Anyone heard of this ? Possible "scam" ?


My girlfriends parents just purchased a big screen HDTV. Don't know make, model or who they purchased it from. It is supposedly a local place with two branches, but that is all that i could find out.

However, my girlfriend spoke to her mother today and was given some more info about the transaction. Her mother stated that the tv is due for delivery on Tuesday. The company will deliver it, but will not install or connect any accessories such as vcr, cable box, etc... to it. She was also told that the tv should not have power applied for 24 hours, as the transition from cold outdoor temperature to warm indoor temperature could damage the unit, even more-so if the unit was "fired up". The only reason that i know this much is that i was asked to come by and hook everything up for them sometime after that.

Quite honestly, this sounds like some type of scam. What company would sell a product to you, tell you not to use it for a period of time and then make it more difficult to use ( for the average consumer ) by not installing it ??? As some of you may be aware, current TV's can be pretty confusing to the "electronically challenged" due to the phenomenal amount of input and output jacks, etc...

Has anybody else ever heard of such a thing ? Is the temperature change situation something peculiar to HDTV's ? My big screen ( non HDTV ) was delivered a year ago December and they fired her right up once they hooked jup the basics. Any thoughts or comments welcome as i don't want to see them get taken. Sean
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sean
I'd agree with Lev, I always wait 24 hours before firing up something I buy in the winter. As for the "drop it and run" delivery service, it's possible they bought the TV from a discount store that do not include any set up services due to low margins? I know of some "superstores" that sell appliances and such that operate that way.
I agree - probably not a scam, just a box-pushing retailer. Given the bad advice you often get at this type of retailer, the parents should be glad the retailer isn't going to set them up. It can't hurt to wait 24 hours to turn it on, but that sounds like overkill. -Kirk
Same as with cold computers, especially notebook computers, or other portables that may be left outside in the cold. It's always advisable to let anything with mechanical parts (hard disks, vacuum tubes, CRTs, etc) warm up to ambient temp before subjecting them to the stress/strain for the initial SURGE during power up.
I can believe it. I broke a laptop computer once by firing it up frozen. Fortunitely, it was my work computer and the firm had a service contract with the dealer.
Had the same thing happen to me with the delivery of my HDTV from a reputable dealer, the difference was they hooked it up...

The funny thing is: this is my 2nd TV in 30 days.... The first one came, the guys hooked it up, fired it up. adjusted convergence and left. 15 days later the set was up in smoke. I was smelling warm electronics, etc in the break-in... Exercised my 30 day exchange rights.. When the new one came, I waited 24 Hrs like the new delivery people recommended, and this one works beautifully.. no smell, better picture.

Coincidence?? maybe... As others posted, best to let your electronics come to room temperature so you don't put them through a highly accelerated life test.