Sony KE42TS2E plasma - HD gives stripey viewing

[shardlojik]

About two and a half years ago I thought I'd pre-empt all things HD by getting myself a Sony KE42TS2E 42" plasma. Eventually Sky released HD (and after several bumped dates installed mine), I had a component cable (no HDMI you see) and all was well...

...for about 30 mins when I started seeing stripes across the screen. I did a few tests and it turned out that the stripes only appeared when I was watching a 720p/1080i source. Normal Sky over SCART was OK. This is what I was seeing when it got really bad:

I did some more tests and the stripes only appear when watching HD, and it takes about 30-45 mins for them to gradually appear. To rule out the Sky HD box I borrowed a friend's Xbox 360 and I get the same sort of results on 720p/1080i. It uses it's own component cable, so that's not the problem either.

I don't know much about plasmas (actually nothing), but I suspect that some part of the screen is getting a bit hot and bothered when it tries to do something with a 720p/1080i source. As much as possible I've made sure that there's no fluff blocking the fans. According to the manual this screen runs at the strange resolution of 1024x1024, I'm not sure if crunching the HD down into that is causing something to work overtime and overheat.

I spoke to a very nice but completely unhelpful lady from the Sony Plasma Service Line who would only refer me to an authorised Sony repair agent. My local one is DK Audio Visual, who said that they only look at such things at the workshop, and just for them to collect it and start looking would cost me £120 + VAT, and even then they may say they can't do anything.

I'm a bit annoyed as I don't want to get rid of the plasma just yet (it cost me a fortune!), but on the other hand I don't want to throw money at it to be told it's unrepairable. I don't think I can get Sony to cough up on the "(not) fit for purpose" argument after this amount of time (only one year warranty). Any ideas? Or should I just go with plan B of flogging it off at a vast depriciation and get a 40" X Series in September...?

Thanks in advance.

 

[fishslice01]

About two and a half years ago I thought I'd pre-empt all things HD by getting myself a Sony KE42TS2E 42" plasma. Eventually Sky released HD (and after several bumped dates installed mine), I had a component cable (no HDMI you see) and all was well...

...for about 30 mins when I started seeing stripes across the screen. I did a few tests and it turned out that the stripes only appeared when I was watching a 720p/1080i source. Normal Sky over SCART was OK. This is what I was seeing when it got really bad:

I did some more tests and the stripes only appear when watching HD, and it takes about 30-45 mins for them to gradually appear. To rule out the Sky HD box I borrowed a friend's Xbox 360 and I get the same sort of results on 720p/1080i. It uses it's own component cable, so that's not the problem either.

I don't know much about plasmas (actually nothing), but I suspect that some part of the screen is getting a bit hot and bothered when it tries to do something with a 720p/1080i source. As much as possible I've made sure that there's no fluff blocking the fans. According to the manual this screen runs at the strange resolution of 1024x1024, I'm not sure if crunching the HD down into that is causing something to work overtime and overheat.

I spoke to a very nice but completely unhelpful lady from the Sony Plasma Service Line who would only refer me to an authorised Sony repair agent. My local one is DK Audio Visual, who said that they only look at such things at the workshop, and just for them to collect it and start looking would cost me £120 + VAT, and even then they may say they can't do anything.

I'm a bit annoyed as I don't want to get rid of the plasma just yet (it cost me a fortune!), but on the other hand I don't want to throw money at it to be told it's unrepairable. I don't think I can get Sony to cough up on the "(not) fit for purpose" argument after this amount of time (only one year warranty). Any ideas? Or should I just go with plan B of flogging it off at a vast depriciation and get a 40" X Series in September...?

Thanks in advance.

mentioned this elseware on the forum, but most modern TVs should as far as expert law would suggest last at least 3-5 years. This being the case options under the 2002 sale of goods act are open to you.

Go to the store and explain when you purchased the set, that it's not functioning in a manner as originaly advertised due to a fault which has become progressively worse because of an inherent problem at the time of sale. Under consumer sales law, before six months expect an immeadiate replacement. Between six months and up to six years, you have a strong arqument for a replacement or negotiated refund, depending on the life expectancy of the set. Two years and I would expect a replacement, it's up to the store to proove you havn't used the set in anything other than the purpose for which it was intended.

Remember the store took your money, and not Sony, so your contract is with the store and this protects you under consumer law. If the store manager say's otherwise and starts spouting store policy, then make it clear that this has no effect on your rights as a consumer.

If you still have no joy, then go to your local trading standards officer, who can help you get a replacement or refund.

I've had one occasion when this has happened to me over an electrical item more than six months old and succesfully recieved a refund following the above