[eieio]

I'm expecting my Sony 46EX500 to be delivered today, Thursday, 2/18th. The company states that they deliver, unbox, inspect and test flat panel tv's, including the placement of the flat panel tv on top of a stable flat surface and connection to one video source and power outlet for testing.


As it will be roughly 32 to 38 degrees tomorrow, my instinct vis-a-vis condensation is to NOT allow him to plug it in and turn it on. Instead, I'm thinking of allowing the tv to sit (out of the box, out of the bag) for several hours in order for the parts to acclimate to room temperature, and let the condensation evaporate (i turned off my humidifiers earlier this evening so they should be off for around 12+ hours by the time the delivery guys show up).


The issue is this: they force the customer to sign a paper indicating that the tv is in good working condition before they leave. Well, I don't want to plug it in for a few hours and I don't want to sign something that says it is working even though we did NOT plug it in at all!


On Page 7 of the Operations Manual/Owners' Manual, it says explicitly that:

"... Avoid moving the TV from a cold area to a warm area. Sudden room temperature changes may cause moisture condensation. This may cause the TV to show poor picture and/or poor color. Should this occur, allow moisture to evaporate completely before powering the TV on."


So what is the right thing to do in terms of signing the delivery document certifying that the delivery was successful and that they plugged the tv in and it functioned properly during this initial period? Not signing it would result in some type of nasty discussion with the delivery folks. Signing it may well cause the customer to waive certain rights!!


Thx in advance.

 

[rahzel]

I had a similar situation except it was even colder. I asked the guy how long it's been outside and fortunately it was just for a few minutes (going from the store to the van). When he un-boxed it, it didn't feel cold at all.


I would either tell the delivery company (or the store) to ensure that it doesn't sit outside in the cold for too long, or if they have other deliveries to do, ask them if they can drop it off and come back in an hour or so. They should know not to turn it on if it's been sitting in the cold.

 

[eieio]

nyc delivery companies aren't that accommodating! If only they will return!

 

[rahzel]

Ok, wasn't sure if it was the store or a delivery company making the delivery. I would explain your situation to the store and see what they do. They should know this. Either way, I wouldn't risk turning it on right away.

 

[BoilerJim]

But, if you don't check it out and the delivery guys leave, then you may have to pay for shipping to return it if you find out later it doesn't work.


Damned if you do, damned if you don't.

 

[eieio]

Yes, there appears to be no right answer! What is one supposed to do? Many of the nyc-area delivery guys aren't that nice...

 

[sitlet]

my first instinct is to tell them to wait. you dont want to ruin a new tv from condensation. but since you said they make you sign a paper saying its working, you are indeed in a pickle. is the delivery being done by the store? or is it a separate delivery company? i would contact the store/delivery co's manager and explain the situation. see if they could deliver your's first or second. if it's been in the warm store for a while, and they put it on the truck first thing in the morning, it shouldnt get the tv too cold. the tv's are packed with so much foam insulation to protect it, and that also will keep the heat from the store inside. so being on the truck for an hour or 2 really wont get all the way to the tv.


but in reality, you are unlikely to have a problem with the tv out of the box. all tv's are tested before they leave the factory. and if yo udo have a problem, you always have the manufacturer's warranty to help you out.

 

[eieio]

hi there! thx first of all for posting a reply to my query.


The store I purchased from is a longstanding brick and mortar local store here in nyc. it is a less likely place for some to buy this tv as many consumers have been "trained" to think etailers and big box stores, i.e. onecall.com and bestbuy, respectively.


yet, this store has numerous locations around nyc and has been around a long time.


they DO have their own delivery trucks and staff and their staff appears to be a wee bit nicer than the typical delivery guys here in nyc - which tend to be rude to the extreme.


nonetheless, i do not want to plug it in and turn it on right away because that is an obvious "no no" to my brain. it says so (!) on page 7 of the owners' manual of the Sony 46EX500!!!


they just called to tell me that they will deliver from 11am to 2pm today. well, the good thing is that the weather is beautiful and it is around 36 degrees right now, warming up to around 40 degrees around noon time. so that is warm for this time of year in nyc.


that said, it is still very cold in terms of temperature differential from outside to inside.

page 7 of the Sony 46EX500 manual
http://www.docs.sony.com/release/KDL32EX400.pdf


says that on the LAST bullet point on Page 7:

"Avoid moving the tv from a cold area to warm area. Sudden room temperature changes may cause moisture condensation. This may cause the tv to show poor picture and/or poor color. Should this occur, allow moisture to evaporate completely before powering the tv on."


I have no idea how to handle this vis-a-vis the delivery guy's insistence in me signing off that the tv is "ok and in good working order upon delivery".


La Bummer.

 

[jbug]

Good question. It got me to thinking about deliveries I've taken in the past but it turns out they were all in warm weather months. That's because when I get a new set it's always at the time of the year when they first come out (spring - summer).


Since you raise this question, I would also talk to a manager at the store about such a situation in advance of the delivery. Again, good question as this is something many will face.

 

[wvasko]

It was cold when mine was delivered and guy said he was suppose to turn on TV and get to setup screen. I said Ok and it took all of 30 seconds and then he shut her down. No problems.

 

[dm145]

guess you missed this one:

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showt...t=cold+weather

 

[eieio]

Mmm... my gut tells me that i ought NOT do something that is obviously bad for my tv. That is, turn it on immediately upon entering my apartment which is around 72 degrees when the outside temperature is around 37 degrees right now.


That said, it is the lesser of two evils to sign the paper and not turn it on, rather than turn it on and have it work for the 30 seconds the guy sticks around, and then only to have him leave and have various more subtle issues creep up over time! "broken" electronics may not always be black and white issues: sometimes, the issues may be in between and nuanced.


PS: Yes, I saw that thread and read it last night already. That said, I didn't see any "actionable steps" in that thread. I understand what the caveats and dangers are of turning it on, as well as the caveats of signing the "delivery/set is not damaged/set turns o fine" paperwork with the delivery guy. Still, there is no actionable, concrete step for me to take! The conundrum remains: what do I do when the take the tv set out of its box and place it on my appropriate tv furniture? Sign or not, turn it on/plug it in or not?

 

[BoilerJim]

One more thought... If they bring it in a delivery van that's open to the front, the cargo area will probably be heated from the van's heating system. If it comes in a "box truck," then the cargo area wouldn't be heated. What a dilemma!!

 

[eieio]

BoilerJim: good thoughts...mmm.


Well, it is a substantially sized, longstanding nyc-area store. they even have their own technicians and tech/service department. i suppose they have a little bit of the "not invented here" syndrome in that they like to have things "in house" rather than outsourcing. Then again, when you have the critical mass, it is often less costly to do things in-house rather than outsourcing everything - plus, there's the possibility that one can control the quality better by being in-house.


This brings us to the delivery guys they use: they are the brick and mortar retailer's own trucks and their own delivery guys. In the past, even though it was infrequent, I did purchase a Sony 60" SXRD from them and they were decent when delivering. Not as rude as a typical nyc-area delivery person.


I don't recall if I turned on the Sony 60" SXRD or not but I think I also let it sit for hours before plugging it in and turning it on. It was several years ago.


I don't know the type of truck they use but I would think that they are not small trucks, and, as a result, would belong in the group you called "box truck", which implies that the cargo area is not heated.

 

[rahzel]



Quote:
Originally Posted by BoilerJim /forum/post/18160147


One more thought... If they bring it in a delivery van that's open to the front, the cargo area will probably be heated from the van's heating system. If it comes in a "box truck," then the cargo area wouldn't be heated. What a dilemma!!

Yeah, mine came in a van so it was in a nice heated area. I was gonna say that too, but thought it was a delivery company which usually uses big trucks.

 

[antwon412]

lower the temperature of your house to ~36 degrees.

 

[ehlarson]



Quote:
Originally Posted by antwon412 /forum/post/18161688


lower the temperature of your house to ~36 degrees.

Plug it in to an outside outlet.

 

[Polydorus]

I would let the delivery man do what he has been instructed to do. However, you can make every effort to keep the humidity as low as possible in your apartment. I have use electric hair dryers to warm up computers before starting them in cold weather. I'm not sure how well that would work with a TV however.

 

[Servicetech571]

If the box was loaded on the truck within an hour of it being delivered it should be OK as long as the warehouse was heated.

 

[MrBobb]

Yup leave the living room's windows open overnight, or have him set it up in the garage if you have one. And even b4r he does what he's suppose to do, just tell him u want it turn on get a picture, turn back off. That's is. 30 seconds.