The problem with new TVs

Luke

Legend
Location
Milwaukee, WI USA
Name
Luke
My wife decided that we needed a new TV. Cool with me....a bigger screen for playing video games is OK with me. Brought him this lovely beast on clearance and much to my chagrin, the screen is like a freaking mirror.
12990350795_7cbde319ed_b.jpg

DSCF0935 by Luke Lavin, on Flickr

I went back to the store to look at other models......I'd gladly pay more if I needed to get one that was less reflective. I explained my problem to the salesman and asked him which TV I should buy if reflections bothered me. He asked if I had a time machine! He said that I'd need to travel back around 3 years to get one with a less reflective matte finish screen. Apparently they are all this way now to improve contrast and look super snazzy on the showroom floor. He said to just not position it opposite a window. Fine, except my space won't accommodate a placement like that. And most of my TV watching is at night anyways, but that's almost more of a problem....see that lamp right there. It sits on a table between the couch I occupy and the chair my wife sits in. There's no way around that lamp. So we just need to get used to it.

I can't believe we can land a man on the moon, but not a single TV manufacturer can make a screen that doesn't reflect everything right back at you. Sorry for the first world rant and thanks for letting me vent.
 
I'm glad you called yerself out on that first world problem so I didn't have to ;) hehehehehehe
After awhile, I stopped even noticing the reflections. Give it a big of time...?
 
We've got an LG from... 9 years ago? Something like that.

- Has a matte screen
- Has an SD card slot so you can view your photos right on it

I hope it never dies.
 
Back in the day, they were putting matte screens on LCD tvs. Some people liked them. Some didn't. Those of us like me who adopted plasma early on, like the fact that the shiny screen in a dark room made the TV have more of a window feel with much more clarity and It just looked better while watching movies in a dark or dim room. Even some Plasmas had matte or anti reflective screens and just didn't look as good. LCD manufactures followed suite.
 
Luke, why don't you angle the TV down a bit so that it won't reflect the window and the light?

Maybe raise the TV a bit, and then angle it down just enough so that you won't even notice the slight angle.

Or place the TV on a lower stand and then angle it up just slightly.

Either way it looks like it should work out fine since you're sitting quite significantly lower than the TV at the moment anyway.
 
My Panasonic non-plasma 720p HDTV is now seven years old. And I hope it never dies. Picture quality is more than good enough for me - in fact, I like it a bit better than the latest 1080p sets. The picture has a film-like quality that I enjoy very much. And a matte screen. (y)

Just as with 24mp-plus cameras, the benefits of the latest and great HDTV technology are decidedly mixed and upgrading is no longer a no-brainer... at least for me.
 
Actually, most flat screen TVs these days come with a wall mount, and I think you have the option of angling it when you mount it on a wall. That should solve the problem some ways, maybe.

I have my TV mounted on a stand like yours but it also came with a strap with which I can connect the top of the TV to the wall behind it as a security measure to prevent the TV falling forward by accident.
 
James, thanks for the suggestion. I've always felt that a TV at eye level made the most sense, but I may try placing it higher and angling it down. I just don't love TV enough to get a sore neck looking up. I am growing accustomed to it for the most part. And if we're watching a movie that is fairly immersive and pretty dark, we turn off the lamp and turn on some other lighting in the room.

I'm sure it's only a matter of time before someone makes some sort of anti-glare film to place over the screen (kinda like a screen protector). I would think they could sell a boatload of 'em.
 
Luke, the secret with wall mounting is not to raise the TV too high. We're not talking hospital room-like placement here. Just a bit up off eye level so that you can angle the screen down just enough to help with the reflection. But if you're happy enough with the compromise you're working now, fantastic.
 
My Panasonic non-plasma 720p HDTV is now seven years old. And I hope it never dies. Picture quality is more than good enough for me - in fact, I like it a bit better than the latest 1080p sets. The picture has a film-like quality that I enjoy very much. And a matte screen. (y)

Just as with 24mp-plus cameras, the benefits of the latest and great HDTV technology are decidedly mixed and upgrading is no longer a no-brainer... at least for me.

Thats exactly what I had until the power supply went out. Was more to fix it than to buy a new one.
 
Remember the CRT "flat" screens (heavy monster with the flat glass)? We're still using one. Probably, the one shipped with the 1999 Travel Supreme. And since I won't pay the extra, for HD cable, it works fine.
 
Back
Top