Refurbished plasma TVs have the same quality as the new ones you buy in stores, and they come at much lower prices. But you have to be careful when you buy. There are some things you should think about if you want to be fully satisfied.
1. Check the price against new models. Don't automatically expect new to cost more. A good savings should be between 30% and 70%, depending on whether it was refurbished by the factory or by a third party. The manufacturer refurb will usually cost a bit more.
Factory Reconditioned Tools
2. Be careful with refurbished and reconditioned. In popular conception, a refurbished item was once defective but is now fixed. That is only partially true. For a plasma television to be qualified as refurbished, it had to go back to the manufacturer, be reprocessed, then offered for sale again, whether it had a defect or not. Here are some of the main reasons units are returned:
- There was a manufacturing defect, most often a malfunctioning part.
- The end customer changed his or her mind and returned it to the retailer.
- There is shipping and surface damage like scratches or scrapes.
- The plasma TV was used as a demonstration unit.
- The box was opened.
- It was returned as an overstock item.
Note that a reconditioned television is simply a used product that has been repaired and is in working order. Although it is almost always cheaper than refurbished, there are some negatives.
- It may have been used for a long period by a previous owner.
- Often it is repaired by a third party instead of the manufacturer.
- The replaced parts might be used or alternative instead of new and original.
- Many reconditioned units were originally leased, which means a lot of wear and tear.
Beware of slick wording that states refurbished when it means used or reconditioned.
3. Try to buy a manufacturer refurb if possible. At the very least, this ensures that any replaced components were approved by the manufacturer.
4. Get a warranty. A manufacturer refurbished plasma television warranty will usually cover less time than for a new unit. Typical times are 90 days for refurbished and a year for new. Often you can buy a factory warranty extension for 100-200 dollars.
Third party refurbishing companies do offer warranties, so do not fail to get one.
5. See if the retailer has a return policy if you are not happy with the refurbished plasma TV. A typical return time is at least 15 days. This gives you time to make sure everything is in working order with the product.
6. Refurbished inventory changes constantly, so if you are interested in an item, don't delay. You have to be careful, but you also have to be aware that if you take too long, the deal will no longer be available.
7. Keep in mind that the larger a screen is, the more expensive it usually is.
8. An enhanced definition model (without high definition) should be a lot cheaper. This may sound confusing, but there are three digital TV broadcasting technologies:
SD - Standard Definition
ED - Enhanced Definition
HD - High Definition
Standard and enhanced definition can be broadcast in both 4:3 square screen format and widescreen format, but with reduced picture quality. High definition is always broadcast in wide screen.
Do not confuse this with native resolution, which is inside the TV unit itself. Native resolution deals with how the TV processes the broadcast signal in pixels. If a display has at least 720 lines of vertical resolution, it is high definition. 720p and 1080p are both HD. 1080p has more pixels, so it can display a sharper, more detailed picture, but 720p gives a great picture.
Although resolution is talked about a lot, other parameters are just as important: contrast ratio, color saturation, color accuracy, and 1080i. You need to be a bit of a geek to understand all this, but be aware that it is possible for a 720p unit to provide a better picture than a 1080p, although that is not normally the case.
9. Plasma televisions usually last a decade or longer, but the display degrades with burn-in near the end. So try to find out when the refurbished model was made. This can be a good indicator of whether a plasma TV really is refurbished instead of reconditioned.
10. Keep in mind the size of your room. Plasma TVs typically range from 37 to 65 inches (screen measured diagonally), but can go up to 80 inches or more. You need a sturdy wall to hold it and you need some empty wall space unless you like a space-age environment. For viewing distance, a general rule is to plan from 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen width. So a 40 inch screen means you should sit about 5 to 8 feet away.
If you follow those simple tips, you will not need to wait for seasonal and clearance sales to save money. You can get a refurbished plasma television that is literally as good as new.
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Factory-Reconditioned Bosch 11224VSR-46 6.9 Amp 7/8-Inch SDS Rotary Hammer Feature
- Reconditioned Bosch Products have a One-year warranty through the Bosch factory or an authorized service center
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- One-year warranty
Factory-Reconditioned Bosch 11224VSR-46 6.9 Amp 7/8-Inch SDS Rotary Hammer Overview
This is a factory reconditioned product. Reconditioned generally means that the product has been returned to the manufacturer, who brings the product back to like new condition. Some products may contain cosmetic blemishes. Includes 7/8" SDS-plus Rotary Hammer - 11224VSR-RT, Auxiliary Handle - 1 612 025 032, Depth Gauge - 1 613 001 010, Carrying Case - 2 610 999 952SAVE NOW on the special offers below!
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