Toshiba, Samsung, Sony Overall Quality?? (1 Viewer)

[Tommy T.]

I am currently looking at several 27" flat TV's for my new apt. (I just separated from my wife). I was tempted to go with the Samsung clone (the Akai CFT2790), cause of what I have read here, but several people have tried to steer me away due to reliability concerns w/Samsung. The general opinion seems to be that the Toshiba is better built then the Samsungs, but the Sony are on top of both as well as the JVC's. What's the general opinion here? I can get the Sony FV17 for $599 or the FS13 for $499, the Toshiba 27AF42 for $439 or the Akai at Sam's Club for $350. I am currently leaning to the middle of the road... i.e. the Toshiba.

 

[Larry F.]

You can get the AKAI 2790 for 350 or the 2791 for 379. In either case you can get an extra warranty for 1 or 3 yr and still be money ahead of anything else. They're very nice products. I had problems with the 2 I had but I suspect the issues with the first one were not that bad. I still think the tech could have calibrated it. I now have the JVC 32260 (also from Sam's $469 and while happy with it I still think the AKAI had a slight edge in quality (though we stayed with this as we found the size more to our liking).

 

[Tommy T.]

Thanks for the reply & thoughts Larry... One of my friends mention the same thing yesterday. Buy the Akai, but with a 3 year warranty and it's still cheaper than the Toshiba and still way below the Sonys.

Any other thoughts or advice out there on a lazy summer Sunday? I'll check back this evening. Thanks!

 

[Jack Briggs]

I would opt for a set that can do the 16:9 raster-collapse function from the user menu. The Tosh can do this from the service menu--I mention this because I love the colorimetry of Toshiba's products.

As for reliability, Consumer Reports notes that Sony tends to have problems here. But my FV-series WEGA has been performing reliably for more than a year.

Toshiba tends to lead the way among mass-market OEMs in terms of reliability.

I haven't heard anything bad about Samsung.

In your case, I'd opt for the Sony--because of the "squeeze" mode being user menu-accessible.

 

[Steve Schaffer]

One should also consider the inconvenience of being without a tv while it's being repaired.

A set you're going to be without for a week or so at a time is no bargain even if the price + ext. wty is still less than a reliable set without ext. wty.

This is especially true if it is your primary set.

 

[Tommy T.]

How difficult is it to access the Service Menu. Do the TV's come with info. on that or do you have to be a techie type to use the Service Menu?

 

[John-Miles]

If im not mistaken accessing the service menu on most if not all tv's voids the warranty. so given reliability beinga concern of yours id steer away from anythign where you would feel the need to access the service menu.

 

[Jack Briggs]

The OEMs, in fact, don't even acknowledge the existence of a service menu.

 

[ThomasL]

Unfortunately, most tvs today seem to need adjustment from the service menu for them to look decent. I like Toshiba but both direct views I purchases last year needed service menu tweaking (grayscale and geometry - which I believe are probably the main culprits for most people).

cheers,


--tom

 

[Joel Ostrow]

The Samsung FAR outpeforms the other models you are inquiring about. For the $30-$50 extra I'd go Samsung over Akai because you get 3 extra months in-home service just for registering it -- meaning you get a total of 15 months.
The set is so much better than the WEGA and Toshiba in all respects. Mostly geometry vs Toshiba, and pink bars on both sides and geometry vs. Sony. Sony service is TERRIBLE.
Search my other thread in this forum and you'll see my experience with Sony, Panasonic and Toshiba before settling on Samsung. After 6 months, this set is still perfect and a great buy.
Anyone who buys the 27" WEGA or the Toshiba instead of the Samsung is nuts.
My observation is confirmed by many, many others on the thread here and at audioreview.com.
This is the HTF thread:
http://www.hometheaterforum.com/htfo...2&goto=newpost

 

[Jack Briggs]

Anyone who buys the 27" WEGA or the Toshiba instead of the Samsung is nuts.

Joel, first, by saying that you are be default calling several members here "nuts." Not nice.

Second, there are a number of factors for one to consider when making a choice as to a 27-inch direct-view set. For many, the WEGA may have a more appealing feature set than the Samsung. And Toshiba has a huge following here at HTF; I know I really like the company's products.

 

[Robert Mayrand]

Well since everyone never heard anything bad about samsung or akai here's one. I bought a samsung 36" for the main reason as mention above, easy access to the squeeze. I notice in the first few days that the squeeze was wrong being stretch over an inch too much vertically, and there was also some line appearing in an arc form on uniform light or dark background, especially visible in skin tone. I thought that it was a simple service menu adjustment..........THere was also a really bad problem with geometry on the set. When i mention to the technician that this was the worst case of geometry problem I ever saw on a TV (a double "S" form that was quite aggravated when in widescreen mode) , the technician said that i should'nt be too dificult and that i should buy a nice flat TV if i wanted a perfect tv.

Another aggravating problem is that absolutely no information is available on the web on service menu or adjustment possible for the Samsung and the printed service manual is not of any help. My last ressource was to call in a samsung technician who came to my house, but he wasn't sure of the data in the service menu so he had to take the tv with him, after a month waiting, no one returning my phone call, I drop by and he told me that he had contacted samsung and that there was no adjustment possible on the widecreen mode.

Finally I have to wait that samsung finally decide that the TV is defective before getting a refund......but since all the other TV are on the same setting wich cannot be modified I don't know what they will do?

If sony or toshiba customer service is worst than that, I'm afraid of what to expect????? I think i'll probably switch to a Toshiba or maybe a sony. At least some information is available for doing some work in the service menu.

Rob
Mtl