A large mirror that transforms into a TV is a room-changing experience. It’s especially striking to have a full mirror on the wall where your old television once stood. At Parallel AV, our Magic Mirror TVs are increasingly popular in a variety of spaces, including luxury living rooms, bathrooms, kitchens, and pool areas. Below, we’ll cover the key technical details and considerations you need to know when evaluating a mirror television.

What is a Mirror TV?

A Mirror TV is a screen placed behind a semi-transparent mirror. When the screen is off, it looks like a plain mirror. When the screen is on, the display becomes visible. Because of this disappearing effect, we call them Magic Mirror Televisions.

Most models on the market range from 15 inches to 55 inches in screen size, although we have options up to 75″. There are two main design types:

• Standard design Mirror TVs – Designed for in-wall or on-wall installation, these come as an “all-in-box” set with fixed screen and mirror sizes for standard setups.
• Custom design Mirror TVs – Made to order to fit a specific interior, with mirror glass cut to the exact size required.

Which mirror type is used for a Mirror TV?

Mirror TVs use a special semi-transparent mirror that reflects some light to create the mirror effect when the screen is off, while allowing the light from the hidden screen to pass through so the image is visible when the TV is on.

There are some variations on the brightness or darkness of the mirror, but the fundamental idea is the same no matter who makes the mirror TV.

What if I want to put a TV behind a mirror I already own?

This is possible, although we recommend having a custom mirror TV made specifically for your needs so it’s guaranteed to perform at the level you expect. If you want to do it yourself, you can use either a regular consumer TV mounted behind the mirror or a specially designed TV built to successfully shine through a mirror.

While consumer TVs are lower in price and come with familiar interfaces and remotes, they aren’t designed for this installation and can present several issues: parts of the TV may be visible through the semi-transparent mirror due to gaps, and the brightness is often too low—especially for smaller sizes like 19” or 21.5”.

If you do want to build one yourself, it’s recommended to use a TV panel specifically made for mirror installations. These special TVs typically feature a metal heat-dissipation cases sealed precisely to the mirror (often with waterproofing), and high-brightness LCD/LED panels that maintain clear image quality even in daylight.

Okay, then what are the most important things to know when selecting a Mirror TV?

When choosing a Mirror TV, the two key factors are the mirror’s transmission rate (T) or reflectance rate (R = 1 – T), and the screen brightness.

Transmission and reflectance are a trade-off: since R + T = 1, the higher the reflectance for a perfect mirror effect when the screen is off, the lower the transmission for the TV image when it’s on. Typically, transmission rates (T) range from 0.3 to 0.7, corresponding to reflectance rates (R) from 0.7 to 0.3.

Screen brightness is the most important parameter for a Mirror TV. For example, if you place a regular PC monitor behind a semi-transparent mirror with a 0.5 transmission rate, a screen with an original brightness of 200 cd/m² will only deliver 100 cd/m² behind the mirror—far too dim to watch in daylight. That’s why manufacturers use high-brightness panels to ensure good Mirror TV performance.

Even if you know the exact transmission (T) or reflectance (R) rates and the screen brightness, it’s strongly recommended to check the real performance in person if at all possible. High transmission rates can reveal parts of the internal structure (like the frame or components), making the mirror effect less convincing when the screen is off. Additionally, some LCD panels may produce color shifts, so factory adjustments are necessary for the best visual effect.

Magic Mirror TVs from Parallel AV: Exactly what you need

At Parallel AV, we understand the delicate “balance” between mirror reflectance and screen brightness. That’s why we use different mirror types and LCD/LED panels for each size to optimize real-world performance.

In addition to standard-brightness panels, we also offer ultra-high brightness options for special projects or upon customer request. Panels with 700, 800, or 1000 cd/m² are available in sizes ranging from 27” to 75”.

Premium products like our Magic Mirror TVs deserves premium performance, which can only be achieved with high-quality, cutting-edge components. We always source the best panels available, as they are one of the most important parts of any TV.