42" TV PL4260N - picture just sent out, still have sound

[liquidsasquatch]

The other day, my HP 42" TV PL4260N stopped showing a picture. The sound still works, but no picture. So, like any good customer, I called HP. And they were very helpful, the agent on the phone escalated my issue, told me that it was probably a Y Sustain Board (part number 1032298-HS) that needed replacing. He also told me that HP knew the part was bad, and had been replacing them for free for customers... up until about 6 months ago. But, he still escalated it and said someone would get back to me.

3 days passed since I was supposed to get a call. I called every day, always told that someone will get back to me later that day. Finally on the 3rd day, I was told that the issue was no longer escalated and been put BACK to customer support to break the news - they couldn't help me. SOL.

So now I have a TV that:

- Consumer Reports doesn't even bother reviewing

- isn't working at all

- HP admittedly knows has a faulty part

- HP refuses to fix

My questions to this forum:

1) Is it worth it to pay for the replacement? I've seen estimates of $400-$600 to get it fixed

2) Is there any other avenue I have to dispute this claim?

For any interested HP people, I have a case number from my contact with your support folks that I can send over Private Message.

[liquidsasquatch]

Have I mentioned that I contacted HP support, and they identified that it is a *known issue* and they have been repairing it *for free* for customers for 18 months? Have I also mentioned that I am not alone?

http://www.fixya.com/support/p504950-hp_pl4260n_42_in_hdtv_plasma_television

HP is slowly losing a customer, and probably many others. My dad buys all his computers from you guys, and up until now I didn't recommend other manufacturers. But since my major $$$ investment is being ignored, I'm sure he'd take my advice and switch to Dell or something.

The TV is only 3 years old, and it's not like we play hacky-sack with it. It sits there while we watch it. All the time. That is, of course, unless HP designs their TVs to last only 3 years. But if that were the case, HP would have to be a horrible horrible company. Please help me, HP folks!

[liquidsasquatch]

Yep, I'm *that guy* - bumping his thread until someone from HP addresses it, sends me a Private Message, emails me, WHATEVER. Perhaps I'll correct my subject while I'm at it. Does anyone even monitor these forums? HellooOOOoOoOOooo! Echo echo echo echo echo. Help is needed. A mildly upset customer is growing angrier. Does HP care?

[liquidsasquatch]

*that guy* again. I was very surprised at the number of people experiencing this issue, and that HP clearly knew about the problem. Next time I'll do much more research when getting a TV, instead of finding a good deal. Consumer Reports has some great recommendations...none of which are HP. Clearly now, I know why.

This isn't upsetting to HP employees? Particularly ones who work on TVs, or deal with customer support? That should concern these forum users - that HP doesn't get upset by these customer service FAILURES.

[liquidsasquatch]

While I may be growing angrier that this issue remains unanswered by anyone, I am confident that *someone* from HP has some sort of Jiminey Cricket inside, pointing him or her in the right direction. Perhaps another question would be appropriate - should we expect that HP TVs will DIE after 3 years? Is that a reasonable life expectancy?

[WendyM]

Hi liquidsasquatch,

I'm sorry you haven't gotten any responses yet. This is a user-to-user community, and not a venue to receive direct help or feedback from HP. Everyone who participates here, including HP employees, does so on a volunteer basis on their own time. If you need to contact HP for support, please use the link below:

http://welcome.hp.com/country/us/en/wwcontact_us.html

Thanks!

[liquidsasquatch]

Hi WendyM, thanks for taking the time to reply, and give me a good venue to resolve my issue. However, I have already been through the process of the HP customer support (please see my first post) and it failed to resolve my issue.I figured that the Consumer Support Forums might be another venue to find other customers with a similar issue, adn find a resolution. Someone needs to get the ball rolling, right? Why not me?

[TallTex]

Must be "the month" for that TV to break....mine just did the same thing.

fwiw, I'm an HP employee as well...I'll do my best to get this resolved...

Mark

[liquidsasquatch]

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TallTex wrote:

Must be "the month" for that TV to break....mine just did the same thing.

fwiw, I'm an HP employee as well...I'll do my best to get this resolved...

Mark

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Officially, Mark is awesome. Thank you for replying and doing your best to help a customer.

[TallTex]

My mistake, I don't have the Plasma, I have the LCD...but same error.

Service is asking for a $629 "out of warranty" repair....I checked some other retailers and for $1000 I can jump to a 52"

Hard to repair the old one....especially knowing that the part is potentially going to fail again.

Worse to swallow is I bought this back when they first came out...so I really get the screws....Might fix it and keep it as a 2nd TV though.

Sorry I can't be much more help....as an employee, I'm not happy that we can't do a better job.  But the fact is it is out of warranty....buying the warranty 3 yrs ago might have cost me about the same amount.  Looking back, it's close to a wash.

Knowing this now, any new HD TV I buy I'll probably swing for the warranty!

Good luck!

Again, sorry I can't be much more help!

Mark