High Def Forum - Your High Definition Community & High Definition Resource - View Single Post - Not all Toshiba CRT televisions are really made by Toshiba...

waltchan · 03-21-2005, 12:28 PM

Here's what I know that Toshiba never wants you to ever know in your whole life, but I am throwing out Toshiba's television production secret for the first time to the public:

All Toshiba CRT televisions that are 30" or smaller (26HF84, 30HF84, and 30HFX84, for example) are not made by Toshiba, but made by Orion Electric Co. in Thailand. All parts, including the TV tube, are assembled by Orion. Orion is the OEM maker for many Toshiba CRT televisions we have in our market today. Whatever Toshiba asks for the exterior design and features for its CRT televisions, Orion is glad to produce and supply Toshiba for its televisions within its specifications. Toshiba has already stopped producing its own smaller-screen CRT televisions since 2000 and some larger-screen CRT televisions since 2002. Although very very few people have heard of Orion, Orion is actually more a generic brand producing low-end products to the market. Orion currently produces electronic products under the Broksonic, Durabrand, Memorex, Orion, and Sansui brands, but majority of what Orion produce is under the Toshiba brand. Orion Electric Co. is originally a Japanese company, but it moved all its plant and operations to Thailand more than a decade ago, so it now feels more like a Thai company than Japanese. Unfortunately, Orion does not make the most reliable TV on Earth. Every products that Orion make are pretty much average reliability. They are not the worst and certainly not the best.

On the other hand, any Toshiba CRT televisions that are 32" or larger (34HF84 and 34HFX84, for example) are actually made by Toshiba in USA, not Orion. These are the real Toshiba sets with real reliability, feel, and quality, and probably will last you for more than 10 years. Model 30HF83 was also made by Toshiba.

Toshiba has a really strong alliance with Orion due to its very cheap labor to produce TVs and DVD/VCR combos, but neither Toshiba nor Orion shares parts with each other when making an electronic product, so reliability is different between the two makers. Each uses its own parts to produce electronic products. Yeah, it really amazes me that a $900 Toshiba 30HF84 was being produced by cheap labor costs in Thailand by Orion.

It's no wonder why I am seeing posts from owners of the geometry and component input issues of the 26HF84 and 30HF84 sets. On the other hand, I don't really hear any geometry and component input issues on the 30HF83, 34HF83, 34HF84, and 34HFX84 models. These models use a Toshiba tube and the main board is also made and assembled by Toshiba.

I understand that there are probably couple of people out there who totally don't believe me at all. If you don't believe me, then I suggest you to go find out by yourself by getting a screwdriver, open up the back cover of the TV, and then you will either see the word "Orion" or "Toshiba" sticker on the picture tube, depending on the TV size that you have.

I hope the headquarters of Toshiba of America are not angry at me for revealing this secret to the public.

Walter Chan

03-21-2005, 12:28 PM	#1
waltchan High Definition is the definition of life. Join Date: Dec 2004 Posts: 120	Not all Toshiba CRT televisions are really made by Toshiba... Here's what I know that Toshiba never wants you to ever know in your whole life, but I am throwing out Toshiba's television production secret for the first time to the public: All Toshiba CRT televisions that are 30" or smaller (26HF84, 30HF84, and 30HFX84, for example) are not made by Toshiba, but made by Orion Electric Co. in Thailand. All parts, including the TV tube, are assembled by Orion. Orion is the OEM maker for many Toshiba CRT televisions we have in our market today. Whatever Toshiba asks for the exterior design and features for its CRT televisions, Orion is glad to produce and supply Toshiba for its televisions within its specifications. Toshiba has already stopped producing its own smaller-screen CRT televisions since 2000 and some larger-screen CRT televisions since 2002. Although very very few people have heard of Orion, Orion is actually more a generic brand producing low-end products to the market. Orion currently produces electronic products under the Broksonic, Durabrand, Memorex, Orion, and Sansui brands, but majority of what Orion produce is under the Toshiba brand. Orion Electric Co. is originally a Japanese company, but it moved all its plant and operations to Thailand more than a decade ago, so it now feels more like a Thai company than Japanese. Unfortunately, Orion does not make the most reliable TV on Earth. Every products that Orion make are pretty much average reliability. They are not the worst and certainly not the best. On the other hand, any Toshiba CRT televisions that are 32" or larger (34HF84 and 34HFX84, for example) are actually made by Toshiba in USA, not Orion. These are the real Toshiba sets with real reliability, feel, and quality, and probably will last you for more than 10 years. Model 30HF83 was also made by Toshiba. Toshiba has a really strong alliance with Orion due to its very cheap labor to produce TVs and DVD/VCR combos, but neither Toshiba nor Orion shares parts with each other when making an electronic product, so reliability is different between the two makers. Each uses its own parts to produce electronic products. Yeah, it really amazes me that a $900 Toshiba 30HF84 was being produced by cheap labor costs in Thailand by Orion. It's no wonder why I am seeing posts from owners of the geometry and component input issues of the 26HF84 and 30HF84 sets. On the other hand, I don't really hear any geometry and component input issues on the 30HF83, 34HF83, 34HF84, and 34HFX84 models. These models use a Toshiba tube and the main board is also made and assembled by Toshiba. I understand that there are probably couple of people out there who totally don't believe me at all. If you don't believe me, then I suggest you to go find out by yourself by getting a screwdriver, open up the back cover of the TV, and then you will either see the word "Orion" or "Toshiba" sticker on the picture tube, depending on the TV size that you have. I hope the headquarters of Toshiba of America are not angry at me for revealing this secret to the public. Walter Chan Last edited by waltchan; 03-21-2005 at 12:50 PM.