Viewing distance vs Screen size?

Soldato
Joined
19 Dec 2006
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Sure I saw a nice chart posted a while back but with search broken...

Anyway, I am getting more and more tempted to grab an LCD screen for my lounge but don't want to go over the top. I currently have a nice old Sony 28inch widescreen CRT and it seems that all the best value LCD's are about 32inch.

Viewing distance is about 8 to 9 feet from the screen and I'd just like some opinions on what you all think. I've been and looked in the regular shops but all the TV's are such a mixed bag of pixelated mess and poor signals it's very hard to get an objective idea of how it would really look.
 
37" would probably be the best size for you. 32" would look a bit small after a while, 37" would start out looking silly but then once you're used to it then it's pretty much spot on for SD content at 9-10ft and perfect for HD at 6-7ft... so at 8-9ft you have a good compromise between the two.
 
I'm about 5-6 feet away from my 26". I'd sat add another 2 for 32", that distance spend some extra cash and get a 40"+. 720p and 1080p are much more noticeable on bigger screens ;)
 
40" isn't as big as you would think it is, I thought I made a big mistake when I ordered my 40" R87 but once it's set up it looks perfect and I have a pretty small living room.
 
Sit about 4M away from my 50" and it seems about right.Would like to see the chart if you ever find it.
 
IIRC from a book on film making, the optimum distance is supposed to be 1.5 times the width of the screen.

may be different for TV though
 
Reality|Bites said:
40" isn't as big as you would think it is, I thought I made a big mistake when I ordered my 40" R87 but once it's set up it looks perfect and I have a pretty small living room.

Hehe, I've lived with a 28ich Widescreen CRT for the last decade or so, I think 40inch would have me twisting my neck :)
 
Yeah I went from a 28" JVC widescreen CRT to the 40", you may be pleasantly surprised if you get one :)

I have mine sitting on this

21713_PE106717_S4.jpg


and it fits edge to edge with the TV :)

I have my Hi-FI in it as well.
 
I just know for a fact that a 40inch one will be too big, I'll be seeing all sorts of compression artifacts and it'll look awful for SD due to how close I am to it. I'm still not convinced I won't see the same with a 32inch screen to be honest.
 
Dano said:
I just know for a fact that a 40inch one will be too big, I'll be seeing all sorts of compression artifacts and it'll look awful for SD due to how close I am to it. I'm still not convinced I won't see the same with a 32inch screen to be honest.

Most 'superstores' have terrible signals running into their TV displays. Im sitting 12feet from my 42 inch 720p Plasma, and I am perfectly satisfied that a 50 inch screen would be ideal for my viewing distance.

Even on SKY standard def TV, very few channels show serious compression artifacts. Freeview is definatly a lot worse. DVD's look great.

Perhaps its because my TV's plasma that its SD friendly, but I certainly wouldnt go back to a 32inch screen.

Oh yeah, and there is no neck twisting needed. From my viewing spot, I can easily watch not just the TV, but the speakers, hifi, half the wall. Honestly at 12ft, you could easily watch a 72inch set and hardly even need to twitch your eyes. 42inch at 8ft is perfect.
 
Distance CALCULATOR

Used for projectors but have a tinker with it.
Personally i run 80" screen and find 6FT-7FT distance more than comfortable, particulary with HD material. Visual games like GOW or Motorstorm really come to life with the action in your full vision.

I guess im running almost 1:1 but its fine...
 
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