scammers.

Check out the e-tailers’ local Better Business Bureau website for complaints and to learn if they were resolved.

Always check out return policies, restocking fees and freight charges for returns prior to a purchase. Many e-tailers have sterling reputations, so don’t allow the bad ones to inhibit your online purchasing; the HD Guru has made many satisfactory etail purchases by following his own advice!

-HDGuru® with Michael Fremer
——

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US District Court Rules Class Action Against Best Buy To Proceed

(3/21/09)  The US District Court, Southern District granted a motion on 3/19/09 for Class Action Certification to allow Plaintiff Thomas Jermyn and any similarly situated NY State residents to sue Best Buy for violating its “Price Match” policy.

According to the ruling, the plaintiff alleges, “Best Buy uses false and deceptive trade practices in advertising and applying the company’s well-known “price match guarantee” policy.  Best Buy tells the consuming public it will match a competitor’s lower price on any item purchased in the store.”  Plaintiff alleges that Best Buy uses its “price match guarantee policy as a ploy, to lure unsuspecting consumers into its stores and to induce them to purchase its merchandise, while allegedly having an undisclosed “Anti-Price Matching Policy,” pursuant to which employees aggressively deny customers’ legitimate price match requests.”

Among the major revelations listed from evidence within the decision based on internal BB documents, depositions of current BB employees and declarations by two former BB employees are the following allegations:

·    Best Buy had an undisclosed Anti-Price Matching Policy

·    Corporate headquarters disseminated the anti-price matching policy to regional managers, store managers, assistant managers, and necessary store personnel

·    Best Buy taught its employees how to deny price match requests in its training facilities in New York

·    Best Buy provided financial bonuses based, in part, on denying proper price match requests

·    Best Buy denied more than 100 proper price match requests per store per week.

The court decision lists parts of an internal Best Buy document dated 10/19/2006, written by Phil Britton, a member of Best Buy’s Competitive Strategies Group. Its entitled “Competition Insider Templates”, here’s an excerpt:

“Price Matches

It looms on the wall, on a 9 foot sign.  Our Price Match policy.  There it is plain as day in English (Y en espanol para los de usted que puede leerio.)  However, just because it is our policy, do we abide by it?  Does it really help the customer?

What is the first thing we do when a customer comes in to our humble box brandishing a competitor’s ad asking for a price match?  We attempt to build a case against the price match.  (Trust me, I’ve done it too).  Let’s walk through the “Refused Price Match Greatest Hits:”

Not same model?  Not in stock at the competitor?  Do we have free widget with purchase?  Is it from a warehouse club (they have membership fees, you know)?  Limited Quantities?  That competitor is across town?  We’ve got financing!  Is it an internet price?  It’s below cost!…..”

Contrary to the above quoted document, Best Buy’s posted Price Match policy does not list any price match restrictions based on: competitor’s distance from store (it states “local retailer”), warehouse club-based prices, or whether the competitor’s price is above or below cost.

Best Buy continues to promote its Price Match policy.  Tomorrow’s (March 22, 2009) Best Buy weekly circular, page 3 states “We’ll meet or beat their lowest price.  If you see a lower advertised price, we’ll match it on the spot.”

Last week the HD Guru wrote about the Best Buy’s refusal to provide a policy compliant price match at three of its stores.  Best Buy’s corporate office responded via email with the following statement.

“We apologize for the confusion over this price matching incident, and appreciate that there’s room for mis-interpretation of what we’ll match and when.  The price match in question was over $700 difference from our pricing at the store; while our pricing may vary from our competition, such huge fluctuations in price are rare and
rightfully set off red flags to our employees.

Our full price match policy for in store can be found here (Link).

We encourage customers to become familiar with our price-matching policy and use it to their advantage, especially in these tough economic times.  The key elements of this policy are:

If a customer elects to make a purchase and discovers a lower advertised price offered by a local retail competitor on the same available brand and model, we will fulfill a price match request once proof of price is verified via the competitor’s ad.  The Price Guarantee does not apply to limited-quantity items.

If customers believe they’ve met the applicable criteria and are unable to price match at their local Best Buy store, we urge them to contact our Customer Care Center at 888-Best Buy (888-237-8289) for further assistance.”

The HD Guru contacted Michael Braunstein, the attorney representing the plaintiff in the class action lawsuit.  Mr. Braunstein invites readers who believe they have been “murfed” (refused the price match in compliance with BBs written policy) or have inquiries regarding the class action, to contact him by email or phone.  The class action lawsuit applies to NY State residents only.  However, Mr. Braunstein stated in the phone interview that he would like to hear from anyone who has been rejected for a price match by Best Buy, regardless of the state in which they reside.  His contact information is
Michael L. Braunstein, Kantowitz, Goldhamer and Graifman, P.C. (845) 356-2570; email mbraunstein@kgglaw.com

A copy of the US District Court ruling can be found here decision-and-order-granting-class-certification.pdf

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These are tough economic times.  Facing lower sales volume and declining revenue, some “big box” electronics retailers are apparently fighting back by not honoring their own pricing policies.

After reading a recent report by laptopmag.com that cited Office Depot stores for ordering its sales clerks to tell customers that “sale” laptop computers were out of stock—unless the customers first agree to purchase software as well as extra cost, extended warranties and in-store set-ups (see link here)—the HD Guru went undercover to investigate sales and price matching policy performance at local Best Buy outlets.

The HD Guru visited three Best Buy stores in the New York market area and asked to purchase a Panasonic HDTV priced in a competing regional multi-store electronics retailer’s advertisement at more than $700 less than Best Buy’s price.

When asked to match the price, salesmen at all three stores said “no,” giving the same excuse: “The advertised Panasonic was on sale for three days and Best Buy’s price match policy exempts limited time sales”.  However, there is no “limited time exemption” in Best Buy’s price match policy. Store personnel simply made up a phony excuse, or were instructed to do so by higher-ups.

Denying a customer a price match price is nothing new. It’s been going on for decades. It even has a name: “murfing”— a code word often used by managers to instruct sales people to disregard the price match policy so the customer either leaves the store or pays the tagged price!  The origin of the word (as legend goes) began with NY City Canal Street consumer electronic stores.

Though the HD Guru didn’t hear the word spoken at any of the Best Buys visited, he was definitely “murfed”. Determined not to be “murfed” at the last Best Buy store after hearing the same denial, the HD Guru claimed that there is no limited time sale exemption in Best Buy’s price match policy and asked for proof.  In accordance with NY State law, Best Buy posts its sales policies both at the customer service area and at the Best Buy website (Link).

The salesman (we’ll refer to him as Chuck) read the Best Buy’s website store policy page and confirmed a limited quantity policy did not exist.  At this point, Chuck and I walked over to the manager to get some guidance.  Shortly thereafter, the manager turned around and requested me to leave so he could speak privately to Chuck.

I moseyed over to the other end of the department figuring Chuck was telling his boss to match the price because I might be trouble, which would have been a very perceptive observation! Chuck returned a couple of minutes later and said the manager had decided he would make an exception to the (non-existent) store policy and match the price.

Asking Chuck to write up the sale and include the Best Buy free delivery as advertised (for any HDTV $999 and up, this HDTV was over $1000),  Chuck replied, “delivery and hook-up would cost $100 additional,” claiming the chain’s price match policy exempts free delivery.  Once again, Chuck falsely cited a non-existent policy!  Murfed again, I made my exit. Later, a call to Best Buy’s corporate customer service representative confirmed free delivery should have been provided in accordance with Best Buy’s policy.

Why is Best Buy doing this?  According to a Best Buy source, its salesmen have been instructed by management to not honor its price match policies in order to increase the store’s profit margin.  Salesmen, (according to the source) are encouraged to provide  bogus policies including:

The sale is for a limited time, i.e. a one-day sale, a five-day sale etc.

The competing store is a single outlet, as opposed to a multi-store chain like Best Buy.

The competing store does not have in-store stock for X  (i.e. TVs over 32”) and that they must be delivered from the warehouse so therefore the price match policy won’t be honored.

Best Buy’s media relations dept. has not responded to a request for comment.

How do you avoid getting “murfed”?  The HD Guru believes if you want to do business with a company that doesn’t want to honor its price match policies, consider these ‘do’s” and “don’t’s”, however if you use these “techniques” you will be stooping to the level of the dishonorable retailers:

Don’t have a competitor’s ad in your hand when entering the store.  Produce it after you establish the store has the item in stock.

Don’t say you have been shopping around and know exactly what you want to purchase (the sales person may get suspicious of a price match and simply tell you the TV is out of stock).  Do give the salesman a general idea of what type of HDTV you desire ( i.e. 46” LCD) and let salesperson suggest the HDTV you want to price match.

Don’t make a scene if you get murfed.  It won’t accomplish anything.  Simply leave and, if you desire, call the store’s corporate customer relations department.  It may contact the store and tell it to honor the price match policy (because you complained).

Do ask the salesman if they offer extended warranties (even if you don’t want one) and inquire as to how many years coverage you can buy, because you want the longest protection you can buy (the salesman’s belief that you will be purchasing an extended warranty will motivate his manager to match the price.)  You may purchase the warranty and cancel it at the checkout or the next day without penalty.

Indicate you will need cables and accessories and tell the salesman you want the best—more motivation for the salesman to get his manager to honor the price match.

Do bring your business to a reputable store that honors its policies.  They are out there.

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Copyright ©2009 HD Guru Inc.  All rights reserved.  HDGURU is a registered trademark.  The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission.  The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable.  Data within is subject to change.  HD GURU is not responsible for errors

Below, reader questions are answered by the HD Guru.

Q: I have a Circuit City (CC) gift card I’d like to use, but it appears all the stores in my area are already dark.  When I try to access CC online, I’m greeted with only their going out of business message. Am I just out of luck? Thanks for any direction you can provide.

Matthew C
Missouri

A: You can use a Circuit City gift card at a CC store that remains open. May I suggest you find the closest store that is still open, I expect the remaining stores to close sometime in March.

Q: What if you have an item that has a store CC warranty? My son-in-law bought a computer with an in store 5-year warranty from circuit city and now they’re going belly up.  Is this transferable?  Could it be canceled and balance refunded?

Thank you
Angela F

A:  Fortunately, your Circuit City warranty is handled by an outside third party vendor, so it is still in effect.  Contact the warranty company to learn where the computer needs to go if it requires repair.

Q: I can’t seem to find a clear and understandable answer to this question.  I have two LCD TVs in the house.  A 40″ Samsung 1080p (about a year old) and a 20″ Samsung for the den of passion.

I’m sick of paying for cable and it sounds like, with the new over-air transmission rules, I can “fire” the cable company and install rabbit ears to receive the basic channels.  I don’t care about the movie channels or sports channels (thank you Netflix).  So, will this work?  Can it be routed to both TVs?  How do I do this?

Douglas P.

A: First, you’ll need an adequate antenna.  Check with your local TV stations, a local store that sells antennas (i.e. Radio Shack) and/or antennaweb.org for advice in choosing one.  Using antenna signal splitter (available at most consumer electronics (CE) dealers)  will allow you to send the signal to multiple TVs; however, you may need to place a powered signal amplifier between the antenna and the splitter to maintain an acceptable signal level. Antenna amplifiers are available at Radio Shack and other CE retailers.

Q: I have a Samsung 50” DLP TV that is over five years old.  The TV makes an awful noise and doesn’t display a picture; it’s been on the way out for a while now.  My original 5 yr extended warranty has expired so I’ll have to pay the full cost to get it repaired.  It has already been repaired twice under warranty.  Do you think that it’s worth getting it repaired again, or should I invest in a new TV?

Tim

A: Tough call. It depends on the cost of the repair. Samsung is discontinuing all of its DLPs and you can find some great deals on them. Mitsubishi also makes DLP rear projectors and will continue to produce them. I have seen a number of dealers advertising DLP rear projectors for around $900 to $1000, making them the best deal in HDTV.

Contact the local authorized servicer and learn how much they charge for a repair estimate, if it’s reasonable, it may be worthwhile to determine the repair cost before deciding on a purchase.  The HD Guru’s does not recommend a repair if it costs more equal or more than one-half of the TVs replacement cost.

Q: I have a HDTV and I never have a full picture on the HD channels. With the width of the picture, it is fine. However, the problem is the height of the picture.  On the HD channels, I always have a 4-inch black bar at the top, and at the bottom, I always have a 3-inch black bar. I have called Sony, and Charter, and I think that I have done what both have told me to do, but I still do not have a full HD picture on the HD channels.  Any suggestions as to what I need to do?

James C

A: Hard to determine without seeing the TV.  Here are some suggestions.  Can you see a top-to bottom image with a DVD disc?  If so, the problem is either in the aspect ratio settings of the TV or cable box.  If not, the HDTV is probably malfunctioning.  An HDTV should be in the “Full” mode for viewing and the set top box must be set for a 16:9 HDTV.  If you determine that it is the cable box, but you can’t find the proper menu setting, contact Charter customer service for assistance (different cable boxes have different ways to access the proper menu for adjustments).

Q: I am sorely tempted to buy the 73″ Mitsubishi LaserVue but have not seen them on the market yet.  Do you know when they will ship?  Would you consider LaserVue very new technology and thus be somewhat leery about purchasing one?
Mike M

A: A Mitsubishi spokesperson has said they will be introducing a 73” this year.  Mitsubishi has not provided any additional information, however, they will be introducing their 2009 models to dealers in April.

Q: Love your site.  One question for you:  now that Circuit City is going out of business, would you recommend buying plasma from them or is not safe?
Matt

A: In a word, NO!  You can get a better deal with a return policy against defects at a lower price from the HD Guru’s Pricegrabber website (LINK) and other retailers.  Check out our Circuit City articles for more information.

Q: I saved an article from the November 2007 Chicago Tribune regarding HDTV LCD & Plasma TV sets.  We are still trying to figure out what to buy for our television viewing and we are still confused.  We are both in our late 60s and very computer literate but totally lost on electronics!

Our TV viewing habits are mostly sports and news.  I do rent movies from Netflix.  Therefore, my question is:  what do we need?  Since the prices have come down and Best Buy is offering 36 months no interest, we are seriously thinking of taking the plunge.

We don’t want anything larger than 50″ and could certainly use your help.  If we bought something with 720p (whatever that means) since the prices are lower vs. 1080  – would it be outdated soon?  Considering our viewing habits, do we go for plasma or LCD?  We have looked at both Samsung and Panasonic and really cannot see a lot of difference in any sets.  Can you help two “senior citizens”?  Thank you.
Lou

A: To help determine if you should buy a 720p or 1080p set, refer to the HD Guru seating distance chart at LINK.

If your viewing distance is equal or greater for the optimum screen size for a 720p display, purchase a 720p HDTV.  If the distance is closer than optimal for a 720p display, you will be able to see an improvement in detail with a 1080p HDTV.  1080p sets exhibit higher resolution (1080 lines from top to bottom, 720p HDTVs display 720 lines of resolution measured from the top of the image to the bottom).

As far as image quality is concerned,  plasmas still makes a better picture than LCDs, especially in terms of black level, viewing angle and contrast ratio.

LCD only consistently exceeds plasma performance in maximum brightness, a factor to be considered in a sunroom, greenhouse or other very bright daylight-viewing environment  but not relevant to a bedroom, den or most living room locations.

Q: Will special glasses be needed to view 3-D TV?
Chuck B

A: There are four main types of 3 D display systems, Anaglyph, Passive LCD, Active LCD and Auto-Stereoscopic displays.  The first three require glasses that are compatible with the 3D display and system; the fourth type doesn’t require glasses to see the image in 3D.

Currently the “glasses less” type displays are all sold for commercial signage, not regular HDTV viewing.  There are phones that will be sold in Asia later this year that can do 3D TV without glasses and also display regular 2D TV content.  All 3D HDTVs sold today or later this year in the US will require active or passive glasses depending on the 3D display system used.

Companies are hard at work at perfecting home HD 3D without glasses; however, they are said to be two to three years away from production.  HD Guru will have much more on 3D HDTV in the coming months, so stay tuned.

Q: We “upgraded” our TV experience last year and got a Samsung 5271 for Superbowl 08. We are happy with the picture and display quality but I have a couple of issues that relate to source switching.

We have a TiVo on HDMI1, a PS3 on HDMI2 and an AppleTV on HDMI3. To make it short: when we finish watching a DVD, it takes us about 20 seconds to go back to HDMI1 using the source button.  I personally think it’s a joke and on top Samsung is not making that a bit easier (with updating their firmware).

We don’t even use the TV’s cable/antenna input anymore (which renders the PIP feature worthless, which by the way was usefully implemented in our previous 10 year old Sony tube!)

I realized that we use the “TV” really just like a monitor and I’m thinking of buying an amplifier with 4 HDMI inputs and using it as the source switcher. I wished Samsung would have a 52″ monitor in their offering. What is your take on this?

In addition – I really dislike that we have to switch back and forth between 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios (unless one does not mind to look at “these big people”) when we watch on non-HD channel.  Is there anything I am missing in my setting?

I’d appreciate your help and comments.  Would an surround sound receive  with HDMI switching eliminate my current source switching problem?
Rolf B

A: We have a special guest response from Samsung’s Mike Wood

“I don’t speak for Samsung officially, but can tell you that I’ve tested our TVs and, regardless of when a signal is present or not, the TV will switch in a few seconds from component to HDMI, or HDMI to HDMI. 20 seconds is definitely not normal.

HDMI issues are notoriously difficult to troubleshoot. It’s entirely possible that the source equipment is causing the delay.  I’d recommend that the user unplug the HDMI cable from the source (not from the TV–the TV would skip over the unavailable input) and try changing inputs on the TV.  This will show if the TV is having trouble switching
inputs on its own, though it won’t absolve the TV completely.

You could certainly try an external switcher. I find the same switching speed with external switchers, but if the source’s data signal is weak for some reason, a good external switcher might resolve the problem by providing a buffer between the source and the TV, amplifying the signal before retransmitting it (a passive switcher would not likely help). If the source is not providing the correct information to the TV, though,
it may not provide the correct information to the external switcher, either.

I would also try a different cable. Poor quality cables used for distances greater than 10 feet might pass the video signal but not the data signal that’s needed for the handshake, or might obstruct that data signal in some way.  Try a short and/or high-quality cable, and then if that works, try a better quality longer cable.”

Mike Wood
TV Test Manager

As for the switching between 4:3 and 16:9, your set top box must be adjusted for a 16:9 display with the TV’s aspect ratio in the “Full” mode.  Properly adjusted, SD 4:3 content will display undistorted with gray or black bars on the sides and HD TV programs will be full screen without distortion.

Q: Hi there…I just bought a Sony kdls4100 TV.  I know very little about all of this, but I do know it takes 16 seconds for the TV to power on.  I hate this.  I would return the TV but as a single girl, it would be a huge ordeal to take the TV back.  Do you have any advice?
Amy

A: Call the dealer where you purchased the set and tell them about the problem to learn if they have a service department that makes house calls or if they can make an in-home exchange.  If the dealer can’t help you or does not have service dept., call 1-800-222-7669 for Sony customer support.  You do not mention the size of the set however, Sony large screen HDTVs (40” and larger) have in-home warranty service. They can help arrange for an in-home service call to repair the problem. A Sony customer service rep confirmed your set taking abnormally long to power on.

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Copyright ©2009 All rights reserved. HDGURU is a registered trademark. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. HD GURU is not responsible for errors or omissions.

Unable to find a buyer for its money losing chain of stores, by order of the bankruptcy court, today (Jan. 17, 2009) Circuit City began the liquidation of all of its merchandise in the 567 remaining Circuit City stores in  the US. The HD Guru® visited the local Circuit City store in Hicksville, NY.  Here are the details.

All merchandise in the store is 10% off the yesterday’s prices (except DVDs, Blu-ray discs and CDs which are 20% off).  Unlike the previous liquidation Circuit City held in November 2008 when it closed 155 if its stores, today they did not jack up the prices and redo the price tags, the original price tags are still on all the merchandise.  There are two points to note, besides the 10% discount when considering buying anything at this liquidation sale.  All sales are “Final” and all merchandise is As-Is.  This means, if you purchase an HDTV (or any other item) and you find out it is damaged or it does not function properly when you get it home, it is your problem (no exchanges or refunds are permitted).  If the problem is a manufacturer’s defect, you can get it repaired under the manufacturer’s warranty.  If you discover the HDTV is physically damaged, you are probably out of luck, you’ll have no recourse with Circuit City because of its no returns or no exchanges liquidation policy.

Below is a comparison of Circuit City’s old price, the 10% off liquidation price and the HD Guru’s Pricegrabber price (here is the link ).  Of course, most Pricegrabber merchants have exchange policies for defective merchandise and many have return policies, check with the individual Pricegrabber merchant for details.  (Key Pan=Panasonic;Sam=Samsung; Son=Sony) Pricegrabber pricing listed is subject to change.

Make/Model         CC Old Price   10% Off            Pricegrabber

LG/42LG50            $999.99            $899.99            $849.95
Pan/TH42PZ80U    $949.99            $854.99            $869.00
Pan /TH42PZ85U   $1099.99          $989.99            $929.99
Pan/TH42PX80U    $799.99            $719.99            $709.00
Son/KDL46V4100  $1599.99          $1439.99          $1323.80
Pan/TC32LX85       $699.99            $629.99            $525.00
Son/KDL46XBR6   $2799.99          $2519.99          $1975.00
Sam/ HL67A750     $2199.99          $1979.99          $1646.00
Sam/ PN50A650     $1699.99          $1529.99          $1495.95
Son/KDL40S4100   $999.99            $899.99           $888.32
Sam/LN52A650      $2399.99           $2159.99        $1649.95
Sam/ LN46A650     $1799.99           $1619.99        $1477.00

Conclusion- No Deal!  Go with an on-line or a brick and mortar (B&M) dealer.  Inventories are still very high.  Pick the HDTV you want, shop on-line and if you want to deal with your local, regional dealer or Best Buy, make them an offer below the tag price.  In these bad economic times, the consumer is in the driver’s seat.

Copyright ©2009 Gary Merson/HD Guru® All rights reserved. HDGURU is a registered trademark. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. HD GURU is not responsible for errors or omissions.

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(Photo above is a copy of an invitation emailed to CES registered press to see Panasonics’s 3D HDTV system)

3D HDTV

The digital transition will be completed in February, ending an industry journey that began with the introduction of HDTV displays and broadcasts in 1998. The manufacturers have laid out plans to take HDTV to the next level with 3D HDTV.

2009 will be the first year of a multi-year push to upgrade HDTV to 3D (stereoscopic) television. Panasonic, Sony and other major HDTV makers will demo 3D televisions with a live satellite broadcast of the BCS National Championship game at the International CES next week and at least one HDTV manufacturer will announce plans for production in 2009 of the first Full HD 3D compatible displays. Expect other major players to commit to early 2010 delivery. HD Guru predicts these 3D HDTVs will be supported by at least two movie studios in 2009, with the first products shipping date to coincide with the introduction of 3D Blu-ray players and discs.

Rumors persist Sony will introduce a 3D upgrade to its PS3 Playstation, turning it into PS3D. 3D gaming will be part of a long-term three part 3D strategy by the major HDTV makers that will include console video games, Blu-ray HD movies and (eventually) regular live HD 3D sports broadcasts.

Currently only Mitsubishi and Samsung make 3D capable DLP HDTVs. Samsung also produces two 3D capable plasma TVs, though neither are “Full HD” 1080p.

HDTV Pricing

An oversupply of LCD panels will force HDTV prices to continue to drop during the first quarter of 2009, followed by relative price stability.

Currently LCD panel makers, due to the oversupply, are selling their inventory to TV makers, at or below actual cost. This situation will probably last another eight or so weeks as panel makers cut back production to meet lower demand and attempt to raise prices later in the year.

The overall year-to-year savings for HDTV in 2009 will see prices drop an additional 15%- 20% down from the 26%-30% savings we have seen in year to year for the past several years. Why?  Component cost reductions on the smaller screen HDTVs, are nearly maxed out with current technology.

Wireless HDTV

The long awaited change over from HDMI cables to wireless HD video and audio will finally arrive in 2009, (a year after my 2008 prediction) allowing consumers to hang a flat panel on the wall connected only to an AC power cable. Wireless will be built-in step up feature for top of the line HDTVs. Wireless upgrade kits will be available as well. The net result, reduced consumer demand for long (relatively) expensive HDMI cables and easier TV installations.

HDTV Goes Green

Plasma HDTV makers will attempt to capture a larger big screen market share by citing lower power consumption with increased brightness and high motion resolution besting their LCD competitors. Expect a wider selection of plasma models from the core producers (Panasonic, Samsung and LG) as well as Hitachi and Pioneer, which will now be sourcing their plasma panels from Panasonic. The mix will include very thin plasma monitors and HDTVs.

Thin HDTVs Will Rule

Expect every major LCD and Plasma flat panel maker to introduce a line thinner flat panel HDTVs in a variety of sizes. They will carry a price premium over thicker displays, leaving the big question: how large of a price premium will the masses be willing to pay for a thinner form factor?

The Motion Resolution Race Continues

Just a few years ago, when all LCD HDTV refreshed at the HD standard of 60 Hz, set makers never talked about “motion blur”, which is a measure of how much resolution a given display can produce when motion is introduced (such as in football when a receiver is running or a camera panning). Then came 120 Hz LCDs claiming to significantly improve motion resolution (HD Guru’s tests confirmed motion resolution increased from around 330 lines with 60 Hz displays to around 600 lines of resolution for the 120 Hz models).  Last Sept., Sony announced a 240 Hz HDTV with delivery expected sometime this year.

For 2009, LG has just announced LCD with a claimed refresh rate of 480 Hz. Expect other vendors to introduce a variety of new 240 Hz (or higher) HDTVs in 2009.

Blu-ray

With street prices dropping below the $200 this past December, you should anticipate a $149 Blu-ray player by year’s end. The big news will come from the content providers. With a significant installed base of players now in consumers hands, HD Guru predicts many Blu-ray movie disc titles will drop to within $5 of DVD standard def version in the first half of 2009. This should result in a spike in Blu-ray disc sales.

Streaming and Widgets

The major TV makers will add many new models with specialized Internet connectivity to provide movie-streaming services such as Netflix and Amazon. Expect new companies to pop up and announce new movie streaming or download services in the first quarter of 2009, all offered as an alternative to DVDs and Blu-ray discs.

In addition, an expansion of Internet services such as photos, weather forecasts and sports and some new ones will appear as another HDTV feature as the top TV makers try to differentiate themselves from the competition and the tier three offerings.

Rear Projection Exclusive

Finally, HD Guru predicts Samsung will drop out of the rear projection (RPTV) market leaving Mitsubishi as the sole maker of HD RPTVs. Expect lower prices for this category, which includes LASER HDTVs.

Copyright ©2009 Gary Merson/HD Guru® All rights reserved. HDGURU is a registered trademark. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission. The content within is based upon information provided to the editor, which is believed to be reliable. HD GURU is not responsible for errors or omissions.

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This year, you don’t have to wait for Black Friday (Nov. 28) to get incredible deals on HDTVs. The HD Guru searched the New York metro area (Sunday, November 23, 2008) newspapers and  e-tailers websites for the best Pre-Thanksgiving HDTV deals, (defined as top tier brand HDTVs, with the deepest discounts). You can use these low prices at the stores advertised or in many cases, get an even better deal at the HD Guru’s internet shopping link by entering the model you desire in the “Product Search” Box under the HD Guru’s “Check Prices” banner in the left column of this page. It will take you to the HD Guru shopping page, powered by Price Grabber. You may also use the prices listed below to negotiate with your local retailer, especially if they have a price match policy. Today’s bargains are from Best Buy (BB), Circuit City (CC), (national retailers), 6th Avenue Electronics(6 Ave) -www.6ave.com (online ordering and NY/NJ stores) Fry’s- www.frys.com (online ordering and stores in CA,TX,GA,WA,IL,NV, IN,AZ,OR.), and Vann’s-www.vans.com (online ordering and stores in MT). Online prices are subject to change. (FS=Free Shipping; Sam=Samsung; Pana=Panasonic)

Make-Model-Resolution–Technology-Size-Was/Now–-Store
Sam    HL72A650 1080p DLPRP72”$2799.99/$2099.99 Vanns FS
Sam    PN50A650 1080pPlasma50”$2299.99/$1699.99Vanns FS
Sam    LN52A6301080pLCD52”   $2499.99/$1869.98 Vanns FS
Sam    LN52A650 1080pLCD 52”   $2699.99/$2049.99 Vanns FS
Pana    TC32LX85 768pLCD 32”   $699.97/$499.97     Vanns FS
Pana  TC37LZ8001080p LCD37”   $1599.97$1138.97  Vanns FS

Sam   LN40A500    1080p LCD  40”   $1099.99/$799.99    CC

Sharp LC46SB54U 1080pLCD   46”   $1398.99/$898.99    BB

Pana   TH50PX80U 768p Plasma 50”  $1399.00/$988.00  6 Ave

Sam   LN52A750 1080p LCD   52”   $2899.99/$2199.99 Fry’s FS
LG     52LG70     1080p LCD  52”   $2499.99/$1899.99 Fry’s FS
Philips 52PFL7422D/371080p LCD52”   $2999.99/$1377.00Fry’s
Sony  KDL52V4100 1080p LCD  52” $2799.99/2099.99  Fry’s FS

Copyright ©2008 Gary Merson/HD Guru™. All rights reserved. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission.

UPDATE Nov. 25, 2008-A Samsung spokesperson in an email claims the price drops listed in this article are incorrect. However, no correct “New” prices have been provided by Samsung. The “New” MAP prices have been removed pending updated MAP price information from Samsung.

The HD Guru has been checking on line prices for Samsung DLPs and has noted recent significant price reductions by etailers. For example, Vann’s is now offering the HL72A650 for $2099.98 including free shipping.

Despite all the ballyhoo about LCD and Plasma and the press’s willful neglect of the technology, DLP-based HDTVs offer bright, beautiful full 1080p HD resolution on bigger screens for thousands of dollars less than comparably sized flat screen LCD or plasma HDTV. DLP rear projectors, at about 15” depth, are not as flat as LCD or Plasmas. However, according to set makers, the vast majority of large flat panels sold are placed on table stands or in wall units, negating the depth advantage of flat screen designs.

According to industry sources, beginning this Sunday, November 23rd, 2008 Samsung will be slashing it retail (MAP) prices on its latest 2008 DLP rear projectors up to a whooping $600! If you check out reviews and do price comparisons at on-line shopping sites such as Pricegrabber (a “Check Prices” Pricegrabber link is conveniently located on the lower left hand side of this webpage) you should be able to grab one of these beauties with a discount of up to an additional 25% off.

There are two types of DLP rear projectors. One type uses a projection bulb typically lasting 3-5 thousand hours before it burns out, requiring replacement at a cost of under $200 on-line. The other type of DLP uses light emitting diodes (LEDs). The LEDs produce a very bright image, have wider color gamut than lamp driven projectors, and unlike lamps, they don’t fail during the lifetime of the HDTV! Here are the old and new MAP prices of Samsungs DLP rear projectors

Model/Size     Lamp/LED      New Price     Old Price
HL61A650/61”  Lamp                             $1599.99
HL61A750/61”  LED                               $1899.99
HL67A750/67”  LED                               $2399.99
HL72A650/72”  Lamp                             $2799.99

Copyright ©2008 Gary Merson/HD Guru™. All rights reserved. The content and photos within may not be distributed electronically or copied mechanically without specific written permission.