Comments on: VIZIO SV421XVT Review – 42-inch LCD HDTV

By: Jerry Bilak

Jerry Bilak — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 16:44:45 +0000

I purchased my SV421 in September 2009 through Dell. July 19, 2010 the TV went black – no lights at all. Vizio replaced the “motherboard” and all went back to normal (under Vizio’s 1 year warranty). May 19, 1011 the TV went black again. I purchased a 2 year exrtended warany but when I called the warranty company said the warranty was good only on TV’s from $1000 and over; I paid$800.
Long story short, the repairmain is here today after 5 weeks of arguing with Dell and the warranty company. I will never purchase anything from Dell after the way I was treated and I don’t think much of Vizio quality althought the TV is great when it’s working! Buyer beware!!

By: Tony Janowicz

Tony Janowicz — Thu, 11 Nov 2010 19:06:38 +0000

It is interesting to see the responses to my June 24, 2009 post. A. Chong, vizio isn’t going to post anything negative about their products on their website. I also posted with the Better Business Bureau.

Just want to clear up one thing, my vizio that died after 15 months was not the SV421XVT. The thing that upset me the most, more than having a $1000 paper weight called vizio, was the horrible customer service from vizio. No consideration of any kind, no compensation, not even an I’m sorry that happened. All I got from vizio customer service was a cold hearted “there is nothing we can do”.

It’s up to you if you want to buy a vizio. If you want to save money, going cheap with a vizio is probably the way to go. Based on my experience, if you buy the vizio, you should buy the extended warrenty and read what Warren has to say above. Then knowing what you know now, ask yourself, is going cheap with the vizio and spending and extra $200 on the warrenty really what I want to do… considering I may have to deal with poor vizio customer service and an extended period of time with out my tv.

I replaced the vizio that died with an LG and have been happy with it for over two years.

By: Rob

Rob — Thu, 04 Nov 2010 02:29:26 +0000

Bought this tv at SAMs. Paid $760. I’m very pleased. Sound I good, picture is wonderful. Don’t think twice about buying it. As for reliability, buy the warrantee. You may not use it, but if you do you’ll be glad you had it. Don’t be cheap.

By: Slate

Slate — Sat, 07 Aug 2010 05:12:14 +0000

We bought our SV421XVT flat panel from Sam’s Club in January and have had two issues with it.

First, like posted by others on the SV420 review page, the sound has been driving us nuts with fading out to where we can not here the TV until a commercial comes on and then we get blasted out. One thing we noticed is that if it does fade away it can be brought back by changing channels momentarily.

Tonight, as reccomended on the SV420 reviews I turned off both SRS functions with a very noticable increase in sound volume. We’ll have to see if this helps.

If not, we are going to try to take it back for exchange to a different brand under the extended warrenty.

The other issue, although it now seems to have gone away is that for the longest time the set smelled like it was on fire. Several times we searched the house for the fire but finally realised it was the TV. We almost took it back for that also.

Otherwise we like the TV. We bought this model specifically for the PIP, and did not have much choice of brands becuase of that.

But with the loss of the SRS I may take it back and upgrade to a Mitsubishi to get a TV that works as advertised. I don’t like being sold equipment with faulty features and the sound system, as shipped, is deffinately faulty.

Regarding the extended warrenty, my impression is that there are an abnormal amount of early failures with the flat panels, as compared to CRT TV’s so we did buy the extended warrenty, something I almost never do.

By: dave p

dave p — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:03:01 +0000

the vizio 42 inch is awsome .got it 8 months ago and i love it. picture perfect and cheap at costco.i had a olevia 37 inch 60 hz that went out in a year and a half.i had warrenty and tadaaaaa they cut me a cheack for the price i paid then i got a good tv

By: JimT

JimT — Mon, 01 Feb 2010 14:38:15 +0000

Thank you “Warren”, finally someone that knows what they are talking about. I personally like to do a high rate burn in of my own on electronics in the first three months, if that does not kill it, then it should last for years without fault. I also plan on getting mine from Costco, they have the best price and extend the warranty to two years at no cost, plus they have a “no fee” , “no questions” return for 3 months policy.

By: Mark56

Mark56 — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 02:42:03 +0000

Next time buy at Costco, 2 year warranty with free support and 90 days return with no questions asked. I had a Vizio plasma that developed some minor ghosting about a month prior to the end of the 2 years. Costco sent out a repair man who determined it was not repairable (parts no longer available) so the gave me a new Vizio LCD (not plasma) to replace it- and let me KEEP the plasma. How can you beat that?? I’ll be picking one of these up there this weekend.

By: Tami

Tami — Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:05:13 +0000

Hi, I am currently researching this TV and relying on several sites with reviews to help in my decision. I can not afford a more expensive model and want some bang for my buck..also considering the fact that more expensive TV’s also have problems…and technology is quick paced.

I am posting this in response to an earlier review written by Tony Janowicz . This model was not even available in late 2007/early 2008. I would like to review/compare apples to apples…not apples to lemons. Aforementioned..technology is fast paced…things change over time and kinks get worked out… there was no mention on the model that was having the problem. It definitely was not the SV421XVT..since it was not even available 15 months prior to the review date.

As a rule I do not buy extended warranties… if something is to go wrong then it is usually with in the first few months of full use….but technology that advances this quickly..and buying a product that has not yet had a chance to pass the test of time..I just may..IF I do decide that this is the product I purchase. SO, the above review I need to ‘throw out’..along with the ones that jumped in to review 5 minutes after the TV was set up and turned on.

Just had to get this out…now I feel better

By: Warren

Warren — Sun, 03 Jan 2010 15:40:09 +0000

If you buy any new piece of electromic equipment and you don’t use the heck out of it for the first three months you deservre whatever you get. 99% of all defects show in the first 1000 hours of use. The effective life of one of these sets is 60 to 75 thousand hours with peak performance during the first 30 thousand and a gradual waning of performance over the remaining life. All service contracts protect is the profits of the people selling them. And to the fellow that said that they pay on 1 in 10 guess again. They pay on 1 in 250. I was a service mgr (and EEE) for those of you that understand and these figures are from real life actual results not a figure I pulled out of my ass.

By: Terry

Terry — Mon, 26 Oct 2009 22:28:42 +0000

Sams Club – $848
3 year extended warranty – $79.03, Goes into effect after the 1 year manufacturers warranty expires. In house service. If they can’t fix it, they’ll replace it or cut you a check for the purchase price.