How far should I sit from a 55-inch TV?

About 1.7 m for a cinematic view and 2.3 m for general viewing.

Does 4K let me sit closer?

Yes. Higher resolution has smaller pixels, so the pixel-free distance is shorter.

What do THX and SMPTE mean here?

They are industry guidelines for the angle the screen fills in your view, 40° and 30°.

All tools

TV Viewing Distance Calculator

Enter your screen size and resolution to see how far from the screen to sit for an immersive or comfortable view.

Screen Details

Screen Diagonal (inches)

Resolution

Cinematic (THX, 40°)

Immersive movies & gaming

1.67 m (5.5 ft)

Recommended (SMPTE, 30°)

General TV viewing

2.27 m (7.5 ft)

Relaxed (20°)

Long, comfortable sessions

3.45 m (11.3 ft)

Closest pixel-free distance (4K)

Sit closer than the pixel-free distance and you may see individual pixels.

1.09 m (3.6 ft)

Find how far to sit from your TV or monitor using field-of-view standards, and the closest distance at which your resolution stays pixel-free.

Formula

Viewing distance = (screen width ÷ 2) ÷ tan(FOV ÷ 2), where width = diagonal × 0.8716 for 16:9 screens. Pixel-free limit uses the 1-arcminute visual acuity standard.

Reference Values

•THX recommends a 40° field of view
•SMPTE recommends a maximum 30° FOV
•20/20 vision resolves 1 arcminute

FAQ

Common questions about TV Viewing Distance Calculator

How we calculate this

We use the standard published formula for this calculation, and we show the working so you can check it.

Spotted a mistake? Tell us and we'll check it within a few days. See how we check our calculators.