Curved TVs, whos stupid idea was that?

Digital Joker

Do I look like I'm joking?
Sep 22, 2013
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As I wait to jump on a black friday deal for a Sony 900e ive noticed retailers are trying to unload curved tvs like they were ticking time bombs. Dont know who ever thought these would be popular in the first place.
 
Aren't they actually better if you're sitting in the correct spot? I thought their only downfall was that it's bad for multiple viewers (ie great gaming TV's)? Please help.
 
Yeah never got that concept. I tried really hard to figure out the benefit, even spending time at Best Buy sitting in the "sweet spot" to immerse myself in the supposed glory of curvation. It did nothing for me. It's a solution looking for a problem I think.
 
Yes. The concept works for desktop monitors but not large screen tvs.
Actually, the larger the screen, the more beneficial a curved screen is. I mean, a monitor works because you are right in front of it. A small TV from across the room does not work at all. Anything curved that is under 65"diagonal is not as beneficial. Curved projection screens actually make the most sense, though. They are even more useful with ultra-wide screens.

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I dont buy that image saying its a wider field of view. Looks like marketing trickery. A theatre makes sense because the screen is massive and half the audience is close to screen.
 
Yes. The concept works for desktop monitors but not large screen tvs.

I don't think this is true. It just depends on your field of view. It's based on the size of your screen and the distance you are away from that screen.

Curved TV's might be on the way out but I still think they'd be a good fit for gaming TV's.
 
Also, UltraWide monitors are actually kind of still an in thing right now. Those things look totally stupid when flat, imo.

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I have to wonder if the trend will carry over into the living room. People have been making UltraWide (constant height) protection screens at home for years, with the help of a Panamorph lens. The beauty of that is that you never have black bars on top and bottom of the screen ever, even for movies shot in scope. You just have to live with varying degrees of unused sides of the screen or a zoom option. My Galaxy S8 Plus does this same thing, pretty much, adapting all UltraWide content to fit the entire display.

Now, I know this becoming the next big thing in TVs might sound goofy to some people, but two things. First, it was almost in the original HDTV spec, but 16:9 was ultimately decided upon, mostly because Japan had already chosen that format for their home territory. Secondly, I really hope they find something other to push next, instead of 8K, etc. I just find this resolution jumping thing a really poor use of innovation, at least for the living room screen. I wish they would just leave it at 4K for a good while. They could even sell a new anamorphic UHD Blu-ray disc, to push the vertical res to the max on UltraWide movies.
 
I can see desktop monitors being more useful as you're sitting 2 ft from it and it gives a widescreen kind of display. For curved TVs though, the size of the screen is basically no different than a similarly sized tv and you're also sitting 10 ft away.
 
I can see desktop monitors being more useful as you're sitting 2 ft from it and it gives a widescreen kind of display. For curved TVs though, the size of the screen is basically no different than a similarly sized tv and you're also sitting 10 ft away.

Someone explain this to me. Why am I having trouble understanding?

Isn't it obviously based on a field of view ratio? As in, if you're sitting 2 ft away from a 24 inch curved monitor, it would be the same as sitting 4ft away from a 48 inch curved TV screen.
 
Someone explain this to me. Why am I having trouble understanding?

Isn't it obviously based on a field of view ratio? As in, if you're sitting 2 ft away from a 24 inch curved monitor, it would be the same as sitting 4ft away from a 48 inch curved TV screen.

For a monitor you're always going to be centered on screen. Unless you live alone thats not going to be the case for a tv. For someone sitting to the left of center, the angle viewing the left side of tv will be made worse due to curve. Athough the opposite could be said for someone left of center viewing the right side.

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For a monitor you're always going to be centered on screen. Unless you live alone thats not going to be the case for a tv. For someone sitting to the left of center, the angle viewing the left side of tv will be made worse due to curve. Athough the opposite could be said for someone left of center viewing the right side.

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So they would be good for gaming TV's where you know you're going to be the main user right?
 
So they would be good for gaming TV's where you know you're going to be the main user right?
I believe so. But from what Ive read the effects are very minimal even at the sweet spot.
The best advice I could give would be to read various articles on it and draw your own conclusions.
 
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I never got the curved TV thing. You see what you see and what you're meant to see. What are curved screens trying to assist? Just always seemed like an active distortion to me.

I'm sure they're not terrible but I would never consider one and sounds like it was a phase.