What's the best tip you have for buying a new TV?

What's the best tip you have for buying a new TV?

Jeff Colen (President, A Sharper Home, Inc.) gives expert video advice on: What one component should I not skimp on and why?; How are people using media in their homes?; What types of control systems are becoming popular? and more...

The top tip that I have when purchasing a TV is to make sure you understand how far away you're going to be when you're watching the TV. Remember, you want to pick a TV that the height of the TV is one third to one quarter the viewing distance you have. So, for example, a 5 inch TV is 3 inches tall. If you're sitting more than 9 to 12 inches away, you'd want to consider a larger TV. If you're sitting closer than that, you want to consider a smaller TV, a 42 inch or a 37 inch, and that ratio holds true most of the time. The only time I'd vary on that is if your room is exceptionally large or small, or if you have a lot of other things on the wall where you're hanging the TV, because that will impact how it appears visually. A bigger wall calls for a bigger TV. A wall that has a lot of material on it or a low ceiling, you'd want to get a slightly smaller TV.