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Curved TV vs. Flat Screen TV: To Curve or Not to Curve Debate – Samsung, LG, Sony 4k TVs
As the 4K ultra HD TV market grows, new standards and new design trends are starting to take firm root. One of these, at least so far, has been a tendency towards TVs with a gentle concave curvature to their screens. The big questions, which have also spawned some debate among consumers, tech watchers like us at 4k.com and manufacturers as well are whether curved TV designs are superior to their flat screen counterparts, if they're worth buying and in case they're worse or better, than by how much and in which ways?
Well, for those of you who have also been wondering about these issues, you need not look any further. We're about to cover all of the essential arguments, issues, factors and technical aspects of curved TVs and their flat cousins to see which of the two types really is the better option and in which ways.
We'll weigh the pros, cons and other assorted but important details for you so that you can come out of this guide knowing without much doubt what the deal is, all fluff and sales shtick aside.
Let's get started.
Aesthetics & Wall Hanging
The first and most basic question to consider when it comes to buying either a curved 4K TV or a flat model is one of aesthetics, ie: which do you think looks nicer. While how something physically looks isn't always exactly the best measure of whether you should buy it (functionality is always more important we think), when it comes to products in which the difference in quality between one look and another is debatable to some extent, looks have a fair place in your assessment.
With that said, we personally believe that curved TVs do look wonderful. Maybe they'll be considered strange fads in a few years if most home TV designs go back to their tried and true flat look but at least right now, some of the most elegant looking 4K UHD models on the market are indeed curved. Take for example LG's OLED 4K TVs, the original 2014 models and almost all of the new 2016 models of these beautiful curved TVs, such as the highly acclaimed LG G6 are wonderfully thin and it's hard to argue against how elegantly sleek they look.
To summarize this, while we can't objectively argue whether curved or flat looks lovelier in the home from an aesthetic point of view, two very crucial points should be kept in mind:
First, that curvature usually means a slightly bulkier 4K TV screen overall, due to a slightly thicker screen profile. This usually won't be a problem but it can cause some issues for those who want a truly unobtrusive television profile in their home.
Second, that hanging curved 4K TVs on a wall is downright awkward. Flat screen 4K UHD TVs are far more amenable to be hanged along any vertical space, almost as if they were paintings or large photo frames and when not in use, they do little to draw attention. This doesn't apply to curved models. Many of the older 2014 curved TVs lack even the VESA setup for being mounted to a wall and while newer model do now have wall-mounting capacity, they simply look strange when hanged up, and stick out quite a bit.
Is the "Immersiveness" real? (Why size does matter)
This is perhaps the single most contentious and debatable argument being used in favor of curved 4K televisions today, mainly because immersiveness is the supposed characteristic of these TVs which has been most used to justify their design and ultimately their price as well.
The basic argument states that due to their gently inward curving screen, 4K models with this design offer a greater level of immersiveness to the viewers sitting in front of them by slightly expanding the perceptible quantity of screen space for their diagonal size. Combined with their beautiful 4K UHD resolution and high contrast, this is supposed to create the effect of greater depth and immersion in general.
Unfortunately, while this is ever so slightly true in the very basic sense that, for example, a 60 inch curved TV offers slightly more actual screen space (if flattened out) than an already flat 60 inch TV, the difference is very slight. We're talking here about maybe .8 to 1 inch of extra display real estate.
As a result of this small additional space, the field of view for a curved 4K UHD TV vs. a flat screen TV is also only slightly smaller. Field of view is the viewing degree for a person seated an average distance of about 8 feet from the screen. In a curved 60 inch TV, the FOV is only a fraction of a degree larger than that of a flat screen 60 inch TV at the same distance. We're talking here about 29 degrees vs. 29.48 degrees, in other words, something you'd barely notice given the extra price tag that a curved model sells for (more on that shortly).
In overall practical terms, the immersiveness which has been so heavily vaunted about curved TVs is really not at all notable at the sorts of screen sizes most normal home televisions come in. It's that simple. Yes, commercial theaters have been using curved screen spaces for years to create greater depth and immersion for their audiences but these are after all screens with sizes in the dozens of feet. For any 4K TV in the average 40 to 65 inch range, that same slight curvature does basically nothing and a curved 55, 60 inch or 65 inch TV screen looks no more immersive than its flat counterpart if the two are compared side by side at any normal viewing distance.
Even for larger 70 to 85 inch 4K UHD TVs like LG's 77 inch EG9900, a curved screen creates a very small degree of immersion that doesn't at all compare to what you might be hoping for.
In very essential terms, curve only creates perceptible immersiveness at sizes which go way beyond the bounds of normal home theater 4K TVs.
Viewing Angle
Now, while curve doesn't measurably create greater immersion as we've seen above, it can ruin viewing angles in certain ways. Unlike a curved commercial theater screen, in which the entire audience easily fits inside the ideal viewing angles of the screen's gigantic curve, the normal household 4K TV with curvature in the 55 to 70 inch range effectively reduces the ideal viewing area in front of it to just 35 degrees off from center to either side.
In other words, the actual ideal viewing space and angles of a curved TV can be smaller than what they would be for a flat TV! Anybody who isn't lucky enough to be sitting within less than 35 degrees to either side of the front of the screen will actually end up being stuck with observing slight foreshortening of the on-screen image. This can be downright annoying and cause eye strain as the brain tries to compensate for the distortion.
On the other hand, the bigger the curved 4K UHD TV, the larger its ideal viewing area and in this category, the size of larger 4K TVs does matter, with a 70 inch 4K UHD TV being the minimum you'd need to avoid the potential eye strain caused by watching the TV even just a little bit from off-center. Again though, even a 70 to 85 inch TV with curvature won't create anything remotely resembling the immersiveness that some claim for these televisions.
We should note that at slight off-center viewing angles, curved 4K TVs can indeed create a slightly better dimensionality effect in the picture they're displaying but this is offset by the problems we have described above. Furthermore, the one type of curved 4K TV in which curve least affects off-angle viewing would be LG's OLED models. In these TVs, off-angle viewing doesn't lead to the sort of color washout and contrast reduction found in LCD TVs. This is thanks to the nature of their OLED display technology and it might be why curvature on OLED 4K TVs tends to look somewhat nicer than it does on LCD TVs. However even in these models, the curve doesn't add any real benefit, and it's the OLED display which creates the real added value in their display.
Distortion and Reflection
Reflection in either a curved or flat screen TV will be much more of an effect created by the level of gloss in the screen instead of its curvature. Glossier screens will normally reflect quite a bit in brightly lit spaces while more matte TV screens wont. Furthermore, 4K TVs with particularly good brightness, contrast and color vibrancy won't be affected by reflection as much as models in which these display technologies are duller, regardless of whether they're flat or curved. A very good example of this is the picture quality on the flat screened but absolutely superb Sony X940C and X930C 4K TVs. That said, for whatever reflection there is in a curved TV, it will be more stretched out than it would be in a flat screen TV due to distortion from the curve. In other words, it will take up more of the display space and block out slightly more of your view.
The best solutions for reflection in either flat or curved TVs lies in positioning them as ideally as possible so there aren't any bright sources of light opposite the screen and to generally try watching your TV under darker lighting conditions if possible, whether the model in question is curved or not.
As for distortions other than those produced with light reflection, there are viewers who report a sort of "bow-tie" effect when watching certain types of content on a curved screen. In other words, the top vertical bar of something like letterboxed content can look like it's stretching upwards along the edges of the TV, though this effect depends largely on viewing angle. Viewing a curved 4K UHD TV from dead ahead normally doesn't produce any notable distortion.
Pros and Cons
To simplify your process of selecting a curved or flat 4K TV as much as possible, we're going to use this section to give you an overall bullet-point breakdown of pros and cons, so you can quickly weigh in favor of one or the other display design:
- Slight (very slight) improvement in immersion: You won't get anything like theater quality immersion with a curved 4K TV but that extra fraction of a degree and extra inch of screen real estate we described above do technically add to the overall viewing experience
- Depth is enhanced: On this front we definitely have to give curved 4K TVs their due. The depth created by the curve and particularly in larger 65 inch+ models with additional picture quality technologies like OLED can indeed create something closer than normal to a 3D viewing experience. Some brands like Samsung, which makes most of the market's curved 4K TVs, even add depth enhancement technology to augment this 3D effect further by playing with contrast levels across the screen.
- Wider field of view: As we'd already mentioned, yes, the field of view is wider. The extra dimension is very slight but it is indeed there.
- Superior contrast: Since most of the best 4K UHD TVs like LG's OLED models and the top shelf Samsung SUHD TVs come with curvature, the correlation is that curved TVs come with excellent contrast, but this isn't because of the curve, it's because of the other technologies most curved models also have in them.
- They simply look cool: This is the point in favor of curved TVs which we definitely won't argue against. They may have their flaws and be obtrusive if hung from a wall (for those which can be mounted up at all) but these TVs undoubtedly do look cool. They're striking, they're elegant and they're sleek as hell.
The cons against curved TVs unfortunately outweigh their pros.
- Reflections are exaggerated: The curve on these TVs definitely creates a sort of funhouse mirror effect when it comes to reflections on the screen. This means that light shining off the display covers even more of your content.
- Viewing angle limitations: The curve narrows the quality viewing angle of these TVs considerably, particularly for smaller models which are less than 65 inches
- Ideal picture quality only comes from dead center: Viewing any 4K TV at off-center angles starts to spoil picture quality but with curved TVs, this is a far sharper rule, with the "sweet spot" for viewing being narrower.
- Terrible for hanging: Unlike an unobtrusive flat screen 4K TV, even mountable curved models look awkward when hanging from your living room wall.
- Size matters too much: To get any of the marginal benefit that curved TVs offer, you need to really invest in maximum size. Considering that these models are already pricier than their flat counterparts, going for a 75 inch model is not going to hit your pocketbook lightly.
- They're all expensive: We have yet to see a curved 4K TV that didn't cost a hefty bit more than an equally sized flat screen model with the same specs. The manufacturers are selling their curvature dearly and it's annoying because they know it's mostly a gimmick.
Cost/Benefit and our Final Word
As should be obvious right now, we're not absolute fans of curvature in 4K UHD TVs. For the most part the technology creates more problems than benefits and what few positives it imparts to a 4K TV are offset by the defects and weaknesses of curvature. Furthermore, curved models, even if they have the exact same visual and connectivity specs as their flat counterparts, are often more expensive. Given the dubious value of the curve in these TVs, we don't think this added price is justified at all.
On the other hand, because some of the best manufacturers of 4K ultra HD TVs are in love with curved screens for now, anyone who is a fan of LG, Panasonic or Samsung and wants one of their flagship 4K TV models, pretty much has no choice but to go for a curved TV.
This is also what partly create the impression of quality in many viewers eyes when it comes to curved design. They are looking at the curve on what are otherwise some of the best TVs on the market and as a result, a lot of consumers probably connect curve with picture quality, even though it's the other specs in a TV like Samsung's SUHD JS9500 or LG's EG9600 which are really delivering these models' superb picture quality.
With all this said, our Final Word is that curved TV design does very little for most 4K UHD TVs and if it improves viewing at all, it only does so in small ways and with very large screens. If you like the look of a curved TV, go ahead but don't expect amazing results from the curve alone.
December 29, 2015 at 8:54 pm
I plan on buying a 4K curved screen TV to use as a monitor for my next PC.
When sitting approximately 3 feet away from the screen, I believe that a curved screen would be superior to a flat screen due to off center perceived dimming at the left and right edges of a large LCD flat screen, plus the added bonus of enveloping "surround" video from a curved screen at close proximity. This does not apply if you are sitting far away from the screen as most people do when watching TV in a lounge room.
December 30, 2015 at 10:37 am
In this regard I'd definitely agree with you John. normal sized Curved 4K TVs make a negligible difference in terms of quality in a living room entertainment system setting but if you're talking about using a curved 4K TV as your PC monitor substitute, the curvature will definitely feel better at close distances like that which you describe.
February 25, 2016 at 8:08 am
I'd probably go for a 40″ curved if I were you, either a Samsung or a Sony if you can find them? If you have a PC that is capable of processing and outputting a 4K signal, with a nice chunky gfx card that can also do the same, and 3 VDU outputs that is.
Depending on what you like though, I can imagine that a good FPS (Gears of War is due a soonish PC 4K release) like COD, or a Racing title would be good…me however? I'd be looking at hooking up 3 4K's, buying a top notch flight stick and getting myself Elite:Dangerous!
July 7, 2016 at 9:32 am
If you are the only person in the house to ever watch the TV and will ALWAYS happen to be sitting in the optimum position, then a curved TV might work. However, if you have a family and more than likely have many people watching TV at the same time, a curved TV is a BAD idea due to the fact that people sitting off center will have varying degrees of adverse viewing exactly related to how off center from the TV they are.
While they may get these bugs worked out in the future, currently the curved TVs are nowhere near worth the extra money they are charging for them, and come with too many downsides in too many situations for me.
August 23, 2016 at 12:40 pm
I agree with JD. Rather than buy the 65″ Samsung curved 4k TV, I will be buying the 70″ Samsung flat 4k TV. It will replace the 70″ 1080p I already have. I am moving the current TV to another location. The angle of viewing is the main reason for sticking with the flat screen. I have lots of people over for watching football games and want all the guests to have a great seat. Why buy a 65″ curved Samsung 4k TV when you can get a 70″ flat Samsung 4k TV for the same price ( $2K) and provide a better viewing angle to more people. No brainer to me.
February 5, 2016 at 8:23 am
Thanks for the details, curved screens were originally produced in the mid1970's by Advent, for reflecting sound from the large three gun projector they developed for their 72″ projection TV. The Curve did its' job, superbly projecting / distributing the sound distinctly back to the viewer with good fidelity. Sound improvement may be the only distinct advantage for the under 65″ class TVs, provided the speakers are correctly located and are better quality.
February 17, 2016 at 4:54 pm
First off this article was extremely informative and it made complete sense !
So much so that based on this article alone, I have decided I will not get a curved screen TV, although I might consider a curved screen monitor for my photography work.
I only have one small nit with the article… A TV is not "hanged up" it is hung up 😃 However since my girlfriend and I got a great laugh out of this, I guess I should tha
nk the author for this too 😊
February 17, 2016 at 10:09 pm
Hey Chris. Thanks for pointing that out. I'll be sure to correct it. and glad it at least gave a laugh..
May 31, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Hanged and Hung are both correct though 😉
August 7, 2016 at 6:02 am
Hung and hanged are both past tense of hang. However, hanged refers exclusively to death by hanging (whether by execution or suicide.)
The easy way to remember:
A horse may be hung; a prisoner is hanged (double entendre intended).
August 28, 2016 at 10:24 am
Nope. Hanged is what happens to you when you're being executed. Hung is the proper form for all other uses of the word.
February 25, 2017 at 6:28 pm
Regardless of spelling I think we all get the intent of the word what else really matters
March 18, 2017 at 12:11 am
really, do you have to point out people's mistakes? I guess it safe for snowflakes to sit at home and point out mistakes that working people make. GET A Life and seek help for having to be an ass.
April 11, 2017 at 11:44 am
When someone's job is to write articles, I think it is okay to point out flaws in grammar. Especially if it's done constructively (like Chris did). Now the author is better at his job, which in part is to sound as literate as possible. I'm no author (engineer), but I also recognized the author's misuse of "hanged".
October 15, 2017 at 11:30 pm
Yes, when the person being corrected makes their living writing, duh. There is never anything wrong with constructive criticism which helps improve people at their jobs.
This particular situation no big deal, but I have actually seen miswording cause huge problems. A local company I was a contracted electrician for had a helper call into main office and report his electrician had been electrocuted. The head office started making arrangements and calling the man's next of kin and wife. Turns out the man had been "shocked" not electrocuted and was still quite alive and well, Electrocuted is to die from electrical shock.
February 25, 2016 at 7:54 am
I'm so glad someone has put these TVs in their place when it comes to curvature, it's a total fad and an unashamed money grabbing marketing scheme. There is no real discernible difference between flat and curved when sitting at a distance of 10-15 feet and over when it comes to viewing, and besides, the further you sit from it, the more flat it looks – so a tad purpose defeating to be honest when choosing a curved over a flat! Most people now will struggle to get a 65″ TV in their living room let alone a 75″ version (especially the KDL75X9305 from Sony), 55″ is usually the average people go for in my experience when it comes to a spankers new 4K set.
I work in a retail establishment that stocks both flats and curveds and as such see the drawbacks of curved TVs every day when either demoing them or just patrolling round the shop. I always tell the customer about the points exactly laid out in the article above.
For the average home user I will always recommend a flat version of a curved all day, every day. The screen geometry is all wrong for starters (especially when it comes to watching sports played on a pitch – hello! The pitch is marked with straight lines…on a curved?!?). The reflection pick-up is terrible as being curved, it gains reflections from other parts of the room you just wouldn't see with a flat. I don't know WHY manufacturers saw/didn't see this when testing out the initial prototypes when it came to implementing and QCing their ideas? Why did they make curveds with gloss finish glass, why not with a MATT finish or an anti-glare coating on the TV screen? If people are paying a premium for a curved 4K TV then they probably won't notice a small extra charge in with the ticket prices for these TVs with a matt finish on the screen.
All in all I suspect people will be sticking with flats for a while to come yet, even though Phillips, Panasonic and Samsung are pushing the curveds still, well into 2016 and possibly the next coming year too. It looks like LG might also be getting in on the game with a curved 4K OLED at some point as well, but I wouldn't touch OLED tech yet, not for another 18 months or 2 years minimum, not least that it's still a technology that is well in its infancy and as such, there are still teething problems to work out with it's longevity and brightness issues. An OLED TV can only push out image brightness levels at about 750-850 NITS,most LEDs output at a NIT level of 1000, which is why by contrast (sorry, no pun intended) the blacks look blacker as the output isn't washing out the blacks on it's NIT level. Wait until the NEW wave of Sony 4Ks come out in about 2 months or so, with the slim BMDS (Backlighlight Master Drive System)…. they will be able to push out an image brightness at FOUR THOUSAND NITS. Couple that with the Triluminous system and the black depth levels and it will far out do the OLED black reputation.
All in all I'm waiting for another 6-9 months until I purchase my next TV……it'll probably be a Sony 4K from the new range.
March 1, 2016 at 6:39 am
Very informative review, I will stick with the flat screen for the lounge, curved in the kitchen! Thanks
March 5, 2016 at 6:06 am
Im buying my next Samsung 60 inch screen this afternoon and just decided to go for normal flat afterreding ur article … thanks bro
March 10, 2016 at 5:39 am
I wan to get the 55 " curved tv for a bedroom and wall hang . Any advise to this working out. The Samsung 6700
March 22, 2016 at 1:40 pm
Brilliant and very informative article as said by Chris above. One point I'd like to elaborate on though would be the apparent higher cost of the curved TV to their flat screen counterparts. I am currently looking at the Samsung ue55js8000 and the curved equivalent ue55js8500. Firstly it is nice Samsung noticed the demand for a flat high end TV. Although I have noticed that with some looking around these two TVs are of similar price, around £1200.
Would you still stand by the outcome of the article and say even at the same price curved screens are of no benefit?
March 22, 2016 at 4:36 pm
Hello Daniel. Yes I would stand by that argument. Curved screen technology may look aesthetically pretty depending on subjective preferences but the curvature itself offers no additional benefit to any normally sized screen (particularly in the moderate 55 to 65 inch size ranges). If anything, as my article explains, the curvature will cause slight detriments that would not be found with flat display.
This was largely a sales gimmick technology for 2015 and newer TV releases in 2016 are even bearing this out, as manufacturers once again go back to flat display. Even LG, king of the curved premium OLED TVs in 2015, has now reverted to flat display for their Signature G6 OLED TV, which is now coming out.
March 25, 2016 at 6:13 am
Thanks Stephen. I must say originally I was undecided on the subject, but after reading your article I am now in total agreement with you. It's still a shame all of Samsung's high end TVs are curved, but as you say hopefully the manufacturers are reverting back now from this gimmick. I am just glad Samsung released the ue55js8000 which is the first screen version of the 8500.
Thanks again you've helped a lot. Just need to be sure of going for a 55 inch TV rather than the 48 inch which I initially had my eye on.
March 25, 2016 at 6:17 am
Ironically I see the top rated TV on this site in your top 10 TVs is the ue55js8500 CURVED TV.
March 25, 2016 at 9:03 am
Hello Daniel, yes it's a bit of an irony but while we think curvature is a flat out gimmick, its presence in a TV doesn't discount all the other high or low qualities of that particular television. The JS8500, JS9000, JS9500 and even more than any of these, LG's OLED EG9600 were all curved models with extraordinarily high display quality due to their internal technologies, which have nothing to to with their curved screens. It's a correlative relationship that you're seeing here. Curvature was the craze of late 2014 and mainly 2015 (particularly for Samsung and LG) so Samsung and LG put it into their top TVs even if what made those TVs superb had nothing to do with the curve.
Luckily, while curvature does nothing to improve display quality, it also does very little to spoil it. Thus a great 4K TV will still be great even if it has a pointlessly curved screen.
March 29, 2016 at 12:13 pm
Stephen, would there be any benefit to a 55″ curved screen if it was going to be placed in a corner with a wide window on one wall behind it? I imagine the curve might obstruct some of the light coming from the window where a flat may end up with a huge glare stretching across it. Or would the other edge catch more of it and make it worse anyway?
March 29, 2016 at 4:58 pm
Hi there Glenn, This is an interesting question but i stick to the arguments I presented in the post. Since you've read the article, you know the site's stance on curved TVs (A stance shared by quite a few other technology sites as well). On the whole, I'd argue that you should go for a flat TV anyhow. The possible (but not guaranteed) benefit of having a curved TV in that exact place in your home is outweighed by the general benefit of having a flat TV when you possibly change locations or change the layout of your entertainment setup. Furthermore, as we'd argued, the other detriments of curved design would still apply and you'd be paying extra for a pointless bit of design gimmickry. Go for a flat screen and if possible, pick a TV with particularly bright display to offset any potential reflection from ambient sunlight. Sony's models are great in this regard, particularly the X810C or the X850C on the lower priced side, or the new X850D TV on the pricier, newer superior HDR side.
April 8, 2016 at 5:44 am
Luckily Samsung this year have brought out there new flagship KS9000 Curve with an equal KS8000 flat, apart from the bend everything else is the same, so now we have an even harder choice cos we have a choice!!! Smart move Samsung.
April 24, 2016 at 4:20 pm
I appreciate your article and the elaborate details identifying the strength and weaknesses of the Curved TV. Initially, I was going to purchase a Curved 65″, but now after reading this analysis, I feel more at ease with making a purchase of a Flat TV. The sales man at my local Best Buy store had no clue with respects to the Flat vs. Curved. I do now believe that it is true when you say, "The manufacturers are selling their curvature dearly and it's annoying because they know it's mostly a gimmick."
April 24, 2016 at 9:03 pm
Hello Rodrigo and thank you very much for the compliment. I stand firmly behind this argument. After seeing numerous 4K TVs with both curved and flat screens, I at best notice no extra practical display benefit in the curve and if anything, for the reasons I argued in my piece, it can actually be a detrimiment in some situations (especially with light reflection off the screen and viewing angles). Unless you really like the physical look of a curved screen, don't bother with the extra expense it imparts. However, once caveat I'd add: If a particular TV is only available in curved form but happens to be an excellent model due to its specs, don't let the curve stop you from buying it either. The curve may not benefit the TV but the other specs might be worth the purchase regardless.
April 27, 2016 at 11:17 am
good article !
the 2016 models of the new FLAT-suhd tv's from Samsung stop at 65 inch.
We need to build – in a tv above the modern wide – fireplace.. does anyone know if samsung
suhd tv's bigger than 65 inch (flat!) will be for sale later this year ?
April 29, 2016 at 6:32 pm
Hello Bart. I don't believe we'll see new SUHD models in larger sizes following the release of the also curved KS9800 flagship model. Thus what I'd recommend in this case is that you either simply go for the larger curved KS9800 78 inch model (though it is very expensive at $10,000!) or go for one of Vizio's excellent P-Series HDR TVs, which go up to 75 inches and are all flat, and also much more affordable. These truly are excellent models and we'd consider them the second best 4K HDR LCD TVs of 2016.
While our stance on curved TV design is pretty clear as explained in the article above, we also ask that you bear in mind the following caveat: If a 4K TV is excellent and you love its specs but only available in curved design, then go for it anyway. TV makers use the curve to justify arbitrary price rises in these TVs and the curve does little or nothing for "immersion" but it also does no real harm, so a well designed TV will still be great whether its curved or flat.
May 1, 2016 at 4:00 pm
Is the flat samsung 65KS8000 exactly the same specification as the curved samsung 65KS9000? I'm buying one of these TVs in the next couple of days but can't decide curved or flat, hence why I'm reading your excellent article. Do you think the enhanced depth thing which the curved samsung has will be missed if I go for the flat one? Obviously I want the one with the best picture quality.
May 2, 2016 at 12:50 pm
Hello there Jane, the KS8000 and the KS9000 are actually different from each other, aside from curvature. The KS9000 offers more powerful peak brightness, stronger black levels and a somewhat better contrast. On the other hand, if you were comparing the KS8000 with the KS8500 and the KS9000 against the KS9500, then each pair is basically identical except for curve or no curve.
May 1, 2016 at 4:34 pm
Sorry I should have said UE65KS8000 and UE65KS9000, I think the uk models have different model numbers to the US versions. I hope you can still answer my question and understand which TVs I mean?
May 2, 2016 at 8:55 pm
Just had a Samsung UA55JU7500 (55 inch curved ultra hd) installed today. I hadn't read the article before i bought it. Certainly was pushed by the salesman over the flat screen, but i think mostly because it had higher specs than the (admittedly much cheaper) flat screen we were looking at.
It is in a relatively small room so its' doubtful anyone would be more than 35 degrees off centre. I'll be interested to see if there is any issues when sitting off centre.
The picture quality looks unbelievable upgrading from a 42 inch hd plasma.
Would I have bought it if I'd read the very helpful article? Only time will tell.
Anyway, it's too late now, so I'll just enjoy all the extra features and let you know!
May 2, 2016 at 10:20 pm
Hi there Andy. I don't think you have too much to worry about here. I perhaps mentioned it in the article itself but i'll repeat here an important caveat: A high quality TV will offer great display whether it's curved or not. The curve mostly offers no benefit and what it does spoil from visual quality as described in our article is offset by high quality display specs such as those offered by the JU7500. You'll likely enjoy the TV quite a lot regardless. However, yes, the price tag for curved TVs is higher specifically because of the curve and this is a bit of a tricky move by those who sell them. This is what possibly caused the sales rep to push the curved model at you more than a flat display.
May 22, 2016 at 7:11 pm
I thought this article was really informative but the question of personal use wasnt exactly answered. I wanted to put one in my bedroom for PC gaming and movies, where I'll ONLY BE seeing the screen dead on whether right in front of it or from my bed. How much of a difference then does it make? You said ideal is only from dead center, but if I'm only looking at it from dead center, is it worth the extra price tag?
May 25, 2016 at 12:15 pm
Hello there Brandon, in the context you're describing and in most other contexts, going for the flat model is the better idea. The light reflection on the screen from any ambient light sources will be less and since curved display adds no other value to any normal sized TV screen, why both spending the extra money on a curved version of any 4K TV? For example, the 2016 SUHD KS8000 and KS8500 are identical to the most basic specs but the KS8500 costs about $200 more only because of a curve that delivers no display value. Seems a bit silly unless you really just like the aesthetic appeal of curve.
June 1, 2016 at 12:58 pm
Hello Stephen. First, I just want to thank you for your article. It was very informative and definitely helped in making my decision. Over this past weekend I went to Best Buy and purchased the Samsung 65″ 4K KS8000. It was not in stock when I made the purchase, but set up for in-store pickup at another Best Buy where I lived. I went yesterday with my father who has the truck to put the TV in and immediately he noticed the Samsung 65″ 4K KS85000. He kept going back to this TV and it honestly made me go back to it as well. Everything just seemed to "POP" as if I were in a movie theater. Of course, all these TVs are tuned for store display which make a huge difference. I kept going back and forth on which TV I should get. Ironically, Best Buy's sale this week has both TVs for the same price of $2,199.00 where usually as you mentioned above the curved is $200 more so the price didn't factor into the decision. The thing that I kept going back to mainly was yes, the curve catches your eye by its different design and being the new "fad," but since I have said from day one that this TV will be hung on the wall, I couldn't get past how much the Curve will come off the wall opposed to the sleek flat TV. If it were a matter of the Curve providing better picture than the KS8000, then maybe I would've made the choice for curve, but the picture quality is the exact same so I stuck with my decision to go with the Flat 4K KS8000. I know I won't be disappointed once I get it all set up over the weekend.
Just wanted to share my experience and thank you again for your post. It certainly helped with my decision!
June 2, 2016 at 8:36 pm
Hey there Mike, I'm glad my post was helpful and we greatly appreciate feedback like this. It's informative for other readers as well. As we'd said, while curve might have physical appeal to some buyers, it won't improve picture quality in any real way in any normal sized TV (Huge cinematic screens are a different story of course) and one of our major complaints about it is just this, how clumsy the seemingly mild curve suddenly looks when pegged up to a flat wall in the home.
June 3, 2016 at 6:22 am
Hi Stephen, Great Article. I have been going through the same mental agony for past two weeks as I am deciding on Curved Vs. Flat. Similar to Mike L.'s dilemma, I was at Costco shopping for Samsung's SUHD 65″ TV, though I would prefer LG's OLED if their prices met my budget. Curved version 850D & Flat 800D, both are for $2,179.99. I guess 8000/8500 series sold at Bestbuy have silver bezel vs. pewter for 850s (identical TVs). Interestingly, 850D (Curved) was marked down by $800 (from original $2,979) and $800D (Flat) was marked down by $600 (from original 2,779). It is the same reduction at Bestbuy for 8000 and 8500 TVs. Is Samsung trying to tell us something? Both are their flagship 2016 models (of course they introduced 9000/9500 series recently). Is Curved not preferred over their Flat cousins any more? Does this validate your argument further? Just intrigued and still not decided.
June 3, 2016 at 4:04 pm
Hi there Manish, I believe you may be onto something there actually. LG has alredy started abandoning the curved OLED TV design since only one of their 2016 models comes with it (the C6 OLED) and is priced almost identically to its B6 flat screen version. Samsung persists with curved TVs and while this doesn't bother us so much, the extra pricing is insulting in a way. Since we're not the only site to have also pointed out that curved screens create virtually no difference in picture quality it's possible that consumers have been buying less of the curved versions and Samsung has taken note. This is speculation of course but it would explain those price points you mention.
June 12, 2016 at 7:50 pm
Hi Stephen, Great Article, thanks. Quick question. We looked at the LG's C6 curved and E6 flat tv's and the C6 is $1000 less. Does that make it worth purchasing over the E6? We liked the B6 but it didn't include 3D support so it was out of the running. Thanks so much
June 20, 2016 at 10:13 pm
Hey there Adam, for the most part, the E6 isn't worth the extra expense. Its brightness performance may be very slightly better, and its color accuracy is better than that of the C6 but the difference is too small to really be notable to the naked eye and in any case both TV's offer full HDR-level DCI-P3 color space Wide color gamut coverage anyhow. The main reason for the higher price of the E6 is this minor color performance enhancement, a superior built-in sound quality and the much more innovative physical dsign, with the glass back panel. You will however likely be extremely happy with the C6 if you go for it.
January 13, 2017 at 12:23 am
Great article, I waited till after Christmas to shop for a sexy curved tv and it was Lg vs Samsung. The money I could save w/Samsung was lost by false refresh rates, flicker frames and high power consumption. When restricted to LG, it came down to the C6 vs E6. The E6's price fell to C6 levels after Christmas and a review of the C6's 3-D resolution showed shadows in the banding image that testing instruments produced. The tester had no explanation for the flawed 3-D image on the C6. I suspected that the curved screen was not accounted for in the 3-D hardware/software. So,.. as beautiful as the curved C6 is,..I bought the E6 55″ on Jan 10 for $1489 total. The E6 produces 25% more brightness on 25% less electricity than the C6, A sign of better insulation, better parts, better everything. Even the fuse on the E6 is smaller. The C6 was $200 cheaper and was what I wanted but the E6 flat-screen is what I bought. Your article makes me feel better about my decision, thanks
June 5, 2016 at 6:47 pm
In order to get that immersive perception, the screen has to be greater than 70″ just to get that effect.
Otherwise, not worth the extra inch the manuacture mentions.
Theaters use the curvature to attract movie goers perception.
Its captivating at a larger proportion of a screen.
65 inch screens will done nothing much on the viewing distances or angle as i have compared with a 65 inch flat screen 4K Smart TV with a Motion Rate of 240 which the picture look practically the same. It may look a bit immersive at the center of a curved screen but not worth the money. I rather go with the flat screen.
September 18, 2016 at 6:55 pm
I like the curved TV but I wonder if this is just more of a Fad and that they will go back to the all flat screen?
September 30, 2016 at 7:47 am
Thank you ever so much. By your engineering approach yet layman stated comparison I, being an engineer, wholeheartedly concur with your conclusion. My jump from a 65″ to 80″ TV will ultimately be the most cost effective, best picture quality, flat screen 4K TV the market has to offer.
October 26, 2016 at 11:59 am
I want to know, will samsung launch any suhd models flat screen in 65 inches, i am bit confused as the curved screen do not suit my interiors, but the suhd quantum dot is superb, unfortunately it is not coming with flat screen,
Would you suggest something between ju6470 and ks 9000
November 8, 2016 at 1:54 am
What 4K stands for ? Thanx
November 18, 2016 at 12:51 pm
Hey there George, 4K is basically a term to describe a picture resolution that's four times larger than Full HD and measures at 4000 (or close to it) pixels horizontally. Thus, Full HD sits at 1920 x 1080 pixels, for total of a little over 2 million pixels on a screen. typical TV 4K ultra HD measures at 3840 x 2160 pixels, for a total of 8.29 million pixels. The name 4K refers to the number of horizontal pixels, and this isn't exactly accurate since there are 3840 of them in most 4K TVs. But it's close enough for wide use.
November 13, 2016 at 11:20 pm
Appreciate this very thorough eval on the curve vs flat. We were just about to buy the Samsung 55 inch flat 4K and saw an add for this week for the Samsung 55 inch 4K curved for the same price as the flat. After reading the pros and cons I think we should stay with the flat, even though we thought the curved is cooler looking – the latest trend. We weren't planning on hanging it, but that is surely a consideration, and viewing angle is important. We were not thinking of up-pricing to the models with the High Dynamic Range, though we could see the difference,as we did not want to go the extra money.
November 15, 2016 at 10:02 am
To also reply to this comment Ar, yes, I'd suggest staying with a flat screen. For one thing it actually does a better job of handling reflected glare by localizing it into a smaller area and secondly, as I explained in detail in the post, it really offers no real benefit while costing pointless dollars extra. Unless you don't mind paying a premium for a completely superficial aesthetic preference, extra money spent on curved TVs is money wasted.
November 14, 2016 at 12:30 am
Once again I really appreciated your article. I have two other questions before buying our new TV. The TV will be directly across from a large window. We have sheer curtains covering the center of the the window with heavier drapes on the sides, so we get some daytime glare on the screen on our current TV which is an old style glass screen. The salesman said the new TV's will not have as much reflection. Is that true and is the Samsung ok to buy or should we be looking at a different brand for anti -glare? Is the Samsung a matte finish? What is the basic difference between the UN55KU6500 UN55KU6290 UN55KU6300?
Thanks for your help.
November 15, 2016 at 9:46 am
Hi there Ar, To address your first question, yes the 2016 TVs are better at handling glare mainly because they offer higher levels of peak brightness, better contrast and deeper, richer blacks. However their screens are certainly not matte. This shouldn't be a major problem in your new TV with th layout you describe if you just set its brightness and contrast to higher levels in the TV's control menus. (Under "Expert Settings" in the "Picture" menu for Samsung TVs).
As for the differences between the KU6500, KU6300 and KU6290. there are effectively no real differences between them in terms of display performnce or any other important specs. The KU6500 is the curved version of the KU6300 with identical specs and the KU6290 is a slightly differently named KU6300 designated for sale to select retailers like Sams Club or Costco. It's otherwise the same TV though.
We even wrote an article on this recently: http://4k.com/costco-4k-tv-models-vs-mainstream-4k-tv-models-whats-the-difference-16449-2/
November 20, 2016 at 5:30 pm
Hi Stephen- I am contemplating buying between Samung UN78KS9800 and the Sony XBR75Z9D. This is for a sunroom which has light during the day.
What are your thoughts on the pros and cons of each set?
November 28, 2016 at 4:24 pm
I like that you point out that flat screens don't draw attention to themselves when not in use. I think that this is really important thing to keep in mind if you are planning to put the TV on the wall. I'll have to remember this the next time I go looking for a TV.
November 30, 2016 at 2:52 pm
I have a 65″ Curved SUHD Samsung. I thought it was a gimmick but once I got it home and set it up in the living room, it was hands down, the best investment I have made in years. We sit roughly 8′-10′ from the screen and side by side with my 2 year old Bravia 1080P you can definitely see the difference even playing a regular bluray
December 2, 2016 at 3:20 pm
Hey there JR. This is a wonderful thing to hear but I suspect that the stunning quality you're seeing is due to your TVs superb HDR and 4K display specs, not so much the curve. This will apply especially if you're comparing your new SUHD with an old 1080p TV. A curved SUHD model offers no appreciable display benefit over an otherwise equally performing flat-screen 4K SUHD model in our experience.
December 11, 2016 at 2:23 pm
Thank you for a wonderful article and summary. I have a curved 65″ LG OLED C6 and absolutely love it. However, I sit pretty close to the TV and I'm usually only one watching. It works for me but wouldn't recommend it for wall hanging or households with >2 viewers. I'm glad I had a choice, since B6 (the flat version) and C6 were the same price! Choice is a good thing (for the same price).
December 26, 2016 at 9:58 am
I'm looking for a new tv to game on. I live alone and sit 6ft from the screen with my 32″ but am thinking about changing to a 50″. I've read a lot about curved being gimmicky products but the comment at the top about using for a monitor does leave me wondering if the closer position I probably adopt while gaming would make a "smaller" 50″ screen relevant.
To call a 50″ small seems crazy to me though but as you're toting 70″ up I suppose it is.
March 19, 2017 at 7:55 am
Hey there Monster, 50 inch TVs are definitely not small by the standards of average HDTV size, we only call them smallish because in the 4K TV market, display size averages tend to be generally larger and ideal 4K TV size only really starts at 50 or 55 inches if you want to be a purist. That said, if you're going to be using a 4K TV as a monitor, yes, a smaller screen in the 40 to 45 inch range should be just fine since you're likely only going to sit a few feet or less away from the display. Also, the one context in which we consider curved screens on either monitors or TVs to be okay is from very close range, such as with gaming. Especially for curved large monitors that you might sit a couple feet away from.
December 28, 2016 at 3:18 pm
Own a 65″ LG B6, trading it in for a C6.
Curved looks sexy as hell on these new models. The curvature is not overly exaggerated like old models.
January 12, 2017 at 3:37 pm
This article pretty much echoes the same sentiments from the folks at Consumer Reports. They wrote a similar article a while back on the same subject, and decided that, unless your considering a curved TV as a work of art as well as a TV, it's more practical to get a flat one.
February 20, 2017 at 7:49 am
Have the 2017 samsung curved models (or any other models) addressed and corrected any of the issues like viewing angle and reflection?
March 8, 2017 at 7:34 am
Lol… I don't think the writer intended for this to transform into an English Language bout…… If for anything, I'll just have it as 'poetic license'…lol…Thank you for the article…. Nevertheless, I still love the said curved 'gimmick', even if only for it's prestige,aesthetics and upscale perception.
March 21, 2017 at 6:05 pm
Well, I was torn whether to get the Samsung 65″ 6300/6500 series Curved or Flat panel. This article cleared that up as I have too many relatives that visit and friends who watch football with me in season. I was buying a curve because it looks so cool, but that was it. So flat panel it is. So thanks for helping me make up my mind..
BTW the nitpicking on Hanged or Hung was a bit silly. Everyone knew what he meant and both can be used.
March 21, 2017 at 6:50 pm
Hey there Jack, thanks for the compliment and the defense of my back and forth with hanged and hung. hah. I'm glad the article could be of help and I repeat, the flat display versions of that TV in particular definitely reflect light better. Curve is essentially for users who'd like their TV to resemble a piece of art. While that's fine for those who want it, I'd argue that practical performance is more important.
May 4, 2017 at 9:36 pm
I bought the lg 55in curved and couldn't be happier. I have owned a lot of tv's and consider myself a moderate techie… I think a curved screen gives a much better viewing experience. Even from the side its hands down better than my flat screen. I don't think it's a gimmick and if you are on the fence i encourage you to go to a tv store where you can sit in a room and view side by side with a flat screen, you will be leaving with the curved….
June 8, 2017 at 12:32 pm
I am about to buy a Samsung UHDUE65JS9500. Any advice?
June 9, 2017 at 1:37 pm
Hi Irina, the JS9500 is a great 4K HDR TV from the 2015 lineup though I'd recommend the JS9000 more. it's specs are identical but without the curved display, which for the reasons we described in this article is pointless and even maybe detrimental. If you can get the JS9000 for a lower price, I really recommend you go for it. Its specs and internal performance are basically identical to those of the JS9500.
July 20, 2017 at 12:17 pm
We just bought a Samsung 4k curved 65″ and love it! We don't have any problems with viewing angles or a bunch of us watching TV in the living room. I bought a curved monitor about a year ago, and love using it for work. Personally, I haven't had any glare problems or viewing issues. I viewed this TV at Costco next to us flat counterpart. My family liked the curved picture better. Ultimately, I think it comes down to preference.
August 27, 2017 at 8:37 am
Hi Kaitlin, I'm glad you found a TV that you and your family are happy with, and of course you're fundamentally right that preference is king for consumers. Furthermore, most larger curved TVs built recently have a gentle enough curve for it to not matter much either way, but that's where the fundamental point I was making lies: Namely that while curve isn't going to ruin your TV, it also offers no objective benefit, so spending more for it if you think it will offer something it doesn't is, in our view, a mistake.
November 21, 2017 at 11:37 am
I can see an objective benefit if the curved panel screen is situated in a corner. Takes up less area space as it makes a better 'fit' (as opposed to on a flat wall). In this case would the downside (dependent on one's angle of viewing) still apply? i.e. no one's view would appear to be at a disadvantage if the curvature is in a corner. I am having a hard time deciding which is better in this situation.
August 20, 2017 at 2:57 am
Great Article Stephen thank you so much. I was planning on getting a Sony KD-49X7000e that I found for under US$ 900. I will have it hung up not 6.5 feet away from my bed.
Is that a good TV? and a good size? I keep reading 55″ is the sweet spot so I am a bit hesitant.
September 15, 2017 at 6:05 pm
Hung or hanged is one just like my English professor uncle taught us: Chickens lay, people lie. I need to lie down, not lay down!
September 25, 2017 at 4:09 am
After moving to my new place, I put my two Vizio HDTVs in the Master and Guest bedrooms with the intention of getting a 65″ for the new living room. I did all the research, and read many articles like yours. As a result, I was totally against getting a curved TV. My first choice was an OLED, but I wasn't prepared to spend nearly $3,000 on a 65 incher. The second choice was a QLED and I decided on the Vizio equivalent (P-series). However, when I went to pick it up I happened across a 2015/2016 Samsung 65″ Curved UHD TV and the form factor (even hung) blew me away. What I didn't expect, was for the picture to blow me away as well (it looked better than the pictures of everything else in the showroom – including the OLEDs). I figured this was just showroom stuff and went with the TV strictly for the 'cool' factor of how elegant the thin curved TV would hang on the wall. So, I picked it up for $1,699.
When I got it home, I discovered that everything Samsung claims about curved TVs is true, and everything the naysayers say is false.
1. Wall Hanging. While the curves do bend out away from the wall on all sides, the very fact that the curved TVs are so much thinner still makes them look tons more aesthetically pleasing (like a piece of art) when compared to my flat screen.
2. Glare: The television is mounted on a wall that is adjacent to a large main window. The Vizio flat screen always showed glare and was barely viewable at mid-day. The Curved TV, actually cut down on the glare from the window (because there wasn't a flat surface for the glare to reflect off of). If dealing with a window to the side, then I found that curved TVs don't have more glare, they eliminate it practically altogether.
3. Immersive experience; I thought this was just a buzz word until I got the TV. Yes, it does immerse the viewer – regardless of angle.
4. Sweet spot: There isn't any. I have a huge living room and the TV image looks just as good from close to 20 feet away (the end of my living room) and every angle.
September 27, 2017 at 2:20 pm
It's interesting to learn about curved TV's here. I've always wondered what the point of those is, and now I know that the immersiveness really isn't a thing. It sounds like we just need to keep buying flat screens for our home.
October 20, 2017 at 10:48 am
I have a Samsung 40 inch UHD 4K tv and I find not only is there a degrading of picture quality when sat at an angle but if the picture is dark then I experience a lot of ghosting on the screen. That is the only way I can describe it. It is so poor I am going back to an LG flat screen.
November 26, 2017 at 3:47 pm
I think it definitely comes down to personal preference. We love our curved 55" Samsung 4K Ultra HD Smart TV's! There is definitely a feeling like you're right in the middle of the action and a near 3D like experience. We've not experienced any distorted images or worse glare or reflection that any other TV. Prices are definitely coming down on these so I recommend going with the curved. They don't look awkward hanging on the wall either.
January 7, 2018 at 6:58 am
So if a curved TV was available for the same price as an identicle flat one , would most people go for it?
I ask as I was just about to get a QE55Q7F but i can get a QE55Q7C now for the same price.
January 7, 2018 at 2:07 pm
Hey there Jay. AS we've explianed frequently in some of our content, posts, guides and in any reviews we do of curved TVs, the curved display won't improve picture immersiveness or quality in any way but it also won't harm anything on larger TVs (curved screens are however detrimental to smaller displays of less than 55 inches). So if you like the way the curve looks and prefer it to the flat version, then go ahead and get it if it's available at the same price. Paying more for a curved version of any TV is a mistake though. Performance-wise, the Q7F and Q7C are pretty much identical in every way.
January 15, 2018 at 7:06 pm
I have a 65 inch curved Samsung. It is 4k UHD model and I am very happy with it. I put it in my office for video games and also picked up an XBox One X. I have an identical 75 inch TV in my living room that is not curved. For video games it is slightly more emersive. I got a great deal over Christmas. I am happy and would not hang it unless you have to.
February 24, 2018 at 10:06 am
I was told that the curved tv's go bad faster that flat screens. I was going to get a curved but the salesman told my husband that and talked him right out for a 65inch curved tv
April 29, 2019 at 1:05 pm
Hi Dana, this was absolute nonsense that the sales rep invented (or was told by someone else who might have been lying to him) for the sake of selling what was probably a slightly pricier TV. The internal and surface technology of curved and flat screened versions of any given TV are pretty much identical, with only the physical curvature design being different. As we explain in our post, curved is generally pointless except if you like it for some odd aesthetic reason, so flat displays are the better and usually cheaper choice.
February 28, 2018 at 8:35 am
So after reading this article as well as the comments, does anyone care to comment or give thought to the low end curved televisions that have popped up recently. I am mainly referencing the Sceptre C558CV-U which has been seen as low as $335. Now their brand is definitely in the budget end, however for many families, this is how they got their current 50″, 60″ tv to begin with. Do you feel we will see other brands bringing low end curved televisions in at lower price points, or that prices will come down some from our high end companies? What is your opinion about Spectre coming to market with a curved 55″ with a price tag that low, is it impossible for it to be any good? I won't bash on the brand, I have seen a few nice models as well as a few duds from them, as with any company. I'm just curious if this is really a great jump for those really wanting to test the curved television in their home without the outrageous price tag. Personally, I had a few credits and gift cards and am now waiting for one to ship.
April 1, 2018 at 12:29 pm
My game room is 8X12. The overlarge recliner fits in the middle of the room directly in front of my 60" Samsung Curve. A womderful place to watch Netfix or HBO or live sports.
May 2, 2018 at 11:41 pm
I'm still confused with comments n9 better off I guess all comes down to prefernce trying to weight up Samsung 65″ Curved or the flat both with similar but flat has hdr1000 while the curved hdr pro
May 25, 2018 at 11:58 pm
Still cant decide to get a flat or curved tv
May 30, 2018 at 9:48 am
Hi, I'm trying to decide between Samsung's MU6300 (curved) and MU6100 (flat), they're both the same price right now so it's not a money thing, I just can't seem to make up mind. I was really sceptical at first and then my dad got a 65″ curved screen and it's really something, but I'm going smaller because I live in apartment and the distance between the screen and the sofa is not a lot, so I can't help but wonder if it would make a difference for the better, specially taking into account that not everyone would be watching from the front, but at an angle
July 27, 2018 at 12:11 pm
Hi there Victoria, if they're both the same price (and I know they have more or less the same specs) go for the MU6100 flat model, especially if you're going to have people watching at an angle. The curvature of the screen does definitely affect the quality of off-center viewing, negatively at that. Curved screens are even worse on smaller TVs so avoid the curve if you're going to buy a 55 inch model.
June 3, 2018 at 6:53 am
Costco is offering Samsung MU8500 65' for 999, would you recommend it as this price point? Alternative I had in my mind is Sony 850E which is similarly price but Costco doesn't sell it so buying from Best Buy would also mean extra $150 for warranty extension which comes free at Costco.
June 5, 2018 at 9:17 am
Hey there Amir. I'd definitely recommend the MU8500 at that size for that price. It's a great TV with some truly strong picture performance. Overall I'd consider it slightly better than the X850E so if it's costing you less, you're getting a good deal. On the other hand, we do prefer Sony's smart TV platform because it includes the Google Play app for downloading tons of other apps, but this can easily be fixed by adding an external streaming device to any TV you own. Our devices page offers a comprehensive guide to these by the way.
June 11, 2018 at 2:59 pm
Seems to me another ambiguous marketing rip off from tv sellers of curved types, another fad to take advantage of to the buying public, who can you trust to be honest in justifying cost…..a sign of our times ….!!
September 6, 2018 at 3:10 am
It's a shame you don't have a donate button! I'd definitely donate
to this brilliant blog! I guess for now i'll settle for bookmarking and adding your RSS feed to my Google account.
I look forward to brand new updates and will talk about this
site with my Facebook group.
September 15, 2018 at 3:12 pm
Very helpful but can you please help me out on whether to go for a smart digital TV or a digital setlight TV?
Thank you.
October 7, 2018 at 5:55 pm
Which brand is best for 32″ TV flat screen?
October 21, 2018 at 5:57 pm
I currently have a 55 inch flat screen samsung hanging over my mantle. I need to replace it soon thinking of getting a curve , what is the size of a curve I should get to be comparable to my current tv
December 10, 2018 at 1:19 pm
Gaming monitor for my son – looking at 32″
Does curved matter?
Does 4K matter with the Xbox One X?
Is 1ms really different than 4ms?
January 28, 2019 at 6:08 pm
Hi after reading comments about hanging a curved tv I was wondering if they would look alight hung in a corner as that is my only space


text:
|Biosequences .. Software .. Molbio soft .. Network News .. FTP
You are all most welcome to attend and/or present a paper (spoken or poster) at the 1997 ESA conference to be held in Albury, NSW, during 1-3 October 1997. Registrations close soon! Go straight to the URL http://life.csu.edu.au/esa/esa97.html to get all the information you need. You can even register or submit an abstract online.

subset: commoncrawl


text:
(Pocket-lint) - The TomTom Via Live 120 sits in the middle of TomTom's range of satnav devices, a step down from their all-encompassing Go line, and above the XL and Start models. The Via Live 120 comes in two versions, European mapping and the "regional" mapping, in our case giving us maps for UK and Ireland. There is also a Via 125, which has a larger 5-inch screen.
The TomTom Via Live 120 gives you a 4.3-inch screen, which we think is a good size for a satnav device. The body measures 119 x 80 x 25mm, although this doesn't include the permanently attached windscreen mount, which brings it up to approx. 36mm when folded flat. This mount is connected to the rear of the Via Live 120 via a ball and socket joint that provides plenty of flexibility when it comes to getting the right position for your unit.
The mount itself uses a simple twist-lock suction system, so you offer it up to the windscreen, press and twist and it attaches. We found it to be very reliable too, staying in place 99% of the time on our first attempt. The design means you can elect to suction the unit to your dash too (if your windscreen is too far away for example) and an onboard accelerometer will rotate the screen accordingly. Of course, you'll have to have smooth surface to suction on to if you are going to mount it on your dash, but we also found ourselves attaching it to a glass coffee table when route planning.
Powered via the 5V socket in your car, the power cable comes in two parts. The first part is the plug itself, which is actually just a USB socket, the second part being the USB cable that runs to the TomTom with a Micro-USB connection on the end. The advantage of using a standard connection is that you can also use it to charge your smartphone in-car as you drive - or, seeing as the power plug is USB, you can connect any other USB device to charge, such as your iPod or iPhone.
In terms of design there is little say. The power button is around the back keeping the lines nice and clean. The unit is constructed from sturdy plastics. The TomTom name is embossed in silver on the top and bottom of the unit, so it displays through the windscreen. This might be a nice way of TomTom letting others know your satnav of choice, but we found the silver writing reflected off the inside of the windscreen which was a little annoying.
Power on and you are greeted with TomTom's easy to use interface. This has been redesigned in recent times to a more user-friendly system, acknowledging that many of us are now using a touch interface on a daily basis on our phones. It is still all menu based, for the most part easy enough to get around, but the wealth of features do take some time to become familiar with - especially when you want to dig out one particular setting, like cancelling the ear-piercing speed camera alerts.
From the driving display itself you have a number of instant access areas. Touching the main screen area takes you through to the navigation and settings menus, but there are also options sitting behind the other information panels around the screen, so you can easily change the volume, examine the traffic information or access your Bluetooth-connected phone for example.
The resolution of the display is 480 x 272 pixels, adequate for the text and images it displays. We've always been fans of TomTom's visuals and we think they have one of the best mapping displays when it comes to driving, keeping things simple, but giving you enough information to be able to glance and relate that information to the road in front of you. It will also switch to night colours when it gets dark. The matte finish to the display deals with reflections well, and the only time we couldn't see the display was when the sun was going down and shining directly through the back window of the car.
GPS pick-up is good on the Via Live 120 and in a head-to-head against a smartphone it reliably pinpointed us faster on every occasion. The navigation that TomTom offers is also very smart, in this case incorporating two of TomTom's technologies.
The first is IQ Routes, although this isn't unique to TomTom as most rivals will offer a similar service. Essentially what it does is plan the best route for you based on the time you want to travel and historical traffic conditions on your route. The idea is that if you could save time by routing through a town rather than on a bypass, it will take you that way. It seems to work, but in the case of the Via Live 120, it works with HD Traffic as well.
HD Traffic is a little more special and a unique TomTom technology (although other satnavs also offer traffic services). HD Traffic offers you real-time traffic information garnered from a number of systems, including the free broadcast traffic information, but more essentially, by live monitoring the conditions on roads from the density of mobile phone users within a particular cell zone. All the data is churned through TomTom's data centres and arrives in your TomTom approximately every 2 minutes, so you'll know pretty quickly if there is a change in traffic conditions on your route.
The "Live" part of the name party refers to this service, but obviously, HD Traffic is a premium feature. As such it attracts a subscription cost after the first year (£47.50 per year) and along with this you get the other Live services: Mobile Speed Cameras, Local Search with Google, Live QuickGPSfix and Weather. As you get the first year free, you'll get the chance to see whether you think the service is worth the ongoing cost - if you don't renew it, you still have excellent navigation.
On the road we found the TomTom Via Live 120 to be excellent. Fast route planning, with easy to find locations and good clear instructions. The speed of re-routing is also very fast, so if you make a mistake or decide to make a quick diversion, it will put you back on route pretty quickly.
The on-screen keyboard is just about big enough to key in details, although as a resistive display it doesn't have the great response that you get from many smartphones these days. It offers voice control too, which we found was reasonable at recognising locations and did make it fast to speak an address.
We also like the incorporation of Google searching - this means you can find locations that aren't included in the POIs, but these need to be used with caution. Parking and fuel we found to be generally reliable and it is easy enough to insert a POI on your route as the need arises. Some of the locations are not quite right however, and on a couple of occasions we found ourselves in the wrong place. Google Local Search did on one occasion see us driving to a restaurant that blatantly wasn't there, but on the whole, it works well enough.
One oddity with adding waypoints, or vias, on your route is that the navigation doesn't announce them. They are indicated on the display, but if you have your eyes on the road, you can easily miss the point on your route and drive right past, only to be turned around and moved on to your destination. If you're hunting for fuel this is less of a problem, but it's still irritating to have it request you "turn around where possible" when you're actually just arriving where you asked it to take you.
You need to use the TomTom Home desktop application to keep your device up-to-date with maps as we found that in some cases the maps were wrong, especially when driving around Reading, for example, where the junction changes around the M4 weren't on the device.
The TomTom Via range is aimed at what TomTom calls "casual drivers" but it still comes packed with features. Using Bluetooth you can connect your phone, which is likely to appeal to business folk who find themselves on the road for longer than they'd like. It will give you access to your address book, as well as things like recent calls, making it quick and easy to pick those you speak to regularly.
Priced at £179.99, for those who drive regularly, the Via Live 120 is a great device. For an extra £20 you can get the complete European mapping. With a number of devices in the TomTom range, you might find that your needs are serviced adequately by another device, with the XL Live devices offering similar features at lower prices.
Dedicated satnav devices are having to work harder and harder as services like Google Maps Navigation (free on your Android smartphone) continue to make gains. There will always be those who don't use a smartphone, but for many, taking the "free" Android option instead might be preferable.
However, that said, we like having a separate dedicated device and we still think that TomTom's navigation solution is amongst the best, certainly better than free smartphone offerings. One of the key things you are getting here is HD Traffic, which is a service that we've found ourselves using on every journey over the past month. As such, TomTom's Via Live 120 comes recommended.


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Winter Bites celebrates 10th year of showcasing local restaurants
Winter Bites is celebrating its 10th year of getting local residents to try a new restaurant and support local businesses.
"Something like this is really important especially in Windsor-Essex because what this week does is promote those independent, locally-owned restaurants," Windsor Eats co-owner Adriano Ciotoli said Thursday.
"We're pretty much a gem in all of Canada for the food and the dining scene that we have here. We're on par especially in styles of cuisine with large cities like Vancouver, Toronto and Montreal just because of the diversity of the city."
Winter Bites, which was started by Windsor Eats, starts Monday and runs until Jan. 20. So far it includes 18 restaurants each with three-course menus where diners have a choice for the most part for each course. It began because January is usually a slow period. At first Winter Bites had to lure people out of their comfort zone but now some of the restaurants are booked solid on the weekend, Ciotoli said.
It's almost like a culinary week
"It started in 2009 and it's been a huge success for restaurants since then. We're pretty excited and proud of it," he said.
Mezzo Ristorante and Lounge on Erie Street was one of the first spots to participate. Mezzo co-owner Phil Rocca said it boosts business by at least 25 per cent for the week. Mezzo goes with its staples like calamari, home-made ravioli, manicotti and vanilla creme brulee.
"I thought it was a really cool concept," Rocca said. "It's almost like a culinary week."
Last year for the first time, Winter Bites changed its prices. This year there are four price options for the three-course menus: $13, $18, $28 and $38. The price of food has gone up and Ciotoli said it's still cheaper than ordering the three courses separately.
"We used to be able to do $10 three-course menus believe it or not when we started in 2009."
So far the Hoagie Market on Walker Road and Marco's Pizzeria on Tecumseh Road East are offering the lowest price point of $13 lunch menus.
Some new spots this year include The Grove Brew House in Kingsville with an all-day $18 menu and a $28 dinner menu, Thai Time in South Windsor and Nola's – A Taste of New Orleans in Walkerville, both with $28 three-course meal menus.
Ciotoli said a couple restaurants have been with Winter Bites since the beginning including Mezzo, downtown Windsor's Mazaar, and Enzo's on Erie Street which this year has a $28 menu with Nutella Pizza as its third course.
The restaurants report they've seen a 30 to 35 per cent increase in business during the week. It draws regulars for an extra visit, it attracts new customers and it gives some places a chance to test a new dish.
For a list of restaurants and their menus visit winterbites.windsoreats.com.


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Earlier this year, MedShare's Josh Kravitz (Chief Operating Officer), Amanda Paniagua (Shipments Manager), and Terry Monday (Volunteer Manager for MedShare's Western Region) visited Guatemala.
Why did they visit? "Our mission on this trip was to dive into the Guatemalan medical community to learn just who will be our best partner hospitals over the next year or two and truly understand their unique needs," said Josh Kravitz, COO. "Without a doubt, we prepared to leave this wonderful country with a better understanding that will lead to even higher quality medical aid shipments."
To learn more, we invite you to read Josh and Amanda's accounts of their trip. Which of our recipient countries would you like to travel to?


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Amateur Net Cash News
This page lets you view news items created in NATS by the program owner. These news items can include new developments, announcements, noteworthy information for your affiliate account, or anything that the program owner chooses. Use the "Latest News Headlines" section on the left-hand side to select a news item to read; the full news item will then be displayed on the right, along with the date that it was posted, in the View News Article module.
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NATS Installation - March 20, 2007
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Multiple Endocrine Neoplasia Type 1
What is multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1)?
MEN1 is an inherited disorder that causes tumors in the endocrine glands and the duodenum, the first part of the small intestine. MEN1 is sometimes called multiple endocrine adenomatosis or Wermer's syndrome, after one of the first doctors to recognize it. MEN1 is rare, occurring in about one in 30,000 people.1 The disorder affects both sexes equally and shows no geographical, racial, or ethnic preferences.
Endocrine glands release hormones into the bloodstream. Hormones are powerful chemicals that travel through the blood, controlling and instructing the functions of various organs. Normally, the hormones released by endocrine glands are carefully balanced to meet the body's needs.
In people with MEN1, multiple endocrine glands form tumors and become hormonally overactive, often at the same time. The overactive glands may include the parathyroids, pancreas, or pituitary. Most people who develop overactivity of only one endocrine gland do not have MEN1.
How does MEN1 affect the endocrine glands and the duodenum?
The Parathyroid Glands
The parathyroids are the endocrine glands earliest and most often affected by MEN1. The body normally has four parathyroid glands, which are located close to the thyroid gland in the front of the neck. The parathyroids release into the bloodstream a chemical called parathyroid hormone (PTH), which helps maintain a normal supply of calcium in the blood, bones, and urine.
In MEN1, all four parathyroid glands tend to be overactive, causing hyperparathyroidism. The parathyroid glands form tumors that release too much PTH, leading to excess calcium in the blood. High blood calcium, known as hypercalcemia, can exist for many years before it is found by accident or through screening for MEN1. Unrecognized hypercalcemia can cause excess calcium to spill into the urine, leading to kidney stones or kidney damage. Also, the bones may lose calcium and weaken.
Nearly everyone who inherits a susceptibility to MEN1 will develop hyperparathyroidism by age 50, but the disorder can often be detected before age 20. Hyperparathyroidism may cause no problems for many years, or it may cause tiredness, weakness, muscle or bone pain, constipation, indigestion, kidney stones, or thinning of bones.
Doctors must decide whether hyperparathyroidism in MEN1 is severe enough to need treatment, especially in a person who has no symptoms. The usual treatment is an operation to remove most or all of the parathyroid glands. One option is to remove the three largest glands and all but a small part of the fourth. Another is to remove all four glands and at the same time transplant a small part of one gland into the forearm. By maintaining a portion of one gland, the parathyroid transplant continues to release PTH into the bloodstream to do its job.
After parathyroid surgery, regular testing of blood calcium should continue because often the small piece of remaining parathyroid tissue grows larger and causes recurrent hyperparathyroidism. If the remaining piece is in the forearm and additional surgery is needed to remove more parathyroid tissue, the arm operation can be performed under local anesthesia.
Sometimes all four glands are completely removed to prevent recurrence or may be unintentionally removed during parathyroid surgery. People whose parathyroid glands have been completely removed must take daily supplements of calcium and vitamin D or another related treatment to prevent hypocalcemia, or low blood calcium.
The Pancreas and Duodenum
Located behind the stomach, the pancreas has two major roles: to release digestive juices into the intestines and key hormones into the bloodstream. The duodenum is the first part of the small intestine next to the pancreas. The pancreatic hormones are normally produced by small clusters of specialized cells called pancreatic islets. Some of the major hormones produced by the pancreatic islets are
- insulin-lowers blood glucose, also called blood sugar
- glucagon-raises blood glucose
- somatostatin-inhibits secretion of certain other hormones
- vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP)-causes intestinal cells to secrete water into the intestine
- gastrin-causes the stomach to produce acid for digestion
In MEN1, gastrin may be oversecreted by tumors called gastrinomas in the pancreas, duodenum, and lymph glands. If exposed to too much gastrin, the stomach releases excess acid, leading to the formation of severe ulcers in the stomach and small intestine. In addition, too much gastrin usually causes serious diarrhea.
People with MEN1 have about a 20 to 60 percent chance of developing gastrinomas.2 The illness associated with these tumors is called Zollinger-Ellison syndrome. The ulcers caused by untreated gastrinomas are much more dangerous than typical stomach or intestinal ulcers. Left untreated, they can cause rupture of the stomach or intestine and even death.
The gastrinomas associated with MEN1 are not easily cured through tumor surgery because finding the many small gastrinomas in the pancreas, duodenum, and lymph glands is difficult. The mainstay of treatment is powerful medicines called acid pump inhibitors that block stomach acid release. Taken by mouth, these medicines have proven effective in controlling the complications of excess gastrin in most cases of Zollinger-Ellison syndrome.
Rare Pancreatic Complications
Occasionally, a person who has MEN1 develops an islet tumor of the pancreas that secretes high levels of hormones. Insulinomas, for example, produce too much insulin, causing hypoglycemia, or low blood glucose. About 10 percent of adults with MEN1 develop insulinomas.3 Rare pancreatic tumors may secrete too much glucagon, which can cause diabetes, or too much VIP, which can cause watery diarrhea. Tumors that secrete adrenocorticotropin (ACTH) may also arise in the pancreas. ACTH is normally secreted by the pituitary gland and stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol, a hormone that helps the body respond to stress. Tumors in the pancreas may also infrequently secrete gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH). GnRH is normally secreted by the hypothalamus and stimulates the pituitary gland to release follicle stimulating hormone (FSH), which regulates fertility in men through sperm production and in women through ovulation. In general, surgery is the mainstay of treatment for these uncommon types of tumors.
The Pituitary Gland
The pituitary, a small gland located at the base of the brain, produces many important hormones that regulate basic body functions. The normal major pituitary hormones are
- prolactin-controls the formation of breast milk and influences fertility and bone strength
- growth hormone-regulates body growth, especially during adolescence
- ACTH-stimulates the adrenal glands to produce cortisol
- thyrotropin-stimulates the thyroid gland to produce thyroid hormones, which regulate metabolism
- luteinizing hormone-stimulates the ovaries or testes to produce sex hormones
- FSH-regulates fertility
The pituitary gland becomes overactive in about one in four people with MEN1.4 This overactivity can usually be traced to a small tumor in the gland that releases too much prolactin, called a prolactinoma. High prolactin levels can cause excessive production of breast milk or interfere with fertility in women or with sex drive and fertility in men.
Treatment may not be needed for prolactinomas. If treatment is needed, a medicine known as a dopamine agonist can effectively shrink the tumor and lower the production of prolactin. Occasionally, prolactinomas do not respond well to this medication. In such cases, surgery, radiation, or both may be needed.
Rare Pituitary Complications
Rarely, MEN1 creates pituitary tumors that release high amounts of ACTH, which in turn stimulates the adrenal glands to produce excess cortisol. Too much cortisol can lead to muscle weakness, weakened bones and fractures, and thinning skin, among other problems. Pituitary tumors that produce growth hormone cause excessive bone growth or disfigurement. In general, surgery is the mainstay of treatment for these uncommon types of tumors.
Are the tumors associated with MEN1 cancerous?
The tumors associated with MEN1 are usually benign, meaning they are not cancerous. However, they can disrupt normal function by releasing hormones or by crowding nearby tissue. For example, a prolactinoma may become quite large in someone with MEN1. As it grows, the tumor can press against and damage the normal part of the pituitary gland or the nerves for vision. Sometimes impaired vision is the first sign of a pituitary tumor in a person with MEN1.
Another type of benign tumor seen in about one-third of people with MEN1 is a plum-sized, fatty tumor called a lipoma, which grows under the skin. Lipomas cause no health problems and can be removed by simple cosmetic surgery if desired.
Benign tumors do not spread to or invade other parts of the body. Cancer cells, by contrast, break away from the primary tumor and spread, or metastasize, to other parts of the body through the bloodstream or lymphatic system. The pancreatic islet tumors associated with MEN1 tend to be numerous and small, but most are benign and do not release active hormones into the blood. Over time, gastrinomas may become cancerous but are usually slow-growing.
Eventually, about half of people with MEN1 will develop a cancerous pancreatic or carcinoid tumor. A carcinoid is a slow-growing endocrine tumor inside the chest or stomach of a person with MEN1. Although carcinoids arise from endocrine cells, which are present in many parts of the body, they rarely secrete a hormone in a person with MEN1. Carcinoids of the stomach usually do not require treatment.
Treatment of Pancreatic Endocrine Cancer in MEN1
Because the type of pancreatic endocrine cancer associated with MEN1 can be difficult to recognize, difficult to treat, and slow to progress, doctors have different views about the value of surgery in managing these tumors.
One approach is to "watch and wait," using medical, or nonsurgical, treatments. According to this school of thought, pancreatic surgery has serious complications, so it should not be attempted unless it will cure a tumor or cure a hormone excess state.
Another school advocates early surgery, perhaps when a tumor grows to a certain size, to prevent or treat pancreatic endocrine cancer—even if the tumor does not over secrete a hormone-before the cancer spreads. No clear evidence exists, however, that surgery to prevent pancreatic endocrine cancer from spreading actually leads to longer survival for patients with MEN1.
Doctors agree that excessive release of certain hormones-mainly gastrin-from pancreatic endocrine cancer in MEN1 needs to be treated, and medications are often effective in blocking the effects of these hormones. Some tumors, such as insulinomas, are usually benign and single and are curable by pancreatic surgery. Such surgery needs to be considered carefully in each patient's case.
Is MEN1 the same in everyone?
Although MEN1 tends to follow certain patterns, it can affect a person's health in many different ways. Not only do the tumors of MEN1 vary among members of the same family, but some families with MEN1 tend to have a higher rate of prolactin-secreting pituitary tumors and a much lower frequency of gastrin-secreting tumors.
The age at which MEN1 can begin to cause endocrine gland overactivity can differ strikingly from one family member to another. One person may have only mild hyperparathyroidism beginning at age 50, while a relative may develop complications from tumors of the parathyroid, pancreas, and pituitary by age 18.
How is MEN1 detected?
MEN1 is detected by gene testing or, when gene testing is unavailable or yields a negative result, by laboratory tests that measure hormone levels. Less often, MEN1 is diagnosed based on an individual's medical and family history.
The Genetics of MEN1 and MEN1 Carriers
In a person wth MEN1, a mutation, or mistake, exists in the MEN1 gene in every cell in the person's body. Many different MEN1 gene mutations have been identified. Each of these mutations can cause the same spectrum of MEN1 tumors. The particular MEN1 mutation in a person's body may be silent, meaning the person has no symptoms, as in a newborn. Or, the MEN1 mutation may be expressed as the MEN1 syndrome. A person with a MEN1 mutation, whether showing symptoms or not, is termed a carrier of the MEN1 mutation or a carrier of the MEN1 syndrome.
MEN1 is an autosomal dominant gene, which means it is inherited by a child from one parent who has the MEN1 mutation.
Gene Testing
Gene testing can identify whether a person is a carrier of the MEN1 mutation. Once identified, carriers undergo approximately yearly testing, a process called screening, for biochemical indications of a developing tumor. Relatives who are found to lack the known MEN1 mutation in their family can be freed from screening for MEN1. A limited number of laboratories in the United States offer MEN1 gene testing to locate and identify MEN1 mutations. The gene tests are expensive and can be time-consuming. Once a specific mutation is found in an individual, the gene test for relatives is easier and less expensive.
In 10 to 30 percent of families with MEN1, no mutation is found.5 However, an undetected MEN1 mutation may still be likely. Sometimes a person with MEN1 knows of no other case of MEN1 among relatives. The most common explanation is that knowledge of the family's health history is incomplete. Less often, the person carries a new MEN1 gene mutation.
Gene testing may be offered to people who
- meet the clinical criteria for MEN1 by having at least two of the following: enlarged parathyroid glands, a pancreatic or duodenal endocrine tumor, or a pituitary tumor
- don't meet the clinical criteria but are suspected of having MEN1-for example, those who have multiple parathyroid tumors before age 30
- are first-degree relatives of people with MEN1-children, brothers, or sisters- giving them a 50 percent chance of having inherited the mutation
The Role of Genetic Counseling
Genetic counseling can assist family members in understanding how the test results may affect them individually and as a family. Genetic counseling may include a review and discussion of the psychosocial benefits and risks of genetic testing. Genetic testing results can affect self-image, self-esteem, and individual and family identity. In genetic counseling, issues related to how and with whom genetic test results will be shared and their possible effect on important matters such as health and life insurance coverage can be addressed. These discussions may occur when a family member is deciding whether to proceed with gene testing and again later when the test results are available. A doctor, nurse, or genetics professional provides the genetic counseling.
Laboratory Tests
Laboratory tests may be performed periodically to screen for MEN1 tumors. Screening can catch tumors in their early stages of development, detect tumors that have come back, and indicate how large they are and where they are located. Catching tumor development early allows doctors to take steps to prevent serious complications from occurring in people with MEN1. Types of tests used for tumor screening can include
- blood tests-for example, to measure insulin or PTH to detect excess hormone production by a MEN1 tumor.
- other biochemical tests-for example, to measure urinary calcium to detect the results of excess hormone production.
- immunoradiometric assays, a type of blood test-for example, to measure PTH to detect parathyroid tumors.
- imaging tests-for example, ultrasound, computerized tomography (CT), and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to allow the doctor to detect tumors that are not secreting hormones. Because imaging tests are more expensive, they are typically done less often than blood tests.
The types of tests performed depend on the purpose of the screening. Periodic screening for MEN1 tumors can have two different purposes:
- To recognize possible carriers of MEN1. First, screening may be performed to determine if an individual is a carrier of the MEN1 mutation. This screening includes close relatives of a person known to carry MEN1. Although gene testing is one way to identify a carrier of MEN1, sometimes these other methods are used due to a lack of resources, or when the underlying mutation cannot be identified. For this screening purpose, tests are directed at tumors that are most frequent and develop the earliest. Examples of these tests include PTH, calcium, and prolactin tests.
- To detect early tumors in known carriers of MEN1. Second, screening may be performed in known carriers of MEN1 to look for any tumor that could develop as a result of the mutation. This periodic testing can recognize a tumor early to optimize its treatment. When an individual is a known carrier of MEN1, more detailed testing is performed to screen for some of the less likely but still harmful tumors.
Laboratory tests for MEN1 tumors can be repeated yearly without waiting for symptoms to appear. This testing can begin at age 5. In known carriers, imaging tests may be performed every 3 years to locate tumors that cannot be found with other laboratory testing.
If an individual's tests are normal, periodic tumor testing should continue indefinitely. However, an unproven carrier with normal tests beyond age 50 is unlikely to have inherited a MEN1 gene mutation.
Can MEN1 be cured?
MEN1 cannot be cured, but regular testing can detect many of the problems caused by MEN1 tumors many years before serious complications develop. Finding these tumors early enables doctors to begin preventive treatment, reducing the chances that MEN1 will cause problems later.
Even after treatment, residual tissue can grow back or different glands may become affected. Periodic and careful monitoring enables doctors to adjust an individual's treatment as needed and to check for any new problems caused by MEN1. Most people with MEN1 have a long and productive life.
Should a person who has MEN1 avoid having children?
A person who has MEN1 or who has a MEN1 gene mutation may have a hard time deciding whether to have a child. Some facts to consider include the following:
- A man or a woman with MEN1 has a 50-50 risk with each pregnancy of having a child with MEN1.
- MEN1 tends to fit a broad pattern within a given family, but the severity of the disorder varies widely from one family member to another. In particular, a parent's experience with MEN1 cannot be used to predict the eventual severity of MEN1 in a child.
- The tumors that result from MEN1 do not usually develop until adulthood. Treatment may require regular monitoring and considerable expense, but the disease usually does not prevent an active, productive adulthood.
- Prolactin-releasing tumors in a man or woman with MEN1 may inhibit fertility and make it difficult to conceive.
- Hyperparathyroidism during pregnancy may raise the risks of complications for mother and child.
- Pregnancy is usually normal for the mother or child who is a carrier of MEN1.
Genetic counselors and other professionals can provide information to help with the decision-making process, but they will not tell individuals or couples what decision to make or how to make it.
Points to Remember
- Multiple endocrine neoplasia type 1 (MEN1) is an inherited disorder that causes hormone-secreting tumors in the duodenum and the endocrine glands-most often the parathyroid, pancreas, and pituitary.
- Overactive parathyroid glands can lead to tiredness, weakness, muscle or bone pain, constipation, indigestion, kidney stones, or thinning of bones.
- Pancreatic and duodenal endocrine tumors called gastrinomas can cause dangerous stomach or intestinal ulcers.
- Pituitary tumors called prolactinomas can cause excessive production of breast milk or interfere with fertility in women or with sex drive and fertility in men.
- Although many tumors associated with MEN1 are benign, about half of people with MEN1 will eventually develop a cancerous tumor.
- MEN1 carriers can be detected through gene testing or other laboratory tests.
- MEN1 cannot be cured, but regular testing can detect the problems caused by MEN1 tumors many years before serious complications develop. Careful monitoring enables doctors to adjust an individual's treatment as needed.
Clinical Trials
The National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK) and other components of the National Institutes of Health (NIH) conduct and support research into many diseases and conditions.
What are clinical trials, and are they right for you?
Clinical trials are part of clinical research and at the heart of all medical advances. Clinical trials look at new ways to prevent, detect, or treat disease. Researchers also use clinical trials to look at other aspects of care, such as improving the quality of life for people with chronic illnesses. Find out if clinical trials are right for you.
What clinical trials are open?
Clinical trials that are currently open and are recruiting can be viewed at www.ClinicalTrials.gov.
Alternate Versions
- PDF Version (244 KB)
This content is provided as a service of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK), part of the National Institutes of Health. The NIDDK translates and disseminates research findings to increase knowledge and understanding about health and disease among patients, health professionals, and the public. Content produced by the NIDDK is carefully reviewed by NIDDK scientists and other experts.
The NIDDK would like to thank:
Stephen J. Marx, M.D., NIDDK


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To display the Indian rupee symbol , you must have a font—such as the Ubuntu Font Family—with support for the character.
Windows users may use the new Rupkara font which has the Unicode postion mapping for the symbol. For downloading the font, please visit-http://blog.foradian.com/rupakara-first-font-with-indian-rupee-symbol
For K/Ubuntu 10.10 users, this is automatic.The sign can inserted in your own documents using copy-and-paste from another location, or using the Unicode-entry method, which is the correct way of doing it, and it is as follows-
- Ubuntu 10.10:<Ctrl-Shift-u>20b9<enter>
- MS Windows: <Press-and-hold Alt>20b9<Release Alt>
- Kubuntu 10.10: Copy-and-paste '₹'
- HTML: insert "₹"
The codepoint at U+20B9 was assigned by the Unicode consortium on 11 August 2010 (2010-08-11).
A fact-
Ubuntu 10.10 is the first operating system to ship with out-of-the-box support for displaying the Indian Rupee Sign, and this happened on 10 October 2010 (2010-10-10).


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Unit 1:
Place Value and Money
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Operations and Algebraic Reasoning
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Multiplication of Whole Numbers
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Division of Whole Numbers
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Measurement and Graphing
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Geometry and Measurement
Unit 7:
Fractions and Decimals
Unit 8:
Probability/Algebra and Graphing
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