Optimal TV viewing distance depending on the diagonal

The distance to the TV directly depends on the diagonal and type of display. A few years ago, hardly anyone wondered how far the device was from a sofa or bed, but today, when the dimensions of home TV reach impressive dimensions, the question becomes relevant. Many buyers want to purchase the largest possible TV that can fit into the environment. In order for viewing to be comfortable for a long time, without harming the eyesight of adults or children, the distance from the eyes to the center of the screen must be correctly selected, depending on the resolution and size of the TV diagonal in inches.

General rules and some amendments

Naturally, there are no strict limits on this matter, there are only some rules and recommendations at what distance you need to watch TV. Previously, it was considered that the distance from the screen to the eyes should be equal to three to four diagonals. So, if the diagonal is 32 inches (80 cm), then the person should be at a distance of 2.4 — 3.2 m, and a larger indicator can be slightly increased. The range allows you to choose the most comfortable position.

Such calculations of the correct distance from a person to the TV screen fell on the use of kinescope TV according to their diagonal. Rounded or flat monitors quickly tired the eyes and were devoid of any progressive technology. The same applies to TVs. resolution up to 720p. Modern plasma or LCD displays have higher parameters.

Flat screens do not create glare, and a high-quality picture does not cause rapid eyestrain.

Plasma has similar characteristics to LCD TVs and in terms of distance from the viewer, the installation of the panel is no different. Projectors, in turn, allow you to adjust the size of the screen, but you will have to take care of the plane for the image in advance.

Formulas for calculating the optimal distance

Comfortable viewing directly depends on the size of the diagonal of the TV panel and the distance of the audience from the big screen. The larger the TV screen, the farther away the viewer needs to be. It is important that the image and sound accompaniment are heard in full in the field of view of the eye.

To determine the optimal location of the screen, some rules have been developed.

1. For a home screen, a person’s viewing angle should be within 36-70°. According to THX recommendations, when operating a home theater, the optimal involvement of the viewer in the ongoing actions provides the viewer with a viewing angle of 40 °. Based on this value, the distance of seats from the screen is calculated, taking into account the diagonal length of the TV panel. To view content on panels with a diagonal of 60 — 90 inches, the viewer needs to be placed at a distance of about 2.4 -2.74 meters from the screen.
2. At the core SMPTE standard from the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers lies a fixed value of 30° viewing angle. Based on this regulation, the distance to the screen with a diagonal of 65-70 inches should be about 2.74 meters.
3. CNET Calculation Formula regulates the safe distance of the viewer from the screen. The distance must be at least 1.5 TV panel diagonals. For a 72 inch TV, the viewing distance should be 2.74 meters.

Important note! All 3 standards regulate the safety and comfort of viewing content in a home theater. Television LCD panels are less tiring for human vision due to the high viewing angle parameters and the absence of glare. Therefore, the distance for the TV, determined according to the regulations of THX, SMPTE and CNET, can be reduced to 1.7 meters.

Recommendations based on specifications

What do those technologies give a person? Their use has brought televisions to a new level. Today, 4K resolution is steadily conquering the market, even 8K TVs are appearing. Such clarity standards allow you to view the image from a very close distance, while no pixels will be noticeable — only a clear and most realistic picture. Accordingly, recommendations for watching 4K TVs take this fact into account and make some adjustments to the rules discussed above.

Resolution TVs Full HD or UHD 4K (both flat and curved) allows you to significantly reduce the viewing distance to a minimum and fully immerse yourself in the atmosphere of a movie or game. Thus, a device with a screen diagonal of more than 32 inches will fit well into a small room. For more specifics, you can bring a small summary table in which TV manufacturers indicate from what distance their offspring can be watched without strain on the eyes.

Diagonal size in inches	Full HD (1080h, 1080i)	UHD 4K
40″	1.6m	0.8m
fifty»	2.0m	1.0m
55″	2.2m	1.1m

In the first case, the size of the diagonal is multiplied by 1.6, and in the second — by 0.8. Thus, it is easy to calculate optimal distance for panels of any size. For example, with a diagonal of 32 inches, the indicators will be 1.3 and 0.7 m, respectively.

It’s important to know! For 3D TV viewing, the same calculations are used, but for projectors, the diagonal needs to be adjusted based on the distance of the image plane from the person.

Precautionary measures

As can be seen from the above, it is quite easy to calculate at what distance it is permissible to place a television panel. Although the indicators are approximate, they highlight the basic framework, which is easy to adjust without harming the layout of the room. It is also worth considering the height at which the TV panel will hang.

The latest technologies have improved matrices and allow you to relieve excessive eye strain, even if you watch several films in a row, the user’s condition does not deteriorate to a significant extent. But we must not forget that when viewing, they are also involved cervical spine. There are several important points based on the recommendations of medical specialists.

1. Too close a distance provokes a load on the muscles and joints, which is difficult to control when watching enthusiastically.
2. A remote location will have a negative effect on the spine, as well as on the eyes, forcing you to look closely at every detail.
3. When installing a TV, it is important to consider not only the distance at which it can be viewed, but also the height, tilt angle.
4. Medical standards do not recommend watching TV for more than 1.5-2 hours for adults, 1-1.5 hours for teenagers, and preschoolers are allowed to watch TV for up to 15 minutes a day.

In conclusion, we can conclude that it is the diagonal that determines the optimal distance from which it is permissible to watch TV. Simple calculations will help you navigate correctly when choosing a new model or redevelopment of a room. It is worth remembering that modern models can be mounted on the wall using various brackets, thus adjusting their position and viewing angle.