I’ve read various articles debating the importance of the 1080p. I want to set the record straight once and for all: if you are serious about properly setting up your viewing room, you will definitely benefit from 1080p (and even 1440p.) Why? Because the 1080p resolution is the first to deliver enough detail to your eyeball when you are seated at the proper distance from the screen. But don’t just take my word for it: read on for the proof.
There are a few obvious factors to being able to detect resolution differences: the resolution of the screen, the size of the screen, and the viewing distance. To be able to detect differences between resolutions, the screen must be large enough and you must sit close enough. So the question becomes “How do I know if need a higher resolution or not?”. Here is your answer.
Based on the resolving ability of the human eye, it is possible to estimate when the differences between resolutions will become apparent. A person with 20/20 vision can resolve 60 pixels per degree, which corresponds to recognizing the letter “E” on the 20/20 line of a Snellen eye chart from 20 feet away. Using the Home Theater Calculator spreadsheet as a base, I created a chart showing, for any given screen size, how close you need to sit to be able to detect some or all of the benefits of a higher resolution screen. (Click the picture below for a larger version.)
What the chart shows is that, for a 50-inch screen, the benefits of 720p vs. 480p start to become apparent at viewing distances closer than 14.6 feet and become fully apparent at 9.8 feet. For the same screen size, the benefits of 1080p vs. 720p start to become apparent when closer than 9.8 feet and become full apparent at 6.5 feet. In my opinion, 6.5 feet is closer than most people will sit to their 50″ plasma TV (even through the THX recommended viewing distance for a 50″ screen is 5.6 ft). So, most consumers will not be able to see the full benefit of their 1080p TV.
However, front projectors and rear projection displays are a different story. They make it very easy to obtain large screen sizes. Plus, LCD and Plasma displays are constantly getting larger and less expensive. In my home, for example, I have a 123-inch screen and a projector with a 1280×720 resolution. For a 123-inch screen, the benefits of 720p vs. 480p starts to become apparent at viewing distances closer than 36 feet (14 feet behind my back wall) and become fully apparent at 24 feet (2 feet behind my back wall). For the same screen size, the benefits of 1080p vs. 720p start to become apparent when closer than 24 feet and become full apparent at 16 feet (just between the first and second row of seating in my theater). This means that people in the back row of my home theater would see some improvement if I purchased a 1080p projector and that people in the front row would notice a drastic improvement. (Note: the THX recommended max viewing distance for a 123″ screen is 13.7 feet).
So, how close should you be sitting to your TV? Obviously, you need to look at your room and see what makes sense for how you will be using it. If you have a dedicated viewing room and can place seating anywhere you want, you can use this chart as a guideline. It’s based on THX and SMPTE specifications for movie theaters; the details are available in the Home Theater Calculator spreadsheet.
Looking at this chart, it is apparent that 1080p is the lowest resolution to fall within the recommended seating distance range. Any resolution less than 1080p is not detailed enough if you are sitting the proper distance from the screen. For me and many people with large projection screens, 1080p is the minimum resolution you’d want.
In fact, you could probably even benefit from 1440p. If you haven’t heard of 1440p, you will. Here’s a link to some info on Audioholics.com. It is part of the HDMI 1.3 spec, along with 48-bit color depth, and will probably surface for the public in 2009 or so. You’ll partially be able to see the benefits of 1440p at the THX Max Recommended viewing distance and the resolution benefits will be fully apparent if you are just a little closer. I’ve read of plans for resolutions reaching 2160p but I don’t see any benefit; you’d have to sit too darn close to the screen to notice any improvement. If you sit too close, you can’t see the far edges of the screen.
In conclusion
If you are a videophile with a properly setup viewing room, you should definitely be able to notice the resolution enhancement that 1080p brings. However, if you are an average consumer with a flat panel on the far wall of your family room, you are not likely to be close enough to notice any advantage. Check the chart above and use that to make your decision.
ISF states the the most important aspects of picture quality are (in order): 1) contrast ratio, 2) color saturation, 3) color accuracy, 4) resolution. Resolution is 4th on the list and plasma is generally superior to LCD in all of the other areas (but much more prone to reflections/glare.) So pick your display size, then measure your seating distance, and then use the charts above to figure out if you would benefit from the larger screen size. So be sure to calibrate your screen! I recommend the following for calibration.
Recommended Calibration Tools
- Disney WOW: World of Wonder Blu-ray
- Disney WOW: World of Wonder DVD
- Alternative options:
- DVD: Digital Video Essentials (the original calibration disc dating back to the 1990s)
- Blu-ray: Spears & Munsil High-Def Benchmark Disc (my favorite but hard to find)
- Blu-ray: Digital Video Essentials: HD Basics (an update to the original, but I don’t like it as well)
- Automatic Hardware Calibrator: Datacolor Spyder 3
“I don’t like reading charts – just tell me what resolution I need”
If you don’t like reading charts and are looking for a quick answer, enter you screen size below to see how close you’ll need to sit to fully appreciate various screen resolutions.
Note about “or closer” viewing distances calculated above: if you sit closer than the distances shown above, you will be able to see some (but not all) of the detail offered by the next higher resolution.
All the sizes advertized on TV’s are the diagonal length, so your 58 TV measures… well 58 diagonal
Hi Carlton, I am setting up a movie theater room and I was wondering if a 73″ or 82″ rear projection 1080p dlp tv is too big for a 7.5×14.5 foot room. My viewing distance is about 12 feet. Thank you very much for your time, I greatly appreciate it. Jim
As long as it fits the room aesthetics, the bigger the better. 82″ is no where near being too large.
I bought my father a sony bravia 720p for xmas, which sits about 6 feet away from him in the family room, I am encouraging him to trade it in for a 1080p as I am not happy with the hd sports, is this necessary>? thanks in advance.
If your father is happy with it, don’t bother with the upgrade. ESPN and ABC broadcast in 720p, so there would be no benefit for those channels, and if he’s OK with the quality of the others, then save the time, money, and hassle.
Hey great article! I just need a little bit of personal advice, I’m looking to buy a 50″ Samsung Plasma TV. I’ve decided that, now I’m just not sure if I should get 720p or 1080p, it’s for my bedroom and most of my tv watching is done while in bed. So the distance with that is about 12 feet away. Looking at this I’d have to be 9.6 feet away to really even start to notice the difference (by the way while at Best Buy today I couldn’t even tell the difference between 720p and 1080p until the sales person had to get reallly close to the screen, then it became slightly apparent)
So I suppose I’m just wondering if you think I should get the 720p or the 1080p set. I’m all for saving money, however if blu ray is going to look like crap in 720p compared to 1080p then I will probably pay a little bit extra.
Blu-ray will always looks fantastic. It looks more fantastic at 1080p if you sit close enough. At your distance/screen size, it will look identical regardless of screen resolution being 720p or 1080p. So save some money and go for 720p.
Thank you so much. I do have one more question when it comes to TV’s. I’m stuck between a Samsung and Panasonic Viera.
Samsung
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889102295
Panasonic
http://www.newegg.com/Product/Product.aspx?Item=N82E16889187104
If you were buying a 720p 50″ Plasma TV today which one would you choose and why? I haven’t really looked into LG, but I am going back to Best Buy tomorrow for my 2nd round of viewing TV’s.
For plasma, I recommend only Panasonic. Superior black levels at a reasonable price. But I am not a fan of glossy screens, which all plasmas (and many LCDs) have. Matte is best if you’re not going to watch in darkness. LG LCDs with the matte screen are my current top pick.
Hi Carlton,
Just want to make sure I’ve got everything covered before I go ahead an purchase my first HDTV.
This tv will be in a first floor room that really only gets some sunlight in the morning and if needed curtains can darken the room. This leads me to choosing Plasma.
I mostly watch sports, some dvds and would purchase a Blue ray player. For motion I’m leaning towards plasma.
Now my biggest dilema is 720 or 1080p. My room is 16′ long with one couch at the far end so I’m using 14′ viewing distance. I also have a second couch along one of the side walls. Viewing distance for that couch is 8 – 12′. I’m tossing between a 50″ or 58″ tv. Using the chart it looks like the side couch will benefit from the 58″ and partially from the 50″ but the 14′ viewing distance will not benfit at all unless I up the size to some form of projection tv which may make the people sitting closer a bit queezy. I think I could, in circumstances where say I’m watching a true 1080p movie say from the Blue-ray, put one couch parallel to tv at 8′ and the second couch parallel at 12′. I think then that a 58″ would be ok.
My concern with going much larger, besides the price, is the quality of SDTV which is what is watched about 50% of the time. My understanding is that the larger the 1080p tv the poorer the sdtv picture.
I think I’ve covered everything. Can you give me any advice, comments or suggestions on how to solve this problem?
thanks,
Ed
Ed, sounds like you are on exactly the right path. My only point of clarification would be “the bigger the HDTV, the more apparent the deficiencies of SD.” But truthfully, once you cross the threshold and sit close enough to notice the SD issues with a 50″ TV, it won’t look any worse on a 58″. Just bigger.
Can anyone tell me whats the maximum screen size when using a 1080p resolution projector before the picture starts to get effected?
We’re doing a film festival and need to know what kind of screen size we can have.
Any advice on large screens? anything that we must have?
thnx
Screen brightness is your biggest concern, not resolution, and brightness is highly dependent on the projector and the screen material. Your best bet is my Home Theater Calculator Spreadsheet: https://carltonbale.com/home-theater/home-theater-calculator
What do u think about 1080p on 21.5 inch LCD monitors? Do they really make sense? I am confused whether to opt for a 22 inch (1680×1050) IPS panel based LCD monitor, or a 21.5 1080p TN panel based monitor. Does such a huge resolution (1080p) make sense regardless of the panel build on a small screen? Well, I game casually.
Yes, higher resolution makes sense on computer monitors. See this post: https://carltonbale.com/visual-acuity-viewing-distance-test-it-for-yourself
So if I am looking to get a 73 DLP 1080P, the best viewing is about 10 ft?
Yes, 10 feet or closer to appreciate the full resolution of 1080p.
Great post!
I have one question for you. I’m about to buy a new LCD-TV for my (pretty small) room to play some video games and watch a few movies. The room measures ~10×11.5 feet and I will be seated somewhere between 7-7.5 feet from the TV.
What size and resolution do you suggest? Would 32″ HD-ready be enough? Or do I need Full-HD at that distance?
Thanks again.
/Andreas
Hi I’m planning on purchasing the Epson TW3500 (8100) 1080p projector and am researching what screen size I should go for, will be sitting about 13 feet away – is 120″ too big? Should I go down to say, 100″? Will use the projector for PS3, DVDs (upscaled), Blu Rays and TV (in both HD and SD). Thanks
Carlton-
Since I dont have a blu ray player, and dont plan on purchasing one for a few years (when nearly every dvd is available on blu ray)…do i really need to consider an upgrade from a 720p to a 1080p? My satellite provider doesnt broadcast regular HD channels in 1080p, and from my understanding, no provider (satellite or cable) will do that for regular HDTV content for quite some time. So if i watch 95% of things not on DVD, is a step up to 1080 warranted?
I am looking to get a Sharp Aquos 65 inch, i will be 15 feet away, i am sure this a good distance for movies and what not. My BIG question is if 65 inch tv is too big for playing my playstation 3 on, a really big concern for me. I guess my overall question is bigger better for video gaming?? In my case 15 feet away with a 65 inch 1080p??? Thanks for any help
65-inches is not too big. I sit 13 feet from at 123″ screen and it’s perfect for Xbox 360, and movies.
I have a question and am looking for some advice. I currently have a 57″ Toshiba 1080p DLP RP TV. I am tossing around the idea of upgrading to the 65″ Mitsu 1080p DLP 120Hz my current TV is 60Hz. I sit about 11′ away from the TV and watch Blu-Ray as well as HD cable and play PS3 and Xbox 360 on it. My question will I see a big diff going to the 65″ vs my current 57″? I mean if it is not really that big of a difference I would rather spend the money on upgrading my audio system to something that has HDMI inputs and not just pass-through. Oh thought I would mention currently when I play games I sit only about 3′ away from the TV.
I’m not a fan for 120 Hz processing and 65″ is not that much bigger than 57″. I’d definitely focus on upgrading the audio / receiver first.
Ok, last post sparked another question for me. Why are you not a fan of 120 hz on a 65 inch. im about to purchase a 65 inch sharp aquos. its 120 hz. i found one for $2845 on amazon. Also would you recommend another 65 inch other than sharp aquos? Thanks
Wesley: I don’t like 120 HZ processing on any TV because, like all images processing, it solves some issues and creates others. It does improve motion resolution to makes LCD look more like plasma. But it can create too much smoothing and make motion look unnatural as well. I don’t think it is something to avoid in a new TV, because you can always turn it off, but I wouldn’t upgrade just to get it.
For 65″ sets, your options are limited, and I don’t have a recommendation over the Sharp AQUOS LC65E77UM 65-Inch 1080p 120Hz LCD HDTV. For the size and features, it’s a good option.
Carlton,
Sorry disturb a bit more but I am close to buy my TV and would like a last explain.
I was rigth to buy a LG New Plasma 50″ with Time machine 160gb but i read about a problem with plasma TV called “burn in”. My doubt is, it still happens in NEW PLASMA screen or just in the older plasma screens?
Bentwween the LG 50″ plasma 720p and a Sharp 50″ LCD 1080p, what you preffer. I see the Sharp in 1080 and to be true i feel the LG 720p image better than the Sharp.
Please, what you think about and what you choise if was YOUR ntw TV to buy?
Thanks in advance and my best regards
Rivaldo Ribeiro
Rivaldo, burn-in hasn’t been a problem for plasmas for years, so don’t worry about that. I think a matte finish on the screen is an extremely important feature, which no plasma has. Unless you watch in a completely dark room, you will see glare on the screen. If I were to buy a TV right now, I’d go for an LG LCD TV w/LED Backlighting. I like 55″ version, which is what my brother-in-law just got based on my recommendation.
Perhaps someone can shed some light on what they think of DLP. If I were to buy a new large screen for my home theater I would go with a DLP RP-TV. All the DLP’s these days which are all Mitsubishi’s are pretty thin, sure not as thin as an LED LCD, but no-where near as thick as the RP-TV’s of old. It was really sad to see Sony drop out of the RP-TV market and kill their LCoS brand the SXRD. In a lot of ways I thought the SXRD had a better picture than most modern LCD panels and all Plasma’s. I have a 57″ Toshiba 1080p DLP and a few months ago I had to finally replace the bulb, and once I did it looked brand new again, you can’t do that to an LCD if a pixel goes out or to a Plasma once the gas is gone. I think the reason the DLP RP-TV’s are dead is not a practical one but more of one about aesthetics, people want something they can hang on the wall, but rarely do, they set it on a TV stand or buy a TV stand they can hang it on. If people paid more to the technology and choose DLP I think by now, since the money for research would be there, we would have slim DLP RP-TV’s that might be able to hang on the wall. I think I get more of a theater feel with my DLP, and do not have the glare issue of the Plasma’s hence when I buy a new TV for the bedroom it will be a matte LCD, though I do like the glossy LCD’s though just for my PC monitor. OK long post thoughts? This seems like a good bunch of AV nerds to talk to about this.
I think DLP is an excellent technology and gives the most screen size and picture quality for the money. I used to have a DLP hanging on my wall — well, ceiling (screen on the wall.) Front projectors give huge screen sizes and don’t take up any floor space, but there are obviously some other drawbacks. For front projectors, the JVC LCoS technology is pretty dominate right now due to the brightness and black levels. But DLP is still a good option.
Carlton,
Unfortunaly I cant buy a new LCD/LED TV. It is very expensive to me now.
In my currency a LCD/LED TV with 50″ is up $9,000 (about 5,000 dolars) and a New Plasma 50″ 720p with Time Machine and mate screen (LG)is $3,500 in my currency. I know its is not the best choice, but is what I can buy now. I just would like ask if you have any bad information about the LG TV model 50PQ30TD – 50″ Plasma Time Machine w/ Internal 160gb HD (1.365 x 768 pixels), 3 HDMI, USB?
I have a square TV room with about 15ft each wall sides and my sofa still about 12ft from the TV position.
Thanks again by your help and kind way to be.
Rivaldo Ribeiro
I think that set will perform very well for you; I haven’t heard anything negative about it.
Hey
I recently bought a 42″ LG LCD TV – with a matte finish screen. My question may well be unrelated, however, but it is this:
I use my TV, mainly for xbox and PC use, the PC being my main source of video and music files. Having just bought the TV, I have become fascinaterd by the superior quality of HDTV, and as such have been downloading HD shows. I was wondering, what, if any, is the difference between 720, 1080 and Blu-Ray ‘rips’ on a screen this size?
There is no straight-forward answer: it depends on how close you sit and the bitrate/encoding quality of what you’re watching.
Hi Carlton,
I don’t trust my comprehension of your graphs and spreadsheet to feel comfortable making any type of decision so I thought I would ask you.
I am looking to buy a new flat panel TV to mount on the wall and was hoping that if I give you all the information I can you could recommend something.
First of all I have a budget of about 600 – 700 dollars max. There are a lot of sales I see going on so I may be able to find a more expensive TV on a deal. Hopefully knowing the ballpark will help.
I plan to use it for mainly HD console gaming on the xbox 360 and watching horror movies.
Because of how our living room is set up the front of the couch is 10′ and the back of the couch is 13 feet from the wall I’d like to mount it on. I may be able to scoot everything forward about a foot but after that we wont be able to walk around very well.
The TV would be close to the window so there is a question of glare although it isn’t a problem on the giant box of a tv I am replacing.
The biggest screen we can fit in the spot is 42″
Having dark blacks and bright whites is important to me and I realize that because of budget and limitations in viewing distance make it impossible to get the perfect setup but I was hoping you could point me in the right direction of the best options to make due with.
Thanks so much,
Vinessa
Vinessa, for your situation, I’d recommend a matte-screen LCD of any resolution. Bigger if possible, but this probably isn’t viable given your space and price targets. I prefer the LG brand if you can find something that fits your budget. Sony and Samsung are great as well, but both have somewhat reflective screens. You should be able to find a 42″ LG in your price range at Amazon: LG 42″ TV![]()
What type of tv would you recommend based on the following:
It would be in the corner and most view points would be 9 to 10 feet away. Sports and dvd viewing are my main interests. 1080 is a must. I may use the computer on it and netflix streaming from time to time. Our TV is on almost all the time. I have concerns that plasma fades 50% after 3 years.
Hi Carlton,
I’m looking into getting the Samsung 40-inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDTV for my bedroom. The max distance I’ll be sitting from it is 10 feet. Will I get to see what full 1080p has to offer from this distance or will I need to be further away? Will a 40-inch be too overwhelming for my bedroom?
Thanks.
hello,
I would like a preview of an LCD monitor with 50 meters away.
How to calculate the necessary resolution and image size that this view is possible?
Carlton, why does your calculator have a comment in the ‘Visual Acuity “ideal” viewing distance’ cell stating that, ‘However, the room should still follow THX/SMTPE guidelines for seating distance’. These guidelines for **longest recommended** viewing distances are either barely slightly higher than the ideal acuity distance (SMTPE), or slightly lower (THX). Thereby, you seem to be suggesting that one should sit closer than the ‘ideal’ acuity distance and one will get good results. Will pixellation not become obvious at these shorter distances (i.e. inside the ideal acuity range)?
Thanks
Shammi, This is exactly the issue/conflict between field-of-view and visual acuity viewing distances. Of the two, having the screen fill your field-of-view completely is the most important. The big screen, IMAX-like experience is much more important to the movie watching experience than is image resolution. For resolution/visual acuity, there is only one “perfect” spot. Farther back and you can’t see all the resolution you have, closer and you could benefit from more resolution. However, this is an approximation of the distance, not an exact value, and will vary based on the viewer and the equipment. So if you were closer than that, you would barely be able to benefit from a higher resolution. And you wouldn’t notice any pixels / gaps / annoying issues for most modern projectors / TVs. So closer is better, even if resolution could stand to be a little higher.
Hope this helps.
Very interesting posts! I did a read through but didn’t find something similar to my question. I want to set up a TV (likely 32″ but open to suggestions) as the second monitor on my home office iMac. What TV specs do I need to consider to most effectively use a small to mid size TV for both TV (likely viewing distance 8 – 10 feet) and computer monitor (distance 24 – 30″)? BTW: I picked 32″ as a compromise between ‘good enough’ TV size and still fit reasonably on a desk.
There are 2 things the TV needs to have: high resolution (1920×1080) and direct pixel mapping. The second point isn’t easy to figure out. Usually, if it has a DVI port, it supports direct pixel mapping. Otherwise, it may be possible through the HDMI port but you’d need to search for AVSforum.com to see anyone can verify direct pixel mapping support. Otherwise, the 20 outer-most pixels on all 4 sides of the screen will be cropped-off.
Thanks for the response. I was OK with the resolution but wasn’t aware of the 1:1 criteria. From what I’ve read since it appears most TVs that support 1:1 are configurable. Is this because the 1:1 setup necessary for full screen viewing of a PC output doesn’t work or creates issues with TV viewing?
Grant: older analog content can frequently have noise along the sides of the picture. To prevent consumers from complaining about their TV not working correctly, pretty much every one on the market crops the edges to eliminate potential noise. Now that all signals and all new shows are digital, noise isn’t a problem, but old analog content broadcast over digital still has it.
Very cool! Love the write up and the Calculator is TiTs.
@Carlton Bale
Color me impressed. I have read through your comments and such and really appreciate your insights in regards to setting up a suitable 1080p home theatre. Now I am in need of your expert advice.
At the moment, I’m in the market to invest in a FULL HD LCD. My sitting distance is approx 10-11ft. My viewing environment ranges from well-lit (during the day) to dim (during the night). Just for some background. I started my search and was getting ready to invest in the Pioneer KRP500m. Then I read your article and saw your chart of optimal viewing distances and saw that at my seating distance I wouldn’t be able to fully appreciate 1080p with a 50″ monitor. Then I was ready to purchase the Pioneer KRP600m. BUT then I read the “horror” stories of consumers receiving panels that have “the buzz” issue which at the price I would have invested (equiv. to $6,456.oo USD – I’m based at the moment in the Philippines) is not worth the risk.
I have been very satisfied with my Full HD Philips 42PFL7403. But then after reading your optimal distance article, I always felt that I was not utilizing the full benefit of 1080p viewing (seating distance from the 42″ = 9ft). I have had such a great experience with my Philips that I always hoped to find another LCD unit that just like it, but 55 in. or above.
That led me to the LG Full HD 55LH50 (240Hz TruMotion)-Philippines version. I believe that in other regions (United States, etc) it is the 55LH55. The one aspect of my Full HD Philips panel that I appreciated was the matte screen. Absolutely no glare or reflection. I demo’ed the LN52B750 & LN55B650 and got a headache from the glare and seeing my reflection during totally black screens, which is prevalent in my all-time favorite movie – Batman The Dark Knight. Then I noticed your advice regarding LG having a matte screen! I demo’ed the 55LH50 and was quite impressed. With just a few quick calibrations (mainly turning off the 240Hz Trumotion, adjusting backlight, etc.), I really like the PQ of the LG. It had a myriad of picture settings! If only Samsung’s panels were not glass and extremely reflective, I may have taken the plunge with the 55B650. I also looked at the Sony 52V550, but I felt I would benefit more from an additional 3 inches to get the cinematic, Full HD experience.
Anyways, just wanted to say thanks for your research and was wondering if you strongly recommend at my seating distance of 10-11ft, will I benefit in investing in the 55″ LG FULL HD,1080p panel?
PhiPsi032679: I’m in 100% agreement with you. The LG panels are awesome. If I were to purchase a new flat panel right now, the 55″ LG 1080p with LED backlighting is exactly what I’d get. The matte screen makes it a better performer than the glossy Sonys and Samsungs, and it costs less as well.
Carlton I find your site and spreadsheet very useful. I’m attempting turning an unfinished space in my basement into a dedicated theater. Finished dimensions will be 10’6 wide by 24′ long. The screen would be roughly 122 diagonal (cinemascope) I’m really worried about getting the seating locations right for the video and the audio. I have them set on your spreadsheet at 12ft and 16.5ft that number is supposed to be to the eyeballs right?? Seating will be essentially a couch, on the first row, and then a right and left arm love seat sectional, so essentially a four person couch. My real question I guess is what would be the ideal seating distances I’ve used the spreadsheet and just want to see if there is a better location other than the acceptable one it gives me. Reason for the big distance between row 1 and row 2 is some ottomans.
Brandon: You should use that recommended distance as a minimum and move forward from that. You may be able to benefit from slightly higher resolution if you sit closer, but in my experience, you won’t be complaining about need more or being able to notice any issues. Having a very wide screen filling your entire field-of-view is the most important factor of a movie theater experience. So unless you’re a few feet from the screen, you probably are not too close.
@Carlton Bale
Thanks for the reply. Have re-considered my Home Theatre upgrade and have decided to invest in a 1080p projector (Panasonic PTAE-4000) and an 0.8 gain, white matte screen, 100″ diagonal (manufactured by Crystal Vision).
My seating distance is approx. 11-12ft from the screen. Will I get the “full” appreciation of 1080p resolution? From other sources I have found that THX recommended seating is approx 11.2 ft. Just want to make sure that I will achieve a “cinematic experience”.
My decision of not getting the LG 55″ LCD is simply because the cost of the projector with the screen is approx $350USD less than the LG – am presently based in the Philippines at the moment, so go figure.
PhiPsi032679: You’ll get a much better widescreen experience from a projector and big screen – that’s what my primary viewing room is. If you have light control, it’s the best performance for the investment.
My wife has had a 19-inch tube tv in the bedroom that she always watches from approx 4 feet away, laying in bed, hooked up to cable. I bought her a 25-inch/1080p/LCD tv that I thought would be much better, but the picture is not clear at all. I told her that she needs to be farther away from the tv for it to be clearer. Do I need to purchase a bigger flat panel for it be more clear?
Tony: Your problem s most likely the cable TV signal not being clear and not the TV itself. See how it looks with a DVD player to judge.
I think I just found my answer on your Audioholics link! Your blog has answered alot of questions already. Thank you!
If only such a chart existed for optimizing the consumption of cheese puffs, my quest to spend thousands of dollars on getting both fatter and stupiderer would be complete. Must watch more magic pictures.
I am considering replacing my lcd projector. In viewing a dlp projector I found the rainbow effect to be distracting (Vivitek H1080FD). Loved the clarity and brightness though. Does the effect go away with higher-end dlp, or is 3lcd the better technology?
Faster color wheels minimize the appearance of rainbows, but it still varies by user. I think LCoS is the best technology, especially as implemented by JVC in their D-ILA products. There are some fantastic deals on last year’s models as they are being cleared-out for the new, only slightly changed, models released in late 2009/early 2010. Check out http://AVSforum.com for details.
Hi Carlton.
First of all, congratulations on an excellent and very useful website.
I have a question. I’d like to buy a TV for my room (i.e. not a “Home Theater” per se), on which I can watch sports, movies, etc.
I’m exactly 10 feet away from my TV, and had originally intended on getting a 1080p 50 inch Panasonic Plasma (TX-P50GW20).
Your chart indicates full benefit of 720p would be visible.
1) What do you think of the Pano?
2) Difference between 720p and 1080p will be absolutely unnoticeable for that screen size and viewing distance?
The Panasonics have a great picture. I don’t like the gloss finish on the screen as it is very prone to reflections, but this is a matter of personal preference. Just be sure to look for this at the store. Turn it off to easily show reflections as they will appear in dark scenes.
At that viewing distance, you should be fine with a 720p screen. If 1080p is not that much more expensive, you might consider it, but it shouldn’t be a requirement. But try to compare them side-by-side if possible to see how your eyes perceive the difference.
Thanks for answering my question.
Are all Panasonics glossy (in particular the TX-P50GW20)? I would definitely like a matte screen.
I was thinking of getting 1080p anyways. You say at that distance, 1080p wouldn’t make (much of) a difference, but could it actually lower the perceived quality of the image?
Would you have any alternate recommendations for the TV? Different brand/model?
Thanks again!
Lawrence: In general, all plasmas have glossy screens and many LCDs now do as well. They may advertise having an “anti-reflective coating” but even that is now where near as effective at eliminating glare as is a matte screen. The LG LCDs, to my knowledge, all have matte screens and offer great performance at reasonable prices. Be sure to look at the TV in person with your own eyes before you buy it.
1080p will in no way negatively impact image quality vs. 720p. As you step away from a 1080p TV, you will be able to notice less and less detail, and it will eventually look just like at 720p TV. At a great enough distance, it will look just like a standard-def TV. No better, no worse.