Can you haul a TV flat on its back?

[Kazaam]

Or will it break? What have you guys done?

Thinking moreso in terms of the LCD/LED flatscreens that are out there today. Not plasma.

Years ago I had a buddy who bought a 50" plasma from Sears. When he picked it up, the store told him that the TV needed to be transported in the upright position. So he had to take it out of the box in order to fit it in his Suburban. But had he been allowed to lay it flat, then he could've kept it in the box. Now, plasma is so heavy that I can surely see moving it flat as potentially being problematic. But does the same hold true for today's LCD/LED sets?

 

[Batman]

I think moving it in an upright position is the ideal, but I wouldn't worry about it too much unless there is a risk of something falling on it. I'd be a bit more leery if it were a large-screen plasma but not nearly as much with an LCD/LED...

 

[Rope]

I've transported two 50" plasma (Pioneer, Panasonic) on their back. No hits, no runs, no errors.

Rope

 

[Towen7]

Yes you can ship a TV flat. TVs are shipped from the makers vertically because its a more efficient use of space and material. The packaging for TVs have styrofoam on the top and bottom. To pad the front/back would require more foam and be more difficult to use machines to pack them in the boxes.

More importantanly shipping them flat exposes more of the fragile screen to potential impact.

 

[Kazaam]

Thanks for the input, guys!

The reason I ask is because my brother is looking to buy a TV soon, and I had been wondering about the possibility of avoiding delivery charges. My guess is that he's going to get something like a 46" LED, and I could see moving that one flat. He'd just have to drive slow and make it a few miles.

Not sure if he were to go with a 52" or larger, though. Maybe. It'd be up to him. Plus, we'd have to see what the box dimensions were to ensure that it'd still fit between the wheel wells or his SUV even if laid flat.