Sitting too close to a TV set?

Would sitting too close to a 20" flat screen TV be harmful to the
eyes?

When I was a kid, I was told to stay at least six feet away from the
TV set. I think it was because of radiation or somesuch. However, I
think newer TV sets from the past decade or so are shielded from
radiation.

So is there any reason why a person shouldn't sit 3 feet in front of a
small TV screen these days? My kids play video games 3 feet away from
the 20" TV set. They don't mind seeing the pixelations of a low-res
TV screen. Anyway, I'm not 100% comfortable with that short viewing
distance, but I can't find a good explanation why it's bad for them.
They tell me that I sit closer to my 19" computer monitor than they do
to the 20" TV screen.

 

If the screen image is relatively sharp, it should not be a problem. The
smaller the set, the closer you can view it comfortably. TV sets are not as
well shielded as computer monitors, but 3 feet in front of the set should
not be a problem. Most of the problem is typically in the rear or underneath
the TV set.

 

Dear Opticreep,

An accellerated electron striking a surface creates electro-magnetic
radiation. It has been understood that "soft" X-rays are
created close to the surface of a CRT face. The greater
the voltage "drop" the more energetic the X-Rays.

The old black-and-white sets had about 14K volts drop.

The color had about 24K. Provided you do not put
you nose on the CRT there is only a very low risk.

Best,

Otis
Engineer