Viewing distances - CRT v LCD/Plasma

[nig_101]

Hi everyone,

I know there are viewing distance guides on here etc but here's the question from a slightly diferent angle and I need help persuading my 'financial controller' (AKA the mrs) that we do in fact need a larger telly! We've currently got a 32" widescreen Panasonic CRT which is about 9 yrs old and we're going to upgrade it soon. We sit between 3.5m and 4.5m from it so based on the guides we should be considering 37" at the smallest and then upwards to 42", maybe 46" and at a stretch 50". Now, when I suggest these sizes, the standard response is along the lines of "the TV we've got now is big enough, why do we need a bigger one?" Despite my best efforts, I'm still struggling to persuade her to go larger - although she grudgingly agreed that a 37" wasn't too bad, she still thinks what we've got is big enough. What I'm after is a good, detailed but laymens-terms reason for getting a larger TV. I got your "Buy a better TV today" guide with the Dec 08 edition of the mag which says about not sitting too close or too far away, but she counters that arguement by stating that as its a new HD telly then the picture should be better than the one we've got and can therefore stick with a 32" one. HELP - what can I say to persuade her that bigger is better?? Most of our viewing will be SD via Sky+ or Freeview in the TV, but we watch DVDs/Blu-Rays via a PS3.

Thanks for your help with my mission to a biggerTV!

 

[Andrew Everard]

At that kind of distance a 37in is going to look a bit small IMHO. At home we have a 50in at about 3.5m or so and it's anything but too big.

Given the constraints you're under, I think a 40-42in should be viewed as a minimum.

 

[bodidly]

good luck mate sounds just like my other half, she could watch a tv the size of a match box at 100 yards and say, theres nothing wrong with why do you need it bigger, there all the same they don't understand or just rather have the money spent on them.

and i wouldn't go to far down the road of the bigger is better issue if i was you!! you may get caught up in a completly different subject.

 

[gregvet]

The only reasoning I could give my other half that he understood was that there was no point going HD and having 4 x as much information on the screen without also going bigger than our old SD set. You wont see a difference between HD and SD at those viewing distances on a screen that size.

 

[bigblue235]

Try to use science to convince her?

http://www.engadgethd.com/2006/12/09/1080p-charted-viewing-distance-to-screen-size/

My missus had exactly the same concerns, but she now sits about 10ft from a 55" screen quite happily. Only problem is I now have to listen to her harp on about how good 'Lost' looks in HD, but it's a cross I'll have to bear

 

[matengawhat]

my advice would be don't take her to a shop because they look massive close up and the other halves have a problem with visualising it from across a room. i think you need at least a 40 inch tv - try taking her out somewhere where they are wall mounted as in my opinion they look considerably smaller in situ - my 40 that wall mounted from across a room looks tiny now - also you soon get used to it and then they appear to shrink

 

[TKratz]

And here is another useful link: http://www.flatpanelshd.com/focus.php?subaction=showfull&id=1229341535

 

[D.J.KRIME]

I have a 50"" 1080p Plaz and sit aprox 3m and its definatly no to big, but it all really comes down to personal taste at the end of the day.

Tho I must admit I never gave the Wife a option and the first she knew about the upgrade from our 42"" was when it was sitting on the AV rack. Did get a bit of a ear bashing for a while but after the latest episode of Desperate Housewives in HD she soon calmed down.