So, your new HDTV screen has arrived and you're raring to set this up in your living room. However, before you mark the wall with bolts, there's one trend you should avoid as it could be the worst place to set up your flatscreen television.
This trend is typically seen in most American living rooms and it has set a bad precedent. Mounting a flatscreen panel above the fireplace is both professionally and ergonomically a mistake, according to Apartment Therapy. The level at which the TV is hanged is a few inches higher than your eye level that eventually, you'll develop sore neck muscles from looking up.
"It ends up putting your body in a position where your deep-neck stabilizers, muscle-wise - it's kind of like the core of your lower back, but up in your neck - aren't able to function. That position where you're having to push your head forward and up in order to look up at the television compromises those muscles," said physical therapist Brad Simpson via Digital Trends.
To calculate for best TV screen angle or distance, THX suggested the following:
- 35 inch class TV = 3.5-5 feet away
- 40 inch class TV = 4-6 feet away
- 50 inch class TV = 5-7.5 feet away
- 60 inch class TV = 6-9 feet way
The person viewing shouldn't also have to look more than 15 degrees above their eye level to view the TV.
Putting your television near heat can affect its reliability for the long haul too, especially if you do use the fireplace often, according to CNET. Because it's exposed to high temperatures, the materials inside the TV can degrade in quality quicker than anticipated. You're speeding up its death by placing this in the worst place.
"Most LCDs and plasmas are built to operate within a temperature range of 32 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit - you can find out where your set lies by checking the tech specs in your instruction manual. Practical Home Theater Guide suggests you tape a thermometer up where you plan to mount your flat panel, build a fire, grab a book, and let it roar for a few hours. Once your room's temperature has stabilized check the thermometer. If it's near or above 90 degrees Fahrenheit it's time to find a new place for your TV," suggested a home theater enthusiast on the CNet Forum.
Do read your TV's user manual before setting this in your living room, or better yet, do ample research online before purchasing the set you're eyeing on to be well-versed about the product's specifications. You'll get your money's worth as a consumer if you read up or ask around first.
