Hi,

We have a 40" LCD TV and are wondering, if it is best to hang it above a gas fireplace (with a blower). We have three concerns:
1. How will the heat affect the TV screen?
2. What is the visibility, in terms of looking at the TV and the fireplace (when it is on)? Will the fireplace distract the watching?
3. How about the look - a TV above the fireplace - should the fireplace have its own focal?

Does anybody has experiences with that?

I've seen it done on a number of the shows, so the look is just a matter of preference.

Definitely check the viewing angle of your TV. Many have issues if you are too far left/right OR above/below. Of course, you also need to make sure that 40" is large enough to be seen at the distance you will be sitting.

I personally prefer the TV to be at eye-level. I just think that this makes more ergonomical sense.

I'm with Syrinx075. It hurts to have your neck bent like that. Mine is only about 2 feet above eye level and I don't like it as well as eye level. Also, when the tv isn't on, all you're doing is looking at a slab of tv screen in most likely your focal point of the room. I do think tv's above fireplaces are cool if it's in a recreation room and you entertain where a lot of people are going to be standing, or sitting in a bar stool.

I have a television above my gas fireplace. My living room is large enough that the couch & chairs are far enough back that the viewing angle is comfortable and the tv is large enough to be seen. I never actually turn on the fireplace so I can not comment on the heat issues. Mine is a decorative fireplace anyway and really is not meant to be used for heating.

Candice Olsen has shown some good ideas for disguising large televisions with clever cabinetry. I don't mind the tv being over the fireplace at all.

If you use the fireplace ever, the heat can easily damage the TV. The designers who do this on HGTV shows, must simply not care if the very expensive TV dies.

I just bought a new LCD set, and in the box came a sheet a paper, just to warn me to NOT place the set over a fireplace, and mentioned that doing such, will void my warranty.

I too am wanting to hang a flat screen TV above our fireplace. We have not purchased the TV yet because I have SO many questions. Where would all the wires go? Not to hijack your thread but my fireplace is 52 inches wide and the brick actually comes out 34 inches on each side of the fireplace. On the brightside, I do have built-ins that are an additional 52 inches on each side- so there is plenty of room to hide the DVD player and such. My living room is 25 ft by 25 ft so I believe hanging the TV above the fireplace should not create to much visual strain. Is it possible to get so sort of attatchment so the screan can lean forward from the top (like the way some mirrors do?) That might help the viewing in smaller rooms.

I really don't understand why one would hang a TV on a fireplace.
On some decorating shows, designers were hiding the TV's in armoires-now they are hanging them on beautiful sotnhe firepalces-go figure.

Gennie

quote:

Originally posted by genniec:
I really don't understand why one would hang a TV on a fireplace.
On some decorating shows, designers were hiding the TV's in armoires-now they are hanging them on beautiful sotnhe firepalces-go figure.

Gennie

My main reason for putting my TV above my fireplace is to keep from fighting over the "focal point" My living room is 25 ft by 25 ft, however one entire wall is devoted to the fireplace with built-ins that fill-in the wall on both sides. That wall is with out a question the focal wall and it is hard to put the TV anywhere else unless you have your back to the fireplace.

You can go to a steareo store one that sells in home theather. They can do the wiring for you so the wires are hidden.. in the wall. They can even do something so the heat from fire place will not effect the tv. It cost money.


p.s you don't hang the tv on the fire place it is hung on the wall above the fire place such as a picture. They actually have new types of lCD's Tv that when turned off it looks like a mirror so you don't see the tv as the focal point of the room avg cost is 4-5000 with out install.. We saw it the other day at the home show.

Here is the link to the mirrored TV

http://www.mirrormedia.com/

I have seen something new that is to put over your T.V. on the wall. It looks like a wood cabinet with doors. very nice looking. There were a lot of styles also. It came in a home decorating flyer in the mail.

There are some flat screen HDTV's that have optional wood "picture frames". You can select a frame style that matches your tastes and decor.

However, again, I would still not want to risk damaging a very expense TV by hanging it over a working fireplace.

I agree with Walt. My TV specifically said that mounting above a fireplace would void the warranty.

If you're set on mounting it there, you can always buy a mount that will swivel and point the tv down towards the seating area when in use.

Our TV is hung above our fireplace, I hate it but hubby loves it. We haven't had any problems with it getting hot. My warranty isn't voided because of it.

My husband and I are currently having this same discussion. We have a gas fireplace and mounting a TV above it would be ideal for me in the kitchen. However, I think I would prefer to have the TV on an adjoining wall mounted on a swivel bracket so I can angle it towards the kitchen.

Height will be a problem depending on how tall your fireplace is (some start at the floor, some have a hearth). I think the heat will depend on if you have a gas or wood burning fireplace and if you have a mantle to block some of the heat. Mount a thermometer on the wall first.

Plasmas and LCDs might differ too on heat and visiblility.

It may be a better option to hide the Television inside of a cabinet or behind some kind of closing doors when it isn't in use.

quote:

Originally posted by JTB:
I think the heat will depend on if you have a gas or wood burning fireplace and if you have a mantle to block some of the heat. Mount a thermometer on the wall first.

I think the idea of checking with a thermometer first, it a great one.

Start your largest, roaring fire, and wait about 1/2 an hour. Place a thermometer up where you plan to mount your flat panel TV. If the temp is under 100deg, then you should be OK.

quote:

Originally posted by marine683:
It may be a better option to hide the Television inside of a cabinet or behind some kind of closing doors when it isn't in use.

I agree with this. when I'm not watching TV, I don't want to look at a TV, flatscreen or otherwise.