What size TV should you buy? According to the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE), a field of view between 30º and 40º provides the best viewing experience for most content. SMPTE describes itself as "a global professional association of individuals and businesses working together to advance technology in film, television and digital media."
In theaters, THX recommends a 36º field of view for theater presentations. THX was created in part by George Lucas in 1983 to develop high-fidelity standards for visual media including television and film.
When in doubt, stick with 30º as it is widely accepted and considered ideal for most people.
If math isn't your strong suit, you can use a range of online calculators, such as the TV size calculator. Although results may vary, as some calculators strictly adhere to 30°, others go a little deeper.
You can use the calculations above to figure out what you're used to. For example, if you are upgrading from a 40-inch or 50-inch screen, determining which field of view you are comfortable with can help you choose a larger screen that provides a better viewing experience.
If you hang the TV on the wall, you may also need to consider how height should I mount my TV on the wall? Similarly, there is a professional TV Mounting Height Calculator for you to solve such problems.
One thing's for sure, even if you're within the recommended 30º to 40º field of view, your new TV may take some getting used to. In our experience, getting used to the size of a large screen can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
During this time, you can adjust your sitting height or distance from the screen to feel more comfortable. It's not uncommon to experience cyber sickness with a big screen, especially when gaming. It's like motion sickness, but in turn, you see motion on the screen but not feel it in the muscles or inner ear.
If your TV swings around the 30º to 40º field of view mark, you will eventually get used to it and stop noticing the increase in size. Lowering the brightness can help you adjust, as many models use an overly vivid picture mode out of the box. If you're not used to the searing peak brightness sometimes experienced by newer HDR sets, it can make the size stand out even more.
In theaters, THX recommends a 36º field of view for theater presentations. THX was created in part by George Lucas in 1983 to develop high-fidelity standards for visual media including television and film.
When in doubt, stick with 30º as it is widely accepted and considered ideal for most people.
If math isn't your strong suit, you can use a range of online calculators, such as the TV size calculator. Although results may vary, as some calculators strictly adhere to 30°, others go a little deeper.
You can use the calculations above to figure out what you're used to. For example, if you are upgrading from a 40-inch or 50-inch screen, determining which field of view you are comfortable with can help you choose a larger screen that provides a better viewing experience.
If you hang the TV on the wall, you may also need to consider how height should I mount my TV on the wall? Similarly, there is a professional TV Mounting Height Calculator for you to solve such problems.
One thing's for sure, even if you're within the recommended 30º to 40º field of view, your new TV may take some getting used to. In our experience, getting used to the size of a large screen can take anywhere from a few weeks to a few months.
During this time, you can adjust your sitting height or distance from the screen to feel more comfortable. It's not uncommon to experience cyber sickness with a big screen, especially when gaming. It's like motion sickness, but in turn, you see motion on the screen but not feel it in the muscles or inner ear.
If your TV swings around the 30º to 40º field of view mark, you will eventually get used to it and stop noticing the increase in size. Lowering the brightness can help you adjust, as many models use an overly vivid picture mode out of the box. If you're not used to the searing peak brightness sometimes experienced by newer HDR sets, it can make the size stand out even more.
