National Window Scrappage scheme

[vicsmith]

Come on Mash, tanks and missiles are smart you`ve got to keep those boys in a job.

[mattblack]

could be the valves or something

...decoke, grind 'em in, jobs a good 'un!

[Guest]

What are you doing buying a TV, Mash? Rent one!

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLzqMOz6-I

[AnthonyG]

As far as I know, only Sony are doing a trade in deal on TVs, but their stuff is usually more expensive anyway. I'm always a fan of Panasonic, but my local shop (one which is actually run by someone who has knowledge about the products) says Samsung is the best combination of price reliability and picture. Neither Panasonic, Sony or Samsung make 'unpleasant' items - nor does any other TV maker as far I am aware. Toshiba sets are now made in Turkey, that was a brand I was told to avoid.I would avoid cheap unknown brand stuff - it will break down and you can't get the parts to repair in most cases, even if was cost effective. May be cheaper to buy now but you'll just be getting another in 2 years time.Under WEEE regs manufacturers/retailers can just donate some cash to the govt which ostensibly goes towards provision of council tips, check with whoever you buy from as any big set would probably have to be delivered these days -if you buy from a local shop they are more likely to take the old one away for nowt. Some retailers (I think John Lewis) do a free 5 year guarantee which is deffo worth having IMHO. JL also do free delivery and take away of old one.BTW Big CRT sets - usually working perfectly and only a few years old, can often be had for virtually nothing on Ebay.

[Richard]

Beware of big name stuff at the lower end of the price range too. As far as I'm aware most of the big names put their branding on cheap crap, we got caught out that way with a "Toshiba" TV once.

[Station]

I thought Samsung (being the biggest electronic component manufacturer in the world) had parts in every TV made? I have a Samsung TV. It's GR8 for showing the shite that's on 600 channels.

[RedSparrow]

What are you doing buying a TV, Mash? Rent one!http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gpLzqMOz6-I

Ah Finlandia tvs from Granada! Reminds me of my school days, schools would always rent, not buy.

[chester drawers]

I'm always a fan of Panasonic, but my local shop (one which is actually run by someone who has knowledge about the products) says Samsung is the best combination of price reliability and picture. Neither Panasonic, Sony or Samsung make 'unpleasant' items - nor does any other TV maker as far I am aware. Toshiba sets are now made in Turkey, that was a brand I was told to avoid.

 

I would avoid cheap unknown brand stuff - it will break down and you can't get the parts to repair in most cases, even if was cost effective. May be cheaper to buy now but you'll just be getting another in 2 years time.

 

Fifteen years ago I’d have been inclined to agree with you but not now. I used to be an audio visual engineer and moved sideways into IT around the time when brands ceased to mean anything.

 

It’s all about marketing and perceived not actual quality. Chassis are shared between brown goods manufacturers just like they are in the automotive industry and brand names are frequently used under license. DSG et al are experts at this and frequently market exactly the same machine with slightly different plastics and a range of different brands and prices. Think you’re buying a Denon product? No, you’re buying Keysonic with a Denon badge. Only there’s a 80 quid premium to be paid over the identical Itchyfanny badged one on the next shelf down.

 

None of the major players you mention are above this. By way of example, next to the bench where I’m typing this is a pile of poorly-built Turkish Panasonic set top boxes, all in need of [uneconomic] complete power supply rebuild. On the other hand I was given a free Turkish built Toshiba CRT TV 5 years ago. I rebuilt the power supply for 6 quid and my parents have used it every day since.

 

Some retailers (I think John Lewis) do a free 5 year guarantee which is deffo worth having IMHO.

I’d buy on the basis of warranty every time. But check very carefully what it covers. Empire Direct’s warranty wasn’t worth the paper it was written on. Presumably the shifty buggers are trading under another name by now too

[chester drawers]

Beware of big name stuff at the lower end of the price range too. As far as I'm aware most of the big names put their branding on cheap crap, we got caught out that way with a "Toshiba" TV once.

The Vestel chassis. Also found in Mitsubishi, Goodmans and I forget what else. Piece of piss to fix though.

[Pillock]

I've been doing a lot of work with our flat panel repair guys, and chatting to them there's a massive range in quality on LCD and plasma tellys. There's some they really rate, and then there's some (often, but not always own-brand) which they wouldn't deem worthy of taking a screwdriver to.Then there's stuff like Techwood that doesn't even make it into the workshop, there's a skip to put it in and it gets krushed. So in that respect it is like the scrappage scheme :)But yeah, it's only Sony offering a trade-in on old TVs and since there's very little of value that they'd use, and transporting/testing/stripping/cataloguing TVs isn't a cheap exercise it's just a promotional thing.

[Richard]

I don't know if anybody has seen an electrical recycling place. I visit a few for work and they process a mind-boggling amount of electronics every day.

[garethj]

BTW Big CRT sets - usually working perfectly and only a few years old, can often be had for virtually nothing on Ebay.

I've seen some in second hand shops and they're about fifty quid, so you're right that on ebay they must be even more of a bargain.GR8 4 ASKIN FREE P&P

[pogweasel]

BTW Big CRT sets - usually working perfectly and only a few years old, can often be had for virtually nothing on Ebay.

I've seen some in second hand shops and they're about fifty quid, so you're right that on ebay they must be even more of a bargain.

£50? Are they sick in the head?Other month I bought a 32in CRT + VCR + corner unit for TEN QUID off ebay. It all worked perfectly. I only wanted the unit so sold the telly and vcr off at a tenner each. Happy days. Current 32in widescreen CRT cost £0, my mate was going to take it to the tip upon buying a plasma one, seemed pointless to junk it when it's perfectly servicable.

[Mr Lobster]

Free TVs FTW!I now have a flatscreen thing at home. Was Sista_Lobsta's but when she moved in with Brotha_In_Law_Lobsta_to_be then it became surplus to requirements and replaced my large, old Sony which went off to the charity shop!

[r.welfare]

WEEE directive, IIRC, means that if the equipment was manufactured after 23 August 2006 it is the responsibility of the manufacturer to ensure it is disposed of in an environmentally-friendly manner. If there's a little logo of a wheelie bin with a cross through it on the back on your electrical item, it's covered by the WEEE directive. How this works in practice I'm afraid I have no idea - perhaps means taking the old one to your local recycling centre rather than stuffing it in your bin?Richer Sounds seem to do decent deals if you want a new LCD, with very cheap 5 year extended warranty cover - best to check the small print though, as it looks like (from their website) they are affiliated with Empire Direct in some way...

[Richard]

CRT TVs are worth no more that £10. Good ones are being shredded by the container load every day.You see job lots of electrical goods on eBay, 50 DVD players for £50, condition unknown- that sort of thing. They are generally WEEE scrap.

[Rusty Pelican]

Got £20 from cash converters for my old CRT TV a year ago , an old Toshiba , huge screen though and weighed a ton.

[Conrad D. Conelrad]

I see there are now digi-boxes that will just plug into the coaxial socket rather than needing a scart, I've not tried one yet but hopefully it means I can continue living in the 1960's/70's

If you have a cheap Freeview box with only SCART, you can always route it through an old VCR. I'm sticking with CRT for now - no point buying a big flatscreen until BluRays are knocking about for next to nothing, and I'd want a full 1080p one so I could get the most out of it as a computer monitor too.