Do they use better components? Sony's are just a little more expensive, but worth it if they last.
You want to avoid lower-end brands, such as Vizio, etc.
For constant usage, you want a higher quality panel with better components. Something like Sony, Samsung, Sharp, etc. My parents gave me their old Sony Bravia and it still works. Almost 8-9 years old.
I consider LG trash. LG phones (poor build quality and RF performance), appliances (constant repairs), monitors (backlight problems)... you name it, I've had issues with them. My parent's entire kitchen was LG and every single one had constant issues. They've since been replaced with Samsung. Zero repairs
Everywhere I go, I seem to see Samsung, Sharp, or Sony, so they must be doing something right?
Not necessarily. It's either Samsung or LG. Maybe the occasional Maytag. The rest of the brands are rather poor in quality. Any system that's quality and had built in changeable silver plates is a winner in my book.
They are on 18 hrs per day everyday. We have older consumer tvs that have been ok for 5 years, but the newer ones have a high failure rate.
Depends on your area. If they're under warranty, the company deals with it. Sometimes the store you bought it will send out their own servicemen who know the machines front to back or if it's bad enough, they'll do an exchange for a newer model provided you bought some type of extended warranty with it. I bought my stuff from Lowes with a warranty extension for most of my heavy appliances and they don't have trouble replacing a, in my case, a 400 something dollar microwave oven that went kaput. Also, living in SoCal helps. There are a lot of authorized independent repair companies around here. You could also order the parts and do the repair yourself. I've done plenty of repair on Kitchen Aid equipment I personally bought in the late 90s prior to getting married that still function like new today. I'm very thankful that both Seas and Lowes are capable of ordering special parts from the manufacturer.
