2023-09-11 04:40:02
Since the arrival of 4K, or even 8K, and the rise of new display technologies, it is a fact that the size of televisions is increasing. Manufacturers are increasingly trying to occupy space previously occupied by projectors in home theater sets.
In 2023, this trend has been consolidated with models already well beyond 90 inches, such as the new Smart TVs from TCL which go up to 115 inches or those from Hisense which offer 100 inches, both equipped with miniLED technology. Recently, I was at IFA, Europe’s largest high-tech show, invited there by Samsung. The Korean brand, a major world leader, had only one new product to present to me on the television market: an 8K model in XXL format.
These screens are spectacular when seen on trade show stands or even in stores, if you are lucky enough to have a model on the shelf. However, even if you have a room large enough to install them and a front door wide enough to fit such boxes through, be aware that extra-large televisions do not only have advantages when you bring them in. at your place.
What are the disadvantages to expect when buying a TV that is too big? The answer is complex and will depend on the use you make of the device, because it is not the same thing to have a product that you turn on from time to time in a room dedicated to watching movies. films and series than an all-terrain model which remains on for many hours each day (an average French person spends 3 hours a day in front of their television). We will now go over the 5 most common disadvantages with these products:
See a good, inexpensive large TV currently available
Visual fatigue due to oversize and overbrightness of large 4K TVs
This is a very common problem with large screens if the viewer is sitting too close to the diagonal size. We have already dedicated several articles to the perfect setback distance for a TV. In these papers, we already highlighted studies which indicate that a viewing angle of 60 degrees or more causes us to lose chromatic perception. Worse, at 124 degrees, we stop seeing well with both eyes. This is why associations such as SMPTE suggest considering an optimal viewing angle of 30 degrees, which limits the maximum size of the television that we should install at home.
This recommendation aims to reduce the so-called “tennis match” effect or problem. This pictorial expression sums things up well: with a panel that is too large, we have to constantly move our head from one side to the other to see all parts of the image on the screen. If we are in front of the screen all day, it can cause serious discomfort. at eye level, but also at cervical level.
If you want to know the perfect setback distance for a 4K TV, here is the SMPTE recommendation table. As you can see, for a screen larger than 90 inches, you need at least 4 meters of distance between your eyes and the center of the beast.
Screen size (in inches)Suitable setback distance for TV, sports and nervous games (30° viewing angle)Suitable viewing distance for films, series and immersive games (40° viewing angle)24″0.96 to 1.02 meters0.72 to 0.84 meters32″1.28 to 1.36 meters0.96 to 1.12 meters43″1.73 to 1.84 meters1.30 to 1.51 meters50″ 2.03 to 2.15 meters1.52 to 1.78 meters55″2.22 to 2.36 meters1.67 to 1.95 meters65″2.62 to 2.79 meters1.97 to 2.30 meters75″3, 02 to 3.21 meters2.27 to 2.65 meters82″3.33 to 3.54 meters2.49 to 2.91 meters85″3.42 to 3.64 meters2.57 to 3.0 meters
In addition to the simple size and the viewing comfort that goes with it, you must take into account the brightness of the panels. It is obvious that the more light a screen can generate, the more spectacular its images will be. For several years now, manufacturers have been racing to see who has the brightest product… but it is not without consequences. A large television will generally be brighter than a small one, because it has a larger emission surface, logically.
On top of this obvious observation, we can add a more technical one: manufacturers reserve the most cutting-edge technologies, notably Mini-LED technology, capable of emitting more candelas per square meter, for their models. high-end larger diagonal. A 90+ inch Samsung Neo QLED 8K TV is extremely bright.
This feature is ideal if you want to watch television during the day in a brightly lit room, but it becomes more problematic during your movie sessions or PS5 games at the end of the day. Having a huge television in front of you that easily exceeds 1000 candelas per square meter can cause serious eye fatigue and headaches. Fortunately, it is still possible to lower the brightness of a TV in the product settings.
A large Smart TV causes excessive heat
A larger diagonal means more heat in the room. This problem arises a little less with OLED technology, but it is obvious when using a more traditional product (backlit by LEDs) or equipped with Mini-LED technology. A large format TV on for more than an hour behaves like a small heater, and no one wants that, especially right now. In summer, a large Mini-LED TV fights once morest the air conditioning.
Let’s take a concrete example: a TV with an average consumption of around 250 watts in summer increases the temperature of a 15 square meter room by 1 to 1.5 degrees, so the air conditioning will need more time and energy to keep the room cool. A huge 100-inch TV can easily consume over 400 or even 500 watts, which is literally the same as running a heater in the living room.
Obvious acoustic problems with a giant 4K TV
Sound is a highly technical matter and room acoustics are often very complex to control. In any case, when faced with a flat, reflective surface that cannot be covered with anything, it can only cause the sound to bounce, therefore creating reverberation phenomena that are unpleasant to the ear.
In addition, depending on the space between the TV and the wall, some mid-low frequencies may be emphasized and sound delays may occur, which blurs the reproduced sound even if we install external equipment.
An obvious design and weight problem
There are also other issues to consider, such as aesthetics, because having a two-meter wide black panel that almost looks like a mirror in the living room may not be the best possible decoration. And then, as you will see, finding a nice piece of furniture big enough to support a 100-inch monster is real hell.
Do you tell yourself that it doesn’t matter and that you plan to hang your product on the wall in any case? Well, make sure you have a supporting wall to drill right where the screen will be located because a large format television has a good chance of exploding your small plaster wall. Hold on tight: a 4K XXL TV model can weigh the weight of an adult man, or between 70 and 80 kilos.
With a giant 4K TV, electricity consumption explodes
One of the factors that we usually don’t consider when choosing a TV is power consumption. We take into account the resolution, brightness, gaming characteristics, screen technology… but not the wattage consumption.
However, in this day and age, it is a decisive feature if you are one of those who leave the television on for several hours a day. This question becomes even more important if you buy a model with a large diagonal.
Depending on the model purchased, going from a 55-inch diagonal to a 75-77-inch diagonal can mean an increase in power consumption of around 70-80%. In these times of inflation in energy prices and shared ecological awareness, we need to know this.
Should you buy a large format TV?
If you plan to buy a sound bar or a home cinema, you are not afraid of consuming a little more electricity, you do not plan to leave the product on all day, and you have a room large enough to accommodate the beast: go for it.
Despite all the disadvantages that we have just mentioned, feeling like you are in the cinema on your sofa is an incredible comfort that a tech and image fan like me can only highly recommend.
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