Curved screen: find out if it's worth buying this type of TV

Since 2013 the curved screen tvs began to appear and renew the appetite of consumers newly satisfied with the wave of 3D technology. Since then, the trend has been towards screens that quickly became integrated into several devices and today are considered a differential item in any gadgets that have one. But does this news really make sense? To try to answer this and other questions, we conducted a brief survey on the subject.

tube TV

It is worth remembering that the first contact that most of us had with a television it already had a kind of curved screen. The TV picture tube is one of the applications of cathode ray tubes, which were built in 1897 by the German physicist Karl Ferdinand Braun. These devices had a curved screen, but a convex surface, and were the standard from the first devices of the late 1920s to the beginning of the 1990s.

Flat Screen TV

Since their introduction in the 1990s, flat panel TVs have quickly dominated the market due to their picture superiority and compact size. The technology used to produce these sets has evolved rapidly and allowed for a greater variety of screen sizes and a better viewing experience.

Curved Screen TV

Finally we get to the main topic. Televisions with a curved display are among the main highlights in the world of technology today. (https://www.sweetfixbaker.com/) But are they really innovative and bring a big improvement to users’ relationship with TVs?

1 – Where does the idea come from?

Curved screens are not new. The majority of cinemas have been using them for a long time. In exhibition halls, the curved screen serves two purposes: The first is due to the format of the projector lens, which, being spherical, requires a screen that follows the curvature of the projection to avoid distortions at the edge of the screen, in an effect known as “pincushion effect“. Second, there is the issue of distance between the viewer and the screen. In this case, the curved screen is needed to increase the field of vision, which minimizes the need to turn your head to follow the actions on the screen.

2 – What the manufacturers say

Design is the main element that the advertising of these products seeks to exalt. There is little and vague technical information about what would be the real advantages of acquiring one of these devices. Both Samsung and LG have promoted the curved display for its immersion and 3D effect improvement. Also occasionally mentioned are the best âviewing angles, less distortion of image and less reflexes on the screen.

3 – What the experts say

Many experts, such as Geoff Morrison in matter for website CNET, are critical to the benefits of having a curved screen TV. THE Image quality is the same whether the screen is curved or straight, since what matters is its resolution. The viewing angle can be a “double-edged sword”, since only the spectator who is in the sweet spot you can have the feeling of total immersion, while others can have a vision worst than a flat screen. "With too many people on the couch, all the benefits are lost”, He stated.

4 - Analysis

As you can see, there are many questions to consider about the advantages of curved TVs. Below we have made a small list of points that should be considered about this technology.

• Strengths
  • Design: The innovative appearance, the finishing details and the care with the edges are the differentials of the curved screen TVs.

   

  • Greater sense of immersion: by simulating the real world, they allow us to use our peripheral vision, creating the sensation of immersion, since in this way we do not see the world around us, concentrating only on what is on the screen.

   

  • Larger field of view: Curved screen TVs are only available in larger sizes, so the curvature and size of the screen widen the field of view.

   

  • greater depth: The technology available today allows these TVs to have multiple depth planes, which leads to a 3D picture feeling.

   

  • richer contrast: The light is centered due to curvature (unlike flat screens), which increases the color contrast. In the same way, the curvature, by following the natural shape of the eyes, allows the image of the edges to become clearer, as in the cinema.
• Cons
  • Asymmetry: if on the one hand the curvature is the strong point, it also becomes a negative point, depending on the distance between the screen and the viewer and the angle (more than 30-35 degrees)
  • “Sweet spot”: Many of the benefits of curved screens can only be enjoyed when you are sitting at a specific point. Usually in the center of the screen and closer than you would normally sit to watch TV on a flat screen.
  • reflexes: Considering current screens, if you have a light source in front of a curved screen TV (window, lamp, mirror, etc), you will see that the curved screen will further distort the light reflection to a much larger area of the screen (compared to a flat screen), which in some cases gets in the way of viewing.
  • Cost: Curved screens are still priced much higher than flat screens, mainly because only curved screens larger than 65 inches are recommended.
  • Device layout: The curved design makes these TVs attractive when mounted on table or floor stands, but they don't look as good when mounted on a wall like flat screens.

Despite being a lot of information, the subject is far from exhausted. If you are interested in knowing more about the subject, we recommend reading the excellent artigo made by the website flatpanelsHD (in English) on the subject.