How to choose a TV diagonal depending on

How to determine the optimal distance to the TV (table)

For safe viewing the minimum distance should be at least: 1.5 meters to a TV with a diagonal of 32 inches, 1.6 meters for 40 inches, 1.7 meters for 42 inches, 1.9 meters for 47 inches, 2 meters for 50 inches, 2.2 meters for 55 inches, 2.4 meters for 60 inches, 2.6 meters for 65 inches.

According to experts from homecinemamagazine.nl, the recommended viewing distance is about 1.2 to 1.7 TV diagonals. For 55-inch (140 cm) 4K Ultra HD TV for comfortable viewing we get the distance from the screen of 168-238 centimeters.

What diagonals and resolutions TVs come in

Screen size. an important characteristic. Often begin to describe the device with the phrases “I want a bigger screen” or “I need a small screen for the kitchen”. TV manufacturers produce models of different sizes. The dimensions are usually measured diagonally from opposite corners, for example, from the lower left to the upper right. Length in inches and will be the size of the screen. It is specified in the name. To convert the length to the metric system, multiply the value in inches by 2.54. Available in sizes from 10 to 105 inches and more. With such a variety to choose a receiver for any room is not difficult.

Another characteristic that provides comfortable viewing is the screen resolution. Determined by the number of pixels (color dots) from which the image is constructed, placed on the LCD panel. The most common resolution formats are as follows:

  • HD standard. Liquid crystal panel manufactured in this standard, contains 1280 pixels in horizontal lines and 720 in vertical ones. The total number of pixels is obtained by multiplying the values. 921600 pixels. TVs with HD resolution are available up to 20 inches.
  • Full HD standard. Demanded picture format of television devices. The pixel density is 1920×1080. The popularity of the standard was spurred by the wide distribution a few years ago of DVDs with movies recorded in this format. Currently, many TV and Internet channels are switching to broadcasting in Full HD, which further increases the demand for the devices. The price remains quite low.
  • Ultra HD (4K) standard. Relatively new television screens with super high resolution of 3840×2106 pixels. Details of the picture can be viewed from a distance of a few tens of centimeters. Their widespread use is constrained by high and limited video content. Ultra HD television format is not yet widespread, and to view sites in this resolution requires a high-speed connection, which few providers provide.

Features

The advent of television and a variety of television programs allows everyone to spend a pleasant time watching what they like. Lamp devices had poor image clarity, color rendering problems, and had a negative impact on the body when viewed closely. With the advent of the new LCD devices, users were able to enjoy high-quality, bright and juicy picture in high-definition. No less important advantage is the harmlessness of new generation screens, which do not emit harmful substances while watching.

The wide range of products has made it difficult for buyers to decide which TV to buy for one room or another, and at what distance from the viewing point to install it. The recommended viewing distance for each type of device depends on the screen diagonal and resolution.

To determine the optimal distance to the TV depending on the diagonal, you can use several ways of calculating.

choose, diagonal, depending

The easiest way is to multiply the diagonal of the device by 3 or 5, depending on the size of the TV. For those who want an answer regarding the specific indicators of the diagonal of the device, there are specially designed tables with ready-made values.

When planning where to install the TV, it is worth bearing in mind that for tube devices is optimal 3-4 meters with a large diagonal, while modern devices can be viewed much closer.

How to choose the diagonal of the TV

Due to these factors, models with large screens has become possible to install even in small rooms of typical domestic apartments. Taking physiological features of the human eye as a basis, experts have derived new coefficients that allow you to calculate what diagonal of the TV to choose at a known distance from it and the resolution of the matrix:

Examples of optimal diagonal calculations

For example, based on the size of the room, it is assumed that the Full HD TV will be installed at a distance of 2.5 m from the viewer. You need to divide the distance in centimeters by the corresponding factor for this type of resolution 250:1.56=160 cm. Translate the result to inches 160:2,54=63. It turns out that for such a distance, the most optimal would be to choose the closest standards of diagonal Full HD TVs: 60″ or 65″.

For HD Ready models the calculations look like this: 250:2,3=109 cm. This value corresponds to a 42-inch TV receiver. We should note that Full HD and HD Ready-TV-sets with such screens at the distance of 2.5 meters will demonstrate clear and high-quality picture without any visible traces of pixelation. But there is no sense to buy the most perfect and expensive Ultra HD model for such distance. Firstly, the devices with diagonal size of 140″ are simply not on sale yet, because the technology of their production is still extremely expensive. And secondly, smaller 4K screens at this distance lose all their clarity advantage over the same Full HD models, as the human eye simply won’t be able to distinguish the small image elements they display.

However, it is not necessary to perform such calculations on your own. You can use ready-made graphs showing how the distance to the TV set depends on the screen size and resolution.

From the above chart, you can see that for almost every distance you can choose a device with a different resolution and, accordingly, the diagonal. For example, from a distance of 1.5 m the image on the screen of a 25-inch HD Ready TV, 40-inch Full HD and 80-inch Ultra HD will look approximately the same. But if the cost of the first starts with about two hundred dollars, the price of models with ultra-high definition and a large diagonal may be several tens of thousands of U.S. dollars.е.

You have to keep in mind that terrestrial TV in Russia does not transmit in HD quality yet, although cable and satellite TV offers a number of channels with such resolution. And there is very little 4K content at all. So if your budget does not allow you to choose a diagonal TV according to the above calculations, do not worry.

In this case, the question of how to choose the diagonal of the TV, you can decide, based on the budget allocated for the purchase. It is necessary to find a line on the graph for a trimmer with the selected viewing distance, and then move along it from right to left until you find the TV with the largest diagonal and resolution, the price of which will suit you well.

The nuances of the choice based on the purpose of viewing

After deciding on the key parameters, then the choice can be adjusted according to the main purpose for which the TV is purchased:

  • To watch movies in high quality and 3D-format. It is best to look for a device with the largest possible diagonal and appropriate stuffing. Number of dots per inch may not have great influence on the choice, but color, contrast, and lag time parameters are of high priority.
  • For playing games on your computer or console. In this case on the contrary not the biggest diagonal is required, because it implies short distance to the monitor, maximal available resolution and instant change of the picture.
  • For watching television in standard formats. For this purpose, the smallest TVs will be acceptable. Even an LCD-TV will suit perfectly for this purpose. a high resolution is not required, a small delay of image change is not critical, contrast and color retreat into the background.

Before buying a specific model it is worth arranging a “test-drive”. in the store to watch videos at different distances from the screen. If the visibility from the right distance is good, you can buy a TV. Thus, you can accurately verify the accuracy of calculations previously made at home.

What happens if you choose the wrong diagonal size?

If you choose a small or large TV, nothing bad will happen. The main thing is that it shouldn’t be too big or too small. Otherwise, you will have to put up with some inconveniences later on.

You buy too big and your eyes will strain because you’re sitting too close to the big screen. It’s like buying a front-row ticket to IMAX 3D and then having to watch the entire movie while a giant Gandalf’s beard literally grows out of the screen. You also have to rotate your head from time to time to catch sight of everything that is happening on the screen.

How to determine the distance to the TV, depending on the diagonal

recently, when apartments were kinescope TV receiver, then used a specific formula for calculating the ideal distance for comfortable viewing, which is significant at 4-5 diagonals on the screen. Today, flat-screen televisions are much safer and practically no harm to vision. In fact, at the moment, users pay attention to the distance to the TV only for image detail and comfortable viewing.

There are three factors that influence comfortable viewing:

These 3 factors are strongly linked, so you should not select a new TV solely on the parameter of the diagonal. You should also take into account its resolution and the distance from which you plan to watch.

Maximum comfort for watching TV determines the pixel system. To put it briefly: the minimum distance at which the pixels will not be visible is just the optimal distance to the TV.

TV manufacturers, on the contrary, encourage as close as possible to watch your favorite movie. By the way, the effect of this is very noticeable: when viewing at close range the user is literally immersed in what is happening on the screen. However, this innovation is applicable only for watching films, when watching news programs with frequent changes of pictures it is recommended to sit away from the screen.

Therefore, the optimal distance for comfortable viewing varies depending on the content being broadcast. That is, when watching movies is recommended to sit closer to the screen to avoid the appearance of pixels. At the same time, when watching news, it is recommended to sit at the optimal distance to cover the full screen and not have to turn your head for full detail.

In addition, the quality of the image when broadcasting a movie and a news feed is very different. For example, almost every movie is shown in Full HD quality (1920×1080), while the news programs are usually broadcast in 720p at best. If you detail in the distance to the TV, then the ideal distance to the TV is considered 1.5-3 diagonal of the screen.

What’s more important. resolution or size?

There is another rule when choosing a TV. Better a smaller diagonal, but higher resolution! Too big screen with poor picture quality means you will see only a few pixels.

There are three basic types of resolution:

In HD resolution from 2 meters will be comfortable to watch a screen no larger than 32` diagonal. And with Full HD you can go as high as 50′. You won’t see any individual pixels in this quality from 2 meters away.

A comparison table for these two types of resolution is below.

The value of comfortable viewing depending on the resolution and diagonal