I will stick with my 42" plasma that is crystal clear and can be viewed at any angle as far away as 20' and it doesnt feel to small at all.

 

I sit about 12-15ft away from my 46". Feels fine to me.

Get to close and your eye's will be wandering all over the screen.

 

i sit 15' away from my 32" LCD and it seems too small...

i moved it a foot closer to me, and it seemed to help.... maybe it was just in my head...

 

I'd question that distance chart a bit. Wonder if the TV industry promoted it.

I have a 40 in the main room downstairs and most seating is 12 to 16 feet away and it's fine. Nobody complains about not being able to enjoy it.

I have a 60 upstairs in the game room and most viewing is from 10 to 40 feet away and it is also quite easy to see even for my old eyes.

According to that chart I would need something around 100+ inches to adequately view the TV from the pool table area.

 

Azmidget, > a projector < ! That's awesome. What brand is yours ? How big are you projecting it ?
Funny you should mention that ! I've looked at them in the past, but after visiting the flatscreen TV forum this morning, and talking crap about how most of these TV's are too small, for the viewing distances people are using them at, the first reply suggested projectors. So I spent another hour looking at them before I went to work !

For my 12ft viewing distance, and my budget, a projector really is my only choice for my next big screen purchase.

Michael, when I walk in the front door of Best Buy, I can see the 32" to 55" flatscreens on the back wall, from 200 feet away ! But that doesn't mean it will give me any kind of submersive experience.

The reason these recommendations "seem" so extreme, is that, because of how fine the detail from a 1080P set is, you can be "very close" to it, and still not be able to detect any jaggedness {pixelation}. Sure, at some point, you can get "too close" but its way closer than most people think.
Then, on the long end of the spectrum {again, at a closer distance than most people would think} you will start to not be able to see all of the detail your HD set can produce. And this is even if you have 20/20 vision, which I do. That's the point where you are too far away.

I'm not saying you can't tell who your favorite actor is, from 20 feet away, or see what vehicle he got into, but I am saying, your missing a whole bunch of the intended detail, of both that piece of HD video, and the 42" HD TV your viewing it on. For that, your 42" set is good for about 6 or 7 feet.

If your okay with watching your 42" from 20 feet, thats totally okay. A lot of guys are okay with the stock sound system in an F150 too.

When it comes to sight and sound, I've always just wanted it to be as good as I could afford it to be.

Peace,
Fish

PS, cletusjermal, I would have never expected such big screens, from such short distances either, before I started in with my hard-core research, in preperation for buying my 46" set 3 years ago. Live and learn, right ?

 

Serotta Three years ago, I would have questioned it to. Sounds extreme doesn't it ?

But they get these numbers by taking any particular 1080p set, and any person(s) with 20/20 eyesight, and seeing how close they have to be, before they can start to see jaggedness / pixelation. That's the "too close" point. Add a foot to that and you have your minimum viewing distance.

Now, put some text on the screen "as small" as it can be clearly displayed, with the HD capabilities of said flatscreen. Start backing away from the set. As soon as you get too far away from the set, to be able to read that text, your too far away. Come back in 1 ft. That's your maximum viewing distance.
(this is a bit over simplified, just to make the point)

Again, if your not interested in fine detail, or the full submersive viewing experience, this stuff won't matter to you.

But for myself, and 3 years experience with my dinky little 46" set, I have to say that chart is spot on.

Peace,
Fish

BTW > what type, and what resolution is your 60" set ??? If it's an older, rear projection set, which is lower than 1080p, then yes, your viewing distance will "need to be" farther, since it will not be producing super fine detail that you need to be closer to discern. If you have a 60" 1080p flatscreen, I'd love to come see it..... from 10 feet away

Oh and Probably true, and that would be a piece of cake with a projector

 

Wouldnt it matter what size font the text is. for example an 8pt font could be clearly displayed from say 3 feet away and a 64pt font could be seen clearly from 12 feet back so would i start the test from 3 feet or 12 feet?

 

Okay Fish, thanks for the more detailed explanation, that makes more sense now. Oh man, you are correct, the 60 is really old, a rear projections and the further back you are the better it looks.
Here's an old thread (with pics) about my TV for your reading and viewing enjoyment.
https://www.f150online.com/forums/ge...rway-help.html

 

I currently have a Sony XBR Bravia but will soon be upgrading to a Samsung LED 55" 240hz. The Samsung is LED back lit and looks amazing! I just got a new Dell laptop with LED back lights and i absolutely love it compared to the florescent lighting, i will probably have the Samsung by Christmas

 

^I'll tell ya'll right now, I cant stand the 120/240 in normal viewing (movies and stuff). Blue ray is alright, but watching something on HBO or whatever, it gives me a headache. But if you watch ANY sports, it is the most kick *** thing out there. No more blurry jukes or anything.

We're rocking the base 55 for like 2500 right now I think...but we do pricematch! haha.

 

Cletusjermal, well like I said, I was just oversimplifying that explanation, to make a point. Honestly, I'm not even sure they use text... probably rather complex test patterns, with varying amounts of detail, and at whatever point you start to not be able to discern the finest detail the flatscreen can produce, your getting too far away.

Again, you can probably be 5 X's that far away and still be able to recognize your favorite acter..... Hence the reason people will say, "I can easily see my 42" set from 20ft away".

Peace,
Fish

 

I'm fine with my 42" 720p/1080i Vizio at 15 feet - and also fine with the stock sound system in my truck. I'm just not that picky. The 42" is the right size TV for the wall I have it on.

 

its a dell not sure on model number but its a few years old no hdmi and only 720i projected 16:9 108"

 

the lady at sears said that LED tv's are Amazing when watching hi def channels, but if you do not have HDTV and you watch only normal tv a LCD will be better. she didnt say because of price, but more that the LCD would look better..

i could see the darker blacks and better looks of the LED vs the LCD, and the LED beat the crap out of everything else... so i think she was trying to make a sale thinking he could afford a cheaper tv, and buy tonight.

 

It would be price that separates them. If you do not have HD coming into your house or a blue ray player you would not spend that much money for an HDTV.
LED TVs are still LCD panels backlit with LEDs.