Have you got square eyes?
BBC R&D are collecting information about television screen sizes and viewing habits in the UK, to help us make sure that the technical parameters of any future services are appropriate for UK homes. Click here to to view our project page and take part in the survey. You'll need to be at home with a tape measure, and it should only take about 10 minutes. We'd like to reach as wide a range of people as possible, of all ages and from all corners of the UK, so please share the link widely!
We're collecting this information because knowledge of how people watch their televisions is important for planning the technical details of our future services. For example, your screen size and viewing distance will determine whether you are able to see the full resolution of the screen.
Looking at Television: viewers watching television in 1938
Since we carried out a similar survey 10 years ago, flat displays have become much more common, larger screens have become available, and the switch to digital broadcasting is likely to have been an additional prompt for people to upgrade their televisions. So, we need some updated information that is valid for today's viewers. We're also looking to understand any changes in typical screen sizes that might happen in the future: what size of television would people ideally like to have in their homes?
The data we collect will help us to make sure that any new services will deliver the best quality and value to audiences of the future.
Katy Noland is a Project Technologist in BBC Research & Development
