Did I go TOO big?? (1 Viewer)

[Rik P]

Even though not practical in most homes (need good light control) with a PJ you can make the screen as big or as small as you want.
I came from a 55 inch Mits 55809 to a PJ after 2years. Im running at 96" right now & no turning back now lem'me tell you.
I do however have my choice of sitting up to 19 feet away and really enjoying sitting farther back. I think it gives for a more theatrical feel. Even though the screen is smaller at that distance it just gives the feel of large theater echoey feel (if you well). Im one of those guys that likes sitting in the back row at the movies. Just a matter of preference I guess.

Rick

 

[Chris Hicks]

the store I went to was not a "chain" store(umless you count 2 stores total a chain). they did not have the tv playing any HD as he told me that it is too misleading to the customer. they had the set hooked up to an antenna. He said that they prefer to display it that way since that is the quality of most tv programming since HDTV doesn't show all the time. I really liked the fact that they do this. at every other store I went to, they were always using DVD or an HD loop and would never switch it over to regular analog.
the set I am interested in is the Toshiba 57HX93 and they had a 57HX83 there. he let me play around with the set as well as the lighting in the area of the store. the set was also calibrated and he pointed out about the torch modes most stores keep the sets on to make the colors really pop. with analog tv the set seemed to do a decent job with the pic quality.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Chris,

Sounds like you found an excellent place to shop! If after all that fiddling around, you're comfortable at a 9' viewing distance (or closer), then by all means go for it.

To me, it's great when you can make a big purchase like that and not have any "surprises" when you get it home and set up. When that happens, it means you did your research well!

Have fun with it.

-Jason

 

[ManW_TheUncool]

9ft from a 57" sounds fine to me also, but yeah, it's not for everyone. I use ~8ft (eyes-to-screen) from a 53" although much of my TWC non-HD cable content looks crappy, but then again, I don't watch them much at all. SD cable quality will vary and will often be worse than a clean OTA SD signal, so beware.

If you can, try to upgrade your service and/or OTA reception to HD. Even though most of the content on the HD/ED channels are not true HD, they will generally be better than regular cable or analog OTA. And whatever is actually HD will be eye-poppingly good.

_Man_

 

[GeorgeAB]

Viewing environment conditions have a substantial effect upon viewer fatigue and image perception. Just as room characteristics can seriously compromise sound system performance, the viewing conditions in the room can diminish the enjoyment of the video display.

Joe Kane wrote decades ago that viewing environment principles were the most commonly overlooked element in getting the best picture from a video display. This is still true today, to a large degree. Viewing environment principles include: screen size vs viewing distance, display brightness vs ambient light levels, backlighting suitability, viewing angle, screen glare, monitor surround coloration, etc.

Some industry references on this topic include:

SMPTE Recommended Practice Document #166: "Critical Viewing Conditions For Evaluation Of Color Television Pictures" (RP-166-1995), www.smpte.org/smpte_store/standards/

'TV Monitor Environment Lighting' by Bill Cruce, http://www.cybertheater.com/Tech_Rep...vir_light.html

'Imaging Science Theatre 2000' (1998) special edition of Widescreen Review (back issues still available) www.widescreenreview.com

'The Ideal Viewing Environment' and 'Ideal-Lume Bias Lighting', www.cinemaquestinc.com

'A Video Standard' Reference Recordings laserdisc and booklet, produced by Joe Kane Productions (out of print)

'Video Essentials' laserdisc and DVD, Joe Kane Productions (out of print)

'Digital Video Essentials' D-VHS and DVD, Joe Kane Productions, www.videoessentials.com

'Avia Guide To Home Theater' DVD, Ovation Software, www.ovationsw.com

Best regards and beautiful pictures,
G. Alan Brown, President
CinemaQuest, Inc.

Insist on HDTV!

 

[Joe Szott]

Eric,

Simply put, if it feels too large for you then it is too large for you. We sit 10-12' away from our Mitsubishi 46" at home, it is a perfect distance for us. We also sat 8-10' away from our old 27" TV and although a hair small, that was fine too. It's all relative and depends on what you are comfortable with.

We had similar problems with our 16x9 HDTV viewing standard satelite when we first got it too. After I learned how to adjust it, the picture improved quite a bit, now although a bit 'soft', it is a nice picture. In a nutshell, try these tweaks: turn sharpness ALL the way down (all the way!), contrast to around 1/3, brightness where comfortable, knock the red/green tint a hair into the green zone (2 clicks?) Give that a shot and see if it improves the experience.

 

[Ric Easton]

I like to sit as close as I can. I try to emulate the movie experience, and my eyes do move around a bit at the theater, but I sit fairly close there as well. How big is the picture compared to when you're at the theater? I know, the one at the theater is about 20 feet bigger...

Its all relative. Try this the next time you are at the movies. From your seated position, stick you arms out in front of you, widen out your fingers. How many hands across is the screen? I usually get arounf 3 hand widths, sometimes more. Now try at home. There, I am just a fraction under two hands. Unless of course I pull the chair closer! Which I find I can do with a good DVD or HDTV. My old 35 incher was just giving me 4 outstretched fingers!

I think my hand measurement should become the standard of relative measurement, but I have yet to find anyone (at work, anyway) that can follow what I'm talking about!

And when at the theater, don't worry about the guy next to you wondering what the hell you're doing!

Ric

 

[DonM]

If you go to Hitachi's website for HD RPTV they claim the correct viewing distance is 2X the diagonal size of the screen for HD widescreen. So a 57" screen would be just under 10 feet. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Ruben M]

I have never heard of anybody complaning they don't like to go to the movies bacause the screen is too big!! For me the bigger the better, is part of the movie experience... that is what attracted people from the begining to go watch movies, from the early years to today.

 

[Jason Charlton]

Not that I really WANT to beat this dead horse any more, but I find it astonishing that so many people would rather listen to what a website says is the "correct" distance for THEM to sit in front of THEIR TV in THEIR home, rather than just doing what feels right to them in the first place.

While this may border on sacrelige, and could very well open yet another can of worms, may I offer this person's opinion? (that was a rhetorical question, by the way, feel free to stop reading at any time...)

THERE IS NO "CORRECT" DISTANCE.

If I choose to sit 6" closer to the set than what Hitachi "says" is the correct distance, am I wrong? No, of course not. In fact, for every site or post that says 2x the diagonal distance, you can find one that says 1.5x the screen height or 3x the screen width... Does that mean there's a different "correct" distance from a 57" Sony than a 57" Toshiba or Panasonic?

Yes, I realize that we're talking about general guidelines here, and that many people in this thread were probably looking for nothing more than a "starting point", and maybe it's just the Monday morning crabbies that took hold of my psyche this morning... but as much as this forum is a place to share ideas (and opinions) among friends who have a common interest or two, people shouldn't be afraid to trust their own eyes, ears, and instincts every once in a while...

End rant. Thanks for listening...

-Jason

 

[John S]

I try to make the total field of view the sceen takes up, about equal to being in a Commercial Theater about 3/4's the way back, to the last row. Somewhere in that range, should be great.

best of luck.

 

[DonM]

Jason I'm sure people don't just blindly accept the suggestion of a tv manufacturer's website as to correct viewing distances. That would be absurd and I never implied that. But you have to admit manufacturers do want their product to look their best in the eyes of the consumer. Using that as a basis, I believe the suggestion of the Hitachi website of 2X the diagonal for the correct viewing distance is probably ballpark the most correct distance for the majority of the people out there viewing. There is research involved they just don't pick these numbers out of thin air. Of course their will be exceptions to every rule. That is a given. I'm sure the quality of an individual person's vision factors into the equation as well. I just went to the store and watched a 65" RPTV for an hour at 10' distance demoing it. I was fine with that distance. Your mileage may vary! Just my opinion.