Wall mount a large TV

[dneprrider]

I would think the optimum height will depend upon the size of the set. Could we modify this poll to cover a range of heights and add the screen sizes?

em

Sure - Go ahead and modify. I'm thinking about installing my TV tomorrow so the sooner I see what a good height is the better for me.

The TV I have is 42" plasma.

[mcervi]

I think my TV is about 36" above the floor (37" screen BTW). It is probably higher than it should be technically, but I don't really feel like I'm looking "up" at the TV when we're watching it. It probably helps that I have a tilting mount and have the TV angled down about 10 degrees.

My reasoning behind putting it so high was:
1. I wanted enough room under the TV for an attractive console to hold AV equipment, CD storage, etc. with a center channel speaker sitting on top. That stand ended up being 26" high. Plus I wanted to have a visual gap between the TV and the things below it.
2. The TV should look "right" in the room when you're standing in it. Artwork should be eye level and TV's are likely as big or bigger than any artwork you have hanging. A TV mounted just 2 1/2 feet off the ground is very low on the wall and that leaves a lot of blank wall above it.

[groover km]

maybe not helpful for above a fireplace,I mounted mine so that the top of the tv is at just above eye level (in fact, there is a pic of my tv somkewhere on the forum if you search for my name). I then angle it down a little like mcervi above so that it is at a comfortable angle. We found that this gave the best compromise between standing up (such as when the wife is on the dancemat and for the planned-for wii) sitting on the couch for viewing, and sitting on the floor for xbox and the kids.

Highly recommend a tilting mount as for the little extra it's worthit for another axis of adjustment, certainly if you are unsure of mounting height.

[dneprrider]

Update:

I made a cardboard cutout of the TV and moved it around on the wall in an attempt to try and judge a good wall height position between too low and too high for various watchers. In the end it appeared that 38" high at a viewing distance of greater than 9' seemed about right.

I installed the TV wall mount (very robust & strong mount - I would recommend this model to others. See first post in this thread for details) and cut two 2.5" holes through the wall for separate AV and power cable pass throughs.

Once I had all this done then I had to think how to set up the speakers. I didn't want the speaker to take away from the clean ascetic look of the TV on the wall. So I placed the front speakers on the floor in the both corners of the room on the same wall as the TV. The speaker wires come up behind the baseboard/skirting board and into the speakers. I may look for some slim speakers that complemet the TV whicj could be mounted besdie the TV on the wall.

I still have to find a nice looking center channel speaker or mount a small one behibd the TV. I am looking at mounting the rear surround speakers in the wall on either side of the room. I bought some ceiling insert speakers a few years ago which I could do this with.

Speaker placement is the most difficult problem encountered so far, considering this is a retrofit as opposed to a new home construction.



I am waiting for the IR Remote Control Extender and IR Repeater System (http://www.avdeals.ca/microsmith/hlp.htm) to arrive to complete the setup.

This type of hidden AV install looks very nice and I would recommend it if you have an interior wall and space behind in which to place all the equipment.

As mentioned earlier the TV bottom is mounted at at height of 38" from the floor. As there is still some adjustment left in the mounting bracket I may lower the TV one more inch or two and see what that looks like. I definitely would not like it any higher.

The media closet still cabling needs to be tidied up to fining off the job.
.

[groover km]

Very nice, clean installation - good job!

[Ted the Penguin]

looks nice, my only recommendation is that you might want to get some beefier shelves, those look a littler overloaded.