Questions & Answers
173 ANSWERED QUESTIONS
What is the best height above eye level to wall mount TV? What is the most commonly comfortable tilt angle to set TV on a tiltable wall mountings ? ie: All of DaVinci's great paintings, like the Mona Lisa, have subjects' eye elevation located a distance of 68% above the base of the painting.
There is no fixed answer because it depends on what you are watching. For example, if you play video games, the ideal height would vary between first person and third person games. For TV shows, are you watching a sitcom, or the news? You either want to match the director of photography's goal or the position of the camera. The same thing is true for the tilt angle. Ideally, set it so your eyes are perpendicular to the screen.
My viewing distance is 13 feet and want to buy 4k sony. Should it be 55 or 65 inches?
Go for 65".
I am shocked at how many people do not read the distance/size chart and ask the same questions over and over.
Haha, yes.
I am planning on buying a 46 inch 3D LED TV (Samsung or LG). What is the best option, and at what distance should I sit to see the full resolution?
What is the minimum and maximum distance for a 40" 1080p HD TV? I find 7.8 FT too close in my room.
You benefit from the 1080p resolution closer than 7.8 ft, and you will see pixels at 5.2 ft. Of course, you can sit farther - you just won't see all the detail (assuming you are watching Blu-ray quality footage).
What TV size would be best for the corner of a family room?
Use the calculator above and enter your viewing distance. In a corner, what matters most is the viewing angle of the television. Check out our article on this
here and check out our videos. Overall, for an LED, LG offers a better viewing angle than Samsung.
I will be sitting seven feet away and am thinking of buying a 50 inch TV. Does that size/distance sound good?
Yes, this is very good, even for 1080p materials. You won't lose any detail.
I am planning on buying a 32" or 40" TV and the viewing distance is about 7-8 feet. Which TV should I buy?
I have a 70 inch LCD TV and I noticed that my eyes are not comfortable watching a TV of this size. I wear glasses and I have checked my prescriptions and they are fine.
When I watch TV shows, I feel like my eyes cannot concentrate on the TV, it is like my left eye tends to go left and right eyes go right. It is a very uncomfortable feeling. My seating distance from the TV is approximately 9-11 feet. I have told my husband that the TV size is making my eyes uncomfortable, but he said that based on the numbers for a 70 inch TV, the optimum distance is 9-10 feet. Can you help me?
Are you watching 2D or 3D content? Also, do you normally have problems watching close objects for an extended period of time (like a computer monitor)? The sensation that you are describing (your eyes tend to go their separate ways) is not really related to the size of the screen, but to the distance. The closer an object, the more your eyes need to point inward. The muscles of your eyes might not be used to pointing inward (for example, if you do not have a desk job). Your eyes should get used to it after a while, but tell your husband to increase the seating distance if you still find it painful.
Can't decide between a 55" Samsung Smart TV or 60" Samsung Plasma 3D Smart TV.
Are there any significant issues or differences between LED and Plasma when it comes to 3D or Smart TV capabilities?
Smart TV capabilities are the same because manufacturers usually use the same software on both. For 3D, in this case both use Active 3D. There will not really be any difference if you are comparing a top LED vs a top Plasma. However, if you are comparing a mid-range LED to a mid-range Plasma, the Plasma will have less crosstalk because the TV is able to switch between images a lot faster. For more info, check out
our plasma vs LED comparison.
My living room is 25' long. Which is the best sized TV for that distance? I was thinking a 70 inch 1080p. In your opinion, will that make for good picture?
25 feet is quite far, even for a 70 inch. Hopefully your seating distance is closer than that. Right around half of that would be great. If not, just get the biggest TV you can afford.
I am sitting at a distance of 7.3' for a 55" 1080p HD TV, but I can still see some pixels. Is it normal?
Even if your television resolution is 1080p, you need 1080p media to get the full resolution. Also, 1080p media will have artifacts and flaws - especially if it is a streaming feed or a television show. Algorithms that encode media are not noiseless, meaning the final picture can be blurry and can contain blocks. The optimal distance listed above is for an ideal case. In everyday life (except if you are only watching high quality Blu-rays) you will need to stand farther from the television.
I bought a Samsung 60 inch LED TV (
H6400). My viewing distance is 14 feet. Am I at a good distance?
You are a little bit too far for watching 1080p video.
I'm sitting eight feet from the TV. What is better - 70 or 65 inch?
65" is good, whereas 70" would be slightly too big.
Couple questions:
1) What is the optimal height on the wall for a 70 and 75 inch TV?
2) What is the optimal distance in feet from a 70 and 75 inch TV?
1) This depends on your furniture and seating position. You want your eyes to arrive perpendicular to the screen. If you have a sofa of a normal height, this means the center of the screen is at about four feet from the floor. Some sofas have a more laid back seating position, though, so you can put it higher and tilt the screen downward.
2) Between 10 ft and 15 ft if you are watching 1080p.
I'm 10' (three meters) away from my TV and 90% of my shows are 720p. I'm planning on getting the 60"
F5300 from Samsung. Will that work fine, or do I need to get a smaller TV? I already have a 46" LED and I'm planning on replacing it with a bigger TV.
At that distance and size, you will see some pixels/artifacts when watching 720p content. However, that shouldn't be a deal breaker, considering the proportion of 1080p content will only increase in the next few years.
I have a Sony 32 inch full HD LED. I am sitting 10 feet away from the TV. Will that be enough to see all the detail?
You will miss out on some detail while watching 1080p because you are too far. For a 32", you need to sit pretty close (five feet) if you want to enjoy the full 1080p resolution.
Please hear me out. Rtings has been incredibly unbiased to date and I greatly respect that, especially in today's society. Please keep that up for this: Despite previous studies, I honestly believe that I have developed a new breakthrough method to determine the proper screen size to distance ratio. It essentially proves the studies previously used for this are not entirely accurate in the context of TVs. Again, please hear me out. I generated an uncompressed image containing a plain pure black background, with a single pure white pixel in the center of it. I ensured my uncompressed images that I generated were 1920x1080. I then made variations with different single colored backgrounds and pixels, then other variations with a larger box around the single pixel to help me stay focused on where it is from father distances. I then displayed these on a 1080p OLED (as close to infinite contrast as possible) and measured how far away I was when I could no longer detect the pixel. I did this in an average lit setting and in a pitch black room. I had to move away extremely slowly to stay focused on it, but in all cases, with the exception of the black and white, I was 9-39% farther away than what you (and the entire internet for that matter) claim to be the absolute minimum distance in which a human should be able to detect 1 pixel worth of detail for that particular screen size to distance ratio. I exclude the black screen with white pixel numbers simply cause our eyes detect the detail differently with black and white than when color is involved. Also, I was able to detect the single white pixel from significantly farther away than the color on color variants, and was unable to precisely measure that distance with my tools. I partially attribute my findings to the fact that TV's emit light and our eyes can detect small details better from bright screens than in other, everyday, less bright situations. I also believe that our eyes are generally slightly better than what previous studies have found, and that previous studies didn't test enough variations of settings/material. Regardless, the bottom line is that in all the scenarios I tested, I was able to see a single pixel from farther away than I was supposed to be able to according to the standards described on this page. If you happen to still have a plasma laying around, or better yet have an OLED in any time soon, please replicate this test in black and white, colors, dark and typical rooms, with and without a box around the pixel, etc and see for yourselves. Thank you very much for your time.
This is interesting. The above formula is based on that the average visual acuity needed to discriminate two contours is separated by 1 arc minute. The best example of this is for the letter E, more specifically the 3 branches of the letter. 20/20 vision means that the average person won't distinguish between those branches when the E letter's height is less than 5 arc minute. Further than that and the branches just blend in and it looks like a rectangle. This test is a little bit harder than your test. But your test raises an interesting question, which is to about which test is better suited for a TV? I don't really have an answer to that. And as you pointed out, the contrast of the TV also has a role to play in this. The lower the contrast, the closer you need to be to see in detail. Anyway, thanks for sharing. This is a good discussion and you brought in interesting results. Thanks.
I will be sitting six feet away from my TV, mainly watching 1080p footage and playing PS4. What is the best screen size to purchase?
46" would be perfect.
How far should the sitting distance be for a 55in Samsung 4k Ultra HDTV - 3840 x 2160 resolution?
If you want to benefit from your 4k resolution, closer than eight feet.
I am sitting about 10 feet from my 50 plasma full HD Samsung. What is the best resolution? I heard I have to lower it on my PC. What about 1600 by 900?
It is always best to set your PC to the screen native resolution. In your case, it is 1920 x 1080. Otherwise, the screen needs to upscale the picture, which will result in lost information and make it blurry.
I have a 19" color TV. What is the minimum and maximum distance at which I should sit?
At that small size, you need to be really close if you don't want to lose any detail. Just try to be as close as possible.
I'm considering buying a Samsung 75"
UN75H6350. My viewing distance is about 10-12ft. I mostly watch HD cable broadcast TV. Will I see a lot of artifacts?
You will definitely see some artifacts on HD channels, and even on a 65". HD channels are low quality, so the artifacts cannot be avoided if you want a big TV. Still, go for the
UN75H6350. It is a great TV.
Does 24 inch full HD led TV produce the same quality as a 32 inch TV?
If it is the same model, then yes, the quality will be very close. If you are watching a 24" TV from a distance, though, you will not need 1080p; your eye will not be able to see all the pixels.
I have a 55 inch LG Google TV 1080p. I am approx. 11.5 feet away. Am I at a good distance for the view?
It is about right, but you could sit a little bit closer when watching 1080p to fully benefit from it.
I am planning to buy a Sony 70 inch smart 3D TV 1080p and sit about 12 feet away. Will 720p broadcasts still look okay on a 70 inch screen?
You might see compression artifacts from time to time, but overall, it should still look pretty good.
I have used your size calculator but I am confused. At 10ft distance and 1080p, I get 75 inches. For 720p I get 51.5 inches. If I am mostly watching 1080i cable broadcasts, should I be considering a 55 inch or 60 inch.
At your distance, you will see artifacts when watching cable at both 55" and 60" sizes. Because you will probably watch 1080p material from time to time, and the quality of cable will only increase over time, go for the 60" if it is in your budget range.
What does the value 4k mean in an UHD TV?
It refers to the number of horizontal pixels (contrary to 1080p, which represents the vertical lines). The 4K term has been used for a long time now especially in the movie industry. In an attempt to make the name more consumer friendly, last year the Consumer Electronics Association decided to rebrand 4k for televisions as Ultra HD. Check out
4k vs 1080p comparison.
I am planning on buying a 32 inch TV (Samsung or LG). What is the best option, and at what distance should I sit to get the full resolution.
Most 32" TVs only have a resolution of 720p instead of 1080p, because at this size you will have to sit very close to notice the 1080p upgrade. At a resolution of 720p and a size of 32", the closest you can sit without seeing the pixels is 6.2 feet. If you sit farther away than 11.4 feet, you will only see information similar to that of a 480p source. As for the best TV at that size, you can also use read our recommendations
here.
The problem is that we all have material in various resolutions, so I'm not sure which size will work well in real life. 480p content is still very widespread, which leads to very small screen size in the chart, and watching 1080p leads to a completely different size category, which won't work with the smaller size. So which size should I pick for, say 10', something that will let me enjoy 1080, but not suffer when I watch 480p? Or should I sacrifice one over the other?
When in doubt, go for bigger. That way, you will appreciate watching quality 1080p content. Your TV will also be future proof, because the resolution of material will only go up in the future.
I recently bought an LG 42" smart TV and I don't know where to mount it in my studio apartment. I need to know the minimum height and distance at which to mount it because my options are few.
The closest you should sit to it is six feet. A height of three feet off the floor would be good (although this depends on your sitting position).
I have a 50" LG and the viewing distance is 10-11 feet. Will I notice a difference between 720p and 1080p?
Assuming perfect encoding, no.
I am planning on buying a 40 inch LED TV and the viewing distance is five feet. Is it ok?
Yes. This is good.
I have a long rectangular room, which is 22ft by 12ft and has the TV in one corner. My lounge occupies two thirds of the length of the room, with the remaining third being the dining table/area. My current TV is an old-style 42 inch TV with a thick two inch bezel, but I am looking to go bigger. I like the 46" with thin bezel, but have found that the outer measurements are exactly the same as my existing TV, and am therefore thinking that I wont be able to distinguish much difference. The closest sofa to the TV is about five feet away, and the furthest sofa is 14 feet away. The dining table is 18 feet away, although 90% of the viewing is done in the lounge. Which size TV is best - 46 or 50, given the close proximity of the nearest sofa?
Your closest sofa is really close, but the other one is pretty far. Go for a 50" if it is within your budget. It might be a little too big for the closest couch, but you will appreciate the bigger size from the other seats.
I am planning on a Sony 65 inch LED TV. My viewing distance is 10 feet. Is this ok?
Yes, this is good.
I am torn between a Samsung
H7150 75" (
UN75H7150) and the
HU8550 UHD 65" (
UN75HU8550). If sitting 11-12 feet away, which is optimal? Leaning towards the bigger LED over the smaller UHD model.
As shown by our reviews, the picture quality is the same, so it is only a question of resolution/size/distance. At 12 feet, go for the bigger 75" instead of the bigger resolution. You will appreciate this more.
Is resolution upscaling really effective for a Full HD TV displaying standard definition TV programs?
No, resolution upscaling is never good. To understand this, you need to think in terms of the amount of information a video contains (or more specifically, entropy). Resolution that has four times the amount of pixels has a potential of four times the amount of information (the key here is potential, because if the whole screen is perfectly white, the total amount of information is very small). Resolution upscaling will always be worse for two reasons:
First, the television cannot create new information. It can only extrapolate from the available information. This means that the television cannot know what was between two pixels, so it will guess instead. Second, there is a loss of information when upscaling to match the desired resolution. Unless the scale factor is exactly a whole number (which is almost never the case), some information will be lost by trying to fit 1 pixel into a fraction. For example, let's say you want to upscale a 1x3 picture (consisting of a white pixel next to a black one and then a white pixel) into a 1x4. What do you do? The two on the side can be white, but none at the center can be black without deforming the picture, so it will mostly be gray.
As a side note, this assumes the resolution upscaling is done on frames independently of each other. Technically, you also have access to information present in the previous and next frames. There is some research done in that field that does look promising, but the algorithms aren't really effective yet, apart from in very controlled cases.
I just bought a 75 inch Samsung LED smart TV and sitting 11.5 feet away, coming off of a Sony Bravia 46 LCD TV. I am getting headaches and eye strain. Does this just get taking used to, or did I go too big? Is the LED lighting a difference maker coming off the LCD, which seems less bright by comparison?
If you can, try to identify what is giving you eye strain. The common causes are: 1) Flickering of the screen. LEDs don't flicker much, so it is unlikely that this is the issue here. You can try turning off the LED Motion Plus setting, which increases the flickering of the backlight. 2) The screen is too bright. This can easily be adjusted by reducing the backlight setting of the television. 3) The TV is too close, but unless you are not used to watching a screen close (like if you do not have a desk job), it is unlikely at that size and distance.
I am sitting six feet from my TV. I am thinking of getting a 49 or 55 inch 4k TV when they come out. Which size would be best?
Definitely 55". At your distance, you won't notice the difference of 4k with a 49" TV.
What do you think would the best choice, considering I will watch both 720P and 1080p video on my TV (Blu-ray will be in 1080p but Videotron will be in 720p)? Will it be better to choose 720p and lose the detail in 1080p or to choose the 1080p optimal size but see the pixels in 720p?
You should use the highest resolution that you will watch. IN your case, 1080p. It is better to see the pixels with lower resolution media than to lose detail with higher quality media.
I have a 42" plasma TV and I am sitting 10 feet away. Is this correct?
Usually, 42 inch plasmas are 720p. If that is your case, then yes, 10 feet is good.
Is it possible for your team of experts to test and show results for the Sony KDL60W630B? This set has almost no usable information out there beyond what the manufacturer states. I would greatly appreciate the information. Thank you!
Maybe late fall, but it is doubtful that we will have time for it, unfortunately. Considering how good the
W600B,
W800B and
W850B series are (in their respective price range), the KDL60W630B should also be good.
I just bought the Samsung
un55h6350. I have a viewing distance of between 7 and 7.5 ft. Does this sound okay?
Yes, perfect.
I have 28 inch Sony LED TV and my viewing distance is eight feet. Is this a good distance for watching TV?
This is a bit small/far.
What is the optimum viewing distance for a 65 inch Panasonic plasma full HD?
Between nine and 12 feet.
Please help me decide between 42" and 46". My viewing distance is 12 feet and most of the content is 420p.
For 420p, you will pretty much see artifacts/pixelization, no matter the size. The question then becomes about the immersion that you want. To be future-proof, go for the bigger size (assuming it's within your budget).
I bought a 55 inch Samsung LED and just saw an ad for the same TV, but with smart features, which add $100 to the price. Will the picture be as good on a smart TV?
It will most likely look exactly the same. It is just the software that changes.
My viewing distance is 10ft. What will be the best size for a TV? 48 inch or 55 inch?
If you can afford it, go for 55".
We recently bought a 65" LG Ultra 4k TV. It is the 65UB9500 model. How far should we sit from it? Also, for some reason when we check the resolution (which is supposed to upgrade to Ultra), we keep seeing 16.9 (1080p) for resolution? Can you explain, as this is while watching TV, 3D, and Netflix?
If you want a good immersion factor, eight feet would be great. It is normal that it always lists 1080p as the resolution. This is the input signal resolution, not the TV's native resolution. The TV upscales the signal from 1080p to 4k. The TV will only say 4k when the signal is really 4k and it doesn't need to do any upscaling.
Limited budget, eight to 10 feet viewing distance. I plan to place it on a stand, and TV watching is limited to kids, evening, football. Size and type of tv? No idea what to buy.
It all depends on your exact budget. At that distance, the budget will be your constraint, not the size. For a good all-around TV, check out the
H6350.
A week ago I purchased a 65" Samsung
UN65HU8550FXZA 4K ULT with 3D and set it up 11' away, as it seemed too big any closer. From what I read on your site, this may not be optimal, yet we do not want to go bigger, as this TV seems plenty big. Can we get by with this size/distance ratio for now and decrease the distance to around 9.5' when 4K content hits? Right now we just watch Blu-Ray movies and some older DVDs, along with sports. I still have the option to return the TV within the next seven days.
Of course you can. It takes a while to get used to a big TV. It will make more sense to have it closer when 4k content hits.
I'm considering a 70 inch LED TV. The distance varies depending on where you sit. Someone could sit as close as 5.5 - 6ft but most of the time it will be 9 - 10 ft. Should I consider a little smaller, like 65 in?
That is indeed a little bit too big. Some will like that, but it is not for everyone.
How much bigger is the size of a movie in 1080p HD if its size in avi format is 1GB?
It could be any size. The resolution is not the most important factor in determining video size. The bit rate of the encoding is more important. A Blu-Ray movie normally has a bit rate of 36Mbit/s, which correspond to about 20GB per full movie. However, a lot of encoded videos have a lower bit rate.
What is the best distance at which to play games on a 43 inch Samsung Plasma TV HD Ready in order to avoid having vision problems afterwards?
HD Ready means a resolution of 720p. For a 43 inch TV, a distance between 8 and 15 ft would be good.
I got a 70" Sony LED 3D smart TV. It's about 12 feet or so away. Is the TV too big, and should it be smaller?
No, this is about right. It might feel a bit big at the beginning, but you will get used to it and you won't want to go back to a smaller one.
I am right on the verge of the scale for 55inch. I sit 2.3 meters away from the wall I want to mount it on. Seeing as I am at 2.3 meters, would you recommend a 50 inch or 55 inch?
Very few people regret opting for a bigger screen. It takes a while to get used to it, but after a while, you will want to go even bigger. Go for the 55" (unless the price difference pushes you to downgrade the picture quality).
I'm going to get the Samsung
UN65HU8550. Our viewing range is 13 Feet. It is a good size for the room?
It is slightly smaller than ideal, but it will feel very big if you are a coming from a small TV.
I'm thinking about about getting a samsung
js8500 but can't decide whether or not the 7 more inches on the 55" will be worth $500. We are sitting about 9 feet away, what do you think?
Yes it is worth it for the
JS8500. 55" is better at 9 feet than 48". If you were buying a budget TV, $500 is a bit too much for 7" extra, but for a high end TV like the JS8500, it makes more sense. The bigger size might overwhelm you a little bit at first, but after a week or two, nobody wishes to get a smaller TV.
I got a 55" Samsung and sit approx nine feet away from the TV. It seems small after I watch it for a while. Most of time I watch 720p stuff. I am afraid that it's going to be blurry if I go any bigger. Do you think the 55" would be ok for this distance?
Nine feet for a 55" is great, especially if you watch a lot of 720p. Indeed, if you go any closer or bigger, you will see more imperfections. At the end of the day, though, it is still a personal preference, and you might place more value on the immersion factor than on the intensity of the details.
Do even the TVs with the highest resolutions have artifacts? I seem to be getting a pulsating effect when looking at dark and light areas with some low resolution material. My screen is 70" and I am sitting about nine feet from the screen, which is hung on the wall above head level when sitting down.
Yes. Artifacts are caused by the content compression algorithms when a low bit rate is used. If your content isn't good, it doesn't matter that you have a high resolution TV; you will see artifacts.
Is a 75" Samsung LED with a viewing distance of nine feet okay?
It is a bit too close. 10-11 feet would be better.
In terms of picture quality vs size, sitting ~13ft back, would you recommend a 60 inch Samsung
F8500 plasma or a 65 inch
H7150 LED? They are both the same price and I can't decide if the improved picture quality of the plasma is worth losing the four inches of screen size.
It depends on your room type. If it is somewhat dark or the viewers are spread around the room, go for the
F8500, because the better picture quality will be more apparent in these scenarios. Otherwise, the
H7150 is still very good, so you won't be disappointed with it either.
I'm just shy of 11' away from my TV and I mostly watch shows at 720p. I do, however, rent Blu-rays and want to get the best picture quality. I'm planning to get the 60"
H7150. Will that work fine, or would you recommend I get the 55"? The TV mounts above a fireplace mantel and is angled down.
Get the 60", even if you still watch a lot of 720p shows. You will appreciate the bigger size - especially when watching Blu-ray movies. The Samsung
UN60H7150 is a great choice.
I am looking at a Vizio D650i and E650i. The D series does not have the clear action feature (smooth motion) but the
E series does. Vizio tech support said I would not notice the difference in fast action or sports broadcast. They both have 120hz refresh rates. The d650 is $200-300 cheaper. Which should I buy?
Both are 60Hz, not 120Hz. They both don't have the motion interpolation feature. The D has fewer inputs and less dimming zones. Because of this, we expect the picture quality to be slightly inferior in term of uniformity (which wasn't great on the
E Series to start with). If you find the price difference significant, get the cheaper one. As long as you don't have unrealistically high expectations, you should be happy with it.
Our viewing range is 14-15 feet at the furthest, and 10 on the sides. I don't want to go bigger than a 55" for the space it will taking up on the wall. Would 50" be too small?
It is a little bit small, but if you are used to even smaller, you won't mind it.
We are looking at a Samsung 50" or 55" after viewing an "old school" 32 inch non-HDTV for years. I will be 13 feet away from the new TV. I know a new 50" will be a sensory delight for some time but will I be wishing I had purchased the 55 inch in a year or two? I am trying to rationalize the 55 inch purchase to my wife who is concerned it will be way too big. Thank you.
Almost no one regrets buying a bigger TV. Also, normally the bigger the TV, the longer you will wait before buying a new one. Therefore, if you don't mind the price difference, get the 55".
How does the size and distance chart relate to OLED? What size OLED would I need when sitting 10 feet from the screen?
There's no major difference between OLED and LED for size/distance relationship. At 10', assuming a resolution of 1080p, anything from 55" to 75" will look good.
I understand most TV signals are standard definition. Will an HD receiver improve picture quality on my LS4000? I am considering going to an antenna and would appreciate your thoughts on that.
If you are only watching channels in standard definition, having an HD receiver will not help. An HD receiver will only improve the quality of signals that are available in HD.
Is 65 inches too big for sitting eight feet from a 1080p set? Should I go with 60 instead? I want a fully immersive experience for TV shows. Will I notice the pixelation?
It is borderline, but it should be ok. The pixelation will depend on the bit rate of the content you are watching. You will definitely see artifacts on broadcasted HD channels, very few on streaming 1080p, and none with Blu-rays.
Does buying a Sony 55" 4K TV for a seven to eight feet viewing distance make sense, or would I be better off with a comparably sized 1080p TV?
It is borderline. As long as you don't expect a huge difference, you can go with 4k.
My viewing distance is about 7.5 feet from the TV. I want to purchase the 75 inch Samsung
hu8550. If I read the chart correctly, it is worth it at 7.5 feet and a 75 inch screen to opt for the 4k set, correct?
Yes.
My viewing distance is likely to be somewhere in the ball park of 10-12 ft, based on my calculations and the graphs I probably need like a 90" TV or something. If I get a 65" 4K am I wasting my money because I likely won't get any of the benefits or will I see some but just not the full 4K details. Also will getting a 75" make it any better in that situation.
A 75" TV would be better if you can afford it, but even a 65" would do a good job. Usually bigger is better when it comes to TV. With 4k TV, even if you don't see the 4k detail you can still benefit from new features present nowadays that are only present on 4k TV.
We are planning on connecting a 27" iMac to two 60" LED TV's in our church service to project the words for our worship music. Any drawbacks to using two TVs vs two monitors, which seem to be much more expensive? Max distance from the screens will be approximately 50'. Font size can be variable, utilizing two lines (Max three) on the screen at a time.
Monitors and TVs are the same (except for plasmas ones). It is just the set of inputs that changes. All TVs now have digital inputs, so two 60" LED TVs will work just fine.
I am planning on installing a 90" (16:9, 1080p) television at 6'9" to center on a tilt-down mount with the use of recliners. What distance away would be appropriate for this scenario?
12 feet would be great for a 90" in a setup like yours.
How far off the floor do I mount a 75 inch LED?
It depends on your seats. Usually, two feet from the floor is good.
My viewing distance is exactly 11 feet away from the wall, I want to purchase a 78inch 4k TV, but I'm unsure about whether it is too big for the distance? What are your thoughts? Should i go for a smaller 65inch 4k TV?
It is big, but not too big. A smaller TV wouldn't allow you to benefit from the 4k resolution at that distance.
The TV sizing guide is an excellent tool, but I'm still confused.
I sit seven feet from the TV and want to purchase either a 32 or 40 inch Full HDTV. While I will mainly watch HD streaming from Netflix, etc, and Blu-Ray, if I get the 40 inch will I have a problem with the clarity of SD programs at seven feet? Also, if I was to get the 32 inch, how much less detail am I likely to see with 1080p?
At that distance, you will see the pixels and artifacts with both sizes on SD content. As for the details of 1080p on the 32", you won't lose much details. You sit relatively close to your TV, so the smaller 32" isn't that bad.
Your reviews are the best. I mostly watch 720p broadcasted material and TV/DVD/720P (for whatever is not available in higher resolution). I am going to continue to watch TV/DVD/720P a lot in the future too. My viewing distance is 11ft. I have a Samsung 46" H5000 now and the resolution in 720p is terrible. Will a Sony XBR-55X850B help me to have a better picture in 720p. and maybe I can go with a 60"-65"? Thanks.
720p broadcast will look terrible on all TVs, but Sony TVs tend to have better/more aggressive upscaling. They also have more settings to control so you can tweak it to your preferences. Don't expect the picture to look like it has a high bitrate, though. Better upscaling makes it looks less blurry, but at the cost of more artifacts.
Is 7' ok for a 40" high resolution tv?
You are a little bit far for that size / your TV is a little bit small for your distance.
Does UHD upscaling help with minimizing the visual effects of compression artifacts? Pondering whether to buy the
hu8550 65in or
h7150 75in with a viewing distance of around 8-10 feet. Thanks for your help!
Not really. If a compression artifact is still visible on a 1080p TV when the noise cancelling algorithms are turned on, it will also show up on a 4k TV. Having more pixels to map into the low quality footage won't help. For your distance, it is a tough call between these two TVs, so just go with your gut feeling. You will be happy either way.
Is a 47in with a viewing distance of 6.5 feet from the couch good?
Yes, that is perfect.
Regarding your answer above ("It is borderline but it should be ok. The pixelation will depend on the bit rate of the content you are watching. You will definitely see artifacts on broadcasted HD channels, very few on streaming 1080p and none on Blu-rays."):
Are TV's capable of zooming-out ('reducing the image size'), so when an HD (or lower) broadcast is shown - one could zoom-out, and avoid the pixelation?
There are different zoom/crop levels, but even then you will see artifacts because the media isn't perfect.
Is 40" too small at nine feet, or do you think one could get by ok? Don't want the TV to overtake the room.
If you can afford it, you should go bigger. At first, you might find that the TV overtakes the room, but you will get used to it pretty quickly.
In an open floor plan, our viewing distance is 11-12 feet at the sofa and 22 feet from the kitchen island and dining area. Would a 75" or 85" 4K TV be better?
At 85", you'll just barely see the benefit of 4k from your couch, but you won't notice a difference at all from your dining area. You could easily get an 85" 1080p TV and not really notice the difference in resolution. At those distances, regardless of the resolution your TV ends up having, you should opt for 85" over 75".
Hi! I'm thinking about pulling the trigger on the 65" Samsung 4K
JS8500. I will be sitting roughly 8 feet from the TV. Is this a good distance to still get the full benefit of a 4K TV or should I move my sofa closer?
Yes, that distance is good, and it is a great TV too.
What are some good inexpensive tvs in the 50 in range for watching sports outdoors? Glare before noon only.
No consumer TV is good outdoors. In your price range, you might be able to get away with a Vizio
E50-C1 though.
I have a 29" Vizio LED 720P TV "1360 x 768" that I use as a work PC Monitor. I work as an internet manager for an large car dealership. How close is too close to sit to the TV?
Anything closer than 5.6 feet and you will see the pixels of the screen. For a PC monitor, this is quite a low resolution for that size. That screen was more meant to be watched as a TV from a sofa than to be used as a PC on a desk.
I want to buy a 42 inch LED Sony TV, something where my child and myself could sit to watch TV for two hours. Please tell me what the ideal sitting distance is.
Between six and 10 feet would be good.
The viewing distance in this particular room is approximately 20 feet. It is not possible to move the seating or the TV. The wall for the TV can accommodate nothing larger than a 60" screen. Does this mean I should be using a 480p TV?
Not exactly. It means you will not really see a difference between a the picture quality of a DVD and Blu-ray at that distance and size. All TVs of 60 inches are at least 1080p, but you can still play lower resolution videos.
I bought an LG LED/LCD 60 inch TV. I view it at 11 feet and I started having a headache and feeling motion sickness. Previously I used a 42 inch and had no problems. I can't go further away. What would be the correct size?
11 feet for a 60" isn't too close, but you might be sensitive to this. First, try to eliminate other possible causes. Lowering the luminosity of the screen or turning off the soap opera effect (TruMotion setting) will probably help.
I am concerned about the minimum and maximum viewing distances recommended for a curved screen TV - is there a difference when compared to a conventional flat screen with the same definition? For example, the Samsung 55" HU8500 vs 55" HU7500.
No difference in term of distance. That said, if you are directly in front of it, the curved screen is better because your angle with the edges is better (which results in less loss of color saturation).
I am considering buying a Samsung
PN60F8500 or
PN64F8500 to replace our 55 inch Samsung Plasma. Which would be a better buy for a viewing distance of 13 feet? The 60 or 64 inch?
Get the 64". For that distance, you can really get big.
I am buying a new smart TV and I only have room for a 50 inch screen. I watch Direct TV, Blu-ray movies, and the kids play games with their Wii. I don't use 3D, but if it is on the TV, that's ok. The seating is 10 ft. "Excellent picture quality" is a must, like the Samsung
H7150, but they do not make a 50 inch and I will not go smaller. I found the Samsung HU6950, but I would rather not go 4k if I don't have to. Do you have any suggestions? Price must not exceed $1600.00. Thank you for you help.
The choice in the 50" range is rather limited. If you want the best picture quality with the best smart features, get the Samsung
UN50H6400. The picture quality is very similar to the pricier
H7150, but it has a more matte screen finish and a slightly worse uniformity.
Which TV would you recommend for a viewing distance of about 12 feet, I am torn between a 65" or 70". I watch a lot of sports and movies. Is a 4k TV worth it at that distance?
4k isn't really worth it at that distance / size. You are better off saving money and getting a 1080p TV instead. It depends on your budget, but a TV like the Samsung
UN65H7150 should be great.
I just bought a Samsung 50 inch UHD TV. Is six feet away from the TV good?
Yes, this is good for 4k.
Why is everyone hung up on the distance for 1080p? If I am like most people, 98% of what I watch is DirecTV or cable, which is either 720p or 1080i. Even if I have a 4k TV, shouldn't I be using the viewing distance for 720p? I was thinking about getting a 75" Samsung (not 4k), but I am concerned this may be too big at a viewing distance of 11'
Most streaming sites offer 1080p video, as do Blu-ray players, PCs, and the latest video game consoles. You're right that, for people with your viewing habits, the 720p distance is more important, but for many, ideal 1080p or 4k viewing distance is what applies.
75" is a good size for that distance, so if you have the space, go for it. It will look great.
I am interested in purchasing a 60”-65” smart TV priced around $1,500- $1,700. It will be used primarily to watch sports, movies, and regular TV, and will be mounted on the wall approximately 14-15' from the couch. We regularly watch Netflix. Which television do you recommend?
Get the Samsung
UN65J6300. You won't notice much benefit from 4k at that distance, so a good 1080p TV like this one is the best choice. It has great picture for everything, and a good smart platform for Netflix/other apps.
I have a 55'' Vizio TV and the width of the picture does not fill the screen by about 6 inches on each side. How can I maximize
the width? Thanks
On your remote, press the button with the rectangle on it.
In the 65" row in the table at the top of the page, '1805 in2' should be '1.165 m2.'
Thanks for posting the correction! We'll take care of that issue.
Thank you for providing a wonderful resource! I have been following your explanation regarding visual acuity, and I am curious about the math. Working backwards from 32.86 degrees at 60 pixels per degree, results in 1971.6 (or 1972 pixels) as the horizontal resolution for 1080p television. I thought 1920 pixels was the correct horizontal resolution for 1080p. Can you elaborate on this apparent discrepancy? Thank you!
Thanks for pointing this out. The error has been fixed. The correct formula is more complex than simply 1920 * 1/60 though, because you need to factor in that the screen is flat. So the resulting formula is instead 2*atan(960*tan(1/60)), which results in 31.2 °.
I was wondering whether, for the
JS9000 55", could I sit 4-6 feet away and watch 1080p Blu-ray without the pixels? Will the Samsung JS9000 upscale the 1080p Blu-ray disc?
It will upscale the image to make it fit the screen. But, since upscaling doesn't add detail, it's going to look a bit pixelated at that distance.
I was wondering, I live in a condo and the way they have everything set up is weird. Basically, I want to know if you think I could mount a 65" tv on a wall that is a total width of 54.5 inches?
Yes, it should be about flush with most 60" models as long as they don't have speakers on the sides or thick frame. Also make sure you have room on the side of the TV to be able to connect your devices. You can find the width of every TVs if you follow the Amazon links provided in our reviews.
Can you elaborate on screen size for monitor, maximum size. I'm having a problem trying to identify the best screen for my buck that I can use at a typical distance of 5 or less feet. I thought 40 - 43 inches as you mentioned, but it doesn't seem like sub 40 inch screens are very future proof, and considering HDMI 2.0a, HDR, etc. things that will be standard in next 2 - 3 yrs, it seems like I need to be looking at 55", which is humongous.
Also, sorry to be a pain but can you also clarify a couple things
1. Having a hard time understanding comparison of IPS panels to VA panels, most things seem to indicate that IPS panels are better but it seems like several VA panels outperform most of the IPS panels when examining your performance results?
2. HDR, Sony/Samsung seem to indicate that some of their previous 4K products will have firmware updates that will allow HDR compatibility. Is this legit? I cannot tell how HDR is enabled technologically. For instance, Samsung has a modular system for its screen and then its "guts" are said to be upgradable, but I'm not sure how to confirm this?
3. Sony just put out their new line of TV seemingly to compete with OLED LG tech and "Quantum Crystals" of Samsung. I was planning to just buy the 40" screen, but if I'm buying a 55" in the hopes it'll hold for 2 - 4 yrs as far as tech, should I just not buy anything until after Q2, given most of the "current" screens are pricing between $800 and $1500 at the moment?
You're right that it's mostly larger TVs that have all the latest features, so it's really going to come down to why you're upgrading, and whether you can wait. If you don't need to upgrade right now and you really want things like HDR support from a smaller TV, you should wait and see what comes when the new TVs are released in a few months. Otherwise, you're best getting something in the 40-43" range that doesn't have all the latest features, but is still very good.
IPS screens are great for computer monitors because they retain their color well at an angle. With a VA TV, sitting at the typical PC monitor distance will likely result in some loss of color saturation at the sides. But IPS is worse in terms of the general picture it provides. The blacks aren't as deep, and backlight uniformity issues tend to be more pronounced. Since we evaluate TVs primarily for regular TV-watching activities, VA sets tend to score higher.
There has been a lot of talk about 'adding' HDR, but much of the time it just means adding the ability to read HDR files. HDR capability can only be implemented in TVs that support selectively enabling/disabling certain LED zones (basically, in TVs that also support local dimming), and it's only going to look decent on TVs with a high peak luminosity. Overall, we don't consider 'added' HDR to be anything to care about.
Prices will drop right around when the new 2016 TVs are being released in the spring, so you might as well hold out. You might see a new 40-43" model that packs in the features you want, and at the very least you'll get a better price on current models.
Okay. So I find this to be completely not accurate. I have a 50 and a 40 in 1080p TV and my 40 in gives me good viewing no matter where it is while my 50 in only does when it is about 6 feet away. I honestly believe it depends on what you buy and not what the specs are sometimes.
The distance chart is used to give an idea about the optimal viewing distance for the size and the resolution. But picture quality is influenced by many factors, not just the distance you are sitting from the TV. Some TVs will definitely have a better viewing experience over others, even if you are at the sweet spot in relation to the distance chart.
I'm using a 23inch 1080p 16:9 monitor for my computer. How far should I sit from the monitor so I can get the perfect viewing angle and pixel density?
Three feet.
I'm planning on buying a 50" LCD HD TV. My viewing distance is approximately 10 ft, or maybe a bit less if needed. Would that be a good choice?
Check out our top 50" TVs
here.
Is 11 feet from a 75 inch Samsung LED an OK distance to sit?
Yes, this is perfect.
I have a 42" Panasonic Plasma TV. My viewing distance is 11.5 Feet away. I watch mostly 720P broadcasted material and 1080P Blu Ray Content. Should I invest in a larger TV perhaps go 55-60" and 4K/Ultra HD? Waiting for a 4K Blu Ray Player...
A bigger TV is definitely an improvement for your setup. However, 4k Blu-ray don't exist yet and are still far away, so I wouldn't wait on that. 1080p is more than good enough for your distance and a 55".
I'm planning to get a 55" TV. I tried the viewing distance calculator and it suggested eight feet. In your viewing distance table, though, it suggests 7'4". Which of these is more accurate when it comes to the 30° field of view the 55" TV should take up? Also, the TV I'm getting is in 3D. Would you recommend sitting closer to or further away in this case?
At eight feet, a 55" TV corresponds to 28°. A 55" gives a 30° field of view at 7'6", so it is very close. 3D is OK at that same distance, assuming you are not prone to headaches when watching 3D content.
I am considering a 70 inch Sharp AQUOS Q series 1080p 240hz tv for a living room that is 16 feet deep and 23 feet wide. 45 degree seating will be as close as seven feet, and straight on seating will be approximately 10 feet. Is this optimal for the dimensions?
Yes, this is really good.
I'm 67 years old and my eyes tend to get tired after spending a lot of time on my 27" iMac. I'm planning, however, on upgrading my 60" HDTV to a 75" Samsung Smart TV (with 3D, which I'll only use occasionally). My wife is afraid of eye strain for both of us, and we'd be seated anywhere from 14-15 feet away. The 60" TV seemed to have "shrunk" over time, and we're hoping that the 75" will be immersive enough (at that 14-15' distance) w/o being a strain on our eyes. Again, I'm a more than a tad concerned that too close will cause eyestrain, given that our eyes do tire when on the computer for a long time. Any help is greatly appreciated.
There are multiple kinds of eye strains, but two are related to distance and size. The first one is focusing on a close object (something that you don't need to worry about for a TV, but could affect you on a computer). The second one is the eye moving around. The bigger your size to distance ratio is, the more your eyes need to move when watching TV. At 15 feet, it shouldn't cause you more strain to have a 75" than a 60". The field of view is still less than in a normal movie theater, so if you don't have problem there, you should be fine.
I have a 40 inch tv, I find it hard to see properly, I want to buy a 55 inch TV but I do not have HD Cable, I've been told I still won't be able to see the 55 inch any better without HD Cable, is this true?
Yes, it will still be blurry. You really need to have an HD signal.
I have a space set in where I plan on getting a new TV for the living room. The space is 76 inches wide and nine feet tall. By dimensions, this could technically accommodate a Samsung
UN75H7150 in width. Is there any rule of thumb as to how much breathing room should surround a TV that size?
Samsung recommends a 4" clearance around all the edges for a good airflow. The
UN75H7150 is 65.7" wide, leaving about 5" of clearance in your 76" space. Therefore, you are good to go!
Our ancient 27 inch tube TV (+/- 20 yrs old) was fried in a recent power surge. We are very behind the times on TV shopping! We do not play video games and we do not have cable or satellite TV. We watch a few programs on TV along with DVDs, and I guess eventually we may watch streaming content. The room is not very bright; it only gets the morning sun and we rarely watch TV during the day. The viewing distance would be about 7.5 to 8 feet straight on, but my husband sometimes sits in a chair off to the side, closer to the TV and at a 40-45 degree angle. I am considering a Samsung
PN51F5300 and the LG 50PB6650. It seems that either of these would suit the situation but 50 and 51 inches feel huge to us! I am trying to decide if I would be foolish to buy a 720p and/or slightly smaller set, and what factors based on my TV usage would suggest I lean towards the LG or Samsung 1080p sets above.
Coming from an old small CRT TV, you will have quite a shock. The first thing that you will notice is that everything will now be blurry, because the quality of your current signal/content is quite low. It wasn't a problem on your old TV due to its size and low resolution. You can minimize that impact by going for a smaller / lower resolution TV, like a 43" 720p plasma. We didn't test that LG TV, so we can't comment on it. That Samsung plasma is great though. The only real downside is the glare, but you should already be used to this since you are coming from a CRT
My viewing distance varies between 9-13' (depending on sitting location). My budget can only afford a 55" or 60" TV, neither of which offers optimal viewing. Is it worth going with the 60"? I plan on purchasing the Samsung 6350 series.
As long as it doesn't stretch out your budget too much that you will regret it, yes, it is worth it.
We are upgrading to a 75 inch TV and have looked at the
H7150 and
H6350. Based on the holiday sales, there is a difference in price of about $700. How important is the 240 hz speed, which I understand is the only real difference between the models? This is used by the family, and sports account for about 10 percent of our viewing.
The refresh rate doesn't matter. The motion blur is the same on both. The
h7150 has a better screen finish (less ambient reflections, but more glossy), a better uniformity, 3D, and a fancy remote. These aren't really worth $700 (unless you really want the best, of course, or don't mind the price). Therefore, get the cheaper one instead. It is great.
So I've been looking at all the info presented for distances and TVs. From the couch to the wall where my TV is, it's 15ft. What would be the best TV out of the 85 + inch range?
Unfortunately, we did not test enough TVs in this range to recommend one.
So it's time for a new TV and I was thinking of getting either the Samsung
H7150 or Vizio
P552ui-B2. Or should I wait for the new sets? My budget is $1,500.
Unless you really want a 4k TV, get the
H7150. It has better picture quality overall.
I was looking at how rich and beautiful my mother's plasma looks. That being said, and given that I can't afford an OLED, should I go with a Plasma or
H7150?
It depends on the amount of light in your room and which plasma TV. If you watch your TV during the day, you will probably prefer the
H7150.
The viewing distance is between 9 and 12 feet (two different sofas). I am looking for a 65-70" 4K 3D LED. What is the best option among: Samsung
UN65HU8550, Sharp LC-70UD1U and Sony XBR65X850B, all in the range of 2.7 and 2.9K?
Is Samsung the best option?
We didn't test that Sony and Sharp, so we can't really compare them accurately. That said, the Sony 65" X850B has an IPS panel, which means the picture will look significantly different than the other two: a better color accuracy at an angle, but worse blacks. If you need a wide viewing angle, it is the best choice. Otherwise, the Samsung
UN65HU8550 is really great.
It is 12 feet from the front of the couch to the TV face. Another foot or two more for our actual head position Which do we go by? Also, we have other seating 30 degrees off axis. Please recommend the best size and brand for the off axis viewing.
Use the distance that your eyes are at, so 14 feet in your situation. At that distance, budget will be your limiting factor. If you have a 30 degrees viewing position, your choice of TV is limited. Look for an LG TV with an IPS panel, like the
LB6300 and get the biggest one you can afford.
We currently have a 38" and can't even read the guide screen. Due to our living room setup, our closest viewing distance is 9' and the furthest is 19'. What size and quality is the best compromise for the two distances?
A 65" TV would be ideal for 9 feet, and anything bigger will look bad at that distance. It's not ideal for farther away, but it's the best choice for these circumstances.
Looking to upgrade our aging 50" Sony Wega dlp. Got new couches which put us further as well. Distance is now approx 12 feet. The new 4k tvs look great in the store. I have narrowed my options to 65" Samsung 6500 4k and 75" Samsung 6300 1080P. Or should I save up for the 75" 4K, which is definitely pricey? We only watch movies, Netflix and YouTube from our Xbox 360, which will upgraded to the Xbox One soon. Looking forward to your advice.
From that distance, the difference between 1080p and 4k may be subtle. Get the biggest you can, so the 75" Samsung
J6300.
Looking to upgrade my
UN48H8000 for a bigger one, I am getting at a really nice discount the UN78HU9000, the 2014 line model and I am concerned about the distance, I just checked the calc tool for the 4K and it looks to be at the edge. My distance is about 7.5 ft. Do you believe I can have eye fatigue or some artifact issues? I was looking for the 65JS900 but I am getting the 78HU9000 for the same price. Thanks.
It's a bit too close. You might not have issues with 4k material, but 1080p images will probably look a bit too pixelated, and might lead you to have a bit of eye strain. A 65" set would be a better compromise for most.
I am trying to decide between LG OLED
EC9300 55", Sony 65" 930C. I sit between 9-11ft away based on viewing angle. The sony is at the top end of my budget but I like built in speakers option. Viewing angle and picture quality are the most important to me. Will the LG 55" be too small? Is there another model you reccomend? Thanks
For TVs, we often say the bigger the better but if viewing angle is important to you, the
x930c won't be really satisfying. On the plus side of the
EC9300, it has the deepest blacks with better gray uniformity and perfect motion. The internal speakers of the x930c is the best we've heard on any TV to date but you can still get better sound with a reasonably priced sound bar so it isn't much of a loss.
Minimum distance in my living room is 8 ft and farthest seat which is where I sit is at 14 ft. Looking to get Vizio
E series. Woukd you recommend 60" or 65"? Will be used for watching sports and some movies. Thanks.
The Vizio E is a good choice for what you want. Since you are far from the TV, 65" will be better.
I am looking at the Samsung
JU7100,
JU7500,
JS8500, and
JS9000. I have a Fire TV that I will be using with the TV, and it will be used mainly to watch Netflix, Hulu, Sling, and YouTube. The TV will be approximately 8-9 Ft from the bed. Which would you recommend from the TVs listed? Also what type, 4K or LED, and what size, given the distance from the bed.
Very respectfully.
All of those TVs are both 4k and LED. 4k refers to the resolution (four times greater than 1080p), and LED to the technology used in the TV (liquid crystal display with LED backlighting).
For what you're looking to do, the Samsung
JU7100 is a fine choice. The others are mostly worth getting if you plan on watching things like 4k Blu-rays (
JS8500 and
JS9000) or want exceptional gaming performance (
JU7500). For basic streaming, the JU7100 is more than enough.
At that distance, get as large of a 4k TV as you can fit and afford.
Make the decision for me please. I am looking at a 55 inch tv, I am guessing something like 6-8 foot viewing distance (home under construction). I am narrowed down to either the 55j6300 or the 55ju6500. I play video games quite a bit. I am not paying more than a grand, and right now the 6300 is 900 and the 6500 is 1000. What do I do? If there is a dark horse let me know, but I'm leaning towards the 6300 for the 120 hz. Help please. Awesome site btw, thank you.
It depends on if you plan to watch 4k contents. At your viewing distance, you would be fine watching 4k contents although anything above 8 feet away from the TV wouldn't cut it. The advantage of the
J6300 is that it is judder-free with 24p contents and that it can interpolate a 60i signal if you like the soap opera effect. You have to chose which feature you want the most.
Sitting distance is eight feet. I'm thinking about the Samsung 75" UN75JU641DFXZA as it's on sale at Costco. Is this too big for that viewing distance? Should I look for a 65"?
Either size works, though you'll find 75" a bit too big at your distance if you are not used to it.
I sit at my Desk in my room and I want to use a 4K TV as a monitor. How many inches should the TV be, and should I get a get an actual 4k monitor instead of a TV? I just want something with good colors and small bezels. Thanks! Love the website.
Typically, you won't want to go larger than 40-43" for a 4k TV you'll be using as a PC monitor.
We haven't tested any 4k monitors to know how they compare to the TVs we have looked at, so we can't say whether they would be better. The TVs we tested do work quite well, though. We list our favorite options for use as a PC monitor
here.
I am looking to purchase a 75" TV for display purposes in a sanctuary. Is there any way of determining this size of 40 point type when displayed on a TV of this size?
There isn't a real answer to this, because 40 pt. font can mean different things depending on the software used, the resolution of the screen, whether or not it is being scaled. The best solution here is to measure the size on your current screen and then calculate what the proportions would be on a 75" screen (base your calculations on the 75" size measurements at the top of this article).
Hi, I was debating tv sizes for my bedroom. First off, I rented a 55" Samsung 4k from Aaron's, and loved the picture I got, but wasn't really happy with the size, so I was considering a 65" 4k tv, but according to the chart I could even go with a 75"? My normal viewing distance is right at 9 feet, since I like to lay in bed and watch movies.I'm just wondering if 75" would just be too ginormous for my bedroom, lol. I had to take the Aaron's tv back because the UHD dimming started acting up, flashing a dark line in the middle of the tv about 1/3 screen width, so I had to go to Best Buy and pick up a Samsung 50" 1080p as a cheap hold-me-over until I can get the 4k I want, either the Sony 65X850c or Samsung 65"
JS8500. (Unless a 75" will fit)
Also, I would like to note, that I can tell a difference between the 4k and 1080p under most viewing, but not really when I'm watching a good Blu-Ray, like Tommorowland. Thanks! :)
~Izzy
If you have the space, you would have a comfortable viewing experience with a 4k 75" TV at 9 feet away. Just make sure the vertical viewing angle from where you will be watching isn't too much off axis. The Samsung 75"
JU7100 is about the best 4k TV you can get for the size. The Sony 75"
x850c is nearly as good but will cost you less. If you decide to go for a 65", the
JS8500 would be superior mainly because it has less blur than the x850c.
We are setting up a home theater in a dedicated room measuring 19/16 ft. Majority of use will be blu-ray movies (some older DVDs) and sports football games etc. We already bought a Sony 79" 4K 3D TV at a great price. What will be my ideal seating distance and height of wall mount? Thank you.
For optimal viewing, aim so the viewers are at a distance between 8 to 10 feet away from the screen. Most of the time, the viewers eyes should be perpendicular to the screen but it can vary depending on your setup. If you have laid back seating, you can mount the TV higher and tilt it forward.
I'm thinking of getting the new Samsung
KS9000 4K in 65 inch, what is the best sitting range
8 to 12 feet would be good.
Thinking of getting 55-Inch 4K Ultra HD or 1080 Smart LED TV for one of the bedrooms. I would like to know what will be the appropriate size I should get so TV won't look too big or small for the size of the room.
Room dimensions are provided below:
Width of the wall where TV will be hanged: 11.37 ft.
Height of the wall: 8 ft.
Distance across the wall: 10.77 ft.
Thank you in advance!
From the distance across the wall, you will not experience the benefits of 4k unless you get a 75"+ TV. How the TV looks in the room is subjective, however you can see how you feel about different sizes by marking them out on the wall where you are planning to hang the TV, with tape or cardboard. For the optimum experience, you should get the largest size that you are comfortable with.
Hi, so I was wondering which one is true on this page. I have a 40" 1080p HD TV, but on the chart on the right side of the screen, it says it's best viewed when you're 5.3 feet away, but using the slider above, it says 5.6 feet. Which one is it really? Thanks.
The slider is more of a guide, as there is actually a range of viewing distances for which a certain size/resolution is ideal. It is a trade off with shorter distances increasing the field of view of the TV to produce a more immersive image, and further distances increasing the angular resolution of the TV producing a better/sharper image. We will update the slider/table to be more consistent, however for a 40" 1080p TV aim for a distance of about 5'6".
I sit 9 feet and 2 inches away from my TV. I need to decide between the 2016 Vizio M80 and the 2016 Vizio P75. So it's the brute size of the M80 with average HDR vs the smaller P75 with great HDR. If a P80 existed I would have grabbed that! I have watched Dolby Vision titles on an M series set such as The Great Gatsby and was very impressed.
If you want the best TV go with the Vizio P75. You won't notice too much the difference between a 75" and an 80" TV (2.5" taller and 4.4" wider total) and you will have a better picture overall with the Vizio P.
The viewing distance from the wall to the TV wall mounted is about 18 feet. Is a 65" 4k UHD TV correct to purchase and will there be any viewing problems. Also, what should be the optimum distance for the best quality viewing of this TV. I intend to buy a Vu ICONIUM 65" 4k UHD TV. Thanks.
At that distance you won't benefit from the 4k resolution and a bigger 1080p TV would be better suited. The optimal viewing distance for a 65" 4k TV would be from 4' to 8'.
I have a 40 inch IKON smart TV, what is the ideal distance they should be from the TV?
The ideal distance to fully appreciate a 40" screen is 5.5', although this is subjective and some people may prefer a larger or smaller field of view.
Is plasma 46" TV good compared to 46" LED for my room of 16? Plasma is quite economical.
Check out our full article on
plasma vs led. If you have a bright room, go for an LED.
I am planning on buying an LG LED 55LB6100. The distance from me would be around 2.4 meters. Looking at your values, it would be a good distance, but I have been reading about other recommendations (multiplying TV size by 2.5/1.5) which would result in bigger distances. What would you suggest for TV size?
Our recommendation tends to be on the bigger side, because usually people prefer this. Very few people wish they opted for a smaller TV. Once they are used to it, most people will always want to go even bigger. Therefore, assuming it is within your budget, go for a 55". After the initial shock, you will like it.
My viewing distance is 85" away from my wall. What would be the biggest LED smart TV I should get, 50" or 55"?
50 inch would be good, although there is more choice in the 55" range.
My viewing distance is four feet. What is the best TV size, 28 inch or 32 inch? HD LED or full HD LED?
Go for a 32" full HD 1080p LED.
My living room is pretty tight. My couch is about five feet from the TV. Should I get a 43" Samsung plasma 720p or a 37" Sanyo LED 1080p? (I live abroad and they are about the same price)
Go for the 37" 1080p. At that distance, you really want 1080p, otherwise, you will see a screen door effect on the 720p plasma. That said, the plasma has better picture quality.
Sitting at eight feet, deciding between Panasonic ZT60 in either 60 or 65 inch. Will be watching a lot of hockey with friends and it will be the only TV in house, so lots of broadcast shows (720p), but we will still watch a fair amount of 1080 material. What distance would be best to hit the sweet spot between minimizing artifact with 720p material and appreciating the detail of 1080p material for 1) the 60" 2) the 65".
For broadcasted shows, you will see artifacts with both sizes. Not only is the resolution small (720p or 1080i), but it is highly compressed. Still, go for the 65" if the price difference is not too big. You will appreciate the added 5," especially in a TV as great as the ZT60.
I'm torn between getting a 43 inch 720p or a 51 inch 1080p plasma. I will be watching from 6-7 feet, but my media will mostly be in 720p (coming from cable box with max resolution at 720p and Playstation 3). Which should I get?
If you don't mind the price difference, get the 51" 1080p plasma. At six feet, you will see a screen door effect on a 43" 720p plasma TV.
My viewing distance is 7.5ft to 8.5ft. I'm considering upgrading from my current 42" plasma to a 60" Sony (KDL60W630B). Primary viewing will be 720p broadcast TV shows and sports. Will the 60" be too big?
You will definitely see flaws in the picture due to the low quality content of broadcast TV. But opting for a smaller TV won't really solve that issue unless you go very small. Therefore, go for the better immersion of the 60".
Is a 78.6 inch 4K TV worth it at a viewing distance of 13 feet or is that too far?
Slightly too far. Either sit closer or get a projector to have a bigger screen.
Is it true that low resolution programs are better viewed on a low resolution TV? Will the ultra HD LED picture quality for low resolution programs be inferior to watching that content on an HD LED TV?
It depends what you mean by inferior. Technically, it is the same amount of total information. However, the picture will look slightly softer on a UHD TV. Instead of blocky pixels, it is more of a gradation. Some consider this an inferior picture, others like that it has less aliasing.
We are looking to purchase a 70". The table it will sit on is 30" high and the viewing distance is 15 ft. Based on what I'm seeing that should be OK?
It is ok. You are a bit far, though.
We are designing a new house that we will move into in 2016. In the current plans, the viewing distance from the main sofa to the TV is 8' 10". Directly behind the sofa is a casual dining table that is 5' 5" square and we'll sometimes watch a bit from there. The max viewing distance from the farthest dining chair is 14'3". Are these distances good for TV viewing? We'll be moving in 2016 and are happy to make an investment in the best TV for the next 10 years. Should we go for 4K Ultra HD, and if so, what size?
A 60"-65" TV should be good in your situation. Not too big for the sofa position, but big enough for the table. As for the 4k, it is not really necessary, but if you plan on keeping your TV for 10 years, you might want to go for it.
I am in the market for a plasma TV. I am debating between the 720p and 1080p models. Most of the content I will be viewing (over the air broadcasts, regular HD NetFlix, DVDs) is 720p or lower content. Will it be a waste of money to purchase a 1080p model?
Picture quality-wise, you won't see a big difference. However, 720p plasma TVs create a screen door effect if you sit somewhat close.
Trying to decide between a 75"
h7150 and the 64"
f8500. Is the increase in size worth the decrease in quality? I don't care about price and sit about 10-12 ft away.
It is a pretty big size difference, with the 75" presenting a 37% larger area. But at the same time, these are completely different TVs and both are great. The
H7150 wins in a bright room. The
F8500 has a better picture quality in a dark room, especially in terms of uniformity. If you just want the best picture quality, get the F8500. But for most people, the picture quality on the H7150 is more than good enough, which means the extra 10" wins.
I was looking at the Samsung 55 inch Model: UN55HU6830FXZA at Best Buy. It's 4k 55 inch, but with a refresh rate of 60hz. What's the minimum refresh rate needed for a 4k tv?
There is no minimum refresh rate needed for 4k. A 60Hz TV just means it doesn't have the motion interpolation feature.
We are planning to substitute a 3000 lumens video projector for one or two big TV flat screens for church application. We show lyrics, PowerPoint, and videos from a computer. Min View Distance will be +- 15ft, Max View Distance will be 65 ft. Decision to change from video projector to TV is based on luminosity on a big glass window environment (much light) and bulb maintenance costs. Any suggestions?
Get the biggest you can afford. LED TVs can't get as big as a projector, but you are right that they will be brighter. The Samsung
UN75H6350 should be good for you.
How about recommended viewing distance for programming that's 4k AND 3D? Thinking of a 65" TV, so for normal 4K I might sit 7"-8" away, but when it's 4K and 3D I'm not sure. 4K tends to require you to sit closer, but 3D is the opposite, so optimal viewing distances seems to conflict when both are in play at the same time. I've not come across a viewing distance calculator that takes both into account, so you can offer some advice on optimal viewing distance?
Unless it gives you a headache to sit too close while watching 3D, there shouldn't be a difference here in the recommended viewing distance. Of course, ultimately, it comes down to your own preference.
Is a 70" TV too big for a 7'6" viewing distance?
Yes, that is quite big for the distance. It would be similar to sitting in the first 1/3 of the cinema. You'll likely be more comfortable with something smaller. For a 1080p TV, something around 55" would be perfect, and a bit bigger than that if you opt for a 4k TV.
I'm in a small living room (size 14x11), so my viewing distance would be around 8 - 10 feet. I'm planning on getting a 65" curved TV, the UN65HU9000. Is this a good size for a curved TV? Also, any suggestion as to whether I should get a curved or flat TV in a small living room?
65" is good for 9-10 feet, but is a bit big for anything closer than that. There's no real reason to get a curved TV. It doesn't really add anything to the experience, so you'd mostly be paying for the novelty. It also doesn't really have any big downsides, apart from a slightly reduced viewing angle.
My TV room is 20' long and 17' wide. I currently have a 55" projection TV that I am looking to replace. My seating for the new TV I am looking to purchase will be 18' away and 7 1/2' high at the middle of the TV, wall-mounted. According to your chart for a 1080p TV, I would need a TV above 75". We mostly watch cable in HD and watch DVDs. The TV will also be used for video game consoles. My budget is somewhat open, but not unlimited. What would you suggest?
Your best bet is the Samsung
UN75J6300. It has good picture overall picture quality, including little motion blur, and it also has low input lag. That means it's suitable for gaming. It also does a good job of upscaling low-resolution media, so DVDs and cable will look good.
I am moving into an apartment that has a 17'x12' living/kitchen area. With the couch I will be moving in, I would have somewhere between 7-9 feet of space between the couch and TV. I'm a little confused by the calculator. I'll be using my TV for Netflix and maybe DVD watching (not Blu-ray). I found a 48" Samsung 720p TV in my budget, but also a 40" Samsung 1080p that's cheaper. Which one would be the best TV?
Get the 40" 1080p TV. For that distance, you'd ideally want something a bit bigger, but you'd actually be closer than ideal for a 720p TV, so the 48" option isn't a great choice.
Hi, I am really torn between a 55" Samsung
JS8500 vs Samsung 60"
JU7100. My viewing distance will be 8-9ft. Is SUHD that much better than UHD? What about HDR? I am planning on keeping this new TV a long time. Thanks for this phenomenal site!
No, it's not that much better. The main difference is that the color gamut is wider, and then also the HDR capability, and while those are nice, they're not really must-haves for most people. At that distance, the extra 5" you get with the
JU7100 are more important, so go for the UHD TV instead.
Hey I am looking for the Sony 50W950C. I haven't seen any reviews of this on your website. It's a 50" TV, and my viewing distance is 7.5 ft. I hope it's fine. Thoughts on this model/size?
That size/distance ratio is good, but since that model isn't available in the US, we won't be reviewing it, and so we don't have any specific thoughts.
Hello. I would like your advice on getting a very small flat screen TV, maybe 24" or so. I plan to put it on my small kitchen table so I can watch TV while eating breakfast. I will be sitting very close to the TV. What size would be good? Should I plan on getting Hi-Def TV service for this small TV, or would that be a waste of money? I watch sports and want to see the score clearly. Thanks for your advice!
At that distance, something in that small range would probably be ideal. No bigger than 32".
Since you're so close, you should have a relatively easy time seeing the detail of the image, so HD video would still be worth it. Just know that, apart from resolution, the overall picture quality of very small TVs generally isn't the greatest.
Hi. Could you please tell me which is the best 32" TV to buy?
Our favorite 32" TV this year is the Samsung
UN32J6300, and we list all our picks for the best 32" TVs
here.
We currently have a 70" TV and sit approximately 14'away from the TV. We are thinking about a TV stand that is 32" high, which would put the center of the screen at 53" off the floor. Is this OK, or too high?
It's a bit higher than ideal for most setups, but it's not necessarily bad. Ideally, the center of the screen should be about level with your eyeline, but being a bit off from that isn't horrible.
Finally replacing our 50" Sony Wega. Viewing distance from our couch is approx 12 feet. I've always wanted a 75" TV. Also, 4K looks really clear in the stores.
I'd really like a 75" 4K, but obviously expensive. So my question is this: Which fits us better, the Samsung 75"
J6300 1080p, or the Samsung 65"
JU6500? Or should I just wait a bit and save for the 75" 4K?
Oh, we run everything through Xbox 360, an will be upgrading to an Xbox One very soon. Games, movies, and Netflix/YouTube. Thanks for any input.
Get the Samsung
UN75J6300. It has great picture quality for what you're looking to do, and it's the perfect size for that distance. You wouldn't get the full benefit of 4k at that distance even with a 75" 4k TV.
I have a question. I am moving into a townhome pretty soon, and will be getting a TV after I move, something to fit the living room. I was looking at a 4k 55" TV. There are a few TVs that look like they fit the bill. I think my distance from the TV is maybe about 8-10 feet. Is it worth it to get the 4k model, or should I just get the 1080p model.
You're a bit far, so you won't be getting the full benefit of the extra detail. You'll be able to notice it a bit at eight feet, but not much at 10.
For your setup, you might as well get a 1080p TV.
I am interested in a 48 - 50" TV, mostly for movies, some Blu-ray and also Netflix content. I am wondering if it is worth getting Vizio
M series over Samsung
J6300 for picture quality alone. I don't care about resolution, especially at this size and viewing distance (7-8 ft). But I also don't want any degradation in quality resulting from upscaled 1080p content on a 4K tv. Also considering Vizio
E series, but I have some DVDs I like to watch, so the sub par upscaling bothers me. What would you recommend? Thanks!
The 2 TVs have similar picture quality but the
J6300 will be better for your DVDs at lower resolutions and will perform better with some TV contents too. Get the J6300.
Hey, thanks for your hard work. I'm in a dilemma right now choosing the right size 1080p tv. I'm going to get the new 2015
E series Vizio and I'm looking at either the e55 or e60. I sit between 4ft-7ft in my room because I have a lazyboy office chair with wheels so I can adjust whether I need to sit closer or not (currently own a 37" vizio E series). But my average distance is 7ft away from the tv. My bed is about 10ft away but I only lay on it when I want to sleep. I'm constantly on my chair while watching cable, and I have a ps4 I watch blu-ray and play games on. I feel the 60" will be too big but I'm no expert. The price difference after tax is $167 between the 55" and 60" sizes. Which one would you recommend in my case? Thanks.
With a 60" TV at 7ft, you might be a little close but you are not far of the ideal distance/size ratio and in the long run you will enjoy the bigger size more. Get the 60".
We primarily watch sports, football and basketball in HD. We sit between 11-12ft away from the tv, and pretty much right in front, so viewing angle is not really a factor. It is a fairly bright room, but I am handling that with blinds. I have budgeted 2K to spend. I know 4k is not really a factor at my distance, but do the 4K TVs have a better picture in regards to artifacts or blurring, particularly on the sharpness of the score graphics, and playing field as well as fast motion blur? What would your recommendation be for my budget assuming that we mostly care about HD sports, and the occasional netflix or Hulu streaming via chromecast.
A 4k TV won't get you a better picture at that distance so you can save money and go with a 1080p TV with great motion performance. If you mainly watch sports from a cable box and that it can upscale lower resolutions (or if you have a receiver that can do the same), then the 70" Vizio E would be a great choice. It has very good motion for sports and would fit well into your budget. It is just not so good at upscaling so if the TV has to do the job, the smaller Samsung
J6300 65" would be a better choice with better upscaling.
Do the motion characteristics of the same model series of a TV change as you increase in size? I went from a 60" Samsung 7100 series TV to the 65" Samsung series. Also, the 65" seems a little overwhelming in size compared to the 60". Is this normal? Thanks.
Yes, there can be differences in performance between sizes of panels. Also, because Samsung TVs use panels from a variety of manufacturers, there might be (slight) further differences, because now you're not only comparing Samsung panels of a different size, but possibly a Samsung panel of one size against a Sharp panel of another. That said, the difference isn't noticeable by most people.
It's normal to be a bit overwhelmed by a larger TV, but this feeling tends to go away within a few days.
I am thinking about getting a Samsung JS series 4K tv. This tv is for my game room and will be used 100% for gaming on a PS4, Xbox One, and eventually a PC at 1440p/4K resolutions. I can wall mount the 65JS9000 tv and sit 10 to 11 feet away, or go with a stand mounted 55JS9000 and sit 8 feet away. Of the two JS tv sizes and two distance scenarios, which do you think would be ideal for gaming, particularly 1st person shooters? Do you think PC mode lag will be problematic or should I just use the PC on game mode and sacrifice 4:4:4 color? Tempting to wait and see if the 2016 model JS tvs or one connect boxes correct the discrepancy in lag between game mode and PC mode. Thank you.
Both scenarios works good so chose the setup that you find the most convenient. The PC mode lag won't be the most responsive but shouldn't be a big concern if you use a gaming controller. If you plan on using a mouse and keyboard then the lag might become a little more noticeable. In that case, stay in Game mode. You shouldn't wait for an updated connect box since there is no guarantee the input lag will get any better.
Looking to upgrade my 55" TV, with a current viewing distance of 9.5 feet. Chart says 70" would be ideal, and 4k not "worth it." Will there still be a difference or will it be unnoticeable?
You might notice a slight difference, but really not much. It makes more sense to stick with 1080p at that distance.
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TV filling 30 degrees of the field of vision
Using a theater style field of view requires sitting a bit closer
