vizio lcd panel replacement free sample

If your Vizio TV wont display a picture properly or it wont turn on at all, you might need some of the parts in this collection from eBay to get it going again. There are plenty of parts to choose from on eBay for many different models of Vizio TVs, and heres what you need to know as you select the right components for your television.What types of Vizio parts are there?

Here are some examples of the Vizio parts that are offered in this eBay collection:Main boards - The main board in your Vizio TV is a large circuit board that routes data to all of the different components in your television. If your Vizio TV turns on but it doesnt produce any sound or images, you may need to replace the main board in your unit.

Power supply boards - This board provides power to the various components in your TV. It is connected to every component within your Vizio television, so if your TV wont turn on at all, its likely that you need to replace your power supply board. This board is easy to find since it connects directly to your TVs power cord.

Speakers - Your Vizio TV contains two internal speakers, which are located at either side of the bottom of the unit. If youve already determined that both the main board and power supply board on your TV are working properly but your unit still wont produce sound, you may need to replace the speakers in your Vizio television to get it working properly again.Can you replace the screen on your Vizio TV?

Youll need to seek out parts on eBay that are made specifically for your Vizios model. In some cases, knowing the model number of your TV is sufficient for this endeavor, but you may need to remove the broken component from your TV and look for its model number. This number is usually stamped somewhere on the internal side of the component.Content provided for informational purposes only. eBay is not affiliated with or endorsed by Vizio.

The term ‘flat screen’ applies to a wide range of TV types, from LCDs to the latest 4K and Smart models. A flat screen means the TV’s screen surface is flat rather than convex like older models. There can be several different types of flat-screen TVs, from older LCD to the newest Smart and 4K TVs. The type impacts the repair costs because more advanced and expensive TVs have more costly components to replace or fix. In addition, some TV repairs may not always be possible on that type. For example, it is not possible to replace the screen on a plasma TV if it cracks and begins to leak. The table below shows common television types and average repair costs for each:

Repairs for LCD TVs cost between $60 and $400. LCD televisions are one of the most popular options on the market, available in a wide range of sizes and styles. They use an LCD (liquid crystal display) with backlights to produce images. The backlights, screen, and other components may get damaged over time and need repairing.

LED TV repairs range from $60 to $400, depending on the scale of the problem. LED televisions are a specific type of LCD TV that use LED backlights to illuminate the liquid crystal display. These TVs usually produce more colorful and vibrant images and are more energy-efficient, but the LED backlights may need to be repaired or replaced over time.

TV panel repairs average $200 to $400 in some cases, but some panels cannot be repaired. For this reason, many companies do not offer panel repair. So if your television gets a crack in the panel, you may be better off buying a new unit instead.

In some cases, your TV components may not be able to be repaired, or it might be more cost-effective to replace them with new ones. The repair price includes the cost of new parts, plus the labor required to fit them into place and remove the broken components. While some components can be replaced, they may be extremely expensive or cost-prohibitive to do so. This is mainly in the case of panels and screens because they often contain too many parts to replace on their own. The table below shows average costs for a variety of common replacements:

Fuse replacement in a TV costs between $60 and $150 and is one of the easier replacement jobs for a repairman. Glass and ceramic fuses on your TV’s power supply board may blow in certain situations and need replacing. To replace a fuse, the repairman opens the TV to access the power panel and swaps out the fuse.

Replacing a TV capacitor is inexpensive, starting at $60 up to $200. If more than one capacitor needs replacing, it is usually less expensive to replace the entire board. Capacitors cannot be repaired, so replacement is the only option.

TV bulb replacement costs average $75 to $200. Bulbs are usually found only in older models of LCD TVs or projection TVs. They are used to illuminate the display so that the picture can be seen. Bulbs are relatively easy to replace, but the material costs are a little higher with bulbs when compared to other components, leading to varied replacement prices from model to model.

TV backlight replacements cost between $100 and $200 on average, depending on the television size and scale and the type and number of lights required. If you have LED lights, parts may be more expensive, leading to higher total costs. Usually when backlight problems occur, the bulbs or diodes are dead and need to be replaced.

Picture tube replacements range from $200 to $300 on average. Picture tubes, also known as cathode ray tubes or CRTs, are only used in older TVs. So, this is not a replacement job you need to worry about with an LED or LCD TV.

HDMI port replacement on a TV costs between $200 and $300. Damaged or broken ports may simply stop working or be incompatible with certain HDMI cables. In this case, a new port must be fitted and connected to the circuit board, requiring a couple of hours of labor.

TV motherboard replacements average $200 to $400. Often when a problem occurs with a motherboard, it needs to be completely replaced rather than repaired. The motherboard controls the TV’s functions and features, and a broken motherboard makes your television completely unusable.

TV screen replacement costs at least $400 to $1,000 and often much more. The screen is the most expensive part of a TV. So usually, the cost of replacing it is higher than just buying a new unit. In some cases, this is because the screen cannot be replaced without also replacing most of the other components, particularly for TVs like LED, LCD, or plasma. Most professional repair companies do not offer screen or panel replacement as a service.

TV panel replacement costs a minimum of $400 to $5,000 and often a lot more on some of the high-end 4K and Smart screen displays. Because the cost of a replacement panel is so high, it is usually more cost-effective to simply purchase a new television. Like the screen, this is due to the number of components involved. Therefore, most repair places will not offer panel replacement as a service.

You might not know exactly which part of your TV is broken or damaged at first. The symptoms of a broken television vary from vertical colored lines across the screen to audio issues, power problems, and even situations where the television starts normally but then turns itself off. For this reason, most repairs start with a diagnostic so that the problem can be found and a plan made for repair. For some repairs to be made, the part will need to be replaced, while in other cases, repair or replacement of that part may not be possible. The table below shows common problems and average repair costs for each.

Repairing horizontal lines on your TV costs between $150 and $400. It might be an issue with the motherboard, or it could be a problem with loose cables between the panel and the control board. To fix this issue, the television needs to be opened up and analyzed by a professional repairman.

The Vizio TV is known for its screen of death (a blank or black screen) and usually costs about $200 to $400. The problem is most often a blown motherboard, and replacement is the only option. A factory reset may be a solution. If that doesn"t work, the motherboard is the best possible answer.

Often, you must decide whether it is worth repairing your TV because in many situations, the cost of repairs is higher than the price of a new TV. For example, when screens are cracked or damaged, the cost of replacing a panel is usually much higher than simply buying a new TV.

Not all TV screens can be fixed or replaced. Certain types have components behind the screen that can be damaged by its removal. However, if you choose to proceed, remove all external cables, unplug your set, and lay it face down on a flat, soft surface. Remove any screws holding the frame in place and then gently remove the frame and set it aside. Put your new screen in place and reconnect the internal cables in the same manner you disconnected them. It is usually best to get a professional to handle TV repairs, and the cost of replacement screens is often very high. So, it may be more cost-effective to get a new TV.How many years will a flat-screen TV last?

TV repair costs between $60 and $350 with most spending $207 on average for LCD, LED, plasma, and 4K TVs; costs are higher if repairing older DLP, projection, and HD TVs. TV problems like display issues, powering-on problems, or sound issues can be fixed. Pickup and delivery fees may apply.

For example, the price of a new Samsung 40-inch LED TV is about $400, yet the cost of a replacement display panel for this model is about $380. This price is only for the replacement part and does not cover diagnostic costs, labor costs, or travel or shipping fees.

Unless you are trying to fix a TV from the ’80s or earlier, cracked TV screen repair is not feasible; the entire display panel must be replaced instead. The cost of a replacement TV display panel is more than the cost of buying a new TV, and that’s before labor and other service costs.

The cost of TV screen replacement is generally the same as or more than the cost of buying a new TV. Therefore, replacing a broken or malfunctioning TV screen is not considered a viable option. If the TV is under the manufacturer’s warranty, the manufacturer may replace the entire unit.

TV manufacturers do keep replacement TV screen panels on hand to support products under warranty in case the screen malfunctions, due to manufacturer defect.

If you still want to replace a damaged or malfunctioning TV screen, your best option is to find a used replacement panel or a broken TV of the same model on which the screen is still functional. You might find one on eBay, and you can hire a technician to change out the panel.

The cost of a used replacement TV panel ranges from $50 to $350 or more, excluding shipping, depending on the brand and size. Note that the chances of finding exactly the part you need in excellent condition are slim, and the cost excludes the cost of installation by a repair shop.

Whether your TV is LCD, LED, plasma screen, or 4K (Ultra HD), the cost to fix common problems ranges from $60 to $350, depending on the repair type and the brand of TV being repaired.

TV motherboard replacement costs between $200 and $350, including parts and labor, or about $275 on average. Motherboard replacement parts range from $35 to $199and labor costs from $60 to $125.

When an inverter component goes bad, it is usually replaced rather than repaired. In some cases, the capacitors on a converter board fail, and a technician can fix it by replacing the capacitors rather than replacing the entire inverter component. However, if an entire inverter board replacement is not available for the model of TV being repaired, replacing the capacitors may be the only option for TV inverter repair.

A flat-screen TV bulb replacement costs between $60 to $115, with most homeowners spending $84 for parts and labor. The price for replacement bulbs ranges from $18.50 to $80.

If an older model LCD TV or projection TV powers on and has sound but no picture, this may be due to lamp burnout, which is both common and expected. In this case, replacing the bulb will fix the problem. An experienced technician should be able to replace the bulb quickly and easily.

TV backlight repair costs $100 to $122, including replacement parts and labor, at a repair shop. In-house repair costs are more due to trip fees. The price of backlight replacement parts averages around $2.50for each LED and between $20 and $25 for each CCFL strip.

Repairing a TV power supply board costs $23 to $234 for parts alone. Completely replacing the power supply board costs $250 for parts and labor. If one capacitor has failed, the cost for replacement capacitors is low. However, it’s more cost-effective for the technician to replace the entire board rather than spend time trying to diagnose and replace faulty capacitors one by one.

TV capacitor repair costs $60 to $129, including parts and labor. The cost for the replacement part ranges from $0.06 to $14, with the labor portion ranging from $60 to $125 per hour. TV capacitors protect the circuit from getting too much power, filter signals, and facilitate changing channels.

Flat screen replacement glass is not available. The only option for flat-screen TV glass repair is to try optical glass glue, which costs $1.70 for a 5-ml. tube. This may be an option for TV glass repair if the crack is only a few inches or less. TV panels are built as one unit at the factory, with the glass adhered to the display panel.

A TV fuse repair costs between $61 and $136, with most spending $99 on average. The cost of the replacement fuse itself is $1.50 to $11, while labor ranges from $60 to $125 per hour. Additional fees may apply.

LCD flat-panel repair is not considered cost-effective. If the glass is cracked or the display is physically damaged, it is cheaper to replace the entire TV than to repair or replace the display panel.

Estimating TV repairs costs by brand is not something TV repair shops offer, however, there are general prices by type. When looking for specific repair costs for your TV, you’ll find them in the common repairs price list above. Pricing applies to brands such as Samsung, LG, Sanyo, TCL, Insignia, HiSense, Sony, Toshiba, Pioneer, and Vizio.

More popular TVs are usually less expensive to repair because repair shops order replacement parts for them in bulk, which allows them to buy those parts at a lower cost.

The cost of flat-screen TV repair ranges from $42 to $359. You cannot fix a broken screen, but the price of a new flat-panel TV starts from around $249 for a 1080-mp (non-4K) LED TV from LG to as much as $14,999 for an 85-inch 8K LED TV from Samsung. A TV referred to as a “flat TV” or “flat-screen” TV might be any of the following:

LCD TV repair typically costs $60 to $85 for diagnostics testing, and $200 to $300 to perform repairs. LCD TVs use backlighting, which may fail. Newer LCD TVs use LED strips for backlighting. Older ones might use CCFL. If CCFL backlighting fails, a technician can replace it with LED backlighting.

An LED TV is just an LCD TV that uses LED backlighting, which all newer models do (older models use CCFL backlighting). The cost to replace one LED backlighting strip ranges from $100 to $122, including parts and labor.

With modern TVs, repair entails component replacement or replacement of capacitors, for which high levels of certification are not necessary. Generally, TV repair shops will let you know if their employees have certification.

First, check that the connecting cable is securely in the socket on both ends. If that doesn’t work, try substituting another data cable if you have one, or test it with a replacement cable.

Circuit breaker - Check the circuit breaker for the power outlet that the TV plugs into. You can check the breakers by opening the door to your breaker panel and looking for circuit breakers that are in the OFF position.

Power cable - Check the power cable. If it is a removable cable, you can test it by substituting a power cable from another piece of equipment in your home, or you can buy a replacement cable for this test. The cost for a replacement TV power cable ranges from $2.50 to $10.

Lamp burnout -In a projection TV or older LCD TV, no picture may be caused by lamp burnout. In this case, a technician can replace the bulb quickly and easily.

The right parts - It can be complicated to determine which component of a TV is failing and causing the TV not to work correctly. If you buy a replacement part and perform the repair yourself, the TV may still not work, either because you replaced the wrong part, the part was old and not working properly to begin with, or you did not perform the work correctly. Buying multiple replacement parts can become costly.

In most cases, a flat-screen TV can be fixed. The exception is a physically damaged display panel or screen. Most other issues including failing speakers, backlights, or power supply. Burned out fuses and damaged input ports can also be repaired.

Nationally, the average price range for TV repair is $60-$90. LCD TV repairs are one of the most common TV repair requests. A liquid crystal display (LCD) TV uses the same technology as your smartphone and most computer screens. Images are created on an LCD screen by electric currents that pass or block light through liquid crystals that are encased between two polarized, glass-like sheets. LCD TVs can be very thin and are relatively affordable, making them one of the most prevalent types of TV on the market. If you have a broken LCD TV, it can probably be repaired. Common problems that can be repaired include a blank screen, sound issues, power problems and digital connection problems. Here is one example of LCD TV repair cost:

Yes, you can usually fix a flat screen TV. Whether you have a plasma, LED, OLED, HDR, HD or even LCD, TV repair pros can repair your TV. Flat screen TVs are expensive, and when they stop working it can make your heart stop. But TV repair technicians have advanced along with TV technology and are equipped with the proper tools and training for major and minor repairs. If your flat screen is too massive to transport, most repair companies have pickup and drop-off service. For the most common problems, TV repair pricing might range between $175 and $200 on average. Here are examples of the most common problems:

The LCD was intermittently powering up and powering off. Replacing the main circuit board solved the problem.How do you fix a TV with no picture but has sound?

You may be able to remove scratches from your flat-screen TV by using an LCD scratch repair kit. If that doesn’t work, consider hiring a technician to fix it or buy a new TV.

Vizio TVs run the SmartCast platform, which is very basic, with a very limited selection of apps and no app store. Instead, it relies on its ability to receive apps that are cast from your smart device. While the platform is versatile and has considerably grown in support from app makers, Vizio"s implementation is far from perfect. The SmartCast app Vizio provides to access content as well as adjust settings isn"t the fastest and most stable, and not everything is available for casting.

Vizio"s improved the set of options you can change from the TV itself. You don"t need to touch the SmartCast app at all to get the TV going properly, and even complete calibration settings are available on the on-screen menus. However, we recommend using the app for more in-depth calibration since it"s a lot more efficient for making a lot of adjustments.

For many years Vizio remained one of the few brands left to not sell their interface to advertisers. However, we noticed with the Vizio M7 Series Quantum 2021 and Vizio V5 Series 2021 that there"s now suggested content on the home page.

Current Vizio TVs don"t have an app store, and there"s no way to add additional apps. The included apps cover many of the more popular services. However, it might not be enough for some people, especially if you rely on streaming services instead of a traditional TV service.

Vizio finally added support for voice controls with the release of their 2021 TVs that come with the new remote (see below). It"s pretty basic and not as advanced as other brands, but you can still ask it to change inputs and open apps, but you can"t ask it to search for specific content in apps.

Vizio released a new remote with their 2021 models. It"s stripped-down compared to the past version, as it lacks a Numpad, but you still get the short buttons to popular streaming services. It"s not too big, but it"s very basic, and it doesn"t have backlighting.

The Vizio remote app is great. It supports all the remote"s functions, and you can even use it to enter text into some apps, which is rare. The TV"s settings can also be controlled and adjusted directly in the app, including the TV"s calibration. You can now do this on the TV itself, but due to the slow interface, it"s usually faster to change the settings through the remote app.

The SmartCast platform isn"t the most versatile and can be very slow. On the 2020 and 2021 models, we"ve encountered a few bugs with the settings, meaning it can sometimes be frustrating. Vizio is generally pretty good with software updates, though, and hopefully, they"ll fix most of these issues.

The Hisense U8H matches the excellent brightness and color performance of much pricier LCD TVs, and its Google TV smart platform is a welcome addition. But it’s available in only three screen sizes.

The Hisense U8H is the best LCD/LED TV for most people because it delivers the performance of a much pricier TV yet starts at under $1,000, for the smallest (55-inch) screen size. This TV utilizes quantum dots, a full-array backlight with mini-LEDs, and a 120 Hz refresh rate to deliver a great-looking 4K HDR image. It’s compatible with every major HDR format. And it’s equipped with two full-bandwidth HDMI 2.1 inputs to support 4K 120 Hz gaming from the newest Xbox and PlayStation consoles. Add in the intuitive, fully featured Google TV smart-TV platform, and the U8H’s price-to-performance ratio is of inarguable value.

In terms of design, the Hisense U8H is not as svelte as our upgrade pick, but it’s plenty sturdy and doesn’t look or feel cheap. Two narrow, metal feet jut out from beneath the panel and steadily hold the TV. They can be attached in two separate spots, either closer in toward the middle of the panel or out toward the edges, to account for different-size TV stands. The feet are also equipped with cable organization clasps—a nice touch for keeping your TV stand free of cable clutter. Though the TV is primarily plastic, its bezels are lined with metal strips, providing a bit more durability in the long run. I moved it around my home, and it was no worse for wear, but we’ll know more after doing some long-term testing.

The Hisense U8H has some difficulties with banding, or areas of uneven gradation, where transitions that should appear smooth instead look like “bands” of color (sometimes also called posterization). Like many current 4K HDR TVs, the U8H uses an 8-bit panel rather than a 10-bit panel, which affects the color decoding and color presentation process. This is usually relevant only with HDR video and games. When playing games on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X, I saw a few instances where the content wasn’t rendered correctly and displayed ugly splotches of color on the screen. However, this almost always occurred during static screens (such as a pause menu or loading screen); I rarely spotted it during actual gameplay. Hisense has stated that it would address the problem in a future firmware update, but at the time of writing it was still present. This is a flaw that may give dedicated gamers pause, but we don’t consider it to be a dealbreaker for most people.

Finally, like most TVs that use vertical alignment (VA) LCD panels, the U8H has a limited horizontal viewing angle, which may be a bit annoying if you’re hoping to entertain a large crowd. Our upgrade pick uses a special wide-angle technology to address this.

Vizio, America’s second best selling LCD TV brand, is now telling some broken set owners that their televisions cannot be repaired. If the set is past the 12 month factory warranty, Vizio advises owners to buy from them a replacement set !

HD Guru came across Jeff  Bartran’s letter to Vizio CEO and founder William Wang complaining that the company’s service department had deemed “un-repairable” his 13.5 month old, high end $1868 Vizio 55-inch

HD Guru investigated to determine if Bertran’s experience was unique. It didn’t take long to find eight additional cases of “un-repairable” out-of-warranty Vizios posted in the last thirteen months alone on the consumer complaint website consumeraffairs.com.

The un-repairable defects included black screens, dark spots and red and green lines. Vizio replaced defective in-warranty sets with refurbished units, which a number of owners complained also failed soon after the warranty period.

Vizio’s Florida customer service center confirmed in a phone call that defective set owners are indeed told that their TVs are un-repairable when the failure turns out to be the backlight unit (BLU), which is the light source within all LED and LCD flat panels.  Mr. Bertran told HD Guru that according to Vizio, his set’s problem was, indeed, backlight failure. He also stated Vizio offered him a replacement at a discount , however at a price  higher than he could get from Vizio’s etailers offering the same model.

Should an under one year old set be deemed un-repairable, Vizio’s warranty policy is to replace it (at their option) with a used, refurbished set they call “Recertified.” An out-of-warranty set becomes an expensive doorstop.

HD Guru contacted Vizio’s media relations company for a comment along with a request for a list of “un-repairable” models and the problems that would cause them to be so labeled but no response was forthcoming.

“First of all, we do not currently have any OW (out of warranty) PDP (plasma) or LCD TV models where our standard response is to tell the customer that the unit is unrepairable and can’t be fixed.  Our policy and practice is to fix customer units to keep them in the home and in the brand.

Having said that, we do occasionally work with OW customers where their defective OW unit might require extensive parts replacements that cause the unit to be uneconomical to repair.  These cases are not common, but when we do run across them, we typically will offer the customer an option of buying a new set at a discounted price….in addition, we do occasionally run across a unit that just won’t stay fixed or stumps our technical people as to the cause of the defect….this is not a common occurrence, but when that happens, we will offer to replace the unit at a discounted price…..our goal here is always to keep the customer in the Panasonic brand.”

Check out our other “Disposable TV” article. Before purchasing a Vizio or a non-name brand TV, consider a set from company that actually builds them. Vizio and off-brands purchase their sets from assemblers, while name brand companies like Samsung, Panasonic, and LG have invested billions of dollars in panel and component manufacturing plants. They want to keep your business and so maintain extensive nationwide parts and service networks.

As mentioned above, we asked Vizio media relations (early Wed.) to explain why its HDTVs are un-repairable when a backlight fails and for an explanation as to what Vizio defines as a defect that is un-repairable. In addition, as an aid to our readers we asked for a list of Vizio models and the associated defects that make the sets un-repairable.

Late Thursday night, after this article was published, Vizio responded . The spokesperson did not honor our request for an explanation as to why Vizio calls a bad backlight(s) un-repairable (other companies repair sets with the same defect) nor did they provide us with the list of un-repairable Vizio TV models and their associated defects we requested. Instead they made a response regarding defective panels, although we never inquired about panel defects.  Below is Vizio’s response verbatim.

“Panel defects are extremely rare with VIZIO televisions.  In cases where a panel defect does arise, VIZIO’s policy is to replace the unit as opposed to sourcing, shipping and installing a replacement panel because it is considered  “beyond economical repair” (BER). Panels can be replaced, but it is economically impractical because the cost of a new unit is comparable and comes with a full manufactures warranty. VIZIO is addressing it’s customer service response to ensure there are no further misunderstandings.”

“At VIZIO, customer satisfaction is paramount.  Our customer service personnel are instructed to provide consumers with all of their options. VIZIO honors all in-warranty repairs either by replacing parts, or by replacing the unit. Consumers with out-of-warranty units always have the option to replace parts and repair – their decision comes down to cost.  When the cost to repair a unit nearly meets, or exceeds the cost of a new unit, Vizio counsels the consumer that it is deemed Beyond Economical Repair. The final decision to repair or replace is at the consumer’s discretion.  This extends to panels, backlights or any other component of any VIZIO unit.

1. Are you manufacturer?Yes. Our factory is located in Anhui province, and with more than 15000sqm, we do all the process from Injection to packing by ourselves.2. Can you do OEM and ODM for us?Yes , we are professional in provide OEM and ODM service.3. How to solve the quality problems after sales?We hope to provide you 100% satification,however, should you have any questions about products, please contact us immediately, we will send you the part for your replacement, or we can discuss together for a good solution.4. What is the leadtime for mass production after sample approved?Amost of our products have in stock.If need customized 30 workdays after sample confired.5. What is your trading term? And what payment way are accepted?We always do EXW term(GUANGZHOU), and you could make the payment by T/T, Paypal, and West Union.

With VIZIO Mobile, you can control your entire entertainment experience with your Mobile Device. Browse & discover movies, TV shows, music, live streams and more across multiple apps at once. Power on/off devices, play/pause content, modify advanced settings and more.

VIZIO Crave Speakers cannot output audio from TVs/displays or be connected as an additional channel to an existing sound bar or sound system. Additional supported SmartCast or Chromecast-enabled audio products are required (not included) for Multi-Room feature. Streaming different songs to different speakers at the same time is not supported when using a single app running on a single mobile device. To stream a different song to different speakers at the same time, you’ll need to stream from a different app or a separate mobile device.

The applications and content pictured herein or described on this page may only be available in certain countries and languages, may require additional fees or subscription charges, and may be subject to future updates, modifications, interruption and/or discontinuation of service without notice. VIZIO has no control over third party applications or content and assumes no responsibility for the availability or interruption of such applications or content. Additional third-party terms, conditions and restrictions apply. High-speed/broadband Internet service and access equipment are required and are not provided by VIZIO. Not all Google Cast-enabled apps are integrated with VIZIO SmartCast and may require additional steps to cast.

Some LCD blur or ghosting issues result from electrical interference or faulty surge protectors. To eliminate this as a cause, try plugging your TV directly into the outlet without any power strips or surge suppressors in the chain. If that solves the problem, you can try using a different power strip.

One of the most common causes of a blurry picture on a flat-screen LCD TV (or monitor) is a mismatch between the content’s resolution and the native resolution capability of the screen.

LCD, Mini-LED, microLED, Plasma, OLED, or QD-OLED all use different types of technology to make moving pictures. However, one thing they all have in common is a “native” resolution. This refers to the TV’s grid of physical pixels (picture elements). A 4K UHD TV has a pixel grid of 3840 x 2160 pixels. This is four times as many pixels as a Full HD TV at 1920×1080. So, for every pixel of information in a Full HD image source, the TV must fill four physical pixels’ worth of data.

Companies like Samsung and Sony have worked tirelessly to create new panel technologies to combat these issues. If you have an old TV, it may not benefit from the fast pixel response times more recent models can achieve.

As for motion blur caused by the sample-and-hold nature of flat panel technology, there are two main features you can activate to combat it. The first is motion smoothing, also known as frame interpolation. Different TV brands have other names, so you’ll have to look for something that refers to motion, smoothness, or do a web search for your TV model with the term “motion smoothing.”

Why do monitors and TVs get image burn? Why can"t manufacturers prevent LCDs and plasma screens from a burnt image imprint? Moreover, what can you do to fix an image burn?

LCD and LED do not work in the same way as CRTs, either. LCD and LED screens use backlit liquid crystals to display colors. Although manufacturers market screens using LED and LCD, an LED screen is still a type of LCD. The white backlight filters through the liquid crystals, which extract particular colors per pixel.

LCD and LED displays don"t suffer from the same type of image burn as CRTs and plasma screens. They"re not completely clear, though. LCD and LED screens suffer from image persistence. Read on to find out more about image persistence.

Before you can fix screen burn-in, take a second to understand why these images burn in the first place. LCDs and LEDs don"t suffer from burn-in as seriously as plasma screens. But static images can leave an imprint on both display types if left alone for too long. So, why does image burn happen?

LCD and LED screens can also experience image burn, though the image burn process can take longer to develop into a permanent issue. In addition, LCD and LED screens suffer from another issue, known as image retention (also known as image persistence or an LCD shadow).

Image retention is a temporary issue that you are more likely to notice before it becomes a permanent issue. However, proper image burn can still affect LCD, LED, and OLED screens.

Image burn-in fixes exist for LCD and plasma screens. How effective an image burn-in fix is depends on the screen damage. Depending on the length and severity of the image burn, some displays may have permanent damage.

The best fix for screen burn is to prevent it in the first place. Okay, that isn"t super useful if your screen is already experiencing image burn. However, you should always try not to leave your screen on a still image for too long. The time it takes for an image to burn-in varies from screen to screen, between manufacturers, sizes, and panel type.

If your plasma or LCD screen already has image burn-in, you can try turning on white static for 12 to 24 hours. The constant moving of white-and-black across your screen in random patterns can help remove the ghost image from your screen.

Pixel-shift constantly slightly adjusts the image on your screen, which varies the pixel usage to counteract image burn. You might have to enable a pixel or screen shift option in your screen settings. Pixel-shift is a handy feature for LED and OLED screens that cannot recover from image burn and should help counteract an LCD shadow.

While the Deluxe version uses advanced algorithms to repair burned screens and prolong plasma and LCD longevity, the official site is no longer up and running, and there is no way to download the full version officially.

This happens to be our very first “TV” review, but it’s most definitely not our first display review, and in fact we’ve tested a variety of TVs over the past few years; we just haven’t published reviews of them because they become outdated so fast. Thanks to Vizio, however, we got our hands on a brand-new 2017 model before a new one was right around the corner, and we’re going to be putting the M50-E1 through its paces to see whether its promise of delivering 4K resolution, HDR capability, and a broad range of streaming options is as good as it sounds given the $600 asking price. Throughout this test, we’ll be comparing the M50-E1 to a Samsung UN55HU8550 55″ 4K model, which was considered the very best 4K TV when it was released for $2,500 in 2014, as well as LG’s OLED65C6P, which at $4,000 was chosen by many editors as the best TV on the market until its replacement arrived this spring. Tough benchmarks? Perhaps, but if Vizio, which is known for cutting consumers a pretty good deal, can even approach the quality and features of these sets, it’s going to be doing pretty well!

The M50-E1 features a relatively standard design. The panel itself measures 49.5″ diagonally, with bezels that are 1/2″ thick on all sides, but because of the slim strip of black area on the outer margin of the panel, the effective bezel is a bit wider, more like 5/8″. The M50-E1 is 25.6″ tall and 44.5″ wide according to our tape measure, and is a rather chunky 2.9″ thick. The metal loop feet add an additional 2.4″, making the set exactly 28″ tall when assembled on a stand rather than mounted on the wall. Notably, the feet are very wide-set, at 38.5″ end-to-end, meaning you’ll need a stand that’s at least 40″ wide to ensure that the M50-E1 doesn’t slide off the edge when bumped. This is in contrast to a lot of more expensive models that use a center-mounted foot design, which allows the user to set the TV on top of a stand that isn’t nearly as wide as the TV itself. While it could be argued that having a TV overhanging your stand isn’t aesthetically pleasing, it’s always nice to have the option, and unfortunately you really don’t have that with the M50-E1.

In terms of connections, the M50-E1 is fairly complete, with a notable exception. Along the side of the frame, it has a USB input, component video along with stereo inputs, plus an HDMI port. On the rear, facing downwards (ideal for wall mounting), you have Ethernet, two more stereo jacks (these being for output to a receiver), a digital optical out, and three more HDMI ports. So this is all very good, but the one issue is that there’s only one HDMI 2.0 port (labeled HDMI 1), which is thus the only port capable of accepting true 4K signals. That’s of course the one you’ll need for high dynamic range (HDR) content as well – the M50-E1 is very cutting-edge in that regards, supporting not just HDR10 but the superior Dolby Vision also. As a Vizio representative clarified for us, to enable HDR content even on HDMI port #1, you must go into the VIZIO display’s Input settings to enable the “full UHD color” function, which turns on the 10-bit signal from UHD content and provide full color and dynamic range.

In addition to buying a third-party device, there are three ways to get streaming content from the M50-E1: the Vizio “StreamCast Mobile” app for smartphones, the new-for-2017 built-in “SmartCast TV” apps, and Chromecast, which uses third-party apps with built-in support for casting via Google’s Chromecast system. To a certain extent, there’s a lot of overlap between these functions, and in our opinion, if the M50-E1 had a full suite of built-in apps, there just wouldn’t as much need for the SmartCast mobile app. Alas, Vizio’s built-in apps are quite limited, and one of the biggest, Amazon Video, was just recently added (the other big ones included being Netflix, Hulu, Vudu, and Crackle). A few apps that are notably missing are YouTube, Pandora, Spotify, and HBO Now, but these are all available in the mobile app. Basically, users are going to have to do a bit of hunting around if they frequently use various media sources. When we asked a Vizio representative whether YouTube would eventually find its way to the TV’s built-in app list, the response was that “VIZIO will continue to update and expand the SmartCast TV interface. SmartCast Mobile provides access to thousands of Chromecast-enabled apps.” Speaking of Google, we should mention that the M50-E1 even has built-in Google Home Assistant capabilities, meaning it allows you to control it with your voice. We’ll be checking that out on the next page too, but in short, it’s not a killer app yet.

The remote that Vizio shipped with our M50-E1 sample was very basic, and we were informed that consumers will either get a newer remote in the box, or have the chance to upgrade for free to the new “SmartCast TV” remote that adds dedicated buttons for a variety of built-in services like Netflix and YouTube. We can only show you a render of what that remote looks like based on what’s shown on the Vizio website. We think the dedicated buttons will make the M50-E1 even more user-friendly for consumers who are really buying it for its Smart TV features, as opposed to just using it to watch cable or play movie discs and games.

First off comes setup. The M50-E1 takes its “smarts” to heart by allowing you to set it up via a smartphone, which can be quite a bit easier due to the availability of a touchscreen for typing in information. We chose this method, and while it worked quite well for most aspects of setup, the network configuration failed, potentially due to the confusion of having the phone connected to one home network and the TV connected to another. In any event, we were not able to get our sample connected on the first try, despite typing in all the correct network information, and it wasn’t until we returned to the TV the next morning that we found that it resolved its issues and connected itself to our home network. There’s probably just a bit more ironing out that Vizio needs to do to get setup by smartphone working perfectly.

The first thing you may notice about the M50-E1 is that it boots into a live smart screen. This is a huge advantage in a day and age where so many users are getting their content from something other than an antenna or old-style cable box (which, notably, the M50-E1 does not support, as it has no coax input). Too many modern TVs, including our 2014 Samsung 4K model, default to static if you don’t have one or the other attached, and even our 2016 LG OLED reference model defaults to a screensaver. We’d really like to see statistics on how most media is being consumed today, but we’d guess it’s not cable or antennas, especially in the young, savvy, cost-conscious market that Vizio is targeting. Now, one major drawback of Vizio’s approach is that the welcome screen, shown below, takes a lot of time to load. Even in “quickstart” mode, the TV took 13.75 seconds to turn on, and in “eco” mode it took 15.5 seconds. Given how close these two are, we’d just as soon leave it in eco all the time for the energy savings while off. We think the slow startup really stems not from the power-up delay, but from the slow processor that Vizio has built into the M50-E1. Essentially, it’s acting as a mini computer, and like any computer, it needs to “boot up.” Overall, we still like the approach of booting into a welcome screen rather than a blank screen, but it doesn’t come without drawbacks in a lower-cost model like this one.

We tested the M50-E1 using a variety of 4K sources, including Amazon Instant Video via the built-in SmartCast TV app, YouTube via the SmartCast Mobile app, as well as 4K discs via our Oppo UDP-203. Overall, we were very impressed given the pricepoint. No, it won’t match an LG OLED when it comes to color and contrast, and it’s not as bright as LEDs from Samsung and Sony that cost twice as much, but it’s very good, certainly good enough to be someone’s first 4K display. In fact, there’s been such great progress among LCD panels in the past few years that the M50-E1 is easily a match for our Samsung HU8550 from 2014, which retailed for $2,500. HDR content, like Planet Earth II and the science-fiction film Arrival (which uses lots of panning shots) looked great, and John Wick 2, which has among the widest dynamic ranges you’ll find in any movie, looked fantastic. Furthermore, we believe Vizio has struck a pretty good compromise in terms of its motion handling in films, avoiding excessive smoothing while still offering decent 3:2 pulldown to avoid excessive judder. If you want the ultimate test of motion handling in films, check out Planet Earth II at the 23-minute mark, a panning shot of iguanas running across a rocky shore with snakes behind them. The motion, contrast, and brightness of this image are a serious test of any display, and the M50-E1 did a fine job, avoid the distracting artifacts that over-processing can cause.

It’s really hard to demonstrate what HDR is without an HDR screen, but this sample from Planet Earth II, which looked great on the Vizio display, gives an indication of what you can expect: extreme contrast, challenging visual depth, and intense colors that just can’t be displayed without the broader range that HDR allows. Again, we’ve seen better on LG’s OLEDs, but they cost about four times as much. Assuming users of this TV won’t be spending more on their AV gear than they do on their display, they’ll be more than satisfied. Alas, we were disappointed to find that watching content tagged as HDR through the built-in Amazon app did not properly display as HDR10 (as indicated by the lack of an HDR10 notification in the “info” panel), and defaulted to standard 4K content. Our guess is that this is a limitation of Vizio’s app, and we hope Vizio can work with Amazon to bring this great source of 4K HDR10 streaming content to consumers. Spike Lee’s “Chi-Raq”, available on the service, is one of our favorite pieces of demo material thanks to its outlandish color palette (and Samuel L. Jackson’s even more outlandish narration), and it’s a shame it can’t be enjoyed to its fullest on the Vizio.

One last feature that the M50-E1 has is a tie-in with the Google Home Assistant, allowing for voice control. We think this is very cool in concept, but it’s just too finicky at this point. While we could use the Google Home app (notably not the Vizio app) to connect the M50-E1 and the Home Assistant, voice commands were not properly understood, and even if they had been, only three apps are currently supported according to the Google help page: Netflix, CBS, and CW. So we’re going to pin the blame for this misfire of a feature on Google, not Vizio. It’s really just an extension of the Chromecast functionality, and we’re guessing Vizio has no control over it whatsoever. If it did, we’re sure Vizio would consider partnering with Amazon and its Alexa voice service, which will soon erase any memory of Google Home, from our point of view (and based on our extensive testing).

There’s just no other way to say this: the M50-E1 is a great deal! Given its $600 retail price, it packs in tons of features, including a variety of ways to enjoy streaming content, aided by a user-friendly interface that puts streaming content front and center when the TV is powered on. This is fitting, given that the M50-E1 has no built-in tuner, and cannot accept antenna or standard cable signals. Remember, Vizio is marketing the M50-E1 as a UHD display, not a UHD TV, because in reality, it’s not a television, which may confuse some consumers not familiar with the difference. As long as people go in knowing what they’re getting, that’s just fine with us. But what most impresses us is that the M50-E1 offers full HDR support, including support for Dolby Vision, which is so new and so cutting-edge that very few external 4K devices support it at this time (the $550 Oppo UDP-203 we used for testing was the first such disc player, thanks to a firmware update pushed out mid-summer 2017). In fact there are only a handful of discs on the market that feature Dolby Vision as of our publication date, although the Vudu streaming service offers quite a few options for rent or purchase. For a display that costs as little as it does, the M50-E1 is certainly in fairly elite company.

The Vizio M50-E1 was released with an MSRP of $599.99, and is available for a discounted $549 shipped free from B&H Photo Video, as well as various other retailers, as of our publication date. At that price, it certainly gets our highest recommendation.