Would you trust a refurbished tv

sonoferu · 02-02-2013, 02:26 PM

My wife has had a netflix account for a long time, DVDs in the mail. Now she wants to do the streaming thing, but the TV is so old it wont work for that.

Our needs are pretty simple - we hardly ever watch TV at all, just for election night, an occasional PBS special, etc. Picture quality and bells and whistles would be low on the list. I just want something cheap that would have a decent chance of lasting a while. We are fond of our Maytag washer and dryer, now over 30 years old and going fine

I expect quality and reliability to go with price, though.

I see plenty of 32" TVs these days in the range of $200 to $300. I also see a Samsung UN32EH4003 on sale at $209, which looks like a pretty good quality for low price, but it's refurbished. My initial hunt for TVs seemed to say that Samsung is good. The warranty would only be 90 days, but if it's well refurbished, is that a reasonably good bet to be ok?

Or would you go with a new one of a lesser brand?

Am I right that Samsung IS a good brand?

purbeast0 · 02-02-2013, 02:55 PM

there has been a recent thread on here about people having issues with samsung plasmas (i think plasma may be lcd). i had a dlp since 2004 that i never had an issue with.

if you were closer to me i'd sell you my samsung 50" dlp for $200 :p

sonoferu · 02-02-2013, 05:44 PM

thanks, no - just want a small TV

:-)

Number1 · 02-02-2013, 08:10 PM

How about a media player instead and keep the TV.

Something second hand like this would probably work for you at minimal expense.

Western Digital WD TV HD Media Player

Get one with wifi preferably.

sonoferu · 02-03-2013, 04:04 AM

the problem is I dont think the tv will work for a media player either. We actually had a digital tv, not a flat panel but digital, that a friend gave us when he went to a flat. It would play from our dvd player [netflix dvd's in the mail] and from our VCR. then it died several months ago and my sister in law gave us the current tv which is even older. I got the VCR to work but have not found any way to get the dvd player to work with it - I've tried the manual which I found online, and lots of online looking around. It's a GE 27GT622 [the tv we have now]. The manual I found was for a 27GT722, there just isnt one for the 622. I posted earlier on trying to get the dvd to work

http://forums.anandtech.com/showthre...7#post34458447

To get the VCR to work I had to run the cable feed into the VCR and then a coax from the VCR to the tv. The tv has the red-white-yellow ports on the back but I cant get a feed from any device to those to show up on the screen. I have tried all the menu stuff on the screen and I just dont find any way to configure the tv to work with the colored inputs. I cant figure how those ports are there but cant be made to take input.

We got a roku and that wont work with it either at this point so I have finally decided a new tv is the only way and I am looking for a simple and hopefully reliable one that the roku will work for [and dvd player]

sonoferu · 02-03-2013, 04:14 AM

So the problem really comes down to how on this old tv do I get the tv itself to switch from tv mode to input mode from the red-white-yellow? On the previous tv there was a menu option to switch. On the VCR there is a switch on the front saying TV/VCR. I would think the old tv here would have some explicit switch or menu option but I just cant find it

sonoferu · 02-03-2013, 06:05 AM

but there is also the starter question - are refurbished tv's generally about as reliable as factory new? I know the warrany will be less, but do refurbs have a general track record that is good, where a comparable number will have problems in the first, second, third years?

glen · 02-03-2013, 08:32 AM

$250 for a used Panasonic 42" plasma from Amazon.
Get one.

Number1 · 02-03-2013, 08:44 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonoferu

So the problem really comes down to how on this old tv do I get the tv itself to switch from tv mode to input mode from the red-white-yellow? On the previous tv there was a menu option to switch. On the VCR there is a switch on the front saying TV/VCR. I would think the old tv here would have some explicit switch or menu option but I just cant find it

You need to set your TV to AUX witch should be available below channel 2. Just go down the channels with the remote. If that don't work then you would need an external RF modulator to convert the red white and yellow signal. I have one and can ship it to you for free providing you pay for shipping. I live in canada.

However, yes get a new tv, it's time. If you get a refurbished one you're taking a chance of course. I have no experience with refurbished TVs. People in here highly recommend refurbished AVRs.

Zivic · 02-03-2013, 09:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sonoferu

but there is also the starter question - are refurbished tv's generally about as reliable as factory new? I know the warrany will be less, but do refurbs have a general track record that is good, where a comparable number will have problems in the first, second, third years?

what are you saving with a refurb? displays are so cheap now, it isn't worth the slight savings. Get a panasonic and call it a day. I am a plasma guy, but in your case it isn't going to matter. You could get the worst PQ and still think it looks good.

IMHO don't get a refurb

KeithP · 02-03-2013, 10:39 AM

FWIW, here is my theory on refurbs...

First, the original manufacturer has to be the ones that did the refurbishing. I see a surprising number of refurbs that some 3rd party did the work on and is responsible for the sale and refurb warranty...that is a deal breaker.

Second, does the refurb have the same warranty as the original? If it doesn't, to me that says something about durability of the refurbished product.

-KeithP

dagamer34 · 02-03-2013, 11:35 AM

Refurbished from where? By the OEM and sold by Amazon? Or some random 3rd party website?

sonoferu · 02-03-2013, 05:40 PM

yeah, I'm dumping the refurb idea. Just going to best buy and get something vanilla I guess. Our cabinet will allow 32" at the biggest so I think we can find something ok there

thanks all

s44 · 02-03-2013, 07:00 PM

I'd ditch the cabinet too. People usually regret having to squeeze TVs into pre-HD spaces.

wags69 · 02-03-2013, 10:25 PM

I did get a refurb 40" Toshiba and it has been great so far. The warranty is the same as a new one.
You should measure the inside of the entertainment center you wish to put the tv in. I had a old 32" Trinitron flat and was able to put the 40" Toshi in my entertainment center.

sonoferu · 02-04-2013, 03:55 AM

the cabinet is not an entertainment cabinet per se. It's an antique cabinet that fits the decor and the wife loves it and it was meant not to hold a tv but to hide it whenever we arent watching. So 32 is the functional max here. And plenty big enough for our purposes.

OK, thanks all for the inputs, I think I'm set

wirednuts · 02-04-2013, 09:50 PM

if i got a refurb tv, it would be an led-lcd only.

regular lcd's can have bulbs with a lot of hours on them, and plasmas have a lot of components and run hot so they naturally dont last as long.

Plugers · 02-05-2013, 05:29 AM

Fwiw, I have a 47" Westinghouse that they gave me after my 37" died under warranty. It's been going on about 5 years. And my parents have a 42" Vizio that is on its third year.

They seem fine to me.