Viewing distance on 34" Sony CRT?

[MeddlingKids]

I'm debating between the Sony 34" widescreen HDTV CRT and a 46" Samsung DLP. The viewing distance will probably be about 15 feet. Is this distance too large for the smaller choice?

[UMDMatt]

At 15' I'd say only a 50"+ widescreen display would do. Even the 46" DLP will be a little small for that viewing distance. I'd check out some of the 51" or 57" CRT RPTVs or perhaps a bigger DLP, if budget allows.

[MeddlingKids]

Thanks Matt. I think I could pick up a 50" DLP for around $2400, which is reasonable. While the RP CRT would be cheaper, I've heard the resolution/viewing angle aren't as favorable on those.

[Trent]

This web site (http://www.cnet.com/4520-7874_1-5108580-2.html) suggests that you get a 60" TV. Basically, get one as big as possible according to these people. I'd agree that 34" is too small for 15' away. I have a 34" and would not want to be further than I am now (7')...

[Limber]

I think all of the choices mentioned so far are way too small for your 15 ft. viewing distance. In fact, barring any insurmountable obstacles (too much light, for instance), I wholeheartedly recommend purchasing a projector instead of a television. I believe you should be able to find a projector/screen combo for roughly the price of the 46" DLP TV you mentioned. And in my opinion, current digital front projectors offer superior picture quality to current digital rear-projection sets.

For movies, I myself prefer a comfortable viewing distance of about 2.25 the picture's width (on the small side compared to other projector owners), which in your case would yield a screen size of 80" wide, 92" diagonal. Of course you could always go smaller to cater to lower quality material. Either way, a simple tabletop setup in front of your seating position should suffice. You won't find any television anywhere near that size for the kind of money you're thinking of spending.

[Trent]

You certainly would need to consider room lighting if you're going to use a FP.

[MeddlingKids]

Front projection is not an option. The living room is a rectangular shape, which leaves two options:

1. Put the television on the shelf and place the couch on the longer side of the rectangle. This provides little room for the coffee table in front of the couch, and makes speaker placement difficult. Viewing distance would be roughly 7 feet.

2. Place the television against the short side of the rectangle, and the couch on the opposite end. This allows optimal speaker placement, and the subwoofer will be nearest a wall that's unoccupied by neighbors. The viewing distance is about 15' at this location.

[Joxer]

I'd recommend a 50" or 61" plasma display for 15 feet.

[MeddlingKids]

From what I've read of plasma, the high price and less-than-stellar resolution will keep me from making that purchase.

[Peter_Klim]

Originally posted by MeddlingKids
Front projection is not an option. The living room is a rectangular shape, which leaves two options:

1. Put the television on the shelf and place the couch on the longer side of the rectangle. This provides little room for the coffee table in front of the couch, and makes speaker placement difficult. Viewing distance would be roughly 7 feet.

2. Place the television against the short side of the rectangle, and the couch on the opposite end. This allows optimal speaker placement, and the subwoofer will be nearest a wall that's unoccupied by neighbors. The viewing distance is about 15' at this location.

I don't understand how any of this has to do with not being able to use a projector. It seems that the option you are choosing - #2, which is a 15' viewing distance, would be the best choise for using a FP.

[MeddlingKids]

Personally, I don't think the setup would look very good in my living room. The side wall isn't, in my opinion, large enough for the screen.

[RandyWalters]

Originally posted by Peter_Klim
I don't understand how any of this has to do with not being able to use a projector. It seems that the option you are choosing - #2, which is a 15' viewing distance, would be the best choise for using a FP.

Front Projectors aren't for everyone and don't work well in all living rooms.

[RandyWalters]

Originally posted by MeddlingKids
Front projection is not an option. The living room is a rectangular shape, which leaves two options:

1. Put the television on the shelf and place the couch on the longer side of the rectangle. This provides little room for the coffee table in front of the couch, and makes speaker placement difficult. Viewing distance would be roughly 7 feet......

How about getting a 37" or 42" Plasma instead for this scenario? Since it's slimmer, you can push it back another foot or two to increase your viewing distance to 8-9 feet which would be just about perfect. You can get the Panny commercial ED displays for not too much more than a Sony XBR960.

[yshin]

i'd move the couch closer.

[MeddlingKids]

I can place the couch on the long end of the living room, which would make the viewing distance about 7 feet. However, that would leave about 4 feet between the coffee table and the fire place. Also, the couch would be off-center from the TV location, and the placing of the surround speakers wouldn't work.

If I move the couch up from the short wall where I'm planning to place it, I'll essentially cut off the ability to place additional seating anywhere. Picture this, the room is about 10 feet by 15 feet. On the two short ends are walls. The one long end has a wall, fireplace and exit door out to the patio, while the other long end has the walkway connecting the front entrance to the bedroom entrance. The more I think about it, the only way to have another seating section other than the couch would be to put the TV on the long wall. But, as I said, the surround speakers and tv location would be all goofy.

[Peter_Klim]

Originally posted by MeddlingKids
Picture this, the room is about 10 feet by 15 feet.


Ahhhhh...now I get the picture.

So you viewing distance will actually be smaller than 15'. Since the longest wall is only 15', the depth of the tv is about 2',give about 1-2' of space between the wall and tv, the couch depth, if placed right up against the wall, will keep your head about about 1-2 ft' from the wall...so far 4 to 6 feet taken from the 15' is 9-11 feet viewing distance.

Plus, I would move the couch about 2-3' away from the wall in order to be able to place the surrounds not just out to the sides, but also behind you.

Yeah, you should have no problemos at all w/a 34".

[theanimala]

Way too small. I currently sit around 7 feet from my XBR910 and it is perfect. However I just bought a house and I will be sitting more like 15 to 20 feet away in the new family room. I may have to move my unwatched (since getting the XBR910) 47" Panny RPTV for main viewing duties now. :(

[Peter_Klim]

Originally posted by theanimala
Way too small. I currently sit around 7 feet from my XBR910 and it is perfect. However I just bought a house and I will be sitting more like 15 to 20 feet away in the new family room. I may have to move my unwatched (since getting the XBR910) 47" Panny RPTV for main viewing duties now. :(

No its not. Read the post before yours.

[MeddlingKids]

Okay, so the viewing distance will now be 10-11 feet. Wouldn't the appropriate viewing size be larger than 34" still?

[RandyWalters]

Originally posted by MeddlingKids
Okay, so the viewing distance will now be 10-11 feet. Wouldn't the appropriate viewing size be larger than 34" still?

Max recommended distance from a 34" set is 8-9 feet:

http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7608_7-1016109-2.html?tag=tnav

If it were me i'd buy a 42" Panny commercial ED plasma for your distance . . . . it's about the same price as a 34" XBR.

[Peter_Klim]

Originally posted by MeddlingKids
Okay, so the viewing distance will now be 10-11 feet. Wouldn't the appropriate viewing size be larger than 34" still?

If you can, go to the store that sells it and and measure the distance you'll be from the TV. Move closer, then farther away, and see what seems better.

From that link in the previous post,
http://reviews.cnet.com/4520-7608_7...2.html?tag=tnav

I can understand what it states about minimum seating distance:

"You'll notice that we said regular televisions. Wide-screen televisions showing high-resolution DVD and HDTV look better than regular sets, allowing you to sit closer and experience a more immersive, theaterlike picture."

But their chart for max seating distance doesn't make sense?

If the max viewing distance for a regular 32" tv is 12', I don't see why the max for a HD 34" is less (at only 8'). If anything it should be more.

[jeeper78]

Originally posted by Peter_Klim
If the max viewing distance for a regular 32" tv is 12', I don't see why the max for a HD 34" is less (at only 8'). If anything it should be more.

HD resolution allows you to sit closer to the display. If you move too far back, your eyes can't even see the increased detail of the higher resolutions, so you might as well have a standard def. set.

[Marissadad]

3 screen heights is the recommended HD viewing distance. A 34" TV's vertical viewing measurement is about 17", so you would need to sit 51" back for the optimal viewing experience.

Go here (http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi) to check screen heights.

Go here (http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html) for a viewing distance calculator.

[theanimala]

Originally posted by Peter_Klim
No its not. Read the post before yours.

Sorry Peter, but my post was already taking into account set depth and wall spacing. My 34XBR910 is now only 7 feet away because of these very physical issues. I understand tricky things like walls, air and mass, and I understand that I now have 15 to 20 feet of viewing distance between my eyes and the set.

Maybe I should just move the set and the couch to the center of the room?

[PULLIAMM]

When I watch a movie that fills my 34" widescreen (1.77:1 or 1.85:1), it is very immersive and satisfying at 5 feet. A 2.35:1 movie always makes me wish I had a bigger screen, and an ultra-wide movie like "Titanic" looks like I am watching it through a mail slot. I did a calculation, and a 2.35:1 movie would require a 46" screen to be as high as my current screen at this distance.

[rickmccamy]

Buy both, put the 60" on the short wall and the 34" on the long wall, take the Cartain's Chair from an '84 Ford van, and you are livin' the life!

[rickmccamy]

Sorry, but 4'3" is an absurdly close range to be sitting watching a 34" screen.

[QUOTE=Marissadad]3 screen heights is the recommended HD viewing distance. A 34" TV's vertical viewing measurement is about 17", so you would need to sit 51" back for the optimal viewing experience.

Go here (http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi) to check screen heights.

Go here (http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html) for a viewing distance calculator.[/QUOTE]

[Jitawa]

I'd say most of these measurements that don't involve 50+" TVs seem to have awkwardly short viewing distances for most "normal" living room type setups. If you have a couch/loveseat/chair combo of some sort, and you want to get all them within 5' of the screen.... you're gonna have a funny looking living room, whether your viewing distance is good or not.

The viewing calculator posted lists the range on Max & recommended distance range for most HT apps as between 3.8 and 5.3 ft. Max for a 34". That's less space between the chair and TV than my height... hell, less than my nephews & nieces height, they couldn't lie down flat on the floor to watch the TV. Is the idea that you only buy a 34" HDTV if you live in a New York apartment?

[Dark Rain]

For a 34" screen I'd recommend 7 feet. I had a 30" set and 6 feet was the sweet spot. If you want to sit back at 8 feet or beyond it's best to move up to a 42" or larger screen.

[rickmccamy]

I suppose the purpose of these distance charts and recommendations is so every size screen fills your field of view the in the same ratio. And perhaps that it mimics a theaters screen. But of course, some of us sit in the third row, and others sit in the twentieth.
It seems to me so subjective as to not be quantifiable, as if saying, "the best viewing location in any movie theater is the 12th row!"
And does not take into consideration the rank of television in your personal idolatry list.
During a particularly exciting sequence, when I might lean forward, my eyeball is 6' from the screen. Laid back, feet up, the distance is 8', both views are excellent on my Philips 34pw9819. That movement effects my small room surround more than the picture.

[cajieboy]

At 15', I'd go for the Panny 65"er, but if the budget & dollars are too great to go this route and I had to compromise, then I'd either drop down to the Panny 50"er, OR switch to cheaper (and less PQ) video tech such as a the large screen Mits w/9" CRT guns, or perhaps checkout the upcoming Sony RPTV's w/SXRD. In all cases, I'd be looking at 50-65" screen sizes, w/the idea of "bigger is better".

[Gecko85]

[QUOTE=MeddlingKids]I'm debating between the Sony 34" widescreen HDTV CRT and a 46" Samsung DLP. The viewing distance will probably be about 15 feet. Is this distance too large for the smaller choice?[/QUOTE]

Don't know how accurate this is, but I read in an article a while back that a good rule of thumb is to multiply your viewing distance by 4. So, 15 feet viewing distance would mean you'd be happy with a 60" TV. (Although I have a hard time believing a 50" would feel small at 15 ft...) I'm just over 8ft viewing distance, and I have a 34" Sony CRT...it feels just about right. I certainly wouldn't want to view it from 15ft, though.

[jpco]

I find 8 ft. to be just about right for my 34".