Right size of LCD TV

Hi. For a living room wherein I will be watching TV from a distance of about 10ft from TV set, what size and what resolution TV is just enough. I am not a Gadget freak so it should be a value-for-money purchase for watching channels and movies.

Which Size HDTV is Right for My Room?

With standard-definition TVs, the rule used to be that viewers would feel comfortable watching a set from a distance of 3 to 6 times the screen size in inches. With HDTV, the resolution is so much better that you can sit closer to a larger TV without noticing the pixels. So with HDTVs, the rule tends to be you can sit anywhere from 1.5 to 3 times the screen size (in inches) for the best experience.

These rules have been designed to tell you where to sit in relation to your new TV. Look at it another way: You know the size of the room you have already, where you want to sit, and where your new HDTV should go once you get it. So, which size TV should you get?

Doing the math backwards, you get this formula:

Minimum size= Viewing distance/3 - or 40 inches

Maximum size=Viewing distance/1.5 - or 80 inches.

Ready for a long answer? Actually, based on your statement of not being a gadget freak, which I will interpret to mean you just llike the basics done very well, you should look for a 37", 720p, 60hz refresh rate w/an 8 msec. response time. A set from Toshiba, Samsung, Sony, Mitsubishi or Sharp with the above shouldn't cost more than $900. You might find a sub $800 'last one at Frys. One thing I would insist on is an illuminated remote; you'll be glad for this feature after about a few months. You might be interested in having a USB connection like some of the Samsungs, so you plug a Flash drive with your pics on it to view as a slide show. You might also find all of the above in a 40" for not much more than $900. Also, if you're not going to buy it from an online retailer [depending on where you live], I would strongly suggest Costco or Frys; they never have a hernia over returns, if there is something that doesn't please you about the set [provided you do it within a couple of weeks]. I bought a Toshiba 37HLX95 in June 2006; I love it primarily due to a built-in dvd player and CableCard [instead of cable box]. Support from Toshiba was great via there people in Irvine,CA. Very little was required from them, but they even provided a firmware upgrade kit via the mail, when it was having a tuning problem, which turned out to be TimeWarners' problem with program data feed to the local PBS channel [that's how the OnScreenTVGuide gets its info].
#1: I really believe in a large illuminated remote- the better Samsungs and Sharps have them- some Toshibas too.
#2: Fast response time fro sports and action movies; no more than 10 msec.
#3: 37 to 40" not more than $900; even better if $800.

Well the problem with that is the refresh rate. you still run into motion blur at 60 hz. And if you're an action movie fan or a sports fan, that motion blur will drive you nuts. The LCD cells take time to change their state from color and light/dark. This causes them to appear blurry because of the relatively slow switching speed. You can really see it in sporting events or video games. The fix is to upgrade to a 120 Hz LCD, which has double the switch speed and uses frame interpolation to fill in the blanks. Anything under 8 milleseconds is what you want.