Key Difference – Curved vs Flat TV
The key difference between curved and flat tv is that, like IMAX movie screens, curved TV screens attempt to give the viewer a more immersive experience compared to the viewing experience provided by flat screen TVs. The difference between curved and flat TV is not limited to the viewing experience alone. There are advantages as well as disadvantages for having a curved screen on TVs. We will look at both the advantages and the disadvantages.
Curved vs Flat TV Advantages
Curved screens take advantage of peripheral vision (the ability of us to see from the sides of our eyes). By extending into the sides, curved screens take up more of the viewer’s field of view, to give the viewer a more realistic, and so a more immersive, experience. On the other hand, since the curved shape “catches” less light coming towards it, it has a reduced field for reflecting ambient lights from the background that might cause a glare.
The curved shape also improves the viewer’s perception of depth, as the images now occupy several planes of depth. The images from sides of the screen should also appear sharper than they would on a flat screen, as they are at a uniform distance from the viewer (provided the viewer is not viewing the TV from a side!)
It is also argued that curved screens improve the contrast since the curved shape focuses light coming from the TV towards the viewer.
Curved vs Flat TV Disadvantages
However, there are distinct disadvantages of having a curved screen. Even though the field from which ambient light gets reflected is reduced, the curvature has a magnifying effect on any light that it does reflect off the screen, causing spots of glare to appear much larger.
With a curved TV, the viewer needs to sit directly opposite the centre of the screen to get a good viewing experience. If the viewer is watching from the side, curved screens can also distort the view of the images; the images from the nearer side may seem squashed while the images from the farther side may seem stretched.
Curved TVs also take up more space if you plan to put them against the wall or hang them from the wall. Especially, when hanged, the curved edges might seem to “protrude” from the wall, making it look less aesthetically pleasing. Curved TVs are also more expensive compared to flat TVs, which is also a disadvantage.
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