Ultra-Cheap Flat-Panel TVs... But Are They Any Good?

Tue Dec 5, 2006 12:53PM EST

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2006 is the year of the great deal on flat-panel TVs, with big-box retailers like Wal-Mart and Best Buy offering deep, deep discounts on flat-panel televisions, all part of a major price war that could be the final nail in the coffin of the CRT. In fact, as I write this, walmart.com has a 42-inch plasma on sale for $988 (sorry, they're all gone now), and even better deals can be found if you're willing to hunt for them.

But are these TVs any good? With names like Visco, Viore, and ilo, most of these budget sets are brands that seem to have emerged in the last couple of weeks. The only one of these I could even find by searching the web was Viore, which describes itself as "a leading developer and manufacturer of technologically advanced audio, video and home entertainment products." If you say so...

The problem is that these sets are so new that no professional reviews of the sets have been written, and in fact, they're unlikely to ever be written. (If you can't even find the company, negotiating a review unit can be tricky.) Fortunately, those who have taken the leap of faith in purchasing some of these units have written user reviews on various web sites. Epinions has some coverage: Viore has been soundly trashed, and the consensus on ilo is hardly positive. And when you do see positive reviews for these products, it's hard to know whether they're legitimate or simply shills for the company.

So this takes us to the real question: Should you buy a TV from a no-name company if it means you can save 50 percent on the price? That's a question only you, and your eyes and ears, can answer. But here's my advice: Don't do it, at least not sight unseen. If you can compare, side by side, a no-name LCD with a quality one (like a Sharp or Samsung), and the difference isn't too glaring, then you might consider buying the cheap one. Make sure you listen to the audio, check out the connections, and get a sense of the sturdiness of the unit with your own hand. I'd never buy a no-name set online unless I'd already become familiar with it in person.

This isn't to say that all off-brands are of poor quality. I've reviewed Vizio plasmas (no relation to Visco, mind you), and they rank among some of the best I've seen. Sure, there are ultra-luxe brands that trump Vizio, but for the prices Vizio's sets command, it's worth a hard look.

Did you jump on an ultra-cheap flat-panel TV? Let's hear what you bought and what you think of it in the comments section.

Previously on Yahoo! Tech:
Wal-Mart's Woes May Mean Good HDTV Deals
Picking Out - and Pricing - Home Theater Equipment
Determining the Right HDTV Fit for Your Needs

Comments on Ultra-Cheap Flat-Panel TVs... But Are They Any Good?

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  • 26 Posted by charliebrewster119 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    i own a 27 inch olevia lcd and purchased it for under 500 bucks and the picture is better than my 50 inch samsung dlp. go figure!

  • 27 Posted by charliebrewster119 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:22PM EDT Report Abuse

    i purchased a 27 inch olevia lcd for under 500 bucks and the hd picture quality is better than my 50 inch samsung dlp. Go figure!

  • 28 Posted by jaceroo@sbcglobal.net on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:26PM EDT Report Abuse

    we did jump on down to walmart for the LCD-HDTV, we got an antenna for HDtv, we do not have cable, we live in the country. OK the picture was great and we got about 30 channesl, compared to the 5 we got before we thought we were in heaven, until the single got lost several times during the show, OK can live with that but got mad alot. But it did not last but 3 months. Now we are packing it up and sending it back to ILO. Do not know if we will get a vature for a new one yet. And it has to be packed like it was in the store...man the kids played with the box, lost the air clinders, now looking or packing materal. We had to wait for 2 weeks to get the UPS sticker, and then it could take up to 4 weeks to hear back from them. Now we are useing the kitchen tv.

  • 29 Posted by angie_faerie on Thu Sep 3, 2009 2:54PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have a 32" Vizio HDTV that I got at Costco and it works great. Beautiful picture. Easy hookup with Dish Network HD receiver. Really good buy.

  • 30 Posted by netminder831 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:36PM EDT Report Abuse

    Author failed to mention Olevia...Consumer Reports ranked them better than Vizio at about the same cost. In fact they rated as high as Sony for several hundreds less. Now available at Target, Circuit City, Best Buy.com, Fry's.

  • 31 Posted by kdshr2000 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    At Christmas I bought a 42 inch Plasma Viore that retailed for $1250.00 for $750.00. It was a display and they had it marked down to $998.00. After checking with the manager to see if he would take less or throw in the Walmart warranty he came back and told the salesman he would sell it fot $750.00. I snagged it right up and have been very happy with the T.V. The picture is great along with the sound and now I can see to read all of the menus since the t.v. is so big. I love it!

  • 32 Posted by tinka_butt on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:10PM EDT Report Abuse

    I have an Ilo 32 in. HDTV and a polaroid 19 in. HDTV..paid a little over 600 for the Ilo from Wal-Mart- Only complain is the sound level- but the picture is great..and great price for a young mom on a budget and a boyfriend with a playstation 3!

  • 33 Posted by woodstockbird99 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:49PM EDT Report Abuse

    One thing to be concerned about with thse sets is how they handle non-HD content. In the store side by side they all look decent. However with standard DVDs (not HD or Blutetooth) which is probably most of your collection and on regular TV channels (which is most of them) the difference can be really alarming. This you don't see in the store. Do some research with comparisions that list things like DVD playback as a criteria. I orignally had a Visco which looked great on HD channels but awful on non-HD stuff. I returned it and got a much more expensive Sony Bravia which looks almost HD on DVD playback and surprisingly crisp on standard channels. What a difference. The Sony was worth the price, which was several hundred dolalrs more. Good luck.

  • 34 Posted by jwlorton on Thu Sep 3, 2009 4:45PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought a 32 inch Vizio from Sams for $599. I am very pleased with this set so far. The picture is very good. I was also impressed with the website and literature and box/packaging this set came in, it is top notch! I didn't want to throw the box away. My last sony HDTV picture went out after only 4 years, so I wasn't about to spend 2 or 3 times this price again!

  • 35 Posted by ornedm on Thu Sep 3, 2009 7:46PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought a Haier 42" plasma from Office Depot for $800.00 and had no complaints.......until 3 month went by and the picture quit working. On the bright side the audio still works fine. ;-}

  • 36 Posted by dhp102847 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:42PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought a Westinghouse 32" LCD in July of 2005 for $1300.00. In September of 2006 pixels started going bad. Started with a dot, then a line that went halfway across tv then up to top. Called Westinghouse, thought they might help since they were new to LCD tvs & the 12 month warranty had expired by 2 months. Nothing from Westinghouse, even after talking to a customer support MANAGER, no assistance with repair, no discount on new tv which were now selling for $700.00, just sorry and that's just what Westinghouse lcds are, SORRY! Almost $100.00 a month to own. Plus volume would fluctuate and go to mute with the only way to get it back on was to turn tv off and back on. Now have 51' Hitachi, wide screen, rear projection, paid $630.00 and I love it.

  • 37 Posted by train00 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:19PM EDT Report Abuse

    i bought the utra cheap deal--ILO--42 inch LCD walmart paid $848-- I jumped on it..already owned an 26inch ILO for about a year i paid 700 for..great pic etc...but...slowest channel changer ever..and with ILO the remote couldnt be programmmed with the comcast one etc..but I would do it agian..and I did..great for $.. all the plugs etc you will need..ILO is decent.

  • 38 Posted by utxas on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:30PM EDT Report Abuse

    Uhhhhhh HELLO... DUDE... lets not forget OLEVIA. They are Consumer Report's Best Buy AND they are cheaper than the so-called "name brand" sets. I have a 37 and a 42 and they R0XorZ

  • 39 Posted by pauljohnson123456 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:03PM EDT Report Abuse

    Maxent is Maxexcellent, I bought a 50 inch Plasma for 1499 at Costco in December. This set is awesome. Do not be a brand snob and overlook Vizio and or Maxent. I shopped for this TV for 3 months before purchasing. I could not tell the difference while shopping or know the difference between my Maxent and a Pioneer, Panasonic or any other brand name. My home is filled with Sony and Panasonic electronics, I have to say if you buy a name brand Plasma, you are throwing away your money!!

  • 40 Posted by walter_h_73703 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 10:40PM EDT Report Abuse

    I purchased a Vizio 46" LCD. It was side by side with a Sony 46" LCD. At $1399.00 compaired to $2899.00 the Vizio picture looked very high quality. It is wonderful on raceday!!!!

  • 41 Posted by rythemean on Thu Sep 3, 2009 8:57PM EDT Report Abuse

    As stated in various places in this group of articles, Standard Definition is still the primary format for television content production and delivery. That being said, one of the most important tests to perform while shopping for an HDTV is a quality review of each set's SD picture. Each manufacturer has one or more methods of presenting SD content. Your salesperson will probably be flabbergasted when you ask to see SD content, but it should be made available. If they can't provide it, leave the store and go somewhere else. SD picture quality should always be of paramount concern as SD television will continue to be the most available television content for the forseeable future. I found the Sony Wega rear projection HDTV to have the best all around SD picture quality - it was a discontinued, but still supported model and I bought it right off the floor at Best Buy for 50% off the original price.

  • 42 Posted by dbaetz on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:38PM EDT Report Abuse

    Bought Spectre 42" 1080P online - with simple UHF antenna and hooked to PS3 - we're all set. Not one dead pixel - BluRay movies are excellent. ( can never go back to SD ) Don't rule out a value based on price alone.

  • 43 Posted by billpeters_us on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:08PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought a 32" Olevia from Circuit City for $599 and it is great!! All of these TV's are made at the same manufacturing plant anyway. Don't buy a TV based on brand...buy it based on what the picture looks like. Sound doesnt matter...you can get a decent surround sound system for around $200 if you know where to look.

  • 44 Posted by dre6789 on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:48PM EDT Report Abuse

    Like the man above said the sceptre 42" 1080p is what you should learn about.

  • 45 Posted by dwinsaintlouis on Thu Sep 3, 2009 3:50PM EDT Report Abuse

    I bought a 27 inch Olevia and love it! I picked it up for $399 at Circuit City here in St.Louis. I'd been shopping for a while and found this as an open box item. I've not had any problem with it. My advice...Shop around...A friend of mine got a 32 inch LCD Flat panel at Sams Club as an open item for $450. The deals can be found...just be patient.

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