Insignia is Best Buy’s proprietary brand of electronics and televisions. You’ve probably seen them stocking the shelves of your local Best Buy store, although they’re also sold on Amazon.com.
But like most in-house brands, it’s tough to figure out exactly who makes the products.
So in this article, I’m going to cover some basic information about Insignia and where their products are made. Then I’m going to do a teardown of Insignia’s new 32″ Fire TV model, the NS-32F201NA22 to see what really makes it tick.
There will be plenty of photos along the way of the internal components. So let’s get started!
Where are Insignia TVs Manufactured?
Best Buy, like most major retailers, have their own in-house brand of electronics. Not only can they can sell them at a discount to the major national brands, but they have better profit margins. Best Buy gets to keep more revenue from selling Insignia TV’s, even though they’re cheaper than their competition.
However, Best Buy outsources the manufacture and design of these TV’s to other companies, but they’re pretty tight-lipped on who those companies are.
All of Insignia’s TVs are manufactured in China. However, the exact name of the manufacturing plant where the TVs are produced is unclear. Because of this, it’s likely that Insignia TVs are manufactured in multiple factories across China.
Who Makes Insignia TV’s? [Teardown]
Best Buy refuses to comment on which specific manufacturers manufacture the components of their Insignia TV’s. This gives them the flexibility to order whatever components they need, in bulk, from different manufacturers.
So while we’re going to be looking specifically at Insignia’s new 32″ Fire TV model, the NS-32F201NA22, keep in mind that other models may have different parts from other manufacturers.
Main Board\Memory
The main board on the Insignia TV is the brains of the unit. It houses the system memory and the graphic processing unit. This is the only identifying sticker on the board itself. Here, you can see the part number at the very top: 0980-0900-1530(0A).
While I wasn’t able to find that specific model number, it does follow the same naming convention as Samsung TV main boards. So it’s reasonable to assume that Samsung manufactured this TV main board and sold it to Insignia.
Furthermore, when you look at the memory modules (above), those were manufactured by Samsung as well. Their model number is K4B4G1646E, and you can see their datasheet here.
LCD Panel
The LCD panel itself is manufactured by a company called China Star Optoelectronics Technology (CSOT). Here, you can see the model number ST3151A07-1-XC-3 on the panel itself.
A little digging led me to a site called Panelook.com, which is a great resource for finding out all the details on LCD and OLED panels. The panel’s specs match exactly to the Insignia TV’s specs, so this is definitely a match.
Looking a bit deeper at CSOT, I discovered that it’s a display producer, based out of China, that is owned by TCL, Century Science & Technology and Samsung. So while this isn’t a Samsung branded LED panel, they definitely had a hand in the technology itself.
WiFi Module
I actually didn’t need to tear down the entire TV to find the WiFi module. The manufacturer’s sticker on the back of the TV lists the WiFi module, due to FCC regulations.
However, since I was here, I wanted to include a photo of it.
The WiFi module is the DHUR-AZ68, which is a combination 802.11 a/b/g/n/ac and Bluetooth 5.0 module. You can find out more about the WiFi module in it’s technical manual here.
Insignia TVs: Features
Insignia makes a wide range of TV’s, all aimed at the budget consumer. They range in size from small, 19″ TV’s designed for dorm rooms all the way up to massive, 70″ QLED 4K UHD models for large living rooms.
While they won’t have some of the cutting-edge features you’d find on expensive Sony or LG TV’s, Insignia TV’s offer a great balance, and value for the money.
Most Insignia TV’s come equipped with DTS TruSurround and Dolby Audio speakers for great sound quality.
Several models come with 4K resolution and HDR, which increases the contrast between the bright and dark areas of the image, adding depth and making it seem more realistic.
As you’d expect, all Fire TV models include the Alexa-enabled remote control, which provides instant access to Amazon’s voice assistant. The new remotes are longer than previous versions, providing a more ergonomic feel. They also added curves on the side and rear for a more comfortable grip.
Overall, Insignia TVs offer top-notch features at a terrific price, especially for those looking for a high-performance unit that won’t break the bank.
How Long is the Insignia TV Warranty?
Insignia TVs are warrantied for one year from the time of purchase, as long as you purchased it brand new. The warranty covers any manufacturing defects, but does not cover accidental damage, cosmetic damage, power surges and lightning strikes, or damage due to misuse or neglect. Within the first year, simply take the TV back to Best Buy and they will send it out for repair.
Like most electronics companies, Insignia TV warranties covers material or workmanship defects. This means anything that was under the manufacturer’s control, such as a defective LED bulb or crooked television casing.
Because Insignia is a Best Buy brand, if you have problems with your Insignia TV, you take it in to your local Best Buy store for service, or call a toll-free phone number to troubleshoot it over the phone.
It’s worth noting that your local Best Buy store probably won’t be the ones to actually fix your TV. Most companies have regional repair centers where all their qualified technicians will have parts and specialized tools available to do the work.
If you have an extended warranty through Best Buy’s Geek Squad, you have other options available.
Smaller units that are less than 42 inches (106 cm) are still taken directly to any Best Buy store for diagnostics. For 42 inch TVs (or larger), you’ll schedule an in-home visit from a certified, Insignia technician.
Within the first year, Best Buy guarantees that they’ll repair or replace the product free of charge if it’s a manufacturer’s defect. You need to keep your original receipt, or have the product registered on your Best Buy account in order to be eligible for service.
Note: When Best Buy issues a replacement TV, it’s not necessarily a brand new unit. It’s very common to get refurbished units as replacements.
Other Products Made by Insignia
Insignia makes a host of other products, including:
- Gaming accessories
- Home audio and video systems
- Home theater accessories
- Car electronics
- Camcorders
- Cameras
- Photo frames
- Computers and tablets
The Verdict: Insignia TV’s
Overall, Insignia TV’s offer some pretty good value for the price. Given what I found in my teardown, it’s likely that Samsung manufactured most of the important components of my Insignia Fire TV.
I’m a big fan of Samsung TV’s because of their clarity, brightness and overall performance. To be able to get Samsung quality at an Insignia price-point is a big win for budget-conscious consumers.
After a brief hiatus from the industry he's back at the helm of AndroidTVNews.com to bring Android TV and TV boxes to the forefront of the streaming world.
When he's not writing, he spends as much time as he can with his beautiful wife and his bulldog.
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