Advice on TV repair

[Craig234]

I bought a Sony XBR-930E 65" I think in 2017. It just broke. A repairman today said both the boards are out and need to be replaced. He can't tell if the display is working.

The option is to spend $500 on new boards and hope the display is ok. He says about 30% of the time the display won't work. If not, it will only cost me $100 and I replace the TV.

My question is, advice between spending that money to try to repair it, versus buying a new one.

I'd like to decide quickly and am wondering what informed people suggest.

 

[highfigh]

If you repair it, the TV may work for awhile, but they really need to be able to test the panel and yes, it is possible, but it's not as easy for a mobile technician unless they have the proper equipment. Even if they get it to work, the service warranty isn't going to be very long and you can't buy a longer warranty for service, only on new TVs.

The one time it kind of makes sense to replace the boards is if you know how to do it and you get a great price on the parts and you don't consider your time as a cost (maybe you look at it as a learning experience, which does have some value, if you want to think of it in that way). When you're paying someone else, you're not getting a great price.

I would look for a new TV and compare the price of the repair to a new one, then think in terms of "What if it cacks in six months- was it worth repairing?".

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Back in 2016, I fixed my own plasma tv. I used an elementary short circuit detector and followed a YT guide. Then I've sent a bad board (it had a bad video amp chip(s) ) to repair in a shop in TX. It cost me (except my own time) around $100. It still works fine today.
For $500, I'd instead buy a brand new TV. At Costco, Samsung QN65QN85DAFXZA is listed at $499 with 5 years warranty.

 

[Craig234]

DIY isn't really an option. The repair is $200 + $80 for the boards and $140 labor, which seems fair.

If I do buy a new TV, it's hard not to get a nice one; that LG C2 sounds nice but is $1700 (same as the Sony was).

A bit weird, how a similar TV for the same $500 makes a lot of sense, but wanting more if I get another making the choice a $500 repair or a $1700 plus tax and installation TV.

Funny that even Costco has the same price, but apparently a better warranty.

It's sad, $1700 on that Sony, hate to have it go. Hate how they can not last. Not sure what causes this.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

LG C2 is OLED. Your old Sony is a regular LED with full-array back illumination. It's apples to oranges. Not wrong to look at upgrade your TV, but then the conversation is not about repair or replacement. It's repair or upgrades.
Even if a nicer 65" LED TV would cost around $800-900, paying $500 for repair still doesn't make sense.

 

[Mikado463]

$1700 and it didn't last 5 years ? Sad ...........

 

[BMXTRIX]

My old Samsung plasma died after about 10 years of use. I've seen TVs last a lot longer, and whatever is going on with my Samsung, I'm pretty sure is power related. In fact, I've seen a number of TVs in the last year (client's of mine) die due to power supply issues... or so it seems. The issue doesn't appear to be with the panels, or the backlights, but with the power supply and shoddy components used.

It is unfortunate that things like this happen. Even moreso when you get a proper higher-end display where the components should be built to at least a slightly better specification.

I would call it a day and upgrade. But, it's not an easy choice to make.

 

[Craig234]

$1700 and it didn't last 5 years ? Sad ...........

Took the words out of my mouth. I'm pretty disappointed in Sony. And that was a big bargain at the time.

 

[Craig234]

My old Samsung plasma died after about 10 years of use. I've seen TVs last a lot longer, and whatever is going on with my Samsung, I'm pretty sure is power related. In fact, I've seen a number of TVs in the last year (client's of mine) die due to power supply issues... or so it seems. The issue doesn't appear to be with the panels, or the backlights, but with the power supply and shoddy components used.

It is unfortunate that things like this happen. Even moreso when you get a proper higher-end display where the components should be built to at least a slightly better specification.

I would call it a day and upgrade. But, it's not an easy choice to make.

It's a good point. I can't rule that out, I have a cheap power supply, but it did work over 4 years without a problem; I have a PC on the same house system and it had no issue.

Back in the day of CRT monitors, I had an NEC that cost $2300 and I always left it on for years. One day, I decided to turn it off overnight. It broke, unrepairable, when I turned it back on.

You'd think they could add better protections in the units.

Haven't decided which way to go.

 

[Mikado463]

Took the words out of my mouth. I'm pretty disappointed in Sony. And that was a big bargain at the time.

I hear ya, while back in the day my 27" Trinitron was flawless for the 17 years I had it. As for their audio gear unless it's got 'ES' attached to it it's junk in my book ......

 

[TLS Guy]

My old Samsung plasma died after about 10 years of use. I've seen TVs last a lot longer, and whatever is going on with my Samsung, I'm pretty sure is power related. In fact, I've seen a number of TVs in the last year (client's of mine) die due to power supply issues... or so it seems. The issue doesn't appear to be with the panels, or the backlights, but with the power supply and shoddy components used.

It is unfortunate that things like this happen. Even moreso when you get a proper higher-end display where the components should be built to at least a slightly better specification.

I would call it a day and upgrade. But, it's not an easy choice to make.

I replaced a power supply board in a Samsung plasma TV for friends of ours a few years back. I used a refurb board not from Samsung, it was very reasonably priced and still working. These TVs were known for this. I suspect the refurb had better quality components.

 

[rsharp]

Agree with others that with no guarantee of a fix after spending $500, it would be better to sink that money into a new TV (and to start with a new warranty).

Hopefully it was a fluke and not the case where we can no longer expect TVs to last.

Currently entering year 14 in using our Pioneer plasma and considering a Sony (mini LED) as its replacement. Prior to the plasma, we had a Pioneer rear-projection unit. That had died at the 9 year mark.

 

[Out-Of-Phase]

Get a new TV.

These days, technology is high and prices are low.

I don't even want to think what I spent on my TV back in 2010. It still works, but back then I paid a lot.

 

[TLS Guy]

Agree with others that with no guarantee of a fix after spending $500, it would be better to sink that money into a new TV (and to start with a new warranty).

Hopefully it was a fluke and not the case where we can no longer expect TVs to last.

Currently entering year 14 in using our Pioneer plasma and considering a Sony (mini LED) as its replacement. Prior to the plasma, we had a Pioneer rear-projection unit. That had died at the 9 year mark.

If you replace a plasma TV then you need to go with OLED or you will notice a very significant downgrade. OLED is the only technology comparable to the Plasma.

 

[rsharp]

If you replace a plasma TV then you need to go with OLED or you will notice a very significant downgrade. OLED is the only technology comparable the Plasma.

Actually, I don't want OLED at all. The automatic dimming would drive me insane.

While I won't get the deep blacks, the mini LED panels do quite nice. And they will definitely be brighter for our room. So I'm seeing more pros than cons.

For now, it's much too expensive to go with micro LED which would also provide deep blacks. Hopefully the next TV beyond the plasma's replacement can be micro LED.

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

If you replace a plasma TV, then you need to go with OLED, or you will notice a very significant downgrade. OLED is the only technology comparable the Plasma.

With high-end QLED panels, the drop in contrast and motion should be minor, but QLED 4k and HDR would provide a much better image overall vs. (likely smaller) plasma screen. OLED offers the best contrast, no argument, but it suffers from lower brightness and high prices. As Rsharp mentioned, hopefully, mini-LED would give the best overall PQ and ideally shrink in price.

 

[TLS Guy]

Actually, I don't want OLED at all. The automatic dimming would drive me insane.

While I won't get the deep blacks, the mini LED panels do quite nice. And they will definitely be brighter for our room. So I'm seeing more pros than cons.

For now, it's much too expensive to go with micro LED which would also provide deep blacks. Hopefully the next TV beyond the plasma's replacement can be micro LED.

I have not noticed any automatic dimming, except if you leave a stationary image on the screen, over a certain length of time. I have noted zero dimming on program.

I do NOT like bright screens. I find the OLED screen has the ability to reproduce muted shades just like the plasmas, and I still have two of those.. I can't stand LED TVs.

 

[Craig234]

I don't even want to think what I spent on my TV back in 2010. It still works, but back then I paid a lot.

I got my first flat-screen, also 65", back then. The going price was $5000 but I bought a lesser brand 1080p off Woot sight unseen for $2000. It worked out fine until it too broke.

I'd actually bought a 40" *CRT* Sony that weighed 300 or 350 pounds, thinking 'wow what a big CRT, that's nice' but held off having it delivered. Luckily, I changed my mind when I saw the Woot offer and refunded the Sony.

I think I remember seeing the earliest 1080P flat-screen about 42" for $10,000.

 

[Craig234]

Agree with others that with no guarantee of a fix after spending $500, it would be better to sink that money into a new TV (and to start with a new warranty).

Well, it is a guarantee of a fix in that if it doesn't fix it, it will only cost me an additional $55 to find out. But no warranty after that. I asked Sony if they have any 'loyalty program' after this problem, none.

 

[highfigh]

I bought a Sony XBR-930E 65" I think in 2017. It just broke. A repairman today said both the boards are out and need to be replaced. He can't tell if the display is working.

The option is to spend $500 on new boards and hope the display is ok. He says about 30% of the time the display won't work. If not, it will only cost me $100 and I replace the TV.

My question is, advice between spending that money to try to repair it, versus buying a new one.

I'd like to decide quickly and am wondering what informed people suggest.

If he can't tell if the display is working, turn it on and shine a flashlight on the screen, at a low angle- if you see the images and text, it means the back/side lighting isn't working and that's a much less expensive repair.