Report: 69% of TV Watchers Demand Wide-Angle Picture Quality

About 84% of American consumers view their TVs from a variety of angles, according to a study commissioned by 3M. No surprise there.

But did you know that 83% of males and 65% of females 55 years of age and older would pay an average $200 more for a TV with better off-axis viewing?

The study is a little self-serving since 3M reports that its own technology “enhances” wide-angle luminance on LCD sets.

Even so, it’s a stark reminder that the quality of off-axis viewing varies dramatically from display to display, yet few consumers – only 44% according to 3M -- seem to know that.

In a direct comparison, 88% of participants preferred the set with a better “wide-angle luminance.” Again, no surprise there, but it is stunning that 65% of older women (83% of men) say they would pay a $200 premium for the luxury.

In real life, that probably would not be the case, but even if you cut that number in half, it’s something.

One of the most compelling TV demos I’ve ever experienced was a side-by-side comparison of a Panasonic plasma TV versus another brand’s big-screen LCD. Despite all the other goodness of the Panasonic TV (granted, in their own demo), it was the wide viewing angle vis-à-vis the other TV that sold it for me.

Obviously, with 3D the viewing angle is even more important.

Are you selling the viewing-angle feature of the TVs you provide?

Research Findings

Conducted by CBS Vision
Sample: 600 U.S. consumers

Consumer behavior

• 86% have a flat screen TV
• 15% definitely will buy a new TV this year
• 60% find picture quality extremely important
• 46% typically view their primary TV off axis, defined as any viewing angle that is more than 15% from center, when watching alone; 67% do so when watching with other people
• 52% typically view their secondary TV off axis when watching alone; 65% do so when watching with other people
• 84% at times view their TV off axis when watching alone; 87% reported other people at times viewing their TV off axis

Consumer preferences

• 47% change the settings on their TVs to make them brighter (reducing the effectiveness of ENERGY STAR ratings)
• 44% were initially not aware of a difference in picture quality when viewed off axis
• 88% preferred the set with better wide-angle luminance in a direct comparison
• 83% of males 55 years of age and older would pay on average $200 more for the TV with better wide-angle luminance; 64% of females 55 years of age and older would do so, as well