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.
Still trying to figure out what to do re: Panasonic G20 50″ and the rising black levels. 2000 hrs doesn’t seem to be very long at $1200 for a tv. That’s like renting one for $100 a month! And the Sharp 52″ Aquos I’ve heard problems about the yellow. And that’s $1600. What’s the avg. lifespan on these tvs? I’m replacing a tube that was 12 years old and only died because of a lightning strike? And, have you noticed that, though 52″ LCDs exist, you can’t find them at BestBuy or any of the box stores? Only online. Guess they decided you either go with 47″ (too small for my needs) or 55″ (too big). Any ideas on whether buying online is a train wreck or okay, if you need service? Thanks. Great site.
Gary I’ve purchase many TV’s online, including a 50″ plasma they’ve all came in perfect condition, and are still working. They use private shipping companies, not the big guys like ups, etc..
Gary,
I have a 2009 42″ G10. We’ve had it for more than a year now and use it on average 3-4 hours / day. I have no complaints whatsoever. It’s a fantastic tv. I’m not worried about the reported black level issues. Perhaps for pure videophiles, but for most normal viewers I don’t think it will ever really be an issue.
These charts assume 20/20 vision, correct? I would think that it would still be alright to sit further away than the distances suggested since many people actually have a visual acuity superior to 20/20 (such as 20/15). Keep in mind that 20/20 isn’t the average, it is the minimum acceptable visual acuity that doesn’t require corrective lenses.
While some people do have better than 20/20 vision, the maximum amount of detail that can be perceived by anyone is set by the density of the rods and cones of the retina (essentially the same for everyone, unless you are a hawk or other species like that) rather than by the level of perfection of the optics in front of it. The size of the image on the retina is determined purely by the distance between the lens and the retina (essentially the same for everyone). Assuming charts like this one are determined using this type of density data, they will be applicable to pretty much everyone.
Similarly, corrective lenses in general “fix” the optical problems of those wearing them, bringing their vision back to being as good as those who do not require glasses. Thus those wearing glasses can see the same level of detail of those who do not need glasses – set by the density of the light receptors on their retina.
With all that said, I do not know the variation of density of light receptors in humans, but having done very rough tests of vision on over 500 physics students over the past decade or so, the maximum distance that people can make out standard sized text is not much more than 10’s of cm out of around 2 metres.
Based on this experience with lots of students, people simply cannot see detail at the sub-millimeter scale at meter-sized distances
Hi Carlton;
Great site – My 27″ Mitsubushi (15+ years old) has just decided to give up the ghost. I have been looking at the Samsung LCD 40″ 1080/120hz for our room (small room and viewing is approx 6 ft). Although it is a bright room we watch most TV in the evening. Now I am getting mix messages on the LCD vs Plasma (and now LED) along with the 120 vs 60 hz. I had been led to believe that Plasma was on its way out. Love to have your thoughts.
Bev
i was going to rant at you for BSing us….but your list stating resolution comes 4th ill let you of but those viewing distences are BS how can a 50 inch screen have such a close viewing distence from that distance your getting front row at the cinema effect i.e not able to see whole screen naturally but staring at parts of the screen i wouldnt view a 32 inch 786p screen that close you need to view whole screen naturally with both eyes and also avoud accessive eye strain from brightness ANYONE IN THE FRONT 3/5 OR SO ROWS at a cinema would have experianced this my personal fav distance from a 32/36 inch 768p screen is 5 feet i would double that for 50 inch 1080p in order to see the whole screen and not have screen brightness coursing eyes to blar and or water sitting close to large screens is pointless as the to close at the cinema has always proven evety body loves the back row we all already know this as a FACT those figures seem more marketing than human eye fact and a prime 768p screen at 50 inch can out perform a average 1080p 50 inch resolution is over hyped bud im guessing you know that
I’m not even sure where to begin with how incorrect this information is. Have you even looked at a 50″ screen before?
xboxgirl101: funny response.
Carlton, I think xboxgirl101 was replying to wiiboy101. By the way, how old is wiiboy101? His comment was completely unintelligible. Ugh!
Thanks, the intended recipient wasn’t clear in the comment notification I received. Thanks for catching what I missed. I’ll pay closer attention.
@wiiboy101
And this is how we breathe… We say something and then pause. We might say two things together in one sentence. That is fine too. But we’ll still put in full-stops to allow the reader time to digest what we have said.
Thanks for all the information from this site. I purchased the G20 and it is a fantastic tv. Picked up the N300 Netgear router and no problem with Netflix streaming or any internet connection. The N300 box shows that you “need” the 300+ for video streaming, but I find there is no problem with the N300. The sound isn’t spectacular but is no where near as awful as many people described. I’ve had the tv for two weeks before installing the amp and was able to live to tell about it. Even watched “movies” with just the tv sound. Now, I have three remotes again because I haven’t figure out that engineering feat yet, but working on it. The Panasonic G20 is truly excellent. And, I insisted that the store check on mfg. date and the tv was made in May 2010. There wasn’t a recall, but Panasonic was very mindful of all the “rising black” discussions, and if you go to a reputable store, you will get a tv mfg in 2010.
i use my tv for wii (480p)
satellite (1080p)
and brd (1080p)
with some many resolutions i’m having trouble figuring out which distance to use?
It’s a 60 inch plasma.
Use the highest resolution – 10080p. You want to see all the detail of that.
Well there’s plenty of good information to go through here. From what I’ve experienced with the hours of tv life its basically the expected lifetime of the capacitors in the power supply board. These aren’t expensive to replace so I don’t put.a whole lot of concern on he estimates given by manufacturers. As far as 1080? For gaming its nice. But when I watch blue-ray everything computer generated looks cartoonish. And ESPN transmits at 720 anyway. May have changed but beyond the differences noted the biggest thing you will notice is $ I like plasma for several reasons. My bud liked his lcd until his kid took his crayons to it.;)
I read you information, yet I have to make a correction on the ability to notice detail. Seems that many are not taking into the account of pixilation, versus clarity. Sure no one wants to sit close but the wider the screen the more black space is gained between pixils and the the more blending and fading of color you get. I notice darkness more that light so perhaps that makes me less than average but if I’m too close to the screen I see the spaces between the pixils, if the screen is too wide for the resolution I see space between the pixils. I would benefit from adobe style graphics and such in the math of recording line and curve so you have have constant just microcopic dot pitch and then not even have to worry about resolution, but maybe that’s too complicated for camera and display designers. Imagine it though, you could be as close or as far as you wanted, get the exact size screen you want, flawless clarity and color, flawless 3d. Let dot matrix be a thing of the past, lets move forward with nanomesh.
Kronah: I know what you mean. I have always had a problem with watching “green screen/blue screen” movies. I can see the “drawings” vs the effect. It’s definitely gotten much better, just watched IronMan 2 and it was thoroughly enjoyable, but often I lose interest quite quickly with movies utilizing this technology.
Kronah: The black space between pixels is commonly referred to as “the screen door effect.” Newer technologies have all but eliminated the problem. I have to be 3′ from my 123″ screen to detect it with my JVC projector. It’s not dependent on screen resolution, but rather on display technology.
Real-world application is the most important thing here. If you get caught up in pixel depth and such, you may be ignoring the most important aspect… how it looks to your eye when you’re sitting at a normal viewing distance.
If you don’t watch a 50″ tv from 2 or 3 feet away, then those issues you see at that distance are irrelevant, especially if you don’t see any issues at a normal distance.
Don’t get caught up in the technical details. It will keep you from enjoying the moment.
Thanks, buddy…this site is very useful to me, at least now i can set my room up properly. Y’know i like it close…6-10 feet close for 42″-58″. I think these distance would be the most enjoyable…Cheers.
1080p TV’s means zero if the media you’re watching isn’t 1080p so unless you have a Blueray then you’re just wasting cash. Experts say that the extra sharpness which a 1080p television offers is only noticeable on screens which are 55 inches or bigger
Billy – Thanks for your post. After hours of researching this issue & arguing w/ my husband & agonizing over 720 or 1080, I realized that 1080 is not necessary in our bedroom, without a blueray, on a 32 inch. Thanks again. I’m relieved!
LOL Andrew. I couldn’t have said it better.
Hi, I am purchasing 2 TVs and have narrowed it down to the follwing 2. They will be used for casual gaming, watching TV, sports and movies. Both 42 inches and I have about 9 feet viewing distance. Please let me know if you think it will be worth the extra $300 ($150 per TV) for the 1080p.
LG 42PJ350 42-Inch 720p Plasma HDTV for $499; Conrast ratio 3mil:1.
Panasonic TC-P42U2 42-Inch 1080p Plasma HDTV for $648; Conrast ratio 2mil:1.
Not sure if the Conrast ratio matters.
Thank you!
I’d go for the cheaper option for your setup.
I have a 27 inch computer monitor that I use in place of a television,I have it connected to an xbox 360 and sit 3 to 4 feet away from it,now I have no HD Dvd’s,but have tried viewing my xbox games like the Orange Box and Mass Effect 2 in both 480p and 1080p and try as I might I cannot tell the difference,maybe it’s because I am 43 I don’t know,but they both look the same to me.
I need help please.I what to buy new TV and i don’t know what is better Plazma or LED.I what to use it for playing on consoles and watching some films. The distance will be 8 feet.I have chosen 2 Tv (Plazma 42inch, 720p, 3 000 000 : 1 ,0,001,ms) and (LED 32inch, 500 000 : 1, 2ms FULL HD 1080p) so what is better? Please i need am anser for someone who knows this stuff.
Thanks
Bigger is better. Go with the 42″ plasma.
I like this site, very informative. thank you!
I am purchasing a 32″ LCD tv for a small bedroom converted into an office. I will be sitting 6ft away from the TV and mostly watching cable TV, no gaming, pc, or Blu-ray. Am I correct to assume that 720 is the better option for me instead of 1080? Is there a negative to buying the 1080, beside wasting $? Thanks!
No disadvantage to 1080p, other than increased cost, but 720p is fine for what you are doing.
It all depends on your cable and/or if you plan on upgrading your cable package.
If you get HD programming then you should definitely get the 1080 – most cable companies now offer HD channels in base packages – many of which are 1080 and you can expect to see more in the coming years.
I have a 32″ 1080 LED LCD – without perfect vision and at 6ft away – you can easily see the difference between 720 and 1080.
So again – it all depends on if you get HD channels or plan to in the future, which you should plan for.
I plan to purchase a 42″ diagonal digital TV. Besides viewing regular TV, I plan to present slide shows of photos on my iMac. My iMac screen is set at 1920 by 1200 pixels and I usually format my photos to take advantage of that resolution; alternatively sometimes I use 1280×800 pixels. Given those situations, wouldn’t 1080p give better satisfaction than 720p? Thank you.
Bruce, you’re iMac will adjust to match the output resolution of the TV you hook it up to. 1080p will be better if you sit close enough to the TV to see the full resolution. It won’t hurt if you aren’t sitting close enough, but it won’t help either. But generally, I say to get the highest resolution possible when connecting to a computer.
Hello, Looking for a 32 in. that would be used for gaming, movies for my kids in a small bedroom. Ive been looking at Sony Bravia ex400 and the ex300 as well as Samsung C350. I really dont want to break the bank with this model but still want something reliable. If you have any other suggestions please let me know. thanks Steve
As of Feb 2011 all screens being sold where I live seem to be 1080p so the focus of this story needs to change from what TV to buy to what media resolution to use.
eg: Why spend 15 hours downloading an 8GB Blu-Ray quality 1080p movie when 720p will do the trick for you?
Hi,
Great website, thanks for all the info. I really like the Samsung 46 LN46C630 and close to purchasing it. My only hesitation is if the tv will overpower the room. From your chart above, the recommended distance works but curious to know what others think about viewing a 46 only 6-8 feet away.
Tony, it all depends on how your furniture is arranged in your room. If it’s a huge room with 20 feet of space behind the chairs and 6 feet between the chairs and screen, it will look weird. But if it’s a smaller room, that viewing distance will be fine. Especially if you mount the screen on the wall so it takes up less room volume/floor space.
“curious to know what others think about viewing a 46 only 6-8 feet away.”
Tony,
Think of your eyes. The eye-muscle is the part that does the work, gives you strain and suffers permanent damage with close-focusing activity as with kids as young as 10 who over-use games with tiny screens.
The eye’s focusing work decreases as the screen gets further away and tapers off to zero at 6 meters from the screen. The good news is that now we can finally afford screens we can place further away and save our eyesight.
Hi Carlton,
Please compare the Panasonic Viera TC-P42U2 PDP and TC-P42S2 neoPDP as follows:
1. The neoPDP is supposed to be more efficient. How can it be, when both TVs draw the same maximum operational power of 298 watts? Is it because of the Eco Mode?
2. A personal reviewer stated that the new anti-glare screen on the TC-P42S2 causes a fuzzy or hazy “halo” around the images from the TV, and that it seems to enlarge room light reflections. How do you feel about this opinion? Is it really an issue?
Thanx.
Awesome article, dude. Thanks for posting. You just saved me a couple hundred buck.
Hi Carlton,
Am about to buy 32″ LED TV. This tv will be for standard definition cable daily viewing which will be placed in my living room. Distance from seats/sofa is around 6-10 feet away from tv.
1. Is it advisable to buy 1080p full hd or just 720p hd ready?
Will there be much difference between full hd and hd ready
with that screen size?
2. Will DVD with full hd upscaling play in hd ready tv?
and if it can, what would be the resolution? 1080p?
There’s no difference in picture quality between LCD and LED Tv’s. LED’s are thinner and run more efficiently than LCD’s.
If the size is 32″:
1. 720p is a better choice (according to the article).
Full HD (1080p?) and HD ready TV? HD ready means that the TV is capable of producing high definition video. 1080p will be better in picture quality as it produces a smoother and clearer image.
2.The DVD with full HD upscaling (1080p) will play on the TV but the resolution will be 720p ( presuming you buy 720p ).
I found answers to my questions on march 15, as follows:
1. neoPDP systems are more efficient, provided that the TV set incorporates circuits to adjust screen brightness as a function of ambient lighting. The Panasonic TCP42GT25 operates that way, so I purchased one.
2. Notwithstanding characteristics of older TV sets, the anti-glare treatment on TCP42GT2 is very good. No fuzz or halo effects are visible on my set, even in bright side-lighting.
One reason I purchased the TCP42GT2 is that I intend to feed it high-res photos. So far, I am able to show slide shows from a memo stick, using the remote control module. Unfortunately, the TCP42GT2 is Windoze PC oriented, so it doesn’t know how to handle Apple-format JPEGS that include a resource fork. So I must sanitize those photos before I load them onto the memo stick. I would appreciate learning of an iMac-compatible app by which I can strip off the resource fork.
I also plan to drive high-res iMac content into the TV HDMI port. However, the TV spec says that the HDMI input terminal can be used with only the following image signals: 480i, 480p, 720p, 1080i and 1080p. This is at variance with common understanding that HDTV circuits accept & map a broad range of formats and map them to their screen. I may have to reformat all my photos to one of those dimensions, so I’d appreciate any comments on this topic also. Thank you.
With respect to my 3rd paragraph above, I found a couple of apps that remove Apple ._files. Zap Resource Forks.action is apparently freeware but BlueHarvest has a simpler user interface, with a 30-day full-use trial period. So I down-loaded BlueHarvest today.
The beauty of BlueHarvest is that you open the window, select the files you wish to discard, and let the app run (the app resides in your Mac System Preferences folder). Thenceforth, whenever you eject a memo stick that is destined for non-Mac viewers, BlueHarvest scans and removes the files you have selected for discard. It also has options to scan servers and folders. Slick.
These charts sold me. Have been struggling with deciding whether to buy a 42″ LG 42LE5400 (120hz 1080 LED) that’s on big sale at Walmart.com (great tv btw – I have the 32″ – check it out) – or an Epson 8350 Powerlite 1080p projector which is $260 more for an unlimited picture size. Eyes will be approximately 9.5ft away so buying a 1080 vs. 720 LCD would almost be lost in a smaller size. Will have to make or buy a screen but in the end going to throw up an 80″ picture on my wall for about the same cost as a nice 46″ LED and it will be something really cool.
Definitely think that everybody should start looking into projectors being so much more cost effective.
where did you get 1/60 of a degree for the human eye resolution from? Other sources I’ve seen suggest 3/60 (3 arc minutes). e.g. http://www.clarkvision.com/articles/eye-resolution.html
Bob, I don’t have the reference handy, but it is listed at the bottom of my Home Theater Calculator spreadsheet.
in fact that should have read ‘0.3’ minutes, i.e. 0.3/60
Thanks for a useful page
0.3 arc minutes sounds more reasonable. 1 arc minute is the upper boundary and a tighter tolerance could be appropriate for some people.