Got my Westinghouse LVM-37W3 37" 1080p display today!

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I'm replacing it with a 52" Sharp 700UN. Hope it lasts longer than the Westy did :(
 
thats awful :(. i hope mine never does that!

Mine's not quite that bad, but I'm surprised it hasn't happened to yours, too...

The funny thing is is that mine is doing that near the top of the screen, and each blotch is maybe an inch long, not the entire screen like pictured. And, just as pictured, it doesn't appear to resemble anything that's ever been on the screen...

I also read somewhere long ago that it's more of a non-uniform backlighting issue, rather than an image persistence/burn-in issue... The example looked just as pictured, and they said it was due to some internal screen coating no longer being uniformly illuminated by the backlighting...

I could try and dig up the link if anyone's interested...
 
happy to say mine is still going strong after all these years (3+ years), i was a bit worried because i have a 37w1 and not the nicer 37w3 but it has been a real work horse.

one of the best computer purchases i've ever made, now i wish i could get 2 more and a 5870 for eyefinity. i guess that will have to wait
 
I'm replacing it with a 52" Sharp 700UN. Hope it lasts longer than the Westy did :(

RIP Sweet Westy. You have brought love to many, and will be remembered for at least a year. *tear*

I hope mine stays in good health. I don't think I could bear to take it out behind the shed..
 
Ryom, what could you do with a bad unit? Does it go in the dumpster or does it need to be recycled/donated or something?
 
Looking for a donation g0dM@n? ;)

I've given my Westy to my brother, I had told him about the problem and he thinks he won't mind it so much coming off of a 32" CRT. The Sharp 700UN I've replaced my Westy with is FANTASTIC. Deeper blacks than the Westy and just as good in every other respect with better motion handling to boot. On the input lag front... other people have tested it while in game mode, it has little to no input lag... which is better than the 33ms the Westy has (which is still reasonable enough).

So for anyone in this thread looking for a replacement, my recommendation is the Sharp 700UN series.
 
[/img]http://trickingq3.com/misc/photoshop/forum_posted/Westy/mottling.jpg[/img]

I'm replacing it with a 52" Sharp 700UN. Hope it lasts longer than the Westy did :(

It is eerie that mine has almost the identical deformity left looking face line just like yours. I hope it doesn't get that bad that soon though, but it has been growing daily.
 
Ryom, what could you do with a bad unit? Does it go in the dumpster or does it need to be recycled/donated or something?

And more specifically, once a year in the spring there is a large item electronics recycling program held at a nearby community college. You can drop off pretty much anything big and electronic to have it recycled. Failing that I'd have to call in a special pickup from WM.
 
Ryom, not to hijack the westy thread, but can we (read: I) see some pics of the new sharp? My wallet is begging me not to look, but my silly computer nerd brain really wants to see it :)
 
I'd suggest posting in a new thread and linking here, instead of posting here. /shrug
 
And more specifically, once a year in the spring there is a large item electronics recycling program held at a nearby community college. You can drop off pretty much anything big and electronic to have it recycled. Failing that I'd have to call in a special pickup from WM.

So if they had that program held last month, you would have to hold onto that for 11 months?! =/
 
Or I could call in a special pickup from Waste Management, offer it on Craigslist, or find someone else that does electronics recycling. It's not actually that hard to get rid of things.
 
Or I could call in a special pickup from Waste Management, offer it on Craigslist, or find someone else that does electronics recycling. It's not actually that hard to get rid of things.

Well I'm sure I'll have to know eventually (hoping NOT SOON!) :D
 
Yea but think of all the people you'd inspire with some pics and feedback.

Personally i vote that you start a new thread.

The picture quality looks fantastic on that Sharp 700UN :)
 
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I'm replacing it with a 52" Sharp 700UN. Hope it lasts longer than the Westy did :(

My Westy LVM-37W3 developed the same problem :(. I was able to live with it until now, but it gradually is getting worse and I'm going to have to replace it. Started developing this problem about 1 year after I got it (once the warranty was out). The blotch is most visible on grays, and is slowly getting darker and expanding to the left.

You can also see the burn from WoW in the upper right corner of the second image. The burn in seems to only last a few hours though, whereas the blotch is permanent.

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My LVM-37W3 of about 2.5 years just started buzzing loudly from around the top. I'm using an Ikea Jerker desk, and I recently decided to take my PC tower and rest it on the top shelf above my monitor. Well I'm not positive but I think the extra heat from the PC hitting the back wall and circulating into the monitor may have done it in.

In any event, I'm very interested in what the best bang for the buck is now in the same size range. I have at most 26 3/4" from the jerker desktop to the top shelf, and I'd like to come as close as possible to that. The Westy's just a hair over 26". I wonder if there's a 40" that will clear it?

In any event, I read the praise on the Sharp 700UN, and will check it out. But to be honest, my current HDTV is a Sharp, the LC46D64U, and I've grown tired of it. I hate to attribute it to the brand, but I can't help it. I wonder how some of the new 40" Samsung's or Sony's would do as a PC monitor? I want something every bit as awesome as the Westy for PC performance, but something that will also wow me for HDTV, which the Westy failed to do for me because of it's poor motion resolution and gray blacks.
 
The Sharp was chosen because it was one of the few with low input lag and good blacks. I'm the OP of the "700UN as monitor" thread. You should read my latest posts, I noticed an issue with dark gray transitions being very slow. According to Sharp and the one user I could contact to have run my test this is a fluke on my set only. So far Sharp's customer support has been top-notch, but I'm still pending a fix for the gray smearing.

Aside from that (and if there is a good resolution to my outstanding trouble ticket) I would recommend the Sharp 700UN series. The native contrast is truly excellent.
 
My LVM-37W3 of about 2.5 years just started buzzing loudly from around the top. I'm using an Ikea Jerker desk, and I recently decided to take my PC tower and rest it on the top shelf above my monitor. Well I'm not positive but I think the extra heat from the PC hitting the back wall and circulating into the monitor may have done it in.

In any event, I'm very interested in what the best bang for the buck is now in the same size range. I have at most 26 3/4" from the jerker desktop to the top shelf, and I'd like to come as close as possible to that. The Westy's just a hair over 26". I wonder if there's a 40" that will clear it?

In any event, I read the praise on the Sharp 700UN, and will check it out. But to be honest, my current HDTV is a Sharp, the LC46D64U, and I've grown tired of it. I hate to attribute it to the brand, but I can't help it. I wonder how some of the new 40" Samsung's or Sony's would do as a PC monitor? I want something every bit as awesome as the Westy for PC performance, but something that will also wow me for HDTV, which the Westy failed to do for me because of it's poor motion resolution and gray blacks.
as far as the heat doing in your monitor i would say it is just age. i downgraded mine to just tv use in november and it died this past friday the 30 of april. It started to make buzzing noise like yours a few months before its demise. Also it had terrible burn in for only a few secomds of a static picture. I have shyed away from using another tv as a monitor in the future. Nothing like a $1100 lesson to sink that in lol.
 
The Westy convinced me to continue using HDTVs as monitors. Westinghouse clearly did not build these sets to last, but what do you expect out of a budget brand.
 
I see you are on AVS looking at the Sharp ;)

Product Dimensions: 38 x 12.4 x 26.2 inches ; 30.9 pounds

The dimensions listed on Amazon for my 52" were accurate, so I'd imagine the 40" specs are right as well. The height listed includes the base.
 
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The Westy convinced me to continue using HDTVs as monitors. Westinghouse clearly did not build these sets to last, but what do you expect out of a budget brand.
I expected five years of life out of the thing not three to start with budget brand or not the thing still cost budget money that was still over a grand! The thing that kills me is we end up having to re-buy the same things over and over again it isn't right.
 
The Sharp was chosen because it was one of the few with low input lag and good blacks. I'm the OP of the "700UN as monitor" thread. You should read my latest posts, I noticed an issue with dark gray transitions being very slow. According to Sharp and the one user I could contact to have run my test this is a fluke on my set only. So far Sharp's customer support has been top-notch, but I'm still pending a fix for the gray smearing.

Aside from that (and if there is a good resolution to my outstanding trouble ticket) I would recommend the Sharp 700UN series. The native contrast is truly excellent.

I did get around to reading the thread and noticed you said that. It put me off a little. I'd like to wait and see how your fix turns out, if it turns out. Otherwise I'm interested, if I can find a good deal on the 40" model.

as far as the heat doing in your monitor i would say it is just age. i downgraded mine to just tv use in november and it died this past friday the 30 of april. It started to make buzzing noise like yours a few months before its demise. Also it had terrible burn in for only a few secomds of a static picture. I have shyed away from using another tv as a monitor in the future. Nothing like a $1100 lesson to sink that in lol.

Hmmm, so I should expect my monitor to die within a few months.

The Westy convinced me to continue using HDTVs as monitors. Westinghouse clearly did not build these sets to last, but what do you expect out of a budget brand.

+1 same here, I don't think I could ever go back.

I see you are on AVS looking at the Sharp ;)

Product Dimensions: 38 x 12.4 x 26.2 inches ; 30.9 pounds

The dimensions listed on Amazon for my 52" were accurate, so I'd imagine the 40" specs are right as well. The height listed includes the base.

Yes, thanks, I was very pleased to learn that the 40" unit would fit perfectly and snugly under my Jerker top shelf.

I expected five years of life out of the thing not three to start with budget brand or not the thing still cost budget money that was still over a grand! The thing that kills me is we end up having to re-buy the same things over and over again it isn't right.

Glad I bought mine at Costco under their old return policy. Because it's a monitor and not a TV, when it dies, I'm bringing it back for a full refund.
 
Yea Costco rocks! As for yours dying in a few months I would say yea get ready for it to do that. I read in this thread ages ago that that is what happens so I didn't get to mad but my wife was livid and it is understandable.

I am having a hard time using my 24" because I think it is just to small I am thinking of getting a 27" because gaming on a 30" is wallet suicide! lol!
 
I expected five years of life out of the thing not three to start with budget brand or not the thing still cost budget money that was still over a grand! The thing that kills me is we end up having to re-buy the same things over and over again it isn't right.

I got a good look at the insides of the Sharp when I had a tech over. There are only 3 board in the set and I took a particularly close look at the power distribution board. From what I could see Sharp used good components and didn't appear to cheap out anywhere I could notice. The LEDs have a useful life somewhere north of 100,000 hours (and are solid-state) so the backlight shouldn't be any kind of trouble. The only trouble might be from the panel itself, and Sharp is the manufacturer of those so the only one a bad panel hurts is Sharp. They have every incentive to make the panels right.

I find it likely that these sets will last. Believe that I was every bit as irritated at Westinghouse as you are. I spent a lot of time making sure I got something that would last and deliver quality images and so far it seems I've chosen right. Pending that fix of course :)

If gaming is your primary use for your PC, HDTVs are the king. They have a high enough resolution to look good without requiring monster GPUs, deliver in size (and thus, immersion) better since the smallest is about 32", and usually have better contrast and blacks. High res 30" monitors should really be kept for work, rather than play. My opinion of course.
 
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I have shyed away from using another tv as a monitor in the future. Nothing like a $1100 lesson to sink that in lol.

The thing is, the Westy was built and marketed AS a monitor -- not a TV. That's why it had 2 DVI inputs and lacked a tuner. Even Westinghouse called it a monitor on the box & product page. But, I see your point. Most displays of this size are HDTVs, and that's what made the Westy so popular. It stood out from the rest because at the time, getting such a large 1080p display that was designed for PC use was nearly unheard of (especially at that price point).

Ryom, before the 700UN became popular I recall reading that the LG LH30 series fared pretty well as a PC monitor. Any idea how the two compare? The threads at AVS are so large it's hard to dig through and get the most pertinent info, objective comparisons, etc.
 
Sorry, don't have any experience with the LG! I understand Panasonic has a screen or two that make decent monitors as well.

Deep blacks were one of my primary concerns followed by input lag, and Sharp had the best specs for both of those in the sets I could find.
 
I agree that a small led hdtv is king for gaming and would love to get another one but spending a grand for two years of good desktop use and another as a so so tv left a very bad taste in my mouth. All in all the sharps look good but will it last five years?
 
I think it will last, but if you don't then grab an extended warranty and you get a brand new set if it conks out before the warranty ends :p

Some credit cards will also give you a free warranty extension if you pay for the TV with the card.
 
I think it will last, but if you don't then grab an extended warranty and you get a brand new set if it conks out before the warranty ends :p

Some credit cards will also give you a free warranty extension if you pay for the TV with the card.
That is a good point but it is also like $300 for the extended plans and what if it fails in 4 years instead of 3 so it is a gamble and really I think that that is crap. The damn thing should just work for the price you pay for it not extra cost because of poor quality. There are a few that I am looking at and one was a samsung.
 
Hope that we get stronger consumer protection laws similar to Europe. I think the UK has a law in place that if a device fails before a "reasonable lifetime" you can get it replaced, regardless of how long the warranty was.
 
Hope that we get stronger consumer protection laws similar to Europe. I think the UK has a law in place that if a device fails before a "reasonable lifetime" you can get it replaced, regardless of how long the warranty was.
That is how it should be, I have no problem if said item says that it is to last a certain amount of time and then dies a little before that but don't state things like it will last six years and die in half of that. I think that is what the Westy had as a life span on the back light but I may be wrong.

I do think the gamble to bet that the product will die before your extended warranty is cool at times I have played that game and won big, but it does get on my nerves that you have to do that in the first place.
 
That is a good point but it is also like $300 for the extended plans and what if it fails in 4 years instead of 3 so it is a gamble and really I think that that is crap. The damn thing should just work for the price you pay for it not extra cost because of poor quality. There are a few that I am looking at and one was a samsung.
$300 is way too much for an extended plan on a 32" 37" 40" television. If you want you can purchase the TV, hold onto the receipt, then purchase a Mack warranty separately. Many at the AVS forums do exactly that and claim the service is good, there's even a mack rep on their boards to advise and assist.

Current Samsungs have mediocre to high input lag, if gaming is not important to you then it may not be a big deal. Otherwise check this AVS forum thread to get an idea of models with less input lag: Input Lag Wars
 
Anyone have any experience with the Sharp E77's as a replacement? Wondering if the LED on the E700 is worth the extra cost as the E77 40'' is the same price as the E700 32''.

Almost pulled the trigger on a 3007fpw-HC for $700 today but there seem to be a few issues scaring me away.
 
$300 is way too much for an extended plan on a 32" 37" 40" television. If you want you can purchase the TV, hold onto the receipt, then purchase a Mack warranty separately. Many at the AVS forums do exactly that and claim the service is good, there's even a mack rep on their boards to advise and assist.

Current Samsungs have mediocre to high input lag, if gaming is not important to you then it may not be a big deal. Otherwise check this AVS forum thread to get an idea of models with less input lag: Input Lag Wars
Yea that is how much they cost for like 3 years of extended warranty at our local fry's. You can look at my sig and see gaming is of the highest importance so the lag would put me off. At this moment I have to buy a couple of 40" and a 55" so a new monitor may be on hold for a little while.I will check out the Mack program though thanks for the info :D.
 
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