Building new house. Could use some setup advice

[aqualung]

Also a first, I’m used to all the hdmi cables going to the TV. Instead 1 cable goes the the receiver and the av equipment like the PS4 goes to the receiver and not the TV. Another reason I had the receiver put in the bookshelves.


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[Montucky]

Have you considered a passive sound bar? For less than ideal room layouts, I have LOVED the RBH Ultra-3. Super low profile, can be custom cut to match the width of your TV, and sounds awesome. Needs a receiver to power it of course, and likes to be paired with a good sub, but it really does sound great.
There are some other good 3-channel (LCR) bars out there, but the RBH is the one that I found myself always going back to.

You may also think about considering one of those drop down TV mounts that are made for TVs over fireplaces. It can be a good compromise. I'd then mount the bar directly to the bottom of the TV so they'd swing down together.

Lastly, judging by the pics, make sure to have the builder toss up some extra wood behind the TV location. Extra 2x4s or even better, a thick, solid piece of ply so you can just slap that baby up anywhere.

 

[aqualung]

Have you considered a passive sound bar? For less than ideal room layouts, I have LOVED the RBH Ultra-3. Super low profile, can be custom cut to match the width of your TV, and sounds awesome. Needs a receiver to power it of course, and likes to be paired with a good sub, but it really does sound great.
There are some other good 3-channel (LCR) bars out there, but the RBH is the one that I found myself always going back to.

You may also think about considering one of those drop down TV mounts that are made for TVs over fireplaces. It can be a good compromise. I'd then mount the bar directly to the bottom of the TV so they'd swing down together.

Lastly, judging by the pics, make sure to have the builder toss up some extra wood behind the TV location. Extra 2x4s or even better, a thick, solid piece of ply so you can just slap that baby up anywhere.

Yes definitely I asked him to put more studs for tv mounting. I was also planning on getting the mount you suggested

I wish I would know more about that sound bar lol. But the damage is done. Speakers and sub are paid for.

Here’s a pic of the model home with furniture. It gives you a better idea of spacing with furniture. We changed the room of course,

as the fireplace went to the opposite wall. When I was in the room and gauging speaker placement.. for my needs and expectations. I thought it will work good for me.


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[BMXTRIX]

Yeah, they have fireplaces that are much lower, and can be much wider. So, you get a very wide fireplace, instead of a 'tall' fireplace. This meshes well with the displays being larger and wider and creates a better match in the room overall IMO. Obviously, if you are already at this point in construction, then it is what it is, but I expect that at some point this will actually become a design standard as they already love the TV over the fireplace concept. Now we just need to get the TV lower so that people don't break their necks watching it.

Definitely make sure those components fit! Not a big deal to move the cables to the closet if needed.

Once again, if you haven't put in cat-5e/6 wiring (networking) to the TV and A/V location, then be sure to do so now. Do NOT count on wireless to work.

 

[aqualung]

Yeah, they have fireplaces that are much lower, and can be much wider. So, you get a very wide fireplace, instead of a 'tall' fireplace. This meshes well with the displays being larger and wider and creates a better match in the room overall IMO. Obviously, if you are already at this point in construction, then it is what it is, but I expect that at some point this will actually become a design standard as they already love the TV over the fireplace concept. Now we just need to get the TV lower so that people don't break their necks watching it.

Definitely make sure those components fit! Not a big deal to move the cables to the closet if needed.

Once again, if you haven't put in cat-5e/6 wiring (networking) to the TV and A/V location, then be sure to do so now. Do NOT count on wireless to work.

Yes, I googled some of those fireplaces and man they’re slick! Maybe next house. We plan to stay here at least 5 years and then Moving out west. Bad back and pain living in this wet Ohio climate.

There will be Ethernet connection in there. Hopefully the components will fit, if not I’m going to have to call the AV guy to move wires again. Lol. I’m sure they deal with worse customers. It happens. Fingers crossed Rick the contractor will call me back.

He basically said the framed area is 19.5”, and drywall will put it at 18.5”. I looked up the brand of shelves and the measurement thickness of the shelf wall is 3/8”. So that gives me 17.75”. My receiver is 17 1/8”. So will just fit. But I need to confirm that it is exactly so.



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[aqualung]

Got a callback and confirmed spacing for the shelf is 17.5” wide. Pheww. Like a glove


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[Montucky]

Got a callback and confirmed spacing for the shelf is 17.5” wide. Pheww. Like a glove

Make sure you have ample ventilation too! I have seen too many amplifiers succumb to an early demise due to thermals aka shoehorning a receiver into a tight spot or an enclosed cabinet.

 

[aqualung]

For sure, it will have at least 6” above it to ventilate


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[Montucky]

For sure, it will have at least 6” above it to ventilate

Excellent. I'd still toss in something like this for good measure: https://www.acinfinity.com/smart-cooling/component-fan-systems/aircom-t10-receiver-and-av-component-cooling-fan-system-front-exhaust-17/

Cheap insurance. I've personally had great luck with this brand.

 

[aqualung]

Excellent. I'd still toss in something like this for good measure: https://www.acinfinity.com/smart-cooling/component-fan-systems/aircom-t10-receiver-and-av-component-cooling-fan-system-front-exhaust-17/

Cheap insurance. I've personally had great luck with this brand.

Cool I like that. I will get one


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[William Lemmerhirt]

Haha! We’ve been 20 and below. Today is the Heatwave. 56 degrees. Going to wash that salt off my Jeep. Of course the doors and hard top are on. Showing you that pic would be like showing a pic of your wife with no makeup. Lol

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Haha. That’s funny.

 

[TLS Guy]

A TV over a fireplace is a bad idea. Get ready to spend a lot of cash replacing TVs. That looks like a potent fireplace.

If you put a TV above our fireplace it would be ruined in hours.

My daughter ignored my advice and had a TV literally explode in flames with a good fire below. Now they do not use that fireplace.

I personally think this should be against building codes. TVs over a fireplace is a really bad idea for lots of reasons.

 

[aqualung]

A TV over a fireplace is a bad idea. Get ready to spend a lot of cash replacing TVs. That looks like a potent fireplace.

If you put a TV above our fireplace it would be ruined in hours.

My daughter ignored my advice and had a TV literally explode in flames with a good fire below. Now they do not use that fireplace.

I personally think this should be against building codes. TVs over a fireplace is a really bad idea for lots of reasons.

For one, that’s a very high fireplace. Second, I would never put a TV over a wood burning fireplace. Ours is gas and power vented so it’s safe. We didn’t use the fireplace at all at our old house. So I imagine we won’t use it much.

Thanks for the concern and sharing. Wow that would have been scary having a TV burst in flames.

 

[TLS Guy]

For one, that’s a very high fireplace. Second, I would never put a TV over a wood burning fireplace. Ours is gas and power vented so it’s safe. We didn’t use the fireplace at all at our old house. So I imagine we won’t use it much.

Thanks for the concern and sharing. Wow that would have been scary having a TV burst in flames.

I think you will find since that is a new fireplace it will put out more heat then you think. New gas fireplaces have to be at least 70% efficient. What is the BTU rating of that fireplace?

 

[jinjuku]

Just get a wood burning stove instead and use it with corner placement.

 

[aqualung]

I think you will find since that is a new fireplace it will put out more heat then you think. New gas fireplaces have to be at least 70% efficient. What is the BTU rating of that fireplace?

It’s a 32” Majestic. I believe it’s 19000btu


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[aqualung]

From what the builder told us and why they put tv hookups over the fireplace, is the fireplace is more visual than functional. I know.. but they said only about 10% of the fires heat is radiated into the house. The mantel being 8” will also deflect heat away from the TV. So the fireplace is more for ambiance than function.. prob the reason we rarely used ours in the other home.

 

[Montucky]

Yeah, in regard to being over fireplaces, I always suggest to my customers that just HAVE to have it at that location (often due to it being the ONLY place a TV can go...darn you builders!!!), that (A) try not to use the TV and the fireplace at the same time, and (B) just treat your TV as disposable. Going in with that attitude, it should be ok. Still not ideal, but it should be ok. If you have to replace your TV every couple of years, then that's all right. "Needed" that fancy new 8K LG anyway, right? Always a good excuse with the spousal unit.

 

[aqualung]

Yeah, in regard to being over fireplaces, I always suggest to my customers that just HAVE to have it at that location (often due to it being the ONLY place a TV can go...darn you builders!!!), that (A) try not to use the TV and the fireplace at the same time, and (B) just treat your TV as disposable. Going in with that attitude, it should be ok. Still not ideal, but it should be ok. If you have to replace your TV every couple of years, then that's all right. "Needed" that fancy new 8K LG anyway, right? Always a good excuse with the spousal unit.

Definitely, good point. Not ideal to watch tv and have a fire going in this situation. Premature TV death is not too bad of a thing considering after a while I’ll want a better one.
When designing the house I was not on board with the TV over the fireplace, but wifey was in love with the idea and the bookcases.. happy wife happy life until the TV goes and I say “well.. you wanted it there..” so let’s not cry over spilled milk and get that OLED tv I’ve been wanting.



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[William Lemmerhirt]

Definitely, good point. Not ideal to watch tv and have a fire going in this situation. Premature TV death is not too bad of a thing considering after a while I’ll want a better one.
When designing the house I was not on board with the TV over the fireplace, but wifey was in love with the idea and the bookcases.. happy wife happy life until the TV goes and I say “well.. you wanted it there..” so let’s not cry over spilled milk and get that OLED tv I’ve been wanting.



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Agreed. If you can leverage something to your advantage but still be a compromise, win, win. That’s how I sold my atmos plan to my wife. She wanted my side surrounds gone(they stuck out almost 17” and weighed about 35lbs ea) so I said sure. But I’m gonna move them into the walls(not cheap), and add 4 in the ceiling. I have 12 can lights in the LR, and 2 ac vents, so I don’t think they’ll stand out too much. When we built our house, a rule I made was NO tv above a fireplace, for at least half a dozen reasons. One of which was, even 15 years ago, I was tired of the whole “hey, let’s put a tv above the fireplace”. It’s like the Walmart of design ideas. Just too generic. I think builders/designers should be banned from the practice. Safety concerns aside, our gas insert, and I’m sure yours, has a fan to blow the hot air from behind it. Therefore the heat gets good coverage and you don’t have to a actually be that close to it(which I still do like to do), so it can potentially not bleed much heat directly above it(you know, where the tv is). I’m also not of the happy wife, happy wife philosophy. That doesn’t mean I don’t love to please her, but hey, I live here too. It’s not my wife’s life, it’s all of ours.