| The first question most people ask themselves when | | | | need a big front projection screen, period. However, |
| they start out on the search for a new video display is: | | | | lets not forget that a 52" HDTV set is still a lot more |
| Just what size TV screen should I buy? The answer | | | | fun to watch than an old 36" tube non-HD TV!! You |
| can take you down many paths. Tons and tons of | | | | should buy the biggest (and best, because big and not |
| research has been done on viewing angles by SMPTE | | | | good is unpleasant) picture you can get. Don't go over |
| (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers). | | | | the recommended ratios, but try to stay as close as |
| To find out how this relates to your situation, you'll need | | | | your room and budget allow. |
| to understand the concept of "viewing angle". If you | | | | The good news is, for the typical room used as a |
| were to draw a line that is the width of your screen | | | | home theater, you can achieve real SMPTE standards |
| (not the diagonal, the actual width), then draw a line | | | | and have that immersive effect! |
| perpendicular to the screen line that corresponds to | | | | And what about how high you put the screen? THX |
| your viewing distance. Take the edges of the screen | | | | states in their manual for designing movie theaters, the |
| line and connect them to the end of the viewing | | | | maximum vertical angle should be 35 degrees. This |
| distance line, which should give you a triangle. The | | | | means if you were looking straight ahead from your |
| interior angle of that triangle at the viewing distance | | | | seat and looked up, you should not have to look up |
| point is your viewing angle. Now, don't worry that you | | | | more than 35 degrees to see the top of your picture. |
| need to pull out an old textbook to figure all this out. | | | | We feel this is actually pushing the limit as this spec |
| There is a simple formula coming up. | | | | pertains to the front row of seats in a theater. For |
| When HDTV was being developed as a format, the | | | | most people an angle of 15-25 degrees works out |
| final research indicated a 30 degree viewing angle | | | | about perfectly. In the world of home theater, this can |
| was optimum for the 1080i standard of HDTV. The | | | | get a bit tricky to achieve with multiple rows of seating |
| testing suggested viewers felt a pleasant level of | | | | and sight line issues. This is when hiring a home theater |
| presence and immersion when the viewing angle was | | | | company skilled in theater design can make or break |
| 30 degrees or greater. To put this into perspective, a | | | | your home theater project. |
| 52" diagonal HDTV set should be viewed at a | | | | Once again, this means many people with flat panel |
| maximum distance of about 7 feet. | | | | TV's above their fireplace have them mounted up too |
| For viewing movies, THX (Tom Holman and George | | | | high to meet the spec. However, remember, if you |
| Lucas' company for movie standards) recommend a | | | | slouch back or have a reclining chair, the angles all shift! |
| viewing angle of 36 degrees. SMPTE suggests the | | | | One great way to figure out both screen size and |
| best viewing angles in a theater fall within the 35 to 55 | | | | viewing angle is to simply get some painters tape and |
| degree range. Again, for some perspective, this puts | | | | mask off the proposed image size on your wall, or for |
| the ideal distance from a 52" set at 5.8' or less for | | | | smaller screens, just cut out a piece of cardboard. Sit |
| viewing movies. | | | | back and see if it seems right from both a size and |
| So, now for the simple formula. Take your HDTV (16:9) | | | | height perspective, then at least you will know you did |
| screen diagonal. Multiply that number by 1.6 to get the | | | | a little analysis before you made your decision. Of |
| SMPTE recommended viewing distance for HDTV. To | | | | course, for a true home theater, most reputable home |
| get the THX recommended distance for movies, | | | | theater installation companies will lay out all of this for |
| multiply the diagonal by 1.325. | | | | you to help design the optimum experience for your |
| What does this mean for the consumer? On first take, | | | | room!. And, don't forget to ask about the newest |
| it means most people are sitting way too far away | | | | technology for film viewing in the home, the 2:35 |
| from their sets for an immersive experience! If you | | | | anamorphic experience. This takes you even closer to |
| really want the true home theater experience, you | | | | the true cinema experience! |