My Philips 26PW6341/37

So if you are reading this, it is most likely because you are the not-so-proud owner of a Philips 26PW6341/37 television, and you want to know what is wrong with it and how you can fix it. You have probably also noticed that there are hundreds of others who are experiencing the same problem with the same model: no picture, flashing light on the front of the tv. Many of these people have tried and successfully repaired their sets on their own. Just about all of us have been told by Philips "sorry, your warranty is up, you'll have to take it to a repair shop."

I am a rare case: Phillips is replacing my tv.

How did I manage this? Scroll down to find out. If you've got nothing better to do, read on and hear the incredibly amusing story of how I came to have this television.

It was autumn 2004, right around the time that so many of us made the unfortunate decision to purchase this tv. I was in a transitional place in my life: happily separated from an all-wrong relationship, cautiously beginning an exciting new one, and preparing to move to a new city and go back to school.

College football fever had taken my friends and me by storm, and after a full day of tailgating and attending my alma mater's homecoming game, what could be better than returning home and catching the UNC/NCSU game on tv?

Well, in my mind it could have been better. You see, along with my all-wrong relationship I left behind the 50+ inch television that I had paid for in full. It depressed and enraged me that I would host game day with my friends and the 19" spare tv. Luckily, while still in the stands of the homecoming game, I realized that I was still in possession of one Best Buy credit card, joint account.

1 hour, 1 tv, 1 surround sound/dvd/cd system and 1 Sound of Music dvd later, we were in business. I didn't go overboard...the tv is only 26", but it had a nice look and would perfectly suit my new apartment lifestyle.

Now, stop and take note: I am not a down-low conniving kind of person. I did have the decency to call Mr. All-Wrong a few days later and let him know what to expect on his next billing statement. I told him to let me know when it was due and I would send him money and pay it off.

Well...he never did bother to let me know. I guess he realized he owed me.

So. Fast forward to March 2007. It turns out that my free tv is defective. Same problem as everyone else you've read about online. I called Philips, they gave me the "Sorry, you're SOL" speech, and I accepted that I'd have to pay to have the tv repaired.

I don't watch a whole lot of tv...it is now October and it has only now started to bother me that I am watching the trusty old 19" Samsung whenever I do have time to turn on a show. So I did the research, saw the incredible scale of the problem with these tvs, and took the advice of many who have fixed it themselves. I went out and bought the recommended fuse, and with the help of my significant other (of 3 years and one tv shopping extravaganza), replaced the fuse, crossed our fingers, and...

Nothing.

So I called Philips, and they are sending me a new tv.

I went through the usual "Sorry, SOL" spiel before politely asking for a supervisor, who gave me the same spiel. I kept my cool (for the most part) and somehow uttered some magic combination of words including:
"Google it, you'll see"
"This problem is a commonly asked question on the Philips web page for this model"
"Do YOU expect to buy a new tv every 3 years?"
"Philips is aware there is a problem"
"Better Business Bureau"
"State Attorney General's Office"

Suddenly, a brand new option appeared: For $94 Philips would ship me a new tv. As in brand new, "comparable" to the one I have. I have to ship back the old one (shipping costs included in the $94). I expressed my concern that I'd end up with another 19" old school tube tv, but he promised that the tv would be a flat widescreen like mine. We'll see...