42" Olevia LCD @ Microcenter $699 AR

[Tempered81]

42" LCD HDTV42" LCD HDTV
? 1366 x 768 panel resolution
? 1600:1 dynamic contrast ratio
? 16:9 aspect ratio
$699.99
Save $300

Price after $200 instant savings and $100 Micro Center mail-in rebate / REG. $999.99 / 449017 / IN-STORE ONLY


Microcenter.

 

[John]

It's a 720P set, and I'd recommend reading this article.

http://hdguru.com/?p=107

 

[deepinya]

I dont know which model this is but I have the olevia 242v and the picture is superb. Blew away the 37" regza set i got for my parents.

 

[matrix5646]

John : interesting article (website). My GF bout a 720P olivia and it looks awesome and i bought a 1080 P from target recenly and i think it's great...but good to know their warantee service is possibly costly.

 

[stevelion]

Originally posted by: John
It's a 720P set, and I'd recommend reading this article.

http://hdguru.com/?p=107

I read this article before, but I'm not sure what conclusion you should draw from this. Is it that that you should pay twice as much and buy a name brand on the chance that your TV might fail? Whether your Olevia fails or any other brand fails, unless it comes with an onsite warranty, it is still likely to be a pain in the butt to get fixed. Olevia's policy does seem pretty bad, relative to some of the better name brands. I guess the article is more of a "buyer beware" message.

I would suggest buying the cheaper TV if you are happy with the picture/features, use a credit card that automatically doubles the warranty (most do), and pocket the difference. Many folks are paying ~$1200 for a 42" TV (at Best Buy and CC) and then throwing on another $150 warranty, + the extra sales tax dollars on the difference. Not to mention that the Best Buys rep suckers them into buying Monster HDMI cables at $80 to $100 each even though we all now you can buy the same functionality for $5 at monoprice.com. I'd rather buy the Olevia, use my credit card to double the warranty, skip the Monster B.S., and pocket the difference.

Put the difference in your 401k or your kids 529 plan and remember that its just a TV. From 13' away, its hard to tell the difference between a $700 TV and $1200 TV.

 

[Basilisk]

Good grief... what a depressing article! 'Wish I'd seen it earlier, although I don't know that I'd have passed up the 42" Vizio 1080P for $950 [back when].

I almost feel apologetic towards a friend's LCD monitor company that I'd privately trash-talked for a similar Disposable Product policy: they, too, had no repair support after their 1-yr warranty. You just have to read closely on LCD products these days as margins are squeezed too low to cover support. On the other hand, outside the first year failures of monitors are low if you condition your lines well -- I use 1kVA UPSs on almost everything of value [which is a "hidden" maintenance cost, of course].


Stevelion: Had to laugh at your "Monster Cables" reference. I was visiting in Grand Junction, CO, last week and picking up RAM for a friend's memory-starved system [Vista on 256MB!!!]. While waiting [and waiting and waiting] in BB for the online-ordered, pick-up-in-store memory, I had to endure a sales pitch: this enormous couple [think of twin Hindenburgs tethered at the pick-up counter] was hearing the sales-person say "I don't know about that stuff, I only use the Monster-branded screen cleaner " -- at $25 rather than the $10 product the couple had selected. (Even the product they'd selected was pretty strange: looked like a squeegee from where I stood.) I've a bad habit of telling folks they're being covered in cow-pies, but I was too grossed-out by their combined tonnage [625-700lbs] to get involved.

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: John
It's a 720P set, and I'd recommend reading this article.

http://hdguru.com/?p=107

Uh, that article doesn't say anything other than you have to pay shipping back for the defective product (after 45 days) and you get a refurb product in return. How is that any different from any other company?

"Olevia will pre-ship the refurbed TV to you and at the time of delivery, will allow you to use the same shipping carton to return your defective television."

I'd say that's good service. What's the problem? I see none.

 

[Zap]

Originally posted by: stevelion
I would suggest buying the cheaper TV if you are happy with the picture/features, use a credit card that automatically doubles the warranty (most do), and pocket the difference.

That's what I do.

Heck, with the rate at which prices drop, combine the cost difference when new, plus the price difference between now and a year or two when it might or might not break, plus depreciation and that'll nearly pay for a new one in a couple years.

Fall of 2006 I purchased the Westinghouse 42" 1080p screen for $1600. Comparable name brands were $2000 at the time. Now a new one that is better than the one I got (more 1080p capable inputs) is just under $1000.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: LikeLinus

Originally posted by: John
It's a 720P set, and I'd recommend reading this article.

http://hdguru.com/?p=107

Uh, that article doesn't say anything other than you have to pay shipping back for the defective product (after 45 days) and you get a refurb product in return. How is that any different from any other company?

I get One-year with in-home repair on my $675 HP 42" LCD as well as my Sony 50" RPLCD. I am not required to pay for any shipping.

"Olevia will pre-ship the refurbed TV to you and at the time of delivery, will allow you to use the same shipping carton to return your defective television."

I'd say that's good service. What's the problem? I see none.

That is after 45 days and you're required to pay $225. I'd say that is a problem.

 

[emoneyIII]

Olevia has violated some loan documents and their stock has dropped to under a dollar.
I would be very carefully buying Olevia now and would not consider I had any warranty from the.
regards,
emoneyIII

 

[LikeLinus]

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: LikeLinus

Originally posted by: John
It's a 720P set, and I'd recommend reading this article.

http://hdguru.com/?p=107

Uh, that article doesn't say anything other than you have to pay shipping back for the defective product (after 45 days) and you get a refurb product in return. How is that any different from any other company?

I get One-year with in-home repair on my $675 HP 42" LCD as well as my Sony 50" RPLCD. I am not required to pay for any shipping.

"Olevia will pre-ship the refurbed TV to you and at the time of delivery, will allow you to use the same shipping carton to return your defective television."

I'd say that's good service. What's the problem? I see none.

That is after 45 days and you're required to pay $225. I'd say that is a problem.

That's if you use THEIR return freight. The "hdguru" didn't mention that you can use your own method of shipping the product back to them after you get an RMA.

Olevia also offers an on-site warranty repair for their 42" and above TV's. If you register the TV within 30 days, they will come out to your house to repair or replace the TV. You are only charged for shipping to them if you don't turn in your warranty card. Go read the warranty if you don't believe me.

http://www.olevia.com/ecms.aspx/$Olevia/WarrantyCards/warranty_2T_01.pdf

It seems HDGuru just doesn't want to provide all of the details.

 

[John]

Originally posted by: LikeLinus

Originally posted by: John

Originally posted by: LikeLinus

Originally posted by: John
It's a 720P set, and I'd recommend reading this article.

http://hdguru.com/?p=107

Uh, that article doesn't say anything other than you have to pay shipping back for the defective product (after 45 days) and you get a refurb product in return. How is that any different from any other company?

I get One-year with in-home repair on my $675 HP 42" LCD as well as my Sony 50" RPLCD. I am not required to pay for any shipping.

"Olevia will pre-ship the refurbed TV to you and at the time of delivery, will allow you to use the same shipping carton to return your defective television."

I'd say that's good service. What's the problem? I see none.

That is after 45 days and you're required to pay $225. I'd say that is a problem.

That's if you use THEIR return freight. The "hdguru" didn't mention that you can use your own method of shipping the product back to them after you get an RMA.

Olevia also offers an on-site warranty repair for their 42" and above TV's. If you register the TV within 30 days, they will come out to your house to repair or replace the TV. You are only charged for shipping to them if you don't turn in your warranty card. Go read the warranty if you don't believe me.

http://www.olevia.com/ecms.aspx/$Olevia/WarrantyCards/warranty_2T_01.pdf

It seems HDGuru just doesn't want to provide all of the details.

HDGuru states "The Olevia customer service rep said its 42? models have on-site inspection service, but it is only to send a technician over to your home to determine of the set is actually in need of repair, for example, to make sure the power cord is connected. If the tech determines the set is broken, Olevia will ship a replacement refurbished TV after the shipping is paid."

Unfortunately you're linking to the "T" series warranty, and the TV discussed in this thread is a 242V which does not appear to offer a 1 yr. on-site warranty.

http://www.olevia.com/ecms.aspx/$Olevia/WarrantyCards/warranty_2_07.pdf

Are you positive that you are able to avoid the $225 fee?