Fixing tv to wall - How do you hide the cables?

PictoPicto Posts: 24,270
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I want to fix a 42" LCD TV to the wall above a feature fire. If the plug sockets are in the corners of the room and the tv is central on the wall how do I conceal all the wires. I can't run them directly down because of the fire.

I also have to connect my DVD, XBOX & Wii to the tv. Any ideas?

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  • 2shy20072shy2007 Posts: 52,577
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    Conduit is your friend.

    We took ours down from the tv to the fireplace, then ran it along and down the wall round the corner, and painted it the same colour as the wall, it hardly noticed.

    We got fed up with the tv being on the wall though, it is not a comfortable viewing angle, so now it is back off of the wall and on a stand in the corner.
  • Keefy-boyKeefy-boy Posts: 13,561
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    Picto wrote: »
    I want to fix a 42" LCD TV to the wall above a feature fire. If the plug sockets are in the corners of the room and the tv is central on the wall how do I conceal all the wires. I can't run them directly down because of the fire.

    I also have to connect my DVD, XBOX & Wii to the tv. Any ideas?
    There are various ways to conceal wires and it usually comes down to how far you want to go and how good you want it to look.

    You also need to think about whether it's likley you'll want to add or remove wires in the future.

    The first thing to do is to take advantage of anything that the location might offer, eg is it a stud partition or a solid wall? The best way to conceal them could be to come from behind the wall or up or down the middle of the plasterboard if its a stud.

    Easier ideas are making false skirting, channelling cable into the plaster or plasterboard, or as said above conduit, though personally I think that looks pretty awful but it's quick and easy.
  • clonmultclonmult Posts: 3,366
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    2shy2007 wrote: »
    Conduit is your friend.

    We took ours down from the tv to the fireplace, then ran it along and down the wall round the corner, and painted it the same colour as the wall, it hardly noticed.

    We got fed up with the tv being on the wall though, it is not a comfortable viewing angle, so now it is back off of the wall and on a stand in the corner.

    I did exactly the same - painted the conduit the same colour as the wall, and it was barely noticable. And that was with every single possible cable run through it.

    Call down to your local B&Q or Homebase, loads of plastic trunking available in different sizes/lengths for almost any cable run from the TV!
  • PictoPicto Posts: 24,270
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    Thanks for the ideas.

    I am slightly worried about mounting the tv high on the wall because of the viewing angle. I think it will kill my neck looking up at it all the time but I suppose I won't know until I try. Can you tilt the wall brackets forward a bit so that the viewing angle is better?

    I've spotted some nice wall panels in Ikea that conceal wires but only up to a point, then the conduit idea will have to be used.
  • trevalyantrevalyan Posts: 7,705
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    the only way to do this properly is to chase out the plaster board and recess the cabling. anything else just looks like a bodge imo
  • FinglongaFinglonga Posts: 4,898
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    Picto wrote: »
    Can you tilt the wall brackets forward a bit so that the viewing angle is better?

    No matter what angle it is at you are still looking up to watch television. It's ok if you have a reclining chair but a pain in the neck if not.

    On the usual stand it is at head height and a natural viewing angle and easier to watch for prolonged periods, as in watching a film without a crick in the neck.
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 620
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    The optician told me that this positioning of the television was also bad for your eyes (same for the computer screen). You can get dry eye syndrome because the white of your eye is more exposed more frequently.

    Television does look smart like that though!!!
  • PictoPicto Posts: 24,270
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    Finglonga wrote: »
    No matter what angle it is at you are still looking up to watch television. It's ok if you have a reclining chair but a pain in the neck if not.

    On the usual stand it is at head height and a natural viewing angle and easier to watch for prolonged periods, as in watching a film without a crick in the neck.

    I could get a really tall sofa :)
  • TassiumTassium Posts: 31,639
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    If the walls are plain coloured (and you still have some paint left over):

    A piece of thin card painted the same colour as the wall, with low-tack double-sided tape on it's rear, placed over the cables that come down from the TV.

    If the card is thin enough and curved slightly, and maybe a vase placed in front, it will blend in a bit.


    However, I have found having a screen on the wall is not the best for actual viewing, unless it's very low down. Looks great in Sony product catalogues though.


    If you have a 50" or above then it probably has to go on the wall, but a 42" can look good on a nice real wood low table in the corner of the room. Not those glass and chrome things, a nice John Lewis table.
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