The next time you go shopping for a new HDTV, keep in mind that the brightness and contrast settings don’t adjust brightness and contrast, and most of the fancier-sounding image quality controls don’t do anything except possibly degrade the image. Also, motion blur in live video is largely imaginary, which is good because advertised response times are highly exaggerated. And hey, that impressive “dynamic contrast ratio” the manufacturer is crowing about? Most of the extra contrasty goodness happens when there’s no image on the screen. [More]
tvs
More Than Half Of U.S. Homes Are Rocking HDTVs
By 5.4.10
Nielsen’s latst Television Audience Report found that people are getting more and more TV crazy. Not only do 53 percent of homes have sprung for HDTVs, but 55 percent of households have three or more TVs. [More]
Build Your Own Home Theater
By 4.20.10
Hi-fi curious? PC Perspective has posted the second of 6-part series that walks you through every detail of setting up your own ideal home theater setup, from the planning to stage to source materials to speaker configuration. Future installments will cover setting up a home media server as well. And if you need help picking out the components, bro-site Consumer Reports has an interactive home theater system buying guide that can help. DIY! It’s more fun and if you know what you’re doing, can be cheaper as well.
Building a Home Theater [PC Perspective via HardOCP]
I'm Stuck With A Broken TV From A Bankrupt Retailer. What Do I Do?
By 2.18.10
Marnin would like some help from the Consumerist hive mind. He writes that his friend purchased a Proscan TV from a retailer that declared bankruptcy a week after the purchase. The TV, of course, [More]
Man Who Pledged To Never Buy Another Vizio Gets Help
By 2.11.10
The man who said he’ll never buy another Vizio after his crapped out just a few months after his warranty ran out and would cost nearly half the purchase price to repair, says that after our post went up a gal in their customer service department called him and is “doing their best to rectify the situation.” He Jeremy writes on his blog, “This entire situation has taken an unexpected turn, which I will keep you abreast of in the days to come.” [More]
Why I Won't Be Buying Another Vizio
By 2.9.10
Jeremy won’t be buying any more Vizio TVs. He bought an HD one for $650 , then after 18 months of use, it began flickering on and off and then wouldn’t turn it on. The CSR told him it would cost him ~$300 to send it in to repair the power supply, nearly half the purchase price, as the warranty expired. Jeremy thinks a TV should last longer than a year and a half, and so he wrote an open letter on his blog to William Wang, CEO of Vizio TV. [More]
A TV On A Dresser Can Crush Your Kid To Death
By 2.2.10
It probably hasn’t occurred to you that each year there are nearly 26,000 people treated in emergency rooms for injuries sustained by tipping furniture and TVs. It certainly hadn’t occurred to us. Our sister-publication, Consumer Reports, put together a video demonstration showing how your kid can get crushed climbing up a dresser towards your TV. [More]
Blog And Twitter Campaign Convinces Sony To Replace Defective TV
By 1.31.10
Scott has been a longtime and loyal Sony customer, but the company finally disappointed him. He writes that his lovely 46″ LCD began to produce strange images on one side of the screen for ten minutes after powering up–not catastrophic, but not acceptable for a $3,000 TV, either. The regular channels of customer service were no help, so Scott took his case to his blog and to Twitter. The result? He heard from executive customer service within hours, and received a new TV for his trouble. [More]
Customer Waits Six Weeks For Best Buy To Not Fix His TV
By 1.12.10
A Best Buy customer has posted his ongoing TV repair saga over at Best Buy’s own forums, and it’s quite a read. Green blotches! Smoke! Parts were ordered! No parts were ordered! The wrong parts were ordered! Botched repairs! This all started back in November and his $3,000 TV still isn’t fixed–although the last time a Geek Squad tech came out, he handed the customer a sheet that said Best Buy had already spent $1,500 on repairs. [More]
Dell Won't Send Me My TV And Home Theater
By 12.7.09
In mid-November Todd jumped on a sensational deal for a big-screen HDTV and a home theater system. He placed his order, sure that he wouldn’t find a more appealing offer on Black Friday, but says Dell has yet to ship his order or explain the delay. [More]
MPAA Asks FCC For Control Of Your TV's Analog Outputs
By 11.9.09
The Motion Picture Association of American wants to rent movies to TV viewers earlier in the release window, but they don’t want anyone potentially streaming that video out to other appliances. That’s why last week they went back to the FCC to once again ask for the power to disable analog ports on consumer television sets.
Walmart Wants You To Buy All Your Turkey And TV From Them This Year
By 11.4.09
Walmart is ramping up the price war on another front. Instead of hardcovers, this time the retailer is cutting prices on turkey and flat-panel TVs, reports Bloomberg.
HSN Breaks TV, Showing Need To Firmly Attach Your Wii Accessories
By 10.19.09
This HSN presenter remembered to use his wrist strap when playing with a Wiimote, so good for him! Unfortunately, it turns out you also have to make sure any attachments are firmly attached.
Company Will Program Your Universal Remote For $250
By 10.15.09
When I was in college, an older woman I worked with paid me $25 to come over and program her VCR, and that is not a euphemism. Clearly I missed a valid business opportunity when I didn’t think to package that skill and resell it as an in-home service for idiots everywhere. You know, sort of like what InstallerNet offers with universal remotes for the low low actually-sort-of-high price of $250.
California May Pass Nation's First Energy Consumption Regulation On Big Screen TVs
By 10.14.09
As soon as next month, California may become the first state to implement energy consumption rule for big screen TV sets similar to the ones for refrigerators and air conditioners. A trade group has been adamantly opposing it, reports the Los Angeles Times, but hasn’t found much sympathy from the California Energy Commission, which may be able to avoid building a $600 million natural gas power plant if they can cut back on energy guzzling sets.
Want An HDTV? Just Imagine That You Have One
By 10.7.09
Good news, everyone! I don’t have an aging hulk of a CRT television in my living room anymore. No, I have a high definition television, thanks to the power of my mind. At least, that’s what a recent study tells me will happen if I wish hard enough.
Walmart Manager Is Super Helpful, Saves Dead TV
By 10.2.09
A few weeks ago, Kaleb wrote to us with a tale of television woe. The Polaroid TV he purchased at Walmart on Black Friday 2008 simply died, and Polaroid wouldn’t perform warranty service without his receipt. All was lost, until a Walmart manager went above and beyond to save Kaleb from his defective television.
Best Buy Now Prices TVs Up To $200 Cheaper Online
By 9.26.09
According to our friends at HDGuru.com, Best Buy now has drastic price differences on TVs between its web site and stores. The difference can be as much as $200, but Best Buy will price match its own prices for customers who happen to glance at the site before purchasing a TV.
