Lg - Dodgy Product - Good Customer Support

[drazic2012]

Just wanted to get a few opinions on my experience and my problems I've had with LG.

I bought a 76cm LG superslim CRT (32FS2RNB) last year, for many reasons, one being that it handled a progressive scan signal and nothing else that fell in to my budget could do this. Sure, that's not the hugest selling point, but it was one of many things that pursuaded me to go with this unit.

While there are many things about this TV that have annoyed me (no aspect ratio control through component inputs, poor geometry, progressive signal colour is noticably duller than interlaced signals) I have been reasonably happy with the picture after adjusting the geomoetry and turning off all the extremem sharpening effects that this TV has on by default.

After using this TV for a while, I also realised that when watching DVDs (in progressive scan) the signal would randomly seem to suddenly 'cut out' or an extremelly similar effect. Almost as if someone was to quickly pull the video cables out of the unit and plug them back in at lightning fast speeds. This results in a quick black flicker and the TV printing up the input name on the screen. While I didn't think this was good, I presumed that this was probably my DVD player at fault. Regardless, I was planning to purchase a Hi-Def box in the future, so I knew I would be able find out what was truly at fault in the future.

I finally got a hold of a Hi-Def box, and to my surprise I started expereincing the exact same problem. Now, the first thing I did was start isolating each unit, as I was planning on running everything through my amplifier... the problem still occured. Didn't matter which cables I used. Old ones, new ones.... the problem would end up rearing its ugly head after a certain amount of time.

By this point I was fairly certain that my TV was the most likely culprit, and called LG to organise getting my TV serviced. They asked me aboutr my problem, admitted that it sounded like it was faulty and put me in touch with one of their service centre's - Stag Digital. Without dragging this post out for too long and turning it in to a Anti-Stag Digital rant, the short of this part of my experience was Stag digital comibng out to my house three times. Once to look over the TV, re solder some connections and order a new part (processing board? whatever board is connected to the inputs), a second time to install the board (and completely mess up the geometry settings in the service menu), and a third time because inserting a board with the hope that it would fix my 'mysterious' problem didn't work. On the third time I was basically told that it was 'normal operation' due to signal drop out and using scratched DVDs. I tried to explain that I've seen my TV when the signal drops out, but the problem has never occured then, only when the signal is perfect, and he basically repeated the same words to me. At this point I was very angry that I was anable to watch a progressive signal un-interrupted on my TV due to this so called 'normal operation, which I believed to be an easy answer.

In the end, I decided to chase this up with LG after monitoring the issue just for a little longer, as no matter how right I believe I am, I still doubt myself when someone questions me. After witnessing the TV exhibit the same problem while displaying the options menu of my DVD player, I knew the rant from Stag Digital was BS and I called LG to complain.

Now, here's the unexpected twist in my story.... LG support were actually really good. I didn't have to wait in a huge phone queue (luck?) and the guy I spoke to instantly agreeded that my problem sounded more than just 'signal issues' and got me to fax through all my Stag Digital reports to them so he could pass the info on to one of LG's technical gurus to assess whether this was all BS or not. I got a response the next day, and after relaying some more info I received a call later that afternoon with the instructions to request a changeover with Stag for a new unit.

This is currently where I'm at, and need to request this changeover tomorrow... so hopefully all goes smooth and I finally get a TV that allows me to watch my DVDs and Digital TV un-interrupted.

I don't know if my experience with LG support was a one off, but they have been extremelly helpful and quick with my ever so frustrating problem.

If anyone has any similar experiences or problems that they've encountered, please feel free to share them as I'd love to hear about it!

edit: Bah ha ha! I just called STAG and was told that they can't do it because they're closing down in a week! I now have had to call another service place, call LG and re-call that service center just to organise this Change Over Request! I think my head's going to explode...

[birdie1011503560221]

Before all of the LG bashers around here jump in with the "Life's Grim" comments (and we all know they will), I thought I'd just say that you should consider yourself very lucky to get that sort of service from LG.

I tried to contact LG about getting my 50 inch plasma to run at native resolution (1366x768) via a HTPC as it is listed as a supported resolution in the manual. After about 8 phone calls, I had someone tell me that it was not a list of PC resolutions, it was a list of resolutions that the panel itself could display (WTF???).

Needless to say, seven months later I've got it working both via VGA and DVI-HDMI.

You must have got one of their few good service people on the phone.

Cheers,

Luke

[AndrewWilliams]

LG customer support is excellent from what I've heard. You're right though - their products aren't exactly aimed at the discerning consumer.

[drazic2012]

I think the fact that none of the service people could give me an answer or solution for my problem helped me. I didn't have to put up with the typical service answers that they often read straight off of a sheet.

Having said that, the service person I spoke to did an excellent job of chasing up info and calling me back... so maybe I was just lucky?