Optimum viewing distance

Following on from the thread on the optimum mounting height for a flat panel
TV, is there a generally accepted rule of thumb for optimum viewing distance
vs screen size.

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly, 'cos she can't see the
current [4:3] 24" CRT-based TV well enough. It will probably end up as a
choice between 37" or - God forbid - 42" - but some guidance would be
useful.
--
Cheers,
Roger
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Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
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Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks. PLEASE REPLY TO
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On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:19:33 -0000, "Roger Mills"
wrote:

Following on from the thread on the optimum mounting height for a flat panel
TV, is there a generally accepted rule of thumb for optimum viewing distance
vs screen size.

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly, 'cos she can't see the
current [4:3] 24" CRT-based TV well enough. It will probably end up as a
choice between 37" or - God forbid - 42" - but some guidance would be
useful.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Article/Ho...ould-I-Sit.php

Also many others thrown up by googling "tv viewing distance" without
the quotes.
--
http://www.robinfaichney.org/

Roger Mills wrote:

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly,
37" or - God forbid - 42"

There's some weird role reversal going on there - you're just messing
with our minds aren't you!

On Jan 22, 1:29 pm, Ben wrote:
Roger Mills wrote:
SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly,
37" or - God forbid - 42"

There's some weird role reversal going on there - you're just messing
with our minds aren't you!

In my case SWMBO requested 'one of those nice flat TVs', she was
bemused by my reluctance and slow reaction time, normally I need
little to no encouragement at all to buy 'something with a plug
fitted' . In the end I gave in, in part due to curiosity. I'm pleased
to report she can tell the difference between 1080-24p and 576i
pictures, (unless she's just humouring me of course).

"Roger Mills" wrote in message
...
Following on from the thread on the optimum mounting height for a flat
panel TV, is there a generally accepted rule of thumb for optimum viewing
distance vs screen size.

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly, 'cos she can't see the
current [4:3] 24" CRT-based TV well enough. It will probably end up as a
choice between 37" or - God forbid - 42" - but some guidance would be
useful.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored..
Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks. PLEASE REPLY TO
NEWSGROUP!

When I purchased my 37" a couple of years ago I genuinely thought anything
larger was utter frivoloty.

You should go to a local shop and take a look. At the Comet near us they
have a gobsmacking BluRay 1080 demo setup, and having seen it I am convinced
I would want 42", to view from about 4 metres.

D

Roger Mills wrote:
Following on from the thread on the optimum mounting height for a
flat panel TV, is there a generally accepted rule of thumb for
optimum viewing distance vs screen size.

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly, 'cos she can't
see the current [4:3] 24" CRT-based TV well enough. It will probably
end up as a choice between 37" or - God forbid - 42" - but some
guidance would be useful.

Wouldn't a decent pair of binoculars be cheaper?

--
Jeff
(cut "thetape" to reply)

"Robin Faichney" wrote in message
...
On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:19:33 -0000, "Roger Mills"
wrote:

Following on from the thread on the optimum mounting height for a flat
panel
TV, is there a generally accepted rule of thumb for optimum viewing
distance
vs screen size.

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly, 'cos she can't see the
current [4:3] 24" CRT-based TV well enough. It will probably end up as a
choice between 37" or - God forbid - 42" - but some guidance would be
useful.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Article/Ho...ould-I-Sit.php

Also many others thrown up by googling "tv viewing distance" without
the quotes.
--
http://www.robinfaichney.org/



Wouldn't it be better to leave the quotes in place to get a more accurate
search?

--
--
Graham W. www.gcw.org.uk Homebuilt Computer cooling. DIY projects
Wimborne. www.wessex-astro.org.uk Society website, meetings,
Dorset UK. location maps and future programs.

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:48:35 -0000, "Graham W"
wrote:

"Robin Faichney" wrote in message
.. .
On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 11:19:33 -0000, "Roger Mills"
wrote:

Following on from the thread on the optimum mounting height for a flat
panel
TV, is there a generally accepted rule of thumb for optimum viewing
distance
vs screen size.

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly, 'cos she can't see the
current [4:3] 24" CRT-based TV well enough. It will probably end up as a
choice between 37" or - God forbid - 42" - but some guidance would be
useful.

http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Article/Ho...ould-I-Sit.php

Also many others thrown up by googling "tv viewing distance" without
the quotes.
--
http://www.robinfaichney.org/



Wouldn't it be better to leave the quotes in place to get a more accurate
search?

That would be true if we were only interested in the phrase as a
whole, but while viewing and distance are likely to go together in
that order, tv won't necessarily immediately precede viewing. (Quotes
omitted there out of laziness.)
--
http://www.robinfaichney.org/

On Tue, 22 Jan 2008 17:13:56 -0000, "Vortex2"
wrote:

When I purchased my 37" a couple of years ago I genuinely thought anything
larger was utter frivoloty.

You should go to a local shop and take a look. At the Comet near us they
have a gobsmacking BluRay 1080 demo setup, and having seen it I am convinced
I would want 42", to view from about 4 metres.

According to
http://www.hdtvtest.co.uk/Article/Ho...ould-I-Sit.php the
appropriate viewing distance for that is 5.5 feet!
--
http://www.robinfaichney.org/

In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Vortex2 wrote:

"Roger Mills" wrote in message
...
Following on from the thread on the optimum mounting height for a
flat panel TV, is there a generally accepted rule of thumb for
optimum viewing distance vs screen size.

SWMBO has decreed that she wants a new *big* telly, 'cos she can't
see the current [4:3] 24" CRT-based TV well enough. It will probably
end up as a choice between 37" or - God forbid - 42" - but some
guidance would be useful.
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored..
Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks. PLEASE REPLY
TO NEWSGROUP!

When I purchased my 37" a couple of years ago I genuinely thought
anything larger was utter frivoloty.

You should go to a local shop and take a look. At the Comet near us
they have a gobsmacking BluRay 1080 demo setup, and having seen it I
am convinced I would want 42", to view from about 4 metres.

D

But what were they showing on it? I bet it wasn't free-to-air broadcast
material - which is all we want it for.

I made a cardboard cutout of a 42" set today, and put it where the telly
will go. She decided it was too big - so it looks like we'll be going for
37".
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
monitored.. Messages sent to it may not be read for several weeks.
PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!