[striing]

I've had an HD TV for a couple of months but couldn't tell the difference between the HD and SD channels. After googling, I found that 1/4 of people can't tell the difference and viewing distance seems to be the main reason. I also read that you should be able to see the difference at up to 10 feet away on a 26'' screen (which I have).

I usually sit about 11-12 feet from the screen but I tried moving closer and at 4' the HD is amazing - massively different from the SD. The only trouble (apart from the fact that sitting in the middle of the room to watch the telly is weird) is that after about half an hour I had a headache from sitting so close.

Is it just me or is there anything I can do to get the benefit of HD without getting a headache (I'm not getting a bigger telly)?

[alan1302]

Quote:

Originally Posted by striing

Is it just me or is there anything I can do to get the benefit of HD without getting a headache (I'm not getting a bigger telly)?

No, there's not

[striing]

Thanks. That'll stop me trying then. I guess if it works for 3/4 of people that's a pretty good hit rate. Just annoying for me that I'm in the other group.

[tellytart1]

The rule of thumb for TV viewing distances for HDTV is 1.5 to 2.5 times the screen's diagonal measurement - so for your 26" TV, that'd be a maximum 65" away, or just under 5 1/2 feet away from the screen.

If you're about 12 feet from the screen, you need an ideal screen size of around 57"!

[alan1302]

Quote:

Originally Posted by striing

Thanks. That'll stop me trying then. I guess if it works for 3/4 of people that's a pretty good hit rate. Just annoying for me that I'm in the other group.

But it does work for you...you just don't like sitting close to your TV and refuse to buy one to allow you to see HD from where you do sit.

[striing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan1302

But it does work for you...you just don't like sitting close to your TV and refuse to buy one to allow you to see HD from where you do sit.

It doesn't work because it makes me feel dizzy being that close and the impact of watching a bigger screen from further back would be the same as watching a smaller one from closer up.

[tellytart1]

Quote:

Originally Posted by striing

It doesn't work because it makes me feel dizzy being that close and the impact of watching a bigger screen from further back would be the same as watching a smaller one from closer up.

I'm not certain that is going to prove true - because you're further away form the screen, even though it occupies the same field of vision, you may well find the headache inducing effects will be reduced.

[alan1302]

Quote:

Originally Posted by striing

It doesn't work because it makes me feel dizzy being that close and the impact of watching a bigger screen from further back would be the same as watching a smaller one from closer up.

So you can't watch a film at a cinema?

[striing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by alan1302

So you can't watch a film at a cinema?

No.

Tbh I haven't tried for years. I did see something after about a 20 year break and I could manage from the back with a relatively small screen with breaks. But it's not pleasant. (I get a sense of motion sickness/dizziness that takes hours to dissipate - same as sitting close to the HD for 30 mins.)

But it's fine - the quality of the picture is amazing compared to my old TV and now I know I don't need to be concerned about paying extra for HD in future.

I just wondered if it was possible to get the benefit sitting futher back but I accept it's not.

[Stig]

Quote:

Originally Posted by striing

No.

Tbh I haven't tried for years. I did see something after about a 20 year break and I could manage from the back with a relatively small screen with breaks. But it's not pleasant. (I get a sense of motion sickness/dizziness that takes hours to dissipate - same as sitting close to the HD for 30 mins.)

But it's fine - the quality of the picture is amazing compared to my old TV and now I know I don't need to be concerned about paying extra for HD in future.

I just wondered if it was possible to get the benefit sitting futher back but I accept it's not.

This is a serious comment: Have you ever had your eyes tested?

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stig

This is a serious comment: Have you ever had your eyes tested?

Sounds like he's long sighted?.

[striing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stig

This is a serious comment: Have you ever had your eyes tested?

Serious because I can only watch SD TV - oh dear I suppose I asked for that response by posting on DS. I thought the TV forum might be more moderate but I guess not. Of course I've had my eyes tested.

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by striing

Serious because I can only watch SD TV.

No, 'serious' because you get headaches viewing something close up, a classic example of slight long sightedness - it's nothing to do with HD or not, more likely that your eyes have to work hard to try and focus at that distance, causing headaches.

[striing]

I'm very shortsighted. (I was born with it and spent years going back and forth to the eye hospital.) I also have massive astigmatism (and motion sickness and vertigo) which is what I have always assumed causes the main problems in the cinema.

I know I can't watch cinema screens but not being very tecchie I hadn't associated HD with cinema at all (although I did know about the problems associated with 3D for people like me). My fault for not thinking it through.

Havind said that, I'm still very happy with the TV as the SD is so different from what I had before (an old black box style which I only replaced because it finally broke) and I know the HD is on there so other people will be able to enjoy it.

[loracan]

Quote:

Originally Posted by striing

It doesn't work because it makes me feel dizzy being that close and the impact of watching a bigger screen from further back would be the same as watching a smaller one from closer up.

That's not how it works - I'd feel sick if I sat close to a small screen, I'm fine watching a large screen from across the room (it's not as intense somehow)

[Nigel Goodwin]

Quote:

Originally Posted by loracan

That's not how it works - I'd feel sick if I sat close to a small screen, I'm fine watching a large screen from across the room (it's not as intense somehow)

So are you feeling sick right now?, as you're presumably viewing even closer than you would for HDTV?.

[David Waine]

I doubt whether the difference would be all that appreciable on a 26" TV anyway. I have a 39" set and it is as clear as day on that. The bigger the screen, the more out of its depth standard definition tends to look, whereas HD just takes it in its stride. It isn't as simple as that, of course. Much depends on the quality of the set's scaling. Some upscale SD images to their HD panels' resolution better than others. On a good set, SD programmes remain perfectly watchable - although not as good as HD. On a poor set, however, a low bitrate SD channel, such as Dave, can look truly dreadful.

[technologist]

And SD programmes captured in HD look a lot better than SD captured when viewed in SD.

[striing]

Quote:

Originally Posted by technologist

And SD programmes captured in HD look a lot better than SD captured when viewed in SD.

I've never been interested in picture quality before. This TV is only the third one I've ever had - and the one before the 'black box' was a black and white screen! I was so amazed by the difference on the new set which is why I thought I'd try HD.

It must be horrible for the people being filmed though - it shows up every little line. Perhaps I'm better off on SD - it's slightly disconcerting seeing that level of clarity. I don't think I notice things to that extent in real life.