Which size is ideal for my room?

[Fush]

Hi!
I'm about to buy a plasma TV, but I'm really torn between the 37 and 42 inch models. Which size would be the optimal for my room? See the picture for measurments.

 

[keefers]

Always get the biggest you can - get a 42" else you'll quickly regret it.

K.

 

[Badger0-0]

I'd agree, 42 is ideal at that distance

 

[Fush]

Always get the biggest you can - get a 42" else you'll quickly regret it.

K.

Yeah, but that's what I'm asking about. What is the biggest size I "can" have in this room? Obviously, a 60'' would be too big, so there is a limit at some point.

 

[keefers]

Nothing is too big, amigo. I have a 43" and wish I'd got the 50". Before that I had a 28" & wished I had a 32". Biggest is very much best. Trust me.

K.

(I'm talking about TV sizes, by the way )

 

[setjellyfish]

Go for the 42 your rooms about the same size as mine and I went for the 37 and wish I had got a 42.

 

[Badger0-0]

Yeah, but that's what I'm asking about. What is the biggest size I "can" have in this room? Obviously, a 60'' would be too big, so there is a limit at some point.

Er, you asked what's optimal and said you were torn between 37 and 42"

Anyway, around 42" is best, IMO.
Any smaller is too small and a 50" will be big enough to see any problems.

 

[pjskel]

You've roughly 10' between you and the TV - that's 120".
SD is 3x diagonal, so 42x3=126 is recommended minimum distance.
HD is 2x, therefore you could easily go for a 60" if you watched HD and nothing but.
I think 42" is sufficient, but 50" is an alternative if you're happy to forego a little on the SD side.

 

[PjotrrrNL]

A 42" will be fine at 3 meter distance.
My Panasonic 42PV70 (very recommended!) is at that distance and even analogue cable looks fine, digital cableTV is superb...
If you don't mind to loose some picturequality with TV a 50" will be fine too.

 

[Cyril]

All this assumes you have average eyesight.

If you have poor eyesight then even a 60" would not be too small - at least that's one way to justify it to SWMBO

If you intend to watch a lot of HD in the nearish future I would go for a 50", Fujitsu aviamo or Panasonic PF9.

 

[Fush]

I'm just a bit worried that such a big panel will be too dominating for my small living room. But it will probably look better than my 21'' CRT anyway...

 

[pjskel]

Of course it'll dominate the room - it's 50" diagonal, but once you've knocked the lights down low or off and sit back and watch the movie or whatever, the last thing likely to be going through your mind is "Gosh! This screen dominates this room."
Even a 42"er is going to be a dominating sight, but over the course of time, you'll stop worrying about that and enjoy the experience and buzz you get from it every time you watch it.
So, quite fretting - many would happily trade places with you at being able to afford or house a 50" display.

 

[Badger0-0]

I'd pretty much agree with the above

Just please don't get an LCD.

 

[andypandy]

50" for HD viewing or 50" with normal sd viewing. So........ I would go for 50", I did.
If you can afford it.

One last thing , I bet 9 out 10 42" owners wish they had gone with a 50" !!!!

 

[johnny777]

I was originally thinking 42" as i'm only 10 feet away from the TV. It was my wife who actually said if we're going to get the "damned thing", we may as well get a bigger one. Ended up getting 50" and have never looked back. Absolutely love the thing.

 

[DJT75]

I went 37", wished I'd gone 42", now toying with 50"

 

[Fush]

I went 37", wished I'd gone 42", now toying with 50"

What size is your room?

 

[GarethG]

I will be viewing from about 10ft as well, maybe fraction under, really tempted with 50", but worried as will mainly be freeview SD -any concerns re SD?

 

[DJT75]

What size is your room?

11-12ft viewing - similiar to yours

 

[Badger0-0]

I will be viewing from about 10ft as well, maybe fraction under, really tempted with 50", but worried as will mainly be freeview SD -any concerns re SD?

I thought it had already been said in the thread, but:

A 50" at 10 ft will give you the ability to see artifacts etc with SD.
But if you get a decent set, it won't be too bad.

If you want better quality, go 42".
If you want impact, go 50".
All IMO, of course

 

[Fush]

11-12ft viewing - similiar to yours

OK. My practical viewing distance is more like 8-9, if you subtract the sofa cushions and the distance from the TV to the wall behind it.

 

[pjskel]

42" - 7ft (HD), 11ft (SD)
50" - 9ft (HD), 13ft (SD)

Those are the recommended minimum viewing distances before any panel composition artefacts are visible. In other words, the individual pixels.

 

[Fush]

42" - 7ft (HD), 11ft (SD)
50" - 9ft (HD), 13ft (SD)

Those are the recommended minimum viewing distances before any panel composition artefacts are visible. In other words, the individual pixels.

Recommended by whom?

 

[lgans316]

42" would be fine but come-on dude...50" would make you feel much better and happy and won't leave you craving for more size !!!!

 

[pjskel]

Recommended by whom?

Me!
Who do you think? The MPAA or some other acronym.
It's only a helpful guideline recommendation, not something set in stone and needing adhered to religiously.