The first question people ask when they start the search for a new video display is: Just what size TV screen should I buy? The response can take many paths. Tons and tons of research has been done in viewing angles by SMPTE (Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers). To see how this relates to your situation, you need to understand the concept of "angle of vision." If I had to draw a line which is the width screen (not diagonal, the actual width), then draw a line perpendicular to the line of the screen that corresponds to your viewing distance. Take the edges of the line of the screen and its connection to the end of the line of sight distance, which should give you a triangle. The interior angle of this triangle in point of distance vision is its angle of vision. Now, do not worry you need to take an old book to clarify all this. There is a simple formula.
When HDTV is being developed as a format, the end of the investigation indicated a viewing angle of 30 degrees was optimal for the standard HDTV 1080i. The evidence suggests the audience was a nice level of presence and immersion when the angle vision is 30 degrees or more. To put this in perspective, a 52 "diagonal HDTV should be viewed at a distance of about 7 feet.
To see the films, THX (Tom Holman and the company of George Lucas' film standards) recommend a viewing angle of 36 degrees. SMPTE suggest the best viewing angles in a theatrical fall within the range of 35 to 55 degrees. Again, for some perspective, this makes the ideal distance between a 52 "set 5.8 or less for movies.
So now by the simple formula. Take your HDTV (16:9) diagonal screen. Multiply this number by 1.6 to obtain the SMPTE recommended viewing distance for HDTV. To get the THX recommended distance for movies, multiply the diagonal 1,325.
What does this mean for consumers? On first take, which means most people sit too far from their games for an immersive experience! If you really want the true experience of home theater, you need a front projection screen, period. However, do not forget that a 52 "TV HDTV is still much more fun to see that 36 years "non-HD tube TV!! You should buy the largest (and best, because large and not good is nasty) photo can be achieved. Do not pass the recommended ratios, but try to stay as close to your room and budget allow.
The good news is, for typical room used as a home theater, you can achieve real SMPTE standards and have the effect of immersion!
And what about from above which made the screen? THX States in its manual for the design of cinemas, the maximum vertical angle should be 35 degrees. This means that if you look directly in front of his seat and looked up, you should not have to look up more than 35 degrees to see the top of the image. We believe this is really pushing limits in this specification refers to the first row of seats in a theater. For most people with an angle of 15-25 degrees works out about the perfection. In the world of home theater, this may be a bit difficult to achieve with several rows of seats and the line of sight issues. This is the recruitment a company of home theater expert in theater design can make or break your home theater project.
Again, this means that many people with TVs flat screen over your fireplace have set them too high to meet the specification. But remember, if you hunched back or a reclining chair, angles on all shifts!
A great way to understand both the screen size and viewing angle is simply to get some painters tape mask and the image size on the wall proposal, or for smaller screens, just cut a piece of cardboard. Sit back and watch if you like good size and the perspective of both high, then at least you'll know that you did a little analysis before making its decision. Of course, for a true home theater, most renowned theater companies start installing all this to expose you to help design the optimum experience for your room!. And do not forget to ask about the latest technology to view home theater, 2:35 anamorphic experience. This will bring you even closer to the experience film indeed!
Leon Shaw is Vice President of Home Theater Specialists of America and was named as one of the 50 most vital influencers in the custom retailing, design, and installation segments of the home entertainment industry by Custom Retailer magazine. He is founder and chairman of Audio Advice, Inc. of North Carolina, which was named Best Audio Video Specialty Retailer in the United States in TWICE Magazine’s Excellence in Retailing Awards, and has branches in Raleigh and Charlotte. Visit Audio Advice, for the best TV.
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