Viewing distance for a 43-inch TV
2 ft 7 in to 7 ft 2 in from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 4 ft 2 in it feels like a cinema.80 cm to 219 cm from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 127 cm it feels like a cinema.
Sit about 1 to 2 screen sizes away, measured from the front of the couch. For a 65-inch TV that's 4 ft 10 in to 11 ft 9 in147 to 357 cm. From 10 ft3 m, anything from 60 to 85 inches works. Set your TV and distance under the 3D.
Pick the TV and drag the couch under the 3D. Distance is from the front of the couch to the screen.
You bought a 55-inch TV and left the couch against the back wall, 13 ft away. From there it looks no bigger than the old one. The screen is fine; the couch is too far.
The lines from your eyes to the edges of the screen show it. Under about a fifth of your view any TV looks small; past a third it feels like a cinema seat.
This is the view from the couch. The dashed frame is the screen that would feel like a cinema from here.
Drag the slider under the room. Right up close you turn your head to follow the ball; far back the picture shrinks. The bigger the TV, the farther back its band sits.
From above: the couch at 7 ft, with the coffee table still between it and the TV. If the couch has to stay where it is, buy for that distance instead: from 13 ft, a 75-inch TV or bigger.
Sit 1 to 2 screen sizes from the TV, measured from the front of the couch.
Tap your TV. Distances are from the front of the couch to the screen.
2 ft 7 in to 7 ft 2 in from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 4 ft 2 in it feels like a cinema.80 cm to 219 cm from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 127 cm it feels like a cinema.
3 ft 4 in to 8 ft 8 in from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 5 ft 1 in it feels like a cinema.101 cm to 263 cm from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 156 cm it feels like a cinema.
3 ft 10 in to 9 ft 8 in from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 5 ft 9 in it feels like a cinema.116 cm to 294 cm from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 176 cm it feels like a cinema.
4 ft 10 in to 11 ft 9 in from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 7 ft 2 in it feels like a cinema.147 cm to 357 cm from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 218 cm it feels like a cinema.
5 ft 10 in to 13 ft 9 in from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 8 ft 6 in it feels like a cinema.177 cm to 420 cm from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 259 cm it feels like a cinema.
6 ft 10 in to 15 ft 10 in from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 9 ft 10 in it feels like a cinema.208 cm to 483 cm from the front of the couch to the screen. Closer than 300 cm it feels like a cinema.
| TV size | Closest | Cinema feel up to | Farthest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32″ | 1 ft 6 in | 2 ft 8 in | 4 ft 11 in |
| 40″ | 2 ft 4 in | 3 ft 9 in | 6 ft 7 in |
| 43″ | 2 ft 7 in | 4 ft 2 in | 7 ft 2 in |
| 50″ | 3 ft 4 in | 5 ft 1 in | 8 ft 8 in |
| 55″ | 3 ft 10 in | 5 ft 9 in | 9 ft 8 in |
| 60″ | 4 ft 4 in | 6 ft 6 in | 10 ft 8 in |
| 65″ | 4 ft 10 in | 7 ft 2 in | 11 ft 9 in |
| 70″ | 5 ft 4 in | 7 ft 10 in | 12 ft 9 in |
| 75″ | 5 ft 10 in | 8 ft 6 in | 13 ft 9 in |
| 77″ | 6 ft | 8 ft 9 in | 14 ft 2 in |
| 83″ | 6 ft 7 in | 9 ft 7 in | 15 ft 5 in |
| 85″ | 6 ft 10 in | 9 ft 10 in | 15 ft 10 in |
| 98″ | 8 ft 1 in | 11 ft 7 in | 18 ft 6 in |
| 100″ | 8 ft 4 in | 11 ft 11 in | 18 ft 11 in |
| TV size | Closest | Cinema feel up to | Farthest |
|---|---|---|---|
| 32″ | 47 cm | 81 cm | 150 cm |
| 40″ | 71 cm | 114 cm | 200 cm |
| 43″ | 80 cm | 127 cm | 219 cm |
| 50″ | 101 cm | 156 cm | 263 cm |
| 55″ | 116 cm | 176 cm | 294 cm |
| 60″ | 132 cm | 197 cm | 326 cm |
| 65″ | 147 cm | 218 cm | 357 cm |
| 70″ | 162 cm | 238 cm | 389 cm |
| 75″ | 177 cm | 259 cm | 420 cm |
| 77″ | 183 cm | 267 cm | 433 cm |
| 83″ | 202 cm | 292 cm | 470 cm |
| 85″ | 208 cm | 300 cm | 483 cm |
| 98″ | 247 cm | 354 cm | 564 cm |
| 100″ | 253 cm | 362 cm | 577 cm |
| Couch to TV | Fits | Cinema feel |
|---|---|---|
| 4 ft | 32–40″ | 43–55″ |
| 5 ft | 32–43″ | 50–65″ |
| 6 ft | 40–55″ | 60–77″ |
| 7 ft | 43–60″ | 65–85″ |
| 8 ft | 50–70″ | 75–85″ |
| 9 ft | 55–77″ | 83–100″ |
| 10 ft | 60–85″ | 98–100″ |
| 11 ft | 65–85″ | 98–100″ |
| 12 ft | 70–100″ | 101″ + |
| 14 ft | 77–100″ | 116″ + |
| Couch to TV | Fits | Cinema feel |
|---|---|---|
| 120 cm | 32–40″ | 43–55″ |
| 150 cm | 32–43″ | 50–65″ |
| 180 cm | 40–55″ | 60–75″ |
| 210 cm | 43–60″ | 65–85″ |
| 240 cm | 50–70″ | 70–85″ |
| 270 cm | 55–77″ | 83–100″ |
| 300 cm | 60–85″ | 85–100″ |
| 330 cm | 65–85″ | 98–100″ |
| 360 cm | 65–98″ | 100″ |
| 420 cm | 75–100″ | 114″ + |
Put the front of the couch 1 to 2 times the screen size from the TV. Closer than about 1.3 times feels like a cinema; farther than 2 times the screen starts to look small.
From your eyes to the screen: 1.2 to 2.5 × the screen size (the screen fills 40° down to 20° of your view). Measured from the front of the couch, take off the 20 in50 cm between the seat edge and your eyes. A 65-inch TV: 78 to 161 in from your eyes, so 4 ft 10 in to 11 ft 9 in198 to 408 cm from your eyes, so 147 to 357 cm from the couch. For a cinema feel (30°), about 1.6 × from your eyes.
From 10 ft3 m, a 60 to 85-inch TV is comfortable for everyday viewing; a 65 or 75-inch is the usual pick. A cinema feel from 10 ft would take a screen bigger than 85 inches; an 85-inch gets there from about 9 ft 10 in.An 85-inch already feels like a cinema from 3 m.
It lets you sit closer. On a 4K screen you can't make out pixels from closer than the range starts, so the whole range looks sharp. With a 1080p TV, stay in the farther half.
Put the middle of the screen near your eye height when you sit, about 42 in105 cm from the floor. Over a fireplace the middle is often 65 in165 cm up or more, which is 14° above your eyes from 8 ft2.4 m. Sit at the far end of the range, or tilt the TV down.
It won't hurt your eyes, but once the screen fills more than about 40° of your view you turn your head to follow the action and miss what happens at the edges.
Viewing angles: 20–30° is the classic 1.5–2.5 × screen size; SMPTE EG-18 (30° minimum for a cinema feel), THX (36° recommended, 40° maximum). Distances assume your eyes are 20 in50 cm behind the front of the seat. Tables generated with the same formula the calculator uses.