Help! TV warranty problem

OK noobsters I need some advice regarding a TV warranty and how to get the most out of it. I need the advice ASAP.

Here are the facts: In April of 2004 I bought a 27" HDTV from Best Buy. It was a floor model. It is not a flat screen - it's CRT. It's 4:3 ratio. Old school, I know. I paid $508 dollars for the TV.

Now here's where I got stupid: I bought a Product Service Plan for the TV from Best Buy and paid a whopping $200 dollars for the privelage. I know it's stupid but that's all they were offering for HDTV coverage at the time and I wanted to make sure I had some TV insurance (so to speak).

Now here we are three years later. I've got less than a year left on my 4-year In Home Product Service Plan. If something goes wrong with the TV they are supposed to come out to my house and fix it or give me credit towards a new one. That's what I want: credit towards a new one. But how?

There is something wrong with the TV: it's slowly losing picture quality like all TVs do. There are subtle streaks showing up in the picture and I'm not happy about it. This HDTV does not have an HDMI input by the way - that's how old school it is. Nevertheless I still want to cash in on my $200 dollar warranty and put the original $508 dollar purchase price credit towards a bigger, better HDTV.

So how should I do that? I don't think Best Buy will give me my $508 dollar credit just because I have some streaks in the screen. Should I "blow it up" somehow? I've heard of people doing that. How does one "blow up" a TV and make it look like an Act of God? Should I do it or just take my chances with reporting the streaks to their customer service and see what happens?

Noobsters I need advice on what to do. Dammit, TVs are important and I need every penny I can get towards getting a new one. So whaddya think?

man...have my kids come over and it will blow up from sheer exhaustion!!! good luck with that...

Does the insurance cover a broken or cracked screen? If so, then do it and get your new tv.

make sure there is'nt a *void if removed* sticker on the back, then remove the back using the right sized screwdriver wrapped in a thin cloth (so the screws remain *untampered* in appearance) loosen the tube plug so you can see the input pins....cross two (or more) of the tube inputs with silver foil....and plug her in (you'll trip the house breaker do it in the day time) you'll also blow the tube.....remove foil and replace the back making sure not to over tighten the screws...phone up as one pissed customer.


(it worked at Currys everytime) :D

Right on! Good ideas! Keep 'em coming, please.

OK take an some old RCA cables and splice the wires to a regular house outlet (hopefully one attatched to a light switch so there's no sparks on the outside at least) than simply pump a little 115VAC into the audio inputs. It'll smell for a few days...

make sure there is'nt a *void if removed* sticker on the back, then remove the back using the right sized screwdriver wrapped in a thin cloth (so the screws remain *untampered* in appearance) loosen the tube plug so you can see the input pins....cross two (or more) of the tube inputs with silver foil....and plug her in (you'll trip the house breaker do it in the day time) you'll also blow the tube.....remove foil and replace the back making sure not to over tighten the screws...phone up as one pissed customer.


(it worked at Currys everytime) :D

What Jon said is solid advice.

Cool. A plan signed off by Jon and Hyperx, that's gospel. I'll scout out what I want new at the store and then I'll set off the fireworks. Thanks guys.

Pile, you too - thanks for the advice. I've got more than one plan of attack now...

I would also call Best Buy and quiz them out hard on every angle you can think of. Call a few of them even. Whoever gives you the answer you want get their name and extension to get a hold of them again. Act like you want to buy a tv and ask about the warranty extension and see what they say, just dont say hey my tv is broke what are you gonna do... get some info on the phone first.

BTW... everything I have ever read on those ';extended' warranty all say dont buy it...