Manufacturers of audio and video equipment regularly announce the introduction of new technologies that improve the operational capabilities of products. Unfortunately, not every know-how lives up to expectations, not to mention the significant benefits in terms of the use of equipment. Nevertheless, advances that change the mass consumer's perception of the properties of multimedia equipment are appearing, and, as a rule, their announcements are accompanied by lush advertising. Three years ago, it was in this style that a curved TV screen appeared on the market, the advantages of which were actively replicated by the marketers of LG, Sony and Samsung. By the way, even today, when a whole segment of models with a non-standard display has formed, the list of manufacturers participating in it is not so wide. And the more attractive the offers.
Features of concave TVs
Before moving on to considering the pros and cons of an innovative solution, it is worth getting acquainted with its features in more detail. The main difference is the changed radius of the television panel - in other words, in the form of a screen that is concave to the side opposite to the viewer's position. However, it cannot be said that this principle of filing a “picture” is truly revolutionary. It, in particular, is used in the design of theater stages and movie screens. And it is logical that the correction of the shape of the projector display in the end made it possible to realize a curved TV screen. The advantages and disadvantages of this solution are still not so clear. If in a cinema the effect of a concave cloth is obvious due to the large size, then in the case of television displays, pluses are found only in the case of a large diagonal. There are other nuances of such models, familiarity with which will make it possible to form a more complete opinion about the new technology.
Deep dive
The curved plane allows you to cover a large area of the field of view, so it may well create a feeling of deep immersion in the atmosphere of the film. For example, a flat screen with similar dimensions due to its shape will not be able to provide the same coverage. However, users note a minimal increase in visibility, which provides a curved TV screen. The advantages in this indicator are most pronounced only in the case of large displays - at least 55 inches. However, a flat screen with this format can provide a good penetration of film strip. There is another trump card on the side of concave television panels - this is a combination with high resolution in 4K UltraHD format. Thanks to this technology, a truly non-standard image gives the advantage of a wider coverage with its review.
Contrast and viewing angles
In this case, it is worth noting the OLED technology, whose carriers so far are precisely televisions with a concave screen. The advantages of this combination are expressed in two factors - increasing sharpness and contrast, as well as expanding viewing angles. Actually, these are related structural features, which in practice give the effect of the integrity of the “picture” and the feeling of a larger screen area without the usual angularity characteristic of traditional models.
According to the manufacturers themselves, a concave screen is able to increase the contrast in the side zones. This will especially manifest itself in the perception of the viewer sitting close to the concave panel. It is even better to use a large monitor for this purpose, since the distance to it will leave even less - about 45 cm. This advantage of the curved TV screen can also be observed in models with a diagonal of 27 inches. Further, the larger the format, the higher the quality of visual perception in terms of contrast and smoothing of the side corners.
Visual increase in screen area
Under certain conditions, the curved shape of the screen can really create the feeling that the TV has a larger area than a flat model with the same diagonal. However, it is possible to achieve a significant disclosure of this factor only if the viewer is located at the optimum point relative to the place where the curved TV screen is. The advantages in the form of an increase in the perception area of the “picture” are the most effective tool for marketers. However, it cannot be said that this is a fiction and an untwisted myth. With the right position, the viewer will feel the difference, but it will be noticeable only if a large screen is used.
The need to be in the center of the screen
This is not a requirement at all, but in order to fully experience not just advantages, but especially eye contact with a concave screen, you need to be located strictly in the center of the TV. In this case, there will be a noticeable absence of distortion and glare, as well as a visual extension of the viewing angles that distinguish the curved TV screen. The advantages in this case can be considered only conditionally, since they are achieved only with a viewing session alone. Most of the advantages of a concave screen are not revealed in any way for viewers who look at the display at an angle - that is, they sit on the edges of the sofa.
High price
There is nothing surprising in the fact that the new development is more expensive than its less technological counterparts. However, experts have not yet observed the prerequisites for the cheapening of such models, which is also natural in the home appliance market. Today, models with a diagonal of 40-55 inches can be purchased on average for 70-100 thousand rubles. And this is not the limit, since all related technological accessories in the spirit of the aforementioned 4K format increase the price tags by which TVs with curved screens are sold by another tens of thousands. Are they needed for that kind of money? The answer in each case will be individual, but flat-screen models for the same 100 thousand rubles. They also offer many opportunities for a pleasant movie show. And this applies not only to the large screen, the diagonal of which can be 70-80 inches. The traditional form factor continues to master the more familiar areas, including interactive and communication capabilities.
Does it make sense to buy a curved screen TV?
The bending of the television panel, in spite of all the efforts of marketers to fill its existence with meaning, in essence, does not yet give the viewer anything fundamentally new. For example, the image quality in the most advanced versions to a greater extent increases the high resolution of UltraHD, rather than a concave design. As for the increase in the viewing area of the “picture,” the increase will be insignificant, and several thousand will have to be overpayed for it, and this is at least. In this case, why not just buy an ordinary model with a larger diagonal, which will certainly expand the area of visual perception. Given all of the above, one may wonder - why do I need curved TVs? First of all, you can not discard the desire of manufacturers to earn money on a new fashion. But if you look at such a model from the point of view of the consumer, then it can well compete with large-format flat screens for home theaters. Although in this context, prices for concave models do not correspond to their advantages.
Conclusion
It would be wrong to say that the creators of the new concept do not offer the consumer anything at all useful. At this stage in the development of the segment, the advantage of a curved TV screen over a traditional flat panel is not too obvious, but it is. At least the merit of this solution is confirmed by mathematical and geometric calculations. True, what good is it if the viewer himself does not feel noticeable improvements in the viewing process? One way or another, there are opinions that the concave screen will survive in the future as a more rational and optimized one.