So my Panny 50" VT20 died I'm getting a replacement from BB, any suggestions?

If you bought the VT20 new in the box, it seems the direct replacement would be the VT30. But don't really know what replacement value they are offering you. But I would certainly accept no less than the GT30.

Would encourage you to find the paperwork for the replacement policy & read it through carefully. If you can understand what they are "obligated" to do for you, then you will have a better idea as to whether or not what they OFFER is, indeed, a fair deal.

One potential Gotcha is that you have a 50" set, while the VT30 series starts at 55" - so they could claim "betterment" and either ask you contribute $$ to make up for that, OR they could offer a 50" GT30 as an "equivalent replacement."

KNOWING the wording of their terms will help you in this negotiation.

A 50" GT 30 MIGHT really be an acceptable replacement, in terms of overall performance - but, depending upon the contract terms, you might hold out for, say, a 55" GT30, as you are stepping down one model, OR stand your ground for a 55" VT30 on the basis that it is the Closest Equivalent Model to the one you purchased....

The TV is only last year's model so yes it can be repaired. But they're trying to cheap-out on you since replacing the TV at their wholesale cost is cheaper than repairing yours. I presume you bought the TV more than one year ago which is why you're utilizing the BB Extended Warranty right?

Did you happen to buy the TV using a good Visa/Amex/MC card that automatically adds one year to the factory warranty? If you did buy it with such a CC that has this extra year warranty extension feature, leave BB completely out of it and contact your credit card provider instead. During this second year the authorized Panasonic repair center fixes the TV, and the CC company just pays the bill instead of Panasonic corporate. If the TV is unrepairable they usually reimburse you the whole purchase price of the TV. But parts are still available so the TV should surely be repairable, even if they have to install a new plasma panel and some new video boards.

If you did not buy it with a good credit card, and the TV is only a month or two out of warranty i'd contact Panasonic directly and ask them if they'll cover the repair of the TV under customer goodwill, since your top-of-the-line flagship TV surely should last more that 13-15 months before blowing up. Historically they've been very good about repairing defective TVs a month or three after the warranty expired. Try this before contacting your credit card company.

Using BB's warrany should be your very last resort because they'll try to screw you over somehow, try to force you to accept a lesser model, and once they replace your TV then that EW is now null and void and is cancelled. If you can get Panasonic or your credit card company to repair the TV, your BB EW will still remain in effect till it's normal expiration date unless the TV dies again in the future and they do end up having to replace it or cash you out. And i believe that if Panasonic or your CC company deems the TV as unrepairable and replaces it, it's still covered by your BB EW since BB isn't the one who suffered the loss or cost of replacement, and it's replacement has nothing to do with them. Replacement under the factory warranty doesn't give BB a free pass and doesn't negate the expensive extended warranty you bought. They have to cover the replacement TV just as they would have on the original.




The only TVs that will be most comparable to your VT20 is the VT30 and GT30, and the Samsung PND8000 or D7000. The Sammys will have more accurate color but inferior black levels, and the Pannys will have the same or better black levels but slightly inferior color accuracy. The LGs are a distant 3rd.



Yes - read the fine print and secondary policies on your BB EW. They'll probably try to get you to accept a GT30 or even an ST30 as a replacement, so if you'd rather get a 55VT30 you can insist that the only reason you bought the VT25 in the first place is because it has the 24p Direct In with 96Hz feature which the G series does not have and that this is a requirement on your replacement Panasonic. Maybe you can use this as a bargaining tool if they completely refuse.

BB is going to try to do whatever benefits them the most and hope you go for it, so stand your ground as much as possible.

The BB policy under black tie protection replacement isn't exactly set in stone, but it does require a replacement with equivalent specifications and is not based on the price you paid for your initial TV. Personally I would think you could get a Samsung PN51D7000 or a Panasonic TC-P50GT30 as a replacement for your VT20. Besides model nomenclature, I don't really see how a GT30 is worse than a VT20 and I think it would be a fair exchange. Sure, it's missing the 96Hz mode, but everybody here has complained how broken that feature is on 2010-2011 Panny plasmas anyway. The GT30 also includes the wi-fi adapter, which your VT20 did not, and 2D to 3D conversion, plus (now) stable blacks without floating, fluctuating brightness, etc. It's not impossible to twist their arm for a 55VT30 but it's highly unlikely that it'll happen considering the size and price delta, as a stipulation under black tie protection is that the value of the replacement item is not to exceed the price paid on the initial item. Depending on when you bought your VT20, you may or may not have paid close to what a 55" VT30 costs. But they will let you pay the difference between the cost of your replacement (say, a GT30) and the VT30 if you really want one.

Again, good luck, and if you're offered either a Samsung D7000 or a Panasonic GT30 I fail to see how you're getting "screwed" in any way. Either way you get a newer, arguably better TV. Best Buy doesn't control what sizes manufacturers choose to make their sets in, and unfortunately Panasonic chose not to release a 50" variant of the VT30 in North America. The good news is that your VT20 is over a year old, and manufacturers trickle down features and fixes from one model year to the next. Reading some initial reviews here, it would seem as if the VT20 is bested by even the ST30 in certain areas.