Al wrote:
: I'm considering buying a 50" Samsung HDTV (HLR5067W). Should I also
: purchase the service contract they sell with it? (Cost: about $400.)

: The salesmen at the stores that sell large-screen TVs all warn me that
: replacing the main bulb in this machine costs $400 or so just for the
: bulb, and that I'll need to have a service technician do that repair.

: What's your recommendation on service policies on such units?

Generally those service contracts are just money makers for the stores that
sell them and don't work in your favor for the most part.

If you want to rest easy, stick the $400 into a bank account and use it
towards the repair if the set breaks down.

The set you are looking at (it's a DLP) does use a bulb which will burn out
at some point, but these days it'll probably croak long after that repair
contract runs out.

So when that happens, you are out the $400 for the contract and will have to
cough up another $400 to replace it on a set that is a few years old and
cost around $2000.

Doesn't make sense, does it?

-bruce