Archive through October 24, 2008
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 11 Registered: Sep-07 | Erik try contacting Tri-State Module they repair blocks. http://www.tristatemodule.com/html/light_engines.html TOLL-FREE: 800.203.7484 |
|
New member Post Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | Bob did you simply clean the blue lcd or did you replace the whole optical block? |
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 12 Registered: Sep-07 | I replaced the whole optical block, bought it from Sony USA $668.00. Sony Canada wanted $1800.00 and $400.00 for the core. My core was damaged by UPS when I sent it to Tri-state and the insurance paid me $475.00 so the block actually cost me $193.00 out of pocket. By the way Sony replaced my TV with a new one complete with stand and 5 year warranty for $340.00 and let me keep the old one and now it's perfect.(but for how long?) the lcd can't be cleaned it actually looks like a burnt haze. If you can get the lcd alone you will be way ahead of the game, and replacing it is very easy. You will have a little trouble getting the 3 screws out (because of the heat damage) but no adjustments will be necessary.try this phone # for the part you need.I had no luck but the price worked out in the end. Call 1-800-488-SONY (7669) |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Hey, I was looking on Craigslist for a TV and I came across a Sony KDF42WE655 with the dreaded "blue blob" problem. It is listed for $350. The ad showed the pictures of the blue stars and a wider picture of the full screen. The blue blob doesnt seem to have an effect on the overall picture. I became interested and researched and came to this forum. I also came across this: "Models: KDF-42WE655, KDF-50WE655, KDF-55WF655, KDF-60WF655, KDF-55XS955, KDF-60XS955, KF-42WE620, and KF-50WE620 As technology evolves, Sony continually looks to stand behind the reliability of its televisions. It has come to our attention that a limited number of Grand WEGA rear projection televisions (models listed above), after a period of time, exhibit blue dot or star pattern on the screen. In addition, for any customer who later experiences this issue on one of the affected models, Sony will cover the cost of the optical block repair (parts and labor) at no charge through December 31, 2008. All other terms of the Sony limited warranty continue to apply. Sony utilizes a network of hundreds of qualified independent third-party servicers to perform in-home television warranty service. Sony, through its authorized servicer network, will endeavor to repair your set within 30 days of your first contact. For diagnosis, warranty service, or if you are not provided a repair within 30 days, please contact Sony at (888) 649-7669." This may be an extremely dumb question, but to get the above deal, would it still need to be covered under a warranty? I know it sounds too good to be true, but could I buy this TV and get it repaired for free? Here are the pictures that were on the craigslisting.   |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 118 Registered: Jun-07 | From everything I know of the blob problem and the part(s) it affects, and having seen the damaged LCD myself, it seems like simply replacing the damaged LCD and CAREFULLY cleaning the OB per the instructions on Steve Linke's site, would be the best and cheapest course of action. Provided of course that it's done by someone mechanically inclined and technically competetent. Any person capable of replacing their own OB though should certainly be able to replace the affected LCD in their OB. So it comes down to whether or not the damaged LCDs can be obtained (stands to reason they should), finding out what their part #s are depending on which OB your set uses (you can find a list of OB models on Steve's site), and finding out who sells them (presumably just Sony). Not sure how much luck anybody is going to have trying to get the part #s from Sony though, might have better luck getting them from Tri-State since they clearly are purchasing them to refurbish the OBs. It would be most helpful if somebody could find out the part #s of all the LCDs for all the OBs used in the Sony RP TVs (I believe there are only about a dozen different OBs), and provide that information to Steve so he can add it to his site. Alternatively, if someone could at least find out the part # of the LCD which is closest to the heat source on each of the OBs that should be sufficient to help most people. I'm keenly interested to see feedback from anybody that successfully repairs their own OB which suffers from the blob problem, and also to find out how the repairs fare over time. Will it last as long as a new OB, or even as long as a refurbished OB? Will the other LCDs a little further from the heat source start to develop the haze on the LCD before the replaced LCD goes bad again? Nobody really knows if the other LCDs will ever eventually go bad as well, because everybody either replaces their bad OB after the LCD closest to the light source fails, or they junk their TV. Considering how much these TVs cost originally and how many people purchased them, we should all do everything we can to help find a way to inexpensively, if not effortlessly, extend their lifespan for as long as possible. For the green minded folks out there, we should do it simply to avoid having the parts from 10s of thousands of these things wind up in landfills. |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 119 Registered: Jun-07 | Drew, Any of the qualifying model #s listed on the Sony website will be repaired for free regardless of who owns them or the status of the original warranty, provided it suffers from the blob problem. HOWEVER, if the owner has made a deal with Sony to receive a new TV and they have removed the serial # from the back of the TV as part of the process, it CANNOT be repaired for free. I expect we'll see more of these TVs coming up for sale cheap as people follow instructions such as we've posted here to obtain a new LCD TV from Sony at a greatly reduced price. If the owner isn't aware of the extended warranty on the OBs, yes you could purchase it and have it repaired for free. Personally, just as I've spent scores of hours on this board trying to help people suffering from this problem, I would ask the seller if they were aware of the extended warranty. In fact, you're going to have to do that anyway in order to determine if they've used this TV as leverage to obtain a new TV from Sony, and signed away their rights to have it repaired for free. |
|
New member Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | Eric, thank you so much for your help. I set up an appointment to go see the TV tomorrow morning, and while I'm there I will make sure to see they have not removed the serial number from the back. Could someone direct me where to look for the serial number sticker? |
|
New member Post Number: 4 Registered: Sep-08 | Bob sony did the same for me, actually my new TV arrives tomorrow morning. Did you send your optical block to tri-state because it was damaged in shipping? I'm just wondering why you would send it to them if it was new? Also I plan to send my optical block to them in exchange for a rebuilt one, I am removing it Thursday(I am going to video the process, for anyone interested). Bob, do you have any tips for removing or putting it back in to prevent it from becoming dis aligned. I read about the screws that move the shim, I'm just curious if you could do anything to prevent it, or if you adjusted it while the TV was on? I really appreciate the help everyone has given and I will do my best to find a part number for the blue LCD when I remove the block on Thursday. Like I said I am going to video the entire process and will probably post it on demonoid or mininova. I am using a Sony hd camcorder so the entire thing will be in 1080p, so I hope it will help others as much as Bobs photos helped me. Bob if you have any other advice before Thursday i'm all ears. |
|
New member Post Number: 7 Registered: Dec-07 | Eric~ thank you so much for your response to my query! I went to the site, but I could only find the limited warranty copy. This tv was originally purchased June 2004, tv manufactured date is April 2004. Luckily, the original buyer purchased the extended warranty,so if there is a way to find the extended warranty info, that would be great. My tv just started a transparent blue haze down at the bottom of the tv,sometimes, it is hardly noticable, other times, it covers a 5 inch span bottom to top and probably is about 8 to 10 inches on the horizontal.It does not interfere when I watch movies with letterboxing,which is the whole reason I purchased the tv, to watch movies with my son. Anyway,if you can tell me how to find the info for the extended 5 yr warranty, that would be great! Thanks so much! |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 120 Registered: Jun-07 | Sheree, Sorry, I definitely misunderstood you, I thought you were looking for the original manufacturer's warranties for all model Sony TVs. Unfortunately, extended warranties are sold by various companies and it's a private transaction between a company and an individual, there is no record of this transaction stored online which is accessible to the public at large. The extended warranty is tied to the serial # though, so if you know who the warranty was purchased from, such as directly from Sony, then I would think that you would be able to call them and let them know you can provide the serial #, but that you don't have the policy # for the extended warranty. The good news is that there are only a few major sellers of extended warranties, so as long as it can be retrieved by providing the serial #, you should be able to track it down. You might also need to know the name of the original purchaser. Some companies that sell extended warranties, in addition to Sony themselves, are: Mack, Warrantech, and Repair Master. Good luck |
|
New member Post Number: 8 Registered: Dec-07 | One more ?...I did see that my model,KF-42WE610 is covered under the new warranty that Sony issued recently, isn't it? I mean, I know my extended warranty that is good til June '09, but I absolutely cannot,no way afford to spend ANY money toward a new tv, no matter how good the deal is they offer,...I would need to either have them repair it at NO charge, or just plain send me a new tv ...at no charge..I am a single mom,no help from the ex with child support and no funds available to replace this tv...very frustrating! |
|
New member Post Number: 9 Registered: Dec-07 | Oh, gah! I am not doing a good job of making myself clear on the warranty issue,sorry,Eric! I do have the policy number,as I had purchased the unit from a guy on craigslist last Oct.I got ahold of the company who took over the warranties from Good Guys!,which is whom the original buyer purchased it from. I paid them(the new warranty holders) 10.00 to transfer the warranty in my name and got the new policy number that was issued to me.I asked them to send me a copy of the warranty but they never sent it to me.The company carrying the Good Guys! warranties now is GE.Should I push it with them to send me a copy of the extended warranty plan? |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 121 Registered: Jun-07 | Sheree, Oh, yeah, I definitely wasn't understanding what your ultimate goal was. First off, I'm sorry to tell you that your TV is NOT covered under the limited extended warranty that Sony issued pertaining to the blob problem. They didn't extend the warranty back far enough to include the series of TVs produced in 2003 and early 2004. It's not because they didn't suffer from the same defect, but rather by the time the issue was brought to light, those TVs were already 3 to 4 years old and Sony decided they weren't going to repair TVs that old for free. That isn't necessarily their "official" stance, but that's essentially what it comes down to. You're going to either have to obtain service through your extended warranty, or else bite the bullet and spend some money. From what you wrote, the latter isn't an option so you're going to have to move full steam ahead with exercising the purchased extended warranty. However, I really don't think you'll need a hard copy of the warranty to obtain service. I would think it would be sufficient to provide your policy # to Sony and the contact information for the warranty provider. I'm quite sure the extended warranty will cover this problem, so you don't need a copy of it to determine that for yourself. That said, I definitely would push to get a copy of it sent to me if I were you, whether it's electronically or physically, so as to avoid any future problems with warranty service. |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Just wanted to add my experience with a KDF50WE655 purchased January 2005, blobs everywhere, called Sony this morning, gave them my sn and model number, talked with a level one support person that transferred me to an NSP person who offered me three models at a discount, went with the KDL52W4100 at the price last listed above. No technical service visit needed. Pulled the serial number sticker and mailed it in before I left for work. Expecting the new unit in a couple of weeks. Thanks to this board I am not stuck with this expensive RPTV forever with splotches everywhere. The rep I talked to steered me away from repair, not that I was considering replacing one defective OB with another that would fail similarly over time. We have been very light users of this TV and I would have been sad had I waited until after the OB warranty extension had expired to pursue remedy. |
|
New member Post Number: 5 Registered: Sep-08 | LCD module update: Called Sony and a new OB will set you back $623. ALSO call Tri-State and they refuse to sell the LCD panel by itself. Guess they make most of their money servicing TV modules and other pricey parts but probably don't want to cut their revenues by allowing others to service their own. I also asked if they could tell me the manufacturer of the LCD panel and they did not know(or would not tell). C |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 122 Registered: Jun-07 | Not at all surprised Tri-State didn't want to sell the LCD panels, didn't even think that would be an option, but figured they might at least be helpful in pointing out who manufacturers them and possibly with a Sony part #. Oh well, will have to try to find out from Sony apparently. Seems to me a person should be able to purchase any replacement part for their television. |
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 13 Registered: Sep-07 | I made the same calls and got nowhere. The part is worth about $15.00 dollars but these companies must protect there jobs. Eric did you receive the lcd yet? Regards Bob |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | I purchased a kf60we610 Jan of 04 and I have developed the blue star pattern. I sent a letter to the ERC and they did get back to me. They offered to replace the unit with the KDL-52V4100 for $1680.00 plus tax, plus shipping. Based off what others have been offered I was a bit surprised to say the least. Has anyone had any success in small claims court ? Is it worth small claims ? Should I just take their $400 offer and at least be happy they are doing ANYTHING ? advice .... |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 123 Registered: Jun-07 | Bob, Yes I did receive it, thank you for sending it to me. Your later pics you posted were much better so I wasn't able to determine much more about it by physically looking at it, but it was interesting to get a good look at it first hand. Robert, I would expect you to be offered less than most because of your model year that you own, so I'm not surprised it's less than the others. That said, I think that's a pretty lousy offer for a 60" RPTV you purchased 4 years ago, especially since you have to drop down to a 52" TV. I haven't seen anybody take their case to small claims yet, simply because Sony has made reasonable offers in almost every case. However, I've been to small claims and this case is a winner all day long with all the evidence available to back it up. I believe you'll certainly do better than that offer if you go to small claims, and it's extremely easy to do. I think they'll come back with a better offer though before it gets into court if you seriously pursue it. You're not going to get one quite as good as people with more recent models, but I think an offer of $1200 or so would have been much more appropriate and I'm sure you'd do at least that well in small claims. |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Hi all, I'm proud to say I'm a new member to the forum and the information here has been instrumental in my case with Sony! I have a kdf-42we655, manf Jan 2005, and it has blobs and a nice pretty pink haze in the center. In any case, I've been waiting for the right time to call in again for repairs. Having heard over the past several months about OB warranty being hit or miss depending on the SPECIFIC problem I opted to wait until Sony realized the scope of the problem. Fortunately today it seems that enough complaints have surfaced for them to honor the OB repair in my case. Sony gave me the same options that everyone else got. Since I have a 42inch model they gave me pricing for 42 and 46 inch LCD flat panels. Incidentally the 42 to 46 inch models had a special purchase price between $330 and $390. I asked them if they would consider offering me the special discount for the 52 inch KDL52W4100. They quoted me the price of $843. So I opted for the larger TV. So bottom line - for folks who have yet to put a call into NSP - you may have more options than the models that they recommend. I figured since I had a 42 inch they would credit me LESS if I purchased a larger TV or not even offer a larger TV at all. But that's not the case, and I'm very lucky! In fact, you folks with the 50+ inch rear projection LCD's may also be eligable for purchasing the smaller 42 or 46 inch models at a much better price. However, I did ask if they are offering the brand new XBR models at a special offer price and they said no.  Anyway, I sent my serial number sticker in to them on a 8.5 x 11 piece of paper. I'm very happy to see Sony committed to quality and keeping the consumer happy. I think I will also get the extended warranty. One last thing, I MAY HAVE SOMETHING OF INTEREST to those of you who have yet to contact Sony for repairs. I contacted Sony last July and they started a ticket for my repairs and then referred me to a couple local repair centers. I called one of the repair centers and insisted that they first get confirmation about the warranty coverage for my OB issue before they make a visit. The visit itself is about $95. They agreed to do this over the phone, so I described the symptoms to them and they faxed the info to Sony. The next day Sony contacted me to discuss my "options". Unfortunately Sony may have inadvertently undermined the local service center but it saved me $95. The service center left a message for me saying that Sony would be contacting me directly to discuss some options but they REFUSED to tell my local service center what those options were! So, my recommendation to folks is to find a local authorized Sony repair center that will handle this matter without conducting a visit.  |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Hello everyone, I am a new member to this forum. I happen to own a Sony KDF-42WE655 as well. The problem with my set seems to be a type of purple (or pink?) "fingerprinting" that is noticeable on scenes w/white backgrounds. I have read and seen many forums where the optical block is mentioned as the problem, but it seems that my t.v. problem is not covered by Sony. Any ideas on what I can do? |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 124 Registered: Jun-07 | Rigo, The fingerprint issue is a moderately common one, caused by dust or contaminants inside the optical block. This usually only occurs when the set is used in an overly dusty environment or in location where there is a lot of smoking. Search this site for keywords such as "fingerprint" + "optical block" and you'll find plenty of information on it, as well as the cure, which involves carefully cleaning the optical block. The only other solution is to replace the optical block which is expensive, but typically only a proper cleaning is required. Steve Linke might have information about this on his website, he certainly has the info on how to remove and gain access to the optical block there. Here's the link to his site: http://splinke.googlepages.com/sonyrearprojectionlcdtv-opticalblock. Good luck |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Hi, everyone. New poster, lurking for a few weeks while we try to figure out how to handle the blue blob on our KF60WE610. I've read the last 200 posts of this thread (and some older), and feel like I have a pretty good handle on what's going on, but our situation seems to be uncharted territory. Our model was in the 6-month window that expired June 30. I find it beyond ridiculous that since we apparently watch "too little" TV (not true, trust me!) and/or take care of our TV too well (well-dusted, well-ventilated, no smokers), our TV clearly lasted too long since we, well...didn't get the memo on the OB situation until it reared its ugly little head on *our* TV. We have no desire to replace the OB (thank you, Eric), and hope to get a great offer on a TV that's much smaller than what we're used to from a company we no longer have warm and fuzzy feelings for (due to pathetic customer service from various employees on the phone regarding this issue). In other words, we don't really want a 52" TV (KDL52W4100), but feel that's our best option to ask for. Do you agree that might be easier to get than the free repair? The last person I spoke with on the phone was a supervisor who told me I did *NOT* need a technician to see the TV before I wrote to the ERC. (And yes, I have his code name and the date and exact time of the call.) This was his response after I repeatedly pointed out the ridiculousness of them basing this warranty extension on time rather than usage hours. I haven't seen anyone else say the tech visit was optional, and am concerned about how to write the letter most effectively. I'm the squeakiest wheel you'll ever meet, but I want to get this resolved quickly. If a tech visit *is* required, it'll run us $125-130 and they'll have our TV for a week, as no service center gave us any other option. Based on my own personal experience on the phone with Sony so far, this should be a case study in business school for how to NOT provide good customer service. Earlier this year, we had a Canon camera fail (a humidity issue). We found it would be fixed for free (and no "window" of opportunity to be missed, either). Free shipping both ways, but when we got it back, instead of our four-year-old outdated camera, we received the updated version of our model (NOT a refurb), which cost a lot more and had tons of great features. I will buy Canon for life because of that experience. If anyone has comments/suggestions/etc., please post or PM. Thanks for reading. |
|
New member Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | Thanks Eric. I had seen Steve Linke's website before. My worry though is that I may not be able to put my set back together after attempting to clean the optical block. I did talk to Sony about the problem, and was given a reference # to give to an authorized repair service, but they told me that I would probably end up paying around $100.00 for the person to tell me how much it would cost for the parts and labor to replace the block. Is there any service out there that just cleans the optical block, or am I stuck paying for the expensive replacement? |
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 14 Registered: Sep-07 | what city are you in? If Toronto I could give you a hand.But it will cost you a beer! |
|
New member Post Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | I'd give you a case! However, I'm in Southern California. |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 125 Registered: Jun-07 | Alli, It is true that you do not need a service call first before you write a letter to the ERC, it's a free country and anybody can write a letter . You would however need a service call first before any free or discounted repair would be authorized because they'll want confirmation from a trusted source that you truly suffer from the blue blob OB problem. I believe Sony is at the point though where they're willing to put anybody with an A10 or WF655 series TV into an LCD at a greatly reduced price without even haggling or requiring proof that your TV is broken. They know full well that it's GOING to fail if it hasn't already, so if they get contacted from an owner who thinks they have this problem, that's good enough for them to offer an exchange (though you get to keep the worthless TV). I know it sucks having to downsize your TV, but there really isn't any other option if you want to get something out of this unfortunate situation. It was bad enough going from a 55 to a 52 for me, I'm sure going from a 60 to a 52 is going to be unpleasant unless it was too big for your room to begin with. I HIGHLY recommend going with the W series TV with the 120Hz refresh rate, you'll never want a TV with a 60Hz refresh after you've owned a 120. Besides, the W series TV is a better deal considering how much more it normally sells for than the V series they're offering. So my suggestion is to go ahead and write the letter to the ERC in the manner which has been describe on this site, and take the offer that they give you on the W series TV. Good luck, let us know what happens. |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 127 Registered: Jun-07 | Rigo, I hear ya, the procedure for cleaning the OB to try and resolve the fingerprint problem isn't one to be taken on lightly. I'm unaware of any company or service that will clean the OB and I don't believe you'll have any success there. That really only leaves you with the option of trying to do this yourself or replacing the OB with a refurbished or new one. You can at least probably replace it yourself since that's easier than cleaning the OB, and you can get a refurbished one for $375, so that's your next best option. Good luck |
|
New member Post Number: 4 Registered: Sep-08 | Thanks Eric. You have given me more options to work with. I may give try to clean the OB first, and if that fails I'll try to purchase a refurbished one. What have I got to lose, right? I appreciate all your help with this. |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 128 Registered: Jun-07 | No problem, sorry there aren't better options other than doing it yourself or spending a lot of money. You can find the link on Steve Linke's website to purchase refurbished OBs if you decide to go that route. You'll need to send yours in to them if you want to get the $375 price. |
|
New member Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | Thank you so much, Eric. A few additional questions: You said the service call would be required for repair, but didn't mention if it would be for the discounted new TV offer. Is that the case then, as well? Just wanted to clarify. Wouldn't photos be enough to prove the blob is there? Printed or via e-mail, it's pretty obvious (layperson's view after reading for a few weeks). We included three photos as well as receipt and picture of serial number in our letter. You mentioned the A10 and WF655 series being the ones that Sony seems to be haggling less about. Am I missing something about my model number? I didn't think mine was in that group (but then I'm a *tired* layperson by now!). We're in complete agreement about the 120Hz - "no brainer" comes to mind. :-) We really have no idea if we'll keep this as our "main" TV. My husband looked at it today (although it was "up high") and he said, "Boy, it's little." We can watch the 60" from a very comfortable 25' away (kitchen) and still read everything, and the sofas are far enough away for comfortable viewing. Enough...you can tell I'm not thrilled about this part of the equation! :-) We finished the letter tonight, and of course will post with any updates. Thank you again to everyone. This site is an invaluable resource. |
|
New member Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | Rigo, My KDF-42WE655 has the same pink spots/smudges. Sony also told me that is not in warranty. However, two months later in a conversation I had with my local Sony authorized service center I complained that the smudges/spots appeared blue and voila! The repair is under warranty! My temporary color blindness helped. This is a very IMPORTANT POINT FOR ANYONE else looking for WARRANTY repairs from Sony for optical block issues - be sure to *specifically* describe the issue as "blue spots". It worked for me. Now, on the other hand there appear to be more than one KDF-42WE655 with a developing pink spot or smudge in the screen. Perhaps Sony will eventually recognize this as a known OB issue that is under warranty. The pink on a white bright background is highly noticeable. Also, I can see at least a dozen other subtle ones developing. The fact of the matter is it is very distracting but is tolerable compared to other OB defects with visual evidence of much more serious effects. In all honesty if I took a picture of the pink spot it would be difficult to notice. Anyway, I'm looking forward to receiving my new Bravia replacement thanks to my determination. It might just work if you give Sony a call back and desribe the issue differently. Or you can take my route and engage a local authorized repair center to confirm your issue BY PHONE. Good luck! |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | I am having some serious issues dealing with Sony regarding my Sony Grand Wega KF60WE610 60 inch. I am working with someone to resolve the issue, however, they want me to pay the technician charge to look at the tv. They want me to come out of $110 just so they can come and tell me that I have the Optical Block problem. I don't need them to tell me that as I already know that is the issue. With that in mind I created a website that is constantly being updated as i have time. Please take a look and post your Sony Horror Stories. My goal to make consumers aware of the customer service and quality issues. I am totally frustrated, I am out of warranty and the Sony Service Center's quote over the phone to fix the optical block is "over $1000"!!!! I just bought the tv 4 years ago for over $3200! I know it's 4 years old but that kind of investment should not become a huge paper weight in 4 years! Anyone have any input....my best course of action was to build a website and hope they would responsd....however the response I am receiving is frustrating.... please let me know any advice...i already went through the review board and that process...anyone heard of them replacing a TV? Thanks for any input....please help when you can or post it to my site as i will get the email: I am totally frustrated as I don't have the cash for the fix or am willing to pay the technician cost, it's the principle behind the fact..... Thanks} |
|
New member Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | I posted this message 8-10-2008 " purchased a kf60we610 Jan of 04 and I have developed the blue star pattern. I sent a letter to the ERC and they did get back to me. They offered to replace the unit with the KDL-52V4100 for $1680.00 plus tax, plus shipping. Based off what others have been offered I was a bit surprised to say the least. Has anyone had any success in small claims court ? Is it worth small claims ? Should I just take their $400 offer and at least be happy they are doing ANYTHING ? advice ...." Update : Sony did NOT require me to get someone to diagnose my problem I also filed a complaint with the BBB I also sent a letter via fed ex to the CEO I did not send them picture of the unit nor did they request any pictures. I have contacted a lawyer about pursuing a small claims case . I just still dont know if it is worth the time and energy. I may just have to resolve myself to be happy with the I will never buy sony product again and I will make sure I tell 100 of my best friends. Ironically I am the guy that people come to when they want advice on anything electronic to buy...... I always have the latest and greatest gadgets. |
|
New member Post Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | Corey and Rob I know your frustration. I called Sony in July and was given a firm answer stating that it is not in warranty and that a service technician would need to evaluate it for further consideration. I eventually called the service technician two months later and asked them to confirm my warranty coverage by phone w/o a visit. This worked for me and Sony is now giving me a special offer for replacement (KDL-52W4100 for $843). It seems that results vary for different folks. In fact, I see a post from "Jeff B" above in which he called Sony the first time, described the *specific* issue and was immediately transferred to NSP for a special offer. It is not a bad idea to make multiple calls and you might just get lucky. The phone number for NSP is 866-850-8673. They require a reference number which in my case was given to me when the service technician confirmed my OB problem with Sony. I suppose it might be worth your time calling NSP directly and asking if there are any options at this point. That said, I have yet to receive a follow up from Sony for my replacement but I did send my serial number and information to their NSP department last week. I trust that Sony will follow through with their promise. Otherwise I am stuck with a faulty HDTV and no warranty or serial number! I'm giving Sony the benefit of the doubt for now and once I have my new flat panel only then will I say I am a happy Sony customer. I WOULD REALLY like to know if anyone has RECEIVED their replacement TV from Sony's NSP special offer. If you have, please tell us your experience. |
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 77 Registered: May-07 | Keep in mind that offers for 2003 models are going to be substantially less than those for 2004 models. I think you will find more consistency in the offers within those model years--not that I necessarily think that is equitable. 2003 models: KF-42WE610, KF-50WE610, KF-60WE610, KDF-60XBR950, KDF-70XBR950 2004 models: KDF-42WE655, KDF-50WE655, KDF-55WF655, KDF-60WF655, KDF-55XS955, KDF-60XS955, KF-42WE620, KF-50WE620 |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 129 Registered: Jun-07 | As Steve and I have both pointed out recently, right or wrong the offer you're going to get for a 2003 or older RP TV is going to garner a substantially lower offer from Sony in terms of a credit towards a replacement TV. They also base it on the year of manufacture, not the date of when you purchased it, so even if you purchased a 2003 model in 2005 that was sitting in inventory somewhere, you're still going to get the same offer as someone else that purchased that TV in 2003 or 2004. Corey - I'm sorry but realistically there's no way you're going to get a free TV from Sony out of this. If you can't or won't accept the credit from Sony for your TV towards a new LCD, then IMO the two best solutions for you based on everything you've said are either to: A: Take the case to small claims court (cost is only the filing fee, which I think is like $20-$35), where this should be an easy win given the plethora of supporting evidence available on this issue. You could potentially get the full value of the set back in small claims, but it also might get pro-rated by the judge. I think any reasonable person would expect 10 years or more out of a big screen TV, so based on that I'd say you're looking at potentially an award of between $2000-$3200. That's enough to replace your TV with a decent sized LCD or plasma. Option B is to purchase a refurbished OB for $375, and replace the OB yourself using the instructions available on Steve Linke's site and one or two others. At that point, either keep using the TV, or sell it. I suspect you should be able to get around $1200-$1800 for a 60" Sony RPTV in perfect condition. You can set a reserve on eBay and hold out for whatever number you're looking for, and if you don't get it then just keep the TV or relist it and try again. Robert - Small claims is practically effortless. Simply spend the $20-$35 or so to file and walk in to court with the following: - A stack of complaints from other owners who suffer from the same problem, which you can easily find on this site - Knowledge and documentation of what the defect is, which is the OB itself and more specifically the LCD panel nearest the light source in the OB, which routinely fails and breaks down after around 7000-10000 hours of usage, roughly the life expectancy of one of the lamps. - Pictures of the failed LCD panels which can be found on this very page - A printout of Sony's extended warranty dated July 2007, which describes the nature of the problem You do not use lawyers in small claims courts so that's a non-issue and you won't have any expense there. Be sure to point out about the failure rate of the OBs being roughly equivalent to the replacement rate for the lamps. Between the two, owners would have to spend roughly $1700 P&L every 8000 hours or so of usage, which equates to between 1 to 3 years depending on usage. Personally I had to replace my OB every 11-13 months and I would have been on my 4th since mid 2005 if I hadn't chosen to exchange it for an LCD. Nobody in their right mind would think that spending $1700 every year on your TV is appropriate, especially considering many people didn't spend much more than that for the TV itself. Bottom line, there is MORE than enough information and documentation just on this site alone and even on this one page, for a person to bring a very strong case against Sony in small claims court. Of course, odds are Sony will settle with you before you actually go to court so as to avoid the hassle and tarnishing their reputation (which has already been severely tarnished by this whole thing). T Champ - The real difference is that in the last couple months since your first call, Sony has clearly adopted a policy that any RP owners can upgrade to an LCD at a greatly reduced price. Up until then it was totally hit and miss, and the only way people got an upgrade offer was to follow the steps outlined on this site for contacting the ERC, or if you happened to have a high level contact at Sony to grease the wheel. In response to your question, several people have received their replacement TVs and posted about it on this site recently, including myself. Sony has been very prompt and courteous with respect to this process, despite all their well documented failings with the handling of the OB issues. I love my new TV, I just wish it were as large as my original RPTV but 52" is as big as you can get, and I wish it had the memory stick media port. The lighter weight, smaller overall size, and 120Hz refresh rate make up for it though, along with several other minor features. I HIGHLY recommend the W series TV for anybody considering an exchange option, the 120Hz refresh makes a world of difference. |
|
New member Post Number: 10 Registered: Dec-07 | I know you guys keep saying that the KF-42WE610 is from Sonys 2003 series,but the sticker on the back of my tv is dated APRIL 2004.My extended warranty is good thru JUNE 2009.I have started getting the blue blob at the bottom middle of the screen which shows up on white and some lighter colors only. If something is in letterbox format, I cannot see it at all,which is great as I only watch my movies in widescreen anyway.It comes and goes,sometimes barely visible,other times it gets up a bit higher on the screen,however, it never seems to get any higher than about 2 inches.If anyone lives in the greater Seattle area, they are more than welcome to purchase this tv from me for what I paid for it on CL, and they could possibly get a new tv.I just do not have the time or financial means by which to jump thru the hoops or accept any "discounted" offers on a new tv from Sony.If anyone is interested,shoot me an email to shereecontreras@msn.com I am posting a couple of pics with the blue and how the tv looks with widescreen on,so you can see it does not affect movie viewing in that format. Thanks! |
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 11 Registered: Dec-07 | Well, I tried to post pics...but they did not show up...I will try this again. <img> <img> |
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 12 Registered: Dec-07 | Well, obviously I cannot figure out how to post a pic,sorry. But if anyone is interested in the tv,I can send a pic thru email. Thanks! |
|
New member Post Number: 6 Registered: Sep-08 | Just got my replacement W4100 and the picture is pretty nice BUT the sound is seriously lacking. The old 55WF was much better. The w4100 also plays weird tricks in displaying regular 4:3 images sometimes with black bars all around....screwy. Although off axis viewing is much better, I will definitely get the old girl fixed, I already miss it....bigger picture(almost as good, never a complaint by me),better sound and no glossy black border. Piano black went out with Pioneer in the 80s. |
|
New member SIOUX CENTER, IA United States Post Number: 2 Registered: Aug-08 | Regarding my KDF-E42A10, after writing my letter to the ERC I received a call asking me to go to sonystyle.com and pick out the tv I would like and then call back to "negotiate" a price. When I called back, I asked for prices on W, Z, and XBR models and was given similar discount offers for all of them. I was also given 2 weeks to decide which offer (if any) to accept. I would encourage anyone who is experiencing picture problems with an A10 model to contact Sony using the guidelines in this forum. Thanks to everyone for all your help! |
|
Bronze Member Post Number: 13 Registered: Dec-07 | You know, I just dont get it....I mean, I really take exception to Sony expecting all these people with defective tvs to just accept replacements for a PRICE!! The gall! They should be giving these people free tvs,not making them spend more money on their items...they are just making more money on you! I think this next week I will contact the main news stations here in Seattle and tell them what has been going on with these crap tvs and how Sony is not handling the problems in an ethical manner.No integrity at all.I am sure the news stations would be very interested in this site.Nice big metropolitan city...lots of exposure. |
|
New member Post Number: 5 Registered: Aug-08 | Dean, I also have a 50 inch A10 that has the color vertical lines problem. I haven't contacted Sony regarding this since I haven't had it diagnosed. Did you have yours diagnosed by a Sony tech or did you write to them outright? How much discount did Sony offer you if you don't mind? I really couldn't afford a new tv right now so I would rather opt for free repair. |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Using the very helpful information on this site, I have pursued some relief from the ERC on the yellow blog problem on my Sony KF-50WE610 purchased January 24, 2004 (at a price of $3,149.99) since July. The price of replacement of the bad optical block was $1,156.93. After several conversations and faxes the ERC offered a KDL-52W4100 as a replacement for $2,200 (free shipping) vice the SonyStyle price of $2,799.99. I indicated that the $2,200 was higher than open market prices for the set and appealed to the CEO. The verbal answer from his office last week was that they apologized for not being able to do better, but they were not in the business of competing with other sellers. Has anyone had any luck with the small claims court process? |
|
New member Post Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | Bill, We have the same model as you, but the 60", and our blue vs. your yellow. We purchased our TV 5 months after you got yours, and we paid more for the 60". Got the initial call from the ERC yesterday, spoke with "national procurement" today. They are offering $2260 + tax for the KDL-52W4100. Pretty comical since Amazon's price is $2358.70, and THERE IS NO TAX. (Shipping free everywhere I've looked, so that's another slap in the face to mention that.) So in other words, they want me to accept a a horrible business decision on how to handle this issue with customers. I have to speak with poorly trained customer "service" staff, including supervisors, then write snail mail, and wait for a first phone call where they tell me I'll get ANOTHER phone call. THEN, they want me to PAY AN EXTRA $70 ABOVE RETAIL to have the privilege of buying a TV direct from the same "glorious" company that put me through all of this? Where's the camera? I must be getting punk'd or Allen Funt has been reincarnated. |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | I have a KDF-55XS955, purchased Nov 5, 2004. I bought the 4 year extended warranty from Best Buy, which does cover the lamp. My TV is on every day, at LEAST 5 hours in the evening and a few in the morning. Nothing has burnt out or had any trouble. (knock wood!) Any thoughts on getting my warranty to replace mine, even though it hasn't gone yet? It seems slightly less bright than it used to, but still looks fine. I'd hate for it to go a week after warranty (runs out in 6 weeks!). I bought the warranty because everyone said the bulb wouldn't last. My friend has the same TV, but 60". Her lamp JUST went and she had to buy a new lamp for $250. Her TV is at least 6 months NEWER than mine. |
|
New member Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | Eric, Thanks for the advice. I think I will try to get some paperwork together and try to take them to small claims court. Could anyone with the same TV as mine: Sony Grand Wega KF60WE610 that has the same problem mine, please go to my site: Thanks, Corey |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | We purchased our KF-60WE610 in July of 2004 from Circuit City for $3600.00 along with a 4 year extended warranty for $600.00. We started out in mid-August with a blue line on the left side of the screen which has advanced to a blue haze at the bottom moving it's way up to the middle of the screen. I contacted Sony on Sept. 4th, after searching several sights regarding what the possible problem could be. Coming to the conclusion it was the optical block. My first call with Sony, the rep said to contact CC regarding the extended warranty which I already knew it had expired about 30 days prior. The rep said that Sony was offering an extended warranty for the optical blocks but that my model was not currently included. It was originally though. Makes no sense to me why it still isn't! I did have a tech come out for $100.00 to confirm that it was the optical block. After reading the recommendations on this sight, I wrote a letter to both the Executive Review Committee and Sir Howard Stringer on Sept. 17th. Recieved a call from a rep. on Sept 22nd that our tv did not qualify for the extended warranty and that we would be contacted from the precurement division to speak to us about possible credit towards another tv. Recieved a call from Paul with Sony of Sept. 23rd, from the start of the conversation, I told him that we just wanted Sony to stand by their product and fix the tv we owned. We didn't want a smaller tv. His offer to us was to purchase a KDL52V4100 for a price of $1775.00 plus $100.00 shipping and applicable tax. We have until Oct. 10 to accept their offer. I was dumb founded by their offer. The way I look at it we just spent $1000.00 per year for the last 4 years to enjoy the tv we had and now they want us to fork out another $2000.00 for one of their tv's. Also he did mention it would come with a 1 year warranty!!!! Be still my beating heart!! What a bargain! We will definitely be telling them where they can put their great offer. Our next step will be to file a complaint against Sony with the BBB. I am so glad that I found this site, it is good to know that we are not alone in our quest to get Sony to do what is right. Thanks, Janet |
|
New member Streetsboro, Oh US Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Hi folks. I'm new to this board. I have a Sony WEGA KDF42E2000, that has developed a 4-5" band across the top of the screen. It looks like the color in this band is diminsished as it is overall a bit darker than the rest of the screen. Is this similar to the problem some have noted here with haze? Any ideas very welcome. Started this after 15 months (and out of warrenty). |
|
Silver Member Post Number: 130 Registered: Jun-07 | Sure wish this page would get archived! They used to always archive after 100 posts but we're WELL past 100 posts on this page. Bruce, To date this thread has been almost entirely dedicated to problems with rear projection TVs. The LCDs haven't been around very long yet and they're definitely much more trouble free than the horribly defective rear project sets they produced for about 4 years. That said, although we haven't had any reports here matching your description, in addition to the defective 55" Sony rear projection I've owned I also have 3 Sony LCD TVs. One of them, the 23" Sony KLV-23M1, developed a problem after a a couple years that sounds similar though not identical to what you're describing. The upper area of the screen within 1 to 2 inches of the top, started to develop a brownish discoloration. The discoloration was only noticeable against certain background colors, specifically very light colors. It wasn't like a completely solid line and it didn't extend all the way from the left edge to the right, but I didn't wait too long after starting to notice it before I had it serviced under the extended warranty I purchased from Sony. It no doubt would have continued to progress over time. They completely replaced the LCD panel when they did the repair so it would have been a major expense were it not under warranty, especially if it were a larger television like your 42". You're very likely going to need to have the TV serviced and it's probably going to be expensive since you don't have an extended warranty. In the meantime though, please post some pictures which clearly illustrate the problem you're having so we can take a look. If you can provide anymore information about the nature of the problem please do so. |
|
New member CA United States Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Well, I noticed the blue blob on our 2-1/2 year-old KDF-E50A10 a few months ago. Then one night my daughter panicked when there was no picture on the TV. There was sound but not pictures. After trying several things the TV just started working again. Then a couple of weeks ago my wife told me the TV would not turn off. She eventually ended up unplugging it. Once again, the TV started working as if nothing had happened. Now, fast forward to tonight. The TV was working fine. We turned it off to go get dinner and when we returned 30 minutes or less later the TV flashed green for a while with a black screen, then it turn on bluish, then the vertical stripes appeared. We tried several things including reading these posts. We resigned ourselves to the fact that we were going to have to go to battle with Sony. While reading these posts I tried the power button; lo and behold a picture, no vertical lines. We bought our TV at Costco before they changed their return policy so we will be headed there in the next couples of days. |
|
New member CA United States Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | ***Follow-up*** Once again we turned the set off for about 30 minutes. When we went to turn it back on NOTHING but a black screen and audio but not controls by teh remote. We wait about an hour hit the power but and VOILA!, picture. I'm sure our luck will run out soon. Going to Costco to see if we are grandfathered in on their return policy. |
|
New member CA United States Post Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | ***Follow-up*** We just returned the Sony KDF-E50A10 to Costco and got a refund no questions asked. They even gave us an option of cash or Costco cash card. But we already knew what set we wanted so we took the cash card. We bought the Samsung LN46A540. Great reviews from Consumer Reports and Amazon. LOVE IT!!! |
|
New member Post Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | As previously noted, I have struck out with Sony on the yellow blob issue with my Sony KF-50WE610 set. I now have a new issue, sudden loss of picture and sound (gray wavy lines on screen). If I turn it off for 2-3 minutes and back on it works normally again. Anyone having this experience? Connection with optical block or new problem? Worth another complaint to Sony? |
|
New member BC Post Number: 1 Registered: Sep-08 | Hello. Well I have a Sony KF-50we620 which now has a red tint. Whites,blacks,no matter what I try it has this red cast. Up until this point the tv worked and picture looked beautiful. My problem is that the tv hardly gets used. Maybe a couple movies a month and football on sunday thats it. It has very few hrs on it. Quite sad this has happened. Not sure whats the cost is to get it fixed(Have not called anyone yet).Just scouring the net for info and found this thread. Not sure if my problem is the box thing that keeps getting mentioned here. |
|
New member Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-08 | Hey all. I also have the Blue Blob issue in the lower right corner of my screen, and the fainter blue oval in the middle. Mine is the KDF42WE655, purchased December 2004. Edited to say I did not purchase extended warranty. I paid $2249 at a small stereo and video store in Kalamazoo, MI which is out of business. |
|
New member Username: HoosierdogPost Number: 4 Registered: Sep-08 | An update on our situation... After much agony with Sony... We now are the owner of a SAMSUNG HL61A750 DLP. We were eventually offered a 52" W1000 for $1,800 as compensation for our 60" KF-60WE610. This took many phone calls with individuals who were less than empathetic with our situation. We thought about what Sony had put us through and decided to "talk" with our wallet instead of taking Sony's bribe. The thought of having to look at the Sony name each time we watched TV was too much to bare. We were also less than happy that we would be going from a 60" to a 52" TV. It's sad to see a company like Sony has no concept of the lifetime value of their customers and the potential impact of being truly customer-focused. Our intention is to spread the word about Sony's poor handling of this situation far and wide and to NEVER purchase a Sony product again. So far we are very happy with the Samsung. We would recommend it to anyone in a situation like ours. The cost was about what Sony was offering the 52" and we gained an extra inch in the change (from 60" to 61"). Now we just have to determine what we do with the "defective" Sony we've got sitting in a corner of our living room... |
|
New member Username: BtdtPost Number: 2 Registered: Oct-08 | Wow. This is a great thread that has provided me with just the information I needed! I have a KDF-60XBR950 that I purchased in November 2003, which got me one of the first ones manufactured. The set has performed well for almost 5 years now and I haven't noticed any problems. About a month ago, however, I noticed that the center of a green football field when watching a game was a bit grayer than the rest of the pic. Further investigation concluded that this was actually a blue glow in the middle-right of the screen. The problem has gotten progressively worse, and also includes blue lines being etched into the picture for a while if they are left on the screen too long. In retrospect I believe that I have had this problem to a limited extent for a longer period of time, but would only notice it in passing. Now it seems to be accelerating (or I am just much better at seeing it). My wife, who never notices such things, has commented on skin tones on one show, which I know were caused by the blue overlay. I am currently in the process of seeing if I can get this corrected, which will give me hopefully another couple of years of use of this set and put me in a position to move up to a flat panel at that time. Due to past bad experiences with TVs this time I purchased a 5-year extended warranty from Tweeter that is still good for another month (yikes!). They will be sending someone out in the next week so wish me luck on them doing the right thing here.... |
|
New member Username: Don_croucherHawthorne, CA USA Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-08 | Similar problem to Bruce (9/26/08) Sony WEGA KDF42E2000. Ours is 46" Three inches of yellow/orange bar across the top. First noticed 2 days ago. Set is 22 1/2 months old. Eric Denney - These are rear projection dlp, not LCD. Any help would be appreciated. |
|
New member Username: Travis_lTX Post Number: 5 Registered: Apr-07 | I own a Sony KDF-55WF655 55" LCD projection TV that has previouly been repaired once already. I bought it new in June 2005, so within a 3 year period it has had the blue blob issue twice. I called the repairman that fixed it last time and he told me to call Sony first. He said they will probably offer the Special Consideration Offer for my TV to where I can either get a brand new TV at a low cost or I can still choose to have them fix my old one. I called Sony on Saturday and the call basically went like the repairman told me it would. The rep said I would receive a phone call within 2 business days with a special consideration offer and they would be able to discuss my options with me. From what I've been reading, it sounds like most with my model of TV have been offered the KDL52W4100 for $843 which sounds like an okay deal as long as it will last much longer than my current TV has. However, some people are getting offered less (different model years?). For those that have taken this offer, did you have to pay tax or shipping for the new TV? |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 131 Registered: Jun-07 | Travis, Yes, your model is specifically covered under the extended warranty for the OBs if you have the blob issue, so you're definitely guaranteed free repair. However, if you can afford it then I suggest you take the offer and select the W series TV for around $800 give or take. You will have to pay tax but you won't have to pay for shipping. They'll get the new TV out to you immediately if you go that route. I miss the 3" larger screen from my KDF-55WF655, but I love the 120Hz and overall smaller size and lighter weight on the KDL52W4100. It has a lot of other nice features including more HDMI ports, but the 120Hz is the selling point for sure. |
|
New member Username: Travis_lTX Post Number: 6 Registered: Apr-07 | Thanks Eric. My wife and I had discussed this and as long as their offer is along the $800 mark, we'll probably take it. We're a little concerned about the 3" loss as well. While it seems small, it will equate to a noticable difference. I'm looking forward to the extra HDMI inputs (several video game systems, DVD player, DVR) and the full 1080p (will work well with my PS3). I'll post back here once I get my offer... |
|
New member Username: Travis_lTX Post Number: 7 Registered: Apr-07 | Sony just called and made the same offer as everyone else with the KDF-55WF655... 1. Repair at no charge 2. New KDL-52V4100 for $703 + tax 3. New KDL-52W4100 for $843 + tax We'll probably go with option 3. The sad thing is that through a Sony partnership with my employer, I can get a new Sony TV for 60% off (based on Sonystyle.com pricing) anyway. That would make the W4100 $1120 without even doing this deal. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 132 Registered: Jun-07 | Travis, If you can truly get the same TV for around $1120 through your employer, then you absolutely should not take the deal. Have it repaired for free which will make it like new again, sell it, and buy whatever TV you want instead of what Sony is limiting you to, even if you still go with the KDL-52W4100. It'll sell fast and you'll easily be able to get several hundred for it assuming it's still in good condition physically. It's a very good TV aside from the OB problem (which most people don't know about), and has the added feature of the memory stick port for displaying pictures which the new LCDs don't even have. If you take the deal you'll save less than $300 over buying it through your employer, relinquish your rights to any class action that might happen, and you'll still be stuck with a 100+lb. paperweight that nobody will buy in its current state. Sony doesn't take the TVs back, so you still have to get rid of it yourself which is a pain. Better off selling it and letting somebody else come get it, not to mention you'll be $400-700 ahead after you buy the TV through your employer depending on how much you get for yours. I wouldn't mention anything about the issue with the OB when you sell it, but if the buyer is aware of it they'll still have a little comfort knowing that they can get the TV repaired for free if the OB were to fail in the next few months (which it won't). Fact of the matter is they'll get 2-3 years or more out of it depending on how much they use it before the new OB fails, and if they paid $600-$800 for it that's not that bad of a deal. Not to mention they can still take the same deal you were going to do with Sony (if they don't wait too long to do it), it's not only available to the original owner of the TV. Just my 2 cents... You'll be happy with your new TV when you get it though. |
|
New member Username: Chustr57Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-08 | Welcome to the club I guess... Here is my story... I purchased a Sony KF42WE610 in August 2004 for appx $2200. Came up with Blue-star/blob/etc problem earlier this year and contacted Sony. They said that there was not any extended warranty for my set to fix the optical block issue. I lived with it until later this summer. I started checking into other Sony problems an d found the Canadian website for the similar products up north. They have an extended warranty through Dec.'08 for the problem and have some pretty easy to find info on their site regarding how to get it fixed. The US Sony site has nothing on the Model-specific web page. The only way you can find any reference to the issue is to do a search with the keywords "optical block". You probably have guessed I have gotten the "extended Warranty has expired" speech from customer service. The most interesting thing I found out yesterday is that even with the "Manufactured Date" of July 2004, this is a 2003 Model. Sony reps led me down the path earlier this year that since the extended warranty only applied to 2003 models, my 2004 unit was not part of the warranty. Now I find out that the extended warranty has expired (6/30/08), and I now have to write an appeal to the Sony Executive Committee. So much fun I've never had...I ended up buying a VISO 47" to replace the Sony and my set is in the garage with the VISIO box covering it. Any guidance on the Exec Committe would be helpful... |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 133 Registered: Jun-07 | Howard, You have only to scan back through the posts on this page and in recent archives, everything you ever wanted to know and much more that you didn't is yours for the reading. Take the time and you'll find specific instructions on how to deal with the ERC, information about the WE series TVs such as yours and the poor trade in value Sony is offering for them since they're from 2003, and finally alternative options besides trading it in, etc. etc. It's all there. Bottom line is that you're not really going to get a worthwhile tradein value from Sony for your TV. You're better off buying the same TV online from one of the NY based online resellers so you don't have to pay tax. Best course of action IMO for WE series owners is to handle it in small claims. Again, this topic has been covered many times, just search. |
|
New member Username: Travis_lTX Post Number: 8 Registered: Apr-07 | Thanks Eric I've been thinking about this since reading your post yesterday and I'm not sure what to do... What you said makes sense, but when I look at trying to sell the TV on Craigslist, they go for less than $500 on there which means that's probably near the top of what I can get for it even if I get the OB replaced. That would still leave me ~$100-200 ahead if I go through the reseller discount program. However, once I buy that new TV through the program, part of the catch is that I can't get another one for a year and I can't sell the new one for at least a year. One other option I've considered is getting the replacement TV for $843 and then selling mine for what I can get out of it on Craigslist...probably a couple hundred at most. I could then decide whether to keep the new LCD or possible resell it quickly on Craigslist as well. Since it's brand new and costs ~$2200 at the least online, I may be able to get $1500 or so for it. I'm not positive though on that and it's a gamble. Going that route, I could then get the next step up ($3499 TV) for around $1400 + tax new. Thoughts? |
|
New member Username: DouglasbPost Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | Eric: "Best course of action IMO for WE series owners is to handle it in small claims." As noted in previous postings, I am at that point (and your comments with regard to SONY are spot on) - but before spending the money, time and energy on that route I posted the question on September 23 asking if anyone had success in doing so. To date no responses. Are you aware of any successful claims? |
|
New member Username: Travis_lTX Post Number: 9 Registered: Apr-07 | My decision may be getting a bit easier to make. It is starting to look like the Sony program is no longer in place for me to take advantage of, so no discount TV there. If that's the case, I'll of course take the Sony offer for the W4100. How much life is left on one of these OBs assuming it it in the early stages of failure now? Most of the time, the blue haze is very faint or not there at all. BWT, I'm on my second OB now already. I just had it replaced May / June of 2007, so ~16 months of life is all. |
|
New member Username: MarkraphaelPost Number: 6 Registered: Aug-08 | I wrote a nicely worded letter last week to ERC and also to Sir Stringer about my KDF-E50A10 which was diagnosed with a defective B-Block. Perhaps my letters were too soft, got a call from Sony today and they were offering to cover 50% of the cost of the part only. Thanks Sony but no thanks. What other recourse do I have? This really disappointing. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 134 Registered: Jun-07 | Travis, Sorry that your other option is off the table, but at least it makes your decision easier. Unfortunately, trying to sell these things after they've got a bad OB is very difficult. Not many people want to buy a broken TV, even if you assure them of what's wrong with it. If I could get one in working condition, still under the extended OB warranty for around $500, I wouldn't even pay $200 for a broken one when I then had to remove my own OB, and trade it in for a refurbished one for $375, and install the refurbished OB myself. Costs more that way and it's a lot of effort. That's why I can't believe a KDF-55WF655 in good working order with a brand new OB is only going for $500, but I haven't checked eBay or Craigslist. $700-$800 seems more more realistic to me for a 55" Sony rear projection with a brand new OB, still under warranty. FYI, the OBs will start to go south rather rapidly once you start to see the blue haze. It all depends on how much you use the TV though. Mine stays on pretty much 24/7, and from the moment I notice the first sign of it until it's so bad that it's bugging the hell out of me is usually a few weeks. Within 6-8 weeks it will consume the entire screen if left on all the time. Figure out how much you use it on average and divide accordingly. If this is a family's primary TV, I'd say the typical household uses it 6-8 hours a day on average, less during the week, more on the weekend, so perhaps multiply my numbers by 3 for a good estimate. Personally I went through an OB every 11-13 months almost like clockwork. As I said, mine stays on pretty much 24/7 so that works out to 8000-9000 hours. Sadly that's how long the disposable lamp is supposed to last, it's laughable that a person should have to not only replace the $200 lamp, but also replace the $900 Optical Block every 8000 hours (not including labor). Between those two repairs that works out to about $1700 worth of routine repairs once a year for me if I were to let someone else do the repair, $1100 if I did them myself. PFFFFFFFFFT, yeah right. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 135 Registered: Jun-07 | Mark, Unfortunately B-Block failures aren't very common, so they're not going to be so quick to pay for it. Plus the A10 series TVs are newer so there aren't nearly as many complaints amassed yet, which in the end is what moves Sony to take action (that and the threat of a class action lawsuit). They're not even offering the OB extended warranty on the A10s yet, even though those absolutely suffer from the exact same OB problem that the older generations have. A10 owners are the people that are really screwed at the moment. I don't know how much your repair costs overall or how much the part costs, but you probably aren't going to get a better offer from Sony. Usually once Sony makes an offer they stick to their guns. You can try making some more noise and writing the ERC again but it probably won't bear fruit. You'll have to evaluate whether it's worth it to take their offer or just buy another TV. If you hang on to yours, you'll eventually be able to get a B Block from an A10 owner who has a bad OB and they're selling their A10 really cheap. Good luck, sorry there aren't better options. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 136 Registered: Jun-07 | Bill, Unfortunately nobody seems to be motivated enough to take them to small claims. If anybody has, they haven't reported their results on this site and I find it hard to believe they wouldn't if they took the trouble to sue Sony. It's a very easy case to win, and Small claims is very easy. It's about like being in a HS classroom and presenting your argument and evidence to the teacher, it's nothing like being in Superior court with high priced lawyers. A typical case last perhaps 5-10 minutes. There is so much supporting evidence on this site it's not even funny, including pictures of the defective LCDs which are always located closest to the light source (aka the heat source). All you need to do to win this case is show the pattern of failures, Sony's clear acknowledgment of the problem as witnessed by their extended warranty on certain models, and show that the design is no different from those models than it is in all the others, except that the LCD orientation is sometimes different which is why some models will have a blue haze while another might have a yellow or a pink etc.. This case is a winner all day long, and Sony knows it, I'd bet dollars to doughnuts that they'd settle before you ever saw your day in court, but you have to be willing to back up the threat which nobody has done so far. It only costs like $35 I think to file in small claims, there are no other expenses besides the filing fee. You can find out everything you ever wanted to know about going to court yourself at a site called NOLO.COM. |
|
New member Username: Louis343Post Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | Eric, You are absolutely right, I was not motivated enough to take the next steps and get to small claims, mostly because I was not sure how to do it. But now I am ready, after going to the link you provided. I am planning on filling out the forms today and hopefully filing them by next week. Here are the steps I'm taking: 1. Find the Clerk of the Special Civil Part in the city that you purchased the TV. 2. Fill out the Small Claims forms. The maximum you can get in Small Claims Court is $3000 in Michigan and the filing cost varies depending on how much you are trying to recoup. The maximum filing fee is $65. 3. After filling out the forms and filing wiht the city where you purchased the TV, then the courts will send a certified letter to defendant "Sony, Inc". The lettter will include a "Notice of Hearing" date that will require them to show up. That is as far as i got so far, mostly researching. But I do plan on going through with this claim and try to get my TV fixed, or replaced or some sort of resolution. All i know is that I hate having a Huge,expensice paperweight. Eric, do you know who I would be sending this claim to at Sony? I will keep searching, but I was hoping you might have the accurate information. I will let people know how it goes when as I go through the process. I'll continuously update my site http://courts.michigan.gov/scao/courtforms/smallclaims/scindex.htm Eric, thanks for the info and the motivation. Also, if anyone happens to have any other info: stories, documents, more detailed info on the warranty extenstion, I would greatley appreciate any help. Thanks, Corey |
|
New member Username: BtdtPost Number: 3 Registered: Oct-08 | Update on my 7 Oct post: The 5-year extended warranty I purchased for $700 on my KDF-60XBR950 is apparently going to pay off! Tweeter's warranty service is going to install a new OB this coming Wednesday. While I would love to pick up one of the newer flat screens our there this at least lets me delay that event until (according to reports here) 2 to 3 years from now. The original OB lasted almost 5 years, so perhaps we don't use our set as much as some people. The "blue haze" has continued to get progressively worse over even just the last week, and is now clearly visible almost at all times. Even my wife has become concerned with getting the set fixed. Again, thanks to this forum for giving me the useful background information to guide me through the process. I am relieved that I don't have to go through Sony this time around, although they clearly should have been responsible for providing a product with a useful life greater than 5 years. |
|
New member Username: MarkraphaelPost Number: 7 Registered: Aug-08 | Thanks for the reply Eric. The B-block sells for about $1415 with a refundable core charge of $1050 if I return the defective assembly within 60 days.https://servicesplus.us.sony.biz/groupid467101.aspx So with Sony covering 50% of the part, I'm looking at spending around only $250 for the part. Do you know if Sony sell replacement parts directly to consumers or only to authorized repair centers? How hard is it to replace a board? Do you think it can be DIY? |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 137 Registered: Jun-07 | Kudos Mike, glad to hear you're covered this time around and aren't going to have to deal with Sony. Unfortunately you're not going to get any kind of a decent offer when your TV dies in what sounds like another 3-4, but at least by then you'll have gotten some decent life out of your TV, though not nearly as much as you're entitled to. Keep in mind that if you're willing to replace the OB yourself, you can get a refurbished one for $375 which isn't really too bad if you're getting 3-4 years or more out of your set. That might seriously be something to consider when that time comes, as long as nothing else goes wrong with it before then. I just can't stress enough to people how important it is to get an extended warranty when purchasing such high ticket, high-tech items. I don't believe in extended warranties for much of anything else myself, I feel it's all one big scam to get people to pay more for something that they should just charge a fair price for to begin with and provide a reasonable warranty. But insomuch as big screen TVs are concerned, I think they're essential. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 138 Registered: Jun-07 | Mark, I knew that was a really expensive part after hearing from a few people on this board, but I didn't realize it had such a high return on the core. That really isn't too bad of a deal IMO for a part that really hasn't failed with any regularity, though it's the second most common failure. I believe it isn't that difficult to change out the B-Block, but I don't have any hands on experience with it myself and I don't think there's any documentation of it on this board. You might have to bite the bullet and pay someone to do it unless you can find documentation which will show how to replace the part. Steve Linke might be able to point you in the right direction, and there could be some helpful information on his website, I haven't looked at it lately. Keep us posted... |
|
New member Username: Travis_lTX Post Number: 10 Registered: Apr-07 | Well, I just called Sony and accepted the LCD offer. I opted for the W4100 and have peeled the sticker off the back of my TV and got it all ready to mail today. I assume my new TV will be here in a couple of weeks. The total for the new TV after tax was $912...ouch. I hadn't planned to buy a new TV until next year sometime, so this one will hurt this close to the holidays. Oh well, I'll enjoy the new TV. Anyone experienced the "Sparkles" on the new LCD? It appears there's a fix out for them now, but that's been the only complaint I've seen so far. Now, as for what to do about the other TV. I have a friend that is interested in buying my old one and repairing if it's not too difficult. It looks like the replacement OBs are now $325 with core trade in, so if I sell him my TV for $200-300, he could have a TV with approx 8000 hrs of viewing time that will last a few years for him. How hard is it to replace the OB for someone that has never done it? The guide in the posts above seems pretty clear, but it says it isn't complete. What's missing? Is this really something the average guy can replace easily enough to make it worth while? |
|
New member Username: MikedanPost Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | Just writing with some warranty info. I called BestBuy about a new lamp under my warranty, which is about to expire (4 years). They looked up my numbers and no questions asked are sending out my new bulb. If anybody's is almost up you should call and get the bulb! I am, however, afraid to change is as I have not had any other problems and am afraid that messing with the bulb will cause some other problem. Is there any way to prevent the OB problem I read about? My bulb lasted 4 years of heavy use and is still going, though hubby thinks picture is darker. (KDF-55XS955) |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 139 Registered: Jun-07 | Travis, Good luck with the TV, it shouldn't take 2 weeks to get to you. It ships from the east coast if I recall, but they'll ship it in a day or two with a 5 day delivery window to the west coast. I know money is tight, but I can't stress to you enough that you should get the extended warranty. You have to specifically tell them you want it otherwise they won't bring it up. They'll offer a 1,2,3 or 5 year warranty, with the pricing being roughly the same as what you see on their website. I haven't had any sparkles on mine, and when I did my trade-in 3 or 4 months ago there were no reports of any problems that I could find. I specifically searched so I wouldn't be in the same boat with a new TV. I'll search again to see what it is you're talking about. I agree that it's worthwhile for your friend at those prices. Changing the OB is really best done by 2 people, but it's not that complicated or physically difficult if you have good instructions or have done it. Haven't done it myself but I've watched them do it 3 times in front of me, it typically takes them about 30 minutes for 2 people start to finish if they know what they're doing. There is work involved, but it's just a matter of going through the motions and removing the necessary parts. Probably the biggest issue for many is getting access to their TV. As long as you have clear unfettered access to the back of the TV, preferably on a stand, you're well ahead of the game. Just plan on spending a couple hours on it and have an extra set of hands available. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 140 Registered: Jun-07 | Cindy, You are absolutely correct that SOME warranties provide replacement lamps (many don't), and anybody nearing the end of their warranty should always request a new lamp if they haven't replaced one recently under warranty. Lamps are the best way to make the warranty pay for itself. The original manufacturer's warranty does include lamps btw. Changing the lamp is very, very easy Cindy, but I'm afraid there is absolutely nothing you can do to prevent the OB problem. If there were, Sony would have issued some sort of fix for it long ago, changed the design of the OB, or taken some other action. The simple fact of the matter is that the lamp generates more heat than the LCD panel closest to it can withstand over an extended period of time. That time is usually around 8000 hours give or take, so I'm sorry to tell you that the odds are very high your OB will fail in the near future. How soon depends on how much you use your TV, which apparently isn't very much by most standards. My advice, sell the TV asap before the blob starts to appear and while it is still under warranty. Once you're out of warranty you're looking at a very costly repair when the OB fails, and it WILL fail. At that point you can try to petition Sony for an exchange, but you'll have to pay money out of pocket and get a smaller TV. Good luck! |
|
New member Username: MarkraphaelPost Number: 8 Registered: Aug-08 | Ok here's an update on my situation. I opened the back of my tv tonight and took out the b-block. It is certainly not for the faint of heart but I got a service manual off Ebay which was very useful. The manual has pictures on how to remove the assembly. I tried reattaching the assembly hoping that the problem was just a loose plug but the problem is still there. Now I am confident that I can replace the assembly myself. Does anyone know if I can get the part from Sony directly? The Sony online parts store seems to cater only to repair shops. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 141 Registered: Jun-07 | Good job Mark, you should make that manual available on this site as well to help others if it's in a digital format or can be scanned to PDF. If you learned anything useful from the process, again it would be helpful to share that here for others. I'm sure that Sony has to sell parts to anybody that needs them, if not directly then through a reseller, but unfortunately I can't steer you in any direction. Hopefully somebody else might be able to chime in and help. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Scott482Post Number: 15 Registered: Sep-07 | Mark here is the phone number for Sony parts in St Louis 1-800-488-SONY (7669 I bought my block from them. |
|
New member Username: BmoneyBountiful, UT USA Post Number: 1 Registered: Oct-08 | Hey, I have been through all the threads here concerning Sony, as an owner of a KDF-50WE655 that has been great since I purchased it in December 2004, after year 1 there was a yellow blotch issue that was covered under warranty, they put in a new light block... anyway this month the bulb blew out,I found the exact phillips bulb and replaced it, when we fired it up we immediately had the blue flare on the left side of the screen, it is an authentic phillips bulb too. So I did some research found this place and read everthing, went to Sony's website were they have pictures of exactly my blue problem. I called they immediately offered the KDL52W4100 for $843 and the other options... I took it, I mailed in the S/N sticker today after I called them and set everything up. The current TV still works great just has a little blue on the left, which is getting slowly worse. We will move the old TV to the basement and hook up a DVD player for kids movies and put the new one in the family room with the theater system etc. I would never have known about any of this without you all, I wanted to thank you. I will update you as to the status of the new TV when it arrives how long it took, the entire process. Thank you, Bmoney |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 142 Registered: Jun-07 | Adam/Bmoney/whatever, Just a couple things... You were very lucky to have somehow slipped through the cracks and received that offer to upgrade to the KDL52W4100 for $843. All the other WE series owners have received terrible offers because those are actually 2003 series TVs. The offers are about the same as if you just bought the same LCD from a good online etailer instead of paying Sony's jacked up direct prices. Can't see any way that Sony can back out of their commitment now so you should be ok, but everybody else with your series TV is getting screwed. Another thing, that blue blob is going to rapidly get worse. By rapidly I mean that it will go from the first signs of noticing it, to pretty much covering the entire screen within a period of about 60 days with very heavy use, about 120 days with average use, about 180 days with very moderate use. Sounds like the blob is already very noticeable once a new bulb was installed, so adjust those numbers accordingly. In short, that TV is going to become a 100+lb. paperweight in very short order unless your kids don't mind everything looking like Smurfs, so don't go to much trouble relocating it with the expectation that it's going to be usable for very long. You may want to consider replacing the OB though if you just want to use it as a TV for the kids to use occasionally. You can exchange your OB for a refurbished one for between $325-$375 and the instructions to do the job yourself can be found on Steve Linke's website (just scan this page to find it). It's not exactly a no brainer, but it's definitely doable and only takes experienced techs about 30 minutes. It's not however cost effective to have it repaired professionally. |
|
New member Username: BmoneyBountiful, UT USA Post Number: 2 Registered: Oct-08 | Thanks Eric for the reply, mine was a 2004 model not sure if that had anything to do with it, and they went right to the offer rather than the repair option. I am fairly technical and don't fear the idea of changing out the OB so I will probably do that with the instructions found here (thanks to you guys) when it finally goes completely. The TV will go from 10-15 hours on everyday to nothing, 0 hours, maybe once a month for 2 hours in the basement. So any additional life we get out of it will be a bonus. That and I dont want to put more money into it right now, maybe when it finally goes all blue and I have some spare cash in the spring. Thanks again I will keep everyone posted on what happens next when the new tv arrives and how long until the blue is unwatchable... |
|
New member Username: KarwalPost Number: 7 Registered: Sep-08 | Mark, were you planning on posting the pics of the replacement B Block online? I was planning on replacing my own as well. Steve Linke posted some real good pics but any additional photos would be helpful. As a secondary TV that would get limited use the block would most likely last for several years making user replacement cost effective, I think, for most. Especially since the block can be had for $325 @ Tri-State. |
|
New member Username: HornsbykidPost Number: 5 Registered: Sep-08 | Hey guys. Its been a while since i posted, but I do have some updates for everyone. 1st off I got my new KDL52W4100 from Sony,and I love it. BUTTTT I noticed that it was shipped to me from the repair and refurbishing center in California. I called Sony to see if it was a refurb, but never got a straight answer. 2nd I sent my old optical block to tri state, and when I got it back from them there was a purple fingerprint in the bottom right of the screen. Double whammy I know. So my advice is if you take the deal from Sony try to pin them down on if its a new tv you are getting, or a refurb. Also if you have a rebuild examine the screen closely and look at white screen and a black screen for imperfections. I almost didn't notice until I switched inputs. In their defense, they said they would repair it again free of charge, but if you think pulling the optical block out is a "good time". Well lets just say, you probably have too much time on your hands. To all those attempting to take out your OB, heed this warning. TAKE PICTURES. It is very important you can see the connections you have taken apart. I figured tri state would have my OB back to me in 7 to 10 days. Try a month. Its hard to remember some of that a month later. |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 143 Registered: Jun-07 | Erik, I noticed that it shipped from the Refurb center too on my invoice, but I was specifically told it was new. It certainly appeared to be new based on the packaging and the TV itself. Also these models haven't been available very long, at least they certainly hadn't when I got mine like 4 months ago, so it's hard to believe they have a huge stock of refurbished KDL52W4100's ready to be shipped out to all the people that exchanged their RPs. To be honest it wouldn't really matter to me either way since it carries the same warranty regardless, and I purchased the 5 year extended. Still, it's useful information to share with everyone and I should have mentioned that myself after I got mine. I believe you're the first person that's posted here who has used Tri-State to get a refurbished OB, very useful info. That actually reinforces my speculation that they might not actually be refurbishing all of the key parts in the OB when it gets sent in, and rather are only replacing the known defective part(s) for each OB they receive, which 9 times out of 10 is just the LCD closest to the light/heat source. For anybody considering this route I strongly recommend you specifically ask them which parts they replace as part of the so-called refurbishing process, and make sure you're comfortable with their methods since it's no small amount of work to replace the OB on your own. Good to know they at least stand behind their work, but that doesn't make up for all the effort and time wasted if you receive a defective OB. Also brings into question the longevity of their refurbished OBs. I was under the impression though that you could purchase one of their refurbished OBs and then send yours in to receive credit for the core afterward. I know they offer one price if you provide a core and a different one if you don't, so it doesn't make sense that you'd have to provide yours up front unless they didn't have any in stock, which does seem to be an issue with certain models. It's good to know how long the turnaround may take if you do have to send yours in. Thanks for coming back and sharing your info with everyone. |
|
New member Username: MikedanPost Number: 3 Registered: Sep-08 | Eric (I think it was Eric), interesting idea you gave me to sell it while it's still good. Do we have any idea what percentage of these TV's go bad (KDf55xs955)??? Also, any thoughts on what price I could reasonably expect to receive, especially with the new bulb it will have? I'm thining cragslist or ebay with local pickup only. My husband would jump at an excuse to get an even better TV, though we do like this one. |
|
New member Username: BtdtPost Number: 4 Registered: Oct-08 | Update from Oct 16: Warranty service came out this morning and replaced the optical block on my KDF-60XBR950. The picture is now bright, clear, and crisp. I hadn't realized exactly how bad the blue haze had gotten I guess. The tech told me that this was a *new* optical block (I guess as far as he knows) and also told me that Sony had redesigned these so my picture, black levels, etc. should be better than what I was getting before. I can't confirm any of this but the picture certainly looks better and, based on this thread, should give me another few years without having to buy another set. The only issue I have encountered for far is that the install seems to have reset all of my video tweaks back to default. What I don't know is if that also includes the service menu tweaks I made almost 5 years ago. I will remake the user menu tweaks this evening with my Avia disk and will look into the service menu later this week. So, all-in-all a happy ending hear and yet another confirmation that long-term extended warranties with high-end televisions make sense. This is, BTW, the 3rd big screen TV I have had issues with....maybe it's me.... ;-) |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 144 Registered: Jun-07 | Cindy, In my opinion and to the best of my knowledge, 100% of these rear projection TVs will go bad regardless of the model #. It's only a matter of when rather than if. We've seen every model # on this board suffer the blob problem, and we know the blob problem is caused by a defective design which is utilized across the board in all of the OBs that Sony uses (except the orientation of the LCDs varies which results in different colored blobs). By extension all of the rear projection TVs should fail eventually after enough usage. My approximation based on typical environmental conditions is roughly 8000 hours give or take about 1000 hours. Sadly that's also the expected lifespan of the bulbs which are supposed to be disposable... As far as the price you can sell it for that depends on the specific model # and size, but you should expect to get between $500-$1000 for a 55-60" with a new OB (~500-750 for a 55", ~750-1000 for a 60"). If it's a model that's covered by the OB warranty it will fetch a slightly higher price because the buyer gets a little security. Needless to say, it's in your own best interests not to mention the OB defect when you sell your TV, but that's a personal decision that each person needs to make based on their conscience. Good luck |
|
Silver Member Username: EdenneyPost Number: 145 Registered: Jun-07 | Mike, Congrats on having your TV refurbished, there's nothing like getting a new OB after you've been dealing with the blob for a while. Sony has alleged that they've changed the OB design for a couple years now, but I've received the new OB (or so I was told) and it failed every bit as fast as the others. Can't say whether the picture quality was any different. From what I've heard on this board, people receiving the truly new OBs also received a new B board/block. Unfortunately those same people reported poorer picture quality rather than better, assumably due to a compromise in the OB and B Block design to deal with the problem, rather than an improvement in the design. This is largely speculation though, we don't have any hard facts. The 3 strikes you've had isn't just you for better or for worse... The technologies used in big screen TVs for the last 20 years are just riddles with design flaws and as such I preach the extended warranties on big screen TVs all day long (I should get a percentage). LCD big screens are the closest thing to proven technology so that's the safest bet at this point. Still, although smaller LCDs have been around for years in computer monitors, very large LCDs haven't been around that long so the jury is still somewhat out. |
|
New member Username: MarkraphaelPost Number: 9 Registered: Aug-08 | My B-block saga continues..... First I called Sony Parts and inquired about the B-Block. Thanks Bob Scott for the link. They have it in stock for around $400 shipped and I don't have to send them the defective block to get a core refund. I was getting excited at this point. Next I called Sony ERC and asked for my 50% off the part which they offered as a "goodwill". I told the rep that I was going to do the repair myself. She told me that the offer is only applicable if the service is done by an authorized repair center. This means that I have to pay $350 for labor to save $200 on the part....great deal!!! I really would not mind spending $400 on a new block if I can have the peace of mind for another 3 years. But from what I read here, the optical block on the A10s are the same as the ones on the older models. They are doomed. My tv is nearing the end of its optical block life and lamp life so it might be wiser to just get a new HDTV, not Sony of course. I still plan to fix my A10 if I find a cheap block online. Until then it's a dust gatherer. Chris, just buy the service manual on Ebay for $5. It is in pdf form and it has all the pics you need to replace the B-block. Btw, Steve Linke posted how to replace the optical block which it not the same as the B-block. Replacing the B-block is much easier. It's all about removing the right screws and unplugging the plugs attached to the block. |
|
New member Username: Sony_corpcommPost Number: 3 Registered: Jun-07 | Information on the following Sony Extended Warranties can be found on the Sony http://esupport.sony.com web site, directly at the links below. 52" BRAVIA LCD Panel Warranty -- Vertical Line or Fixed Screen Image Included models: U.S.: KDL-52XBR4, KDL-52W3000 Canada: KDL-52XBR4, KDL-52XBR5, KDL-52W3000, KDL-52WL130 http://esupport.sony.com/EN/news/article276 2006 Model Year SXRD Television Extended Warranty Information -- Optical Block Included models: KDS-50A2000, KDS-55A2000, KDS-60A2000, KDS-R60XBR2, KDS-R70XBR2 http://esupport.sony.com/EN/news/article277 2004 Model Year Qualia Q006 Television Extended Warranty Information -- Optical Block Model: KDS-70Q006 http://esupport.sony.com/EN/news/article278 |
|
New member Username: Janet_and_stevePost Number: 2 Registered: Sep-08 | https://www.ecoustics.com/cgi-bin/bbs/show.pl?tpc=2&post=1620939#POST1620939 please see original post of 9/25/08 I just wanted to update on what is going on. The timelimit to accept the great offer from Sony to purchase another tv passed. We declined and will opt to fix ours. But in the meantime while we save up the money to do so, we filed a complaint yesterday with the BBB against Sony regarding the blue blob and their defective optical block. We just feel that since they did opt to repair our year model at one time that they should repair ours also regardless that it just went bad within the last couple of months. We will keep you posted if anything good comes out of our complaint. |
|
Bronze Member Username: Travis_lTX Post Number: 11 Registered: Apr-07 | I received an e-mail yesterday stating that Sony had received my sticker and that I would get another e-mail within a week with my tracking information. Hopefully it doesn't really take another week before they even ship the TV. The blue on mine is getting worse day by day. Now we have random lines show up sometimes and it's always got this blue washed out effect... |
Main Forums
Today's Posts- Home Audio Forum
- Home Video Forum
- Home Theater Forum
- Car Audio Forum
- Accessories Forum
- All Forum Topics