My TV adventure started on Saturday, April 27th. After doing some online research, I decided to buy a Vizio 601i-A3, which at $998 is a great value for a 60-inch smart LED TV. I went to the Walmart on 2501 S Market St (by Williams Field Rd) in Gilbert. The customer service was excellent - way above average. We had to wait 10 or 15 minutes for them be able to retrieve the last TV set in store for this particular model, but otherwise it was a pleasure to do business there. I got the TV in my car and drove home excited about my new huge TV.
When we got home we took about 2 hours to disconnect vcr's, dvd player's, video game systems, etc., in order to move our old, smaller TV from the living room to the bed room; and the miniature TV in the bed room to the guest room. We then started setting up the new TV. The hardest part was installing the base with the screws. Eventually, we were done. I took the remote and prepared to enjoy my new awesome TV. This is what I saw upon hitting the "ON" button:
The next day I uninstalled everything, put the TV in its original box, a put the mini-TV as a temporary replacement.
The return was easy and hassle-free; however, I had to wait three business days for the refund to be reflected on my card. Then on Thursday, May 2nd, I went to the Walmart on 5290 S Power Rd in Gilbert. There was no one in electronics. I had to wait and look for a customer service representative. One arrived, I asked for help. He said he needed to bring his scanner. Eventually, a different customer representative came, and asked if I had any questions. "Sure, but not related to the TV," I thought. Upon paying with my card, unbeknownst to me, the cashier decided to play a little practical joke or prank and said, "hm, your signature does not look quite the same as the one in the card." As I started to say that I was not going to buy anything if there was a problem with that, she let me know that she was kidding, and apologized if I was not in the mood. (I certainly was not...) Off I go with my new TV.
We repeated the assembly procedure. We finished and turned it on... it was outstanding. Very nice picture. Huge screen.
We watched a movie, I played video games and watched YouTube videos (the TV can connect to the internet... something new to me), and everything was great for one day.
Then it happened. A little white spot on the top right corner appeared out of nowhere after I watched Amadeus. I tried to get rid of it in every way that can possibly be imagined. I experimented with each single setting variable and with tens of possible combinations. The spot varied in size depending on certain settings, but it never disappeared...
In fact, it grew from being just a post, to encompassing a large area in the upper right quadrant.
I was worried that Walmart would ask why I was buying and returning a TV set each weekend; however, the return at this other Walmart was also hassle-free. Needless to say, I am not buying that particular model, at least not at Walmart. I read some reviews about defective units of that particular model with serial numbers ranging from 3000000 to 4000000; however, the two TVs that I bought and returned had serial numbers in the 5000000 range.
And that is the story of my new TV - no TV. Suggestions for TV in the 55-65 inch range are welcome. This time, I want to err on the side of quality, not value.
