tv - led lcd over fireplace (somewhat repetitive, i know)

13 years ago

We're in the process of putting an LCD TV over our fireplace but we have the luxury of reconstructing the fireplace.

Would love any feedback on our plan below. I know there is another post on this subject but didn't want to hijack that thread.

We are attempting to make sure

--TV is no more than 44 inches above floor level

--installing a fireplace gas insert into our wood burning fireplace

--using "fireplace canopy" that can extend out 6 inches and can be used for "zero tolerance" fireplaces such as gas inserts - eliminates the need for a mantle and thus allows us to keep tv low - e.g. one example of a fireplace canopy here

--plan to use thermometer after installation and look for temperature of less than 105 degrees, if doesn't pass test then will put a more intrusive mantle in place but hoping we won't have to do that

--electronics (tentatively) will be in a cabinet on a wall crosswise from the tv wall with a soffit adjoining so cables can be run (and don't have to reduce height of TV)

(not installing electronics on same wall is most controversial, right now of all our issues - comments?)

--probably will get Samsung 55 inch even though I understand warranty will be voided - live in Texas - not too many nights when fireplace will be used - though more nights than currently used, I'm sure

--side note, plan to use marble tile surround both above, sides and below (if there turns out to be a below) - hearth will be marble slab

We haven't done any of this, still in design stage -- would love any feedback.

Here is a link that might be useful: fireplace canopy - one example

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Comments (3)

hoozdiss
13 years ago
44 inch to center or top is low for fireplace. You can use a tilt bracket to give more height. I've installed many tv's over a fireplace. Haven't had any problems. Usually gas ones in new construction (alot of them come with blowers). Found most people don't use both at the same time. If concerned about heat you can add a low volt fan behind tv if room. Assuming that this brick fireplace you can run 1 or 1 1/4 inch conduit before tile goes in (HDMI heads are large)to get wire to other side of room. Just make sure you plan if your remote will be RF based or extend your IR. You will also need to get cable feed to electronics closet.
elphaba_gw
Original Author
13 years ago
THANKS very much for the feedback. -- I meant 44 inches to be the distance from floor to bottom of the TV - it is amazing how many different opinions there are on the web concerning TVs over the fireplace.
Didn't even think about the different type of remotes. Great point.
Also, the "low volt fan behind TV" is great. Since we are building, we can add room now (rather than later).
We have a tv guy coming out in a couple of days to give us a bid and some comments about our plans. thanks to your input, I will not be quite as dumb about this.
I'll keep posting about our progress hoping to help someone else thinking about doing the same thing.
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When designing or house, DH and I took a hard look at how we really lived and realized that, while the two of us did watch quite a bit of TV, we didn't ever watch it when we had company over. When we have company, we want the focus to be on conversation and VISITING and having a TV going in the background seems to interfere with that. So we decided to banish the TV from our Great Room entirely. Instead we have a very small TV room upstairs next to our laundry room. The TV room is just big enough for our love-seat recliner (where the two of us sit when watching TV) a 48" flat screen mounted on the opposite wall at eye-level when one is seated, and a glider rocker plus a small stack of big floor-pillows. The extra chair and floor pillow are in case friends bring kids when they come to visit. Half a dozen kids can watch TV comfortably while the adults visit downstairs. By banishing the TV from the Great Room, I totally solved the problem of how to keep it and the fireplace from competing. And interestingly, DH and I find that with the TV upstairs, we actually watch a whole lot less of it now than we used to. We record the shows we like and only watch when we make a "decision" to do so. Usually, about one or two evenings a week, we will go up and catch up on our shows and I'll get the laundry caught up at the same time. Most evenings, even when we don't have company over, the two of us will sit in the Great Room and read or work on crafts or do something like that INSTEAD of watching TV. I admit that we did stick a second small flat-screen TV in the breakfast nook where it can also be seen from the kitchen. But I think that TV has been turned on maybe three times in the two years we've lived in the house. And eventually DH says he wants a big screen TV in his "man-cave" over the garage b/c he has visions of hosting the guys over to watch the big games. Truthfully tho, he really isn't that big of a sports-fan so getting the big-screen TV for the man-cave isn't really a high priority. Not saying that our "solution" will work for everyone - but it is another option that some folks might want to consider.
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yosemitebill
13 years ago
Just saw your post regarding your fireplace mount.

There's a lot of variables when mounting over a fireplace: wood, pellet, or in your case, gas - zero clearance insert or real brick built fireplace - then LCD or plasma (plasma generally has cooling fans w/filters that don't like smoke & dust) - smoke is attracted to the screen - temperature rising up to the TV (which usually in most cases is not as bad as you'd think) - height of the TV which should be at eye level at the center of the screen or worse case, bottom of the screen (but then that also depends on how much TV you watch) and yes a tilt mount helps with higher mounts.

Next, is on a finished brick fireplace you don't know where studs are or what's behind them - any installations that I've done I have always gone through the mortar into the stud or header, as opposed to damaging the brick which is difficult to repair if the mount is taken down.

And, the big next, is installing an electrical outlet behind the TV and then finding a way to route the A/V cables to the equipment - running across the brick really doesn't create the "Photoshop look" people see in magazines!

I have done some installations where a remodel was being done and they could open up a wall so you could see inside where you want to mount and figure out a cable route (keep it expandable) and outlet installation.

Having said all that it can be done but I have also have had customers who wanted me to take down an installation somebody else did over their fireplace. I won't do a fireplace installation unless I am very comfortable about the installation, the customer understands everything, and then it will often be much more expensive than mounting on a standard wall.

So, just be sure about what you want and make sure whoever does it, does it all to code... you wouldn't believe some of the stuff I seen such as AC power cords being fed down walls, etc..

tv - led lcd over fireplace (somewhat repetitive, i know)

Comments (3)

hoozdiss

elphaba_gw
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tv - led lcd over fireplace (somewhat repetitive, i know)

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hoozdiss

elphaba_gwOriginal Author

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elphaba_gw
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