help me understand a man who won't mount the tv on the wall!

15 years ago

DH is the biggest techno goober around. We have reorganized the whole music/workout room and gotten him a flat-screen TV for the room. He has been researching wireless transmitters so he (1) doesn't have to run cable to that room and (2) can control the Tivo from the workout room and therefore watch all the cable channels in there. (He has actually just ordered this gizmo -- with a free secondary gizmoe that will allow you to turn off a light with the remote -- as I have been typing this post).

His plan is to put the TV on top of a music cabinet we have in that room. The problem, as I see it: said cabinet is about 4' tall and about 14" square and this is a 26" TV. The TV will hang off the edge of this cabinet, right by the door. I am terrified that as we schlep instruments in and out of this room that we will knock the TV off the cabinet. Also, if the TV is on that wall, it has to plug into the outlet that is controlled by the wall switch -- not the end of the world, but not optimal.

My idea (and a brilliant one if I say so myself) is to wall mount the TV on one of those articulating mounts on the other side of the room, above the piano/keyboard. That way it could be seen while sitting at the keyboard or while practicing an instrument (he is learning Bassoon and has some DVDs for it). He could then swing the TV out to see it from the exercise bike.

But DH is just opposed to wall mounting it -- "I just don't really want to do that." I just don't get it. Isn't an articulating wall mount something that should make any man drool? Isn't the idea of the wall mount half the reason guys want to buy these things?

I have next week off before I start my new job. I am actually considering mounting the doggone thing myself. If he doesn't like it, he can take it down.

Help me. What am I doing wrong here?

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Comments (11)

jakabedy
Original Author
15 years ago
Oh, I forgot the pics. Not too good, but you should get some idea.

Here is one that shows the ginormous new "horn rack", with part of the music cabinet visible on the right. Immediately to the right of it is the door to the room:

Here is the other side of the room:
igloochic
15 years ago
You can't sit it on that cabinet...it's too little (and you know that). I understand a man who won't mount :oP Because I'm married to one, but he will at least allow me to do the man's work and mount it for him heh heh

Do it while he's gone, and be sure to hit a stud! If you don't have a stud in the right location, cut a piece of plywood that you can screw to the wall and then paint the same color as the wall, which will be behind the tv. Screw that to the studs, and then you can mount the tv anywhere on it you wish.
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walkin_yesindeed
15 years ago
OK, all this talk about mounting and studs, and screwing things to studs... I think I need a glass of wine.
moonkat99
15 years ago
And doing it all while the man is gone?

Yeah baby, we are strong women here!
jakabedy
Original Author
15 years ago
You people are terrible! I have a serious problem and you get all smutty on me!

But seriously . . . I am going to see if I can determine tomorrow where the studs are. The house is post and beam, so not traditional construction, but I imagine there are studs in there somewhere, even though the walls are not technically weight-bearing.

Now, what did I do with the wine?
newdawn1895
15 years ago
Ya'll crack me up!
mahatmacat1
15 years ago
I don't see how you all can be mocking jakabedy's DH, I mean any man who can play a bassoon obviously knows how to handle a large instrument.
uxorial
15 years ago
coffee out my nose, thanks to fly...

Seriously, though, if it was my DH, and he didn't want the TV mounted to the wall, I wouldn't do it myself as a "surprise." I'm sure your DH has good reasons for not wanting it wall mounted; have you asked him? Perhaps it's because you don't have studs in "traditional" locations. Post-and-beam houses are structurally different. Maybe he doesn't want it that high?

If I were you, I'd buy or build a sturdier, larger cabinet or shelving system for the TV. We just moved our 52" flat screen TV to the cabinet DH just finished building, and I was terrified the entire 30 seconds because it felt so wobbly. I thought the TV was going to go over backwards. In your case, I would be very concerned about knocking it off that little cabinet.

As far as location, an outlet that's controlled by a switch usually has one "constant hot" outlet and one controlled one. Just plug a lamp or night-light in to figure out which one is controlled by the wall switch, and then plug the TV into the other one.

And, I am wondering how much someone who's practicing an instrument is going to be watching TV. ? If you're sitting at the keyboard, it would be very difficult to see the TV above the keyboard. I would place the TV where it's most convenient for watching TV.
amysrq
15 years ago
Gyads you guyz. :-)

Getting back to the original (if slightly more boring) line of discussion...my DH is really freaked out about permanently installing things into walls, too. (see, I didn't say it) You've heard of Type A and Type B? Well, he's Type W. Worried. That's why we don't live on a boat anymore. He claims he didn't sleep for two years, worrying about everything that could go wrong.

So, Jakabedy, given that my DH is a musician too, maybe there's some genetic link between music and wondering where the studs are and concern about the whole array coming crashing to the floor. Perhaps if you look carefully at how to engineer the installation and then present it to him, he'll be more amenable.

Other possibility (and my DH falls into this sick category, too) is that he's not comfortable spending money on himself. If that's the case, maybe he feels there's no more room in the budget for another gizmo.

I agree that having a big TV in such a vulnerable place would make me nuts. I wouldn't go so far as to install the TV without my old man's blessing though. Would not go over well in this house. Good luck!
patricianat
15 years ago
Amyrq, I had no idea your husband in addition to being an artist, was also a musician. (I did not give birth to him, I know). :-) I have 3 of those in my family and who knows from whence their talents came. Our #2 attended Berklee. I know you are from that part of the globe, so just thought I would throw that in and whilst he was there,the baby was applying to MIT and his wife (mother of my only granddaughter) was attending Boston U and their paths ever crossed until they all returned to Birmingham.
runninginplace
15 years ago
"If you don't have a stud in the right location,"

...try looking on South Beach in Miami, they're everywhere.

;)

Sorry, couldn't resist. Carry on with your regularly scheduled discussion.

Ann

help me understand a man who won't mount the tv on the wall!

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jakabedy
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igloochic

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help me understand a man who won't mount the tv on the wall!

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jakabedyOriginal Author

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