Is there a way to build-in LSiM over a fireplace?

T-R · October 2018

Just would like to hear suggestions and perhaps someone has already done that.
I have a 5.1 system consisting of LSi9/M/FX. Recently moved to a new house and would like to hang a TV over a fireplace. At the moment it's all brick but I don't like it so it will be "re-skinned" anyway so I'm curious if anyone has ever set up LSiM over a fireplace.
Thanks!

mlistens03 · October 2018

If you have a shelf, it'll be perfectly fine, as long as it doesn't get too hot there.
If you're asking about building it into the wall... I wouldn't.
Welcome to Club Polk!

tonyb · October 2018

Short answer is...no. You really don't want them up that high anyway, unless you want to install wall brackets and angle them down. That also includes having to run wires up the inner walls.

Maybe pop up a pic, says more so we can see what you have to work with.

DaveHo · October 2018

I absolutely despise the TV over the fireplace trend. Looks cool, but is the worst place for it.

rooftop59 · October 2018

Well it depends on the height of the fireplace. If it’s low and gas, then you might be able to mount the center more or less ear height and tv not too high. But I agree with Dave that if the tv has to be well above eye height, then it’s not very visually appealing or easy to see without a crick in ur neck. And yes, tony is right that wires are also an issue, but if your already running wires for a tv then it might not be a big issue...

mrloren · October 2018

Me, I don't like the TV over the fireplace either, give a sore neck.

LSIM are rear ported so they need room to breath. Putting one on a shelf won't give enough room. They are also heavy, so the shelf would require good mounting which might be an eyesore.

With that said it can be done, you might not like it and be stuck with it.

rooftop59 · October 2018

With the power port mounting against the wall should be okay. But yes it needs to be angled at the seated ear level....

F1nut · October 2018

TV's do not belong over the fireplace.

tonyb · October 2018

F1nut wrote: »

TV's do not belong over the fireplace.

Agreed....especially a wood burning one. Too high for me also, but some simply like the look rather than functionality. I'd rather be comfortable watching TV, than worrying about aesthetics....or if it looks like that magazine ad.

Then of course is the problem of retro fitting a HT system, with all it's wires, speakers, and a center channel that never fits on a mantel. All the electronics too.

Your best bet, if you want a TV over the fireplace, in my opinion, is to go in-ceiling speakers, or in-walls. Maybe even on-wall speakers, which they make some darn good ones these days but not very cheap.

Emlyn · October 2018

I guess the trend started because a lot of fireplaces would traditionally have a mirror on the wall above them. And ladies could agree to replacing the mirror with a flat screen because it would not affect furniture placement elsewhere in the room. Also, the fireplace is usually the focal point in a room and placing a tv elsewhere is awkward.

If a flat screen above a fireplace is the only room option, a soundbar would be a better choice to get improved sound.

mlistens03 · October 2018

Or, if he sits on axis while he watches TV, couldn't he use a "phantom center" by switching the center off in the menus?
We have friends who have their TV over their fireplace, and it actually looks nice, until you have to watch it.
In Florida, however, fireplaces are for the looks... no one ever actually uses them, AFAIK.

T-R · October 2018

Thanks guys for all the feedback,
I was reading somewhere that 15 degree angle relative to your eyes is OK. That's about the case with my room. The room is huge and the wood burning fireplace in smack in the middle of the long-side wall. Putting it in a corner is not an option because it screws up the entire furniture layout. IMO if done properly (like, Samsung FrameTV with "modern" finish walls), it can look really nice. I can certainly angle it.

Just wondering if anyone has ever done something like this so I can see it. I think it will look out of place if it's just the speaker so probably need to run a shelf the entire length of the fireplace and fill it with some sort of decorations to blend the speaker in.

Wiring is also not a problem at all because I'd like to cover up the bricks so running wires is trivial.

I really don't want to sell my speakers and get something else. I really like them and of course I don't want to spend more $$. Plus, it's a cathedral ceiling so it's not that simple.
Yes, I know that they may not fill the room but it's certainly better than nothing (what I have now).

I will post pictures this weekend.

tonyb · October 2018

I can tell you from experience, with a wood burning fireplace and a TV over it, or even next to it....your TV will be toast inside 2 years from the ash. I moved my TV to the opposite side of the room and still got ash inside. Winter time, my fireplace is going probably 5 days out of the week.

That's if you use it , if you never use the fireplace then rock on.

verb · October 2018

I have a CS400i from the old house that was sitting on the mantel over the fireplace. Plasma TV was wall mounted above it. After a short period of time, the fireplace heat caused the vinyl to shrink and de-laminate from the front face of the cabinet. Now it's a project waiting to be fixed. Lessons learned.

mrloren · October 2018

The horror stories on mounting a TV over the fireplace.

My bro lived in Seattle for a few years, Best place for the TV was over the gas fireplace. So he had pro's come and install everything with a nice in wall center speaker. Took two week and the center speaker melted. The installer replaced it and put a box around it. by spring the TV was done... He wound up moving the TV and everything to the opposite wall. In his new house they offered pre wiring for the fireplace mounted TV... Nope not again.

rooftop59 · October 2018

verb wrote: »

I have a CS400i from the old house that was sitting on the mantel over the fireplace. Plasma TV was wall mounted above it. After a short period of time, the fireplace heat caused the vinyl to shrink and de-laminate from the front face of the cabinet. Now it's a project waiting to be fixed. Lessons learned.

Easy fix. Strip that vinyl off (it’ll peel right off) and then take the bezel and speakers out and spray paint the front black (I just did the whole box). Whole thing took me about 30 minutes maybe...

ken brydson · October 2018

rooftop59 wrote: »

verb wrote: »

I have a CS400i from the old house that was sitting on the mantel over the fireplace. Plasma TV was wall mounted above it. After a short period of time, the fireplace heat caused the vinyl to shrink and de-laminate from the front face of the cabinet. Now it's a project waiting to be fixed. Lessons learned.

Easy fix. Strip that vinyl off (it’ll peel right off) and then take the bezel and speakers out and spray paint the front black (I just did the whole box). Whole thing took me about 30 minutes maybe...

Black paint? The hell you say...

verb · October 2018

ken brydson wrote: »

rooftop59 wrote: »

verb wrote: »

I have a CS400i from the old house that was sitting on the mantel over the fireplace. Plasma TV was wall mounted above it. After a short period of time, the fireplace heat caused the vinyl to shrink and de-laminate from the front face of the cabinet. Now it's a project waiting to be fixed. Lessons learned.

Easy fix. Strip that vinyl off (it’ll peel right off) and then take the bezel and speakers out and spray paint the front black (I just did the whole box). Whole thing took me about 30 minutes maybe...

Black paint? The hell you say...

Where can I get black paint?

mlistens03 · October 2018

verb wrote: »

ken brydson wrote: »

rooftop59 wrote: »

verb wrote: »

I have a CS400i from the old house that was sitting on the mantel over the fireplace. Plasma TV was wall mounted above it. After a short period of time, the fireplace heat caused the vinyl to shrink and de-laminate from the front face of the cabinet. Now it's a project waiting to be fixed. Lessons learned.

Easy fix. Strip that vinyl off (it’ll peel right off) and then take the bezel and speakers out and spray paint the front black (I just did the whole box). Whole thing took me about 30 minutes maybe...

Black paint? The hell you say...

Where can I get black paint?

It’s for the wood.

rooftop59 · October 2018

I can hook you up for a price!!!

ken brydson · October 2018

rooftop59 wrote: »

I can hook you up for a price!!!

Pimp....

rooftop59 · October 2018

I gots to pay for college for the kiddos somehow. At least I’m just selling paint!

nooshinjohn · October 2018

rooftop59 wrote: »

I gots to pay for college for the kiddos somehow. At least I’m just selling paint!

You are selling snake oil. Everybody knows black paint no longer exists.

BlueFox · October 2018

DaveHo wrote: »

I absolutely despise the TV over the fireplace trend. Looks cool, but is the worst place for it.

Doesn't even look cool. Looks like k r a p, and is too high for decent viewing. Or even any type of viewing.

pitdogg2 · October 2018

Speaking of too high where ya been Bud?

tonyb · October 2018

BlueFox wrote: »

DaveHo wrote: »

I absolutely despise the TV over the fireplace trend. Looks cool, but is the worst place for it.

Doesn't even look cool. Looks like k r a p, and is too high for decent viewing. Or even any type of viewing.

Unless your in a bar. Who wants that kind of viewing at home though.

rooftop59 · October 2018

Did you schmucks actually read his description of the room? Sometimes you just got to do the best with what you got. We've been casually perusing houses, and there are a number where mounting the TV above the fireplace is really the only viable option in the main living room. It't not ideal, but if its not too high and you can angle it as he says, its not the worst. If its super high, I would really try to figure something else out.

I will agree with others that if its a wood burning fireplace and the OP plans to use it regularly, then that will likely ruin the TV and/or speaker...

verb · October 2018

My plasma that was mounted above the fireplace had a mount with an adjustable up/down angle. I was able to rotate it down enough so the viewing angle was good.

VR3 · October 2018

https://www.monoprice.com/product?p_id=27773&msclkid=9ad9a877c97218cf263cf3b73339c65c&utm_source=bing&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=OD - All_Products&utm_term=4580153125881708&utm_content=OD - All_Products - Ad Group 1

mdaudioguy · October 2018

rooftop59 wrote: »

Did you schmucks actually read his description of the room? Sometimes you just got to do the best with what you got. We've been casually perusing houses, and there are a number where mounting the TV above the fireplace is really the only viable option in the main living room. It't not ideal, but if its not too high and you can angle it as he says, its not the worst. If its super high, I would really try to figure something else out.

I will agree with others that if its a wood burning fireplace and the OP plans to use it regularly, then that will likely ruin the TV and/or speaker...

I've said this before. I don't like it myself, but I get that sometimes it's the only real option with a lot of floor plans. It's best in large, open floor plans, which are great, but often eliminate walls that would be better options, if they existed... A high mount is more acceptable at a greater viewing distance.

mdaudioguy · October 2018

VR3 wrote: »

Monoprice Above Fireplace Pull-Down Full-Motion Articulating TV Wall Mount Bracket For TVs 55in to 100in, Max Weight 154lbs, VESA Patterns Up to 800x400, Rotating , Height Adjustable

These things are ridiculous. Seems like a good idea, but not very practical, unless you watch a lot of TV and keep them down - where they look awful and possibly pose a hazard.

Also, a 100" TV on this thing? No freaking way!

Is there a way to build-in LSiM over a fireplace?

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