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1080p charted: Viewing distance to screen size


1080p has been arguably 2006's buzzword of the year -- at least in the HDTV world that is. Advertisers makes it seem that everyone simply needs to have a 1080p display but we have finally found a chart to support our stance on the higher resolution. Some people can take advantage of the extra lines of resolution but sometimes, it's an unnecessary cost. Simply locate your viewing distance on the right hand side and screen size on the bottom, connect the two lines and bam, your optimal screen resolution. For instance in the Engadget HD lab, we sit around 10 feet away on our AOL-issued rolling chairs and we wouldn't see a picture quality difference if our 42-inch HDTV increased from 720p to 1080p. Everyone's HDTV viewing situation is different and while 1080p might be slammed into your face while shopping for a new HDTV, it might not be necessary for you.