There are many variables that come into play when answering this question. Keep in mind that most televisions manufactured 5-10 years ago were made to a much higher level of quality than newer models. Because of this, older TV's that are a good brand are well worth repair. If the picture recently had good color and contrast, this is usually and indication that the picture tube (or tubes) is in good condition. However, an unclear picture does not necessarily mean that the picture tube has gone bad. Often a blurry picture, or a picture with distorted color, is caused by a convergence issue and has nothing to do with the picture tube. It has always been our philosophy to be honest and upfront in letting our customers know whether a unit is worth being diagnosed. If it is not a unit worth repair we won’t be bashful letting you know!

There are many parts that work together in series to make the power happen. Any one of them could be bad. The “no power” symptom is one of the most common. Depending on the age and brand of your TV, these are usually worthwhile repairs. The main question is what the quality of the picture was before the power went out. Like mentioned above, this gives an indication of the overall quality of the TV. Our cheerful office representatives are happy to discuss your specific situation over the phone.

We do not charge hourly, except for computer repairs. Everything else we work on is flat rated, depending on the job. Our rates are not the lowest, but they are not the most expensive, either. Our rates are very competitive and we charge fairly for the high quality service we provide.

Very few VCRs are worth repair anymore. You can buy a new VCR for $60-$80, sometimes even less. For the most part, they are made to throw away after a year or two. Our estimate fee is $60 (which does apply to the total cost of repair). However, typical cost for a VCR repair is usually between $80 and $140. So unless, you are very much attached to the one you have, it will be more economical for you to buy a new VCR. The exception to this is when the VCR is extremely high-end or unique. An example would be an 8mm VCR. If you're not sure, give us a call and we’ll help you decide whether it is worth repair.

We can give you a rough estimate over the phone, but not an exact estimate. As good as our technicians are, they won’t be able to diagnose your unit over the phone because they can’t see what is happening on the inside. Several different problems can cause the same symptom. That is why our techs must take the unit apart to diagnose accurately. But, not to worry, our friendly office representatives are very helpful.

Time and skill are required to diagnose televisions. The majority of this time and skill are spent on diagnosing TV's. Once we find the solution, the repair is rather straight forward. The diagnosis fee helps cover at least part of the cost we incur in labor diagnosing the unit, and travel expenses if we are making a service call to your home. We do not make money giving estimates; We make money by repairing televisions while keeping our customers informed.

Even though we have your unit, it is broken. A broken unit is worth nothing, unless we have a customer who authorizes us to repair it for them. If we call with an estimate and you decline the repair, all the time spent diagnosing the unit is lost. By collecting an estimate fee, part of our cost is covered. See the above question for more information on this.

In the past, it was not uncommon for televisions to last anywhere from 10-15 years. Longevity was a common goal for most manufacturers. Today, however, the story is very different. Each year we have seen the general quality of video equipment come down. Selling a large number of product is the goal and to be successful you have to sell your equipment at a low, competitive price. Because of this, the overall quality of most products has decreased. The technology may be newer, but the quality is not the same. The more money you invest into your video products, the better it will be for you to also invest in a service contract. This way you are ensuring that your particular product will last for at least as long as the contract holds.

Another reason you may want to consider purchasing a service contract is to guarantee that your current TV will last until 2009-2010. This is the time when our society is scheduled to become HD ready (when the public broadcast signal will be high definition digital instead of analog). At this time, your TV will need to be HD ready. We anticipate that the price of “HD-ready” televisions will come down quite a bit at that time. If you like your current TV, now is the perfect time to buy a contract. That way you are not put into a position where you are forced to purchase a television sooner than you would like. If you don’t have a contract and your TV should go out, you are faced with the immediacy of the situation and you may end up paying more than you should for a television. You also may be faced with a bill at a time in which you are not ready for it. Having a service contract gives you peace of mind that no matter what may happen, parts and labor will be covered 100% should anything go wrong.

Most of the time we are able to repair your television in your home, the same day we come out. Many common parts are stocked on our service vans. However there are times when we have to order a part and then return at a later date. In this event, you will not be charged extra for the second trip. The total you are quoted is exactly what you would have been charged if we had had the part in stock on the van.