DS Forums

 
 

Minimum LCD TV size


Reply
Thread Tools Search this Thread
Old 04-12-2008, 00:32
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498

What would you say is the minimum size an LCD TV should be for comfortable family / multi-person viewing? I don't need an overly huge picture, just a decent sized one. I don't want it to show off, I just want to have a TV that is HD ready and that provides me with a decent picture when watching SD content, preferrably better than that of a CRT television an.

Would 22 inches be adequate? Or should I fork out for a 26 inch one?

Or do I need to go larger again?
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Please sign in or register to remove this advertisement.
Old 04-12-2008, 01:10
bobcar
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,718
It depends mostly on how far you sit away from it and also on what you use it for, HD will require a larger TV than SD though you do say only SD.

You need to give your viewing distance to get a sensible answer but a 22" widescreen is quite small for a reasonable sized living room.

It is unlikely to give a better picture than a CRT for SD viewing, geometry will be better but other aspects will likely be worse. However if your current TV is not widescreen that will be a big advantage.
bobcar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 01:16
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498
It depends mostly on how far you sit away from it and also on what you use it for, HD will require a larger TV than SD though you do say only SD.

You need to give your viewing distance to get a sensible answer but a 22" widescreen is quite small for a reasonable sized living room.

It is unlikely to give a better picture than a CRT for SD viewing, geometry will be better but other aspects will likely be worse. However if your current TV is not widescreen that will be a big advantage.
Well the sofa is about 2 / 2 and a half metres from the television, the room is longer side-ways (as you enter) than up-down (as you enter), which is the direction the TV faces.
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 01:18
r_mitchell85
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Posts: 4,884
what size is your current CRT TV?

IMO, a CRT gives a better picture on SD than a LCD. and most people say you need a larger screen for HD to be worthwile.
r_mitchell85 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 01:28
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498
what size is your current CRT TV?

IMO, a CRT gives a better picture on SD than a LCD. and most people say you need a larger screen for HD to be worthwile.
No idea, I *think* it's 28 inches but I don't have the instructions manual or a tape measure to hand. It's not widescreen though so it looks bigger.
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 06:23
stvn758
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2005
Posts: 17,338
26 inches isn't a TV it's a monitor.

I doubt multi-person viewing something that size would be a pleasant experience. Get a 42inch, that's probably the most popular size for the average living room.
stvn758 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 06:31
bilsat
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 427

Our room is 15' x 12' and the LCD Tv is 32". What we did was to open up the disused chimney and fit shelves and placed the Tv inside with all the other equipment and we find that it's just right.
bilsat is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 10:43
bobcar
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,718
No idea, I *think* it's 28 inches but I don't have the instructions manual or a tape measure to hand. It's not widescreen though so it looks bigger.
To get the same size picture height on widescreen as 28" 4:3 requires a 34" TV, however the CRTs include a non visible section so a 32" will probably be the same.
bobcar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 10:49
bobcar
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,718
26 inches isn't a TV it's a monitor.

I doubt multi-person viewing something that size would be a pleasant experience. Get a 42inch, that's probably the most popular size for the average living room.
42" would be huge for a viewing distance of 2m (6') - equivalent to a 63" at 3m (9'), considering that only SD would be used that seems far too big.
bobcar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 11:02
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,794
A 22 inch is a portable, a 26 inch is pretty well a portable as well - a 32 inch is probably the right size, and is quite rightly by far the most populat size set these days.

If your set is 4:3, it won't be 28 inch, it's probably 25 inch?, and a 32 inch 16:9 is the same size as a 25 inch 4:3 - measure the height of the picture to see.
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 14:13
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498
42" would be huge for a viewing distance of 2m (6') - equivalent to a 63" at 3m (9'), considering that only SD would be used that seems far too big.
HD would be used to, but not often.
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 14:14
chris2k2
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Nov 2002
Posts: 9,347
To get the same size picture height on widescreen as 28" 4:3 requires a 34" TV, however the CRTs include a non visible section so a 32" will probably be the same.
Can you get a 34" HD?
If not then maybe they will need a 37" which is equal to approx 30" 4:3 TV.

Nigel, they did do a 28" in 4:3, we had one about 10 years ago.

Just found out that my new 42" is approx equal to a 34" 4:3

http://www.cavecreations.com/tv2.cgi
chris2k2 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 14:32
maltaron
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Feb 2008
Posts: 217
When using projectors for conferences we had a rule of thumb that is viewing distance is 6 x screen width @ 4/3 format. With widescreen a 37" is approx 18" high which will be 24" equivalent 4/3 width. So with a 37" widescreen your maximum viewing distance is 12 ft. I have an 18' x 12' lounge and normal viewing distance is 12ft and a 37" is about right. I was going to have a 28" but looked at several in a TV shop and decided on 37" and glad I did.
maltaron is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 14:32
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498
well 32" is out of my price range at the moment as I've got a DVR/PVR plus a crap load of xmas presents to buy yet. So I'll probably stick to an SD tv, shame really as I was quite looking forward to seeing some things in HD.
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 15:15
Nigel Goodwin
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: North Derbyshire
Posts: 41,794
well 32" is out of my price range at the moment as I've got a DVR/PVR plus a crap load of xmas presents to buy yet. So I'll probably stick to an SD tv, shame really as I was quite looking forward to seeing some things in HD.
32's are by far the best value, as they are just so much more popular than anything else - you certainly don't want to move to a smaller set than you already have, bearing in mind it's the height of the picture you need to compare for 4:3 to 16:9.
Nigel Goodwin is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 16:21
bobcar
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Sep 2004
Posts: 14,718
well 32" is out of my price range at the moment as I've got a DVR/PVR plus a crap load of xmas presents to buy yet. So I'll probably stick to an SD tv, shame really as I was quite looking forward to seeing some things in HD.
I'd just point out that unless you get something like Sky HD or BluRay you won't be watching any HD even with an HD ready TV. If you could get a decent 28" or 32" widescreen CRT second hand that might be your best bet and may well give a better picture.
bobcar is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 04-12-2008, 23:49
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498
I'd just point out that unless you get something like Sky HD or BluRay you won't be watching any HD even with an HD ready TV. If you could get a decent 28" or 32" widescreen CRT second hand that might be your best bet and may well give a better picture.
I'm planning to get SKY HD at some point, hence why I wanted to go LCD. But my max budget for the moment is £270 with lots of other purchases to cover, so 32" is out of the question without going for a bad brand.
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2008, 01:47
duffystev
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 4,630
I'm planning to get SKY HD at some point, hence why I wanted to go LCD. But my max budget for the moment is £270 with lots of other purchases to cover, so 32" is out of the question without going for a bad brand.

Morrisons are doing a Techwood 32" LCD HD ready TV with built in freeview for £269.

Just set one up for my neighbour and picture quality is excellent.
duffystev is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2008, 13:17
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498
Morrisons are doing a Techwood 32" LCD HD ready TV with built in freeview for £269.

Just set one up for my neighbour and picture quality is excellent.
Is that a temporary deal? As I won't be buying for two or three months yet.
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2008, 13:33
niall campbell
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Aberfeldy
Posts: 7,035
is this for the PC as well ? as in your other post?
niall campbell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2008, 13:53
Digital Sid
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 37,498
is this for the PC as well ? as in your other post?
It's mainly to watch HD tv on, but if there's anything I want to show my folks who aren't overly computer literate it would be nice to be able to hook it up.
Digital Sid is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2008, 15:22
emptybox
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 11,995
well 32" is out of my price range at the moment as I've got a DVR/PVR plus a crap load of xmas presents to buy yet. So I'll probably stick to an SD tv, shame really as I was quite looking forward to seeing some things in HD.
We have a 26" HD-ready LCD (Philips) in a room with average viewing distances of just over 3m, and it's perfectly adequate, and gives a good SD picture, and an excellent HD picture when coupled to my Sharp Blu-ray.

Having said that it was bought 3 years ago for £700.
If I was buying now I would go for a 32" as a minimum, or more likely a 37"
emptybox is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 05-12-2008, 16:44
duffystev
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Scottish Borders
Posts: 4,630
Is that a temporary deal? As I won't be buying for two or three months yet.

Don't know but if you shop around in January i'm sure there will be some cheap deals around.
duffystev is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2008, 00:51
niall campbell
Forum Member
 
Join Date: May 2006
Location: Aberfeldy
Posts: 7,035
get a 32 "for not much more
niall campbell is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 06-12-2008, 17:59
David (2)
Forum Member
 
Join Date: Mar 2003
Location: S.West England.
Posts: 18,037
if you choose a big screen such as 42inch, just be aware that especially when viewing SD content, you will need to sit about 1/2 a mile away from the screen to avoid seeing all the limiations of SD pictures on a massive 42inch HD screen.

As others pointed out, moving from a sqaure 4:3 tv to a Widescreen can be misleading on size. You can go bigger in size as in general, the Widescreens are a bit smaller. Plus, you are going from CRT to LCD, so you will gain back a lot of lost space.

Having said, when in the shops, the "normal" size tv's like 26/28/32inch all look quite small. This is due to them being in a massive superstore, and being placed next to giant 42 and 50inch screens. My advice would be to check what size you have to spare at home with the tape measure and then take the tape measure along to the shops and double check....you will be suprised how big some of those "small" LCD's are when you check them.

Dave
David (2) is offline Follow this poster on Twitter   Reply With Quote
 
Reply




 
Forum Jump


All times are GMT. The time now is 17:16.