5 tips for the perfect TV evening in company

No matter whether a sporting event or other TV highlight is coming up: TV evenings in company are usually more fun than alone. We have put together 5 tips on how you can use the latest technical possibilities and surprise friends and family with the perfect TV broadcast.

For example, those who invite guests to watch sports or hold a private public viewing for the Bachelor final should ensure the right ambience. With blue TV, the TV evening is usually perfect. With the following tips even more so.

1. It’s all about the right location: where do I put my TV?

If you are going to invite a crowd of people to watch football, you may need to give a little thought to rearranging your living room so that everyone can see well. Think about the position of your TV in particular: position your TV so that as little sunlight as possible reflects directly on the screen. The worst option is usually when the TV is opposite the window and the sun behind the viewer hits the screen directly. You should also make sure that floor lamps and reading lamps do not shine on the TV. If it is not possible to position the TV perfectly, you can still darken the room using blinds or curtains.

2. Stay sharp and watch in UHD/HDR

Offer your audience the best possible picture quality and watch your highlights in UHD and HDR. While UHD quadruples the number of pixels compared to HD, HDR allows for more than 15 times higher contrast and a much higher colour spectrum. As a result, the images are not only sharper, but for the first time also acquire a perceptible depth. To see your highlights in this quality, you need a UHD-compatible TV box from Swisscom and the corresponding TV set.

More information about UHD and HDR.

3. Square eyes belong in the past: the right distance from the TV

The improvements in image resolution mean you also need to think about how far away you sit from the TV. The perfect position: far enough from the TV that you can’t see the individual pixels, but close enough to see every detail. How to achieve that?

You will find lots of tips and opinions on the Internet. These three rules may serve as a starting point for you:

	Distance for standard resolution: Multiply the diagonal screen size x 3. E.g. 140 cm (55 inch) * 3 = distance of 4.20 metres
	Distance for HD TVs: Multiply the diagonal screen size x 2.1. E.g.: 140 cm (55 inch) * 2.1 = distance of 2.94 metres
	Distance for UHD-compatible TVs: Multiply the diagonal screen size x 1.5. E.g.: 140 cm (55 inch) * 1.5 = distance of 2.1 metres

Bear in mind that the correct distance is subjective. In general, however, the better the resolution, the closer you can sit to the TV. So now you can definitely forget the old adage that you’ll end up with “square eyes” by sitting too close to the TV.

4. Enjoy perfect sound quality

A roaring bang when a car explodes, loud screams during a Game of Thrones battle: if the sound quality is right, the programme on blue TV or Netflix is twice as exciting. Is it better to use stereo or surround sound? With these tips you can adjust the sound correctly.

5. Get some help and ask the community

It’s quick to read the tips but putting them into practice usually requires some time and expertise. Whether you want to know how to connect a projector or just have some general questions about blue TV, the experts and users from the Swisscom Community can help. You can also find out interesting background information and discuss the latest developments.