IF you’ve forked out hundreds or even thousands for a top TV, don’t put it in the wrong place.
It’s very easy to stick your television somewhere it shouldn’t be – but it’s not too late to save yourself.
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There are at least five places you shouldn’t put your TV.
You’ve probably made at least one of these mistakes in the past – but no more.
Over the fireplace
This one is far too common, and that’s no surprise.
A TV over the fireplace looks great: it’s nice and central, and uses wall space where furniture can’t go.
But putting a TV over a fireplace is an extremely bad idea.
The heat and smoke can damage the electronics in your TV.
If you want your television to last a long time, don’t mount it over a fireplace.
In front of your router
This one is more about your Wi-Fi signal than your TV viewing experience.
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It’s common to have your Wi-Fi router and main television next to each other.
But don’t put the Wi-Fi router behind or even below your TV.
It can cause interference with the signal, as well as physically blocking it.
It’s usually easier to just move your router.
But if that’s not possible – and you’re suffering from poor Wi-Fi at home – then consider shuffling your TV somewhere else.
In direct sunlight
There are several reasons why you won’t want your TV in direct sunlight.
For a start, it makes it much harder to watch due to the screen glare.
If the sunlight is very strong, significant and prolonged heat could also cause damage to the TV.
And it’s believed that direct sunlight can also cause particular damage to OLED TVs.
If you’re using your TV outdoors or with the windows open in direct sunlight, it’s best to reposition the telly to give it some shade or protection.
Too high on the wall, too close to your sofa
Have you ever sat in the front row at the movie theater in front of an enormous screen? Not great.
You probably find that you’re craning your neck and it’s not comfortable.
Before wall mounting your TV, make sure that it’s in a comfortable position for wherever your seating is.
That means don’t put it really high up on the wall, especially if your sofa is very close to the the television.
Otherwise you’ll be in for a serious neck-ache.
Also remember that on some TVs, a sharper viewing angle means worse picture quality.
So it’s best to be looking straight on at your screen.
Too far away
You might also want to check a TV viewing distance calculator to work out how far you should sit depending on your screen size.
It’s fine to sit far away if you’ve got a giant TV set.
But you’ll want to sit much closer to small TVs.
Here are Sony’s recommend viewing distances for 4K TVs:
- 43-inch TV – 2.95 feet
- 49-inch TV – 3.28 feet
- 55-inch TV – 3.28 feet
- 65-inch TV – 3.94 feet
- 75-inch TV – 4.60 feet
- 85-inch TV – 5.25 feet
But keep in mind that your own needs may vary.
It’s best to try a few TV and sofa positions first before settling on a permanent spot.
