The best TV to be recessed into my wall

[K50 DEL]

In the process of renovating the lounge at the moment and we're having to do some work to the chimney breast.
As part of this work, I have the opportunity to recess the TV

I have a choice of the following screens

Philips 37PFL7605 - highly recommended by DeR (a price please kind sir!)
Panasonic 37DT30
Samsung UE37C6530

Any comments on which of these I should go for and why?

[Autopilot]

I'm doing a similar thing to you so also looking for a new TV (preferably LED as they seem to be much thinner). My house was built around 1850 so everything is solid, so have ruled out chasing cables in to the wall etc or creating a recess but luckily the design of the fireplace allows for cables to be run down the side of it (purely coincidental!). As I want my TV to sit close to the wall, the position of the HDMI ports is quite important in my selection of a screen. I was after an LG LX9900 but noticed that most of the HDMI ports were on the back facing outwards, so what starts out as a super slim screen that should fit quite flush on the wall, will actually stick out a fair way by the time you get some cables in there. I'd check the sets you're looking at to see where the HDMIs are and it they compliment the design you have for your lounge. From memory, Samsung sets seem to have the HDMI ports recessed and facing sideways allowing for a flusher fit so worth considering things like this.

[K50 DEL]

I have gone for a Samsung UE37C6530UK as it's seriously thin and has rave reviews everywhere I look.
I also have 2 of the 40" and 2 of the 60" versions here in the office and they are excellent screens.

[Trustmeimadoctor]

Autopilot said:

I'm doing a similar thing to you so also looking for a new TV (preferably LED as they seem to be much thinner). My house was built around 1850 so everything is solid, so have ruled out chasing cables in to the wall etc or creating a recess but luckily the design of the fireplace allows for cables to be run down the side of it (purely coincidental!). As I want my TV to sit close to the wall, the position of the HDMI ports is quite important in my selection of a screen. I was after an LG LX9900 but noticed that most of the HDMI ports were on the back facing outwards, so what starts out as a super slim screen that should fit quite flush on the wall, will actually stick out a fair way by the time you get some cables in there. I'd check the sets you're looking at to see where the HDMIs are and it they compliment the design you have for your lounge. From memory, Samsung sets seem to have the HDMI ports recessed and facing sideways allowing for a flusher fit so worth considering things like this.

just use right angle flat hdmi cables simples

[danneth]

personally im a panasonic fan

[headcase]

For sheer style then the Samsung is the one to go for, very flat TV and downward/side facing sockets, they have actually been designed to be as flat as possible against the wall. You could argue the Panna is a better TV.. but for styling its just a black box with a picture in it.

[Cupramax]

danneth said:

personally im a panasonic fan

Surely there's not sufficient ventilation round that? My panny's like a hovercraft round the back, or have you got other ventilation behind the stud wall?

[danneth]

Cupramax said:

Surely there's not sufficient ventilation round that? My panny's like a hovercraft round the back, or have you got other ventilation behind the stud wall?

Theres quite a deep back on it ye, as long as the vents aren't actually covered then tvs are fine

[headcase]

If you read your instruction book it will tell you the minimum gap, looks to me like you havent left enough room. The heat generated from the set will rise upwards requiring a gap to escape, the rising air will draw colder air from beneath also requiring a gap to get in, if you dont leave enough space to achieve the correct air circulation you run the risk of overheating and premature failure... and the amount of pannas littering our workshop floor they dont really need any extra assistance to get there!

[danneth]

headcase said:

If you read your instruction book it will tell you the minimum gap, looks to me like you havent left enough room. The heat generated from the set will rise upwards requiring a gap to escape, the rising air will draw colder air from beneath also requiring a gap to get in, if you dont leave enough space to achieve the correct air circulation you run the risk of overheating and premature failure... and the amount of pannas littering our workshop floor they dont really need any extra assistance to get there!

Looks to you like i haven't left enough room? thats some special eyes you have just so i know how good they are... could you tell me the distance between the back of the TV to the wall? Could you also tell me the diameter of the hole left behind the TV

I know you might think not everyone knows what there doing but ive been working alongside http://www.audio-images.co.uk/About_Us/ for the last 10 years now, so my knowledge on home cinema etc is quite decent

[K50 DEL]

headcase said:

If you read your instruction book it will tell you the minimum gap, looks to me like you havent left enough room. The heat generated from the set will rise upwards requiring a gap to escape, the rising air will draw colder air from beneath also requiring a gap to get in, if you dont leave enough space to achieve the correct air circulation you run the risk of overheating and premature failure... and the amount of pannas littering our workshop floor they dont really need any extra assistance to get there!

I wasn't able to read the manual, but I've left 80mm on each side of the TV in my new build.... hopefully that'll be enough, given the bracket holds it max 12mm from the wall....
Don't really want premature failure!