SIZE UP YOUR SCREEN
After you have your budget squared away, you need to decide how large of a
screen you want. Usually, the largest screens cost the most, but regardless,
the TV should deliver the right-size picture for where you'll sit relative to
the screen. Sitting closer to a smaller TV means you won't have to spend as
much on a big screen. But if you sit too close, the picture will look poor. See
the charts below for recommended seating distances per screen size for both 4:3
and wide-screen TVs.
Size factors: Regular TV-viewing distances
| Wide-screen TV-viewing distances | Size and
your room | Screen sizes and display types
Regular TV-viewing distances
Most viewers feel comfortable sitting away from the set at a distance that's
between three and six times the width of the screen. The following chart can
give you a rough estimate of the minimum and maximum viewing distances for
regular 4:3 televisions.
|
4:3 TV diagonal screen size |
Min. viewing distance (in feet) |
Max. viewing distance (in feet) |
| 13 |
2.6 |
5.2 |
| 19 |
3.8 |
7.6 |
| 20 |
4 |
8 |
| 24 |
4.8 |
9.6 |
| 27 |
5.4 |
10.8 |
| 32 |
6.4 |
12.8 |
| 36 |
7.2 |
14.8 |
Wide-screen TV-viewing distances
You'll notice that we said regular televisions. Wide-screen televisions
showing high-resolution DVD and HDTV look better than regular sets, allowing
you to sit closer and experience a more immersive, theaterlike picture.
With wide-screen sets showing DVD or HDTV, you can sit as close as 1.5 times the
screen's diagonal measurement and still not notice much of a loss in quality,
while sitting farther away than three times the screen size means you're likely
to miss out on the immersive feel. Here's a rundown of minimum and maximum
recommended viewing distances for wide-screen sets.
|
16:9 TV diagonal screen size |
Min. viewing distance (in feet) |
Max. viewing distance (in feet) |
| 26 |
3.3 |
6.5 |
| 30 |
3.8 |
7.6 |
| 34 |
4.3 |
8.5 |
| 42 |
5.3 |
10.5 |
| 47 |
5.9 |
11.8 |
| 50 |
6.3 |
12.5 |
| 55 |
6.9 |
12.8 |
| 60 |
7.5 |
15 |
| 65 |
8.1 |
16.2 |
Size and your room
Generally, 30-inch and smaller sets are great for bedrooms or guest rooms but
too small for the main living room. Sets with bigger screens are large enough
for the whole family to enjoy and will probably be too much for most small
bedrooms. Remember that tube TVs are also fairly deep and get bulkier as the
screen size increases. You'll want to pick out a deep-enough spot for the TV so
that it doesn't protrude awkwardly into the room.
If you're mounting the set inside an entertainment center, be sure it fits in
every dimension; also, leave an inch or two on all sides so that the TV has
enough ventilation. If you're getting a bigger set, you may want to consider a
dedicated stand; many TV makers sell matching stands that increase the
aesthetic appeal of their hefty boxes.
Screen sizes and display types
Most tube televisions have screens that measure between 13 and 36 inches
diagonally. Above that, TVs switch from standard tubes to rear-projection or
flat-panel models. Flat-panel LCDs can range anywhere from 5 inches to more
than 40 inches diagonal, plasmas are between 37 and 65 inches, and
rear-projection sets start at 42 inches and go to as large as 73 inches.
|
