Is it just me or does that CinemaWide TV look dumb as hail?
Super GAE
How does the Hive Mind feel about “refurbished?” I have had good experiences with refurbished laptops on Woot, but have not gone down that road with flat screen TV’s. Is it a gamble?
You take a huge gamble. I bought a vizio TV from woot on July 30th and now I am returning my TV.
I bought this one 42" 1080p 3D LED TV with Apps & Wi-Fi.
After a month the TVs picture starting becoming less clear. Then a few days ago the TV won’t turn on. I had to call Vizio and woot for help. Vizio only allowed me to have a 90 day warrenty instead of the year. And luckily Woot was very understanding and allowed me to return the TV. I am on my way to FEDEX right after I finish this message to send it right back.
In summary, I would say this is what I learned from this experience:
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VIZIOs in general have a high chance of manufacturer error and high probability of malfunction. I’m sure there are some VIZIOs that have stood the test of time… but the % of those that break seem to be higher than companies like LG… I think it comes down to the parts. The components for VIZO are made up of cheaper parts from one company in China. LGs are known to be made of quality and tougher parts. Look this up on other forums, you’ll get the same jist.
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Refurbished TVs are a gamble since the warranties don’t last as long. I had the option to fix my TV from Vizio (would send a repair guy and all) but I coulnd’t chance the TV breaking again after 90days.
Good luck on your decision. Hope I provided some insight. I know it’s hard. I’ve seriously went through alot by chancing it with a refurbished Vizio.
Alex
It’s just you.
Was the Vizio you purchased a Refurb or a Factory Reconditioned unit? It’s possible that you simply had poor luck with a 3rd party refurbishing company. I no longer have a subscription to Consumer Reports, so I can’t provide the link, but I believe the last failure rate I saw for Vizio televisions was hovering around the 4% mark. The only link I found online from Consumer Reports was an archived report from 2009 which had the rate at 3%. Regardless, 4% is in line with the middle of the pack of television manufacturers, including LG, Samsung, etc… Of course you have to consider that some people simply deem Vizio TV’s disposable, so if they fail a person may simply chuck it. That being said, I think you may simply be a victim of a poor refurb. It seems slightly off center to talk up a television brand that has a number of refurb units on display here, but I’ve really had very good luck with every Vizio product I’ve ever owned.
I’ve had a smaller 32" Vizio for at least 4 years, almost 5, that has gotten near daily use and still works like a charm. Non-Television related, I also have a Vizio Soundbar, one of the original 40" variety, that absolutely gives my Polk CS-10 center channel a run for its money in terms of audio clarity. Obviously different uses, and you can’t use a soundbar in a home theater application, but in terms of quality, I can’t say enough about the Vizio products I’ve purchased. Anyway, simply a testimonial of opposing view point. FWIW.
edit: Looks like LG may actually have a higher rate of failure, some references as high as 8-9%. Point being, just make sure you do your research before buying a television. And ultimately, it’s probably always best to buy new, or buy a warranty, if applicable. And I would also add that Factory Reconditioned is almost inevitably a better choice than refurb, when available. Happy reading.
I have the Vizio M651d-A2R, which I believe is just the updated version of the 65 in. 3D TV shown here by Vizio.
I paid a couple (read: a few) more hundred dollars for mine new, but I did mine for the peace of mind. I am just not a fan of expensive refurbs. But I will say, that I am completely in love with the TV.
The picture quality is fantastic, rivaling Samsung which is my current favorite due to their brightness and typically matte screens. My Vizio has a reflective screen, which I don’t particularly care for, but I thought it would be a bigger deal for me than it is.
As it stands, the 3D works well from any source that can output two separate screens. So say you download a “3D” movie from the internet, but your computer isn’t actually 3D so you can’t play it on your screen. Just hook up via HDMI to the TV, and click the 3D button on the remote and the TV will lace the images into one 3D image that really pops. I am very impressed with the passive 3D TVs that have been coming out–it’s just like going to a theater!
Mine is 240 hz, so I can’t speak much to this TV and won’t about the refresh rate. If you’re in the market, you likely already know the differences and are comfortable with your selection if you go with 120.
The apps on the Vizio TV are nice. A friend has a Samsung smart TV, and the apps work a little better on his. Firstly, first-rate selection is a bit better (think HBO Go), but really it also comes down to interface. Vizio’s interface is a bit clumsy, having a customizable selection available through a side-scrolling event, and the rest available through a separate interface that is easy to work but just a bit frustrating. First things first: take off all the Yahoo apps and other garbage from the “Your Apps” selection, pick a few you’ll use, and you won’t be bothered with it again. Really, it’s not that bad. Just not as polished as Samsung’s.
Some have had concerns over the edge-lighting that Vizio has used on these TVs. I only notice on dark (black) pictures. Everything else is great. The blacks aren’t perfectly black, but I haven’t tinkered with the settings much since getting mine a few days ago.
All in all, mine looks different and is definitely a different version, but I think they are comparable, and if you are comfortable with refurbs, then give it a go and see what you think. I feel slightly uncomfortable talking about a TV that isn’t actually 100% on there, but I hope I could give a little bit of insight as to what to expect with the M3D650SV for sale on Woot! Good luck and happy shopping!
And for all my time, Woot! servers are acting up. Grr. I will try a few more times but sorry if it goes through more than once!
I have the 70" vizio which I love, ONE thing that is a pain after a while. I switch on this TV 4 inputs:
- Blu Ray player w apps and pandora
2)Cable
3)Xbox
4)PC
When I use the xbox I use the GAME mode to stop the amazing motion flow technology which lags the game and affects gameplay, but whenever I switch to another input it stays on so I have to turn the TV off and then on again to get it to register I want it normal again for TV and or Blu-ray.
OTHER THAN THAT, not 1 problem w the TV, I LOVE the picture quality.
I see several comments about refurbished and Vizio–are these Vizio factory refurb’s or were they “fixed” by a 3rd party? They have the 90 day Woot warranty but does Vizio supply any warranty also?
Four years ago I bought a refurbished 32" Westinghouse TV from Woot and it crapped the bed in about two weeks. I sent it back and got a brand new one and am still using it. I consider that best case scenario for a refurbish.
I just received (as in about an hour ago) my 65" Vizio from the Woot big TV sale a few weeks ago. The screen is cracked from top to bottom. I called Vizio, and they told me that they do not cover this damage and I’m SoL. Now I have put my support ticket in with Woot and hopefully get this mess straightened out. Reading the 90-day warranty however, it looks like I have to pay for shipping back to the company, which for a 65" TV is probably ridiculously expensive. If this is the case, I probably won’t be dealing with Woot any longer.
Are you guys like ummmm daft?..
IF YOU BUY A REFURB YOU BUY A EXTENDED COVERAGE WITH IT …
IF YOU DONT, YOUR OWN FAULT
I picked up a 47 " new and will be selling that to my friend today to get one of these… way better deal… and im not stupid ill get a extended coverage from squaretrade. 125.00 for 4 years.
looks like my question about Vizio, referb (factory or 3rd party) has no positive reaction. I am (or was) looking at the 58in cinema but now…how many replacement parts can they have when they only made a few and stopped production??? I think I have the answer to my original question. Thanks
Good suggestion but when I checked the SD site about the vizio 58in your cost only gets one year and they don’t list more than 2yrs for 175.
go to amazon…
I’m concerned with the mis-information down at the bottom of the main page
The size of the TV does not correlate with the number of pixels. The pixels themselves might be bigger, but there is not necessarily more of them.
The warranties are stated on the Features tab on each sale and are as stated.
A “factory reconditioned” item was returned, inspected, and restored to fully working condition by the original manufacturer or a certified partner. And the original manufacturer stands behind it with a warranty. It’s as close to new as you can get without technically being “new”.
A “refurbished” product is done by a 3rd party and typically (not always) carries a Woot warranty.
If you received it in that condition, CS will take care of you.
Shipping damage occurrences are actually pretty darn low but they do occur. We won’t leave you stuck with a broken item.
wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong wrong