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General discussion

What are the benefits of a curved TV?

Mar 18, 2016 4:33PM PDT
http://cnet2.cbsistatic.com/hub/i/2013/05/01/2334b231-fdbd-11e2-8c7c-d4ae52e62bcc/a7a5c8647e1c04b1ce30f590aee1adb3/lg-tv-2013_1.jpg

This isn't a computer-related question, but a TV question. My wife and I will be looking at buying a new TV soon to replace my old plasma that has a burn-in spot. I have seen a couple of these curved TVs at Costco and was wondering, what are the benefits of having it curved? I really couldn't tell the difference comparing it. Does it have a better picture quality or is it better for the eyes? Or is it just cool-looking and a gimmick? The curved TVs are definitely more expensive, but if it produces a better-quality picture, I'm willing to fork out the extra money. I'm hoping to get some opinions from people on what they think of these new curved TVs, especially if you've bought one. Are they worth it or should I pass? Thank you for any help.

--Submitted by: Thomas B.

Discussion is locked

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Virtual reality
Mar 25, 2016 8:33PM PDT

Won't devices like Occulus Rift provide a higher quality experience than either at a lower cost?

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just a fad
Mar 25, 2016 9:30PM PDT

it would be great for one person, sitting in a recliner dead center facing the tv.

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IMAX like expeirence
Mar 25, 2016 10:25PM PDT

If you buy curved screen monitor, especially one of the bigger 4K ones, and use it as a desktop monitor where you are sitting close at arms-length distance away from it, you will get that IMAX movie like experience where the video fills a large proportion of your field of vision.

Other than that it's pretty useless if you're sitting the usual 5 diagonal screen lengths away with your buddies (girlfriend?) watching a movie then you're better off with a traditional flat screen.

Curved screens are generally IMHO another dead-end or niche-market "innovation" fad that will go down in the electronics marketing history like 3D TV to get the "western" consumer to buy more electronics.

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One rare benefit
Mar 25, 2016 11:15PM PDT

I have 2 TV's from the same manufacturer, one 40" and the other 39" 4K that I use as an HD monitor (VGA input at 1920x1080). The one I use as a TV is about 8 feet away and the one I use as a monitor is just beyond arm's length. (I do a lot of photo retouching, so a large monitor is helpful. I tried dual 22" monitors but that gives me a headache.)

To give you an exaggerated explanation of the problem with the monitor, imagine that you hold a book 1 inch in front of your nose and you try to read the text at the edge of the pages.

If you're sitting really close to the monitor (TV ...), curvature would help with that sort of problem. But that's the only situation where I could see a benefit. On the flip-side of that, because I am sitting so close I have to turn the brightness way down and replace white backgrounds on file managers, etc., with light gray backgrounds to reduce eye strain. And with the brightness turned down so much the colors get a bit distorted.

But for normal use as a TV, I can't see that there would be any benefit.

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Curved TV - Cool
Mar 26, 2016 12:40AM PDT

I have a Samsung 55" curved screen TV and its brilliant. Its a 4G TV so I am ready for the future as well as getting great quality pictures now. The only downside is that the sound quality is very poor so you will need to purchase a sound bar.

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Poppycock
Mar 26, 2016 2:21AM PDT

There are no practical benefits to anybody who isn't permanently situated at the curve's focal point - about 9" from the screen. It's a clever marketing gimmick that only ensures at least a portion of the display will exhibit unwelcome glare.

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Yes, Very..
Mar 26, 2016 9:22AM PDT

Very Beneficial, to the stores. Happy

Lets see whats next to make mo money from suckers

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Your example picture shows the glaring problem of the curve.
Mar 26, 2016 9:40AM PDT

Right there!
http://i.imgur.com/95F72cq.png

Since the surface is a curve you have to work harder to remove a reflection source. For me this would be very annoying since the wall sconces in rooms are usually fixed.

Sorry, this won't work for me.

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Titling Mounts
Mar 27, 2016 6:30PM PDT

That happens with all tvs, you can not use that as an excuse, it is hard to get rid of it if using standing mounts for Any TV... You need a tilting wall mount and angle TV down!

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I have a Samsung with LED engine...
Mar 27, 2016 8:54PM PDT

And the screen is about as non reflective as you can get - kind of like the old 16mm Kodak projector screens they used in schools in the '60s. This makes my TV much more viewable, and I am spoiled rotten. I hope and pray that when I finally have to go to OLED to get just a slightly brighter picture, they have leaned to mute the reflection on those screens!

I don't know why they dropped this LED DLP technology, because the light coming from the screen is just amazing, and there is no color wheel or lamp needed, as three separate LED light projectors in three colors projects the light. When I looked at it at Sears, back before the crash, it actually looked brighter and more colorful than plasma screens, but the subdued screen was a huge advantage to me!

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Curved isn't what you think it is
Mar 26, 2016 9:58AM PDT

I am a Smart Home Integrator and an ISF/HAA calibrator. For various reasons of technology and quality, LG is the primary TV I use.

LG introduced OLED TV, by far the best picture technology, as curved units. This was marketed as "near 3D", "great depth of field", but primarily was "narrow viewing angle".

These TVs were introduced curved because OLED has very little structural strength and won't stand up. OLED displays are not rigid panels like LED/LCDs but flexible membranes that can be rolled up. If they are not curved, they don't stay stiff so the picture has waves in it.

LG has now added a support structure that allows flat OLED TVs and these are what is selling. They are a little thicker but much better to view.

Projection screens are sometimes curved because projected pictures are slightly out of focus at the edges. The edges are farther from the lens than the center and tend to show some color aberration. Curving the screen a little evens out this distance and makes the edges look better. This is a PROJECTION issue and has nothing to do with fixed-pixel display screens.

So, unless you want to always sit right down the middle or watch your picture float around as you move from side to side, get a flat TV.

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It is the best tv , but for single viewer only !
Mar 26, 2016 10:07AM PDT

In order to experience optimal and the nest viewing results you have to sit in optimal distance from the tv right in the middle of it( the tv works little bit like a lense focusing in one point).
And there is of coarse only one point like that. Rest of the viewers not get that.

Maciej Czyzewski / *Email address removed by moderator.

Post was last edited on March 26, 2016 10:20 AM PDT

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Obviously you Know Best...
Mar 27, 2016 6:34PM PDT

Do you own a curved TV? Is that what you found as you are watching in your living room?

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I Like Mine, A Lot
Mar 26, 2016 11:17AM PDT

I purchased the LG 55EC9300 OLED with the curved display and I'm glad I did. The picture quality is outstanding and the "curve" seems to reduce/eliminate the glare from the windows located in the rear of my viewing area. The viewing angle has not been an issue in my setup. When I made the purchase, the flat version was not available and the price was right!

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Haters are Completely Wrong
Mar 26, 2016 11:59AM PDT

Truly amazing how many comments here are completely bais against curved screens from people who don't own or have experience it for any length of time or bais their opinion on other haters... And forum controller the deletes any other opinions/comments... bais prevails around...

Curved screens are stronger then than a flat piece of glass...

What happens when you sit to the side your 'perfect' flat HDTV, you viewing a distorted image it is not 16:9 but an isosceles trapezoid! Closest edge is huge, top & bottom are tapered, and opposite side is smaller...
What you see with a curved screen is the opposite side is now curved out closer to you and you can see less distortion on that side!

I want you to take pictures from all the seating positions that you actually normally watch TV and prove to me, the that what you say is true about curved screens. On top of that I bet your actual seating positions are no more than 15° from center, anyways, so your arguments are completely invalid ....

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Curved TV, the choice of loners
Mar 26, 2016 1:17PM PDT

After spouting some BS about how he think curved TVs are better for off-axis viewing (they are not), he then switches to arguing that they are really ok because nobody watch outside a +/- 15 degree off axis area. Silly, silly,silly

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I asked You to Proved It
Mar 27, 2016 6:37PM PDT

So, where are your pictures???

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Please!
Mar 28, 2016 4:59AM PDT

Do you have anything to contribute?

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It Depends On Your Individual Situation
Mar 26, 2016 12:07PM PDT

As an Audio/Video installer, I have installed thousand of flatscreen and dozens of curved screens- both on their supplied base and wall-mounted. Curved screens can be advantageous in eliminating reflection from windows and artificial lighting sources. The larger the intended viewing area, the more distance you'll want from the screen. In all cases the larger the screen size, the more each of these applies. One of my favorite installations was a 65" curved smart TV mounted caddy-corner using a cantilever bracket. Electrical outlet on the wall behind the TV and wires snaked through the wall, exiting behind a custom-made corner piece holding the speaker bar, satellite receiver and gaming system. The speaker bar's subwoofer is hidden in the corner gap behind the furniture. The TV "floats" in the corner with all wiring unseen, and the curve , with the corner behind it, looks great!

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Absolute idiocy
Mar 26, 2016 8:51PM PDT

good for having the latest gadget? It´s hard to say what in creation else such a thing could be good for.

Of course, I suppose that once your TV set is bigger than your bed you might have to curve it to see the whole picture. Honestly!

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My experience...
Mar 27, 2016 9:26PM PDT

I bought my first big screen back when they were front projection with mirrors and they had to curve the screens slightly to focus the three color projectors. I must admit, for that day, it was an enjoyable experience watching jet pilots in their cockpits, and feeling like you were right there. I would actually get a little acrophobia watching action sequences like that! The resolution was horrible taken from old 480 CRT standard of resolution, but they used comb filters in those days to simulate the extra resolution and make is seem like a clearer picture. You had to have a pretty narrow angle, for viewing when entertaining guests. So we lined up the couch sideways of the set, and one other easy chair, so all viewers were at a minimum angle to the center focus if the screen. The set was big enough you could get used to it fairly quickly. These new sets are much wider, as I seem to remember that screen was only about as wide as a stove top, maybe 48 to 51 inches. I really don't want to go back to curved screens again, but they do ad visual queue that fool the brain into a certain experience, that is hard to relate without looking at it. This is probably what LG was trying to do with it, but I don't want to go back, now that I have a great flat screen 61" HDTV - I don't want to go back in time, but move forward!

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Curved definitely gives a good viewing experience.
Mar 26, 2016 11:00PM PDT

We purchased a replacement set early last month, and we're quite happy. The old set was a 2008 model 61" flat screen 1080p, while the new set is a 65" Ultra HD (4K) set with a curved screen. Both old and new sets are Samsung. We sit about 8 feet from the screen, and the experience with the new set is totally immersive, with the viewing angle being noticeably better on the new set over the old one. I can see that when walking in and out of the living room. It's possible most of the improvement in viewing experience has to do with the much higher resolution that the new set has rather than the curved screen, but I can't be sure. We stopped being conscious of the curve at all after just a few days. We got the set from Best Buy on sale for $1499 (originally $1999), which was exactly what the old 1080p cost, on sale through Amazon, when we got it back in 2009. Best Buy ran the price on our new set back up to $1999 immediately after the sale, but they have another 65" Samsung Ultra HD curved screen unit on sale today for $1499 that was originally $2299.

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Owner of a curved TV with 1 year experience
Mar 27, 2016 4:15PM PDT

It seems that most of the negative comments come from people who do not own a never seen a curved display. I admit I bought my 65 inch curved TV as I thought it looked pretty cool.
However there are some benefits I see after 1 year of using this. First, for me it seems that i can sit closer to the TV without getting a feeling that I'm missing something (as a 65 inch TV in a relative small room is big). The second benefit that I was not expecting is less glare. This is an issue as I have windows in two direction in my TV room and in the afternoon I used to have issues with glare and reflections in my old plasma. With the curved TV these things are almost gone.
Regarding limitation of viewing angle, yes there is theoretical limitation compared to flat display but the difference is insignificant as I can easily watch from a 45 degree angle.
However to finish this posting, I'm happy that I bought a curved TV, but I would never pay premium for it as the benefits are minor. I was lucky as the price for me was more or less the same between curved and flat.

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Yes Thank You
Mar 27, 2016 6:23PM PDT

For giving personal experience...
As with any screen 'glare' to get rid of it windows behind TV noet behind you, and you must tilt TV down at least 5° to reflect away from your eyes, so standing mounts are not good for any TV...

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NOTHING beats plasma !!
Mar 27, 2016 7:14PM PDT

Go to any store 's TV display wall, and stand to one side. The ONLY TV 's that still show a bright, clean and clear picture will be the plazmas'. I think that the manufacturers came up with the curved format to force the viewer to sit directly in front of the TV set in order to see a proper picture.

Curved TV is nothing more than a marketing gimmick. .........just my 2 cents worth.

Edward

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New Tech
Mar 28, 2016 3:57AM PDT

My sense is that since they now have the ability to curve a screen, they're trying to figure out how to use it. The thing is, can you get a TV large enough to really get the theatre effect? Would a curve not be more effective on a large projection screen in a dedicated movie room? Personally, I'd give it a few years, but if you prefer cutting edge. ..

Post was last edited on March 28, 2016 4:05 AM PDT

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The main consideration ...
Mar 28, 2016 4:44AM PDT

... is the viewing angle. It ironically motivates for and against curved screens (the same thing applies not only to TVs but also to computer screens - with one difference ...

Practically all 'flat' screens have a problem, which engineers have managed to mitigate with different rates of success - what you see depends on your viewing angle. If you look straight at the screen (90 degrees - neither centigrade nor FahrenheitWink all is well. If you look from the side or above or below, the more your viewing angle gets away from the 90 degree optimum, your image quality suffers. (In some cases this is used on purpose to restrict what someone spying on you can see.)
If you sit close to a big screen you see the center at 90 degrees but the edges at an angle that provides less than optimal viewing experience. To correct that, a curved screen surface can be used. Obviously, in order to work really well, it should be a spherical surface and not - like what you are paying for at this stage if I am not mistaken - a cylindrical one.
So the good news is that - provided you sit right at the center of that spherical surface and ideally your eyes are in the exact same location (good luck on that oneWink you have an optimal viewing experience. Okay, you can expect to get a bit of leeway, since things don't need to be optimized to THAT extent.
The bad news is that only one person can "sit" at the "sweet spot" - just like with a stereo or surround sound system. For all others the curved display experience is likely to be worse that a flat screen would be.
The other thing to remember is that the whole thing was invented by the engineers (as opposed to the marketing people) for when you sit close to a very large screen. If you - like me - don't sit that close and don't run terribly big screens and - most importantly - don't watch alone and always from the "sweet spot" then the curved screen is a waste of your funds.
Very much the same thing would apply for the 3D screens that were the last craze in this market - great in theory and wonderful for that handful of movies that were made by inspired directors to optimally use the effect, but absolutely useless (I mean distinctly less useful than a screen without the capability) for what I call everyday viewing.

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Google is my friend
Mar 28, 2016 9:37AM PDT
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Terminology
Mar 28, 2016 11:19AM PDT

It’s interesting to see terms used like “Optimal Viewing Experience” without any definition or even discussion as to what is meant by “Optimal”.
Let’s examine the so-called “Sweet-spot”.
I am afraid that even sitting in the sweet-spot does not provide a REALISTIC viewing experience.
Consider this situation.
Imagine you and your camera are facing a flat brick wall at ninety degrees. The wall stretches equally left and right, perfectly symmetrically, as far as the eye can see. You record a picture, still or video – it doesn’t matter.
Next, sitting in the “sweet-spot”, you face your monster curved TV screen to watch the picture play back. What will you see? You will see a wall that you absolutely KNOW was flat, but is now very obviously curving around to your left and right. Where the furthest extremities should most definitely be further away from you than the center, on screen they will be at exactly the same distance from you as the center! How could this so obviously distorted image ever be considered “Optimal” viewing?
Well, clearly, it cannot. Even the so-called “sweet spot” is an illusion. Far from “correcting” anything, curved TV screens always introduce distortion. They have no optical advantages at all.

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HUUUUUUUUUUGE catch with curved TV
Mar 29, 2016 11:51AM PDT

To view a curved TV you MUST sit at the center-line of its curve, and at and the correct distance.


If you are off-center, too close, or too far, the whole purpose is lost.

If you have a small theater room with correctly positioned seating, great!
If not, its a waste of $$$