When you go to your local movie theater, the screen size and seating distances are such that you will have a viewing angle ranging from 26 to 40 degrees. A full HD 1080p display makes it possible for the picture detail to be maintained while you sit close enough to recreate the same degree of visual envelopment you experience at your local cinema. If you would like to optimize your viewing experience at home, you can choose a display size, resolution, and viewing distance to replicate the movie theater experience. THX recommends a 36 degree viewing angle of the image, which in turn determines the seating distance location. From the prescribed THX seating location, you can then determine what resolution you will need to maintain optimum visual acuity (the ability of your eye to see and distinguish fine detail)..
To help you achieve the best picture possible in your home, try this TV Viewing Distance Calculator. It will help you determine the best size display and resolution to use with the desired viewing distance in your home. Enter your display information into the calculator. It will then provide you with the seating location for the recommended field of vision coverage and the maximum distance you can be away from your display to still benefit from a 1080p resolution picture.
If the image appears to be a bit too close for you, use the “Maximum recommended SMPTE viewing distance (30 degree viewing angle)” to provide you with an acceptable seating location. A 30 degree viewing angle will still provide you with enough of a movie theater visual envelopment that you should feel immersed in the action.
Please keep in mind that 1080p native resolution alone does not guarantee a high quality image reproduction. A picture can be compromised greatly by video noise, artifacts, poor-quality sources, and improper video adjustment control setting. Our home theater company is ISF trained and certified. I will blog on exactly how a professional display calibration noticeably improves picture quality at a later date.
HD blah blah blah!” echoed thunderously throughout an upscale Menlo Park Italian restaurant from an older gentleman seated at the bar. Hearing this man’s home theater battle cry made me realize that perhaps some clarification on the value of a 1080p native resolution display was in order. If you are currently creating or updating a home theater system, a 1080p display can be vital in delivering a high resolution, larger-than-life movie theater picture experience to your home.