I Want My (M)TV

It’s still very much “Indoors” season here in Glasgow, with spring still a few weeks away and the bitter cold still lingering. So it’s only natural that we’re spending more time in front of our screens. We’re drawn in a moth-like fashion, subsidizing our limited sunlight time with the artificial, Netflix-flavored variety. How then do we make the best of this time huddled in a trancelike state, fixated on the moving images before us? While seeing is believing, not all screens are actually crated equal.

Between televisions, computer monitors and smart devices the average U.S. home now contains a whopping seven screens. During these winter months, we spend around 40 minutes per day more on screen time than we do when it’s pleasant outside. Most adults will split the majority of this time between TV and PC use, so it pays to know the facts on ways they can differ. Without diving into the history too much here, the first modern flatscreen display was released back in 1996 as a joint venture between Sony and Sharp. It wasn’t until the mid 2000s though that LCD technology became the dominant force in the display market.

So how do you pick between them? Well the space in which you intend to use your screen is an important factor to consider when shopping for a display. Brightness, contrast and viewing angle will be things you’ll want to think about, as will an appropriate budget for how much any given screen will be used. There is such a thing as too large of a screen for any particular space, but given almost all new TVs offer 4K resolution, this is now more of a physical limitation than a viewing-quality one. Searching for a new screen for your workstation? 24” is the minimum I advise nowadays. Your eyeballs will thank you.

Let’s actually go ahead and tackle computer monitors first; they break down into three main types of panel, which is the part of the screen responsible for actually displaying images. A twisted nematic or TN type screen is the oldest flavor of LCD, but they’re still common in more budget friendly monitors. They offer great refresh rates for fast-moving content, but are more or less average in every other category. VA or vertical alignment is our next option, which offers better color reproduction, contrast and a wider viewing angle than a TN display. The tradeoff being cost and in some cases a very slight reduction in refresh rate, but they make great screens for general usage. Lastly is IPS or in-plane switching monitors, whose real party trick is the most accurate colors - perfect for photographers!

Looking for something a little larger? Televisions operate with similar display technology to monitors, but with slightly different challenges. LED type televisions typically use either IPS or VA panels, neither truly being any better or worse; they simply suit different usage cases. An IPS screen will work great if you have a large seating area and people viewing the screen from a wide angle. If you’ve a dark room and sit fairly squared with the TV, you’ll enjoy a VA panel with its improved contrast ratio and richer blacks. If you’ve incredibly deep pockets, an Organic LED screen offers the best of both worlds. OLEDs boast the best performance in almost all categories, with the only real downside being the risk of image burn. This happens when a static image sits on the screen for extended periods, permanently scarring the pixels. Think your favorite weather or news channel’s logo permanently etched in place. Yikes.

There you have it! You’re now fully equipped to furnish your entertainment space with a gorgeous TV, or alternatively stand around a Best Buy being “that person.” I’ll let you pick which.