Will Eight (8) Inches Make a Difference?

[PearlcorderS701]

We (that is, the wife and I) have been contemplating upsizing the display in our main living room/home theater from a 50" rear projection to something bigger given our seating distance (the display comes from a previous apartment install in which we were around eight or so feet away from the screen; we are now 13 feet from the same screen in our new house) but the problem is, it must be a screen that fits within the limits of the wall unit/entertainment center we have now because it was a rather big investment and we're not getting rid of it.

The wall unit can hold, at maximum, a 58-inch screen (give or take) so my question is...will the eight inches make a visible impact difference between what we see now on the 50-inch? Will the impact for film watching (the majority of what this room is used for) definitely be increased even though it's merely an eight-inch increase in screen size? I've heard both arguments regarding this, and just wanted to hear from some fellow AudioHolics and get some of your opinions...

Thanks!

 

[3db]

Oh man!! This is so hard not too lose self control and answer like a pig.

Measure the difference between you and your dispolay, take the tape down to a store and measure off that difference to a bigger display and see if you can see a difference.

Also refer to this chart to see from a resolution point of view if you are making up the difference.

http://s3.carltonbale.com/resolution_chart.html

 

[highfigh]

I guess it depends on what you're starting with. Seriously.

50” TV dimensions are approximately 28-1/8” x 50”, so the viewing area is about 1250 in². A 58” TV will be about 32-5/8” x 58” and the viewing area will be about 1700 in². The viewing area is about 34% larger and at 13’, it will definitely be noticeable.

I usually make a cardboard template and it can be folded for transportation.

Go up to the 58" and slowly walk backward until you can no longer see any lines or details of the screen itself. That's the minimum distance I would want to sit from the display. If you see anything of the display itself at the normal distance, you're too close.

 

[jamie2112]

Alex..Stop it...don't even think about it!!!!!!

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Oh man!! This is so hard not too lose self control and answer like a pig.

Hahahahahahhahahahahahaha...I know...I realized that after I really looked at the title I created for the thread...

Measure the difference between you and your dispolay, take the tape down to a store and measure off that difference to a bigger display and see if you can see a difference.

Also refer to this chart to see from a resolution point of view if you are making up the difference.

http://s3.carltonbale.com/resolution_chart.html

I don't think I'd go through all that; I just want to know, on a casual, off-the-cuff basis, if going from a 50 to a 58" will make a visual impact difference when watching film...

 

[PearlcorderS701]

I guess it depends on what you're starting with. Seriously.

What do you mean?

50” TV dimensions are approximately 28-1/8” x 50”, so the viewing area is about 1250 in². A 58” TV will be about 32-5/8” x 58” and the viewing area will be about 1700 in². The viewing area is about 34% larger and at 13’, it will definitely be noticeable.

Well, at least this is a bit of good news, that it will be noticeable...but don't forget, I will be coming from a rather large rear projection set, with a large frame and heft to it (well, it's an SXRD, so relatively large and bulky) and compared with a new LCD or plasma, I'm not sure if those dimensions are exactly right...

Go up to the 58" and slowly walk backward until you can no longer see any lines or details of the screen itself. That's the minimum distance I would want to sit from the display. If you see anything of the display itself at the normal distance, you're too close.

Oh, I don't think we'll be too close at 13 feet away -- I am just curious if we do this, will the increase of just eight inches make a visual impact difference when we're watching films...will the image be a bit larger and more dramatic...

 

[3db]

Hey Pearl

Are you wondering if the increased screen size given your current viewing distance will allow you to see the HD difference. If so, use the chart I supplied and it will tell you if you would notice a difference in resolution.

As an example, I have a 47" LCD display that is 1080p but I'm sitting 10 ft away which puts me in the picture quailty of 720p. If I reduced my viewing distance to 5 to 6 ft, I would be seeing the 1080p difference.

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Hey Pearl

Are you wondering if the increased screen size given your current viewing distance will allow you to see the HD difference. If so, use the chart I supplied and it will tell you if you would notice a difference in resolution.

As an example, I have a 47" LCD display that is 1080p but I'm sitting 10 ft away which puts me in the picture quailty of 720p. If I reduced my viewing distance to 5 to 6 ft, I would be seeing the 1080p difference.

No, dB, what I'm actually trying to discern is if I go with a screen that's eight inches bigger than my current 50, will the cinematic impact be a bit greater; like right now, DVDs and Blu-rays seem like we're watching them just on a TV...now I know a bigger screen won't automatically make films look like they're on a 200-inch projection screen or in the theater, but should the eight inches make the films appear a bit "larger in scope"?

 

[just-some-guy]

of course it will make a difference. but the difference will be small. for watch'n basic tv, it will be fine. but for movie, there will be no "impact" involved. at 13' anything under 65" just ain't cuttin it.

this is my experience. ymmv

 

[PearlcorderS701]

of course it will make a difference. but the difference will be small. for watch'n basic tv, it will be fine. but for movie, there will be no "impact" involved. at 13' anything under 65" just ain't cuttin it.

this is my experience. ymmv

Well, this is not good news...unfortunately, because of our setup, we simply cannot do anything above 58 inches -- we're not getting rid of the wall unit that accommodates at a maximum a 58" screen, and we can't rearrange the room.

So, even by jumping the eight inches, there will be absolutely no increase in impact over my 50 for film watching -- none at all?

 

[just-some-guy]

at first you will like it. but over time, you will wish you had more. this is what happened when i bought the 65". and is even happening now with the 119".
though the 119" is very satisfying.

look at it this way. all you can get is a 58". so get the 58" and enjoy it.

wait

what about hanging a screen down over what you have now ?
you could even make brackets that you could lift the screen off into another room when not in use.

where are your pics of what you have now !?

 

[PearlcorderS701]

at first you will like it. but over time, you will wish you had more. this is what happened when i bought the 65". and is even happening now with the 119".
though the 119" is very satisfying.

Well, of course this will happen -- and will happen with any screen, no matter what the size. We always get used to it and then think it's suddenly too small...as you are experiencing with your 119 incher, although I can't imagine ever thinking that would be too small...

But no matter how much I would "wish we had more," there is simply no way we can squeeze a bigger monitor into that wall unit space.

look at it this way. all you can get is a 58". so get the 58" and enjoy it.

Are you being serious here? If so, I appreciate that, and may have to simply look at it that way...

wait

what about hanging a screen down over what you have now ?
you could even make brackets that you could lift the screen off into another room when not in use.

where are your pics of what you have now !?

This is something I have absolutely toyed with and considered -- that is, putting a motorized drop down screen in front of the wall unit just for film watching, with a projector mounted in the ceiling. We simply cannot afford the project on any level...

 

[just-some-guy]

yeah i'm serious. be fortunate for what you have. there are others that have far less.

58" flat screen. whats that $1500 ? idk

projector, screen & a cable = $1500

what is this "any level" thing your talking about ?

 

[PearlcorderS701]

yeah i'm serious. be fortunate for what you have. there are others that have far less.

Oh, come on man...that's not what I meant and you know it -- isn't that hitting a bit below the waist?

58" flat screen. whats that $1500 ? idk

projector, screen & a cable = $1500

what is this "any level" thing your talking about ?

Did you include labor in that "$1500" price for the front projection setup? How about motorizing custom work? My wife wouldn't want the screen just rolled up on the ceiling without it going up into a soffit of some kind via a motor...and quite frankly, neither would I.

I wouldn't be doing the projector mounting, cable running (through the ceiling) nor any physical work on the project -- so how could this be the same price as a flat panel LCD at 58 inches? That's the "level" I'm talking about...

 

[just-some-guy]

Oh, come on man...that's not what I meant and you know it -- isn't that hitting a bit below the waist?

Did you include labor in that "$1500" price for the front projection setup? How about motorizing custom work? My wife wouldn't want the screen just rolled up on the ceiling without it going up into a soffit of some kind via a motor...and quite frankly, neither would I.

I wouldn't be doing the projector mounting, cable running (through the ceiling) nor any physical work on the project -- so how could this be the same price as a flat panel LCD at 58 inches? That's the "level" I'm talking about...

well, ok. i didn't know that you had to have a full out custom install. most guys just hang the screen on the wall. and hang the projector. which has a minimal cost/effort factor.

so. get the 58" and enjoy it

 

[PearlcorderS701]

What I mean is, I in no way, shape or form meant to suggest that there AREN'T others out there with less means that I...I understand that and are sympathetic to it. It has nothing to do with that; you started off the reply chain here by stating that I am not going to get an immersive experience with anything under a 65 inch, so THAT'S why I was questioning your motives for stating to me that I should "just enjoy the 58."

well, ok. i didn't know that you had to have a full out custom install. most guys just hang the screen on the wall. and hang the projector. which has a minimal cost/effort factor.

so. get the 58" and enjoy it

I couldn't just "hang the screen on the wall" in this room; there's the aforementioned wall unit that protrudes off the wall at least a foot -- the screen would have to drop down IN FRONT OF THAT UNIT, so a custom power install would have to be done in which the screen is motorized and drops down IN FRONT OF the wall unit when films are being shown. This alone would be thousands of dollars in install money, and then the cost of hanging the projector (I wouldn't want it just sitting on some table in the back of the room) on the ceiling and doing the wiring...

Faghettaboudit.....

 

[AVRat]

Pearl, as a temporary test, move your viewing distance closer 2' to 11' from your 50" display. This will provide approximately the same viewing angle as a 58" display at 13'.

 

[billy p]

http://tvcalculator.com/index.html?008b654b33c5000aa7c6f8e4e6e28c29

 

[PearlcorderS701]

Pearl, as a temporary test, move your viewing distance closer 2' to 11' from your 50" display. This will provide approximately the same viewing angle as a 58" display at 13'.

I'm not sure what you're suggesting here, 'Rat; but taking the exact screen size-to-distance measurements out of the equation for a second -- do you think there will be a noticeable difference just going up eight inches from the 50?

 

[ohskigod]

in theory, 8" is considered above average by at least an 1"............oh wait, your talking about screen size? carry on people