To come 'service' my 2 month old plasma 3 times replacing different parts to try reducing my insane amount if IR, break an HDMI port out of stupidity of non English speaking sirs because they were too dumb to unplug my HDMI cord out before laying the TV back down (they replaced the board a week later which gave me all new ports), finally have the assistant manager come out to take pictures of some IR on my TV to send out to the Samsung corporates, then call me back and say that Samsung noted my problem as burn-in so they can no longer continue servicing my TV. The white guy that always picked up the phone at my local Samsung authorized service center seemed to understand my problem perfectly, but every guy he sent out to my house seemed to not know what IR is - all they know is burn-in, which isn't my issue. I've had to repeat myself a hundred times explaining to them that IR is my issue and not burn-in, but because the ghostly images would fade off after a long period of time - they stood strong on their opinion that I don't have a problem with my TV. But they understood the fact that I was not going to accept their opinion, so proceeded to act like they understood my problem while I put on a logo for 15 seconds and flipped to a black screen to view the pasted ghost logo. So they take pictures of it, send it out to the corporates, and leave me a voicemail saying Samsung stated my TV is plagued with burn-in so they can no longer service my TV? I'm sorry, this is complete ******** and by far the WORST customer service I've ever dealt with - I will never buy another Samsung product again. But aside from that, any advice on my situation?

Samsung PN50B650, if you were wondering.

You should have given Samsung the boot early. Real early like I did, I gave the pink hue bastard 58a550 two weeks and sent it back asap.

I would sell it on craiglist take the loss and move to a Panny.

My only issue with it was insane IR, I bought the 560 prior to the 650 and only got about 20 hours of use on it before I took it back (noticed a bunch of dead pixels) but the image retention got better and better over the hours - and from my understanding a plasma is fully broken in by the 200th hour or so. Well I picked up this 650 and the image retention is just as bad on the 2,000th hour as it was the first second - I kept it thinking it would improve over time like the 560 did and got ****ed in the process. I'd be willing to take a small hit for it, but, since I bought Best Buy's warranty for an extra 250 or w/e it was - that'd be too big of a hit.

Actually I should also state that I began getting picky with other annoyances on the TV as well. Motion scenes didn't look good, most of the time further objects in scenes didn't jump out at you, input lag sucked horribly without Game Mode on. So I pretty much hate this TV now, as well as Samsung's customer service.

I have a pn50a510 and I also hate it. I have argued with samsung repeatedly about the horizontal line bleeding on my tv but they will not fix it. they say it is within spec. I also get image retention pretty easily but it goes away quickly. worst I ever got took a day to go away. But enough about me. I wanted to let u know that if u have the best buys black tie warranty then burn in is covered. If your set gets burnt in then they will replace the panel since it cannot be repaired. with a new panel it may solve some of your image retention problem. U have to call the geek squad though, not samsung. The geed squad guy I had at my house was great. He couldnt fix my bleed problem because samsung says its in spec. but he did in a round about why tell me it might be good to "burn it in" towards the end of my warranty to start out with a new panel. lol. hope this helps u. Samsung blows and I will not be buying another one once this one is payed for.

Oh and i dont notice any input lag on my tv when gaming. I have ps3, 360, and wii. Atleast not any that I can tell. I do play rockband sometimes and never calibrated it or anything. I dont use game mode. I leave my picture settings the same as when i watch tv.

Shoulda had a Kuro. :D

This is most unfortunate. One reason I would go with Panasonic is because of stories like this. Refusing to service this TV is an abomination.

The more I hear about Samsung the less I like it.

I hope you can find an acceptable resolution.

Best Regards

To come 'service' my 2 month old plasma 3 times replacing different parts to try reducing my insane amount if IR, break an HDMI port out of stupidity of non English speaking sirs because they were too dumb to unplug my HDMI cord out before laying the TV back down (they replaced the board a week later which gave me all new ports), finally have the assistant manager come out to take pictures of some IR on my TV to send out to the Samsung corporates, then call me back and say that Samsung noted my problem as burn-in so they can no longer continue servicing my TV. The white guy that always picked up the phone at my local Samsung authorized service center seemed to understand my problem perfectly, but every guy he sent out to my house seemed to not know what IR is - all they know is burn-in, which isn't my issue. I've had to repeat myself a hundred times explaining to them that IR is my issue and not burn-in, but because the ghostly images would fade off after a long period of time - they stood strong on their opinion that I don't have a problem with my TV. But they understood the fact that I was not going to accept their opinion, so proceeded to act like they understood my problem while I put on a logo for 15 seconds and flipped to a black screen to view the pasted ghost logo. So they take pictures of it, send it out to the corporates, and leave me a voicemail saying Samsung stated my TV is plagued with burn-in so they can no longer service my TV? I'm sorry, this is complete ******** and by far the WORST customer service I've ever dealt with - I will never buy another Samsung product again. But aside from that, any advice on my situation?

Samsung PN50B650, if you were wondering.

If I were you I would stop talking to them on the phone. Find the name of the CS manager a level or two above the people that you are talking with and send your complaint by Email or post(registered). You might also mention that you are posting this online or send them a link with your complaint.
I have to admit this story makes me rethink buying anything Samsung, too.

Shoulda had a Kuro. :D

kuro blows too for issues being discussed here.

"the white guy"?

Ignoring the idiot peanut gallery for a moment, If I can filter out your writings, Samsung repaired something on your set twice to your and their satisfaction apparently.
On a 3rd visit, they conclude you have burn-in but you say it's IR. If it's IR that you say goes away then I'm not sure what your issues are?
If it's burn-in then yeah, they and no other plasma maker covers that.

I have the pn58a650 and been fighting the pink hue issue(with the tv, not samsung) I have got excellent service from them, however only by opening a repair ticket online. dealing with them on phone was a different situation, bunch of friggin idiots imo

I am also opting out of Samsung electronics for a long, long... long time.

Previous owner of a 58B650 and current 58S1 owner here.

The first two times weren't to satisfaction of both ends. The two times they came out they replaced different parts in the TV out of pure speculation that it might help reduce IR - and obviously, none of the things they did helped my TV at all. And my issue is IR pasting on my screen within 15 seconds of any still image - also, any longer than that it takes hours for it to clear up. I've called Samsung about it and they said that it's definitely not normal - and that's why they contacted the local authorized dealer to begin servicing my TV. I've also spoke with many people on this forum and they all say that it's a defective set because it isn't normal. And then Samsung decided to note my TV down in as burn-in.

Is there any possibility of explaining this to geek squad and maybe they'll grant me the exception to swap it out for a different set rather than giving me another Samsung - because I really don't want a Samsung after this, you know?

It can't hurt to ask the geek squad for a swap.

It can't hurt to ask the geek squad for a swap.

should he ask for a Kuro? ;)

should he ask for a Kuro? ;)

He might get a buzzer or dirty screen or both. The smart move would be to get an LCD. That would make iR concerns less likely.

Nah, go with the Panny! ;)

Nah, go with the Panny! ;)

perhaps, be certain however to make sacrifices to the electron gods in hopes that everytime you hit the power button, the tv turns on. :cool:

perhaps, be certain however to make sacrifices to the electron gods in hopes that everytime you hit the power button, the tv turns on. :cool:

Have there been alot of documented power supply problems with the '09 Pannys?

pretty sure the answer is NO.

Yeah an LCD could be on the agenda, I was looking at the Sony KDL52XBR9. It's either that or a Panny.

And my Sammy runs pretty much non stop, 63B550, and looks great works perfect, tons of video games, bluray and both standard and hi def sat. Go figure.

I got a SEARS 3yr warranty plan on my pn50b550. Anything happens to it, they simply replace it with a new one or a later model pretty sweet imo. Peace of mind is when you buy a plasma with extended warranty..

Have there been alot of documented power supply problems with the '09 Pannys?No, just alot of sour grapes from a butthurt Samsung fan :D

There's been probably less than a half dozen posts over the past 8 months where somebody's 12G Panasonic stopped powering up. I haven't seen very many Samsung power supply failure posts either so they're doing pretty good in that department.

Panasonic did have a power supply problem on their early 2007 42" 1080p models though, and has owned up to it and covered the cost of repairs on units that were almost a year out of warranty. For the survivors, they issued a firmware update to correct the issue that can cause an early PS failure.

Yeah an LCD could be on the agenda, I was looking at the Sony KDL52XBR9. It's either that or a Panny.

Apparently at one of my jobs we have been getting an inordinate amount of XBRs in for repairs and returns due to quality issues. This may not be wide spread and just happens to be an issue with the batches we have received but it could be more widespread.

If you decide to go the LCD route Samsungs offerings have generally been very good for folks, Sony models I recommend would be the V or W series currently.
Personally don't care for the "LED" LCD panels but that 8500 should be pretty sweet assuming preliminary assessments are correct or the LG LED backlite model is pretty good.

Stay with the plasma and just get a Panasonic and call it a day, after turning on the orbiting mode. ;} S,G,V should serve you well.

Question, have you changed the settings from Torchmode? At my work our 850 Samsung gets a BR menu left on for prolong amounts of time and generally don't have an issue until we leave it alone for around 4-6 hours. After that we do have some IR issues but it does eventually go aways so long as varying content is on long enough and that is with Torch Mode on, uuggh.

Best Regards
KvE

PS It has been said before and evidently it may need to be reiterated once more. A Kuro will cure what ails you. ;}

PPS What is it with people posting open ended titles for threads. Frankly it is tacky and annoying, oh one of the many banes of my existence.
Suggestion for title. "Issues with servicing IR problems with Samsung Plasma, suggestions?"

He might get a buzzer or dirty screen or both. The smart move would be to get an LCD. That would make iR concerns less likely.

buzzer? 500 and 600 series don't seem to be having those issues as I think that engineer got fired and was hired by Samsung by the sounds (bzzzz) of the new Samsung plasmas. :cool:

To try to at least comment on the title of your thread; "Is it legal for Samsung to refuse to further service your Samsung because they claim that it has burn-in caused by you?"

What is legal is, by definition something that involves the law, and by extension, lawyers. A lawyer would do his (her) best to get Samsung to back down from the position they have taken. Unfortunately, a lawyer would charge you about $200 per hour to fight that fight. So, the question of legality is pretty much moot.

IMHO, you are on the right track in trying to obtain a different TV.

Curiosly, Consumer Reports just gave the Toshiba Regza 55Z650U the top spot in large LCDs, saying, "The highly rated Tosbiba Regza 55Z650U offers excellent picture quality plus a wider viewing angle and less motion blur than on many LCDs, all at a very competitive price for a 55 inch set."

That model does not have LED backlighting or local dimming, it costs much less than any 55 inch LCD with LED local dimming. I would try to find the 55ZV650U and see how the picture quality is before dismissing it. You may not like the Toshiba (for any number of reasons). If you don't like the <$2,000 Tosshiba, it seems that you may be a candidate for a Local Dimming LED LCD.

I wish you all the best in resolving your problem.

No, just alot of sour grapes from a butthurt Samsung fan :D

There's been probably less than a half dozen posts over the past 8 months where somebody's 12G Panasonic stopped powering up. I haven't seen very many Samsung power supply failure posts either so they're doing pretty good in that department.

Panasonic did have a power supply problem on their early 2007 42" 1080p models though, and has owned up to it and covered the cost of repairs on units that were almost a year out of warranty. For the survivors, they issued a firmware update to correct the issue that can cause an early PS failure.

Thanks Randy.

kuro blows too for issues being discussed here.


:rolleyes: not even close to any IR issues on any Kuro, but I guess we just have to look at the source of this nonsense...

^ 1 year in of intense tv watching and no IR here on my kuro.

James

kuro kool-aid drinkers pulease!
There are several examples recently of kuro owners having IR. The link below is just one of 'em.
This is not to knock the kuro but it uses the same technology that makes Samsung, LG, and Panasonic susceptible to IR. There is nothing magical or mystical about kuro. Endeavor to remain in the rational world!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1188269&highlight=

kuro kool-aid drinkers pulease!
There are several examples recently of kuro owners having IR. The link below is just one of 'em.
This is not to knock the kuro but it uses the same technology that makes Samsung, LG, and Panasonic susceptible to IR. There is nothing magical or mystical about kuro. Endeavor to remain in the rational world!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1188269&highlight=

Whatever makes you feel better. ;} Anyhow I've put plenty of 2.35:1 content and a few prolong gaming sessions, 6-8 hours, on my 111 with zero IR. The only time I've seen a hint if IR is when I turn off the set late at night and the lights are off I can see that last residual image but this happened on my HD tube set as well.

I drink my Kuro-Ade to replenish my thirst for Videophile bliss. :}

Not to be confused with sour grape flavour KuroEnvy-Aid ;}~ Muyahah.

Also to add to the endeavor of the rational world in your example only two people out of a paltry 21 posts mentioned they had an issue with IR on Pioneer panels. The issue stems from a specific video source, Madden 10 which seems to have some detrimental logo/icons. Another side note, LCDs can succumb to IR and Burn-In thought it does require more effort than most plasmas.
Actually seen at my college in the media library with a small series of informational slides. I thought the panels were plasmas at first but nope they are LCDs.

Best Regards
KvE

Folks,

Don't you just hate it when the manufacturer is behaving in a more rational manner than their self-appointed fanboy protector.

Samsung has serviced the OP's TV on more than one occassion, and yet fanboy comes on here and attack the OP.
Samsung agreed that the OP's set was defective and serviced it. Fanboy's dispute is with his beloved Samsung, and not with the OP.

I've had 3 Samsung Plasmas and multiple panel exchanges, a 42" panny plasma and now have a Pio 500m and the Samsungs had the worst IR of any of them. I play many hours of PS3 (madden), watch blurays and lots of sports with tickers and sports bars and never had any IR with the Pio or Panny. The samsungs had consistently worse IR than the other two brands. I don't run in vivid or dynamic mode, kept the contrast and brightness settings low and still had IR with the samsung. No issues with the other two brands. I will say this years Samsung models had less IR than last year, but the buzzing issues made all other issues moot.

.... since I bought Best Buy's warranty for an extra 250 or w/e it was - that'd be too big of a hit.


Did you buy the EW from BB on the current panel you are having issues with? If so GS should be repairing it and supposedly after 3 qualifying repairs they are suppose to replace it. Your IR issues are abnormal from my own experience with Samsung Plasmas in the last few years, although they have been more susceptible to temporary IR than say other good brands.

Another suggestion is write a nice concise letter to http://consumerist.com/ and they maybe able to give some email address to send a recount of your ordeal.

Good Luck
KvE

kuro kool-aid drinkers pulease!
There are several examples recently of kuro owners having IR. The link below is just one of 'em.
This is not to knock the kuro but it uses the same technology that makes Samsung, LG, and Panasonic susceptible to IR. There is nothing magical or mystical about kuro. Endeavor to remain in the rational world!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1188269&highlight=

Good grief! BTW another value electronics shoot out, Disco (which I am sure you have seen already due to your silence), or are you going to discount that as well?:rolleyes:

kuro kool-aid drinkers pulease!
There are several examples recently of kuro owners having IR. The link below is just one of 'em.
This is not to knock the kuro but it uses the same technology that makes Samsung, LG, and Panasonic susceptible to IR. There is nothing magical or mystical about kuro. Endeavor to remain in the rational world!
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=1188269&highlight=


There's no hint of IR on my Kuro 500M and I leave it on for hours, black bars and all.

Good grief! BTW another value electronics shoot out, Disco (which I am sure you have seen already due to your silence), or are you going to discount that as well?:rolleyes:

Good grief what?

I did see the thread about the shootout. What would you have me say? I don't make it a point to just discount these sorts of things the way some of might for example dispute Consumer's Report when they pick Samsung 2 years in a row as their best. By the way, when CR picked Kuro 3 years ago, I don't recall kuro fans mocking those results.

Whatever makes you feel better. ;} Anyhow I've put plenty of 2.35:1 content and a few prolong gaming sessions, 6-8 hours, on my 111 with zero IR. The only time I've seen a hint if IR is when I turn off the set late at night and the lights are off I can see that last residual image but this happened on my HD tube set as well.

I drink my Kuro-Ade to replenish my thirst for Videophile bliss. :}

Not to be confused with sour grape flavour KuroEnvy-Aid ;}~ Muyahah.

Also to add to the endeavor of the rational world in your example only two people out of a paltry 21 posts mentioned they had an issue with IR on Pioneer panels. The issue stems from a specific video source, Madden 10 which seems to have some detrimental logo/icons. Another side note, LCDs can succumb to IR and Burn-In thought it does require more effort than most plasmas.
Actually seen at my college in the media library with a small series of informational slides. I thought the panels were plasmas at first but nope they are LCDs.

Best Regards
KvE

First, I wanted to dispute the claim that IR never happens on a kuro. Second, I only selected one thread. There were a few other recent threads with mention of IR on kuro. Again, remain in the rational world.

Good grief what?

I did see the thread about the shootout. What would you have me say? I don't make it a point to just discount these sorts of things the way some of might for example dispute Consumer's Report when they pick Samsung 2 years in a row as their best. By the way, when CR picked Kuro 3 years ago, I don't recall kuro fans mocking those results.

Good grief what? You state that there is a universal IR problem with the Kuros based on just two people giving their accounts, that's why. BTW I didn't say it doesn't happen just that it isn't a problem. Any plasma can have IR with a static image, but it is only a problem with normal viewing with some brands (ie. Samsungs).

Your best comeback is the CR ratings? Now that's funny! You continue to blather-on nonsense with nothing of consequence to contribute to the forum. It used to be fun responding to your silly posts, now it is just getting boring...off to ignore again...

Shame on Samsung for having undermined their number one Fanboy, by admitting that the OP's set was defective, and having serviced the unit.

When is Samsung going to learn to check with their Uber Fanboy, before making such decisions. Do they not realize how difficult they are making it for him to keep on blaming the consumer victims, once they admit that their products are defective. Not that it has really slowed uber fanboy down, in his whitewashing chores.;)

Shame on Samsung for having undermined their number one Fanboy, by admitting that the OP's set was defective, and having serviced the unit.

When is Samsung going to learn to check with their Uber Fanboy, before making such decisions. Do they not realize how difficult they are making it for him to keep on blaming the consumer victims, once they admit that their products are defective. Not that it has really slowed uber fanboy down, in his whitewashing chores.;)

It's all about me huh greeny!
I hate to disappoint chya but unlike you kuro zombies, I am under no illusions that Samsung makes perfect products. Imperfection is the way of things unless of course like I said, you're a kuro zombie.

We never said our sets were perfect, just the best of the heap. :p

ajvandenb;Good grief what? You state that there is a universal IR problem with the Kuros based on just two people giving their accounts, that's why.
??? Where did I state there is a universal IR problem for kuros? Kids, this is what happens when you drink too much kuro-aid.


BTW I didn't say it doesn't happen just that it isn't a problem. Any plasma can have IR with a static image, but it is only a problem with normal viewing with some brands (ie. Samsungs).
You wrote this: not even close to any IR issues on any Kuro, but I guess we just have to look at the source of this nonsense...
As for your Samsung slam, you're just being silly again.

Your best comeback is the CR ratings? Now that's funny! You continue to blather-on nonsense with nothing of consequence to contribute to the forum. It used to be fun responding to your silly posts, now it is just getting boring...off to ignore again...
Oh, I guess that means you're gonna go cry in your little cubby hole because discopaul rubbed your nose in it huh :cool:

I would not put too much credibility in CR's findings.

discopaul, you really need to shut up. The only reason you haven't been banned is probably because you pay for one of the premium memberships. I get sick of seeing your fanboyism in every single thread. Current gen Kuro's are the best plasmas out right now, that doesn't mean they always were or always will be. Samsung plasmas are well documented as being more succeptible to burn-in and having overall worse PQ. Consumer reports rates products on a variety of bases, only one of them being PQ and I doubt their tests include running static images as long as possible to see which one breaks the first. Also though since we're talking about consumer reports rankings, Samsung was rates much worse than either Pio or Panasonic for reliability. 3% and 2% for each of those, it was over 10% failure for the Samsungs and other brand plasmas if memory serves. You really need to stop trolling before someone shows you some sunshine.

Hey Dizzy, before you call a lawyer, you might want to go back and cover your trail. "I've been running my plasma like burn-in isn't even real, because of my best buy warranty".

Do you still feel that way. Can't believe your whinning after the way you treated your plasma.

I take it that you are out of your 30 day return period. The geek squad will not completely replace the tv until they repair yours 4 times. But if u burn it in and they replace the panel you may atleast get the tv to your satisfaction. I have learned to live with mine until the next time i buy a tv that is not a samsung.

It's all about me huh greeny!
I hate to disappoint chya but unlike you kuro zombies, I am under no illusions that Samsung makes perfect products. Imperfection is the way of things unless of course like I said, you're a kuro zombie.

Apparently it is all about you, since you hijacked the OP's thread. He has a defective set that Samsung has serviced more than once, and you come in and derail the thread with your fanboy rants about Kuro.

For the record, I do not own a Kuro, and I never have, so it shows how desperate you are to try and deflect the thread from the reality that the OP got a defective product, which Samsung has tried to fix, but has not. Grow up.

discopaul, you really need to shut up. The only reason you haven't been banned is probably because you pay for one of the premium memberships. I get sick of seeing your fanboyism in every single thread. Current gen Kuro's are the best plasmas out right now, that doesn't mean they always were or always will be. Samsung plasmas are well documented as being more succeptible to burn-in and having overall worse PQ. Consumer reports rates products on a variety of bases, only one of them being PQ and I doubt their tests include running static images as long as possible to see which one breaks the first. Also though since we're talking about consumer reports rankings, Samsung was rates much worse than either Pio or Panasonic for reliability. 3% and 2% for each of those, it was over 10% failure for the Samsungs and other brand plasmas if memory serves. You really need to stop trolling before someone shows you some sunshine.

Yeah, I know. Ya don't like me and you would love to shut up the infidel.
I should let guys like you just blather on that kuro is great, Samsung sucks, next time get a kuro, yada, yada, yada, without countering your drivel.

I have some reason to doubt your 10% failure rate since no one here who subscribes to that magazine has reported that. For the sake of argument though, with a ten percent failure rate and they still pick Samsung as best means the Sammies are head and shoulders above the rest.:cool:

Anyway go back to your kuro and comfort it because discopaul hurt it and your feelings.:cool:

Apparently it is all about you, since you hijacked the OP's thread. He has a defective set that Samsung has serviced more than once, and you come in and derail the thread with your fanboy rants about Kuro.

For the record, I do not own a Kuro, and I never have, so it shows how desperate you are to try and deflect the thread from the reality that the OP got a defective product, which Samsung has tried to fix, but has not. Grow up.

Actually, as is your tendency, you follow up behind me to respond to me and not the thread. I made suggestions to the OP which he said he is considering. As usual for you and your ilk, there is little to nothing you offer.

discopaul, regardless of whether or not you're providing the OP useful info you are also trolling. If you hadn't noticed, my avi from when I joined is DLPLover, not Kuro-lover. When I bought my old set, DLP was the best out there in the mainstream for PQ (Plasma still had IR/burn-in issues and LCD's were plagued by a myriad of issues). Right now Kuro is the best. I like Kuro because it provides the best PQ in currently available sets. I was also considering Panasonic since they come very close. Samsung costs more and isn't any better.

CR reports rate based on a variety of criteria as I said, and features etc... are a big one. For them, the ideal set has tons of fancy integrated crap that people serious about PQ could care less about since they have their own receiver, speakers, cable box, etc... This isn't just true for TV's, but CR's ratings on electronics in general. They rate based on criteria they think will matter the most to the average Joe, which is very often a different set of criteria than av enthusiasts will be interested in. They also only test a small selection of all models out there for any category (be it TV's, computers, washers, etc...). The only thing that I don't take from them with a grain of salt is their reliability rankings, which I already stated.

I threw out my copy that had the ratings in them already, but next time I go to the library I'll try to find which issue it was for you. But those numbers should be accurate. And that's not from a Kuro fanboy perspective. When I bought my set, I didn't give a damn about any of these TV's. I looked in consumer reports to see which they reported as most accurate of the Plasmas and went from there. Panasonic was first, with Pioneer trailing in 2nd. If Samsung were first I would probably have looked at them as well. As it was, I looked at reviews of both the Panasonic and Pioneer sets available and ultimately decided that the Pioneer was worth the difference to me.

The only reason I was shopping for a set now was that the color-wheel on my DLP finally went and since it was an old set I couldn't find parts. So my primary interests were 1) reliability and 2) PQ. Both of those go to Panasonic and Pio. If I had decided not to go Pio, I would've gone Panasonic based only on their reliability and close PQ to the Kuro. Samsung plasmas may have fun features, but aren't as well rated for reliability or PQ by the experts.

It's nice to see you're happy with your set, but you need to get a grip. In a year or two there'll probably something that's surpassed the Pioneers. It's the nature of tech. I have no idea what the situation was a year ago when you bought your Samsung, but regardless it's now a year later and right now the KRP Pioneers are the best rated. The only reason they are selling so cheap is that they are discontinued.

I'm guessing this Samsung you own is your first HDTV. I can tell because you like it a lot and you talk it up a lot. That's somewhat natural. I was the same way with my first HDTV. Chances are next time around you'll realize that a TV is just a TV. Some are better than others and we need to look at them objectively and recognize that whatever we buy isn't going to be top of the line forever. I can come to grips with that. I hope you can too.

kuro blows too for issues being discussed here.

"the white guy"?

Ignoring the idiot peanut gallery for a moment, If I can filter out your writings, Samsung repaired something on your set twice to your and their satisfaction apparently.
On a 3rd visit, they conclude you have burn-in but you say it's IR. If it's IR that you say goes away then I'm not sure what your issues are?
If it's burn-in then yeah, they and no other plasma maker covers that.

This is your first post on the thread. Some helpful suggestions those comments were! You basically told the OP that he had nothing to complain about.:rolleyes:

First, I wanted to dispute the claim that IR never happens on a kuro. Second, I only selected one thread. There were a few other recent threads with mention of IR on kuro. Again, remain in the rational world.


You're saying 1 or 2 samples out of thousands is statistically significant? Did you ever take high school level math?

discopaul, regardless of whether or not you're providing the OP useful info you are also trolling. If you hadn't noticed, my avi from when I joined is DLPLover, not Kuro-lover. When I bought my old set, DLP was the best out there in the mainstream for PQ (Plasma still had IR/burn-in issues and LCD's were plagued by a myriad of issues). Right now Kuro is the best. I like Kuro because it provides the best PQ in currently available sets. I was also considering Panasonic since they come very close. Samsung costs more and isn't any better.

CR reports rate based on a variety of criteria as I said, and features etc... are a big one. For them, the ideal set has tons of fancy integrated crap that people serious about PQ could care less about since they have their own receiver, speakers, cable box, etc... This isn't just true for TV's, but CR's ratings on electronics in general. They rate based on criteria they think will matter the most to the average Joe, which is very often a different set of criteria than av enthusiasts will be interested in. They also only test a small selection of all models out there for any category (be it TV's, computers, washers, etc...). The only thing that I don't take from them with a grain of salt is their reliability rankings, which I already stated.

I threw out my copy that had the ratings in them already, but next time I go to the library I'll try to find which issue it was for you. But those numbers should be accurate. And that's not from a Kuro fanboy perspective. When I bought my set, I didn't give a damn about any of these TV's. I looked in consumer reports to see which they reported as most accurate of the Plasmas and went from there. Panasonic was first, with Pioneer trailing in 2nd. If Samsung were first I would probably have looked at them as well. As it was, I looked at reviews of both the Panasonic and Pioneer sets available and ultimately decided that the Pioneer was worth the difference to me.

The only reason I was shopping for a set now was that the color-wheel on my DLP finally went and since it was an old set I couldn't find parts. So my primary interests were 1) reliability and 2) PQ. Both of those go to Panasonic and Pio. If I had decided not to go Pio, I would've gone Panasonic based only on their reliability and close PQ to the Kuro. Samsung plasmas may have fun features, but aren't as well rated for reliability or PQ by the experts.

It's nice to see you're happy with your set, but you need to get a grip. In a year or two there'll probably something that's surpassed the Pioneers. It's the nature of tech. I have no idea what the situation was a year ago when you bought your Samsung, but regardless it's now a year later and right now the KRP Pioneers are the best rated. The only reason they are selling so cheap is that they are discontinued.

I'm guessing this Samsung you own is your first HDTV. I can tell because you like it a lot and you talk it up a lot. That's somewhat natural. I was the same way with my first HDTV. Chances are next time around you'll realize that a TV is just a TV. Some are better than others and we need to look at them objectively and recognize that whatever we buy isn't going to be top of the line forever. I can come to grips with that. I hope you can too.

Frankly I don't care what you think. Apparently your sole purpose in this thread is to address me. Whatever!:cool:

Hey Dizzy, before you call a lawyer, you might want to go back and cover your trail. "I've been running my plasma like burn-in isn't even real, because of my best buy warranty".

Do you still feel that way. Can't believe your whinning after the way you treated your plasma.

And where exactly are you getting this quote? I actually treated my plasma as if I didn't have a Best Buy warranty. I went through 150 hours of break-in before I even watched a single TV show - I've NEVER watched 4:3 TV, always stretched - and I've only watched 3 movies with black bars. GTFO out of this thread, sir. Is it really my fault that ever since I first began using the set it's always been flooded with IR? Like I said earlier, you put a still image on my screen for 15 seconds and it's pasted with that image. You watch ending credits that transfer in intervals rather than scroll down, and you will see the name ghosted after it disappears and goes black before another name pops up. Yeah, they 'serviced' my TV twice - which included replacing different chips in the TV and adjusting the watts out of pure speculation that it might clear up the IR [keep in mind, they didn't even understand what IR was]. So their 'servicing' wasn't servicing in any shape or form, all they basically did was fiddle with my TV and break an HDMI port out of a moronic decision by laying the TV down with the HDMI cord plugged into the back of it while it was already stretched as far as it was gonna go.

EDIT: Oh and by the way I've never used Torch Mode, which I'm guessing you guys refer to as Dynamic Mode - right? It's currently on Dynamic Mode at the moment though, just because all of my settings reset the last time they 'serviced' my TV - and I don't care to change them back, nor what possibly happens to the TV from now on because it will not be mine anymore after all of this BS is resolved. So needless to say it's on it's stock settings right now.

Dizzy don't pay attention to them. I'm pretty sure all the people flaming you are flaming you because they too have Samsung plasmas and are worried on a subconscious level that theirs will eventually exhibit the same problems yours does down the road. They're externalizing that in the form of crapping on you for having a problem since they don't want to believe that a) problems are user induced and as such not applicable to them and b) that they don't have to worry about their plasma developing the same problems. The important thing is just keep plugging forward and don't give up until you get a resolution to your liking. At that point, you probably want to check out a Panasonic or possibly Pioneer depending on your pricerange, since they seem to have the least trouble with IR/burn-in.

And where exactly are you getting this quote? I actually treated my plasma as if I didn't have a Best Buy warranty. I went through 150 hours of break-in before I even watched a single TV show - I've NEVER watched 4:3 TV, always stretched - and I've only watched 3 movies with black bars. GTFO out of this thread, sir. Is it really my fault that ever since I first began using the set it's always been flooded with IR? Like I said earlier, you put a still image on my screen for 15 seconds and it's pasted with that image. You watch ending credits that transfer in intervals rather than scroll down, and you will see the name ghosted after it disappears and goes black before another name pops up. Yeah, they 'serviced' my TV twice - which included replacing different chips in the TV and adjusting the watts out of pure speculation that it might clear up the IR [keep in mind, they didn't even understand what IR was]. So their 'servicing' wasn't servicing in any shape or form, all they basically did was fiddle with my TV and break an HDMI port out of a moronic decision by laying the TV down with the HDMI cord plugged into the back of it while it was already stretched as far as it was gonna go.

EDIT: Oh and by the way I've never used Torch Mode, which I'm guessing you guys refer to as Dynamic Mode - right? It's currently on Dynamic Mode at the moment though, just because all of my settings reset the last time they 'serviced' my TV - and I don't care to change them back, nor what possibly happens to the TV from now on because it will not be mine anymore after all of this BS is resolved. So needless to say it's on it's stock settings right now.

It was painfully obvious from your first post that you have a defective set, that is not being adressed properly by Samsung. You really don't have to justify your actions, at least in my book. It's all gone wildly off topic, and I for one? would like to try to help you resolve the issue. If help is what you need, although maybe you just needed a place to vent your frustration with Samsungs handling of your case.

If you hadn't noticed, my avi from when I joined is DLPLover, not Kuro-lover. When I bought my old set, DLP was the best out there in the mainstream for PQ (Plasma still had IR/burn-in issues and LCD's were plagued by a myriad of issues).

According to the site you joined in November 2006. Is that correct? I ask because by then DLP was definitely not the "best out there in the mainstream" and plasma tech had already conquered burn-in by them and was definitely in the mainstream. Plasma "conquered" burn-in (in the sense that it was a virtual non-issue but for exteme abuse, just as it is today) by 2004 for sooner. Then, as is STILL the case today, some people may have still clung to the myth of burn-in. But I would say all that changed since 2006 is some people became aware of it being a false issue later than others ...

Not dissing you, just clarifying the facts. I certainly don't want to pile on to the overall tone of this thread which is so defensive. Dizzy clearly has a defective set.

Citivas, no offense taken. I had the DLP before 2006 (may have been 2004, I just don't remember). I was still a lurker though when I was doing the actual research into purchasing the DLP. At the time, I was also put off by all the jaggies and whatnot that both LCD and Plasma had (or maybe it was just plasma... I remember they all had issues at the time I purchased). I was drawn to the nice job DLP's did at glossing over low-res video and making it still look very good. That was also back when all the LCD's, even Sony, had horrible banding, line issues, etc... etc... Based on my criteria at the time, it was the most trouble free and really it was while it lasted. I had no visual issues until the color wheel went. No issues that LCD or Plasma commonly had at the time. Sure black wasn't anything near a current Plasma and off-angle was still a problem, but they did have a very smooth look to them. Anyway, at the time, my analysis was that a DLP would be most suitable for my needs and I definitely don't regret the purchase. I do think I remember that people were starting to say at the time I purchased that burn-in was no longer an issue on plasmas, but I think it was the very start of them fixing that problem so I must've taken it with a grain of salt. One thing that's for sure is that DLP are a lot less fragile than plasma. Very rarely do you hear about people receiving broken DLP's since they don't actually use glass for screen so are much less likely to break in shipment. Regardless of what DLP was or wasn't back then, they were a good value for nice, accurate displays very similar to what plasmas are now.

According to the site you joined in November 2006. Is that correct? I ask because by then DLP was definitely not the "best out there in the mainstream" and plasma tech had already conquered burn-in by them and was definitely in the mainstream. Plasma "conquered" burn-in (in the sense that it was a virtual non-issue but for exteme abuse, just as it is today) by 2004 for sooner. Then, as is STILL the case today, some people may have still clung to the myth of burn-in. But I would say all that changed since 2006 is some people became aware of it being a false issue later than others ...

Not dissing you, just clarifying the facts. I certainly don't want to pile on to the overall tone of this thread which is so defensive. Dizzy clearly has a defective set.He could have bought his DLP set 2, 3, or maybe even 4 years before registering an account on AVS. I read AVS for about two years before i registered, and back then DLP was the best choice for the reasons he stated and i was very close to buying a Samsung DLP myself, but held off to see how Plasma TVs progressed. And this may shock some of you but when i finally decided to buy a Plasma in 2005, a Samsung was at the top of my list but i read so many negative posts about them that i got scared and held off, saved up some more money, and went with the Panasonic instead.

It was painfully obvious from your first post that you have a defective set, that is not being adressed properly by Samsung. You really don't have to justify your actions, at least in my book. It's all gone wildly off topic, and I for one? would like to try to help you resolve the issue. If help is what you need, although maybe you just needed a place to vent your frustration with Samsungs handling of your case.

I appreciate the understanding man. And help is what I'm looking for, because I don't quite exactly know how I should go about this. I ended up calling Samsung right after their local authorized dealer left me a voicemail saying that Samsung marked my set as burn-in so they couldn't further service my TV. When the lady picked up I just straight up told her that I'm looking to get a refund on my set because Samsung provided me with a horrible customer service experience, then explained everything that went on - she apologized for the inconvenience and sent a refund request along with a ticket number that I'm supposed to use in between the hours of 9-7 eastern time to speak with the higher tier or whatever. I know I'm going to have to explain the whole situation again, obviously, but I'm not sure how I should exactly go about it - as far as attitude and forceful wise goes.

I would not say to be especially forceful, just be confident and insistent that you want a refund. Be very clear about what was wrong with the set and the timeline of your experience with customer service and getting the TV repaired. I would say you should explain that you want a refund because you have serious concerns over the long-term reliability of the set even if it were to be repaired again as well as concerns over the warranty service you've received. I'd write down what you're going to say, similar as you might for a job interview or any other important presentation. Rehearse it a little until it's clear in your mind what you're going to say, and keep your checklist of things to cover with you while you're talking to them.

Tonally, I would say to be friendly, but a little frustrated (as you are). Remember, the person you're speaking on the phone with isn't to blame for the issue. Whatever happens, keep a cool head and make sure you stay frustrated with the situation, not the individual you're speaking with.

Well, no real improvement yet. I called the number I was told to call, which is Executive Customer Relations, and after explaining everything the lady said that there was nothing she can do because Samsung deemed it as burn-in - but, gave me the President's address and suggested that I wrote a letter thoroughly explaining my situation.

In the meantime, I FINALLY got a hold of the local Samsung authorized dealer to see what the deal was with them marking my TV as burn-in. Once again I had to explain what was going on and what had happened, and the guy said he's going to talk to the Service Manager about it and call me back.

Dizzy, do you have a permanent residual image on your screen now?

I feel really bad for you. Nothing worst then making people explain their problem hundreds of times...

Dizzy, do you have a permanent residual image on your screen now?

No.

So if I understand correctly, your issue then is the TV gets IR fairly easily though it disappears in short order.

........The white guy that always picked up the phone at my local Samsung authorized service center seemed to understand my problem perfectly....

:confused::confused:

So you ask everyone you talk to on the phone what race they are? Becuase there is no way you can tell what every persons race is by talking to them on the phone(Or even meeting them in person) without asking them.

Yeah an LCD could be on the agenda, I was looking at the Sony KDL52XBR9. It's either that or a Panny.At the shootout they had in june between 8 plasmas and lcd tvs the xbr9 finished last.

No.

you should take pictures as days go on, this is the only way to document IR vs. Burn-in. The hurdle you have to get over right now is the incorrect diagnosis. Once this issue has been cleared the rest will follow suit.

Just a word of advice, when speaking to ANYONE, just s simple exercise of asking them how there day went and if it is going well will work wonders. There are hundreds of people a day calling, complaining, and yelling. Be nice and respectful and you will be surprised how people will respond and what they will do for you.

Sit down and write down critical points of your story, whats wrong with you TV when the problems started, repair visits, how they handled them, customer service response, and most importantly the incorrect diagnosis of you television. Speak with confidence and make it clear you are not a typical consumer and very knowledgeable when it comes to TV's.

:confused::confused:

So you ask everyone you talk to on the phone what race they are? Becuase there is no way you can tell what every persons race is by talking to them on the phone(Or even meeting them in person) without asking them.

That was my initial problem with this post. It made me wonder what kind of exchange Dizzy had with the various Samsung reps.

So if I understand correctly, your issue then is the TV gets IR fairly easily though it disappears in short order.

No, takes about 2 hours minimum to clear completely off of my TV - and that's on an image that's maybe been there for 10 minutes or so.

:confused::confused:

So you ask everyone you talk to on the phone what race they are? Becuase there is no way you can tell what every persons race is by talking to them on the phone(Or even meeting them in person) without asking them.

Lol, I guess that sounded a bit off. But it's clear this guy is white, trust me. The reps they sent were Korean or one of them other Jap/Chinese type of races, and they could not speak English. I'm in no way racist, but when somebody walks in to service a piece of equipment that cost me well over a grand and I see that they can't speak fluid English/they're not too coordinated/they're unsure how to unmount my TV from it's brackets - I don't trust them in the slightest and am quite angry at who they've sent to service my TV. When the guy that picks up phones is more knowledgeable than the servicemen they send out, it's bad bad news.

At the shootout they had in june between 8 plasmas and lcd tvs the xbr9 finished last.

If I was to go with LCD, what am I best off with in the 2k range?

......
Lol, I guess that sounded a bit off. But it's clear this guy is white, trust me. The reps they sent were Korean or one of them other Jap/Chinese type of races, ............

:confused::confused:

Okay I think the race thing should be dropped now, it has nothing to do with anything.

Okay I think the race thing should be dropped now,.....

I agree it should be dropped. You don't want to stick your foot in your mouth again.

I'm sorry that I simply stated the phone rep was a white guy? I don't see what your deal is, coming at me like I just dropped an N bomb or something.

No, takes about 2 hours minimum to clear completely off of my TV - and that's on an image that's maybe been there for 10 minutes or so.

What exactly are your picture settings now, ie, color temp, contrast, brightness, etc?

Well, no real improvement yet. I called the number I was told to call, which is Executive Customer Relations, and after explaining everything the lady said that there was nothing she can do because Samsung deemed it as burn-in - but, gave me the President's address and suggested that I wrote a letter thoroughly explaining my situation.

In the meantime, I FINALLY got a hold of the local Samsung authorized dealer to see what the deal was with them marking my TV as burn-in. Once again I had to explain what was going on and what had happened, and the guy said he's going to talk to the Service Manager about it and call me back.


I wouldn't bother writing to the President of Samsung. At that level people don't read mail from irate or frustrated consumers of the companies products. Samsung makes a huge range of products.

What will happen is that your letter will be forwarded back to one or another branch of Customer Service. You will end up right back where you are right now. This process takes weeks because you are sending it to Korea, where it has to go through several people before it is returned to the USA and Customer Service.

Seriously, do you think the President of Samsung personally reads complaint letters? Those people spend most of their time in meetings.

I can tell you because I have been there and done that.

You would also be well advised to avoid referring to the Japanese people as Japs.

Dizzy I would follow the procedure that they tell you to do, although it sounds suspiciously like the runaround to me. I'm going to reiterate my earlier suggestion, too. If you write the presidents letter, CC it, or mail a second copy to, to the CS manager. Just call or Email them with that one question, first, who is the person in charge of the customer service division, what is their title and what is their mailing address/Email. You might also ask if they have a dedicated customer complaints department too.

I wouldn't bother writing to the President of Samsung. At that level people don't read mail from irate or frustrated consumers of the companies products. Samsung makes a huge range of products.

What will happen is that your letter will be forwarded back to one or another branch of Customer Service. You will end up right back where you are right now. This process takes weeks because you are sending it to Korea, where it has to go through several people before it is returned to the USA and Customer Service.

Seriously, do you think the President of Samsung personally reads complaint letters? Those people spend most of their time in meetings.

I can tell you because I have been there and done that.


You would also be well advised to avoid referring to the Japanese people as Japs.

So then the only choice I really have is to keep calling the Executive Customer Relations number and crossing my fingers to get somebody that understands and will grant me a refund? My odds don't sound too high in that case. This is pretty ridiculous.

I also didn't know referring to Japanese people as Japs was offensive, I just used the term to shorten Japanese.

And to DiscoPaul: I'll try to think of them all off the top of my head.

Mode: Movie
Cell Light: 7
Contrast: 95 [I've tried lowering this, and it made no difference]
Brightness: 48
Sharpness: 45 [This used to be at around 7 or so, but the clarity was bad so I bumped this up and it boosted the overall picture quality quite a bit - it made no increase to my IR rate, though]
Color: 50
Black Tone: Off
Dynamic Contrast: Off
Gamme: -1
Color Space: Custom
Edge Enhancement: Off
Color Tone: Warm 2
Digital NR: Off

I think that's about all of 'em.

Dizzy I would follow the procedure that they tell you to do, although it sounds suspiciously like the runaround to me. I'm going to reiterate my earlier suggestion, too. If you write the presidents letter, CC it, or mail a second copy to, to the CS manager. Just call or Email them with that one question, first, who is the person in charge of the customer service division, what is their title and what is their mailing address/Email. You might also ask if they have a dedicated customer complaints department too.

To take this a little bit further, I would write them the letter they want, but also send a copy, along with a full explanation of the situation and photos (both with IR and without IR) to both the Attorney General and the Better Business Bureau. I find when I have a lot of trouble with a company trying to give me the runaround, that works wonders. They are under contractual agreement to repair your screen under warranty. If they aren't providing you with a product that performs like it's supposed to then you should give them hell for it. Of course, be polite about it, but don't let them give you the runaround. Also, you can inform them in the letter (although don't add this part in the one you send to BBB and Attorney General) that you've filed a complaint with the Better Business Bureau and the Attorney General's Office so you expect to hear back from them.

If you're just one person, it's easy for them to blow you off. If you have some large organizations of your own backing you up, they have a vested interest in resolving the situation. My .02c

So then the only choice I really have is to keep calling the Executive Customer Relations number and crossing my fingers to get somebody that understands and will grant me a refund? My odds don't sound too high in that case. This is pretty ridiculous.

I also didn't know referring to Japanese people as Japs was offensive, I just used the term to shorten Japanese.

And to DiscoPaul: I'll try to think of them all off the top of my head.

Mode: Movie
Cell Light: 7
Contrast: 95 [I've tried lowering this, and it made no difference]
Brightness: 48
Sharpness: 45 [This used to be at around 7 or so, but the clarity was bad so I bumped this up and it boosted the overall picture quality quite a bit - it made no increase to my IR rate, though]
Color: 50
Black Tone: Off
Dynamic Contrast: Off
Gamme: -1
Color Space: Custom
Edge Enhancement: Off
Color Tone: Warm 2
Digital NR: Off

I think that's about all of 'em.

Among other things check the master burn in thread here, http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=949107
I don't remember if you said you checked there.


I'd consider running your cell light at 10 but back off on the contrast to around 70. Try this for a while and see if your peculiar IR sensitivity begins to moderate.

Try turning down the color. It looks like you're probably oversaturated. Normally color should be in the 20's-30's range on most displays for an accurate picture (at least my experience, that's across manufacturers and different technologies). The two things that seem to matter most for IR/Burn-in are Contrast and Color, followed possibly by brightness (which in your case shouldn't be an issue since you have it at half).

Among other things check the master burn in thread here, http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=949107
I don't remember if you said you checked there.


I'd consider running your cell light at 10 but back off on the contrast to around 70. Try this for a while and see if your peculiar IR sensitivity begins to moderate.

Cell Light was at 10 before as well actually, knocked it down to see if it would lighten the IR at all. I tried setting my contrast at 80 for a few days a while back to test that out as well, but it didn't reduce it at all - and the picture didn't look as good.

I knocked down my color to 30 and it seems kinda under-saturated now. But I don't think it'll change the IR to be honest - because all the settings I've ever tried on the set are all from the Official B650 thread from users who have posted their settings that get good results with them, also noted with little little IR.

Yeah, go with the letter to corporate and the Better Business Bureau/Attorney General. As others have stated, yours definitely sounds defective, and as much tweaking as you want to try if there's something wrong with it, there's something wrong with it.

It sounds to me that either the panel is defective or it's overcharging the phosphors (so some circuits aren't working right). Regardless, it's totally unnacceptable for them to deny warranty on a product after seeing that the problem with it clearly fell under warranty, then changing their story about what was wrong with it to blame the customer.

And where exactly are you getting this quote? I actually treated my plasma as if I didn't have a Best Buy warranty. I went through 150 hours of break-in before I even watched a single TV show - I've NEVER watched 4:3 TV, always stretched - and I've only watched 3 movies with black bars. GTFO out of this thread, sir. Is it really my fault that ever since I first began using the set it's always been flooded with IR? Like I said earlier, you put a still image on my screen for 15 seconds and it's pasted with that image. You watch ending credits that transfer in intervals rather than scroll down, and you will see the name ghosted after it disappears and goes black before another name pops up. Yeah, they 'serviced' my TV twice - which included replacing different chips in the TV and adjusting the watts out of pure speculation that it might clear up the IR [keep in mind, they didn't even understand what IR was]. So their 'servicing' wasn't servicing in any shape or form, all they basically did was fiddle with my TV and break an HDMI port out of a moronic decision by laying the TV down with the HDMI cord plugged into the back of it while it was already stretched as far as it was gonna go.

EDIT: Oh and by the way I've never used Torch Mode, which I'm guessing you guys refer to as Dynamic Mode - right? It's currently on Dynamic Mode at the moment though, just because all of my settings reset the last time they 'serviced' my TV - and I don't care to change them back, nor what possibly happens to the TV from now on because it will not be mine anymore after all of this BS is resolved. So needless to say it's on it's stock settings right now.
Manufacturer warranty doesn't cover burn-in. But yeah just kinda be safe with it I guess. I've been running my plasma like burn-in isn't even real, because of my Best Buy warranty, although IR strikes my set within like 10 second of a still image - I haven't gotten burn-in. I play a shitload of video games on it, I created this map on Far Cry 2 which took about 11 straight hours, the tools interface stays in one place the entire time, and that didn't even leave a permanent burn-in.[

Well Dizzy, I got this quote from you. You posted it on the b650 thread on Sept. 8. Sort of ironic considering the situation your in now.

Yeah, and this is after I hit about the 1,000 + hour mark when I was convinced the IR wasn't going to get any better over time like my 560 did - and simply began not giving a ****. BECAUSE, that was the time I began getting my set 'serviced', with full intentions of getting the panel replaced - so why would I care much for it? I still don't care how I treat the TV I have currently, because I know I won't be having it after this all wraps up. Before that, though, I didn't touch video games on the set - I had my system hooked up to my old 720P Panny TV, I ran the hell out of full screen material on the Sammy waiting and waiting and waiting for the IR to occur less and less like the 560 did and it never did so I made that phone call. Like I said, BURN-IN is NOT my issue, it's rapid IR that strikes my TV immediately - and it's quite annoying, which is exactly why I wanted my panel replaced. But, after dealing with Samsung's ****** customer service - my mind has made a 180 turn and I don't want to OWN a Samsung product. I could easily get my TV swapped out through Geek Squad, but like I said - I want a refund so I can move on to another manufacturer. I have yet to call Geek Squad and see if they'll make an exception and swap out my set for something other than a Samsung + the money gap it would be to buy a higher end set - this is highly doubtful but if this is the case then I would be able to drop all ends on Samsung completely and not have to write these letters/emails/phone calls. I'll be doing this tomorrow.

So I called Geek Squad and they said after 3 procedures they'll replace the set, and I'd have the option to dump the Samsung and get something else - BUT, I'd be losing out on $260 that I paid for the extended warranty because it would be used within 3 months of my purchase date which is ridiculous and all Samsung's fault.

I called Samsung once again and the guy I was speaking with said that IR is a form of burn-in and that it's not covered under warranty.

So I called Geek Squad and they said after 3 procedures they'll replace the set, and I'd have the option to dump the Samsung and get something else - BUT, I'd be losing out on $260 that I paid for the extended warranty because it would be used within 3 months of my purchase date which is ridiculous and all Samsung's fault.

Your explanation of why you would lose the $260 on the extended warranty isn't at all clear. Typically, the first year of ownership the manufacturers warranty is in effect. Are you saying that BB is claiming that you used the extended warranty? I think you have been "covered" (if you can call it that), by the manufacturers warranty and haven't entered the period of coverage provided by the extended warranty. Even though the extended warranty starts with the date of purchase, virtually all service and repairs are handled by the manufacturer during the first year.

Maybe you can get somewhere with the honchos at BB to get credit for the extended warranty on the purchase of a Panasonic P50G10. I don't see why you can't get credit for the extended warranty. If it was 3 years after purchase that would be a different story.

Well from what they're saying is that when they have to replace the full panel then your warranty is considered serviced.

Well from what they're saying is that when they have to replace the full panel then your warranty is considered serviced.

OK

Since BB is allowing you to exchange the TV, they get to call the shots. The reality is that you are still getting the short end of the stick from Samsung. That's because they won't give you an exact replacement for your set.

Just the opposite, they dumped you saying you caused burn in.

At this point BB is going to charge you $260 to get whatever new TV you decide on. If you didn't have the extended warranty you might be SOL.

I hope you get satisfaction when this ordeal is over.

Best Regards.

I got a SEARS 3yr warranty plan on my pn50b550. Anything happens to it, they simply replace it with a new one or a later model pretty sweet imo. Peace of mind is when you buy a plasma with extended warranty..

yeah after they bend you over and insert that $350 price tag

Well from what they're saying is that when they have to replace the full panel then your warranty is considered serviced.

Technically, they should refund you the pro-rated part of the warranty you didn't use, otherwise someone with a 5yr extended is paying a lot more for that "service" than someone with a 1yr extended.

The one time I had the chance to exercise that right, it just wasn't worth the bother because I'd already spent 3hrs in the store just trying to get (BB in this case) to refund my initial money ($1000), and the pro-rated warranty amount was probably under $50.

Whatever happened to your TV.. Dizzy? Any updates?