42" ADVENT PLASMA $1,200.00

[CATkid]

I was at Zellers Burlington Mall yesterday and noticed they had their 42" Advent Plasmas on clearance for $1,200.00. Not sure how many they have or if this is chain wide. Worth a look??

[enforcerviper]

Display model only?

[CATkid]

I don't believe so. I actually think they are clearing them out of their stock.

[hugh_da_man]

I don't believe so. I actually think they are clearing them out of their stock.

Wow, that's a pretty good deal.

Was the 42" the smallest they have. I'd like to pick up a 27 or 32" one of these days.

Guess I'll have to head over to Zellers today.

[CATkid]

Only saw the 42". Sorry

[hugh_da_man]

Only saw the 42". Sorry

No problem. Thanks for the post though. I know someone who bought a tv from Zellers (I think it was the Advent) and he hasn't had any problems with it.

[t10]

Hmm, confirmation, model no# ?

For $1200 I dont care if it craps out in 3-4 years.

[coolpc]

any reviews on this tv???

[CATkid]

Apparently Advents are they same as Primas. Did some searching and finally found the Advent website (http://www.adventtv.com). If you look under Warranty it is supplied by PRIMA. I have no further information that I can provide in relation to model numbers etc.

[re:load]

For $1200 I dont care if it craps out in 3-4 years.

a true RFDer would expect it to last 25 years ;) !

[njchan]

it's definitely not chain wide.

was the $1200 a manager special?

was that the "clearence" price for it?

or was it additionally marked down?

are you sure it wasn't for the display - 'cause I know several zellers' order these on a buying basis.

[CATkid]

100% Positive on the price. VERY large yellow tag marked Clearance Price $1,200.00. I suggest contacting Zellers to confirm price. As I said in the original post I saw it at Zellers Burlington Mall.

[diabolical7]

do u have the model number??? are plasma or lcd's better

[yuprules]

do u have the model number??? are plasma or lcd's better

At least LCD's won't STOP working after X amount of hours.

Don't forget Plasma's WILL DIE after x amount of hours NO MATTER what (well, unless you don't watch it) About 7 years "ish".

[enforcerviper]

I called several Zellers and they all said $2400. I went down to a Zellers and she rang in the tag-$2400. Looks like a local deal only.

[diabolical7]

At least LCD's won't STOP working after X amount of hours.

Don't forget Plasma's WILL DIE after x amount of hours NO MATTER what (well, unless you don't watch it) About 7 years "ish".

So plasma's will die in 7 years is that under heavy load... on avg usage per day i would use is like 8 hours a day

[guanghot]

So plasma's will die in 7 years is that under heavy load... on avg usage per day i would use is like 8 hours a day

That is a lot of TV watching on avg usage.

[michelb]

At least LCD's won't STOP working after X amount of hours.

Don't forget Plasma's WILL DIE after x amount of hours NO MATTER what (well, unless you don't watch it) About 7 years "ish".

This isn't the place to start a plasma vs LCD thread but I wouldn't be too concerned about the life span of plasmas; I believe all new plasmas are rated to at least 30,000 hrs (at 25hrs a week, that's good for about 23 years). Realistically, the electronics/technology is probably going to die before the plasma does (how many people are actually using 20+ year old tvs - especially 25 hrs/week). One valid concern is that plasmas are susceptible to burn-in (although probably less than crt RPTV which people have been using for years, so it's not a huge issue, you just have to be a bit more cautious about it).

In any case, has anyone else seen this deal at other Zellers?

Let us know,
Mike

[rf134a]

At least LCD's won't STOP working after X amount of hours.

Don't forget Plasma's WILL DIE after x amount of hours NO MATTER what (well, unless you don't watch it) About 7 years "ish".

Wow, more newbies spreading FALSE information. :(

Most name-brand plasmas have a half-life of 60,000 hours. That means that after 60,000 hours of being on, the brightness will half of what it was when it was brand new. So, if the new unit has a rated brightness of 1000 lumens, after 60,000 hours the tv will "only" have a brightness of 500 lumens. Since this is a Prima using an lower quality tube, I would guess the half-life is in the 30,000 hour range. 30,000/24/365=3.42 years before half brightness. Of course, most people don't watch tv 24/7 so, at 8 hours/day, that would increase to 10.27 years. The TV will still work but just won't be as bright.

LCD tvs use a CCFL lamp which have rated lives of between 60,000-100,000 hours, after which the lamp needs to be replaced.

It would be nice if newbies would just stop posting false information.

[yuprules]

Wow, more newbies spreading FALSE information. :(

Most name-brand plasmas have a half-life of 60,000 hours. That means that after 60,000 hours of being on, the brightness will half of what it was when it was brand new. So, if the new unit has a rated brightness of 1000 lumens, after 60,000 hours the tv will "only" have a brightness of 500 lumens. Since this is a Prima using an lower quality tube, I would guess the half-life is in the 30,000 hour range. 30,000/24/365=3.42 years before half brightness. Of course, most people don't watch tv 24/7 so, at 8 hours/day, that would increase to 10.27 years. The TV will still work but just won't be as bright.

LCD tvs use a CCFL lamp which have rated lives of between 60,000-100,000 hours, after which the lamp needs to be replaced.

It would be nice if newbies would just stop posting false information.

Well hey if you want a dark TV after 3.42 years that's your business. I wouldn't.

Thanks for clearing it up it's even less than I thought :) So I guess I did post false information :) :) :)

[rf134a]

Well hey if you want a dark TV after 3.42 years that's your business. I wouldn't.

Thanks for clearing it up it's even less than I thought :) So I guess I did post false information :) :) :)

So, your one of the few people who watch tv 24/7, eh? :confused: Nice job if you can get it, I guess. ;) :cheesygri

[yuprules]

So, your one of the few people who watch tv 24/7, eh? :confused: Nice job if you can get it, I guess. ;) :cheesygri

Yup, my TV is on the moment I wake up and I turn it off when I go to bed. So's my PC which explains my thousands of posts on Red Flag Deals.

Anyone remember what colour the sky is? (kidding).

[cpoole]

At least LCD's won't STOP working after X amount of hours.

Don't forget Plasma's WILL DIE after x amount of hours NO MATTER what (well, unless you don't watch it) About 7 years "ish".

Could you please explain why? Do you have links to information supporting this claim?

The AVSforum faq on plasmas states the following...

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=6106841&&#post6106841


How long do plasma displays last?
At this point in time just about all manufacturers have rated their product to 1/2 brightness at 60,000 hours. The panel will still be usable after 60000 hours but it will be half as bright as when it was new. The only time this should concern you if you are purchasing a used panel. A couple of years ago the rated half life of plasmas was about 30000 hours..

Plasma Science states the following

http://www.plasmatvscience.org/quickfaqs.html


Is it true that LCDs (Liquid Crystal Displays) last longer than plasma displays?

No. These days, they both last about 60,000 hours. Plasma is also more efficient and gives a better picture on larger screens because each phosphor cell is illuminated as needed. LCDs use bulbs that require full power all the time.

6 hours per day * 365 = approx 2200 hours
These numbers imply that the panel should last at least 20 years under normal use.

Having read those 2 FAQs, I am not sure if 7 years lifespan is a valid statement.

I can also state that I once owned a Prima crt tv and I would be very surprised if the TV even lasted 3 years due to the crappy electronics used inside them. My Prima TV lasted "warranty + 1 month". The panel will likely be okay, just everything else will fail.

[yuprules]

There are tons of conflicting "documents" that say 7 years, 14 years, 30 years.

One thing all those "documents" AGREE on the web, is that it will lose about 50% of the brightness after a short time (agree?).

And yeah, with this crap brand it will most likely BREAK a day after the warranty expires :)

[njchan]

:!: :!: :!: back to the thread conversation .............. :!: :!: :!:

CONFIRMED ...

$1200 is for the display model only at the Burlington Mall.


regular price is $2400 and you would need to order one as Zellers does not carry this in stock.

[sdzbwxp]

It will be half bright after 60,000 hrs only if you like to watch your tv at 100% brightness. I never used 100% brightness on my tvs and monitors. If you only set you tv at 60 or 70 % brightness. After 60000 hrs, you can turn it to 100% brightness, it will be almost the same brightness ...

[cpoole]

There are tons of conflicting "documents" that say 7 years, 14 years, 30 years.

One thing all those "documents" AGREE on the web, is that it will lose about 50% of the brightness after a short time (agree?).

And yeah, with this crap brand it will most likely BREAK a day after the warranty expires :)

Yah - the 50% statement a safe bet - I expect that with the changes in TV technology - most people with be wanting the newest & most amazing technology by then anyway.

When my old Prima TV failed, we opened the case and looked inside. The circuit boards had lots of areas that were darkened from heat damage. It looked like the result of poor components and poor design.

[yuprules]

:!: :!: :!: back to the thread conversation .............. :!: :!: :!:

CONFIRMED ...

$1200 is for the display model only at the Burlington Mall.


regular price is $2400 and you would need to order one as Zellers does not carry this in stock.

I think your font needs to be bigger :)

[yuprules]

Yah - the 50% statement a safe bet - I expect that with the changes in TV technology - most people with be wanting the newest & most amazing technology by then anyway.

When my old Prima TV failed, we opened the case and looked inside. The circuit boards had lots of areas that were darkened from heat damage. It looked like the result of poor components and poor design.

Cool! Got photos?

[HughG]

I think your font needs to be bigger :)
hahaha good one

[FireHawk2k]

You know, all these stats are for "typical" plasmas, and I don't think this cheapo Advent/Prima brand TV uses "typical" components.

Knowing how them asians cut corners I'll bet the half life on this thing is less than 3 years.

On the flip side, I seem to buy a new TV every 3 years anyway...

[yuprules]

You know, all these stats are for "typical" plasmas, and I don't think this cheapo Advent/Prima brand TV uses "typical" components.

Knowing how them asians cut corners I'll bet the half life on this thing is less than 3 years.

On the flip side, I seem to buy a new TV every 3 years anyway...

Cuz you buy cheap Tv's or you just like having new gadgets? :)

[flame02]

one thing to do to help the life of the plasma ... tone down the brightness to begin with ... therefor using less power and will emit less heat from the TV itself

[cannon_fodder]

I could see a definite, realistic use for the TV being used 24/7. As the price keeps falling (within 2 years will we see a 42" plasma for less than a grand?) I could see someone putting a picture frame on it and mounting it on the wall like art. Of course, you could change the "painting" as often as you would want, but the problem would be that the TV would be in landscape mode - no "portraits" of Whistler's mother...

[cpoole]

Cool! Got photos?

LOL - I wish i did - i just dumpstered it.

[_pOtEnZa_]

When my old Prima TV failed, we opened the case and looked inside. The circuit boards had lots of areas that were darkened from heat damage. It looked like the result of poor components and poor design.more probabaly due to bad soldering, prob made by a robot instead of humans (like japan branded electronic)

[_pOtEnZa_]

I could see someone putting a picture frame on it and mounting it on the wall like art. Of course, you could change the "painting" as often as you would want, but the problem would be that the TV would be in landscape mode - no "portraits" of Whistler's mother...

for the record, all plasma have this probelm, that if you leave the same non-moving image (eg picture) on the display for too long (even less than 24h), it will ''shadow'' into the plasma display and ull never get rid of it , just a fyi ;)

[kcwc]

where is the location??

Zellers Burlington Mall

[Neil]

Further weighing in on this, the predicted life of a plasma panel could be anywhere from 6 to 25 years of normal usage. However any given plasma TV set could fail in one day or in 20 years or somewhere in between. It's just that in the last year or two, the panel "wearing out" has become much less a concern, to the point of probably not being a concern at all.

On the other hand, any set that uses a projection bulb is still subject to wear. These bulbs have about one tenth the predicted life span of a plasma panel. So odds are someone owning a projector bulb based TV will have to replace the bulb along the way. From what I've read, the bulbs can be hard to acquire and still cost hundreds of dollars.

With plasma or the other types of set, there is still a lot of funky electronics in there, and they aren't generally something that's feasible to repair. Manufacturers come and go, and getting parts for even a 3 year old TV of any kind is hard these days.

But to say that a plasma will last around "7" years exactly is total nonsense. They aren't like wood or steel that breaks at a predictable point, and the variation from the average lifespan can be huge for any given single unit.

[Melmo]

Having worked in the electronics manufacturing industry, I challenge anyone to find me a human who can solder pin-through-hole components better and more consistently than a wave soldering machine. Not to mention finding someone who can solder today's modern and tiny surface mount components better than a solder stencil machine and a reflow oven.

Sheeesh.


more probabaly due to bad soldering, prob made by a robot instead of humans (like japan branded electronic)

[avatarreb]

This isn't the place to start a plasma vs LCD thread but I wouldn't be too concerned about the life span of plasmas; I believe all new plasmas are rated to at least 30,000 hrs (at 25hrs a week, that's good for about 23 years). Realistically, the electronics/technology is probably going to die before the plasma does (how many people are actually using 20+ year old tvs - especially 25 hrs/week). One valid concern is that plasmas are susceptible to burn-in (although probably less than crt RPTV which people have been using for years, so it's not a huge issue, you just have to be a bit more cautious about it).

In any case, has anyone else seen this deal at other Zellers?

Let us know,
Mike

My Toshiba TV is turning 20 this year and works great. My Sony TV is going strong at 24 years. :)

[baileyr]

I wouldn't waste my time buying a cheap plasma. They simply look like *crap*. The definition in the blacks and shadows is horrible and I'd have a hard time believing that anybody could think the picture quality is anything but poor.

Save your money...

[SquealADeal]

I went with LCD, but at this price... Worth looking at!

I am by no means an authority on flat panel technologies... I can't remember everything I found when I researched LCD VS Plasma but here is what I believe I remember.

Plasma - Show's blacks better than LCD, better contrast overall, typically has better viewing angles and faster response times. The bad - Experiences burn in of images that stay static too long on the screen (I've seen burn-in first hand at some retailers) and it will not last as long as LCD (still lasts a long time!). Plasma's are cheaper for larger sizes.

LCD - Consumes half the power, less fragile, lighter, brighter images, LCD Pixels don't flicker like with Plasma. No burn-in!

It seems like many people are shifting towards focusing on and developing LCD rather than Plasma. I have heard that Sony will be moving to producing only LCD Flat panels.

Once again, I've typed this out only from my recollection, so if someone more experienced sees a mistake don't jump me, just correct me.

If you do a search on LCD VS Plasma you will probably get a TON of results/articles/charts

[hotweiss]

I went with LCD, but at this price... Worth looking at!

I am by no means an authority on flat panel technologies... I can't remember everything I found when I researched LCD VS Plasma but here is what I believe I remember.

Plasma - Show's blacks better than LCD, better contrast overall, typically has better viewing angles and faster response times. The bad - Experiences burn in of images that stay static too long on the screen (I've seen burn-in first hand at some retailers) and it will not last as long as LCD (still lasts a long time!). Plasma's are cheaper for larger sizes.

LCD - Consumes half the power, less fragile, lighter, brighter images, LCD Pixels don't flicker like with Plasma. No burn-in!

It seems like many people are shifting towards focusing on and developing LCD rather than Plasma. I have heard that Sony will be moving to producing only LCD Flat panels.

Once again, I've typed this out only from my recollection, so if someone more experienced sees a mistake don't jump me, just correct me.

If you do a search on LCD VS Plasma you will probably get a TON of results/articles/charts

Sony wants to remain a leader in the television industry so yes it's true that they have stopped shipping plasmas, but they are now going to move to SED's which are an improvement on LCD's.

ps-You can expect SED's in 2006.

[Neil]

Sony wants to remain a leader in the television industry so yes it's true that they have stopped shipping plasmas, but they are now going to move to SED's which are an improvement on LCD's.

ps-You can expect SED's in 2006.
Sony a leader in the television industry? They have done very poorly in home audio/video, so badly they almost went belly up in 2005 actually. They have slashed a lot of products and product lines and have committed a huge amount of advertising money to their new Bravia line. Don't know if that means it's good, but they are definitely gambling on it.

[Lonely Soldier Boy]

This is nothing.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20051006A7045.html

You can look forward to $900-1100 40 Inch + LCDs within an year or two. Buying these at 2400 is a huge rip off.

[SquealADeal]

This is nothing.

http://www.digitimes.com/news/a20051006A7045.html

You can look forward to $900-1100 40 Inch + LCDs within an year or two. Buying these at 2400 is a huge rip off.

Awesome link... Are you sure about the prices you listed though?

If you are referring to the comments saying

"the South Korea-based panel maker is aggressively lowering prices for its 40-inch LCD TV panels" ... "has already fallen to US$960 and should drop further to US$920 this quarter and US$870 in the first quarter of 2006"

These guys look like they are referring to the manufacturing and cost of panels only, not the finished TV units. The numbers suggest that you could expect up to a 11% drop by early next year... And optimistically... Since it is only the panel cost that is going down, it does not include the remaining components or labor to assemble the rest.