Samsung flat screen TV’s

@recluse,

That’s quite ironic as I was thinking of switching to Samsung (allegedly better built-in speakers) as we’ve had lots of Sony’s over the years and they all keep going wrong after around 5 years! It seems to be the same fault too, the dreaded stuck red light.

Their Blu-ray players have also proved to be problematic too.

Hmm... I know someone who has a large LG, I think 48 inch, and that’s been going without fault for years and years through heavy use.

@bob540,
"I researched before buying and learned that some versions had screens made in China that were inferior to those made in Korea. There were 4 digit codes that indicated which screen was used, so I made sure to have the salesman verify the code for me. I also went on-line and found calibration codes and configured it myself, and it definitely made an improvement."


That’s an impressive amount of research.

Somehow I just end up going around in circles.

When our electric cooker repairman called round to install a new electric oven element he informed us that the Kenwood cookers made in Italy weren’t as reliable as the ones built in Japan.
Fair enough, but I’m not sure how I was supposed to know that beforehand. It looked pretty good with its all aluminium hob in Currys...

I know it’s not the same but I have a 2004 19 inch ultrasharp Dell monitor that just wouldn’t break down. In the end I got fed up of waiting and bought a new Dell 27 inch wide screen model.


What I hadn’t counted on was that the higher resolution might make some things (480p YouTube) actually look worse!

@quinten,

"The problem is that all appliances seem to be junk these days... no matter what brand, people are always having problems if you look at reviews."


Thats our problem.

The manufacturers must see it the other way around.

Just how are they going to keep us buying?

Replacing or upgrading?

Since true innovation is quite rare (repackaging and cosmetics is easier) far too many of them resort to built in obsolescence.


Apple deliberately tie their consumers into their rather restrictive ecosystem and fit their products with puny batteries which, unless very carefully protected, are next to useless in about 2 years.

This strategy has made them the most successful company on the planet.

Others will no doubt seek to copy it.

Nevertheless it’s still good to see small scale brands like Harbeth who genuinely expect to see their products last 25 years or so without any need for repair.

@roxy1927

Robert Harris the great film restorer(Lawrence, Spartacus, My Fair Lady which is coming out next week in 4k and the spectacular reviews are saying it is the new reference for UHD) says TVs need to be professionally calibrated.
 

That's a pretty good endorsement. These are all classic films lovingly restored.

The restoration on My Fair Lady in particular must be some kind of reference for both picture and sound.

It's difficult to imagine how it could be any better without losing that lovely period feel.

As far as reliability goes one good standard might be when you are getting impatient for something to break down as an excuse for replacing it.

In my experience that doesn't happen too often, although I do have an old Sony portable radio (1990s) that appears to be indestructible.  As for televisions, I wonder if anyone is still running a cathode ray set. I can't remember having seen one recently.

They must be getting quite rare nowadays.