TV Mounting

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linw

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Topic # 43142 18-Oct-2009 16:23

Apologies if this has been covered but I just can't get any sense out of the site search mechanism!

Friend is building a new house and is mounting a 55" LCD TV to a wall. The walls are not lined yet so cabling is still an open issue.

I would like to hear how the 'cableless' wall mounting is being done. They will be having some form of cabinet below for other devices but obviously don't want linking cables showing. Do people use in-wall ducts with exits behind the TV and equipment cabinets?

Thanks for any info to pass on.

ilovemusic

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Reply # 264951 19-Oct-2009 01:05

Wall mounting is another numbnuts idea dreamed up by idiot interior decorators.

It works against the physiological theory behind setting up a good viewing environment.

You want your eyes to focus only on the screen and not its surroundings.

That means setting the screen away from the wall, not on it.

As you will have a cabinet for the other equipment, simply get one big enough to support your TV too.

joker97

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Reply # 264952 19-Oct-2009 02:25

i have a 50" plasma and been looking 1 year for a cabinet big enough for it not to look silly and strong enough to hold 45kg without collapsing in the middle!

vinnieg

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Reply # 264968 19-Oct-2009 08:37

cableless is easy,

Since the walls aren't lined :)
measure up roughly how high you want the TV and mount(so you know where to place the dwang)
I'd say, get a cantilever mount too, so you can swivel it and basically pull it away from the wall so it sits nicely.

Install a dwang to hold the TV(horizontal brace for the non tradies) usually a piece of 2x4 roughly 60mm long with two nails in each end. And make it level.

Then next to the TV mount, you would setup: HDMI(to goto reciever, or multiple HDMI boxes, Network cable(for future installs), aerial cable, AV cables), power cable(get the sparky to do this)

Basically, get a bunch of connectors to be used. I use AMDEX boxes
http://madkiwi.com/product_info.php?cPath=40_35&products_id=127
You can have upto 6 connections. With my current one, i have 2x network cat6, 1x aerial F type(screw on), 2x HDMI(just coming through the hole, couldn't find a port.

You'll also need about 4 electrical mounting boxes to comply to NZ standards.
2 for the HDMI/component cables on one side of the stand
1 for the power box on the other side of the stand(to minimize electrical interference)
1 for a spare(incase you screw one up)

The wiring for the networking/HDMI/AV cables is easy :) just a couple of push in plugs, strip the wire, get a metal pushing too and push it into the posts. basically like wiring up a phoneline or a network cable if you've done that before?

For the electrics, get a sparky to run a lead off the lower plug socket(assuming you'll have one for your home theatre stuff?) up the wall to the new TV jackpoint.

Then it's all done :)
I've got pics of my setup, If i remember, I'll try get them up tonight, in between advertising some junk on trademe.

All in all, if you do it on a cantilever swivel bracket, at a good viewing height, with no wires, it does look really good :)

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

Dinuir

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Reply # 264970 19-Oct-2009 08:40

Hi,

I have just gone though the same thing at home. We put ducting in the wall before re-jibing.

I still have a cabinet below the wall mounted 55" TV to hold my Amp, PS3, MySKy etc. I left a hole in the wall behind the TV (i.e. hidden once the TV is wall mounted) and left another hole below where it is hidden by the cabinet.

I put in draw wires and found capping for the two holes (holes are same size as a standard outlet) to make it tidy. Between the two holes, i put in ducting so wires would be easy to insert and remove.

End result is the TV is "floating" on the wall and no visible wires can be seen at all.

Personally, I disagree with ilovemusic. What he believes can be alerted by many different things such as wall colour behind the TV, lighting etc. Also, haveing a TV wall mounted makes it harder for kids to touch. Also different wall mounting kits give you different distance away from the wall. In my case, I have a Samsung 55" LED 8 Series with the slim wall mounting kit. The TV sites less than 1" from the wall and visually, it looks good. It all comes down to personal preference.

vinnieg

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Reply # 264973 19-Oct-2009 08:46

Oh yeah and if that's not too clear, here's a diagram, not sure if I explained it well enough above, just remember. Do it right, do it well and do it to the electrical code and you'll have no issues :)

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

vinnieg

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Reply # 264974 19-Oct-2009 08:51

yeah the ducting idea is good for non power cables definitely :) easy system too.

But to make it safe, you should have a box for the power cable and run a new feed, otherwise you are risking your insurance. because if you use the standard TV power cable or an extension cable and it snags on a sharp edge in the wall. the insurance won't cover it :(

I only know this because i had a hacked extension cord running my routers through a wall :S and got snapped by one of the sparkies working on my house.

Found a video, close to what mine looks like(although mine is a lot lower, like 1m lower, that wallmount is way too high:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5o2qzxHTgw

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

Dingbatt

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Reply # 264976 19-Oct-2009 09:07

For futureproofing run a couple of extra lengths of electrical conduit more than you think you'll need at the moment and terminate them with a mounted flush box at each end. Don't bother making a hole in your gib just take a note of where they are in relation to your visible wall plates. Put some draw wires through them. Ensure they won't interfere with the mounting bracket's wallplate or screws.

If you are intending to have only a small gap behind the TV then consider also that most appliances have a plug that sticks straight out rather than a right-angle exit (I assume you could buy a new cable with a 90 degree plug though) and that you should be able to isolate the appliance by being able to reach the switch on the socket.
The same standout distance issue may also apply for hdmi sockets/plugs.

I have moved all my AV equipment to a central location with only the TVs and speakers in the viewing rooms. If you even remotely think that that may be a possibility in the future then run some conduit up to your ceiling space as well. It can be left 'blind' as I suggested above.

Edit: Also if you can afford the extra expense, consider a surge protector socket for the TV.

Areas of Geek interest: Home Theatre, HTPC, Android Tablets & Phones, iProducts.

linw

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Reply # 265100 19-Oct-2009 17:03

Thanks so much for the trouble you all have taken. The info is REALLY useful and it will help ensure that silly mistakes aren't made. I note the reference to mains power regs. That won't be a problem as it will be wired by the contracting sparky with outlets behind the TV and several down low.

They only have the Sky STB and a home theatre system at the moment so not too much to cable up. It would be nice to get the stuff out of sight but would be problematic with inserting DVD/CDs and would need RF to IR doofahs.

Thanks again from my friends!

richms

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Reply # 265510 21-Oct-2009 00:44

40mm flexi conduit will take any plug you need - VGA, HDMI, whatever. Simplist and easiest way IMO rather than dicking around with wall plates and multiple cables.

Richard rich.ms

vinnieg

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Reply # 265537 21-Oct-2009 08:40

You could do, but there's no point spending extra? flexi conduit is expensive unless you get trade rates
Each to their own I guess

IMO since the wallboards are off, it's easier to get a couple of cheap wall plates and do it nicely the first time. So even if you don't install a TV for a while, at least you have the wallplates up, instead of some conduit sticking out of the wall with HDMI plugs :)

i just like the nice and clean install look, plus I do everything to regulation....just in case someone burns my house down when I'm renting it out :S

I have moved across the ditch. Now residing in Melbourne as a VOIP/Video Technical Trainer/Engineer.

richms

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Reply # 265663 21-Oct-2009 14:10

I have had problems with hdmi and the wall plates at a total run of 5m - 3 in the wall and 1m at each end - 1080p was a no go from a PS3 thru it. They were the plates with a socket on each side.

To be honest the idea of putting a plate behind a TV and then having to bundle up wires to go the few 100mm between the plate and the display, and having the plugs sticking out of the wall (biggest are the component ones which may not be needed) is worse than a piece of flexi conduit terminating on a square double gang plate that you can poke whatever thru.

I saw once a recessed power socket for behind displays as well, but cant find it again unfortunatly.

Richard rich.ms

NonprayingMantis

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Reply # 266690 25-Oct-2009 15:26

We have wall mounted our TV, and placed the Mysky box, PS3, Wii etc in the room directly behind it Small hole in the wall, feed the wires thorugh, bob's your uncle.

Works a charm. the TV is 'floating' on the wall, no boxes or even cabinets taking up floor space, no visible wires or boxes at all.

linw

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Reply # 266798 26-Oct-2009 09:26

NPMantis, that's what my friends have decided to do as well. How did you handle the Remote IR problem?

Jaxson

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Reply # 267633 28-Oct-2009 10:51

linw: NPMantis, that's what my friends have decided to do as well. How did you handle the Remote IR problem?

PS3 IR to bluetooth adaptor can sort this, if this helps?

Jaxson

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Reply # 267636 28-Oct-2009 10:54

richms: To be honest the idea of putting a plate behind a TV and then having to bundle up wires to go the few 100mm between the plate and the display, and having the plugs sticking out of the wall (biggest are the component ones which may not be needed) is worse than a piece of flexi conduit terminating on a square double gang plate that you can poke whatever thru.

Totally agree. I used to be keen on the fancy termination wall plates etc, but the main ones close to receiver/TV etc are usually hidden anyway. Each break of the original cable is another place for signal degradation/corrosion/failure etc etc. Unless you honestly need to be swapping speakers regularly etc I personally think they're more for show than quality and I'd recommend going with direct cable runs wherever possible.