[Faust]

We are looking to buy a 19" LCD Freeview television as a Christmas present for a relative and to be honest the choice is quite poor design wise. I lot of them have very heavy bezels and little thought appears to have gone into their design whatsoever. One of the more aesthetically pleasing is one allegedly made by TEAC. Is this the same company that has such a good name for Audio equipment and data storage etc.? I have tried to research them but have had little luck with the television side of their business. I wondered if it was just another DSG special. If no one can recommend TEAC what is a good alternative - any suggestions appreciated.

[Nigel Goodwin]

As you know, TEAC were a decent name in audio circles, but they don't make TV's - this will just be a cheap crap badged set.

[RobAnt]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Nigel Goodwin

As you know, TEAC were a decent name in audio circles, but they don't make TV's - this will just be a cheap crap badged set.

Not if they want to keep their name associated with high quality, it won't. It may well be rebadged, but I doubt very much it will be from a cheap OEM source.

It could be that they are of an older design though, and therefore not up to today's expectations. I can only find a range of Teac Australia TVs and not sure if they are available in the UK.

Would be nice to know the model number, though.

[Faust]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobAnt

Not if they want to keep their name associated with high quality, it won't. It may well be rebadged, but I doubt very much it will be from a cheap OEM source.

It could be that they are of an older design though, and therefore not up to today's expectations. I can only find a range of Teac Australia TVs and not sure if they are available in the UK.

Would be nice to know the model number, though.

Try this at Currys - Teac T19LID638 black 19" digital LCD TV with Integrated DVD

[John Currie]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobAnt

Not if they want to keep their name associated with high quality, it won't. It may well be rebadged, but I doubt very much it will be from a cheap OEM source.

If DSG have bought the rights to use the name I can assure you it will be.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobAnt

Not if they want to keep their name associated with high quality, it won't. It may well be rebadged, but I doubt very much it will be from a cheap OEM source.

DSG will have bought the rights to use the name, just as they did with Grundig just before they went bust - and will badge any cheap crap just as they always do.

I see someone has posted a link to a combined 19 inch and DVD - this will presumably be the same cheap unit everyone else (including Toshiba) is selling, and probably from Beko or Vestel.

[soulboy77]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobAnt

...I can only find a range of Teac Australia TVs and not sure if they are available in the UK..

For information TEAC Corporation Japan sold Teac Australia to TT International Limited (TTIL) in 2006. So I believe TTIL are the 'culprits' behind the UK TEAC badged TVs. They still could be manufactured by Beko or Vestel though.

Quote:

TEAC Australia Media Release: TT International is a leading Singapore-based consumer electronics company which provides tailor-made, value-added solutions to its global network of customers...

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by soulboy77

For information TEAC Corporation Japan sold Teac Australia to TT International Limited (TTIL) in 2006. So I believe TTIL are the 'culprits' behind the UK TEAC badged TVs. They still could be manufactured by Beko or Vestel though.

It really depends if there's a 'TEAC' presence in the UK, or if DSG have just bought the rights - Australia has always been very different to the UK. I remember years back converting an Australian TV for use in the UK, it was an HMV (part of the Thorn group in the UK - Ferguson, HMV, Ultra, Marconiphone), yet it was actually a Decca set

A quick google only find TEAC audio, so I imagine it's just a DSG badge?.

[Faust]

This is all very depressing - all these units appear to either be from Beko or Vestel and yet manufactured in China (apparently it's even cheaper to manufacture in China than Turkey )

I was daft enough to purchase a so called 19" Hitachi from Currys last Christmas - it looked very nice but was real tat and very unreliable - a lot like Currys actually

I think my Hitachi was Vestel - why do these brand names sub these units out to companies like Beko or Vestel as it surely damages their reputation and how do companies like DSG manage to get their mitts on such big brand names?

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Faust

This is all very depressing - all these units appear to either be from Beko or Vestel and yet manufactured in China (apparently it's even cheaper to manufacture in China than Turkey )

I was daft enough to purchase a so called 19" Hitachi from Currys last Christmas - it looked very nice but was real tat and very unreliable - a lot like Currys actually

I think my Hitachi was Vestel - why do these brand names sub these units out to companies like Beko or Vestel as it surely damages their reputation and how do companies like DSG manage to get their mitts on such big brand names?

Hitachi have been considered a cheap crap brand for many years now, we dumped them back in the 80's - long before Vestel appeared, but even them they were badging cheap sets as Hitachi.

Having said that, I'm fairly happy with my Hitachi Plasma (made by Vestel), but it was free - the owner bought a Sony to replace it, as it was too unreliable.

As for how DSG get their hand on brand names, it varies - the only one I know of was Grundig. Grundig were in deep sh*t, and so sold the UK rights to the name to DSG for a number of years (might have been three, might have been five). During this period they also sold the UK satellite division to Thomson, but Grundig worldwide still went bankrupt. There were a couple of suggested rescue bids, but in the end it all went - following this, a consortium of Beko and Alba bought the rights to the name, and Alba sold their share to Beko earlier this year (or later last year).

I've always presumed DSG's use of the Grundig name ran out, but it's possible Beko/Alba may have made some deal with them?.

[infiniteloop]

I got a "cooking" telly from Richers, a Hitachi that is presumably a Vestel...and I must be honest, it's really pretty good. It was only 300 quid or so and i don't use it for "critical" viewing, but it's been going for more than a year now and not skipped a beat. 2 HDMI ports too.

[Faust]

Quote:

Originally Posted by infiniteloop

I got a "cooking" telly from Richers, a Hitachi that is presumably a Vestel...and I must be honest, it's really pretty good. It was only 300 quid or so and i don't use it for "critical" viewing, but it's been going for more than a year now and not skipped a beat. 2 HDMI ports too.

Ours looks good and PQ is good - unfortunately the picture freezes when you turn it on and it has be be powered down and restarted to cure the problem - not every time but enough for it to be a right pain.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Apparently a local dealer (who has sold a LOT of Hitachi) is currently been sued by a number of unhappy Hitachi owners whom he sold TV's to.

[Pepperoni Man]

Quote:

Originally Posted by RobAnt

Not if they want to keep their name associated with high quality, it won't.

Doesn't appear to have worried Wharfedale (or Goodmans either, going back even further)

[EleanorRigby]

Glad I read this thread, if I saw a Tv with Hitachi I'd have thought it was an Hitachi Tv not just a badge on a cheap telly.
Fortunately I don't buy from DSG so hopefully I won't encounter their tat.

Years ago I had a TEAC A 3340 for my home studio. Can't remember what size of reels it took but they were metal.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by EleanorRigby

Glad I read this thread, if I saw a Tv with Hitachi I'd have thought it was an Hitachi Tv not just a badge on a cheap telly.
Fortunately I don't buy from DSG so hopefully I won't encounter their tat.

That's why companies like DSG pay to use reputable badges, but Hitachi is available anywhere, not just DSG.

If in doubt, try asking here - it's not easy to know if sets are badged or not, but generally if it looks too good to be true, it may well be.

[zaeon]

Hitachi the trademark should not be confused with the company (Hitachi-Matsushita-Marubeni Corp of Japan) Hitachi sold off their TV and CRT businesses in the late '80's and early '90's. (The CRT business went to Toshiba and Philips the TV business went to National-Panasonic in the USA)... Pity really as the majority of the early Hitachi TV's and audio stuff were exceptional quality for the price. reliable and easily repairable! Hitach also have a Motorworks subdivision that produces some of the world's largest deisel engines and trucks etc. The Matsushita-Marubeni arm have a "Military" Electronics division (Though you don't find out much when you search about them on the internet).

[DIGIT-AL]

Shocking practice that should be outlawed,they are obviously playing on peoples familiarty with solid brands and misrersenting the products.Mate visiting years ago was so impressed with the picture on my then modern and genuine Grundig he went back home to Aberdeen and rushed down to the local shed and puchased a lovely 32" CRT "Grundig " for £499 (when trade price was still over £500) He phoned to tell me of his "bargain" but the only prob was his Sky remote wouldn't work with the Grundig code. After a bit of humming and hawwing i suggested he try Hinari....It worked.
He was nae happy bunny as the Hinari badged same set was £100 quid cheaper,The shop admitted the practice after a few arguments,but denied any wrong doing, letters to consumer groups and watchdog were met with "there's nothing we can do"
As Nigel above say's "if it looks to good to be true......................