Freeview research: over half of Brits don’t know how to position their TV

The research by TV service Freeview suggests we Brits place fair importance on our televisions - with 30 per cent say TV is more important than chocolate, 10 per cent are willing to sacrifice the family pet for it, and more than a quarter having been inspired by a TV show to take up a new hobby. We hope that wasn’t Game of Thrones.

The most worrying finding? 57% of the population admit they don’t know how to position their telly. According to the research, 40% of the sample didn’t even know at which height their TV should be positioned.

(Of course, dear reader, you know that it’s eye level.)

MORE: Freeview Play: What is it? How can you get it?

Did you know you should also sit a specific distance from your TV? The rough guideline for Full HD TVs is between 1.5 and 2.5 times the diagonal size of the screen, while that changes to 1 and 1.5 times the diagonal size of the screen when it comes to 4K TVs. You should nearly always tweak your telly’s picture settings, too.

Naturally, we have every pointer you need regarding how to set up your TV and get the best picture so that you, and your friends and family, can be part of the UK’s knowledgeable minority.

Don't forget Black Friday is just around the corner, and you'll be able to keep track of all the best deals - including those on TVs, no matter where you want to put them – on our Best Black Friday deals page.

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Becky Roberts

Becky is the managing editor of What Hi-Fi? and, since her recent move to Melbourne, also the editor of Australian Hi-Fi magazine. During her 10 years in the hi-fi industry, she has been fortunate enough to travel the world to report on the biggest and most exciting brands in hi-fi and consumer tech (and has had the jetlag and hangovers to remember them by). In her spare time, Becky can often be found running, watching Liverpool FC and horror movies, and hunting for gluten-free cake.