Last weekend, I got a new TV. It's a Philips 47-inch plasma.

Everything seemed to be working well until last night - when a friend used the "default" remote that came with the TV. My friend knew better than to touch it, but did so by mistake (tired and not paying enough attention). It totally wiped out everything - installation prefs., channels, dish recognition and all.

So, here are a couple of my questions (before I contact either the manufacturer or dish people, who were very helpful in setting up the TV):

If anyone has a Philips, is it common for the RC to be so messed up that it just doesn't work correctly with the TV; the dish remote works perfectly (until the Philips one is used)?

Should there be a delay in when the RC is used to turn off the TV and when an actual "click" of it shutting off can be heard?

I'm wondering if there is something faulty within the TV itself. If so, I want to return or exchange it before the first 30 days runs out (though it has extended warranty). I just don't want to have a problem throughout the time this TV works (on and off again) as it should.

I've done everything to reprogram the TV - as I did when it worked. Nothing is happening. None of the channels are being recognized.

P.S. It may not seem that I posted this in the "right" place. But... since my 'puter interfaces with the TV, I think the posts "fits."

Dish people took responsibility and said it was the receiver, which the company said it would replace (no cost to me) if re-setting it once again didn't help.

For now, all is working fine, but... I'll give it a few days and just see how it goes.

Sure is a good thing that I don't hold my breath while waiting to see if something works right. Turned off TV so a friend could also hear the delay in when the TV actually shuts down (as opposed to when the button is depressed to turn it off) and... what happens?

TV still does not work as it should. Only one channel will display. This is not progress .

Batteries were replaced in the RCs so those components cannot possibly be faulted.

The Dish people have been super helpful so I don't really want to wax nasty on them; they have promised a new receiver will arrive this week. Until then, they suggested that I bring down the receiver from upstairs. Uhmmm, someone have a Bruno lift I can use??? I ain't got no $5K - $8K to scooter on upstairs.

I'll try to enlist a friend to trek up and get that receiver.

Geeze, what a total pain.

Now, I am finally, and sadly feeling how an elderly friend felt when she spent a week at my house (caring for my doggie); she could not figure out the old TV set-up (57" HD Sony) and spent days watching NASCAR. She ain't no dumb bunny; neither am I. But... this sure is frustrating the heck out of me.

I still suspect, there is something faulty within the TV itself. I've never had one that has a delay (when a TV is turned off and when I can hear it actually shut down; it's not on VISTA for goodness sake ).

My brain says, return it now. But others are saying I should wait. I will but no more than another week. By then, if the kinks aren't worked out, I don't know that they will be (permanently). When I turn off the TV, I don't want to battle for it to come back on and with more than one channel.

off sound-
Our TV about 5 yrs old regular one, has always has a click sound when turning on and off.

You might not have noticed it in the noisy display/showrooms. Plus usually you are focusing on the picture and remote features not a click sound..
Of course -friends or you can go test new TVs in the stores - and see if they make the same sound.

i could not figure out all my bros TV , cable & remotes

we just have plain old antenna and one remote here

I'm thinking as you are: Go test how the display "models" sound when shutting off. I didn't buy the TV; I was way too ill to go anywhere (when my ol' Sony "died"). A friend brought the TV and a media stand and helped set up the TV; the stand is still in limbo in my garage.

I can actually live without TV (except the "noise" it creates does overpower sounds of the house settling, etc. ), which is why I wasn't about to buy a new one. (I use it for a nightlight and sound muted.)

No matter, though: I still wanting it to work as ideally as allegedly designed to function. If it can't, it goes back.

I'm like you: I don't need a bunch of confusing remotes and stuff to make me happy. The best TV I have? A tiny Magnavox with rabbit ears and it's not connected to the dish or to cable; it's ancient but works like a charm. It gets three stations, and... good enough for me. Prob. is: the stuff that will all change by 2009 or something like that... and having guests who just gotta have TV. (Gawd forbid they visit and have to actually converse - or, as some say these days, conversate.)

I think I'm mourning: the loss of when we could just buy a set and plug-n-play. It's like now, everything has to be so darn'd complicated and that's progress? Hmmm .

It just goes on and on...

The TV seems to be the culprit, not any dish receiver or RC. The TV only works for a short time with the dish before it "freezes" or locks - except the volume does work.

Philips is supposed to call tomorrow. Where the TV was purchased: Gonna call back again Monday evening.

There is a lag in response between the TV and remotes (no matter which is tried after programming to the set). But: It only works for a short time.

If the manufacturer says that the TV needs some tweaking or repair, I say: Take it back; I don't want it. It's brand new and should work without needing repairs at this point.

I am getting conflicting info. on top of everything: Some say it's plasma; others are saying LCD. At this point it's like dealing with Kaiser PPO as far as I'm concerned; it gives me all the info. for the HMO but says I'm with PPO. Confused? I know I am . (Some of the data accompanying the TV says one thing and other info. states differently. How about they just supply what applies? That'd work beautifully for me! )

So far, I do know: This TV is not working. It's set on one station and that's where it will remain. I can't shut it off, only mute it, or it won't work at all again without re-seating everything once again (which is totally so old and ain't gonna happen again).

Whatever happened to guests just wanting to read or something? Hmmm. I am totally ready to abandon the idea of having this TV. Don't want it, don't need it, can live without it.

It is such a fiasco that all I can do is laugh about it right now. While talking with the Philips person, who (in turn) contacted someone else who is calling tomorrow, the land-line just died. I said: "Maybe I was sitting too close to the TV" when she called back.

I really do appreciate my friends trying to help, but... what I don't want is a major headache just trying to get something to work smoothly.

I've never encountered so many probs. in just seeing a TV work. I still suspect the set itself has an inherent flaw; that delay or lag in when it is turned off and when it actually shuts down says to me, something is wrong. But... what do I know: Computers, not TVs .

Thanks for reading/lending your eyes (or ears if using text reader) to this diatribe. I'm sure it's as much fun to read as it is to live through and the sum: None. Sucks. But I will find the humor in this.

Almost forgot, and don't know how so that nearly happened: when the stand was set up, my friend said: "This isn't going to work. It's too low. I thought the stand was higher."

Uhmm, I looked at the stand and said, "Can you hand me the picture of how it displays." In an instant? I could see, the stand was assembled incorrectly.

Something is just indicating to me: This is not meant to be.

Good ol' reliable manufacturer.

The store says, any set over 37" and in-home service (under the warranty) should take place and at no cost (to the customer).

Manufacturer? It says, sure it will send someone to look at the set and determine if it's okay, but, if it's not the set, I'll be presented with a lovely bill for the service call. "It's not the TV," the manufacturer insists. Oh, that must explain why the TV doesn't work.


Maybe I could use the TV for its screen and making shadow puppets appear .

I just posted a poll under Social chat for what kind of big screen TV's people have and a opinion and reveiw of each one. DH and I are going to get one . I heard that Plasma is only for dark rooms , like theater surrounding .

I stand self-corrected. I hated stated that the new TV ain't Vista. Well, it might as well be.

The technology on the TV is more advanced than the dish receivers and remove that I had.

The remote and the dish's receiver had to be replaced and ... ever since? Everything works perfectly.