Ideal screensize for 2.5m viewing distance?

Stonedofmoo · 1 Jul 2008 at 09:47

I'm just speccing up a TV for my room. The distance between where I will be sitting and the wall the screen will be mounted on is 2.5m (250cm) exactly.

My housemates 32" tv looks small at a distance of about 2 metres which is why I thought I would ask the question.

My budget recommend that I buy a 40" screen but I'm concerned this would be too small and not the 'optimal' screensize for viewing.
While I'd rather not splash out for a 46" I will only want to buy my TV once and it will last a long time so should I save a little longer and buy the 46"?

It will mostly be used for bluerays and other HDTV content courtesy of Virgin+ or Freesat.

[DOD]Asprilla · 1 Jul 2008 at 09:53

That's about the distance I sit and I find a 42" to be about perfect.

From the sizes you've given you appear to be only looking at LCD, but for your usage I'd recommend that you try plasma as well.

What is your budget?

Stonedofmoo · 1 Jul 2008 at 10:01

Not huge I'm afraid. I could go up to £1000 but I would rather not.

The new Samsung 5 series can be had for £600 in the 40" flavour if you shop around which seems a good bargain going on the 2 reviews on the internet, but I could probably pickup the 46" version for £950 if I felt the extra was really justified.

I'm not looking at Plasma's because I want to connect it to my computer also and to get a decent desktop image you need a 1080p plasma. They cost a lot and draw much more power so don't overall seem the economical choice.

Simon · 1 Jul 2008 at 10:34

Stonedofmoo said:
I'm not looking at Plasma's because I want to connect it to my computer also and to get a decent desktop image you need a 1080p plasma. They cost a lot and draw much more power so don't overall seem the economical choice.

42PZ80 is about £800. 1080p and they dont use more power than LCDs unless your running very light scenes. The power ratings are peak.

Other than that the Samsung LE40A656 is about £800 online

james.miller · 1 Jul 2008 at 10:36

50" tbh. i sit a little closer than that @ about 2.2m and my 40" screen is too small.

-Ad- · 1 Jul 2008 at 10:37

42

Panasonic 42 PX80 can be had for about 3625, only you can decide wether 1080p and a few ther features is worth 100s more for the PZ range.

1080p isn't that much of a diffference, especially in films.

james.miller · 1 Jul 2008 at 10:41

im just about decided on my new screen -Ad-. its not going to be a plasma or an lcd hehe. but it is going to be about 77" diagonal

Stonedofmoo · 1 Jul 2008 at 10:48

Simon said:
42PZ80 is about £800. 1080p and they dont use more power than LCDs unless your running very light scenes. The power ratings are peak.

Other than that the Samsung LE40A656 is about £800 online

Thanks Simon, I will look into the 42PZ80 then. It sounds like an interesting alternative and the extra 2" might just swing it for me over the Samsung 40" screens.

Update: Just as a side note the average draw of the 42PZ80 screen is around 290w.
The Samsung 5 series 40" is less than 100w once calibrated, so as you can see plasma's do draw more power, especially the 1080p models from what I have read.

I'm still tempted though, the 42" just seems like the ideal size in my mind so I'll pop down to Dixons later and see if I can take a look at one.

Simon · 1 Jul 2008 at 11:53

I went into the shops (had some vouchers) with the intention of getting the TH42PZ80 on saturday

There were lots of Tvs on display being fed quality signals in Currys, the Pz80 and A656 were right next to each other. Couldnt really see a difference. Black were better on the PZ80 and colours brighter and more vivid on the Samsung. The PZ80 was £999, the same as the A656. However the Samsung has the free Blu ray player too. I would sell it on if I was to buy the tv meaning the samsung would be the cheaper tv.

Once in there I changed my mind, the Samsung is a beautiful display where as the panasonic looks a bit dull. It's definatlely worth looking. The fact I also play on my Xbox quite a lot swung it to the LCD.

Pretty pleased with it on SD, plasma would probably have been better. But on HD and the Xbox it looks awesome. I havent really played with the settings that much though and I'd imagine it will get better.

badbob · 1 Jul 2008 at 11:56

42" minimum, 46" to 50"
Don't buy Samsung. The Samsung LCD look vivid probably why it looks better in the shop, but get it home and it looks vile.

Tweaking the set helps but it won't look as good as a plasma for TV/movies. But since you use it for gaming then I'd have gone for a LCD.

Take it out from vile Dynamic to movie and tweak it in there.

[DOD]Asprilla · 1 Jul 2008 at 11:58

Stonedofmoo said:
Update: Just as a side note the average draw of the 42PZ80 screen is around 290w.
The Samsung 5 series 40" is less than 100w once calibrated, so as you can see plasma's do draw more power, especially the 1080p models from what I have read.

Plasmas do draw more power, but that is peak draw for that screen (i.e. if you were staring at a bright white screen) so the figures are somewhat misleading. Consumption varies more for plasma during standard viewing that it does for LCD.

LCD is more efficient, but not by the ammount these sums would lead you to beleive.

Simon · 1 Jul 2008 at 12:01

badbob said:
42" minimum, 46" to 50"
Don't buy Samsung. The Samsung LCD look vivid probably why it looks better in the shop, but get it home and it looks vile.

Tweaking the set helps but it won't look as good as a plasma for TV/movies. But since you use it for gaming then I'd have gone for a LCD.

Take it out from vile Dynamic to movie and tweak it in there.

The colours look really good on the Hd-dvd player films.

Does seem tricky to get them to look right on the virgin media box though. Certainly compared to the Phillips 7xxx series it replaced. They will look ok then an advert comes on which makes the faces look really wierd. motion handling seems fine though, the tennis ball in Murrays match yesterday had no signs of blur.

badbob · 1 Jul 2008 at 12:05

I'm telling you now dynamic will not look good. Way too high backlight, contrast, colour, high sharpness, dni-e processing, dynamic contrast etc etc.

I'd recommend going into movie, reduce sharpness, colour, disable movie plus, dynamic contrast, active colour, dni-e, noise rediction, edge enhancment, black adjust and possibly 100hz.

-Ad- · 1 Jul 2008 at 12:20

james.miller said:
im just about decided on my new screen -Ad-. its not going to be a plasma or an lcd hehe. but it is going to be about 77" diagonal

Didn't recognize you with your new sig. JVC HD1 ?

Il get my new thread up in a few days, but hush hush so far if you know

badbob said:
I'm telling you now dynamic will not look good. Way too high backlight, contrast, colour, high sharpness, dni-e processing, dynamic contrast etc etc.

I'd recommend going into movie, reduce sharpness, colour, disable movie plus, dynamic contrast, active colour, dni-e, noise rediction, edge enhancment, black adjust and possibly 100hz.

A biiig +1 from me

james.miller · 1 Jul 2008 at 12:23

haha no, it wont be a hd1 im afraid. the price tag right now is too rich for my blood

its going to have to be a 720p model, and ill be spending £600-£1000. im trying to get more info on the planar pd7010 which looks very interesting for the money. im still trying to decide.......

oh and dont worry, i wont say a word about anything. i dont even know what your talking about

badbob · 1 Jul 2008 at 12:34

A biiig +1 from me

Actually I think you're a plasma fanboy -almost troll like (saying LCD blacks are rubbish when they're not if backlight is set low) if you're the same person on av forums. I went from a M86 to A556 and blacks are pretty close, even though both budget TV's I would expect the Plasma to be in another league. It is, if LCD backlight is set to 100% but then the LCD is far far brighter (if you need it that bright) Plasma has no chance of offering that much light output...so in a apartment with no blinds then I'd get a LCD.

LCD can look good- but it can also look horrid, and to most people will be happy with them once it's setup right. With low compressed SD and especially HD LCD can look great, the problem is with some pixellation and also motion, not that LCD is bad but plasma does it better.

I'm going for another plasma but would be happy with another LCD..it's not chalk and cheese anymore. I've watched that thread on plasma av forums and the comments there make me laugh. Blind fanboyism..

Stonedofmoo · 1 Jul 2008 at 12:36

[DOD]Asprilla;12000756 said:
Plasmas do draw more power, but that is peak draw for that screen (i.e. if you were staring at a bright white screen) so the figures are somewhat misleading. Consumption varies more for plasma during standard viewing that it does for LCD.

LCD is more efficient, but not by the ammount these sums would lead you to beleive.

power consumtion
I was able to meassure it and that what it says after 24 hours of usage.

high: 449 W
avrg: 292 W
low: 17,0 W

Source (Comments section): http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-th42pz80b-review-20080514109.htm

Just going on what that chap says. I've not tested it myself but I have read in a few places now the 1080p Plasma's do draw more power.

james.miller · 1 Jul 2008 at 12:41

Lcd's really arent up to scratch.

but anyway, they are two diametrically opposed technologies. lcd's excel in daylight where plasma's can fall flat on their faces. at night, ive not seen a single lcd that id consider good enough to say it has an adequate black performance, which is where plasma fair much better. its going to stay that way too, even with full led-backlighting it wont suddenly transform lcd displays.

i am very surprised that somebody such as yourself cant see the blindingly obvious difference between even the best plasma and lcds. considering your attitude towards music and components, your attitude towards the visual side is frankly amusing.

Stonedofmoo said:
power consumtion
I was able to meassure it and that what it says after 24 hours of usage.

high: 449 W
avrg: 292 W
low: 17,0 W

Click to expand...

Source (Comments section): http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/news/panasonic-th42pz80b-review-20080514109.htm

Just going on what that chap says. I've not tested it myself but I have read in a few places now the 1080p Plasma's do draw more power.

lol, and my 40" sony 40w2000 uses 190w max. so much for even efficient plasmas being anywhere near as efficient as an lcd. id say an additional 100w draw on average over what mine draws max is a very large difference.

Simon · 1 Jul 2008 at 13:00

badbob said:
I'm telling you now dynamic will not look good. Way too high backlight, contrast, colour, high sharpness, dni-e processing, dynamic contrast etc etc.

I'd recommend going into movie, reduce sharpness, colour, disable movie plus, dynamic contrast, active colour, dni-e, noise rediction, edge enhancment, black adjust and possibly 100hz.

You are you telling?

james.miller · 1 Jul 2008 at 13:15

well he is right about that. the various processing and 'enhancement' modes are all pretty much a waste of space. dynamic contract is useless if you are sensitive to sudden shifts in brightness because thats how it works. noise reduction is at the cost of detail, 100hz modes can introduce flickers, other processing modes can introduce smearing ect.

there are very few lcds that look their best with any kind of processing mode being on. i have everything switched off on my sony, too.