Is this the right time to start crying?

January 8, 2012 9:10 AM

My flat screen TV (LCD-LED) is not flat. Help? (Pics inside.)

My flat screen LED TV (LC-60LE830U) that I bought after years of looking for a big screen TV doesn't actually look flat. Pics here!

Has anyone seem this before? Is this TV defective? It has been over 2 months since I purchased it from the store, so I don't think warranty will be any help. I searched on Google and couldn't come up with any definite answers.

The wife is an engineer and suggested a panel this size cannot be 100% flat, but this one looks very crooked. I guess I could ignore it (it's not like I will be buying a new one if this TV is defective, but I might try my luck with the manufacturer).

posted by helloworlditsme to technology (13 answers total)

That looks normal to me, my roommate's tv is flat on the front and protrudes a bit in the back. After all, they have to put the workings in somewhere :)
posted by myShanon at 9:12 AM on January 8, 2012

I can't tell from the pictures if the front face is flat, but the rear of the tv is not. If that is the case, it's not an issue. If the front face of the panel is not flat (ie warped) then it is an issue and 2 months is well within any commercial TV warranty I have heard of. Just take it back.

It has been over 2 months since I purchased it from the store, so I don't think warranty will be any help.

To reiterate, this is a bizarre perspective. Did it not come with a 12 month warranty? Was it this 'not flat' the whole time you have had it?
posted by Brockles at 9:17 AM on January 8, 2012

I'm guessing that the "not flat" helloworlditsme is referring to is the "bent" appearance of the case. Seen from the bottom it appears that he case bends towards the wall at about the 2/3 mark or so. It's hard to tell because of perspective effects in the photos, though.

It could be a simple matter of the case design having a slight bend to it, by design. The LCD panel itself should be flat, however. As others have said, 60 days should be well within any manufacturer's warrantee.
posted by verb at 9:22 AM on January 8, 2012

For comparison purposes, the possibly suspicious bendy bit compared to the official product photo
posted by verb at 9:24 AM on January 8, 2012

Can't you go back to the store and look at the floor model? If you want to be extra sure, bring some measuring tape.
posted by chengjih at 9:27 AM on January 8, 2012

The bottom rim of the bezel definitely does appear to be warped. The pictures seem to show a substantial asymmetric buckle in the front left of the TV, away from the controls or status indicators. Your TV comes with a one year warranty from the manufacturer, so you should definitely talk to them.

That said, was there an operating heat source underneath the TV? A fireplace, candles, a space heater, a forced air grille? An external heat source could potentially have caused the plastic bezel to buckle in this manner, and if that's the case, may not be covered under the warranty.
posted by eschatfische at 9:30 AM on January 8, 2012

The specification for the TV says that the depth is 1-5/8" (without stand, which yours clearly is, being wall-mounted). If your TV, including case, is more than 1-5/8" deep, then it doesn't fit the manufacturer's description and so I'd suggest you take it back.
posted by essexjan at 9:36 AM on January 8, 2012

It might be worth putting a straight edge against the front and taking those photographs again so we can see whether it's the LCD or the bezel that's wrong.

But even that kink in the bezel's not really acceptable as it's not designed that way.
posted by ambrosen at 9:40 AM on January 8, 2012

I can't see what you're taking about. What is the issue exactly?
posted by The Lamplighter at 11:12 AM on January 8, 2012

Is it just not lying flat against the wall? Could be that your wall is slightly warped or that the mount is crooked. If the tv were significantly warped I doubt that it would work.
posted by The Lamplighter at 11:13 AM on January 8, 2012

I'd also suggest you go into a store which sells these TVs and examine the same model to see if it looks the same as yours.
posted by essexjan at 11:27 AM on January 8, 2012

An external heat source could potentially have caused the plastic bezel to buckle in this manner, and if that's the case, may not be covered under the warranty.

If the problem holds per verb's illustration, I think it's more likely that the box was dropped.
posted by rhizome at 1:38 PM on January 8, 2012

Thank you so much for all the replies, it was very helpful!

In trying to determine if it was the monitor or just the case, I put a level on the screen. It seemed to be ok until I tested the "bent" corner. It was visibly off.

I didn't want to deal with the manufacturer warranty, as this is a big and heavy TV and shipping would probably cost me lots. I packed everything up and brought to the store, they were very good about it and replaced it with another model.

Thanks again, hivemind!
posted by helloworlditsme at 4:20 PM on January 8, 2012