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Counterfeit Chinese parts stream to blame? Posted by Snowmobile [Email] (#686) [Profile/Gallery] (more from Snowmobile) on Mon, 6 Oct 2014 03:00:10 In Reply to: Samsung ehh, that's funny, SWEDECAR [Profile/Gallery] , Sun, 5 Oct 2014 18:05:28 Members do not see ads below this line. - Help Keep This Site Online - Signup |
A couple decades ago, there was a strong electronics components manufacturing and distribution system in North America. Since then, manufacturers have gradually outsourced more "low end" products offshore to the point that most low-moderate cost electrical components and consumer electronics like these TVs are now made in China. Why would you make an electronics component in China, send it to a North American distribution chain, and then back to China to go into a TV? So the distribution channels have moved to China also. Problem is, counterfeiting is very popular in China and there are many electronic components that look the same on the outside but are totally different and inferior on the inside. All it takes is 1 bad counterfeit part in a product to make it fail earlier than it should have. The distribution channels are now riddled with these parts! And now because the distribution channels have shifted to Asia (with the production volume), even when we order parts here from a North American distributor, we are getting parts from the Chinese channels. So basically, if you want to produce reliable high end electronics, you need to have guaranteed direct contact with your suppliers and/or test every component! This is cost prohibitive on a $499 TV, and the electronics are sufficiently sophisticated and proprietary that electronics servicing has become "board swapping" only, and the cost of that is on par with just buying another cheapo TV.
All of this I find discouraging, but it is the route we chose in North America, wanting everything cheaper all the time! With cars having more sophisticated electronics throughout, it is no surprise that they are becoming harder to service (though in car diagnostics *should* be helpful, failing electronics is no fun!)...
I know that there are Chinese mechanical knockoffs too, but at least we have a decent amount of production/distribution still here in North America and Europe, no?
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