What television screen size do you recommend? 
In my 25+ years of recommending audio and video gear to customers, I can’t recall once hearing anyone say, “I wish I would have bought a smaller TV.” But I have many memories of my clients wishing that their TV was bigger. So what I have learned from this experience is that you should always but the biggest TV your room, viewing distance, and budget will allow. And that’s especially true with today’s high resolution HDTVs.

That being said, there is a formula we use at MyerConnex that helps us determine the best screen size and viewing distance for a particular application. It‘s a rough estimate, but it gets us into the ball park, so to speak. Here it is:

Viewing Distance = 1.5 to 2.5 x TV screen size

Plugging in a few popular TV screen sizes give us:

Screen Size: 26” Viewing Distance:3-½ to 5-½ feet
Screen Size: 32” Viewing Distance: 4 to 6-½ feet
Screen Size: 40” Viewing Distance: 5 to 8-½ feet
Screen Size: 46” Viewing Distance: 5-¾ to 9-½ feet
Screen Size: 65” Viewing Distance: 8 to 13-½ feet

Of course, many other considerations must be factored in when making a screen size decision. Let’s look at some common room applications and discuss a few of these.

In a living room?
In a living room, an important consideration is how well the TV blends in with the room’s décor and architectural details. Nowadays, we almost always recommend LCD, LED, or plasma flat-panel televisions in living rooms. And since décor is important, we usually determine the best screen size by first measuring the distance from the seating area to the proposed TV location, and then calculating the biggest screen size that taste and budget allows.

But in general, the vast majority of televisions that MyerConnex installs in living rooms are in the 40” to 58” range. This seems to be the “sweet spot’ for a large enough picture for enjoyable viewing, but without overpowering the room’s aesthetics. And for great home theater surround sound in the living room, we usually recommend in-ceiling and in-wall architectural speakers. The current crop of these speakers sound excellent and provide the perfect balance of sonic performance and designer aesthetics. Your Sound Advice sales consultant will make all of the critical measurements and work with your interior designer to come up with the perfect television solution for your living room.

In a den?
A traditional den is more of a personal space. A place to get away, read, contemplate, and maybe watch the financial news, or catch up on some sports. A den is also traditionally a small to medium-sized room, so the screen size must be appropriate for the viewing distance.

Because of these limitations, MyerConnex usually recommends a 32” to 46” television for viewing in the den. Of course, this a generalization and your salesperson will be able to much more accurately determine the ideal screen size for your room, viewing distance, and budget.

In the media room? 
This is where you want the absolute largest screen size for the room size and your budget considerations. The home theater experience is all about big: a big picture and big sound. Without both of these, you might as well be watching a 19” tube TV. That being said, there are of course limitations. Using the screen size formula described above, MyerConnex consultants will determine the biggest size for the room.

In a media or home theater room, the type of television technology we recommend can also vary. A plasma might be perfect, but quite often the best solution is a video projector with a separate video screen, particularly in large rooms. With these so-called two-piece video projector systems, the screen size is entirely open. If the room lighting is controlled with dimmers and shades and if the viewing distance is far enough, screen sizes of 200” or more are entirely practical, and often recommended. Again, your MyerConnex consultant will put together a custom plan for your media room that will take into account all of these factors, and most of all, give you, your friends and family a viewing experience that will “Blow Your Socks Off!!!”

In the kitchen?  
“The kitchen is where the heart is.“ That’s what my mom used to always say. She was, as usual, absolutely right. But in many of today’s homes, kitchens are very different from that of my childhood experience. The small , busy, cluttered room full of cooking machinery has been opened up to join the other living spaces. Often known as a “great room,” a counter that can be used for both food preparation and informal eating usually divides the kitchen area with the living/dining space. All of which presents new challenges for the entertainment system designer.

If the television is primarily to be viewed in the kitchen area itself, a smaller size thin-panel TV is usually perfect. A 17 to 19” screen mounted to a swiveling bracket is the perfect solution, and can be viewed from anywhere in the room. But if the television is to be shared by both the kitchen and by the living space, a much bigger screen will be needed. Again, our screen size formula comes in handy. The difference here is that there may be several viewing locations at the same time. If the kids are sitting on the sofa, and mom is in the kitchen, what may be the perfect size for the kids may be way too small for mom. A compromise screen size is one solution. Or maybe it’s two smaller televisions. Your MyerConnex consultant can discuss these and more possibilities. It’s only a click or phone call away.

In the bathroom? 
What better place is there than the bathroom to catch up on morning news, traffic, and sports. But shelf space is usually at a premium. A small screen LCD TV is a good solution. It won’t take up that much space. But if you want the coolest, stealthiest solution, change out your regular mirror for a two-way mirror (the outside is reflective, the inside is transparent). MyerConnex can install a thin-panel TV BEHIND the the two-way mirror. When the TV is turned off, all you see are the normal reflections. When the TV is turned on, the TV magically appears on the mirror. No shelf space. No muss. No fuss. The perfect bathroom TV. Give us a call for the best bathroom entertainment ideas since the rubber ducky.