How to Measure & Find the Perfect TV Size

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when it comes to choosing a TV size.

How to measure

TV screen size

Calculating your TV size is less complicated than you might think. A TV’s size refers to its diagonal length, which comes from measuring from the upper left hand corner of the actual TV screen to the lower right hand corner. Most are expressed in inches. Here’s how a TV measurement should look…

Rule of thumb:

bigger is better

TV dimensions differ, but we recommend selecting the largest size your budget allows. If you’re considering getting a TV that’s 75 inches or more, there’s something you should know; according to Samsung Internal Research, a major reason for purchasing new TVs is the demand for bigger screens. And that even after purchase, satisfaction remains very high. So, has there been a particular screen size that’s been on your mind? Then, now’s the time to go big and never look back.

Recommended viewing distance for your TV’s size

All TVs have a recommended distance and angle that you will want to consider when setting it up in your home. The best and most immersive viewing experience is when 40 degrees of your field of view is taken up by the screen. This field of view distance can be calculated by just knowing the size of your TV. To get this suitable distance, multiply the screen size by 1.2. So for a 75 inch TV, that means sitting 90 inches, or 2.3 meters away. Have a look at the table provided to determine the recommended viewing distances for various TV sizes so you can choose the best TV size for your space.

Other things to keep in mind

1. Check the actual TV dimensions

The excitement of buying a new TV can often cause you to forget about the actual task of setting it up. A TV is more than just its screen size. The physical dimensions of a big screen TV, stand and bezel included, as well as its future placement in its room are all important factors to remember. Be sure to compare the exact TV dimensions with your furniture setup to avoid headaches down the road when setting up your big screen TV.

2. Check the TV resolution, especially with a big screen TV

The general rule of thumb is that as the screen size increases, so should the total pixel count or resolution. The better the resolution, the more you see the image instead of the pixels. This is why when you buy a big screen TV it is highly recommended to go with a high resolution picture quality like 4K, or even 8K, so that your resolution matches up to the TV’s dimensions.

* A 4K TV is a TV set with 4K resolution. That means the TV has 3,840 horizontal pixels and 2,160 vertical pixels, for a total of about 8.3 million pixels. 4K TVs have four times more pixels than traditional Full HD (1920 x 1080) TVs.

Just remember, going
big means no regrets later.

3 Different Ways to Measure a TV Screen
– Sahara Case LLC

Unless you’re staring at the huge array of brand-new big screen sets in the big-box store, TV screen size probably isn’t something you think about much on a daily basis, even as it pertains to your own TV.

37, 45, 50, who knows? It’s the type of thing some of us think about an awful lot when purchasing a set, along with refresh rate, contrast ratio, and auto-dimming, and then hardly at all afterward. However, there might come a time when you just need to know the size of your TV. That’s why you’re here, and luckily, we’ve got the knowledge to help.

What Are Times When You Would Need to Measure a TV?

Aside from just the general satisfaction in knowing you’re watching Netflix on a 75-inch behemoth, there are a few occasions that might arise where you need to know how to measure a TV screen.

For starters, if you’re reselling your TV, you’ll want to properly list it with the correct size information.

Another reason you might want to measure your TV is if you’re planning to mount it to the wall. You’ll want to purchase a wall mount system that’s rated for the size (as well as weight) of your particular set.

A burgeoning item in the protection market is TV screen protectors to shield against dust, scratches, or worse. Screen protectors are sold in standard sizes, so you’ll want to know the specifics of your TV before you hit ‘purchase’.

Finally, if you’re moving houses or just considering moving the TV to a new room in your home, you’ll want to measure your set to make sure it’ll fit before going to all the hassle.

Whatever the reason, we’ve got the info you need on measuring screen size safely, and accurately, so you can get back to watching the darn thing!

3 Ways to Measure Your TV

The secret of how to measure a TV screen is all in the corners. That’s right: TV screen size is measured diagonally. To further muddy the waters, your screen is likely not going to measure exactly what the box advertised it as.

Round up to the nearest whole number (in inches) to get your standard screen size. For example, a 55-inch set is going to come in at 54.6 inches. A 75-inch screen will also actually measure about a half-inch smaller. Don’t worry – this is normal.

Here are three ways to get definitive proof of your TV screen size:

Get Out The Tape Measure

Measuring TV screen size is not all that complicated. In fact, the most difficult part might be digging the measuring tape out of whatever ill-used corner of the garage it’s made its way to. Once in hand, though, it’s a simple affair of measuring the distance from opposite corners of the TV.

Be sure to measure the screen itself, not the bezels of the TV, as this varies between manufacturers (and unlike most of us at SaharaCase, they’re getting thinner every year). Also, take care not to scratch the screen with the tape measure when measuring television size.

No Tape Measure? No Problem!

Let’s say, just for argument’s sake, that you can’t find your tape measure or aren’t sure you ever had one in the first place. Although it is the handiest tool for the job, you can still figure out how to measure a tv flat screen size with a little ingenuity.

All you need is some string, rope, or heck, your shoelaces will work. Just span the string across the TV diagonally, mark the length with a pen, then lay the string flat on the floor. Now you can use anything you’ve got lying around that you know the length of (maybe a piece of letter-sized paper) to measure how long the string is.

If you have a ruler around, this can be especially useful for this step. However, we don’t recommend placing the ruler directly on the TV screen, as it could scuff or scratch the panel. Using the string as an intermediate step resolves this issue.

Go the Digital Route

Let’s say you just plain don’t want to go to the trouble to actually measure your screen physically. Not to worry! All you need is the make and model of your TV and your favorite internet search engine.

The maker of your TV is usually plastered somewhere on the front bezel in shiny silver like a car emblem. The model, typically a long series of letters and numbers, is almost certainly available on the backside of your set, either etched into the housing or on a sticker.

Now all you need is to put that info into the internet and you’ll be served with plenty of listings, even official manufacturer manuals, giving you all the info you could ever want about your set, including the screen size!

The paper manual that came with your TV will also have that info, but we’re assuming most people don’t have that handy. All the info you need without ever actually measuring television size!

Measuring Your TV Size Made Easy

We hope this article will help you in your quest to figure out just how big (or small) your TV really is. That info can be vital if you’re moving, selling your TV, or planning to purchase a TV screen protector, an invaluable piece of gear for anyone wanting to protect their precious investment for years of entertainment to come. Thanks for reading, and happy measuring!

How to measure the diagonal of the TV and choose the screen size depending on the distance

When planning to buy a TV, we often ask ourselves what size TV is right for our living room or bedroom?

This is often difficult, because most televisions are measured in inches. And to find out how much space the TV will take in our interior, we have to convert inches to centimeters.

We recommend that you read our guide, which will explain in detail how to measure your screen diagonal, how to choose the right TV size for your room and how far from the sofa it should be placed.

Contents

• Why measure your TV diagonal
• How to measure your TV diagonal using different methods
• Converting centimeters to inches
• How to determine the right size of your TV
• What aspect ratio to choose
• What is the best screen resolution
  • Distance from the TV with Full HD
  • Distance from Ultra HD or 4K TV
• Useful video

Why measure your TV

Choosing a TV is an important decision in the sense that it is not something you change every two years. If you have a TV, chances are you’ll keep it for at least the next five to ten years.

When planning to buy a TV, you first need to consider where you plan to place it and at what distance you will use it.

For large, spacious rooms, such as the living room, where many people will use the device at once, it is worth choosing a larger TV that guarantees excellent visibility even from the farthest corners.

Smaller bedrooms, on the other hand, require models with smaller screen sizes, but in this case their resolution will also matter. In addition, it is very important to consider the distance from the sofa or bed to the TV so that you can watch movies and TV programs without straining your eyes.

Thus, the correct choice of diagonal is of key importance when buying a TV.

Knowing this size is necessary so that you can understand how much space the screen will take up in the room where you want to place it . Or, conversely, use the space you have in the room to choose the screen size.

How to measure the diagonal of a TV using different methods

The screen size of a TV is measured by its diagonal.

The diagonal is traditionally expressed in inches, less often in centimeters. The ratio between the two units is 1 inch by 2.54 centimeters.

Some people mistakenly believe that, for example, 32 inches is the width of the device, that is, the distance of the entire TV from left to right. But it’s not actually a distance, 32 inches or 81 cm in this case is the distance from the top corner of one side to the bottom corner of the opposite side and vice versa.

Thus, the TV diagonal is measured from the upper left corner to the lower right corner of the TV (or vice versa, from the upper right corner to the lower left corner).

Many users make one very gross (especially in the case of embedded technology) error when measuring the corners of the device case.

The resulting figure will be erroneous, since the frame may be thicker, larger, smaller, and sometimes completely absent. In the latter case, there will be no problems, but in other cases you will receive incorrect information.

Before measuring the diagonal of the TV, remember that it is enough to measure the screen itself without a frame, otherwise this or that model may not fit the furniture in size. No, of course, the length of the diagonal of the screen also affects the width and height of the TV, but the final dimensions vary depending on the model and manufacturer.

Converting centimeters to inches

While CRT TVs were measured in centimeters, the transition to LCD screens, initiated by some English-speaking countries that still use the imperial system of measurement, has largely shifted most international corporations to measure in inches.

Generally speaking, TVs are always sized in inches. For most Russians, this unit of measurement means little. Therefore, in order to visualize the size of the screen in your head, you should do a little calculation and convert inches to centimeters. One inch is equal to 2.54 cm. To find out the international TV diagonal, you just need to measure the screen diagonal (still in centimeters) and divide it by 2.54 and you get the diagonal in inches.

Diagonal measurements with the metric system also give results in centimeters. To calculate the result in inches, simply multiply this value by 0.393701.

If you do not want to deal with calculations, you can use special conversion tables from inches to centimeters.

How to determine the right TV size

When choosing a TV, it is very important to measure the distance at which the TV will be placed from your chair, sofa or bed with a tape measure.

In the case of Full HD TVs, it is reasonable to adjust the diagonal length of the TV to approximately one third of the distance separating the viewer from the screen. To do this, you can use the following ratio: distance from the TV 4.2 cm per 1 inch of screen diagonal.

It is also worth remembering that in the case of 4K Ultra HD TVs, this ratio will be much lower: 2.1 cm per 1 inch of screen.

1. Small 32 inch TV ideal for bedroom, nursery or other small room where space is limited. A screen with such a diagonal can easily replace your monitor, so it will also be appreciated by those who like to spend time playing games. For the best viewing experience, the distance from the 32″ Full HD TV to the viewer’s eyes should be approximately 145 cm.
2. Medium sized TV up to 43 inches suitable for medium size children’s rooms and living room. If you like to watch movies late into the night, it is also suitable for the bedroom. For optimal viewing comfort, be sure to maintain adequate distance between the TV and the bed or sofa. For the 40″ Full HD model, this distance is 170 cm.
3. Large TVs (48-65 inches) are considered ideal for large rooms. But even if the room does not have a large area, this does not mean that you have to give up a large TV. 65 inches is certainly a lot, but it is a myth that a TV with such a diagonal cannot be placed in a small apartment. Of course, installing a large TV with FullHD resolution can be difficult, but a 4K TV with such a diagonal will fit perfectly. The high picture quality also means that it can be placed closer to the sofa, allowing you to watch movies with excellent picture quality from a short distance of 103 cm to 206 cm.

Which screen aspect ratio to choose

Another question to ask when buying a TV is the choice of aspect ratio. Which format to choose: 16:9 or classic 4:3?

In fact, there is no single answer to this question. Each of these systems has its own advantages, and any choice one way or another will be a compromise.

Until recently, televisions sold only had a 4:3 aspect ratio. This is a typical television format, it looks like a square and is inconvenient at a close distance from the viewer’s eyes, the 16:9 format works much better here.

The fact is that our eyes have a much larger viewing angle in the horizontal plane than in the vertical one. This was noticed at a time when the popularity of cinema began to decline in favor of television (the first films were in 4:3). That’s when they started making big-screen films.

Of course, there are other movie formats, such as 2.35:1, 1.85:1. In practice, every panoramic movie is recorded in aspect ratios other than 4:3.

Most television broadcasts are broadcast in 4:3, and if your TV has this aspect ratio, then the situation is ideal. The problem will arise when you want to watch a full-length movie on such a screen.

As we have already said, modern cinema is fixed in “panorama”. Therefore, if you don’t want to lose any fragments and fit the whole frame in proportion, you will have to watch a movie with black bars at the top and bottom of the screen.

So what do we end up with?

If you want frames to be displayed on the entire screen, completely preserving the aspect ratio, then we inevitably lose the top and bottom parts of the image.

If, on the other hand, you want to keep the aspect ratio of the whole frame at 4:3, then vertical stripes will be visible on the right and left anyway. This is similar to the letterboxing used in movies, but with stripes in a different plane.

Thus, in order to fill the entire screen without losing frame fragments, you have to sacrifice the correct proportions of the characters. The image will be stretched, which will inevitably lead to artifacts.

The conclusion is this: if you use the TV only to watch television content, then the 4:3 format is ideal for this. But if you use the TV as a home theater, where more emphasis is placed on watching movies, you should choose an aspect ratio of 16:9.

Which screen resolution is better

The last criterion in order, but not least, is the choice of screen resolution.

The size and resolution of the TV screen must be related to each other, because, for example, 4K only on a large screen can show all its possibilities. But Full HD is perfectly revealed on equipment with a smaller diagonal.

Similarly with some features and gadgets, you will get a completely different experience if you watch a movie with 3D glasses on devices of different sizes.

If you have a quality sound system, it will also work great with large TVs, so you’ll almost feel like you’re in a movie theater.

In other words, you need to consider what goals you pursue when buying a TV, in what room and at what distance you plan to watch movies and series.

To choose the right resolution, first determine the room and calculate the required distance.

Next, choose your screen size and check which resolution suits you best. The higher it is, the more pixels are displayed on the screen and the more detailed the image.

Although it is worth bearing in mind that on a high-definition TV such as UltraHD in combination with an appropriate display standard, a short distance from the TV will not interfere with comfortable viewing of your favorite programmes.

So you can use 4K models in both small and large rooms.

Distance from Full HD TV

Full HD technology is currently the most popular and widespread in home TVs. More than 2 million pixels are responsible for 1920×1080 resolution.

It is worth remembering that models equipped with this standard fully reveal their capabilities only when viewed at a distance of about 2 meters. If there is less distance between the sofa and the TV, you should consider an alternative solution.

The most optimal diagonal of a Full HD TV is about 55 inches. For more, 4K Ultra HD is generally recommended.

The optimal viewing distance for this resolution is:

• at 46 inches: 193 centimeters;
• at 48 inches: 202 centimeters;
• at 50 inches: 210 centimeters;
• at 55 inches: 231 centimeters;
• at 60 inches: 252 centimeters;
• at 65 inches: 273 centimeters.

Ultra HD or 4K resolution TV distance

3840×2160 resolution is referred to as 4K Ultra HD.

An image rendered in this format has about 8 million pixels, which is almost four times more than in the case of Full HD. Thanks to such a high picture quality, you can and even need to look at the screen at close range.

Examples of the minimum and maximum (at a greater distance from the TV, the differences are physically imperceptible) distances depending on the specific diagonal of the matrix:

• 43″: 90 – 181 cm;
• at 49 inches: 103-206 cm;
• for 55 inches: 116 cm – 231 cm;
• for 65 inches: 137 cm – 275 cm;
• for 75 inches: 158 cm – 315 cm;
• 82 inches: 172 cm – 344 cm.

If the above assumptions allow you to determine the minimum and at the same time the optimal distance from which the eye can perceive details, it is also easy to determine in which cases the purchase of a 4K Ultra HD TV does not make sense.

For example, it is clearly not worth choosing if the diagonal of the matrix is ​​​​less than 55 inches or if you plan to place the TV relatively far from a chair or sofa.

Useful video

How to measure the diagonal of the TV, see the video:

How to measure the diagonal of the TV in inches and centimeters

Contents

• 1 How to convert inches correctly in centimeters
• 2 Diagonal measurement
• 3 Diagonal relation to TV size

What are the criteria for TV selection? Specifications are very important, but first of all you need to decide on the diagonal. Few people know how to measure the diagonal of the TV. There is nothing difficult in this. Now let’s analyze this moment.

Mostly consumers in the process of choosing the best TV device for themselves take into account the size of the equipment and the characteristics of the screen. After all, it depends on this level of comfort while watching the series, TV programs.

The calculation of the dimensions of the TV is carried out by measuring the diagonal of the screen, but few users know which unit of measurement is more reasonable to use. There is an opinion that the diagonal of a TV device in centimeters is larger. This information is not true. Now let’s analyze all the nuances regarding the screen measurement rules.

How to convert inches to centimeters correctly

An inch (2.54 cm) is not the most popular unit of measure. Despite this, this unit of measurement continues to be used. This value is now considered slightly obsolete based on the new SI rules. Moreover, there are plans to even withdraw inches from circulation.

At the moment this has not happened yet, so this unit is used when specifying the dimensions of the device, especially by TV manufacturers. Companies thus indicate the size of the screen. Despite the fact that it is easier and more familiar to calculate the screen diagonal in centimeters, calculations are still made in inches.

″ is the inch designation used in descriptions, instructions, etc. Users do not interfere with measuring the diagonal of TV devices not only in inches, but also in cm.

The key parameter of the TV screen is the distance, which is measured between the left and right corners of the matrix. Use special automated converters. Such online services allow you to convert various units of measurement. At the same time, these programs will not answer your question of how to determine the diagonal. But they give information about how many centimeters in a particular value. Consider an example of a calculated screen of 40 inches – this is about 102 cm.

Before finally choosing the model and size of the TV, it is recommended to look at the table of base values ​​and get information about how many cm in a particular screen, then make your own calculations.

In order not to waste time converting the diagonal to centimeters, use this table:

Value in dm	Value in cm
22″	60 cm
32″	82 cm
37″	94 cm
40″	102 cm
42″	107 cm
50″	127 cm
60″	152 cm
70″	178 cm

Measuring the diagonal

How to find out the diagonal of the TV? There are several ways. Often the box of equipment is thrown away, but the instructions cannot be found, then you can choose one of the options presented:

• Find your TV device model on the Internet.

In the browser, you will need to enter the name of the TV, and in the technical specifications, online stores or manufacturing companies indicate the diagonal.

• Measure yourself.

How to measure the diagonal of a TV? For this process, you need to arm yourself with: a tape measure, a meter (you can use a ruler), a sheet of paper and a pen. If you are not sure about the correctness of the calculations carried out in your mind, it is better to take a calculator.

Let’s consider the guide how the diagonal is measured manually:

1. From the corners of the screen, upper right to lower left, we stretch a tape measure (meter). Please note that the body of the device is not taken into account. After that, we check the tightness of the tape measure along the entire length. If there is no tape measure, then you need to take a thread, pull it along the TV and cut or mark another corner. Then measure the length of the thread using a ruler.
2. We take a pen and paper, indicate the measurements obtained in cm.
3. Perform simple calculations. Accordingly, you need to convert cm to inches. Divide the resulting measurements in cm by 1 inch (2.54). If it is difficult to divide into a column, use a calculator.
4. When a meter is not enough to calculate the device size, the second calculation option can be used. You will need to measure the sides (width, height) separately.
5. Now you need to carry out the calculations using the Pythagorean theorem. We square the length and width, add them together and take the square root of the resulting sum. To avoid mistakes, use the calculator. The result must be converted to inches (divide by 2.54).
6. Another easy way to find out the size of your TV is to look closely at the cabinet of your TV. Often, not the diagonal of the display is indicated, but simply the distance from the top to the bottom of the screen frame. Therefore, using this option, you need to be careful.

To verify the accuracy of the information, it is best to look at the warranty card or technical data sheet of the device, if one has been preserved. On the cover of your passport, you can often see how many inches the TV has.

What is the relationship between screen size and TV size? We will answer this question next.

Relationship between diagonal and TV size

Two factors that affect the choice of diagonal TV device:

• distance from the viewing point to the screen;
• screen resolution.

The relationship between screen resolution and TV dimensions is an indisputable fact. The higher the resolution, the closer the viewpoint can be without loss of quality. Therefore, if the resolution is lower, then the screen diagonal (when measured in cm) must be smaller, or the distance between the device and the viewer must be increased.

In practice, anyone can check this for themselves. When you look closely at a low quality image (terrestrial TV), all the disadvantages of the image are immediately visible. If you step back a little, the defects will not be so noticeable.

Consider an example. Let’s take a 40″ TV, for an on-air signal, the distance to the TV should remain about three 40″. Therefore, we multiply 40 by three, we get 120 ″, we translate 3.04 cm into centimeters, at least 3 meters.

If the resolution is 720p, then the distance to the TV is allowed at least 1.9meters. When the model supports Full HD, viewing can be done from a distance of 1.3 meters.

That is, from such calculations you can get the allowable minimum distance to the TV device, depending on the screen size and resolution. Thanks to a competent calculation, it is possible to avoid obvious defects that are associated with the signal structure when viewing.

Consider another example. Let’s imagine that you plan to view at a distance of 2.2 meters. When purchasing a device with HD Ready resolution, you will have to opt for a model up to 37″.

When the resolution is Full HD, the dimensions of the device are allowed up to 52 inches. Moreover, there will be no loss of image quality. If you are using a 4K TV, then the distance from the viewing point to the screen must be at least 2.2 meters.

If viewing from a distance greater than a predetermined distance, a huge difference between TVs with different resolutions will not be seen. It should be remembered that the resolution of the device itself must also correspond to the signal, this increases the quality of the content being played.

As a result, today a large number of models are produced with Full HD and the line is expanding with 4K. At the same time, do not forget that the number of pixels in the video signal should also be taken into account.

625 lines is the resolution of terrestrial TV. Digital TV is gaining momentum in popularity, and the resolution will be higher than SD. There are a lot of movies in Full HD, but very little material in Ultra HD.

It is recommended that all calculations today be made assuming that you plan to view content in Full HD resolution. Then you will know the minimum distance. If you need to increase the distance, there will be no loss of image quality. This is the most correct solution.

The minimum distance from the TV to the viewing point and the diagonal size of the TV are associated with the following table:

Screen size	32″ 82 cm	37″ 94 cm	40″ 102 cm	42″ 107 cm	50″ 127 cm	52″ 132 cm
Approval
625	2.5	3.1	3.3	3.4	4	4.2
720	1. 9	2.2	2.4	2.5	3	3.1
1080	1.3	1.5	1.6	1.7	2	2.2
2160	0.8	0.9	1.0	1.2	1.5	1.7

The table above includes two indicators that allow you to determine the third parameter. To find the optimal diagonal, analyze the values ​​horizontally. Permission is located in a vertical column. When the two parameters are connected, the required distance is formed in meters from the TV to the viewing point

720p signal – issued by satellite dishes, digital TV, game consoles. A TV with Full HD resolution is better to buy if there is a source of this signal. Of course, you can use schematic solutions that increase the resolution of the signal to this indicator. It should be understood that this method is not capable of providing a 100% result all the time.

The ‘presence’ of the viewer is the reason why special attention is paid to the diagonal, resolution and placement of the TV. That is, how much each user is immersed in the image on the screen. Peripheral vision also affects this effect, and the viewing angle of the picture affects the functioning of this process.

As an example, for HDTV there are the following recommendations:

Angle	Viewing distance
20°	x 2.5
30°	x 1.6
40°	x 1.2

The last option is the minimum viewing distance for a Full HD TV.

When purchasing a device for the home, you should take into account not only this effect, but also other subtleties caused by limitations in TV installation. As a result, a suitable distance and a TV diagonal are not associated with 1 value, but a whole range of recommended indicators is indicated.

Most often, for a specific diagonal, manufacturers independently select the optimal viewing angle. If you follow these recommendations, then you can make viewing comfortable and ensure complete immersion:

• Maximum 30 to 40°;
• Minimum 10 to 20°.

As a result, it is recommended to immediately determine for yourself the distance from the viewing point to the screen, on the basis of which you can choose the optimal resolution and diagonal in centimeters. This will create comfortable conditions for watching any program of the series and other content.

Summing up, we can say that the quality and comfort of watching TV depends on the choice of diagonal of a TV device.