Mintek DTV-263 26" LCD TV/DVD Combo

We purchased the television from QVC on June 13th. The reason we purchased this particular television is because it was the right size, plus the fact that it had a built-in DVD player. We have had a Mintek portable DVD player for a year and have never had a problem.

The television arrived on June 21. Hook up was a little difficult because the instructions are not real clear. Took me about half an hour to decipher the instructions and get the television hooked up.

Once hooked up, the television worked fine…..for about 2 months. On August 11th, the television basically locked up. It would turn on and off, but nothing else worked. You could not change the channel, the volume control didn't work, and you could not change inputs. There was a DVD in the player, and the TV would not even eject it.

I called customer service, but got a message that they only worked Monday – Friday. So, I sent an e-mail to both Technical Support and Customer Service that I got from their website. Both e-mails came back undeliverable due to their mailbox being full.

So, I call Mintek Technical Support on Monday, and they go through a few troubleshooting ideas, and determine that I need to send it in. They tell me that I will receive either a new or a refurbished television – they cannot tell me which. They tell me I will receive a replacement in 3 – 4 weeks after receiving the returned television.

I ship the television back – at a cost of $40. The cost of shipping the television is not to be reimbursed to me. I make a note that I still have a DVD inside the defective television.

I received the replacement television on September 22nd. It does not take me as long to get the television hooked up this time.

On Saturday morning September 23rd, the speaker on the television begins making a very loud static sound. I immediately call customer service. Recalling the message I received when previously calling customer service, I expected to get a message saying they were only open Monday – Friday. However, I got through and spoke to a customer service technician. He told me to unplug the television and leave it unplugged for 30 minutes for the television to reset. However, we were leaving for the weekend, so we just left it unplugged for the entire weekend.

We return home Sunday evening and turn the television on again. Within 30 minutes the static sound was back. Again, I call customer service. This time, the technician wants me to unplug the cables and start the hook up anew. I do this, and the problem is resolved…until the next day.

The static sound begins again when we turn the television on Monday morning. After returning from work on Monday, I again call customer service and ask to speak to a supervisor. I tell the supervisor that I have talked to a technician 3 times in 3 days, and I would like a new television. And I do not want to have to spend another $40 to ship this defective television back. She tells me that she cannot do that. I ask to speak to her manager. Her manager is not in – I will have to call on Tuesday, between the hours of 8 to 5.

So, I now am waiting to call customer support once again.