Choosing the Right Size Screen

If you read the previous article on screen aspect ratios, you know that your choice of aspect ratio is a vital decision in setting up your home theater. However, you can't make a final decision on aspect ratio without also determining your screen's optimal size, and your desired viewing distance from it.

If you have not set up a home theater before, it is easy to make one of two mistakes--either you go with a screen that is too small, or a screen that is too large. If you choose a screen that is too small, it's not a critical mistake. Assuming your room could accommodate it, you will just find yourself wishing the picture was bigger from time to time.

However, going with a screen that is too large can be a serious headache, literally. Over a long period of viewing time, a screen that is too large for the viewing distance will produce eyestrain, fatigue, headaches, and a desire to take breaks or stop watching the picture. The last thing you want is to get weary of your own home theater because you overdid the screen size.

Now here is one of the most important points to be made in this article:

The optimum screen size and viewing distance
for your theater depends on the aspect ratio you choose.

Let's focus on this for a moment. Say you choose to go with an 8-foot wide 2.4 Cinemascope screen. You will find that you can sit closer to it without getting eyestrain than you can if you go with a 16:9 screen of the same width. Why? The 16:9 screen has more surface area, more vertical height--35% more to be exact. So the eyes need to work harder to absorb everything on that larger screen.

To compensate for this, most people will instinctively want to sit back another couple of feet in viewing distance. For example, if you are comfortable sitting ten feet from an 8-foot wide 2.4 screen, you will probably have a similar comfort level (as far as eyestrain is concerned) sitting twelve feet from an 8-foot wide 16:9 screen.

Therefore, the potential viewing distance you have available is an important key to the puzzle. That means the ideal screen size depends not only on the width of the room, but the depth of the room. In many rooms it is easy to install a screen that fills the full width of the wall, or at least 90% of it, only to find that the room is not deep enough to position the seating comfortably for long term viewing.

Now, check out Choosing the Right Screen Size which focuses on just how big your screen should actually be.

 
Comments (17) Post a Comment
Ray Kirk Posted Nov 11, 2010 11:33 AM PST
A MUCH easier method, given adequate room size, is to go to your local movie theatre, watch a movie from a location that you deem ideal, and carry a pair of glasses (sun, reading, etc.,. it doesn't matter). Put on the glasses for a moment during the movie, and, without moving your head, note the locations on the upper rim of the glasses where the left and right borders of the screen intersect the rims. Then, go home, put on the glasses and have someone stand where the screen will go. Have them hold a broom and move to the left and right and note the spots where the broom handle intersects the rims. VOILA! You have now reproduced the movie theatre experience in your viewing room!
Matthieu Posted Nov 12, 2010 1:14 PM PST
That is exatly what I'm doing when I'm sitting in a theatre. The same way I choose the size of my screen at home.

Never thought other people would have that same idea as a real tip for everyone to follow.
Esther Posted Jul 20, 2011 9:28 AM PST
does this actually work? that would be much much simpler!
Jeff Posted Aug 13, 2011 2:06 PM PST
Long ago when I was dreaming up my home theater I got the same result in a different way. I sat in my favorite spot in the theater (almost dead center left-to-right but up a couple of rows) and stuck my arms out in front of my body. I extended my thumbs and pinky fingers out as far as they'd go and touched my thumbs together. Looking at the screen, my pinkie fingertips marked the left and right side of the screen. From then on whenever I've set up a big-screen TV (and now as I'm building my theater) I've used that reference to determine the optimum viewing angle.
Larry301 Posted Feb 21, 2012 6:23 AM PST
I have a different rule when it comes to screen size. I like the size at the theater sitting in the middle but the picture is really bad! I sit close to the rear and get a big jump in picture quality. Same is true at home. A 120 inch may be a nice size but will allways look bad. A 100 inch will look 10 times better! We need 4k with a 4k source on Imax film! My biggest fear is digital cameras. When film dies {WE ARE DONE]
Ravi Shastri Posted Mar 16, 2013 1:15 PM PST
Dear sir, I need a high and big lenth viewd project for small level picture hall. My requirments is 20 fits and above large display for picture show and complet rectengular size viewd pitures.Please provide me the details of projector with picture and price details.
Ice_iphoneprojectorguide Posted Mar 15, 2014 11:32 PM PST
Thanks for the valuable information on the screen size. I think many people will be benefited when they read the article.
Don Posted Jul 23, 2014 6:58 PM PST
I gained a lot from this article. I remember reading the 1.5x calculation elsewhere, but this article provided significantly more information. THANK YOU.
Sergio Posted Feb 26, 2015 11:34 AM PST
This is a helpful article! I never realized that home theatre screens depended so heavily on the size of the room. I guess it makes sense because you don't want to overwhelm the space you have with a screen that is far too large. Is it always necessary to use a screen or can you get away with using a smooth white wall? Thanks for sharing your expertise with us.
Hussam Allam Posted Apr 1, 2015 1:37 AM PST
Hi

please I need an advice about the perfect size of a screen

I am planning to buy a new screen (Samsung H6400)

but I am confused about the size

the distance of watching is 2.75 meters

the screen will be 48 or 55 inch

I need to know which of them is the better

I will use it for sat. tv channels and most of them are 576i

and some of them are 1080i

if I got the 55 inch,can I watch the standard definition channels on it without problem ?

or in my case the 48 inch is better option
Evan Powell (Editor) Posted Apr 1, 2015 9:28 AM PST
Hassam, neither one is better. It is just a matter of personal preference. Go with the size you think will be most comfortable for you.
santosh Posted May 11, 2017 2:47 AM PST
Hello friends, I have a 16 feet X 20 feet hall height is 10 feet. I want to install home projection for entertainment. Plz tell me what much maximum size can I get if I use 16 feet wall. Can I get full length of 16 feet wide. What will projetor's location. Is 1080p projector good for 16 feet wide screen. Plz help me
David Froggatt Posted Jan 20, 2019 3:25 PM PST
Old article yes, but by width is the writer referring to diagonal or horizontal width when discussing the 8 foot 2.4 ratio screen size?
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Jan 23, 2019 8:36 PM PST
He's referring here to screen width, rather than diagonal.
Joseph Berlingieri Posted Jun 28, 2019 4:56 AM PST
Still trying to clear things up a bit: New house construction will include a theater room with 15’ W X 24’ L dimensions(9 foot ceiling). Am going to TRY to fit 2 rows of theater chairs.(5 chairs per row-or 4 in front row, and 6 in back row?) So, based on that information, please give me your suggestions on my projection screen size, distance from screen to 1st row, and then suggested distance between front and back row. Thank you in advance, for any and all advice, that you can give me. Joe B.
Alex Hernandez Posted Nov 16, 2019 12:27 AM PST
I was looking at the Epson 5050ub, or the BenQ 3550, my room is 17'Lx19'Wx8'H, what is the maximum screen size I can get out of this with a good quality picture? I'm hoping for a size between 160-180, is this possible?
Rob Sabin, Editor Posted Nov 16, 2019 11:15 AM PST
Alex, you can check our projection calculator to see the range of required throw distances for both projectors and see where you would have to place the projector for a 160 inch to 180 inch image. At that large size, though, the considerably higher light output for the Epson, as well as its larger lens, would likely serve you best.

Post a comment

 
Enter the numbers as they appear to the left