ISF Calibration and extended warranty (1 Viewer)

[Bruce White]

I've been reading a lot about the benefits of having an ISF tech calibrate your HD RPTV.

I'm planning to purchase my first set in about 4-6 weeks (Mits 55819). I just learned last week that having a set calibrated will void the manufacturer's warranty.

Questions:

1) Why do manufacturers take this stance? Does anyone know the reasoning behind it?

2) If this is the case, then why purchase an extended warranty when buying an RPTV? Don't most manufacturers have a 1 year warranty? Why not just wait until that year is done or almost done and then have the set calibrated?

Help me understand!

Thanks!

Bruce

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

Because warranty work costs the manufacturers money. And if there is anyway to weasel out of warranty work by blaming the problem on someone else ... why not?

In practice, people that get their sets professionally calibrated or do it themselves ... never mention this to the manufacturers. They don't need to know and you don't need to tell them.

In cases where they have tried to void warranties ... in the end, they will usually still cover the necessary work under warranty, but you would put yourself through many months of aggrivation.

Regards

 

[Jerry Wright]

Bruce, The reason is simple. The "Calibrationists" are not authorized, trained service technicians. Most are home theater enthusiasts who have attended a seminar in one of many locations across the United States offered by ISF. Manufacturers who warrant thier products insist the techs that service them are trained and certified for thier product. You can't expect a company to honor a warranty after someone has gone in and made adjustments, taped over part of the lenses, disconnected certain circuits, and jammed washers into the delicate CRT mountings. That just wouldn't be very good business sense.

 

[Bruce White]

Yes, I can understand that, but then why get an extended warranty if it's voided by ISF calibration?

I've been reading this forum for some time now as well as some other HT forums. I have had the distinct impression that most HT enthusiasts recommend purchasing an extended warranty with their RPTV. But if you void the warranty with calibration, then why pay the extra money for the extention?

Do trained service techs (approved by manufacturers) also know how to do the calibration?

I didn't realize ISF calibrators were just HT enthusiasts. How does one attend one of these seminars? Now I want to learn more about being an ISF calibrator.

Bruce

 

[Michael TLV]

Greetings

Well, since most of the people that attend the seminars are from the HT installation field/factory reps/industry writers, etc. ... I'd hardly say that the ISF is made up of only HT enthusiasts.

Regards

 

[Jerry Wright]

Bruce, go to http://imagingscience.com There you can search for a service center in your area that has ISF certified techs and find out if they are authorized for your brand. If they do the ISF tweaking it won't void your warranty but naturally, you will pay for it. You can also search the seminar area, showing when and where they will be offered. Michael is right, they are, as the site states, primarily intended for service techs and dealers. Which kind of was my point. When I said "most," I was referring to those advertising here on the forum.

 

[Dave Schofield]

Bruce, the real question is why get the extended warranty at all

 

[Bruce White]

Dave Schofield said:

Bruce, the real question is why get the extended warranty at all

Exactly! That's what I'm wondering! It seems I've read a lot of posts recommending getting an extended warranty. I haven't seen too many say not to get one, though.

Bruce

 

[Darrel McBane]

The store I bought my Mitsubishi HDTV from also did the ISF calibration. It did not void the warranty In my case. That was one of the questions I asked at the time. Since the store also did all repairs to Mitsubishi sets and also calibrated the set. Warranty was not an issue. You may have to find a store that handles sets the same. As far as extended warranties. The same store has a policy that if you don't use the warranty during it's life. Then the cost of the warranty is used as store credit. Some stores handle things better than others. It's a matter stores that are in it for money or want long term customers IMO.

 

[Joseph Young]

Do trained service techs (approved by manufacturers) also know how to do the calibration?

I can only speak for myself, and this may not be indicative of the general climate... but the 'official service technician' who came out to fix my television knew nothing about the service menu, nothing about calibration. Basically, he knew less than I did.

He also told me I would need to pay for an ISF certified tech in order to fix the problems I was describing, which I was told were covered under the official warranty.

Joseph

 

[errol]

Hi Bruce,
I normally don't get these extended service plans but I bought one for this set for a number of reasons:
* TV's enormous size makes it almost impossible for me to move it, put it in a vehicle that would have to be a pickup trup, and haul it to a service center.
* It took at least 6 people to take it down to my basement. I certainly wouldn't want to carry this thing on my back all alone.
* A single in-home service call is almost the cost, if not more, of a typical extended service plan.
* Full Warranty service period is normally only 1 year and then only for the picture tube during the second year.
I got my 5yr plan from Philips Priority for $194 a couple of years ago.
Let's see... that's 10 cents per day. I think I can afford that.
Thanks,
Errol

 

[RyanDinan]

I agree with Errol.
The extended service plan is a very good idea, considering the things that can go wrong with these sets - especially RPTVs and FPTVs. Just one service call would pay for the extended service plan.
If you get your set ISF'ed, simply don't tell the manufacturer. The biggest and most important part of a baisic ISF calibration is grayscale setup, which won't raise any red flags during inspection - so you should be okay if you stick with the basics. But, it's going to be a little more obvious to them if you had Duvetyne lining stapeled or glued in there, the protective screen removed, speakers removed, etc - So I guess then, if you plan on having these semi-permanent things done to your set, be prepared to remove it yourself before you have your set turned in, or don't buy the extened service plan and pray that your set doesn't break...And if it does, pony up the cash to have it fixed....Which could be ALLOT.
Then again, you're most likely going to have your set ISF'ed again if they replace major circuit boards, CRT's, ect...
All the things I've done to my set, can be undone in a few hours. I like to use self-adhesive velcro to install Duvetyne - It's not permanent, and can be easily removed. Better than using spray adhesive, and having it permanently in there....Plus it's cheaper...
-Ryan Dinan

 

[Larry Proud]

A full calibration will not void your warranty, as Michael TLV has already stated, since a calibration is setting all the different components of your TV within manufacturer's specs to perform their best.

Larry

 

[Robert P. Jones]

I have done TONS of calibrations, before and after I became ISF Certified a year or 2 ago, and I have never voided a warranty yet.

I am also a repair service tech. This is rare, to be both calibrationist and repair tech, and even rarer on the ISF website, where 99% of those listed are HT retailers and/or installers who work strictly for the HT retailers. You have to look long and hard on the ISF website to find a fullservice/fullspectrum calibrationist.

As a repair tech, I have repaired countless bigscreens, and have also done my share of warranty work, both on the bench and in the field.

This is not a worry that needs to keep people from having their sets calibrated. Just do it. Larry is right. It actually makes the set work better - the set performs over its lifespan within tighter tolerances, makes the CRTs last longer, pushes the set less hard, stretches the set's overall expectable lifespan (for a better than new picture at all times) to well over 10 years, makes the viewer TONS happier with its picture - and is overall the better way to do it. The manufacturers should only HOPE that everybody who bought one of their sets would also factor in having its optics professionally cleaned every year, and calibrated when new and every 2-3 years after that, as part of their investment.

If you are a DIYer and screw things up, tho, have the decency to pay for the repair yourself, rather than "calling in warranty". Doing THAT is what the manufacturers really hate, and I don't blame them. Under those circumstances, they are paying for something they shouldn't have to be paying for.

If the tech asks how it got to looking so incredibly good - since the ones he typically works on will look nowhere near that good, I promise you, being a service tech myself - just say you guess got lucky.

Mr Bob