How far here do people sit from their HDTVs?

I keep hearing from many people here that upconverted DVD is nearly as good as HD media (HD DVD or Blu-ray). I'm curious to see if the viewing distance has something to do with this. It's not size that matters, since inches away from a 19" computer monitor or many feet away from a 130" screen can be comparable in viewing angle. The recommended viewing angle according to THX specs is 36 degrees, and the maximum degree viewing angle a human eye can resolve 1080p with perfect 20/20 vision is about 32 degrees.

So out of curiosity, how far do people generally sit from their TV/Display and its size?

My viewing chair (Berkeline recliner) is about 15 feet from my Toshiba Regza 42" 1080p, at eye level centered to that chair. I feel comfortable in that position and from that distance, upconverted recent SDs usually look pretty good, not as good as an HD disk perhaps, but very acceptable.

There are, however, a couple of nightmmares in my neighborhood. One guy down the street has an lcd in the 50' range mounted over his fireplace and it is way too high. The viewing angle is just impossible, but he thinks it's great.

One other neighbor has a 60" + 1080i monster rear projection (I think a Pioneer) at about 15 feet and it too is awful. He had Comcast up the other day because the picture was "grainy." I was good. Kept my mouth shut.

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[Post edited by StevePro on Jan 30, 2008]

About 8 feet with my 51" WS.

I have a 57 inch 1080p DLP and I sit about 10 feet away. But when I'm playing a game I sit right up on it. It makes me feel like I'm in total control.

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[Post edited by tony1569 on Jan 30, 2008]

Generally speaking, the recommended distance from the set is about twice the set's diagonal size. If you have a 50" set, the distance is 100" or about eight feet (right on, Josh!). Of course, with HD televisions and HD sources, you might want to sit even closer. On the other hand, SD sources, esp. broadcast sources, can be painful on a big TV if watched from too close a distance. Then, if you sit too far, you might as well not even be watching HD. Obviously, it's up to the viewer, but the idea of a home theater is to duplicate the motion-picture theater. You'll never get that big a screen, but the experience can be similar (unless you're one of those people who prefers sitting in the very back of a movie house. I've always thought that was like staying home and watching TV).

John

Hummmm, maybe I should experiment with closer seating. I have thought about it on a few occasions.

I have a 37" Vizio, LCD, 1080i in by bedroom... and generally sit... about 5 feet away from it... well I lay 5 feet away because it is next to my bed.

In our living room we have a 50" Philips Plasma, 1080p and... I don't use that TV often but my parents Recliners are about 8-12 feet away.

I have a 120" screen through an HD projector, and I couldn't possibly sit a minimum of 20 feet away. I have my couch set up about 12 feet away, and everything looks great. I find that if you go any closer than 8, it doesn't look as good, but otherwise I have no complaints.

Yeah StevePro, you should consider sitting closer since according to visual acuity of a person with 20/20 vision, at your viewing distance it wouldn't matter if you had a NTSC 480 regular TV or an HDTV.

THX specifications are based on their 36 degree viewing angle recommendations for the "sweet spot" in theaters (somewhere in the middle section usually). Visual acuity is based on the resolution/detail detectable by the human eye at 1080p.

Here is the score so far:

StevePro is 9.5 too far (visual acuity) 10.2 feet too far for THX recommended.

Tony is 2.5 feet too far (visual acuity), 3.6 feet too far for THX recommended.

Nachtkriechen is 1.2 feet too far (visual acuity), 2.3 too far for THX recommended.

Mike is 0.2 feet too far (visual acuity), 0.9 too far for THX recommended.

Interplanetaryspy, 3.7 feet closer than required (visual acuity), 1.4 closer than THX recommended.

While Mike is closest to THX specifications while lying in his bed , only Interplanetaryspy is close enough for his/her human eye to resolve all the detail in a 1080p image. Found a cute little Java script calculator that does all the math for you here: http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html

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[Post edited by Skyhawk on Jan 30, 2008]

I rule... while laying on my bed.

Mike37, yeah you're the only one I know with a THX certifiable setup while lying down in bed!

37" Magnavox 1080i through HDMI to a Denon AVR987 110W/Ch, 5.1 (7.1 capable), bedroom setup...viewed from about 6ft away. Broadcast DTV, HD DVD HD-A2, PS3.

"Visual acuity is based on the resolution/detail detectable by the human eye at 1080p." --Skyhawk

Yes, unfortunately, these specs only take into account HD viewing. If you set up your system, esp. if it's a really big screen, sitting permanently too close, you may find it difficult to watch standard-definiton material (nothing worse than blur up close). A friend of mine has a sofa on wheels that he can move forward or back, depending on the viewing material, but most of us have to compromise on a fixed position.

John

Quote:
Mike37, yeah you're the only one I know with a THX certifiable setup while lying down in bed!

I feel so special :: sniffles ::

I sit 9-10 feet away from my 50" Pioneer KURO 768p Plasma, and both SD and HD disc content looks outstanding - and even my LaserDiscs look great on the plasma, although I have to really increased the "sharpness" to give them more 'definition' (LDs are only 425interlaced).

As for StevePro's friend having his large LCD mounted up high (over a fireplace), this can produce neck strain (and headaches) by some people, by having to keep your head angled up. However, IF one watches in a RECLINER, leaning back, well then his head is not being 'strained' for viewing.

-LH (The Loverboy)

"As for StevePro's friend having his large LCD mounted up high..." --LoveH

Also, depending on the LCD set, I suppose, wouldn't watching at that angle tend make blacks look even less black, begin to gray out?

John

Maybe John... but for flat panel LCDs, the blacks start looking gray as soon as you sit off-center about 25-30 degrees. Of course, many LCDs have "grayish-looking" blacks when viewing in a lights out, darkened room environment, as no matter how low the backlight is set, or contrast and brightness levels, the backlight is ALWAYS ON, and some light will bleed thru.

I love my KURO Plasma, and will never buy an LCD again for home-theater viewing. LCDs are fine for room-light viewing, office, etc, but nowhere as awesome as plasma for viewing with the lights off.

-LH (The Loverboy)