Selling my 42 inch TV -From 9ft proves too Close For Comfort

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Although I haven't been letting on, and still consider my Samsung PS42Q97HDX to be a great TV,I'm afraid that having perservered with quite a few headaches and eystrain over the last month I have decided that a 42 inch TV is far too big for my room of 15ft X 14ft even though I sit on a settee 9ft away from the TV which is wall mounted low over a brick fireplace.I'm just finding the huge faces and elongated broad shoulders a bit too artificial looking at times and generally the viewing can be quite overhwelming. If you're the kind of perosn who likes going to the Cinema and sitting in the front rows fine but I usually take a back seat when going to the Cinema.

To be quite honest when you see a TV in a shop it doesn't tend to look half as daunting compared to when you take it home and then reality strikes home and you know you've got the wrong size. I should have gone for a 37incher instead and in Plasma there's only one model you can get at present that being the Panasonic TH37PX70. I don't think I made the wrong TV choice initially-Just got the size wrong.

I am therefore selling my 3 month old Plasma to my next door neighbour for £395.00-half the price I actually paid for it.

When your'e at work and come home to view for just 3 hours a day in the evening you don't notice the effect it can have on you, but these last few weeks when I've been spending more time at home and therefore watching TV for longer it has taken its toll on me.

Now I am on the hunt once again for a TV but this time nothing bigger than a 37inch one which is what I now realise I should have got and am now convinced is the ideal size display for me

 

[Anonymous]

Good honest post tbh. I don't think most of us in the UK have properly adapted to the rash of large screeen TV's and generally small living rooms (compared to the States). As such we commonly see tellys on show that you would previously only see in pubs.

Even just 10 years ago it was very common just to see most households make do with a 21" set. Deary me, I must be getting on.

 

[Anonymous]

I would have thought that you were only too close for watching SD stuff. I would think that 9 feet away from a properly calibrated (toned down) 42 inch TV displaying a 1080p picture should be fine. I presume you weren't watching HD?

Just editing this post as I've just realised that your telly was only a 1024x768. I'm still thinking the problem is more likely to be with your source though.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Bascule"]
I would have thought that you were only too close for watching SD stuff. I would think that 9 feet away from a properly calibrated (toned down) 42 inch TV displaying a 1080p picture should be fine. I presume you weren't watching HD?

[/quote]

It's not a 1080p TV only 1024 X 768

I was watching a DVD on the DENON DVD 1940-Glorious Technicolor with superb detail but still too overhwelming for me. SD via SKY and a 60cm Dish is actually very good on my TV and I mean very good but once again 16.9 ratio on a 42 incher is too big and there''s too much to take in on fast motion like football. 37 inch is the size I should have got as watching a 37inch TV from 9ft is far more comfortable and you can focus on the whole screen a lot better

 

[Andrew Everard]

So what you're saying is that the 42in is more like real life, where your eyes have to flick around a bit to take it all in. Sounds like a plus point to me!

 

[Anonymous]

I agree, i've got a 42" plasma and it's fine in our huge living room, but i know when i move to a smaller living room... 🙁

[quote user="Tallyho"]
elongated broad shoulders
[/quote]
This sounds like you're doing scaling out of aspect ratio. Try to set everything to default or "auto" aspect ratio. You will notice that some channels like Five Us will be in 4:3 most of the time.

Has anyone tried one of those fancy expensive external scaling boxes? Does this solve the blotchiness of SD telly?

My worst gripe (and i believe this is common with plasma) is that when close-up faces move then they go wobbly.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Tallyho"]16.9 ratio on a 42 incher is too big [/quote]
Do you have it wall mounted?

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="peteAllen"][quote user="Tallyho"]16.9 ratio on a 42 incher is too big [/quote] Do you have it wall mounted?[/quote]

Yes it's wall mounted-Low over the matlepiece over a brick fireplace.

In the TV's menu it's set to 16.9, but even watching DVD's proves too overhwelming

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="Andrew Everard"]
So what you're saying is that the 42in is more like real life, where your eyes have to flick around a bit to take it all in. Sounds like a plus point to me!

[/quote]

Just being honest with you and in fact a 37inch TV gives me a better more life like picture

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like it's a bit high up. I think the ideal is to have the top of the screen level with your eyes, otherwise it's a bit of a strain on the neck having to look up a bit. My eyes like looking down a bit, rather than level or up. Of course, this probably won't help you since you're hardly going to place your telly in the fireplace!

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="peteAllen"]Sounds like it's a bit high up. I think the ideal is to have the top of the screen level with your eyes, otherwise it's a bit of a strain on the neck having to look up a bit. My eyes like looking down a bit, rather than level or up. Of course, this probably won't help you since you're hardly going to place your telly in the fireplace![/quote]

The TV's positioning is fine actually...........No I just have to admit that I got it wrong with the size of the TV and am now making plans to redress the situation albeit at some extra cost. I was one of the one's who got carried away by the spectacle of a large 42inch screen genuinely believing it was the right size for me.........I was wrong

 

[Anonymous]

Couldn't the shop you bought it from take it back? or do you a special deal i.e. part exchange?

jules.

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="jules153"]Couldn't the shop you bought it from take it back? or do you a special deal i.e. part exchange?
jules.

[/quote]

Thing is the TV is not at fault. I just got it all worng when choosing a 42inch version instead of a 37inch one which I now know to be the correct size for me

Besides my next door neighbour is buying ot off me for £395 . He's got a huge lounge and will be ideal for him.

I now need to cut my losses having learned a lesson about not letting one's heart rule their head in situations like this. A 37inch TV will be ideal for me.

 

[Anonymous]

I remember watching Batman Begins at the imax cinema in waterloo a few years ago (the largest screen in the UK, i believe). The fight scenes were confusing - i couldn't really follow them because the screen was too big for fast action.

 

[Pikman]

Crikey, I've just this morning ordered a 46" 1080p TV. It will be roughly the same distance from me, maybe a tiny bit more. You have me worried now!

My parents have a 42" that they must sit less than 3m from though and that is fine.

Hope I don't suffer the same problem

 

[Anonymous]

Perhaps get some binoculars and use them back-to-front?

 

[Anonymous]

[quote user="peteAllen"]I remember watching Batman Begins at the imax cinema in waterloo a few years ago (the largest screen in the UK, i believe). The fight scenes were confusing - i couldn't really follow them because the screen was too big for fast action.[/quote]

This is it Pete Allen:

Fast motion is just too overwhelming on a 42inch 9 ft away and sends your head spinning and nausea and giddyness can set in. People need to excercise caution when it come to viewing distances

 

[Pikman]

Hmm, maybe I ought to cancel the order and go for a 42"?!

Its taken me month to come to a decision too 🙁

Interesting read all this though. It does seem to vary from person to person too. I guess a visit to the cinema and sitting up close is fun for a while, (although I admit, we never sit THAT close as you can easily find it overwhelming as you say) but must get frustrating ALL the time.

I'm pretty worried now

 

[Anonymous]

Fast motion is just too overwhelming on a 42inch 9 ft away and sends your head spinning and nausea and giddyness can set in. People need to excercise caution and be sensible when it come to viewing distances-After all remember your home isn't the local CINEMA.... Long periods of close up viewing in my opinion and experience can be detrimental to one's health

 

[Alantiggger]

SD is fine when viewed from nine foot..... anyone with problems from this distance should actually go see an optician or doctor.

 

[Andrew Everard]

 

[Cofnchtr]

Hi,

I have 42" Panasonic, sitting approximately 8 - 9' away and I find everyday viewing fine.

My t.v. is set to 'auto' and not 16.9 in the menu.

Cheers,

Cofnchtr.

 

[northantsbloke34]

[quote user="Pikman"]
Hmm, maybe I ought to cancel the order and go for a 42"?!

Its taken me month to come to a decision too 🙁

Interesting read all this though. It does seem to vary from person to person too. I guess a visit to the cinema and sitting up close is fun for a while, (although I admit, we never sit THAT close as you can easily find it overwhelming as you say) but must get frustrating ALL the time.

I'm pretty worried now

[/quote]

We sit about 11' away in a 12 foot square ish room and we think it fine in fact great. My brother sits about 8' from his (both have px70 42") and its still fine from there.

I think if people are having problems at these distances then perhaps they should see an optician. You may need glasses!. I wear them so don't be afraid!. Part of getting older! lol

 

[Anonymous]

I was going to get a 50" from that distance!

 

[Clare Newsome]

Steady on, chaps... As this thread shows, everyone is different - and I know Tallyho hasn't gone the HD route yet, which makes close-distance viewing a particular problem on larger flatscreens (especially Full HD models).

I realise many people think our 'how to choose the right size of TV' advice page is too conservative, but if you've a Full HD TV and you're watching SD content, it's about right.