Modern TV Build Quality

Imperial926

I have just had a 7 year-old Panasonic TV fail suddenly. After checking out the TV myself I took it to a repair shop who, like me, couldn't source the suspected parts that needed replacing.

Conversations at John Lewis do not convince me that TV build quality is very good at present. TVs may come with great screens and features but they're not built to last. I received no assurance that a £2000 TV was any more reliable than a £500 one.

What do others think? Am I being too critical? What about right to repair and parts availability? My TV was fine until it stopped - 4K and HDR and a pleasing design. 

I don't like the LG remotes and the £500 Samsung models have cheap, tacky looking ones that are far less well made compared to my dead Panasonic.

At the moment we have just decided not to replace the TV until we find something decent.

Marvqn1

Is your 7 year-old Panasonic TV a Vestal? For years, many entry-level Panasonic TVs are Vestal sets that are re-badged and not produced by Panasonic.

victor2

They don't make 'em like they used to....

TVs, modern appliances etc. are made to a lifespan, and the manufacturers, either in China or using Chinese made parts, are very good at making items that will generally last x years, where x is the warranty period (plus about 10%).

That's my experience anyway!

Krakkkers

All things are fine before they stop, how old are you as TVs used to be so unreliable that people would just rent them.

Cornucopia

Just get your TV from John Lewis or Richer Sounds.   Both have a long warranty (5 years at least) that is included with the product purchase.

I had the need to get my Richer Sounds LG TV repaired.  They came out to do the work, it was free of charge and it's been fine ever since.

Getting a long warranty almost gives you two goes at the TV's designed obsolescence lifespan.  

Neil_Jones

Krakkkers said:

All things are fine before they stop, how old are you as TVs used to be so unreliable that people would just rent them.

Well that and the fact TVs used to be so expensive it was cheaper to rent them rather than buy them.  That's what Radio Rentals was for.  But eventually the price of this stuff became so cheap it made no sense to continue to rent when it was more economical to just buy one outright.

As to the OP, well modern TVs are built down to a price, rather than up to a standard.  Economy of scale and all.  Unfortunately I feel that if you don't like whats on offer you won't have a lot of choice, as there are only really a handful of "real" manufacturers of TVs these days - Samsung, LG, possibly Philips and Vestel - who "make" every other brand on the market, including Panasonic, which initially farmed TV operations off to Vestel, bought it back, and then sold part of it back to them.

Krakkkers

I saw a 50 inch Sharp TV in Asda today for £289, at that price if it only lasts 5 years can you really complain?
My last 3 TVs have been a rear projection, a plasma and now an OLED so my TVs have lasted long enough to take me to the next technology.
My rear projection caught fire and my plasma used about 400w and could heat the room, my current TV a 55 inch Samsung is about 6 years old now and only uses about 100w, they just get cheaper and better.
I have a Morphy Richards 3kw convector heater which is still going strong after 58 years. 

DullGreyGuy

Krakkkers said:

My last 3 TVs have been a rear projection, a plasma and now an OLED so my TVs have lasted long enough to take me to the next technology.

Never knew anyone in the UK with a rear projection TV!

Imperial926 said:

I have just had a 7 year-old Panasonic TV fail suddenly. After checking out the TV myself I took it to a repair shop who, like me, couldn't source the suspected parts that needed replacing.

Conversations at John Lewis do not convince me that TV build quality is very good at present. TVs may come with great screens and features but they're not built to last. I received no assurance that a £2000 TV was any more reliable than a £500 one.

What do others think? Am I being too critical? What about right to repair and parts availability? My TV was fine until it stopped - 4K and HDR and a pleasing design. 

Our LGTV lasted 6 years before being hit by a flying object damaging the screen; can't really blame LG for that one!

When talking prices of TV you really need to consider the screen size too and features. An increase in price can be because you're looking at a bigger screen, because you're looking at better materials or you are introducing bleeding edge technologies. Only one of those could you reasonably expect to increase durability. 

You don't have a right to repair, for new goods since 2021 certain parts must be available for 7 years after a product is discontinued (for items other than TVs some parts are 10 years) but not all parts and for TVs, most of the parts only have to be available to professional fitters. Similarly the law doesn't give any rules around pricing of parts so yes Panasonic have to make sure the internal  power supply in new TVs will be available for 7 years to professional installers but they could charge £10k for it. 

As to remotes... you spend much more time looking at your screen than you do holding the remote. Plenty of other remotes will also control your TV... both our Sky and AppleTV remotes will trigger the TV to turn on, turn to the right input and the remote controls the volume. Couldn't even tell you what our LG remote looked like as its away in a cupboard somewhere. 

brewerdave

Krakkkers said:

All things are fine before they stop, how old are you as TVs used to be so unreliable that people would just rent them.

I rented a TV for several years when I first bought a house in the late 70s. Can remember having to call out the repair guy at least once a year to replace a valve (or something!!).
As a contrast I have a 12 year old Samsung plasma set and a 13 year old LCD TV still in use (and never needing repairs)

victor2

Fond memories of having to wait for the TV to warm up after you switched it on.

Detail_Merchant

I've kept track of the TVs I've bought over the last 3 decades:

1994-02  NEI 2891TX           CRT 4:3  28"  £449.99

2003-01  Philips 32PW6006     CRT WS   32"  £490.46

2009-07  Panasonic TX37LZD81  LCD FHD  37"  £464.96

2019-12  LG 43UM7400PLB       LED UHD  43"  £314.00

Each subsequent TV bought because the previous one was no longer working and couldn't be repaired.
So that's 9 years, 6½ years, 10 years lifetime, so far.
Maybe even further back they used to last longer?
But my experience has been that they last the best part of a decade.
Each time I have had to buy a new one, I have got an upgrade of technology, and a slightly bigger size.