Panasonic Widescreen HDTV 47" or 53" ?
 

Hi, a home theater newbie here.

I finally decided to take a plunge and get my very first decent TV :)

I am still debating which one. I really really want the bigger one but I only have 6 feet viewing distance, no matter how I rearrange my furniture. How will the picture look on 53" - is it too close? I went to Best Buy, Sears etc. but it is really hard to determine picture quality with store lightning, the way they set up their displays etc.
Does anyone have 53" monitor - how close do you sit?

Also, when it comes to price - should I wait when old models go on sale? Best Buy has 53" for $1900 and 47" for $1700. Does anyone know if there is a chance of sales any time soon ( 2 -3 months) since I am not in a hurry?

I want to add that thanks to this and other forums I purchased Panasonic DVD player RP82 and I am very happy with it - now I only need a better TV to go with it :)

Thank you for any ideas.

I have to 53" and I sit about 6-7 feet away and its very nice.. It seems to be a great distance.. I have the RP82 also, very nice together...

I have a Toshiba 57" Widescreen HDTV hooked up to a RP82 and sit 7 ft away, and the picture is amazingly 3D and I love the big theater feel by sitting that close. Scan lines are rarely visible even at that close distance. Get the 53" because you will regret it in the long run if you don't. I was going to get the Toshiba 50", but I am glad I decided on the 57" because it really is that much bigger and better.

The real question is not DVD's but cable and other viewing habits. I was poised to buy a 65" but at the last minute opted for the 55" TV. I'm so glad I did. Even at 10' viewing distance, DVD's were fine but cable was just unbearble, too big. I ended up burying the TV into the wall to get extra distance (see signature). For dedicated HT go the bigger route. For TV as well, go smaller unless you really want to count Ray Romano's nose hairs.

I agree with Jim. For DVDs and HDTV you can sit much closer, but cable and satellite aren't going to be tolerable if you're sitting too close. I started out sitting about 7' from my 65" TV and it got old fast, so I had to rearrange my room.
My mom bought the Panasonic 47" HDTV, and it seems perfect in her living room from a viewing distance of 7'. You could sit slightly closer when watching HD programming but for regular digital cable 7' seems to be about the minimum IMHO.

that's one of the wackiest things i've ever seen.

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i'd go w/ the 53" tv.

I've seen hueristics of multiplying the TV's diagonal length by 1.5 or 2 to get the optimal viewing distance.

thanks for your replies; I will go for 53" - hehe that's what I wanted to hear from you anyway ;)

TV will be used for watching movies mostly (90%) so I am not worried about cable.

Can't wait to have it here!

P.S.
Unusual approach and interesting solution, Jim; I am afraid my condominium association would regard me with a great displeasure if I did the same thing in my place :)