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Fofamit

 

Pheezer

The reason is that it's probably seen ten times the use that it would have normally and there are probably also tax complications on things that have been used for commerce and warranties too.

It probably does legitimately fall under the clause they're using to deny you warranty service, though. What's wrong with it?

Fofamit

 

Pheezer

sounds like your remote is fucked. Take the batteries out, buy a universal remote and see if that fixes it.

Fofamit

 

Nakatomi2010

Take the remote out of the room and see if it continues to happen, if it does buy a new remote....


Otherwise, go into a futureshoip and see if they'll work with you there....

The Circuit City I work at down here, if you bitch and moan enough they'll take care of it at the store level so they don't lose you as a customer....

noobert

Just call a different branch, or talk to a different guy and forget to mention that it is being used in a common room.

Pheezer

If anyone suggests lying about the way the television was used, they're getting an infraction for recommending fraud. If the warranty doesn't apply, it doesn't apply. Sucks but that doesn't make it okay to scam them.

Ante

'Using it commercially' sounds like you're charging people to watch it, or something. Or it's in a store, showing ads. Keeping it in a dormroom is just residential, but a bit bigger scale than normal.

Of course, I don't really know about this sort of thing, but it sounds to me like they've either misunderstood you, or they're trying to cheat you.

Cryogen

They havent misunderstood him and they arent trying to cheat him. This is an extremely common warranty clause. Also 'commercial use' does not mean it is being used in some business capacity. It refers more to the scale of use it is subjected to. In this case, a 40 room residence sharing an appliance is certainly commercial use.

Some companies MAY choose to honor the warranty anyway, but they are under no obligation to do so.

Ante

All right, my bad. 'Commercial use' doesn't mean what I thought it did.

Fofamit

 

Daenris

Cryogen wrote: »

They havent misunderstood him and they arent trying to cheat him. This is an extremely common warranty clause. Also 'commercial use' does not mean it is being used in some business capacity. It refers more to the scale of use it is subjected to. In this case, a 40 room residence sharing an appliance is certainly commercial use.

Some companies MAY choose to honor the warranty anyway, but they are under no obligation to do so.

Well then, they shouldn't call it commercial use since that's not the definition of commercial.

Pheezer

Daenris wrote: »

Cryogen wrote: »

They havent misunderstood him and they arent trying to cheat him. This is an extremely common warranty clause. Also 'commercial use' does not mean it is being used in some business capacity. It refers more to the scale of use it is subjected to. In this case, a 40 room residence sharing an appliance is certainly commercial use.

Some companies MAY choose to honor the warranty anyway, but they are under no obligation to do so.

Well then, they shouldn't call it commercial use since that's not the definition of commercial.

Shut up. You're wrong and this isn't a conversation worth having here.

Daenris

DrDizaster wrote: »

Daenris wrote: »

Cryogen wrote: »

They havent misunderstood him and they arent trying to cheat him. This is an extremely common warranty clause. Also 'commercial use' does not mean it is being used in some business capacity. It refers more to the scale of use it is subjected to. In this case, a 40 room residence sharing an appliance is certainly commercial use.

Some companies MAY choose to honor the warranty anyway, but they are under no obligation to do so.

Well then, they shouldn't call it commercial use since that's not the definition of commercial.

Shut up. You're wrong and this isn't a conversation worth having here.

Why am I wrong exactly? I'm simply saying that if a company wants to have a clause for extensive or exceptional use to void a warranty (which in this case they obviously do) then they should call it that, rather than using a phrase which is technically not correct since there is no commercial use involved in this case.

Mulrine

Commercial use is a loose term and generally applies to any situation that extends out of the norm use of a product. Also this rep was actually doing this person a favor because I know the company I use to work for would just send the repair person out there and once there the customer would be charged because it costs money to send a tech out there and the customer was just screwed cause they didnt read their warranty

MichaelLC

Have you tried both FutureShop and Insignia?

As for the actual problem, could it just be in Demo mode, or something? Maybe hit up AVSForum and see if they know the secret code (if such a thing exists).

Gnome-Interruptus

It would fall under commercial use because it was bought and paid for by a non private entity.

Also 40 rooms or 40 people? Cause that is a hella lot of people to be sharing 1 TV (though one can always assume a number of people had TV's in their private room.)

Also, something that may help with some electronics is to turn it off, unplug it, and while its unplugged hold in the power button for a couple seconds. Discharges the capacitor and may reset some of the settings.

Improvolone

Might be worth it to contact a private TV repair company.

Pheezer

Improvolone wrote: »

Might be worth it to contact a private TV repair company.

This isn't a bad idea. It really probably won't be very expensive to fix and if it saves you weeks of aggravation...

Fofamit

 

capnrico

If you have the balls to open it up (the warranty is apparently voided after all), there's usually some sort of ribbon cable going from the front button panel to the main board. You can try disconnecting that and seeing if that helps. I've run into other TVs with the same issue, and something fried between the main button panel and the board. Unfortunately, the remote sensor is usually connected to this same ribbon cable, so if that's the case, you'll have no way to change inputs/channels. If you get that far, though, you can work on only disabling the button portion of the front panel.

Sir Red of the Manti

If you bought the TV with a credit card, you may want to check this out.

Fofamit

 

Captain Vash

Fofamit wrote: »

Sir Red of the Manti wrote: »

If you bought the TV with a credit card, you may want to check this out.

would that even apply if the Warranty is void?

I think the best answer to your question is that it's better to ask and be turned down then not ask when you would have been accepted.

VThornheart

capnrico wrote: »

If you have the balls to open it up (the warranty is apparently voided after all), there's usually some sort of ribbon cable going from the front button panel to the main board. You can try disconnecting that and seeing if that helps. I've run into other TVs with the same issue, and something fried between the main button panel and the board. Unfortunately, the remote sensor is usually connected to this same ribbon cable, so if that's the case, you'll have no way to change inputs/channels. If you get that far, though, you can work on only disabling the button portion of the front panel.

Standard issue warning... let the TV completely discharge, and unplug it, before opening it up. There's ways of doing this that are beyond my knowledge, but opening a TV without doing it can be hazardous to your health: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyback_transformer for some info on the potentially deadly stuff in a TV.

Doing a quick google, I found this forum post here: http://ask.metafilter.com/58779/Can-I-work-inside-my-TV-without-killing-myself

About halfway down, someone gives a good general guide to how to avoid killing yourself while working on a cathode ray tube-based TV. Very useful to know before you open up. But do your homework beforehand, either way... you don't want to be caught unawares.

EDIT: However, the best advice was probably around the bottom of the page:

"STOP RIGHT NOW.

Taking apart a television is not something to undertake lightly. I have experience in this area."

capnrico

I pretty much take TVs apart for a living, it's not all that dramatic. I was definitely a little TOO flip and "oh just open the sumbitch up and start poking around!" just because it's such an every day thing for me, but you don't need to be that cautious. Unplugging it, and not messing with the power supply, gun (I got the impression this was an LCD for some reason) or flyback (though I brush against it all the time completely unaware that I do it, apparently) is all you really need to do.

VThornheart

capnrico wrote: »

I pretty much take TVs apart for a living, it's not all that dramatic. I was definitely a little TOO flip and "oh just open the sumbitch up and start poking around!" just because it's such an every day thing for me, but you don't need to be that cautious. Unplugging it, and not messing with the power supply, gun (I got the impression this was an LCD for some reason) or flyback (though I brush against it all the time completely unaware that I do it, apparently) is all you really need to do.

No worries, I just didn't want to see him do anything crazy, like opening it up while it's plugged in or other madness. Always good just in case, to prevent any PAers from joining the Darwin Awards.

Ah, I also assumed it was a standard TV... it very well could be an LCD, which is probably much less harmful.

DiannaoChong

VThornheart wrote: »

capnrico wrote: »

If you have the balls to open it up (the warranty is apparently voided after all), there's usually some sort of ribbon cable going from the front button panel to the main board. You can try disconnecting that and seeing if that helps. I've run into other TVs with the same issue, and something fried between the main button panel and the board. Unfortunately, the remote sensor is usually connected to this same ribbon cable, so if that's the case, you'll have no way to change inputs/channels. If you get that far, though, you can work on only disabling the button portion of the front panel.

Standard issue warning... let the TV completely discharge, and unplug it, before opening it up. There's ways of doing this that are beyond my knowledge, but opening a TV without doing it can be hazardous to your health: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flyback_transformer for some info on the potentially deadly stuff in a TV.

Doing a quick google, I found this forum post here: http://ask.metafilter.com/58779/Can-I-work-inside-my-TV-without-killing-myself

About halfway down, someone gives a good general guide to how to avoid killing yourself while working on a cathode ray tube-based TV. Very useful to know before you open up. But do your homework beforehand, either way... you don't want to be caught unawares.

EDIT: However, the best advice was probably around the bottom of the page:

"STOP RIGHT NOW.

Taking apart a television is not something to undertake lightly. I have experience in this area."

I belive letting a tv discharge by itself takes up to 50 years on a tube set. This could be over exageration/old wives tale, I just know you dont fuck with the power capacitors on tv/monitors. There are safe ways to do it yourself in an "immediate" fashion, but thats fairly dangerous.

Sir Red of the Manti

Fofamit wrote: »

Sir Red of the Manti wrote: »

If you bought the TV with a credit card, you may want to check this out.

would that even apply if the Warranty is void?

It worked when Sony turned down a guy's warranty for sending in a "dusty" PS3. The whole ordeal makes an amusing read.

Gnome-Interruptus

I had a tube TV sitting in a closet unplugged for about 2 years, then when moving out, on a lark I hit the power button without plugging it in, I was surprised when the whole screen lit up with the initial surge of power.

So I can believe the theory that tube TV's take up to 50 years to discharge naturally.

Fofamit