Distance/Screen SIze Formula?

I feel that some of the new distance calculations especially THX is more marketing then common sense, sure you dont have to be far from the monitor to not see the pixels as in old technology, but some of the ratios would seem a bit too much screen for alot of veiwers, in the end I think they could be doing alot of folks a dis-service by aiming them at super huge displays and sitting pretty close to the picture.....they just want to sell the biggest display possible, not the RIGHT one. Going all out for a dedicated theater and enjoying its larger then life experience is one thing, but a housewife doesnt need or really want to be 6ft away from a 65in screen with Rosie O'donnell at 10am in the morning (not that there is anything wrong with that) :)

I think 60" at 12' will be like sitting in a bar watching casual TV. IIRC, the SMPTE and THX numbers (88.5" and 107.4" 16 X 9 diagonal for a 12' vieiwng distance) provide the viewing angle from near the rear of a theater. I think you want the diagonal size to be at least half the viewing distance, preferably a bit larger. At 12', I think the only practical solution is front projection, and that's not practical for casual viewing given the ambient light constraints. A more practical solution is to decrease viewing distance.

It's not obvious what THX has to do with marketing monitors, except in so far as THX certification of certain components might add value. And SMPTE? It would seem in the best interest of both organizations to keep you coming to a theater.

Visit myhometheater.homestead.com/viewdistancecalculator.html for viewing distance calculators and explanations.

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I know the calculators and understand the explanations, again I say that unless it is only for a movie experience then yea 107in at 12ft away is great, but in the real world where people watch movies, and everything else on one monitor in one room those numbers dont make sense, they are overkill and thats where I think alot of folks who are not getting a unit for a dedicated theater are being misled, sometimes bigger isnt better, its just big.

Chadnliz, I wasn't suggesting that 107" is the "right" number, just a number that someone comes up with. OTOH, I don't think 60" at 12 feet is overkill. I have a 50" FPD at about the same distance and while it is larger than the previous 36" 4:3 TV, it is not acres bigger and I could easily live with a 60".

Best thing to do is go visit a shop with both and sit yourself 12ft away. Or put a poster or two on some cardboard and see what it looks like in your room.

I'd look at something in the 110" diagonal size. It'll be about the same size screen you get sitting in the last row of a decent THX certified commercial theater.

Also note that on anything smaller than about 90", you'll be unable to visutlally resolve 1920x1080 HD.

Personally I've used 100" @ 11' and 50" at about 5' with good results on DVD sources.