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Plasma Project

Randy

Randy

Well-Known Member
Superstar
So after years of toiling over what to do and HATING my fireplace, I finally snapped and I decided it was time to upgrade the ole CRT. I am tired of not having high def in my living room.

I have picked the 60" Panny and I will pick one up when they start the pre Super Bowl sales.

So off I go. Here are some pics of the process.

First determine where the display will go, mount frame and cut access hole for wires.
20140111_091550-1.jpg


My GF wanted to know how I got on the TV???

Next we had to run the wires. This was difficult and time consuming because we had to fish the wires 2 stud bays over in a heavily insulated exterior wall. We had to cut an additional access hole down by the baseboard because of the amount of insulation and difficulty getting the wires through the bottom plate and subfloor.

20140111_194618.jpg


We also ran wire to the back of the room and this is where the new component cabinet will reside. I goofed when I tole my buddy where to mark for the box to go and put him solely in the middle of a stud that I knew was there (rt rear surround is hanging from that stud). He then proceeded to mark it with a sharpie. Oh well, it can be fixed.

20140111_194631.jpeg


More to come.
 
Oh BTW, I am having a new custom cap mantle made that will go on the fireplace. Current mantle is at the carpenters shop. New mantle is done and awaiting delivery and install. The new mantle will sit on top of the first row or so of brick and should net me an additional 3" of clearance.

I was going to have my nephew (journeyman mason) remove one course of brick but we decided against it.
 
Looking good Randy. Gonna be a huge improvement! A big "you suck" to you for a new 1080p display!

So, how did you run wires to the back...did you have access through the ceiling (attic)?

This is just a suggestion, but it would bother me so I'm throwing it out there. The fireplace doors are that lovely shiny gold / brass....I think it would be distracting under your beautiful plasma. It looks like I had the same doors in my other house. I was able to remove the doors by loosening 4 screws...I than used fine sandpaper and buffed them, primed them, and painted them an oil -rubbed bronze color. Took 1 day and made a huge improvement...as the doors became more hidden.

Not that there's anything wrong with your doors.......
 
Access through drop ceiling in basement. That was the easy part. LOL.

Jammie, you are correct and the doors are hideous. Have I mentioned how much I hate that fireplace??? I wonder how they would look in black? I will consider it as a part of phase 2. LOL.
 
Cool, it's about time! I take it the center channel will fit under the tv on the new mantle??
 
Chuck, I doubt it. the display is still gonna be much higher than I would like it to be and there will only be about 3 inches from the bottom of the display to the mantle. Anything else would have required some pretty significant remodeling and I absolutely was not up for that. The other option would have been one of those $1000 drop down fireplace mounts and that still would have left the center channel speaker on the hearth. I just wasn't up to a big project and with the stress of work and school I barely convinced myself to do this and several times during it I wanted to quit. LOL.

Hawk, I am probably going to get the 60ST60.
 
Randy said:
I have picked the 60" Panny and I will pick one up when they start the pre Super Bowl sales.
Click to expand...

Don't dawdle too much, Panasonic is leaving the plasma market very soon (their current models are VERY highly rated, however, so go for it!) Fun project, enjoying following along! :handgestures-thumbup:
 
Fireplace never gets used it has a few issues and I wont fix it.

Thanx Botch I have some more pix to post tomorrow. I think I will be OK but I have thought about the fact that I may miss out, so fingers crossed. LOL
 
Sweet..... As Botch said go get it. Panasonic getting out of Plasma sucks, but it is a reality. Inventories might get limited.
 
Hey that is really exciting Randy!

I was set on a Panny when we replaced our 1st 42" Panny Plasma EDTV a couple years back, however a nice Samsung caught our eye and went for that. No Regrets at all!

Good Luck with your project....................

Oh Yea, YOU SUCK!!!!
 
Randy said:
Fireplace never gets used it has a few issues and I wont fix it.

Thanx Botch I have some more pix to post tomorrow. I think I will be OK but I have thought about the fact that I may miss out, so fingers crossed. LOL
Click to expand...

Consider a articulating arm TV mount to lower the panel below the FP. I'm afraid the current height is going to be a neck cracker.

Rope
 
I'd take that door off the fireplace completely. You can put some candles in there for a modern look.

And I'd echo the other comments about getting the TV now. If you look online many places are already out of stock on Panasonic plasmas.
 
I did and it was like $1000. I could have done it, but I refused. If I hate it because it is too high I can always buy the fireplace mount later and remount it. The display is higher than I want it, but the room is almost 24' long so it may be a bit deceiving in the pictures. Primary seating is almost exactly 16' from the wall the display will be mounted on.
 
Andy I don't know but I will consider removing the doors and I am afraid you are right, amazon has not shown that display in stock for 3 days now.
 
Randy said:
Andy I don't know but I will consider removing the doors and I am afraid you are right, amazon has not shown that display in stock for 3 days now.
Click to expand...

Looks like Best Buy in the STL area has them in stock for $1500. Not sure if that's a good price or not.
 
Look at those lovely Klipsch CF speakers!!

Very cool, Randy!
I'm with Andy, pull that cover. Have you ever considered painting the fireplace and putting in a more muted hearth cover? That way you could make the fireplace melt in/blend in to the wall. Be less obtrusive?

Our new house has a nice big fireplace in the middle of the family room wall. But the brick color was really awful. So we painted the brick and ivory and the walls are a butter color.
EDIT: I'm not saying your brick color is ugly, BTW. It's nice compared to what we had.

V
 
OK, I was hoping that someone else would have asked..........

"Why do you have a naked guy on your TV?"

:scared-eek:
 
heeman said:
OK, I was hoping that someone else would have asked..........

"Why do you have a naked guy on your TV?"

:scared-eek:
Click to expand...
:happy-smileygiantred:

I was thinking the same thing hahahaha. In fact while so many rip on the brass fireplace cover who I by the way think it looks traditional and fine. All the musicians in here and can't stand a lil brass :D.
 
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