# Why are you supposed to sit at least 6 feet from a color TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [May 5, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917 "2007-05-05T20:10:14Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/1 "2007-05-05T20:10:14Z")
What is the danger? Or is it UL? If so, how did it start? ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/2 "2007-05-05T20:15:26Z")
I’ve never heard of this rule, but most of the recommendations I do know of about ideal distance from a TV have to do with preserving the integrity of the image: if you sit too closely, the individual scan lines will be so prominent that the image will suffer. ---
**Author:** ![pinkfreud](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pinkfreud/32/17603_2.png) [@pinkfreud](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pinkfreud)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 8:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/3 "2007-05-05T20:26:16Z")
Some [EMF alarmists](http://mercola.com/article/emf/emf_dangers.htm) say that you’re in danger from electromagnetic forces if you don’t sit at least six feet from your television. This sets off my BS detector (even at a distance of six feet). ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/4 "2007-05-05T20:53:49Z")
[Old Timey X-ray Goodness:](http://hps.org/publicinformation/ate/q498.html) > [@](#): > > X rays can be produced in vacuum tubes when the electrons are accelerated and strike the anode. In the vast majority of situations, the intensity and energy of such x rays are so low that any radiation is effectively nonexistent. However, when very high voltages and currents are employed, the x-ray production can become significant. The prime example of such a situation was the generation of x rays in early color television sets (ca. 1965-70). The three major sources of x rays from these sets were the picture tube, the vacuum tube rectifier, and the shunt regulator tube. The latter (designations 6EF4 and 6LC6) were a particular problem. Over a third of the 6EF4 tubes tested produced exposure rates above 50 mR/hr at a distance of nine inches, and exposure rates up to 8 R/hr were observed at seven inches with one defective tube! Modern television sets have essentially eliminated the problem of x-ray production however. Pub Med also has some [relevant titles from that era](http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/entrez/query.fcgi?db=pubmed&cmd=Display&itool=abstractplus&dopt=pubmed_pubmed&from_uid=5838785), but the abstracts are not online. ---
**Author:** ![Rigamarole](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/77aa72/32.png) [@Rigamarole](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rigamarole)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 8:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/5 "2007-05-05T20:54:56Z")
I was always told it would hurt my eyes/vision. I cannot confirm if this is true or not, but I want to throw it out there. ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [May 5, 2007, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/6 "2007-05-05T21:12:50Z")
It’s so you won’t block anyone else’s view. Down in front! And either stop giggling or turn up the sound. Consarned whippersnappers! ---
**Author:** ![TheLoadedDog](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/35a633/32.png) [@TheLoadedDog](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheLoadedDog)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 9:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/7 "2007-05-06T09:11:27Z")
**"RADIATION"** I thought this was restricted to mothers - like my own - who lived through the atomic age and the “Duck and Cover” campaigns, but don’t quite know what radiation is. My mum was equally freaked by it when we had black and white TV though. ---
**Author:** ![Ice\_Wolf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/dfb087/32.png) [@Ice\_Wolf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ice_Wolf)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 9:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/8 "2007-05-06T09:27:52Z")
[QUOTE=Rigamarole] I was always told it would hurt my eyes/vision. I cannot confirm if this is true or not, but I want to throw it out there. [/QUOTE] Same here. “Don’t sit too close to the telly, it’s bad for your eyes.” That went for b/w tellies mainly. Didn’t seem to be such a problem when we got colour TV. ---
**Author:** ![Barrington](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/278dde/32.png) [@Barrington](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Barrington)\ **Post date:** [May 6, 2007, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-are-you-supposed-to-sit-at-least-6-feet-from-a-color-tv/402917/9 "2007-05-06T14:53:52Z")
[The Master speaks](http://www.straightdope.com/classics/a920724.html).