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Rating: 4.5/5
I opted to use this as a monitor for my PC (with a beafy video card) and it works like a champ. Amazing picture quality, especially for gaming. Also a great investment for those doing Cad work or 3D modeling. I found mine at a local store (Fry’s) for 1099.00. For the money, you won’t find anything even close to the performance of this LCD.
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 3/5
I had a chance to try out this television and I like the Kreisen Model better personally. I thought the audio on the Syntax was super weak with no bass and too much treble. I also thought the picture was a tad bit too washed out for my taste.
Rating: 6 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 4.5/5
The Oleiva 30″ is a key component of my high performance personal center, which also includes a Windows XP Media Center Edtion 2005 box connected DVI to DVI, XBox with the special HD cable connecte to component YPrPb,, Sony VCR connected to composite, DirecTV stb connected via svideo, and roof attenna cable with 4-way splitter.
In the WMCE box, I have an ATI Radeo 9800 Pro card, an ATI HDTV Wonder tv tuner for OTA HD tv, and an Hauppauge WinTV PVR-250MCE tv tuner.
HalfLife2, Far Cry, Call of Duty, and Doom3 play great on this LCD TV. Only HL2 and Far Cry provide wide screen resolutions.
Overall, no problems at all with this LCD TV.
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 4.5/5
I use this TV as the core of my Media Center. Windows MCE 2005 looks great on the DVI. I only have two complaints. First, the native resolution is 1024×768; therefore the DVI connector will not support teh interpolated 1280×768 (which looks very good on the VGA connection). Hence, MCE will not register the display as “wide-screen” when used through DVI. Also, there are no geomatry adjustment options, which leads to some funny looking horizontal bars on the edges when using my PS2 and Gamecube. Aside from that, it is a fantastic screen.
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 2.5/5
Owned this for year. Within first 3 months the unit emitted a high-pitch. Syntax sent a “user-replaceable” mainboard. Never received the board. Used this for Gamecube and Xbox. Overall, since I spent $1100 for it in ’04, it wasn’t bad deal. But I’d stay away from it as newer models (Sharp, LG, Panasonic, Dell…) have better response, black levels and no buzzing. Also, Brillian merged with Syntax so I expect some settling before they have a “decent” priced-feature LCD ready.
Rating: 5 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
My screen went bad within 9 months (blanks out) which is apparently a common failure with this model. Upon finally completing an exchange, (which took a year off my life it was so aggravating) they pulled the following stunt: they supposedly found some little scratches on the face of the screen, took pictures of them “to prove it” and promptly notified me that they are charging me $675. That unit was in perfect condition except for the initial failure… I made sure of that when I boxed it and inspected it all over… no scratches though I was sure of that anyway, however I didn’t think I had to take pictures. This isn’t over, but meanwhile I have no reservation in advising that this company is unscrupulous and does not deserve your business.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
I was very happy with most everything about the set untill I started getting the blue screens right in the middle of a show or broadcast. After having every expert that I could find try to investigate and resolve the problem, I gave up.Never recirved the promissed rebate even following the prcise instructions to the letter. buyer beware.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
To whom this may concern,
I purchased this TV back in February and mail out the rebate form to Olevia, certified. We are now going into our 5th month with out a mailed check in hand. Due to your processing time. This sounds almost unacceptable. Unless this is how you guys plan on doing your business. If so I will not be buying anymore Olevia product for the rest of my life. I am giving you one last chance to redeem your self. I hope to see the check in my hand in 1 week. If not I will be posting on every comment page that you guys sell your products a bad report. Trust me as a consumer, I look at that. I have gone to the liberty of changing your support rebate Information on your website.
Dear unvalued customers: Due to the large volume of rebates we have received and processed over the holiday seasons, it takes full 6 months & maybe longer to process your rebate check. Please allow another 12-14 weeks for check printing and mailing. Please contact us about your rebate status no earlier than 52 weeks from your postmark date. Due to the large volume of emails we received recently, it may take 144+ hours to get back to you in regarding the rebate status inquiry. Sorry for any inconvenience. Thank You for purchasing Olevia LCD TV. HOPEFULLY it is your last!!!
This is not the first time that I have contacted you about this situation. I keep getting the same answer. IN PROCESSING. You the whole thing about this is that I gave you a good report to a couple of my friends and told them it was a good deal to buy your tv. Well three went down there to get the TV at the same time. And mailed out the rebate at the same time. WOW they have there Rebate back already.. But I am still in Processing..
Thanks,
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
Dear Olevia,
While researching several of your products for purchase, I’ve found two issues that may prevent me from actually purchasing one of your products.
Support and Rebates.
Guess what will happen if everyone were to research their purchases the way I do.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
I bought Syntax Olevia LT27HV on 2004 Thanksgiving day, and the screen now displays lots of flashed lines and not watchable any more since this July. When I called the tech support, I was told that the screen must be hit and the whole thing needs to be replaced. In fact, we never hit and even touch the screen a little bit harder because we know it is very sensitive.
I won’t like Syntax people coming for the replacement and I think I will never even buy this brand name again because their products is really not reliable and trustable!!!
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
My Olevia Syntax â30 television has lived slightly more than one year. Suddenly, the screen went black, audio still working. It seems very common issue with these units. I called customer support where I got the indication that I unless I have a warranty in effect there’s not much to talk about. After specific insistence I was told to contact television repairman of my choice and hope that the LCD panel does not need to be replaced. Because if there is a problem with the screen itself, only Olevia can fix it. Other remedy is to send the unit to Olevia directly and await an answer. To find out approximate price of worst case scenario repair was almost impossible. Finally, supervisor by the name Delwyn admitted that it could be anywhere around $500. The guy is so unhelpful and arrogant that just by dealing with him you want to throw the TV into garbage. That is where it is going anyway, since it does not make any sense to pay close to $800 for shipping, boxing and repair for something with original cost of $1,300. Stick to nationally well known brands. At least they do not blame you for not keeping original box, they ship you a new one! Horrible little company that will stay little due to its policies and level of service.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
Almost same experience as “TV Died”. Had unit for aprox 1.5 years. Then the unit would “flash” blue, go black and I’d get only sound. This occured at turn on.
Stay away from this one if you want your investment to last longer than the warranty.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
I’ve had this same unit for a little over 1 yr: did not purchase the insurance coverage incase of it going bad: I however have NO SOUND; NO PICTURE: NO NOTHING. It’s too bad that this unit came out defective as I see in this page because the picture quality was great!
Rating: 2 :: 1 out of 1 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 5/5
I bought this unit Oct 2004. The picture quality is awesome…still. I have had no problem what-so-ever with this unit. I have moved twice, not to mention the countless in-house moves from room to room and it has held up perfectly. I love it. It still hangs with a lot of newer models on the market today. As a matter of fact, a bar I frequent has several of this exact model and have used them for as long as I have used mine and they are still in great working order. Sorry to about the problems some people have had with it but I never experienced any of them at all. I give my fullest recommendation.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 5/5
I purchased this unit Jan. 2005. The screen has gone black but I still have sound….1200.00 radio? Could not get in contact with mfg. and from this forum it would not do any good. I will stick to the National brands for now on. This unit is approximately 2 years old.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 5/5
Stay away. After reading all these comments I am scared. I think I just wasted a huge amount of money. Sounds like a creepy company. Didn’t work straight out of the box. I haven’t tried support yet.
I am going back to the store first.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 5/5
Hmmm, I find it strange some bad reviews as I was so impressed with mine that I bought 2 others a 42" and 37". All work great. They do not make their own TV’s. The lion’s share of them are made by LG.-simple proof try the program code or a LG remote.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
I work at The Source by CIrcuit city. I stare at these all day. They are TERRIBLE. Blurry, and strange lines form all over them. Stay far away. Buy a Samsung plasma.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 4.5/5
I bought this TV back in late 2005. It was the cheapest LCD HDTV available at the time – or at least from what I found – which was fine with me. So far so good. Aside from missing the 1080p support (since this was before TVs with HDMI ports), it pretty much works very well. In my house, my wife and I tend to keep the TV on overnight while we sleep so this TV is litterally on 16 hours a day almost *everyday*. Its been almost 2 years and the TV still works great! No "lines, blurs" or any other issues others have stated. Granted its not the best LCD HDTV to get now, but if you’re looking for something affordable, try this TV out.
Rating: 9 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
My Dad had one. After only 2 years, it had trouble. It would stay on for 1-2 minutes then turn off. After research on the internet, I found this is a common problem. Expect only 2-3 years before you have problems. It will cost anywhere from $200 to $500 to repair. Customer service is very poor (won’t answer phones, hard to find, etc.) Given the initial and repair cost, I would find something else.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1.5/5
After 2.5 years my TV will no longer turn on (switch or remote). You will see this problem in other posts as well. 2.5 years seems to be the most miles that anybody has gotten out of these. While I have enjoyed the TV, these models do not come without problems. In fact, there are many. The DVI connection would never sync 1080i correctly with a satellite box. Instead, I gave up watching HDTV, and used the TV only for DVDs. Before you buy an Olevia, take some time to research the many issues that are well documented on the web.
Rating: 3 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
Bought TV and 1 month after warranty expired it went south. No sound and no control of picture. Power button won’t work. Have to plug then unplug to turn off and on. Company won’t discuss since it is out of warranty. Terrible product.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
Spend the extra money and buy a name brand TV. Mine stopped working after 2.5 months of light use and have fun trying to get a replacement. After waiting over a month and having to pay for a second TV before they would ship it out to me, they sent me a defective replacement. Oh yeah, and I have to pay to ship their POS TV back to them! Horrible product and horrible customer service. STAY AWAY!!
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
After almost 12 months of use, I started having power problems. Screen would go black (but with audio) and I’d have to keep powering on/off. Finally, after repeated phone calls, Olevia replaced the TV as it was still under warranty. Now with TV replacement, and 15 months later, same thing starts…blue screen flashes for an instant then screen goes black. Now that it’s no longer under warranty, it’ll cost me $500 for part, + Labor + Shipping. I said “no thanks, I’ll buy a real TV”. Olevia makes disposable 12 month TVs.
BUYERS BEWARE!!!
Although I must say, when the TV did work, the picture was very, very good.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
The power inverter in these sets only last a short while. My 30 inch set was only two years old and is now trash. The company says it’s cheaper to replace than to fix because it’s out of warranty. Same problem as above short blue screen turns black with sound… history!
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
I have had the same problem with my Olevia LT26HVE. Worked fine for two years then a black screen. I emailed tech support twice with no response. Then I called. They think it’s the reverted that is built in the LCD panel. The part alone is $415, and then there is labor and shipping to City of Industry, CA. Is this worth it if you need to do the same thing again in two years? I think not. Tech support only reads from their script. So if the they get confused they start reading all over meaning they never listened to the complaint.
Don’t waste your money, a good deal maybe a really bad one in the long term.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 2.5/5
The backlight inverter is the cause of the blue screen flash and then the TV goes blank. There is a Yahoo Group that is dedicated to the problem. Some of the members of that group fixed the TV for $25 while others fixed it for less than $200. Olevia basically lied to the consumer when they said that the inverter was part of the LCD panel and the TV had to be returned for them to fix it. Olevia does not manufacture the inverter it is made by Darfon. However, Olevia could have offered a redesigned circuit board at a reasonable price and made a whole group of consumers happy that their investment was a good one. They chose not to and that will hurt their reputation.
Rating: 5 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
We just experienced the same problem with our 30″ TV. It worked fine for 2.5 years and now we have the blue flash and then no picture. I’m so disappointed with this company! I can’t believe they haven’t recalled these televisions with all of us having the same problem!
Rating: 2 :: 1 out of 1 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
I am so T-offed right now after reading your problem with the blue flash and black screen. Mine just did that on XMAS Eve. It is almost 2 years to the day when i bought this thing. How can a company not do anthing about this? I have my own company and I would be out of business if I did a bone head move like this. I Agree with the one reply below for the two years it did work the picture was great – but a TV should last longer then 24 months.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
Blue flash and then no picture after putting the set ON! I have the same problem! All my 1600$ will go to the garbage! I tried to connect and disconnect all boards. It was help and TV worked for one more month then dies again. I will not recommend buying anymore from Olevia.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 3/5
I really liked this TV until this happened. I thought it was a freak accident until I started doing research and found that MANY people are having the same problem. =/
Rating: 6 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 0.5/5
Same problems. 2 years after I bought the TV, blue screen would turn on, 1-2 seconds shut off later, and nothing would make the TV respond after that. Sound still continues however. Tech support experiences that I’ve read are not positive at all. Would not buy again.
Rating: 1 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 2.5/5
Listen, the LT30 HV is a nice TV but the HDTV maybe hard to adjust. I to had the same problem after two years. When you turn on the TV you would get a fast blue screen then a black screen. You will hear the sound but no picture. Forget trying to contact Olevia for help. You will get the run around.
The web site you need to go to fix your flat screen is:
http://www.lcdparts.net/howto/techsupport.aspx
If you can fix or play around with PCs; you can fix your set for about two hundred dollars. I did, and I saved a lot of money on a new flat screen. Good Luck.
Rating: 5 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS buy the extended warranty with new technologies, especially poorly made imports with knock-off gadgetry inside. I’m on my second inverter failure…sent it to Syntax the first time, paid $600 the first time to get repaired. Fixing it myself this time – the part, A CCFL inverted by Darfon, is replaced akin to a PC card in a tower. $179 to fix. However, when this one dies in 12-24 months, this TV is going into the GARBAGE to be recycled, where it belongs. Syntax/Olevia is nothing more than an import/export holding company who bought a website on goDaddy – it is NOT a TV manufacturing company, and that’s the quality and service you get for the low price. Other so-called ‘name’ brands have the SAME parts, made by the SAME component manufacturers, so buying a Samsung or Sony will not solve your problem necessarily. Do a search for popular LCD/Plasma TVs and you will find full message boards, just like this one :)
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
Do not ever buy product from this manufacturer. If your set died just like so many of us, do not pour more good money into it. Suck up your loss and move on to quality. If you fix it, in short order it will die again, and the board replacement guy will get richer off you. Sounds like a scam since it comes from one and only one supplier with a high price. Can you say “SONY”?
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 4/5
I’m on the phone with tech right this minute for the same problem. He just troubleshot and found that the bulb has blown. Yep, it’s the inverter… $500 blah blah blah. What a rip off. $1200 for 2.5 years… Guess I’ll have to buy the warranty next time.
Rating: 8 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
My Olevia LCD TV died after less than two years. Customer service was very poor or non-existent. Told sorry out of warranty. Told to call Sears for repair. Sears came to our home and siad that they have no record of the model and they can not fix it. Again customer service said that a supervisor would call in 24 – 72 hours still waiting.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
I bought my Olevia in January 2008 – as of September 2008 – it doesn’t work. Had registered my warranty on-line – won’t honor unless I have a receipt. Took it to an independent and found that Olevia will not issue repair parts – I am out $1000!
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
The 32 in. Olevia TV we bought last year stopped working just short of a year and a half. Olevia/Syntax Customer Service was poor. I had to call several times & was put on hold everytime. Finally reaching a live person, after several questions & doing the usual plug & unplug, change cable, flip the switch on & off 10 times, etc. I was told we needed the power supply replaced. Without an extended warrenty we are just out of luck & stuck with a non-working TV. I expect a TV should last at least 5 years. I think Olevia sold us a defective, inferior product. We will never ever buy another Olevia TV.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
One year old almost to the day, TV died. Customer service takes one hour to answer each time I call. THEN, I am told the tech’s are NOT THERE! Called back again, again, again, on hold, on hold, and can’t get service. POOR, POOR, POOR. Jerry in Texas
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 5/5
Was about to recyle my Olevia when I came across this site. Ordered the new and improved inverter board and had it apart and back together in about an hour. Hope I get more than 2 years this time. Saved Quite a bit of money fixing it myself. Very simple.
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
Same bad luck — recommend no one purchase this brand…lasted about 18 months; local technician said I needed a new ‘main board’; however no repair parts available; Olevia said to call back in April and “maybe” they could help then. Stick to the better known brands. An expensive lesson.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
I purchased a 242V Olevia LCD television. Of course in the 14th month the main board went belly up. It sucks that they would not ship a main board to the repair shop here in my city. The closest main board is a re-furbished one for 350.00 US. and they will not ship to Canada. Olevia’s repair company can make alot of money selling parts to past “unsatified” customers like myself. I purchased a Panasonic 42 inch plasma, and purchased the extended warrenty. Sucks that people can not save money in todays economy!
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 1/5
I can’t believe I am reading my story over and over again! I was also dupped just like you guys! I guess I should be happy that my TV lasted 3 years before going BLACK. As all of you said…customer service is a joke. Ship an LCD from NY to CA…you must be kidding! I was told the company s out of buisness. If they aren’t they should be! What a waste!!!! Never again.
Rating: 2 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.
Rating: 5/5
It’s August 2009 and I bought my 30″ Syntax Olevia in 2005 and have had absolutely no problems. Sorry to hear about your bad luck guys but I love my TV!
Rating: 10 :: 0 out of 0 people found this user review helpful.