Getting the Most Out of Your Flat Screen TV - A Must Read Guide

If you have purchased a large LCD TV recently, or ifsufficient. However, if you are mostly watching movies,
you're about to do so, you will have no doubt thoughtyou may wish to invest in a decent home theatre
about how you may want to set it up. Whether it besystem. Additionally, is the audio output sufficient for
mounting the TV with a wall bracket, how you'rethe size of the room? If your room is large, you may
connecting the sound, or what colour stand you'realso wish to invest in more sound, as a TV's response
using, there are hundreds of ways you can configuremay be insufficient. It may surprise you how much
your visual system. However there are also hundredsmore engaging a movie can be with better sound.
of things to go wrong, and a few rules which youViewing position is the next factor you must consider.
should definitely adhere to. Here's a few things youYou will need to put the TV somewhere. Is the stand
should ensure you get right to get the most out ofthat comes with the TV sufficient? Do you want to
your investment.mount it on the wall using a bracket? Do you want to
First, ensure that you have the right sized TV for yourhang it from the ceiling? These are all important
room Most of us being guys, we sometimes have anfactors. You will need to consider the most common
obsession for size. Bigger is better. In the old days, itviewing position. The TV should be at the same as
was difficult to make large TVs, so going for a largeeye level, or slightly above this position. You should
TV was the thing to do. These days, it's easy to getmount it higher up on the wall only if your normal
carried away by that 60 inch monster panel in theviewing position is lying back (so that your eyes are
store window. Unfortunately this is probably going tolooking upwards). You should try to avoid having the
be too big if you were to put it in a standard sized 3.5TV too low. You should never want to be looking
x 4m room. A general rule is that 1.5 times the width ofdown at your TV.
the TV is the minimum distance from which you shouldThe final step in setting up the TV is the connections
be viewing. A 60 inch TV should be viewed from atand calibration. With the advent of digital signals, you
least 90 inches (approx 2.3m away). If you includedshould always try to get the best connection possible
any furniture in this room, the TV would be too big.for your TV. HDMI is generally accepted as the best
While there is no hard and fast rule with regards toand easiest connection available for your TV. You can
size, make sure that you don't get too excited in thealso use DVI connections, which are equal in quality but
store and come home with something too big for yourit will not include sound. You should also ensure that
room.your colour settings are calibrated correctly. If in doubt,
The next step is to decide if the TV's audio system ishire a technician to do it for you and record his settings.
suitable. What will you generally be watching? If it'sThese are just a few simple tips to ensure that you
mostly news, TV shows and documentary styleget the most out of your new LCD TV.
programs, the existing audio output on the TV may be