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Curved Screen TVs - What You Need to Know

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Tom Miller Service Company

Houston , Texas  77067

…..high-end a/v cables are an utter rip-off
From the “ out in the field” series….

By tom miller......

Ever wonder why the tv or surround system you just bought at the retail store “ had to have “ $300.00+ worth of cables to work…!! Well at least that is what the salesman told me..!

Even in the "analog world" high-end cables are an utter rip-off. The simple fact of the matter is that a fully shielded well-constructed 75 ohm RCA cable [suitable for composite video, component video, digital coax audio, analog audio, sub woofer cable, etc.] contains under ten dollars in parts at best. Wire, PVC and RCA plugs are cheap. Period. Esoteric geometry, silver connectors, inline filters, "directional" cables and the like have never, not once in the history of the industry been shown to make any audible difference in a scientifically controlled test. This is why many high end audio forums forbid discussion of double-blind testing. If you want more information on this look for Usenet articles by John Dunlavy or an old article I mirrored on my blog where a guy uses expensive professional mastering equipment to measure a cable made from a coat hanger.

The premium analog cable market was/is a way for audiophiles to say "My ears are so refined that I cannot stand the imperfections in any cable priced at less than $100/ft." In most cases you cannot tell the differences on an oscilloscope, let alone audibly. Especially when you consider age as a factor. People's hearing range goes down as they age. Digital cables are a holdover from that. As Barnum said, there's a sucker born every minute.

From the “ out in the field” series….

By tom miller......

Q: what brand of LCDtv do you recommend…??

A: Years ago I would always say Zenith....but it does not matter anymore...they are all made in Cucamonga somewhere and they are all sleeping with each other...had [3] LCDtv's in the shop side by side the other day with the backs off on them  a sony , a Samsung . and a vizio...I could not tell them apart except for the " name tag " on the front...and the Samsung without a question had the best pic...running all on 1080i broadcast from ch#8....my customers ask me " what brand do you recommend " what do I tell them...

“ it's a crap shoot man....!!! “

More info to come as we see and work on more of this stuff “ out in the field “…………..

The new digital / HDTV Signal Quality
From the “ out in the field” series….

By tom miller......

The new digital / DHTV Signal Quality...... ever wonder why you DO NOT see any small hand held tv’s in stores any more like “sony walkmans “ and the little Casio’s you can carry with you....well this is why...you have got to love new technology...one step forward and three steps back

As high-definition video broadcasts go digital, the disadvantages of digital video broadcasting also apply. For example, digital video responds differently than analog video when subject to interference. Unlike in analog television broadcasting, in which interference causes only gradual image and sound degradation, interference in a digital television broadcast will freeze, skip, or display "garbage" information or just a “ black screen “ with no sound at all. This problem is particularly pronounced in the new digital / HDTV Signal standard used for over-the-air transmission in the United States, which is highly sensitive to interference that may be introduced by moving objects between the transmitting and receiving antennas.

For instance, it is impossible to receive a new digital / HDTV signal in a moving vehicle, and it may be difficult to maintain reception during high winds in locations where large trees are situated in the line between broadcasting antenna and receiver....well i gess when it is all said and done and the government gets there way..we will all say goodbye to “ free tv”...and all be on pay service of some type either cable or satellite.........!!!

More info to come as we see and work on more of this stuff “ out in the field “…………..


servicing the audio and video industry since 1977

hey are coming, and you need to be prepared - for the curved screen TV that is. Yes, after decades of "bubble" shaped CRTs,
​followed by two decades of Plasma, then LCD flat panels, some TVs are taking on a new splashy curved look.

What is the reason for this new design change? - The manufacturers (LG, Samsung, Sony, et al...) will tell you it is to create a more "immersive" TV viewing experience, but in reality, real reasons are to simply make sure that those new high-tech OLED and 4K Ultra HD TVs stand out from those plain ole' 1080p TVs on store shelves to further entice you to buy them - and, of course, because they can make them.

Yes, they do look cool, especially those that can morph from flat to curved at the touch of button. But what are you really getting if you decide to purchase a curved screen TV? Let us take a step back and discuss the implications of curved TVs in more detail.

The More Immersive Viewing Experience Argument

So, one of the advantages of curved screen TVs touted by manufacturers is that these sets provide a more immersive viewing environment, sort of like bringing an "IMAX-like" viewing experience to the living room.

However, one factor working against this argument is that curved screen viewing is most effective when only one or two persons are viewing TV (especially if you are talking about TVs in 55 and 65-inch screen sizes). For those that have families or friends that join in on TV viewing, the side-to-side viewing requirements means that those side viewers will not see the entire edge-to-edge picture displayed on the screen, due to the curved edges.

The "IMAX" immersion effect really only works well for an audience in a large projection screen home or cinema environment where a screen may be installed that goes from floor to ceiling and wall-to-wall. In this setup the entire audience sits within the curve - so if you want this same experience at home, you need to fork out the bucks for a genuine "Imax" Home Theater System - and I mean, really big bucks!

It Looks More Like 3D and You Don't Have to Wear the Glasses Argument

Not quite. Yes, if you are sitting in the center sweet spot of a large screen curved TV (especially if it is one of those 21x9 aspect ratio 4K Ultra HD sets), your peripheral vision gets a more natural workout, adding a more "panoramic" realism and depth that you would not get on a flat screen TV (especially a 16x9 screen) . However, you are not having a true 3D experience.

If the 3D content is produced well, viewing through active shutter or passive polarized glasses is still the best way to view 3D in terms of perceived depth. However, big strides have been made with glasses free 3D, and if that becomes the norm, then yes, curved screen, 21x9 aspect ratio, and glasses free 3D would be the best of all possible worlds.

However, in the meantime, those that currently suffer negative side effects when viewing 3D using glasses will probably be satisfied with the more stress free result of perceived enhanced  depth within a 2D image that 4K Ultra HD curved screen TVs can deliver without activating any additional 3D viewing modes that may be included on a specific set.

Other Problems with Curved Screen TV That They Won't Tell You

- Ambient Light Reflections:

With the curved TVs I have seen so far, one may issue for me is ambient light reflection. If viewing a curved TV in a room that has windows, lamps, or reflected light off walls, the thing that is noticeable on a curved TV is how that light is reflected off the screen. Because of the curved screen, reflected light and objects appear shape distorted, which can be very distracting. Also, depending the outer screen coating, you can see these reflections when the TV is off.

I can see this not only being annoying for consumers, but think of home theater installers and interior decorators getting headaches trying to design and place lighting and objects in the room without causing TV screen reflection problems.

- Off-Axis Viewing:

Here is another critical problem with curved TVs. Not only is your horizontal viewing angle important, but also the vertical. If you are sitting too low or too high in relation to the center of the screen, you may notice that the image bows somewhat.

Of course, all flat LED/LCD TVs have both horizontal and vertical off-axis viewing issues to some extent, but with a curved screen screen configuration, these effects are exaggerated on both LED/LCD and OLED sets.

- Letterbox Distortion:

It would be great if all video content would fill our TV screens, but unfortunately, film and video content was, and continues to be, produced in a variety of aspect ratios. What this means for you is that there will be TV programs or movies that will be displayed with black bars either on the sides (pillar boxing) or top and bottom (letterboxing) of the image (even a 21x9 aspect ratio TV can display letter boxing on extra-wide screen movies, such as Ben Hur).

On a flat panel TV, other than being annoying to some, pillarbox bars are vertically straight, and letterbox bars are horizontally straight. However, on a curved TV, depending on the amount of the screen curvature and viewing position, horizontal letterbox bars may appear distorted to some degree. The bar on the top of the image may appear to bend up slightly at the edges, while the bar at the bottom of the image may appear to bend down slightly at the edges. As a result, objects in the image at curved points may also appear to be distorted up or down - which, depending on the degree of distortion, may not be a good viewing experience.

- You May Not Be Able to Mount Your Curved TV on a Wall:

OK, so the big advantage of LED/LCD and OLED TVs is that they are so thin, you can mount them on a wall - well, not always. The first generation LG and Samsung OLED TVs cannot be wall mounted, but it looks like (if the displays at the 2014 CES are any indication), some of the next generation sets of various sizes may be wall mountable, including some of the bendable or flexible types.

Closing Thoughts - For Now

So, there you have it, my perspective on the whole curved screen TV push as of the 2104-2015 time frame. Is curved screen TV right for you? If you are considering the purchase of one, make sure you give it a thorough look - from the center, to the sides, above the center axis, and below the center axis - also, view some letterboxed content - and, you if plan to hang it on a wall - make sure it is a wall-mountable compatible model.

Of course, if you can't make up your mind or if you like curved and rest of family likes flat, you may be able to opt for a "bendable" or "flexible" screen TV.

The main questions you need to ask yourself:

Why am I buying this TV?

Where am I going to put this TV?

How many people may be watching the TV at any given time?

Except for the curve, does the TV have all the features you want in your TV (LED/LCD, OLED, 1080p or Ultra HD, 3D, Internet Streaming, etc..)?

How does the picture look to you?

Lastly - Is the curved screen really worth the extra price?

Curved Screen TVs are definitely coming your way - whether they will eventually supplant flat screens remains to be seen. However, some of the problems with curved screen TVs I have outlined will probably be addressed, possibly making them more desirable as time goes on.

Just as with 3D, TV manufacturers are taking a big gamble that you will want one - and if you don't, they lose big money - but if you do, the shape of TVs will have changed forever (at least until they get replaced by true 3D video walls or holograms).

My info…from Tom Miller

Every one here seems to have missed the real point why curved TV's make no sense at all. In a 2 piece projection system with a large screen: (say anything over 10 feet wide) the distance from the projector lens to the edge of the screen is longer than that to the center of the screen. This causes the image to be deformed at the outer edges of the screen. This deformation may be somewhat compensated by lens design but may also vary according to how much zoom is used in a given installation. In other words the pixels on the screen will be larger around the edges than in the middle and may also be less focused. Curving a projection screen makes the lens to screen distance more constant thus reducing or eliminating this image distortion. 
That is not the case on a TV no matter how large the screen is since every pixel is generated within the TV and will be the same size where ever it is positioned on the screen. 
So why make a curved TV screen? Well 3D didn't work, 4K is of little use as TV sources are limited to 720P or 1080P and compressed to boot. Let's see if we can dupe the consumers with another bogus marketing ploy. 
As with many other features touted by manufacturers, the hype doesn't stand up to the science.

This is why I have always told all my customers DO NOT BUY A DLP tv….

Go with LCD plat panel and stay away from Plasmas.....!
http://www.fixyourdlp.com/2008/03/05/samsung-dlp-problems/