My sister lives in London and recently mentioned that her old TV stopped working and is hesitating between fixing it or buying a new one (scrapping the old). I read a little on the subject in order to help her. Since I believe sharing your knowledge of problems and such could help others, I have written the information I found here for you.
The most common issue with Televisions are display problems (MSNBC). Most regular flat panel LCD screens are supposed to last for approximately 20 years, but problems can arise earlier with elongated use. In order to conserve screen life, it is advised not to leave it on when the image is frozen. Once checking on repair, if the price of repair is more than half the price of a new one it’s generally not worth it. Furthermore, repairmen are increasingly refusing to repair old TV sets smaller than 27 inch (link). If you decided to purchase a new one, for Televisions it is mentioned that more expensive DOES usually mean better quality. Don’t forget to check the warranty coverage in case of future problems.
Once the decision to buy a new TV is reached, the extended warranty dilemma arrives. Many different opinions are offered, and my personal one is that these are worth it for high-priced TV’s, for the repairs are generally expensive. These plans should range between 15%-20% of the product’s price. Lastly, instead of trashing your old Television, consider these alternatives: Sony Recycling Project, Goodwill, Salvation Army, Ebay Rethink, and Second Rotation, the latter offer the purchase of old electronics.
Picture by Beige Alert (Creative Commons License)
