How to Select the Right HDTV Size
When selecting the right high-definition television for your home, you need to consider several things. The object is to choose the HDTV that fits best into the space in your home for which the HDTV is intended. Your choice of size will affect the cost of your TV, as larger screens usually cost more than smaller displays with similar features. Your viewing experience will be determined largely on the size of the display and the distance from where you watch.
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Instructions
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Plan the spot in the room for the new TV and the place from where you will view the TV most often. Measure the distance between the two spots in the room. Keep the lighting sources in your room in mind when choosing a location for the TV and the place from which you will view it. Direct lighting will compromise the clarity of flat panel displays and cause a glare on the glass of a plasma TV.
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Determine which type of programming you will watch most often. Standard definition programming on an HDTV will appear either in a 4:3 ratio box on your screen or be stretched to fit your widescreen TV. Stretching to fit the screen is an option you can choose in your HDTV's settings.
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Measure the standard definition programming setting using the 4:3 aspect ratio to get a true diagonal size of the display to be used when selecting the right size HDTV. Stretching will decrease the picture quality because you are taking the same picture density and stretching it over a greater screen area.
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Choose a 26-inch HDTV for distances less than five and a half feet. Select a 32-inch or 37-inch HDTV for viewing distances less than eight feet. Choose between a 40-inch and 46-inch TV for viewing more than five feet away up to ten feet. HDTVs over 50-inches diagonally are best for watching from seven to fifteen feet away. Your personal preference and budget leave room for your discretion in choosing the right size for you.
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References
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