I've recently purchased a new home, and I want a shiny new panel to go with it. Currently, I'll be sitting around 10 feet from the display, and I really am stumped on whether to order a 50" or a 60" pioneer.

I have been searching through past posts and looking at the various "recommended sitting distance" charts, but I was kind of hoping for some personal insight. Is the extra 10" going to be that worth it? Unfortunately, there aren't really any stores around here that have display rooms set up to estimate what it'd be like in my living room. I'm buying the TV primarily for HD movie/tv watching mixed with a bit of ps3 and xbox 360 gaming.

For those of you that opted for the 60" over the 50", did you experience both before ordering? I'm using a 30" Samsung CRT HD tv right now, so I think just about anything is going to seem like an improvement, but I want that WOW factor as this will probably be my TV for at least 5-6 years.

Those 10"s will double the Price.

Sharp marketing Recommends 2" (back) for every 1" of Panel Resolution
50" = 100" = 8.3'

THX Certification wants about a 30 degree viewing angle or so
i.e. 65" screen for 10' viewing (see http://myhometheater.homestead.com/viewingdistancecalculator.html)

Personally... I think 50" is Great for 10', Also, you mention "5-6 years". My current plasma is about a 1/3 of the price I bought it for after 2 years, so Why not get the 50" and see what's on the market in 3 years with the money you save not buying the 60".

My opinion is that bigger is better. I've sat 10+ ft. away from 50" TV's and it's not bad. But I like the 60" experience better. One thing to consider - people talk about the extra 10" like it's an inconsequential amount. If you look at screen area, a 60" is almost 50% bigger than a 50". Not an insiginficant difference.

I've recently purchased a new home, and I want a shiny new panel to go with it. Currently, I'll be sitting around 10 feet from the display, and I really am stumped on whether to order a 50" or a 60" pioneer.

I have been searching through past posts and looking at the various "recommended sitting distance" charts, but I was kind of hoping for some personal insight. Is the extra 10" going to be that worth it? Unfortunately, there aren't really any stores around here that have display rooms set up to estimate what it'd be like in my living room. I'm buying the TV primarily for HD movie/tv watching mixed with a bit of ps3 and xbox 360 gaming.

For those of you that opted for the 60" over the 50", did you experience both before ordering? I'm using a 30" Samsung CRT HD tv right now, so I think just about anything is going to seem like an improvement, but I want that WOW factor as this will probably be my TV for at least 5-6 years.

I'm in about the same situation. I'm going with a 50" simply because the price jumps quite a bit to go bigger. If money wasn't an issue, I'd go with the 60" No question about it.

I've recently purchased a new home, and I want a shiny new panel to go with it. Currently, I'll be sitting around 10 feet from the display, and I really am stumped on whether to order a 50" or a 60" pioneer.

I have been searching through past posts and looking at the various "recommended sitting distance" charts, but I was kind of hoping for some personal insight. Is the extra 10" going to be that worth it? Unfortunately, there aren't really any stores around here that have display rooms set up to estimate what it'd be like in my living room. I'm buying the TV primarily for HD movie/tv watching mixed with a bit of ps3 and xbox 360 gaming.

For those of you that opted for the 60" over the 50", did you experience both before ordering? I'm using a 30" Samsung CRT HD tv right now, so I think just about anything is going to seem like an improvement, but I want that WOW factor as this will probably be my TV for at least 5-6 years.

PRO-151FD and don't look back (or PDP-6020FD if budget is an issue) :)

I would definitely go for the 60" at a seating distance of 10'. If you're going to be watching a lot of movies on it, the one thing to keep in mind is that MOST movies have an aspect ratio of 2.35:1/2.40:1, which will only fill up about 75% of the screen, that means that a 2.40:1 movie playing on a 60" set will have as much image area as a full 16:9 program on a 50" set.

Here is an example:
http://tvcalculator.com/index.html?590077acccc0af5a1bcc45d2e7b3ef31

PRO-151FD and don't look back (or PDP-6020FD if budget is an issue) :)

+1,000,000:D

Haha, I'd upgrade the plasma in 2-3 years if i could, but it has taken a large amount of convincing of my better half to say yes to this TV. I really have been leaning to the 60" side, but I think due to budgetary concerns I'd have to go with the 6020 instead of the 151. On the other hand, if I snatched the 50" I could get the 111. See my dilemma?

The other big issue is that there aren't really any elite dealers that have good pricing around my area, and I haven't been able to find a forum sponsor that sells elites over the phone. Then again, I've only called 3 or so since there's a bit of a wait on the 9g ones, but still.

I've recently purchased a new home, and I want a shiny new panel to go with it. Currently, I'll be sitting around 10 feet from the display, and I really am stumped on whether to order a 50" or a 60" pioneer.

I have been searching through past posts and looking at the various "recommended sitting distance" charts, but I was kind of hoping for some personal insight. Is the extra 10" going to be that worth it? Unfortunately, there aren't really any stores around here that have display rooms set up to estimate what it'd be like in my living room. I'm buying the TV primarily for HD movie/tv watching mixed with a bit of ps3 and xbox 360 gaming.

For those of you that opted for the 60" over the 50", did you experience both before ordering? I'm using a 30" Samsung CRT HD tv right now, so I think just about anything is going to seem like an improvement, but I want that WOW factor as this will probably be my TV for at least 5-6 years.

I think the best way to decide is make a mock up of each size out of cardboard or newspaper and tape them up from your viewing distance. I too sit about 10 feet away. When I taped up the size of my 50" I went oh my God! This thing is going to be huge. Going from a 36" CRT to a 50" plasma did take some getting use to but, I like it now. I don't know if I could handle a 60". But some people like to sit in the front row at the theatre.

Im sitting 7.5 feet from my 50 inch panny plasma in my bedroom and its TOO SMALL. I got used to it fast and now I wish I would of went with the 58. But then I would of that was too small overtime. Its a slippery slope. But from 10 feet 50 inches is far too small. Youll be unhappy if you dont get something at least 60.

If you can happily afford a 6020 then why not I suppose, but like burnsalkire mentions the jump could overwhelm some, but not others (notiriousmatty =], too funny)

My suggestion will be a 720p Plasma for casual viewing, a 1080p front projector with 84" or 92" screen (pull up/down in front of the Plasma) for movies and sports events...

Im sitting 7.5 feet from my 50 inch panny plasma in my bedroom and its TOO SMALL. I got used to it fast and now I wish I would of went with the 58. But then I would of that was too small overtime. Its a slippery slope. But from 10 feet 50 inches is far too small. Youll be unhappy if you dont get something at least 60.

I take it you're one of those front row people at the theatre:)

My suggestion will be a 720p Plasma for casual viewing, a 1080p front projector with 84" or 92" screen (pull up/down in front of the Plasma) for movies and sports events...

A 92" at 10 feet:eek: I think it's time to have your peepers checked:D

A 92" at 10 feet:eek: I think it's time to have your peepers checked:D
2.40:1 movies on 84" or 92" screen from 10 feet is not as big as you might think, however 2.40:1 movies on a 50" from 10 feet look small if you want TRUE movie theater experiences.

THX recommended viewing distance for a 92" 16x9 screen is 10.3 feet.

Im sitting 7.5 feet from my 50 inch panny plasma in my bedroom and its TOO SMALL. I got used to it fast and now I wish I would of went with the 58. But then I would of that was too small overtime. Its a slippery slope. But from 10 feet 50 inches is far too small. Youll be unhappy if you dont get something at least 60.listen to this guy...if you even have to think about it enough to ask the question...go bigger. 58" at 10 feet is what i have and its perfect. if i could afford a 1080p 65" i would seriously consider buying it...

Talk about affordability, a Samsung 720p Plasma $1200 + Panny 1080p projector $2000 + 84" or 92" motorized screen $500 = total $3700. This is how my future home theater looks like after I buy a new house late this year. Cost much less than a 65" Plasma for 2 ~ 3 times the screen size!

I know Clarity Technologies/BuyBestPlasma plasma sell elite's over the phone, and they're offering some good pricing.

-Coggs

When I got my first HDTV about 4 1/2 years ago, it was a 42" CRT Rear Projection Display 1080i set. I was sitting about 8 feet away and at first I thought it was pretty big. Recently I decided to go and get a new Plasma. I was thinking something like 46", so 4" larger in size then what I currently had. Then I started thinking about it, and said why not get something 8" larger then I currently have. So I ended up getting a 50" plasma, the Panasonic TH-50PZ85U. I Get it out of the box and think WOW this thing is Huge. It looks smaller hanging up on display then it really is. Now that I have it mounted on my new Swivel Stand, it still looks huge, but I now know I wouldn't have been as happy with a 46" screen. I watch lots of movies, I have over 300 in my collection, and most seem to be screen format sizes where you still have bars on the top and bottom.

I do have to say it looks Amazing. Also because it's so thin compared to my last HDTV, It's like 2 feet further back then my old HDTV. My old HDTV you could only really see the picture when you were right in front, Now I can be way off on the side on my PC and still see the screen clearly. I can swivel the screen over on it's mount to see it more directly if I like though I really don't need to. I think this weekend I'm going to move it up one notch higher.

Have watched a couple HD DVD Movies and WOW. I say, the bigger the better!!! Go as large as you can afford and have space for because after a while you get used to it and start thinking it's small and wished you got that larger HDTV.

Go to your local BB or CC, ask the sales person to play a 2.40:1 movie on a 58" Plasma. Look at it from 10 feet away for 15 minutes and ask yourself "Do I want a bigger screen?". Do this a few more times you'll find yourself wanting to go bigger and bigger.