Vizio TV Problem, suggestions please

[nvrver]

Vizio TV Problem, suggestions please
While rving this passed week our Vizio 26" LED-LCD 720p 60Hz HDTV E261VA quit working.  It?s a $250 TV out of warranty by 5 months.  I plan to call Vizio Monday and see if they can help.  It must have something that is intermittent, because this morning it came on, but after shutting it off it will not come on again.  When you try to turn it on the light on the front of the TV comes on, the TV does not and if you try to shut it off by the remote or the power button it will not turn the light back off until you disconnect power.  That is how it acted this passed trip also.  Missed some good football games.  Dick  nvrver

 

[Ned]

My one experience with Vizio tech support was excellent.  They fixed my problem over the phone in short order.  Give them a call.

 

[Mavarick]

I have a vizio at home and they seem to self protect if there is anything power wise they don't like. Anytime we get a small "blink" of the lights the tv goes out and won't work for about 5 mins. I usually have to unplug it for about 5 or 10 mins, then plug it back in and all is good. It is resetting something inside the unit I imagine.
You might want to check the quality of your incoming power, volts (and freq if you're on genset)? It seems to be a little more sensitive than other tv's I have had. Good luck with it, they seem to be good tv's.

 

[Phil Hyde]

I bought a Vizio TV in 2009 and it lasted for 2 years.  Won't buy another one.  Throwaway electronics if you ask me.  I hear they are better these days, but... once bitten twice shy.

 

[therealsimpsons]

Maybe your ignition key is turned on. Most TV's are on a circuit that is disabled when the ignition is on. Just a thought.

Stan

 

[Gary RV_Wizard]

We have a Vizio 55" at home and have been quite happy with it.  The picture quality is marvelous.

 

[nvrver]

Update:
Per 12/01 telcon with Vizio help line.  Unplug TV power cord, hold in power button on side of TV for 30 seconds, release power button, plug power cord back, press power button on TV or remote.  It Works!

That seems to take care of it for now, not sure if I want to live with that if it?s a every time thing.  Other good news the visa card I purchased it on has Purchase Guard which adds 1 year to the manufactures warranty so if it need replacement or repair I still have warranty.  Dick  nvrver

 

[driftless shifter]

I'll bet your tv doesn't like sour power. Whats the power source when it happens? Could be shore power fluctuations, generator hz, or square wave inverter. It could even be the load of a space heater cycling on or starting the microwave.

Bill

 

[nvrver]

I have it in our home now so now power problems.  I think I have received enough good comments and now that I found out I still have warranty I will let them do the repair.  Dick nvrver

 

[scottydl]

No problems with Vizio here, we've had our 37" LCD at home for almost 5 years now and it is used several hours per day.  Bought it refurbished back then and paid extra for a 4-year extended warranty which I never needed...   5 years ago flat screens were still fairly new and I felt better with the coverage.  But these days TV's are so cheap that extended coverage is unnecessary for the most part.  Even if you did need to replace the set, it would probably cost half as much as you paid when new.  Walmart's Black Friday deal the other day was 32" flatscreens for $99 (an off-brand, but still), and my local store had more available of them than they could sell that day.

Flatscreen TV's are basically made of the screen and a few circuit boards, with circuitry protections built in.  Hopefully your power reset will take care of your problem.  If not, the labor to buy parts and get into the TV would likely be more expensive than just buying a new one.

 

[max49]

I have a 7 year old 32" Vizio, still works perfect.  I also have a 42" Vizio LED , 15 months old. It died. Local TV repair wanted $350 for a new powerboard. I picked it up, went on EBAY , found an exact powerboard, advertised for an Emerson.  I paid $80 + $20 shipping straight from China. Works like new again. Bought a 47" LG smart TV while I was waiting for the part.
  I also got a Black Friday special from WM,  32" Funai LED for $98.  I replaced the 27" box that came in the MH with it and it looks and works great.  Just gor my Tailgater and 211K from UPS today, but it's been right around zero* here so trying to figure that out will have to wait til it gets warmer.
  I think most all of the TVs now have pretty much the same parts inside. The price they get for them just depends on how well their marketing dept does their job.

Vizio was no help for me, never answered my Email.

 

[nvrver]

I think I have received enough good comments, Thanks

I found out I still have warranty I will let them do the repair.  Dick nvrver

 

[scottydl]

I think I have received enough good comments, Thanks

There is often no good way to stop a discussion thread in motion, once it gains enough conversational momentum. 

Glad you got the warranty coverage worked out!

 

[TheBearAK]

Just a technical note on this.

Just about every new television is running an Operating System these days, typically a version of Linux.  Like any OS, it locks up from time to time.  Some more than others.    The mini-computers that are built in have memory, storage (just a small flash drive), and a CPU.    If the TV loses power or has a power issue while it is doing something in memory, it can cause an unstable state.

Doing the process as the tech described basically reboots and restores the computer back to factory condition.

All of these TV's have some process that is just like that one to reset the computer inside.  Some you have to unplug, and hold the power button down while plugging it in, some you have to press 2 buttons at the same time while powering it up.  It varies from maker to maker.

ps.  If you ever turn on your TV and it gives you your normal screen (logo or blue typically) and then goes blank for 2-5 seconds and then comes back, it is because it automatically reset itself.

 

[scottydl]

^^ Good point.  I often see those "resets" also with the communication handshake between my TV and Bluray player.  Sometimes there is no signal for an unknown reason or the aspect ratio is skewed... generally a cable reset or power cycle is all that's needed to get things back to normal.