Thank you TV Authority!

I'm not quite sure where this post "belongs", so I'm putting it here --- hopefully I am not violating some rule that I have not read with care. Basically I want to thank these folks for helping me out with what could have been a horror story.


I bought a JVC 61" 1080p DILA unit from TVAuthority a month ago. Good price and painless on time shipping (though in their infinite wisdom, the delivery folks only sent one person so I had to help him unload the TV from the truck and to carry it inside!).


Within a day or so of receiving the TV, it stopped working! See my post here.


A few days later the JVC rep on the line confirmed (based on the symptoms) that the unit was defective and should be replaced. I conveyed this info to Toi Anderson at TVAuthority (who had been assigned to my case). She immediately started the process of getting a replacement out. A few days later however, she called and stated that someone at JVC now recommended that they try and fix the unit even though it was essentially DOA. TVAuthority was willing to send a replacement (inspite of the fact that the distributor was grumbling), but were concerned that if there was a defect with the second unit as well (even though they felt it unlikely), the distributor may create additional frictions to getting a third unit (irrespective of who was "right"). So I decided to try and get this fixed if possible.


A week later JVC's "authorized" service reps came along. I was out of town on business, but my wife tells me that the two that came did not inspire confidence (and she generally just stays away from electronics). Without much ado, they opened the rear, replaced the lamp, reseated all the connectors and then were quite amazed themselves that the TV started to work! (was probably a loose connector related to fan regulation). They left promptly (lest something else showed up!).


The next day when I came home I noticed that something inside was casting a shadow on the screen! See my post here. The very next morning I spoke with Toi Anderson at TVAuthority and she offered to ship me a replacement if I wanted one. In addition, TVAuthority agreed to extend my 30 day "safe trial" period to 60 days. However by now I felt that it was possibly something very simple in the light path and decided to try and see if we could get JVC to fix it since getting a new unit would've meant more headaches.


My experience over the next few days with JVC's service center was horrendous! I kept calling and they kept promising that a tech would return my call in "10 minutes ... he's just on another call ... he's gone for a coffee ... I just saw him heading down the corridoor...". This went on for 3 whole days! Finally, I appealed to TVAuthority for help and Toi decided to take over. She chased them down and managed to speak to a technician who requested that I send digital photographs of the shadow on the screen (wish they had told me this at the start!). I took the snaps and sent over the images and with Toi's help managed to get a service call scheduled when my wife was at home. They came just this past Thursday.


Fortunately I'd warned my wife of the possibility of the reps trying to "rub" the image off the screen (since I read this on one of the forums before)! Guess what? The first thing they tried was to "tap" the screen in an attempt to dislodge the image!!! My wife ran over when she saw this and told them to be careful etc. (they of course dismissed her), but by then they'd decided to open up the screen. Turns out that there was a tiny piece of plastic that was stuck to the mirror due to static. When they removed it, the shadow went away!


FINALLY after a month of running around, the TV seems to be working fine. I've yet to calibrate the HDMI inputs (did the component for the dvd) but the images are indeed gorgeous! Hopefully it continues to stay that way!


My thanks to Toi Anderson and to TVAuthority for holding my hand all through this process where as a small customer I was being buffeted by the less than perfect "consumer service" that JVC's authorized service center has.