Buying a new LCD or LED TV can help enliven your living area, but it won’t mean much if you don’t know how to properly employ it.  By placing your telly on a low TV unit and creating a lighting scheme in your viewing area that’s easy on the eyes, you can transform your living room from just another sitting area to the ultimate home entertainment centre.

All about distance

Many “experts” would have you believe that you must first buy the right size TV for your living room, and this is true if you’re thinking about squeezing a 100 inch LCD TV into your closet-sized den.  However, one shouldn’t be scared off from buying a big screen TV just because he or she doesn’t have a tonne of space.  Conventional wisdom tells us that the ideal viewing distance for an HD TV is about 2.75 inches for every inch of diagonal screen size.  This means that you’ll need about nine feet between your TV and sofa if you’ve got a 42-inch set.  I’ll admit this is a considerable amount of space, but the key is comfort; if you’re sitting at eight feet and you’re not straining your neck or seeing pixels, you’re probably fine.  One easy way to close this space further is to purchase a low TV unit.  Setting your TV at a lower stance will ensure that you’re not craning your neck and should put you at a comfortable viewing angle, regardless of the distance.

Finding the perfect lighting

It’s true that sitting too close to the TV can hurt your eyes, but few people know that regularly watching the telly in total darkness can cause even more damage.  Employing even gentle lighting around your TV will help cut down the contrast between your bright screen and the surrounding area and keep your eyes from tiring.  For the best results, borrow some inspiration from your LED floor lights and purchase some cheap LED strips to attach to your oak TV furniture or the wall behind your unit.  This will create a soft glow that not only saves your eyes, but looks pretty cool as well.

Did you know?

3D may the latest in TV crazes, but in the world of cinema the technology is old news; the first 3D movie was produced in 1915.

-Jeff O.

Tweet