Acquired a new TV for entertaining in the course of the holidays? Is it a lot larger than your final TV? Earlier than you dive into all of the enjoyable stuff, that you must think about an important query: The place are you going to place it?
Whether or not you wall-mount or use a TV stand, there are some necessary, and sometimes unintuitive, facets to think about. For example, do you know that dangerous TV placement can cut back a TV’s obvious image high quality, trigger neck ache and extra? You undoubtedly do not need to mount your TV too excessive, too far-off or at a bizarre angle.
Points created by dangerous TV placement won’t be obvious instantly, however over weeks and months they may very well be noticeable, annoying and presumably even painful. The time hole may very well be sufficient that you simply won’t even notice it is the TV’s placement inflicting the problems.
Is that this hyperbole? Not likely. Take into account that the Occupational Security and Well being Administration has requirements in how your work atmosphere is setup to reduce the possibility of repetitive stress accidents. In case you’re watching 4 to 6 hours of TV at night time, it is doable you may be inclined to most of the similar points. Additionally, most TVs look far worse “off axis,” as in too far above, under or to the facet of the middle of the display. So all that cash you spent on a brand new TV may very well be wasted by not taking a look at it from the angle it seems greatest.
Mounting a TV above a hearth can also be a foul concept, as is the rest room. A slight seating shuffle, or adjusting your most popular pedestal placements, may yield higher image high quality or enable for a bigger TV. So earlier than you mount a TV or purchase an costly TV stand, think about these dos and don’ts for TV placement.
Do these 5 issues earlier than you arrange a brand new TV
Do examine TV peak
Whereas there is no set peak for TV placement, ideally you don’t need the TV to be too excessive. Staring up at a TV is like sitting within the entrance row of a movie show. It is not splendid, not comfy and never conducive to lengthy viewing periods. Usually talking, you need the middle of the TV to be about eye stage, and even barely decrease. That is true whether or not you are mounting the TV or placing it on a stand.
For extra on this, take a look at my information on how excessive it is best to put your TV.
Good couches make a reasonably good TV placement look even higher.
Do examine the gap out of your sofa to your TV
It is unlikely anybody studying that is going to be sitting too near their TV. Sitting nearer to your TV has two advantages: It fills extra of your discipline of view (so it is extra immersive), and you may see extra decision (the picture is extra detailed). If you cannot or do not need to sit nearer, you possibly can alternatively get a bigger TV. Take a look at this text on how massive a TV you can purchase for more information.
Do look out for sources of TV glare
Room lighting and reflections are the No. 1 killer of TV pictures in response to a examine I simply made up. The very fact is almost each trendy TV has a reflective display, and I do not care how superior your lamps are, they don’t seem to be as fascinating as what’s on TV. Positive, you possibly can simply flip off the lights (or shut the blinds), however typically that is not straightforward or doable. If it is not, take a look at our piece on rid your HDTV of reflections.
It is good when your view can outdo your TV.
In case you’re considering of wall mounting, take note all of the Do’s talked about to this point. Plus, should you’re considering of getting an LCD, ensure you get a wall mount that is in a position to pivot or regulate. With few exceptions, LCDs have worse efficiency should you’re not sitting immediately in entrance of them. With the ability to pivot or transfer a wall-mounted TV so it is aimed immediately at your eyeballs shall be an enormous enchancment in image high quality (in comparison with the identical TV not aimed toward you). It is value mentioning at this level that TV weight isn’t a limiting issue with regards to mounting.
At all times think about glare.
Do think about greater than model
In terms of TV stands, there are numerous choices. Take into account the TV peak along with no matter model you want. Most stands are pretty uniform in peak, and some inches above or under splendid is not going to matter, however a big TV on a tall stand is not a terrific concept.
Do think about security, particularly when you’ve got younger youngsters
Seems that falling TVs injure lots of youngsters yearly. Discover out hold your TV from falling over should you’ve acquired youngsters or energetic pets.
Do not make these seven widespread TV placement errors
Reflections is likely to be an issue right here.
Do not mount your TV too excessive
A TV on the right peak goes to look actually low whenever you’re standing. Which is ok, since more often than not you will not be standing whenever you’re watching it. Mounting a TV too excessive can actually be a ache within the neck. In order for you a superb snort, there is a energetic subreddit dedicated to footage of people that have mounted their TVs too excessive.
Do not mount a TV above the fireside
Severely. Do not mount a TV above a hearth. For the above purpose and extra — not the least of which is that warmth is the enemy of all electronics. Even should you by no means use your hearth, mounting a TV above it’s virtually at all times too excessive to look at from a sofa.
Although clear trying, a bookshelf or different cupboard can cut back sound high quality and restrict the scale of a TV you will get sooner or later.
Do not feel restricted by a cupboard, bookcase or leisure heart
When you have a cupboard, bookcase or leisure heart the place your TV has at all times been, it is value contemplating shedding it. That is an enormous ask, particularly for a brand new TV, however think about two issues. First, it not solely limits the scale of the TV you will get, however the high quality. In case your cupboard can solely match a 42-inch TV, know that the higher TV tech like native dimming, OLED and Mini-LED are virtually solely accessible in bigger sizes. If they are often present in smaller sizes, there are often just one or two fashions. Second, relying the place the TV’s audio system are positioned, a cupboard may severely cut back the TV’s sound high quality and quantity. (When you have a 5.1-speaker system or soundbar, this may not be a problem.)
Do not put your indoor TV outdoors
Do not mount a “common” TV outdoors. There are TVs made for simply that. Or, should you do not need to spend the cash on a TV designed for outside, simply know that any TV you allow on the market is not more likely to final lengthy (even when it is beneath an awning). Finest to deliver it in whenever you’re not utilizing it.
Do not feel you want a ‘actual’ TV
For kitchens and bogs, a wise show like a Google Nest Hub or Amazon Echo Present would possibly get you every little thing you want with out the scale and trouble of a full-size TV.
Do not sit too far-off out of your TV
Nevertheless, you will get a bigger TV to compensate. At 10 ft away, you may get the most important TV in the marketplace and nonetheless not see pixels.
Do not put your TV at a bizarre angle
If it’s a must to flip your head to see the display, it is simply going to result in sore necks. Twisting your head a bit might not seem to be an enormous deal, however protecting it that manner for hours at a time generally is a ache — actually.
I might advocate a subwoofer.
Backside line
Let’s take two rooms as examples. First room: You may have a terrific TV, mounted excessive on a wall close to the nook, with the couch and adjoining lamps, on the opposite facet of the room within the different nook. These poor of us have a small-seeming TV, a number of reflections, and stiff necks from turning and looking out up on the TV. Second room: The TV is mounted at eye stage, the couch is 8 to 9 ft away and there are not any lamps to replicate on the display. By which room would you need to watch a marathon of Andor?
Correct placement can decide a good portion of the general enjoyment of a brand new TV. It is value contemplating adjusting your room to be extra conducive to comfy TV viewing. Not solely will you acquire potential image and luxury enhancements, however within the course of, you would possibly unlock more room for different issues. Like a rug that actually ties the room collectively.
As soon as you have acquired the position found out, here is arrange your new TV. In case you’ve already acquired it arrange, listed below are some necessary image high quality settings to regulate, together with turning down the sharpness management. In case you’re having bother listening to dialogue, there are some settings you possibly can regulate that may assist.
In addition to masking TV and different show tech, Geoff does picture excursions of cool museums and places world wide, together with nuclear submarines, large plane carriers, medieval castles, epic 10,000 mile street journeys, and extra. Take a look at Tech Treks for all his excursions and adventures.
He wrote a bestselling sci-fi novel about city-size submarines, together with a sequel. You may observe his adventures on Instagram and his YouTube channel.