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Buying a flat-screen television: advice

Friday, 6 January 2006 12:00 AM

Homeowners considering purchasing a home cinema system or flat-screen LCD or plasma television have a number of key decisions to make.

The size of the screen, where to put it, and how it should be hung to get the best viewing angle are among the considerations.

Did you know, for example, that the ideal viewing height is typically 95cm from the floor?

Or that the optimal viewing distance for a 32 inch flat-screen television is 3.20 metres?

According to homecinematips.com the best way of determining the right height for a wall-mounted flat-screen television is to get someone to adjust the height so that one third of the screen is above your eyes and one third is below. Depending on your chair this will usually by 95 cm.

The homecinematips.com website, which has been set up by wall-bracket manufacturer Vogels, also reveals that to calculate the size of screen you need, bear in mind that you need to sit 10 cm further away for every inch of screen diagonal. Hence the optimal viewing distance for a 26-inch screen is 2.60 metres.

The website also provides information on the new high-definition (HD Ready) televisions to help homeowners decide whether to opt for one of these or go for an older, cheaper model.

Apparently, older cathode-ray-tube televisions use a decades-old picture standard known as PAL, which is made of 576 horizontal lines.

Modern plasma and LCD screens, on the other hand, can display 720, 768 or even 1080 picture lines, which is known as high-definition television or HDTV.

Another useful tool is the Home Cinema Planner, located on Vogel's website, which allows homeowners to simulate the viewing situation in their own living room and get advice on the relevant screen size and the most appropriate type of wall-bracket.

Just set out your seating arrangement and position of the TV and the Home Cinema Planner will indicate the size of screen you require and the appropriate wall-bracket.

For more information on any of the above see: www.homecinematips.com and www.vogels.com.

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