TV Broken - Does anyone get them fixed now?

After eight years good service, my modest JVC 25" TV gas given up the fight.

It started with occasional bouts of crackling and hissing which became longer and more frequent to the point where it now doesn't work at all.

I don't watch an awful lot of TV (or a lot of awful TV!) so I've no great interest in widescreen, surround sound etc. - just something that let's me watch the news, sport and the occasional film.

Part of me welcomes the opportunity to upgrade to something more contemporary, but the traditionalist in me remembers the time when the TV repair man would be called out in these circumstances to carry out the necessary repairs. There's also the environmental consideration of dumping something unnecessarily.

I'm aware, however, that a lot of products manufactured these days have built-in obsolence.

Is my TV worth getting repaired or am I just deluding myself?

a lot of products manufactured these days have built-in obsolence

Click to expand...

Very true. But if you decide to 'upgrade' (?), Lidl are knocking out a 28" telly next Thursday with a 3-year guarantee - see thread. That's probably about half the price you paid for your JVC 25" eight years ago (or even less, in real terms...) You can get standard 21" sets for under e200 from Argos, etc., but if you're used to a bigger screen, why not keep it that way for the sake of e70 more? A 3-year 'extended warranty' from anywhere else would cost you as much.

Otherwise, see thread.

repairs

Biggles,

I empathise with your situation. My own old fashioned 28" tv developed a problem with the picture. I thought to myself, oh no, a few hundred now to replace.

When looking at the bewildering array of sets in a showroom, I went though all the spiel with the salesman. When we'd finished, I thought to ask at the service desk about the old TV.

I described the symptoms (picture tightening in the middle) I was told it was easily fixed and would cost about €80. So that's what I did. I still have to collect it though so hopefully it will be ok for another couple of years, perhaps until digital becomes less confusing for mere mortals like myself.

I would say though that paying any more than €80 to €100 on that type of aging tv would not be a smart idea given how relatively cheap new sets are and how relatively expensive labour for repairs is.

Got my 21" CRT Grundig TV fixed recently for €130. So there still are a few of us die-hards out there getting TVs fixed.

Extended warranties are of course a con that should be avoided. Do look for products with long extended warranties as they'll have good mean time between failures but don't actually buy the warranty.

Re: TV Broken

Slightly off the point but where do people dispose of TV's (and appliances in general - washing machines, driers, microwaves etc.)? Is the retailer obliged to accept return of these items?
(apologies if this query has been posted in another thread).

Logo

Re: TV Broken

Hi Logo

I'm suspect you have to dump them yourself unless the retailer (of a new one you might purchase) agrees to take it off your hand.

Your query raises an intersting point though. The pay-by-weight system of waste collection means that even if you could fit a TV, etc into your bin, you're paying 20 cents per Kg to dispose of it.

This supports the economic argument for fixing an appliance while also encouraging people to recycle/reuse and to move away from the "disposable as a first option".

Wouldn't be a bad thing I suppose (although I do like those LCDS!)

Re: TV Broken

Rang my local man from yellow pages

He was fairly straight about it...€30 to have a look and then what it would cost to fix it. I suspect minimum for any repair would be 50-100. This brings new set firmly into the
picture (grooaaan). With two other portables in the house no rush though

On disposal bring centres should be required by EU law to take many white appliances for free, I don't think this includeds TV but in D.15 they take pretty much anything for a €5 at the bring centre, alternative i suppose is to disassemble an put in bin for a bit less

repair successful

To complete the circle, collected my repaired TV this week. It cost €60.
The picture is fine again.
So far, so good.
I'll expect a couple more years out of it now.