Abstract

• My outdated 40-inch Sony Bravia TV nonetheless works and fulfills my wants.
• I repaired the TV for lower than $20 twice, which is less expensive than shopping for a brand new TV.
• Though I plan to improve to an OLED TV, I am going to hold the outdated TV to be used in one other room.

Most of us have a chunk of tech that is laughably outdated, however we nonetheless refuse to let it go for one purpose or one other. For me, it is an outdated 40-inch Sony Bravia TV I purchased used again in 2018. I simply can’t deliver myself to let it go. Right here’s why.

The TV Works and Suits My Present Wants

The TV in query is the Sony Bravia KDL-40R470A, a 40-inch Full HD TV that was inbuilt November 2013, in line with the label on the again. The rationale why I purchased it second-hand in 2018 was that I used to be nonetheless a pupil again then, and I solely had round $150 to spend on a TV.

I simply wanted one thing to look at TV reveals and flicks on—and I positively did not wish to hold doing that on the 19-inch monitor I had again then. By the best way, it’s type of wild you could now get a 43-inch 4K sensible TV like this Insignia Fire TV for about the identical worth immediately.

Again then, new $150 TVs have been often 32 inches and made by manufacturers you’d by no means heard of, which made this Sony unit seem to be a steal as compared. It had vivid colours, surprisingly first rate built-in audio system with help for Dolby MS10, and a comparatively trendy design.

After all, the general picture high quality of this TV is not superior, and it solely obtained progressively worse with every backlight restore (extra on that later). It is a non-smart TV, which suggests it would not endure from bloatware, adware, or a sluggish software program expertise.

As an alternative, it has two HDMI inputs, which I take advantage of to attach my PC and an Android TV field that I probably should throw away. Nonetheless, this mix is completely positive for streaming content material for an hour each different night time earlier than bedtime.

One other factor price noting is that 40 inches is a good measurement for a TV. You’ll be able to place it virtually wherever, and it nonetheless works. Mine sits about 8 ft away from my mattress, and I can see every thing simply positive. Additionally, because it’s smaller and solely Full HD, it is really comparatively sharp. The pixel density is round 55 PPI (Pixels Per Inch), which is surprisingly near the 62 PPI of a 70-inch 4K TV.

The Price to Restore Was Cheaper Than a Substitute

This particular purpose is tied to my particular situation—there is a native restore store that does repairs for grime low-cost. I stay in a comparatively low-cost nation, so labor is affordable too. The backlight (the LEDs that illuminate the panel) went out twice over the previous seven years, and every time it value me lower than $20 to repair. That’s nonetheless quite a bit lower than what I’d pay for an inexpensive $100–$150 Full HD TV, which wouldn’t provide significantly better efficiency.

The difficulty is that the glue holding the LEDs in place had fully dried out. The primary time I took the TV in for repairs, it got here again wanting worse — there have been quite a few vivid spots scattered throughout the display screen. The second time, the store tried to attach the LEDs again into place, however I nonetheless see some vivid patches throughout darkish scenes.

To be trustworthy, I’ve grown used to this downside, and I might gladly pay one other $20 for a 3rd restore if it means maintaining this semi-functional TV out of the landfill due to a comparatively minor concern.

After I Improve, I’ll Nonetheless Maintain It Round

It is virtually type of humorous {that a} tech journalist like me nonetheless makes use of such a ridiculously outdated TV for film nights. The reality is, I by no means upgraded as a result of I did not wish to hassle with putting in a brand new TV on a wall that is not mine. Now that I am lastly shifting out, one of many first items of tech I am going to purchase is a nicer TV—most likely an OLED TV.

This does not imply that the Sony TV goes wherever, although. I can all the time discover room for it and the accompanying TV field on the kitchen wall or within the visitor room. It is in tough form, so I doubt that I might get greater than $30 for it, and for that type of cash, I might moderately have my outdated, beloved TV as an alternative.