HDTV viewing distance

[pizzakid13]

i am on the cusp of finally buying an HDTV and was concerned about the size of the screen. i was thinking of getting the new Sony KDFE5010. it just looks better in the store than the DLPs. i presently view an analog philips tv from 11 1/2 feet. it feels right and the room really doesnt offer any other option. is this too close to view a 50 in tv? if so, i like the 42 in sony. thanks.

[Astro]

if its a desent plasma and high def , then i think you will be fine with your 11.5ft viewing dist.
some of the hdtv plasma's alow you to get much closer
cheers

[pizzakid13]

thanks for the help. are there any reviews of the new samsung DLPs yet? CNET only has a preview.

[topspeed]

Distance wise you should be OK, but I certainly wouldn't get any bigger than 50". I'd do a little more research on both of the brands you are considering. Our dearly departed tv guru Woodman was a tech and absolutely hated Sony because of their high failure rates. If you dig around, you'll find he's was speaking the truth as they have had more than their fair share of recalls and problems. Unfortunately, Samsung is right there with them. Check out avsforums.com and do a search. You'll find everything you need to know.

If you like LCD like the Sony, look into Hitachi or for DLP consider Toshiba or Mits. Personally, I prefer LCoS as it neither suffers the dreaded SDE of LCD's nor the rainbows of DLP's. JVC (DILA), Hitachi, and Sony (SXRD) all make LCoS sets you might look into. There are a lot of good choices available to you.

Hope this helps.

[pizzakid13]

Distance wise you should be OK, but I certainly wouldn't get any bigger than 50". I'd do a little more research on both of the brands you are considering. Our dearly departed tv guru Woodman was a tech and absolutely hated Sony because of their high failure rates. If you dig around, you'll find he's was speaking the truth as they have had more than their fair share of recalls and problems. Unfortunately, Samsung is right there with them. Check out avsforums.com and do a search. You'll find everything you need to know.

If you like LCD like the Sony, look into Hitachi or for DLP consider Toshiba or Mits. Personally, I prefer LCoS as it neither suffers the dreaded SDE of LCD's nor the rainbows of DLP's. JVC (DILA), Hitachi, and Sony (SXRD) all make LCoS sets you might look into. There are a lot of good choices available to you.

Hope this helps.
the price is a big factor though. hitachi is pricey and so is mits. i wont go over 2000-2500.

[topspeed]

the price is a big factor though. hitachi is pricey and so is mits. i wont go over 2000-2500.
Well, if you're looking at the new 1080p sets, then yeah, you're going to have a hard time. However, if you're looking at 720p/1080i, you have a plethora of choices. Go to www.tvauthority.com and start shopping! They have 52" Toshiba DLP's for $1,795 as well as just about any other set you can imagine and they deliver it to your room, not just at the curb. I got my JVC there for only $2,200, and the service was top notch. BTW, I am not affiliated with tvauthority in any way and don't receive any kickbacks or such nonsense. I just liked the price and service I got from them.

Hope this helps.

[robert393]

Here is some info, but the "rule of thumb" I use (for HD viewing) is get a screen that is 1/2 your viewing distance. Example, if viewing distance is 11feet, you would want a an HD set of 66" (diagonal). Now, understand that that would be the OPTIMAL size for HIGH-DEFINITION content, and NON-HD content would NOT be as "nice" looking".

The distance from your television to where you will be sitting is a matter of several factors: the size of your room, where the rest of the furniture is arranged, and what is comfortable to your eyes. However, for those of you who like formulas, the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) recommends that the screen should be of a size that you will see 30 degrees of viewing angle side to side from where you are sitting. If you really want to adhere to this, it means calculating either the size of the TV if you know how far away you will be sitting, or calculating the viewing distance if you know how big your TV screen is. The mathematics are easy. If we say that the horizontal (not diagonal) measurement of your television is "X", and the distance from your television to your seat is "Y", then the following formulas can be used to calculate the proper dimension for either one of these measurements: X = Y/1.8664 and Y = 1.8664 X. So, for example, if you are purchasing a television, and the distance from your seat to where you will be placing the TV is 11.5 feet, then you solve the equation for X. X = 11.5/1.8664 = 6.16 feet or 74 inches. Remember, for this calculation we are talking about HORIZONTAL measurments, NOT DIAGONAL. In practice, using the above formula results in a viewing distance that may be too close for many viewers. A more reasonable number can be calculated using the principle of sitting back about 3 - 5 times the width of the TV. If that does not satisfy you, then just sit where you darn well please.

Comfort level is the rule, not mathematical formulas, but the formulas are there if you want to use them. If you have never owned a big screen TV, you may think that the ones you shop for are too large. However, you will be surprised at how fast you adapt to the large picture once you have it at home for a few days. When watching letterboxed movies in particular, larger screens are necessary for the best visual effect. Therefore, you will probably be more satisfied in the long run if you purchase the largest set you can fit into your viewing room.

Good Luck!
Robert


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[pizzakid13]

Well, if you're looking at the new 1080p sets, then yeah, you're going to have a hard time. However, if you're looking at 720p/1080i, you have a plethora of choices. Go to www.tvauthority.com and start shopping! They have 52" Toshiba DLP's for $1,795 as well as just about any other set you can imagine and they deliver it to your room, not just at the curb. I got my JVC there for only $2,200, and the service was top notch. BTW, I am not affiliated with tvauthority in any way and don't receive any kickbacks or such nonsense. I just liked the price and service I got from them.

Hope this helps.
well, i only have 47 inches to place the tv. so the hitachis and toshibas are out because of their width. i like the site though. the samsung HL-R5067W gets a 5 star rating there.

[topspeed]

well, i only have 47 inches to place the tv. so the hitachis and toshibas are out because of their width. i like the site though. the samsung HL-R5067W gets a 5 star rating there.Make sure you check the cabinet dimensions. Don't forget, they measure diagonally so the actual cabinet will be smaller.

[pizzakid13]

Make sure you check the cabinet dimensions. Don't forget, they measure diagonally so the actual cabinet will be smaller.
definately. the sony and the samsung both fit under the 47 in limit. i am leaning towards the samsung because of the PIP and IEEE and cheaper price.