# Best Buy adds Vizio



## Cholly (Mar 22, 2004)

I was somewhat bemused this morning when I saw the back page of the weekly Best Buy ad. There, big as life, was a picture of a Vizio big screen TV, along with a note that Best Buy now has the brand.
No more big box, club store only for Vizio. No more smug "We don't carry that brand" from sales people. Vizio has made it to the big time! :lol:
Apparently BB has come to realize that they have been missing a lot of sales by not carrying the brand.

Charlie
(happy owner of 2 Vizio TV's)


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## jimmie57 (Jun 26, 2010)

I helped a neighbor of mine pick out a TV for her bedroom last year and she bought the Vizio. I helped her set it up and I liked it. Before that I would not look at any Except, Samsung, Sony and Mitsubishi.

In June of this year Vizio had a sale on a 37" 1080p for $325 delivered and no tax. I bought it and it is excellent so far. In fact, I messed with the settings for the picture for the first two weeks and got it better than my Samsung. Then I had to adjust on my Samsung to get the two of them equal in how good the pictures looked on both of them.

Best Buy's stock has been heading down for a long time and they had to make some changes to be competitive with the Wlamart and Sams and Target prices for TVs.
In the last 9 months it has dropped from $27 down to $12.11 as of Friday's closing price.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

Vizio's are fine for the bargin shoppers. If you want top notch picture quality from a flat panel...your options narrow:

Panasonic: VT50, GT50, ST50
Sharp: Elite
Samsung (plasma): E7000, E8000
Samsung (LED): E7000, E8000
Sony: HX850, HX950


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

jimmie57 said:


> I helped a neighbor of mine pick out a TV for her bedroom last year and she bought the Vizio. I helped her set it up and I liked it. Before that I would not look at any Except, Samsung, Sony and Mitsubishi.
> 
> In June of this year Vizio had a sale on a 37" 1080p for $325 delivered and no tax. I bought it and it is excellent so far. In fact, I messed with the settings for the picture for the first two weeks and got it better than my Samsung. Then I had to adjust on my Samsung to get the two of them equal in how good the pictures looked on both of them.
> 
> ...


Vizios were terrible when they first came out. I tried one and quickly took it back. But, they were smart enough to see what they were doing wrong and they put out a decent TV now, from what I've seen.

Rich


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Rich said:


> Vizios were terrible when they first came out. I tried one and quickly took it back. But, they were smart enough to see what they were doing wrong and they put out a decent TV now, from what I've seen.
> 
> Rich


The 2 we've gotten the past year or so have been outstanding.

Glad to see more places carrying them...competition is good.


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## Scott Kocourek (Jun 13, 2009)

I've got a Vizio tv too and love it. It's only 19" but big enough for the kitchen.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

They definitely are coming more into the forefront. I might actually consider one of their Microsoft Signature computers the next time I'm in the market.


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## paulman182 (Aug 4, 2006)

My 47 inch LED Vizio with full local dimming is quite impressive.

Too bad they don't make them anymore.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

When Vizio can compete with Panasonic, I'll listen.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Hoosier205 said:


> When Vizio can compete with Panasonic, I'll listen.


From a market perspective, it appears that Vizio CAN compete with Panasonic.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

"lparsons21" said:


> From a market perspective, it appears that Vizio CAN compete with Panasonic.


Not when it comes to product quality. Not even in the same conversation.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Hoosier205 said:


> Not when it comes to product quality. Not even in the same conversation.


Seems some disagree with your assessment :
http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20018554-1.html


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Yeah - we've had both Panasonic and Vizio here, and see them both as solid HDTV manufacturers.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

How does Vizio handle service now? At one time IIRC it was strickly send the TV back to them, no in home or local service companies.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

"lparsons21" said:


> Seems some disagree with your assessment :
> http://news.cnet.com/8301-17938_105-20018554-1.html


That was 2010. Vizio does not currently sell a display that can touch:

Panasonic: VT50, GT50, ST50
Sharp: Elite
Samsung (plasma): E7000, E8000
Samsung (LED): E7000, E8000
Sony: HX850, HX950

If you want a videophile level flat panel, those are your options. If want to save a buck, you have Vizio and such.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

And that list will become much shorter over the next very few years if the business reports about Sony, Sharp and Panasonic are correct.

And there has been much discussion in many places about just how long plasma will be around.

I'm not a Vizio fan, but they do offer some very competitive prices on flat screens that are more than good enough for the broader market. Videophiles, like 'philes' of other technology, are not where the money is for these mfgs as they represent a tiny portion of the market.

I went looking at a bigger TV this year and decided that for me, the RPT was more than good enough for my useage. While Plasma would have been the first choice, at more than double the cost of my new 73" Mitsi DLP, I could get a smaller plasma or led/lcd. The only downside is that it takes up a little more room and I don't consider that a downside in my setup.

Is it going to give me 'videophile' quality? I'll never know since I don't have 'videophile' eyes!


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

RAD said:



> How does Vizio handle service now? At one time IIRC it was strickly send the TV back to them, no in home or local service companies.


The policy with Vizio seems to be that instead of repairing their sets during warranty, they just replace them. I searched to see if that has changed more recently and cannot find anything that indicates that it has changed.

After warranty repairs seem to be not readily available which makes you think that you'd be foolish to buy a Vizio without an extended warranty from a 3rd party to recover at least some of the cost to replace.

That, imo, is a major fault and should be a strong point to consider.


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## hdtvfan0001 (Jul 28, 2004)

Hoosier205 said:


> That was 2010. Vizio does not currently sell a display that can touch:
> 
> Panasonic: VT50, GT50, ST50
> Sharp: Elite
> ...


Vizio is anything but a "cheap" brand, and they actually do have competing models to most of those you listed.

Here are just a few examples:

http://store.vizio.com/led-lcd-hdtvs/e500ia1-1.html
http://www.vizio.com/cinemawide/overview
http://store.vizio.com/e701ia3.html

They don't play in the Plasma space, but less and less manufacturers do anymore.

I suspect some folks think about "Vizio" from 4-5 years ago in contrast to where they are today in terms of products and as a company.


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## Hoosier205 (Sep 3, 2007)

"hdtvfan0001" said:


> Vizio is anything but a "cheap" brand, and they actually do have competing models to most of those you listed.
> 
> Here are just a few examples:
> 
> ...


Competitive in price perhaps, but not performance.


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

But for the average customer, there is a point of diminishing return. Is a Sharp Elite better than a Vizio? There is no doubt. Is the price difference worth it to the average consumer? Probably not. There's something like a $4500 price difference between a 60" Vizio and Sharp Elite at Best Buy.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

hdtvfan0001 said:


> The 2 we've gotten the past year or so have been outstanding.
> 
> Glad to see more places carrying them...competition is good.


You should have seen the one I bought. Must have been around 5 years ago. From what I've seen in stores, they've improved quite a bit.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

Hoosier205 said:


> When Vizio can compete with Panasonic, I'll listen.


That's what was sitting next to the Vizio when I got it home. What looked pretty good in a bright store looked terrible when compared to a 42" Panny plasmas. The Vizio was an LCD set.

Rich


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

That's more an indication of the superiority of Plasma over LCD I would think.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

dpeters11 said:


> But for the average customer, there is a point of diminishing return. Is a Sharp Elite better than a Vizio? There is no doubt. Is the price difference worth it to the average consumer? Probably not. There's something like a $4500 price difference between a 60" Vizio and Sharp Elite at Best Buy.


Still have yet to see a Sharp that I'd buy. I wouldn't buy a Panny LCD either. The 8 Panny plasmas that I have are not an indication that I'm a big Panny fan, I'd happily buy another brand if I thought it was better.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

lparsons21 said:


> That's more an indication of the superiority of Plasma over LCD I would think.


Probably, I keep reading stories about the demise of plasmas and I think that would be a shame. Every article I read about it says the same thing: The plasmas have a better picture but the LCDs sell better. I've got enough plasmas to last me, but I'd still hate to see them disappear.

Rich


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Rich said:


> Probably, I keep reading stories about the demise of plasmas and I think that would be a shame. Every article I read about it says the same thing: The plasmas have a better picture but the LCDs sell better. I've got enough plasmas to last me, but I'd still hate to see them disappear.
> 
> Rich


I read the same articles and have to agree. Plasmas are just so nice and I came very close to getting a 65" this year, but just could not convince myself that the 65" Panasonic plasma was worth more than double what a Mitsi 73" DLP set was. I've had both RPT and Plasma at different times and like both quite a bit.

I've not yet seen an LCD/LED that I liked with one exception, and that is the Sony XBR, but at $5200 on sale for the 65" version, I didn't give that one a 2nd thought.

BTW, just got the call from the delivery company and my 73" DLP will be here sometime on Wednesday. Now to sell my plasma...


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## HinterXGames (Dec 20, 2012)

I'm a big fan of Vizio's. All I have in my home and never had a problem with any of them. Geez, some people come off as if people who use vizio are low grade. I love them.
--
EDIT: Also to answer another question in the thread, My mom had a Vizio sensor go bad and they send a TV repairman to the house to fix it.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

lparsons21 said:


> I read the same articles and have to agree. Plasmas are just so nice and I came very close to getting a 65" this year, but just could not convince myself that the 65" Panasonic plasma was worth more than double what a Mitsi 73" DLP set was. I've had both RPT and Plasma at different times and like both quite a bit.
> 
> I've not yet seen an LCD/LED that I liked with one exception, and that is the Sony XBR, but at $5200 on sale for the 65" version, I didn't give that one a 2nd thought.
> 
> BTW, just got the call from the delivery company and my 73" DLP will be here sometime on Wednesday. Now to sell my plasma...


I almost bought a large Sony LCD-LED set last year, but it wasn't the same as the regular stores carry, just made for Costco and it had none of the bells and whistles that the sets sold in the regular stores had, for, what basically was the same model. Aside from that, I haven't really seen an LCD set I preferred over the Panny plasmas. Or I'd have it. Thought the Sony was overpriced, but it was still easily the best LCD I've seen. I've looked at those monstrous Sharp LCDs and I wasn't impressed. Or I'd have one.

Rich


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

HinterXGames said:


> I'm a big fan of Vizio's. All I have in my home and never had a problem with any of them. Geez, some people come off as if people who use vizio are low grade. I love them.


Go back five years and they were "low grade". I think.

Rich


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## dpeters11 (May 30, 2007)

lparsons21 said:


> BTW, just got the call from the delivery company and my 73" DLP will be here sometime on Wednesday. Now to sell my plasma...


End of an era


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## Herdfan (Mar 18, 2006)

lparsons21 said:


> The policy with Vizio seems to be that instead of repairing their sets during warranty, they just replace them. I searched to see if that has changed more recently and cannot find anything that indicates that it has changed.
> 
> After warranty repairs seem to be not readily available which makes you think that you'd be foolish to buy a Vizio without an extended warranty from a 3rd party to recover at least some of the cost to replace.
> 
> That, imo, is a major fault and should be a strong point to consider.


Actually that could work in a buyer's favor. Add $150 to the cost of the TV for a 4-year plan and hope the TV fails in 3.8 years. And since it can't be fixed, you get a new TV.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

dpeters11 said:


> End of an era


Yeah I know, and that is why I bought this year. It seems odd to me that for all the blathering about hanging tvs on walls, I see very few people actually doing that. And considering that the 73" I'm getting is only 18" deep and needs just 4" behind it for cooling, I don't see the problem.

Yeah, they don't look as sleek as those ultra-thing TVs but how many times do you watch the thinness and not the picture? :lol:

I'm impatiently waiting for Wednesday's delivery. Well that and tomorrow's delivery of the 3D BluRay player and another pair of PS3 3D glasses.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

Herdfan said:


> Actually that could work in a buyer's favor. Add $150 to the cost of the TV for a 4-year plan and hope the TV fails in 3.8 years. And since it can't be fixed, you get a new TV.


It doesn't exactly work that way...


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

lparsons21 said:


> The policy with Vizio seems to be that instead of repairing their sets during warranty, they just replace them. I searched to see if that has changed more recently and cannot find anything that indicates that it has changed.
> 
> After warranty repairs seem to be not readily available which makes you think that you'd be foolish to buy a Vizio without an extended warranty from a 3rd party to recover at least some of the cost to replace.
> 
> That, imo, is a major fault and should be a strong point to consider.


So how do they detemine that the set gets replaced? Do they require you to send it back on your dime or local service? I know I'd not like having to keep the box and packing material around and have a way to transport it to a shipping center in case of a failure.


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## lparsons21 (Mar 4, 2006)

RAD said:


> So how do they detemine that the set gets replaced? Do they require you to send it back on your dime or local service? I know I'd not like having to keep the box and packing material around and have a way to transport it to a shipping center in case of a failure.


Good questions all! I couldn't find anything that actually addressed that issue.

Edit: I stand corrected, here's the link to the warranty info directly from Vizio :
http://store.vizio.com/support/?tab=c#warrantydetails

Looks like you have to ship it to them on your dime. That's pitiful and makes it essentially a non-warranty imo.


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## RAD (Aug 5, 2002)

Maybe BestBuy is hoping that you'll buy the Geek Squad protection plan which for 37" or larger sets would be in home service, even during the manufactures warranty period.


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## bidger (Nov 19, 2005)

Rich said:


> Probably, I keep reading stories about the demise of plasmas and I think that would be a shame. Every article I read about it says the same thing: The plasmas have a better picture but the LCDs sell better. I've got enough plasmas to last me, but I'd still hate to see them disappear.
> 
> Rich


Agreed. I just picked up my first Panny plasma a few days before Christmas and I love it. I wish my budget would have allowed for a GT or VT, but I have a SONY Google TV Blu-ray player for Internet TV and I really don't give a toss about 3D. The U50 beckoned to me when I first saw it and it only looked better inside my home. Hate to think that my first plasma will be my last.


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## Rich (Feb 22, 2007)

bidger said:


> Agreed. I just picked up my first Panny plasma a few days before Christmas and I love it. I wish my budget would have allowed for a GT or VT, but I have a SONY Google TV Blu-ray player for Internet TV and I really don't give a toss about 3D. The U50 beckoned to me when I first saw it and it only looked better inside my home. Hate to think that my first plasma will be my last.


From what I've read, it won't be the last. The biggest problem they seem to be having is competing with the LCD sets. Now, the plasmas are actually less than LCDs of the same size and Panasonic is not making as much money on them as they used to. Panasonic is, apparently, way behind in the LCD field and their LCD sets do get poor reviews. We had one in a condo we rented last summer and I tried hooking up my 24-500 to it and the PQ was terrible. Fortunately, I brought a 42" Panny plasma with me and could compare them side by side. No comparison, the plasma is just so much better.

Rich


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## acostapimps (Nov 6, 2011)

I remember buying my first HDTV which was 26 inch Vizio LCD in 2007 at Walmart which I still have as a second tv for a small bedroom, but honestly I like better Samsung or Panasonic products.


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## AntAltMike (Nov 21, 2004)

Cholly said:


> I was somewhat bemused this morning when I saw the back page of the weekly Best Buy ad. There, big as life, was a picture of a Vizio big screen TV, along with a note that Best Buy now has the brand.
> No more big box, club store only for Vizio. No more smug "We don't carry that brand" from sales people....


I remember when the Olympics switched timers from Bulova to Timex.


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## winman97 (Jan 30, 2013)

Hoosier205 said:


> Competitive in price perhaps, but not performance.


I bought a Vizio 37" - 720p - 60hz about 5 years ago at a major warehouse club. Paid $800 for this puppy. That's before everybody was so concerned about having a HDTV that is only 1.4" thick. That TV has has been used daily as the main TV, so apparently the quality was build into this one. And so were the speakers, as they are housed on the front behind a panel that stretches the full bottom width of the TV. No sound problems with this unit. But it's old style at 3.75" thick. And to top it all, this TV has a very good picture at maximum angles.

I think this TV was built with quality boards and panels, and before the race was on to see which manufacturer could mass produce those super thin panels, skinny speakers, and poor angle view screens. So apparently Vizio has the ability to build a very good TV, if competitive market conditions would allow. So if it goes out tommorrow, I've been well served by Vizio.


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