How to Stop Reflection on a TV Screen

Jed Smith Avatar

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Updated Jun 27, 2022 11:12 PM

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Modern flatscreen televisions have brought giant screen sizes and previously undreamt of levels of fidelity to homes over the past decade or more, but there’s one particularly annoying issue where the CRT televisions and monitors of old have an advantage- they’re less susceptible to glare, a problem that can ruin your enjoyment of movies, television, and other content. And in case you are wondering, the best TVs can also have this problem. To know how to stop reflection on a TV screen, you’ll need to understand the various factors that can contribute to it, and how to deal with them.

KEY TAKEAWAYS:

  • Placing your TV in front of natural light sources will reduce glare significantly
  • Anti-glare screen protectors are available and especially effective for outdoor tvs
  • Screen glare can contribute to chronic eye strain

Regardless of what’s causing problematic glare on your tv screen, you should easily be able to find a solution, usually without spending any money or a great deal of time on it.

What Are the Causes of Glare on TVs and Displays?

Flat-panel or flatscreen TVs generally contain either light-emitting diodes (LED) or liquid crystals (hence LCD displays) in them in order to project the images you see on the screen. And while both these designs offer superior fidelity and performance to old-fashion Cathode Ray Tube (CRT) TVs, one major disadvantage is that flat panels are far glossier.

Early on in the beginning of the flat panel/flatscreen TV market’s days, manufacturers built a matte finish onto their TVs to diminish the gloss and help control glare from other light sources in rooms and outdoors. But as demand grew and a wider selection of price points entered the market, manufacturers stopped including a matte finish on their displays in order to cut the costs associated with greatly increased manufacturing numbers and demand for lower-cost flat-screen displays.

The end result is that modern flat-panel TVs tend to be quite glossy, and glare is a much bigger issue than it’s ever been for the consumer, regardless of where they have their TV setup.

So how do you deal with glare on your TV? There are a few different ways and a few different factors that can make glare an even bigger issue. This is similar to your TV suddenly malfunctioning. There are a few things that can make this happen. For example, a thunderstorm can make your TV stop functioning properly. This is more common than you’d think.

What Causes Glare On TV?

Flat-panel TVs typically have either liquid crystals or light-emitting diodes inside them. As opposed to the older TVs, newer flat panels feature screens that are glossy. At one point, the manufacturers put a matte finish on the TV in order to cut down on the gloss. However, they’ve now mostly stopped doing this in order to cut costs.

As a result of the glossy screen, any external light is often reflected back in the picture. This creates a less-than-desirable glare.

Reducing The Glare

Thankfully, there are things you can do to make it easier to see your television. The following are some steps you can take to mitigate glare issues.

TV Placement

Perfecting TV Placement

One of the easiest ways to reduce glare and make your screen easier to view is the find the right placement for your TV. First, you’ll want to place your TV so that any natural light that comes into the room- from windows for example- is _behind _your TV, which will prevent reflections on the screens that add significantly to glare.

Buy a Wall Mount

If for whatever reason you can’t place the TV in front of such light sources, you might consider investing in a wall mount, so that the TV can be pivoted or tilted away from the window or other light source. Correct placement should eliminate all or a significant degree of glare you experience.

Use Blinds or Shades

It may seem obvious, but another way to deal with the light problem is to install blinds or shades on windows or other sources of natural light. Of course, that will darken the room more than you may want to compensate for with other lights, but it’s always an option./

Anti Glare Protectors

Many manufacturers make screen protectors for their available models made to protect your TV’s screen from scratches, fingerprints, and other damage, as well as glare. Though not all screen protectors are anti-glare, ones that are can make it easier to place your TV where you want- they’re also a good solution for outdoor TVs, which are much harder to protect from unwanted light sources. Aside from unwanted reflections on your TV screen, there are lots of problems that can be resolved by resetting a TV. This is a simple and effective solution in lots of cases.

Insider Tip

Activated carbon air purifiers use carbon filters to help filter out airborne pollutants.

F.A.Q.

What causes glare on TV screens?

Glare is generally the result of the extra-glossy surfaces of most modern flat-panel televisions and unwanted light sources creating reflections on the screen.


How can I reduce glare on my TV?

The easiest way to reduce glare is making sure your TV is placed in front of any unwanted light sources.


How do you reduce glare on a security camera?

The anti-glare replaceable film available for smartphones, laptops, and tablets can help reduce glare from reflective surfaces for security cameras.



STAT: Light-blocking or blackout curtains can obstruct more than 90% of outside light (source)

Warning

An activated carbon air purifier’s carbon reset light will become illuminated when the filter needs to be cleaned or replaced, according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Jed Smith Avatar

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