Curved TVs: features, types, selection rules

For more than half a century, TV has been one of the main attributes in almost every home. A couple of decades ago, our parents and grandparents gathered in front of him and vividly discussed the situation in the country or the events of a TV series. Today, TVs are also monitors, as well as smart devices, the functions of which have become much wider. They have changed constructively as well. Curved-screen TVs are no surprise today. Let's try to figure out what advantages and disadvantages it has, how to choose it and what options it can have.

If we talk about the design features of TVs with a concave screen, then there are several of them. The first distinctive feature, and probably the most important, is that the matrix substrate, where liquid crystals or organic light-emitting diodes are placed, has a certain bend. This means that curved screens will be almost 2 times thicker than conventional TVs. And because of this design feature, this type of television equipment is practically not placed on the wall, because it does not look very good there. Although you can hang it by making a special niche in advance.

Another feature is the comfort zone. In this case, it will be difficult to comfortably watch your favorite TV show or movie if the distance from the viewing point to the screen is greater than the diagonal of the TV itself. And the maximum effect of immersion is possible only in one case - if you are located right in the center of the screen and as close to it as possible.

Another design feature of these types of TVs is distortion. This becomes apparent when you position yourself to the left of your comfort zone.

The considered category of TVs is a fairly new phenomenon on the market. Many people don't understand what a curved screen does and how it can improve picture quality. And some people, on the contrary, are delighted with such devices, claiming that watching a movie on such a TV is very comfortable. In general, we will try to more accurately figure out what the pros and cons of such TVs. Let's start with the positives.

• Increased viewing angle. Due to the fact that the matrix edges will be closer to each other and to the viewer, the distance to the eyes will be less, that is, the field of view will narrow. A person's eyes will capture more detail. But this advantage is possible only if you watch TV close and if the model has a large diagonal.
• Anti-glare protection... The screen of such a TV usually reflects light not into the eyes of the viewer, but, as it were, to the side. But this statement can be called controversial, because when light refraction at some angle, it will go from the coating towards the other curved part and will light it up, that is, to avoid double exposure, the device should be correctly positioned in the room.
• Improved brightness, contrast and richer colors... These are some of the main advantages of such screens. There is no point in doubting the quality of the image, because such screens are made using the most modern OLED technologies. At the same time, a flat TV differs from this only in price, and in all other respects it is not inferior to a curved one.And if a lot of people are watching TV at once, then an ordinary flat one will be even better in some aspects.
• No image distortion. The trick here is that the human eye has a convex shape, and kind of like a TV, which has a curvature, should be better in terms of perception. But the film or the camera matrix are flat, and the fixation is exactly in the flat form. The convergence of the edges of the picture on the type of TV under consideration leads to image compression. And the farther you sit from the display, the more visible the edges will be.
• What is happening on the display will be very realistic and three-dimensional. Just on a curved screen, the viewer's gaze will be focused in a couple of planes, which makes it possible to perceive a 3D picture. But it will be noticeable in action films or computer shooters. But if there are portraits or close-ups on the screen, the distortion will be very noticeable.

As you can see, these TVs have quite a few advantages. But now let's say a little about the cons.

• Price. The price of such TVs can exceed the cost of a flat analogue twice, or even 3-4 times. At the same time, the models will not differ fundamentally in terms of characteristics.
• Difficulty with wall mounting. This is one of the biggest drawbacks of these TVs, according to many. Although most of the models on the market have holes on the back panel for a conventional VESA type suspension. Some devices do not have them, so they can be easily attached to the wall using a conventional bracket. But another thing is that a flat TV on the wall looks organic, which cannot be said about a convex one.
• Another drawback is the presence of glare. Despite the assurances of sellers that there is no glare at all in such screens, this thesis is erroneous. If the screen is indeed protected from the lateral rays that go tangentially, then there is absolutely nothing from those falling on it not at an acute angle.

Now let's talk about the characteristics of this category of devices, which will not only help you choose the best model, but also generally understand whether you need such a TV and whether it is worth buying it or is it better to limit yourself to purchasing a flat model.

This indicator is usually measured in inches, and the screen size is determined according to the distance from the point of view to the TV display. The best distance will be somewhere 2-3 diagonals of the TV model.

A curved surface changes the angle of reflection of light rays and reduces glare. The greater the concavity, the greater the distance of the radius of curvature from the center of the screen.

This parameter defines the maximum allowable angle of the display plane, at which there is no image distortion. Most often, the value is 178 degrees.

The curved TV screen visually enlarges the picture. Even he himself will look more voluminous when compared with flat samples. But this effect will depend on the distance between the viewing point and the screen.

The considered category of TVs gives maximum immersion in what is happening on the screen. This is due to the design of such a device. In many cinemas, screens of this form are used. In this case, the image will be as realistic and natural as possible, as if flowing around the viewer.

As everyone knows, glossy displays reflect even weak light, and matte counterparts do not have this problem. Everything is simple here: the higher the brightness and contrast of the display, the more invisible the reflections will be. And here the concavity does not matter anymore. In addition, any reflections on curved models will be stretched more than on a flat screen due to the distortion introduced by the curvature.

In addition, there is also a bow tie distortion that is not caused by light reflection. They only appear when watching some content on such a TV. The top bar above the picture can stretch upward at the edges of the screen, although this effect will depend on the viewing angle.

If we talk about comparing TVs with a concave screen and a flat screen, then there will be plenty of differences. Only now it cannot be said that the curved model differs from a device with a conventional display so much that you have to pay serious money for it. If you look at the issue in more detail, then there are not so many supernatural characteristics and advantages in the models under consideration compared to flat devices. At the same time, they are more expensive. Moreover, the position of the viewer is significantly more important in this case. They also don't look very good on the wall, and the likelihood of mechanical damage here will be higher.

If we talk about the size of TVs of this type, then the manufacturers claim that this characteristic is almost decisive. Apparently for this reason there are practically no models on the market with curved screens measuring 32 ", 40", 43 ". Typically, the devices in question are available in diagonal sizes from 48-50 inches and above. By the way, it is the large diagonal that manufacturers justify such a high cost of their products.

In theory, a curved display should provide maximum immersiveness when viewing content. A tangible amount of screen real estate expands, which in combination with high resolution should lead to more immersion in what is happening on the screen.

But in practice it turns out differently. A 55-inch model with a curved screen will not be much superior to a similar device equipped with a flat screen. In fact, the diagonal of the curved screen will be about an inch larger. From this, the field of view will slightly increase, but this is where the rest of the effects, in fact, end.

Despite the fact that the first models under consideration appeared 4-5 years ago on the market, today you can find devices for every taste. On the one hand, this enables the buyer to find what will best meet his needs, and on the other hand, it complicates the choice. But there are 2 important criteria that will allow you to make the most correct choice:

• permission;
• diagonal.

The second criterion is no less important, which is why it would be best to buy devices with a diagonal of 55 inches and above, so that when watching it, you create the feeling of being in a cinema.

Besides, it will not be superfluous if the device is part of the Smart TV family. This will turn the room where it is located into a kind of entertainment center, because it will be possible not only to watch TV channels, but also to use the Internet, social networks and various streaming platforms. And of course, the sound quality should be high.

If we talk about the manufacturers of such TVs, then the top companies that produce them are: Samsung, LG, Toshiba, Panasonic, JVC, Philips, Sony and others. These brands make the most durable devices from high quality components, which ensures their reliability.

The units of the South Korean companies LG and Samsung are especially in demand., which combine good technical characteristics, as well as a pretty good price. In addition, they are maintainable, have a wide variety of settings and are very easy to use and manage. In addition, they are perfectly compatible with other devices from the mentioned manufacturers.

If we talk about such a thing as installing a curved TV, then, as mentioned above, installing it on a wall is quite problematic and very inconvenient. In addition, there is a high risk of damage. That's why installation should be done by mounting its legs... After that, you can put the device on some kind of pedestal.

With regard to operation, the basic rules and principles can be found in the instructions for this device.

For tips on choosing a TV, see below.