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there was an article/website that described how you can measure temperature over your fireplace. Those LCD/plasma TV's have a certain temperature limit. I can't remember the details, but before I installed my TV I did check the temperature. There was very little heat transference to my wood mantle top let alone the TV 1/2 foot away.
If you are serious about considering that area for TV, there are some things you should consider. If you are debating the aestetics of TV over fireplace.. carry on.
I had no choice, if your looking into the room facing the fireplace, there are built-ins on either side of the fireplace, to the left are 4 windows overlooking the enclosed sunroom, behind is the kitchen and dining rooms and to the right leads to the front entry/foyer...there are no solid walls in our great room to accomodate a piece of furniture to hold a tv...I have a piece of furniture, but zero space for it in the room...
That being said, I don't like the tv above the fireplace, but had no other options for the room. It's definitely too high, I have the couch centered in front of the fireplace, mind you it's a big room but you still have a sore neck watching tv...I have an oversized chair facing the 4 windows, so sitting in that chair to watch tv is very uncomfortable...
IMO, the bottom line is avoid hanging the tv above the fireplace....
I wouldnt hang a very expensive piece of electronics over a fireplace.
With heat and soot its just a bad idea. My 2c worth as an electronics technician.
I don't like it and I don't do it. I think it's uncomfortable to have to crane one's neck in order to watch TV.
It's also pretentious. I think many of the people who do this are practically screaming "Look at my flat screen!"
Also, the fire place is visually interesting and beautiful. Why should it have to compete with an appliance?
On the other hand, the obsession of some to hide the television is equally pretentious. My MIL actually had my FIL build a country styled cabinet to hide their television so as to not have the 20th C. encroach on her Colonial country Oasis.
Same goes for those overly carved "Armoires". It's a television. It's not a work of art - or a toilet bowl for that matter.
To me it makes no sense to install a flat screen above the fireplace or any other source of heat. Just place your hand over the cooling vents of your flat screen TV after it has been ON for awhile. The air near the ceiling is already hotter than the air near the floor; add the heat from the fireplace, and the TV can run quite hot.
So, here's my dilema. We don't run our fireplace very often, so heat is not the issue. The issue is, Why do they put a fireplace/focal point in a room that is meant only for watching television?
We are faced with this issue and really cannot resolve it.
I could arrange furniture around the fireplace, or I could arange furniture around watching TV. I'm at a loss. The only solution I see is to watch watching TV, which would be no great loss.
I don't like it and I don't do it. I think it's uncomfortable to have to crane one's neck in order to watch TV. It's also pretentious. I think many of the people who do this are practically screaming "Look at my flat screen!"
Also, the fire place is visually interesting and beautiful. Why should it have to compete with an appliance?
On the other hand, the obsession of some to hide the television is equally pretentious. My MIL actually had my FIL build a country styled cabinet to hide their television so as to not have the 20th C. encroach on her Colonial country Oasis.
Same goes for those overly carved "Armoires". It's a television. It's not a work of art - or a toilet bowl for that matter.
true, my BIL had a beautiful stacked stone FP with the fkat screen.......6 months later, he says I needed a bigger one........................................duh, so for another 10 inches he buys another one...............................who does that?????and why?????
I had no choice, if your looking into the room facing the fireplace, there are built-ins on either side of the fireplace, to the left are 4 windows overlooking the enclosed sunroom, behind is the kitchen and dining rooms and to the right leads to the front entry/foyer...there are no solid walls in our great room to accomodate a piece of furniture to hold a tv...I have a piece of furniture, but zero space for it in the room...
That being said, I don't like the tv above the fireplace, but had no other options for the room. It's definitely too high, I have the couch centered in front of the fireplace, mind you it's a big room but you still have a sore neck watching tv...I have an oversized chair facing the 4 windows, so sitting in that chair to watch tv is very uncomfortable...
IMO, the bottom line is avoid hanging the tv above the fireplace....
Our family room lay out is similar. We have no other wall space for the tv. And we opted not to have built ins, so we have open niches on either side of the fireplace that we use for other purposes. I've seen a lot of people place their televisions inside the niches, but in my opinion, it's unbalanced and looks very odd.
And for us, it doesn't cause neck strain, as I stated in another post. I
But again, our options were very limited because of the layout. But I happen to like it over the fireplace and it doesn't cause any neck strain for us.
It looks bad. It's an appliance, not a piece of art.
Even if you do not use the fireplace often, it is an architectural focal point. Why have it compete with a television?
I still say that people who do this are impressed with their televisions and want you to be also.
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