Glossary A–ZLetter V
Viewing distance
Viewing distance is the distance between the screen and the people who are meant to look at it.
It determines how large a screen must be, how fine its pixels need to be and how large text and visual elements become. Usually there is not one distance but a range from the nearest to the furthest viewer.
A menu board above a counter is read from two to four metres, a display in a hall from twenty metres or more. A shop window screen is often seen in passing, at an angle and from changing distances. Measuring the distance before planning makes it possible to choose screen size, resolution and pixel pitch to match, rather than buying by feel.
Operators should check the distance at the actual location, not at the desk. Content that looks good on a monitor half a metre away is often unreadable from five metres. Conversely, a very high resolution is of little use if nobody gets close enough to see the difference. Obstacles, light and viewing angle also belong in the check.