RCA = Junk? (1 Viewer)

[BrianMe]

Hello all. I haven't posted in a while. After getting my SWS subwoofer based on reviews here, I've been enjoying it and not looking back.

BUT, recently my RCA projection TV took a dive (AGAIN!). It's about 6 years old. It will now be repaired for the third time in that time period. The High Voltage splitter has gone out, AGAIN! About $250 each time. So now I have $750 in repairs into a TV that only cost $1500 and is now worth probably $400 at most.

I've contacted RCA/Thompson, and of course they say "this is normal and is common to all big-screen TVs." Bull-0-0-

Anyway, I've been very pleased with this TV otherwise. For a 6-year-old unit, the picture looks surprisingly good, with no burn-in, flicker, etc. RCA has said they will give me an "incentive package" to buy a new RCA, but won't help me with past repair bills. They haven't detailed that incentive package yet, but we'll see. My questions, does RCA make any decent TVs anymore? Am I going to get burned again? Or should I just forget it, and buy another brand?

What is the review on the: HD61LPW162 or the HD50LPW162 These were the only modern models I could find at the likes of Circuit City and Best Buy. Are these decent? Any good? Any problems?

Thanks!

Brian

 

[BrianMe]

That's the kind of feedback I was afraid of. Their new DLP sets look awfully nice, especially the slim line ones (only 7" thick for a 61" DLP projection). BUT, I'm afraid of the track record. Anyone else own a newer one to compare?

Thanks, Brian

 

[Jerome Grate]

I gave away my 20+ year 20 inch monitor t.v. from RCA which still works. But at this point, I would shy away from it and cut my losses and move in the direction of Sony, Toshiba or Hitachi. All three sets are well liked in the RPTV world and pretty reliable. That t.v. has seen some great days but an upgrade to the new sets will assure you high quality video via Component or DVIHDMI where applicable.

 

[BrianMe]

The repair man just left. It's the same guy who has fixed my TV the last 2 times. This time it was not the HV Splitter like I had thought, it was a shorted connection on a board in the rear of the TV. A little solder, and he had it back up and running. Still cost me $170, but at least now it's working again. Geesh...

I'm still looking for comments on current model RCAs. Thanks all for those that have commented already.

 

[todbnla]

I have a 32" Ge (all the same I think?) and it had the same type of solder problem on a board, its hard to solder in Mexico isnt it...

 

[SimiA]

"it's hard to solder in Mexico, isnt it?????
Now that's funny!!!!
Vb

 

[Jim Mcc]

STAY AWAY from RCA, GE, and Pro-scan. They're all made by Thomsom and they all suck. I would go with Mitsubishi for a RPTV.

 

[Kenneth Harden]

Brian, that guy is made by InFocus (look at the silk screen on the front!), but why they put RCA's name on it is beyond me!

 

[Brian Gi]

SupercalifragalificexbealaJUNKsious!

 

[Shane Martin]

Where I worked in the repair industry, RCA was called Royal Crap of America. That said I've owned a 20" Monitor from RCA that has been solid.

If you are looking at a DLP, I'd look at Samsung or the new DILA's from JVC.

 

[Allan Jayne]

Royal Crap of America? It's not made in the U.S. any more.

What contrast setting were you using? High contrast for a CRT taxes the power supply circuits more.

Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm
_________________________________

News note from a few months ago: Mexican officials dismayed that some factories originally set up by U.S. corporations were being closed and the operations being moved to China for cheaper labor costs. (don't recall the kind of product)

 

[Bob Graz]

RCA (Thomson Elec) traditionally has used very poor manufacturing processes. This leads to bad solder connections and other problems. Too bad really, cause out of the box the RCA stuff looks good. It's just not reliable. Definitely a brand where if you must buy it, an extended warranty is a good thing.

 

[StephenHa]

there are 2 distinct lines of rca, the cheap-o ones from wal mart, and the scenium high end ones that are built really well

 

[brentl]

Even ProScan in it's day was considered a quality name.

Brent

 

[LewB]

I had a 32" pro-scan that developed an intermittent problem, something to do with the sound IIRC. Anyhow, after much futzing on my part, I decided to give the set a sharp rap with the back of my fist below the picture tube between the 2 speakers. Viola, never had the problem again.
Sometime later, I was at the house of someone else who had a similar model Pro-Scan. They had the same problem ! I talked them into letting me try to 'fix' it. The 'fist of death' worked again !
Whatever Thompson was doing wrong, at least it was consistent

 

[Philip Hamm]

When my Mitsubishi RPTV died after 8 years, I was talking to the repair guy who came out, and he said that suprisingly in his experience (many years of repar) the most reliable RPTVs he had seen were RCA RPTVs. He said that other than reliability he did not like them and would not recommend them, but he had seen few major showstopper repairs. Maybe a solder joint here or there, but less major killer repairs like leaking or clouding CRT coolant.

 

[StephenHa]

bad solder joints are increasing in every brand of tv (you want to see bad look at the repair history for zenith/lg)it's because they are doing so much by machine trying to get them out faster and cheaper than yesterday somethings gotta give, and "we" (consumers) won't pay more on average

 

[Brad Newton]

The new scenium units look very nice. In comparing their picture to the Samsung, & Mits, side by side, the RCA had the best picture. Most of the people that were looking at these dlp units agreed that RCA had the best picture. It was as good as the new JVC & the Sony. Don't know how they were adjusted, but the RCA looked good. The 61" also got a pretty good write up in the latest Sound & Vision.

 

[TicoTVA]

I think RCA was on the right track last yr with the
HDLP50W151 but suffered from 1st Gen jinks

They partnered with Infocus on the Ultra Thin DLP and got great reviews- check yahoo biz section or pm for it
I also have pdf on the new models
HD61LPW163

HD50LPW165

HDLP50W151 Vs. HD61LPW163
151

HD2 Chip
Square pixels
Built Tuner (ATSC and NTSC)
Firewire
Ethernet
DVI

163

HD2+ Chip
Diamond Pixels
Built Tuner (ATSC and NTSC)
Firewire
Ethernet
Cablecard input (CableLabs® for an integrated digital television set (DTV) that connects directly to cable television systems and receives digital services without requiring a set-top box) Improved Contrast
HDMI and 2-Way DTVLink

 

[Derrik Draven]

I have an 8 year old, 60" Proscan RPTV. It's been a very solid tv and has an outstanding picture for a non-hdtv. The 9" tubes help, from what I'm told

Well, it just starting making a noticeable hum whenever bright scenes were being displayed. When the scene was mostly subdued, everything was fine.

Now, along with the hum, I'm getting distortion lines going across the screen on bright scenes. When dark, again everything is fine.

I'm guessing this is something to do with the voltage regulator?

I've always had the tv properly calibrated and, there is no "plasma burning" level of contrast here.

Anyhoo, I'm going to have to get it fixed. Just bad timing: I need the mo-nay for the holidays! :frowning: