Question :

I am going to purchase a flat screen television for my media room, but I don’t know how large it should be. I also don’t know whether to get one of the 1080P TVs that the guys at the electronics stores are pushing or a much less expensive 720P version. – Lisa J., Rollingwood

Answer :

Lisa, those are two of the most common questions I get asked. The answer depends on a few factors, including how big the TV is, how far away you sit when you watch, your eyesight, and, of course, the amount of money you spend. But first, a little background on resolutions.

Have you ever been to an art museum? If you have, then you’ve probably seen paintings done using the pointillism technique. Instead of using broad brushstrokes, the artist dabs small dots of primary colors around the canvas and creates an image. To be “immersed” in the painting, don’t stand too close – you won’t be able to take in the whole picture. But don’t stand too far away, either – if you do, you’ll be distracted by the other paintings and the museum guard.

A television is very much like a moving, electronic painting done using the pointillism technique. A 1080P TV provides just over 2 million dots, whereas a 720P TV has just under 1 million dots. Whether the picture on the television looks like a painting or a bunch of dots strung together depends – just as it does at the art museum – on viewing distance, the size of the dots, the size of the canvas, and your eyesight.

Studies have shown that in order to be engrossed in a viewing experience, the angle made by the left side of the screen, the person’s eyes, and the right side of the screen should be around 36 degrees. For an immersive experience, a 26 degree viewing angle should be used. Just remember this simple formula: take your viewing distance in feet and multiply by nine to give the recommended screen size in inches. Or multiply by 6.4 to give the minimum screen size. For example, if you sit 10 feet away, you should get between a 64-inch TV and a 90-inch projector screen. Of course, money and wall space usually conspire to make us go smaller, especially for casual, family room viewing.

Assuming that you have 20-20 vision, you’ll notice the difference between 720 lines of resolution and 1080 lines of resolution with a TV that, in inches, is five times the number of feet from your main seating area. For instance, if you sit 10 feet away, you’ll see an improvement using a 1080P TV if it’s over 50 inches diagonal. In this example, if you’re getting a 60-inch TV, make sure it’s 1080P. If only a 46-incher will fit, save the money and buy a 720P set.

Tom Wilkinson is a home theater enthusiast, and is owner of Xpress Home Theaters. You can reach him at Tom@XpressHomeTheaters. com