When it comes to your living room and your television set, size does matter.
It really depends on where you will be placing your television set.
For example, if your TV is going to be in a kitchen or bedroom, where you will be sitting close to the screen, then a smaller set is recommended.
However, in a living room, where you will be sitting farther away, then a larger screen is called for.
There are certain rules of thumb when dealing with how large your television screen should be in a living room. Depending on your seating arrangement, the farther you are from the TV, the bigger the screen.
If you have a living room large enough to accommodate large groups of people, say for the football game or championship boxing, then you can purchase a bigger screen.
Fitting your television set to your living room is a smart idea because you want it to fit well within the size of the space. You do not want a small television in a room that is very big, because it dwarfs the screen and would be impossible to see if you sit across the room.
The general rule of thumb for the television size and room ratio is one third, where the screen size is a third of the distance from where you are sitting. For example, if you measured a 12 foot viewing distance to your screen, then the TV screen should be 48″.
Of course it is better to have a range and not just that exact number, but keep close to it, because it will not look right if you have a 30″ screen when you’re sitting so far back. You can vary the range a few inches to either side, and the seating can be a foot farther back.
Note that when purchasing a television, the diagonal measurement from corner to corner is how the screen size is determined. Therefore, a 26″ set gets this number by measuring the upper right hand corner all the way to the opposite left hand corner.
Also, keep in mind the placement of the television set, if most of the people viewing it will be sitting, don’t hang it too high, so that they have to crane their necks to see the screen.
Now remember that bigger is not often better, due to your own personal comfort and circumstances choose a set that is within your price range and fits your space.
If you cannot afford the largest set, settle for the medium sized television and situate your seating accordingly. Just make sure that the proportions of the screen are not going to be minimized by the size of the room.
