lcd tv over fireplace

[victormeldrew]

We are about to remodel our living room. Now I know a CRT HDTV is probably the best thing to have, but for reasons of domestic harmony a wall mounted LCD is on the agenda. Given that a compromise on visual clarity os already on the cards, I'd prefer to at least get a better deal sonically than the gash TV-in-the-corner-where-the-hell-do-the-surround-speakers-go mess we currently have. This dictates a central TV with speakers either side, and rear surrounds on the back wall (rather than in the corners firing along the walls as I have now).

The room however has a (naff IMO) Adams fireplace and a gas fire. The plan so far is to rip out the fire and fireplace and install a "widescreen" hole-in-the wall gas fire like this:



then mount an LCD TV above that. I was thinking of adding a very simple shelf above the fire (chunky, 4" wide, wall colour, hidden support) - giving the good lady somewhere to put her favourite candlesticks () and also deflecting heat away from the TV.

Anyone any idea how much space to leave between the fire and TV? I don't want the TV to be too high to view comfortably - for the same reason I'd probably install the fire a bit lower than shown as well.

[job38]

The screen over fire place is a little done to death, if I could be so bold.

But with a simple slot fire below could be rather nice.

This company do THE most beautiful contemporary fires: www.cvo.co.uk/

I'd suggest using metal wall liner to stud out the wall and recess the screen (and centre speaker) into it, whilst also concealing the wires.
You could also use something like Supalux to attenuate heat transmission.

[victormeldrew]

I agree, that's why I want to rip out the fireplace.

I want to avoid the fake chimney breast look that boxing in would give, if I can. I can hide the cabling in the wall OK.

Supalux board is a good idea if I do add a shelf though, cheers. The shelf would be chunky enough to incorporate the centre speaker (it's a dinky Monitor Radius jobbie, less than 4" deep).

This is a crude representation of what I have in mind, to approximate scale (the box on the right is a window!):

Edited by victormeldrew on Wednesday 24th January 21:24

[staceyb]

The fire would bugger your tv, our plasma fire chucks out most of its heat through its top vent.

[_dobbo_]

Get thee over to Avforums.co.uk - some people on there spend tens of thousands of pounds on AV installations, if it's to do with home cinema, and you can think of it - someone there has done it.

[victormeldrew]

_dobbo_ said:

Get thee over to Avforums.co.uk - some people on there spend tens of thousands of pounds on AV installations, if it's to do with home cinema, and you can think of it - someone there has done it.

I'll try that, thanks.

[Tuna]

It's not the same, but our CRT TV sits one foot above a big old gas fire. The total protection I've put in for it is a two inch deep strip of fibreboard sitting horizontally along the front edge of the TV to deflect the hot air. The bottom edge does warm up, but in 18 months there has been no discernible damage. I may be wrong, but most TVs are designed to be able to cope with being baked in full sunlight in a living room, so some heat isn't necessarily a problem. I'd be happy enough with the sort of shelf you've described to keep everything going. Just my opinion mind.

[victormeldrew]

Thanks Tuna.

Offsetting the fireplace and TV as in the drawing should help too, and maybe some reflective material on the bottom edge of the shelf.

Just have to find a suitable fire now!