Shopping for a television can be a complex endeavor. Buyers have numerous technologies, all providing excellent viewing, from which to choose. Aside from pocketbook considerations, the impressive pictures and audio from a television can drive the purchasing decision for most shoppers. However, the quality of the viewing experience, as well as the cost of the television, is greatly influenced by the size of the television screen.
How should a potential television buyer determine which size television is the right one for their situation?
There are many methods of determining the screen size which would be recommended by those in the industry. In general, televisions less than 27" are used in bedrooms and those found in kitchens tend to be 19" and smaller. For living room use, most people tend toward screens 27" and larger. Home Theater applications typically make use of television screens 32" and up. These aren't rules of course, just "norms".
Although there are many proposed methods of calculating the optimum screen size, one of the primary considerations is the room in which it will be viewed; or more specifically the distance between the viewer and the television. Using this distance, it is simple to determine which screen will produce the best viewing.
The calculation varies based on the type of television that will be purchased. If a buyer selects a widescreen, high definition (high resolution) LCD or plasma screen they can actually sit a bit closer to the screen because the scan lines and pixels are less visible. The picture remains clear despite viewing the screen in closer proximity.
For these televisions, the viewing distance from the screen to the seat from which they will typically view their television can be measured in inches. This measurement is then divided by 3 which results in a number that will be a rough estimate of the minimum size screen that should be purchased. As an example, if the distance is measured at 96 inches (8 feet); the minimum screen size that should be considered is 32 inches.
For a regular 4:3 television which is not high resolution, optimum television size could be grossly calculated by measuring the viewing distance in inches and dividing by 4.8. Being too close to a television that does not offer high resolution can result in a poor quality view as scan lines become visible.
Although selecting the display type/technology of a television can be a complex choice that is based more upon personal preferences, selecting a television that is the optimum size can be a simple decision that has a very direct effect on the quality of a buyer's viewing experience and the ultimate cost of their purchase.
