dreamr802

mccoyjax

I have had my Vizio 42" HDTV for a year and a half and it is dead!!! I loved it and thought I had gotten a great deal, but not now. I have been researching and it is a very common problem. It is out of warranty and I am out $1000. Go head and spend more on a good brand. I have read a million Vizio horror stories. Don't waste your money like I did!

bicker

Vizio is a decent brand for the price -- FOR THE PRICE -- and it is generally significantly less expensive than the "better" brands, so yes, significantly lower in quality and reliability. You shouldn't have an experience like mccoyjax -- the unit dies after only a year and a half -- but you also shouldn't expect that you'll get Samsung or Sony quality from a Vizio.

dtvnerd

The brand is stationed in America. California to be exact. The company does make quality sets, and I would recommend buying one for yourself. Don't let the price fool you. A cheaper price now-a-days does not mean low quality.

bicker

Actually, with HDTVs, the price is often a very good predictor of quality. I'm not sure where you've been getting your impressions to the contrary.

misha

Vizio is a great TV. I have friends that swear on this brand, and they wouldn't go back to an expensive brand for a TV ever again. The more expensive ones would be just a waste of money.

bicker

Figure, you could buy three Vizios, over time, instead of two Samsungs, and still save money.

And you may need to.

stevezachtech

If you are going to invest on a TV, you might as well go for a brand that has stood the test of time and is synonymous to quality. Saving the time to get your unit to the repair shop will definitely matter after half a decade of use or so. But then again, there is no harm in trying so good luck on your decision.

ManuelV

My vote is to stay away from DLP TVs. People always complain about constantly replacing bulbs on them every 2-3 years.

bicker

That's not a good reason to stay away from DLP HDTVs. That's a good reason to factor the price of replacement bulbs every 2-3 years into the cost of your television. I saved about $2000 by going with a DLP in June 2006, and have yet to replace the bulb -- I spent an extra $180 at the time so that my second bulb could sit next to my television for the last two and a half years. So it'll take at least thirty years for my decision to go with DLP to turn into a bad one, at least in that regard.

DLP is a good option for folks who don't need the flatness of a flat screen, and want to get a lot larger display for the money. As much as LCDs and plasma HDTVs have come down in price in recent years, the break-even point been drastically reduced. My next television probably will be a LCD or plasma, but DLP still remains a good choice for folks who are aiming for the very largest living room display sizes.