If you have ever sat in the front row of a movie theatre, you understand the problem of proportions. You do not want to stare into an actor’s stomach for most of a film. The size of the screen matters as does how far you are from it.
It is the same for the size of your home TV screen. You do not want to have to sit so close that you lose half the picture or too far away that faces are minuscule, or you can’t hear the sound accurately. You also do not want such a large TV that it overpowers your living room.
Whether your TV will hang on a wall or sit on a console, remember that bigger is not always better: it is a good idea to figure out the Goldilocks-right TV size for your room.
How to measure TV size
The size of a screen is measured diagonally from corner to corner — not including the TV’s “frame.” A 65-inch TV is actually about 55 inches.
Besides the physical size of the screen, you are also measuring clarity, otherwise known as resolution. That comes from the number of pixels (think of dots) that make up a picture on the screen. Those Impressionist painters were onto something; the more dots the better the resolution. And think about how far away you need to stand to see the beauty of the whole picture.
Older TVs and some current 32-inch models have resolutions of about 1 million pixels (720p) and newer, larger TVs have more than 2 million pixels (1080p). Many TVs over 50 inches have 8 million pixels, making them 4K Ultra HD (high-definition). And the latest and greatest and most expensive TVs have over 33 million pixels (8K).
Where to place the TV in your room
Sure, hanging a TV on a wall frees up space in your room, but it also may change the nature of the room. The TV, especially if it is a large one, becomes the focal point.
Perhaps you have a great piece of art you would like to rest your eyes on or a large picture window overlooking nature. A console TV, which would take up precious room might be a better choice if only because you can move it easily. But if you choose to hang your TV, and if it’s possible due to the size of your room, find a wall that may detract less from some other area you feel is more important to look at.
Should I hang a TV on the wall?
TV manufacturers suggest mounting your television at eye level, but of course, the ability to do this depends on which room you are going to watch television in. Will you be sitting in a living room on a low couch to watch TV? Lying in bed? Seated at tall bar stools at a counter? In general, Samsung suggests mounting a TV 42 inches from the floor to the centre of the TV, “should meet the approximate eye level of someone who is 5 feet 6 inches tall sitting on a standard couch.” If you are lying-in bed, that’s a different story. You will want to put a TV on a tall dresser at the end of the bed or mount it to the ceiling.