I need a TV like the Vizio E601-A3 but worried about viewing angle

As a suggestion, if viewing angle is critical to you, is go to your local store, pace off the distance and angle from the demo tv to approximate your viewing angles, and see which tv gives you the best viewing. You may have to make compromises to accommodate your viewing dilemma.

It's easy to see the viewing angle deficiency using the Disney WOW test screen specifically designed for this purpose. The test screen is all one solid color that changes its apparent color the farther off-axis you move. I do not notice this effect at all while watching normal programming. Doesn't bother me at all.

I think the OP wants a way to determine off-axis viewing before he buys a tv. An IPS panel (preferably S-IPS) would be a good place to start if he can figure out what the mfr uses.

LCd tech in general has a off-angle problem (most people won't notice) . btw this will be more of a problem with dark-room watching. Go check Vizio models out in the store, doesn't has to be a specific Vizio model, that will tell you a lot.

If you can't live with this LCd problem there is only one option...go Plasma.

My LG LCD has excellent off-axis viewing (horizontally and vertically, at least at the angles that we normally use) during day-time viewing and night-time viewing with the use of a bias light. But I agree, in general that is one of the drawbacks of LCDs because it's hard to get the panel (S-IPS) with the best off-axis viewing.

Off axis like in this picture?

http://www.avsforum.com/t/1433329/vizio-e601-a3-owners-thread/180#post_22563640

SC

Sort of. Stand in front of the tv at dead center from the distance that you would normally be viewing it, taking in consideration if the tv will be wall mounted (vertical off-axis viewing) or on some sort of stand, and then start to walk left to right and vice versa. Take careful note of the sharpness of the picture and the brightness of the colors (black is a good indicator). If the sharpness of the picture starts to diminish or the colors start washing out (black goes to gray), note where you are standing in relationship to dead center. Where the colors fade or the sharpness starts to drop off, that's your off-axis viewing angle. If it's at an angle that you would not normally watch the tv, then you're ok. If not......... Off-axis viewing is totally dependent on the panel type, some are better than others and quite often you have to go to your local B&M and checkout different tv's to see what's acceptable to you.