LCD and plasmas 'reliable'

Extended warranties on LCD and plasma screen televisions could be a waste of money, new research suggests.

Findings by Consumer Reports show that these products are reliable and do not need many repairs during the first three years of service.

Data reveals that only three per cent of these products need repairing during this time, which is the duration of a manufacturer's warranty.

Rear-projection televisions were slightly more likely to need repairing, with a major fault being bulb failure, the research noted, recommending that exceptionally heavy use might mean an extended warranty was a good idea.

Consumer Reports hailed Panasonic's 50-inch TH-50PZ700U plasma television as the best flat-panel television it had ever tested, with a two per cent repair rate.

Brands that did not do so well included Hitachi LCDs and Philips plasma televisions.

The organisation is not-for-profit and offers consumer information and advice on a wide range of products.