I'm trying to quote a price for a potential client. They want the sound bar underneath the TV. It is a Samsung HW-D551, is powered, and is only 3.15" high.
Even if I can get an outlet exactly behind it, where will all the power cord go?

Plus, there is either analog audio, toslink or HDMI in for audio. They are using a laptop for presentations, so it will probably be analog in or toslink from the TV.

Of course, the Samsung site shows it neatly on the wall, no cables showing.

Anyone done something like this? Any hints would be greatly appreciated.

I'm beginning to think that I will just have to quote it with channel, but I hate that option. TIA,
G

as a general rule I go 2 ways

1st use a mounting bracket that attaches to the television mounting bracket like the [Link: sanus.com]. I snug the bar close to the tv and zip tie all the wires up behind the television.

2nd is to cut a horizontal old work box with the back cut off. Stuff most of the wiring into the box and finish it with a blank plate with a hole drilled into it or a reverse nose plate that can be painted to match the wall. Then mount the speaker so it covers the box and plate.

I use channel as a last resort

We do this all the time. Install a back box at the tv location. This will include all of your power and audio connections. Mount the sound bar exactly under the tv.

The Re-work box cut in horizontally would work. They make these without the back in the box. Usr a brush plate as your cover plate. This is what we use from Midlite all the time.


Here is the back box we use (DataComm)

Why would you cut the back off an old work box rather then use a LV1 ring?

I was thinking the same thing. We use the OnQ/legrand produts

[Link: legrand.us]

[Link: legrand.us]

[Link: legrand.us]

I installed a Samsung sound bar a few weeks back, definitely different than usual and a pain. Given the way you mount the bar, it does not sit flush against the wall and it leaves about a 1/8" to 1/4" gap from the wall which shows everything.

The power cord is about 6' long and about 8" left of center on the bar.
The optical/mini output sits about 8" right of center on the bar, they come with 6' cables but we used our own.

Given that Samsung gives you a 6' cord and then all of about a 2"x2" space @ the power opening, not much you can do unless you want to mount right under the tv or cut the cord and hardwire the thing inside a junction box but you'd still see the plate.

They look and sound, eh... decent.

Thanks. That's the detailed description I was hoping for (but afraid I'd get,lol). I downloaded the manual, and it looked like it stood out from the wall a bit. The picture they show on the Samsung site isn't the same bar, and they make it look so clean and neat. The manual also suggests a 2" clearance from the TV.

This a travel agency and the owner bought this set up for presentations. I'm talking to one of the office girls who he obviously gave the job of getting this done. I hope they even have the speaker mount that came with it. He told her that it could be attached to the TV but I couldn't find anything that said it could. She said they had a mount too, and showed me some thing from IKEA. I couldn't figure out what it was. It wasn't a mount, that's for sure.

I guess the best tactic is to mount the speaker flush to the TV and hope it hides the cables going up. I just don't want to run the cord in the wall, especially in a commercial setting. Either that or channel. There aren't any good options it seems like.

I haven't dealt with a sound bar in years it seems. Last one was passive and about 6" high, and none of the issues I may have dealing with this one. Sheesh.

On another note BisyB, do you ever go to ElectrianTalk Forum? Some interesting discussions there sometimes. It can get rowdy too. Good info though.

Thanks to all for the input!
G

That Samsung bar is a POS. Luckily I got them to upgrade to triad lcr mounted on the sides.

As for running power up the wall, dont do it. If thats the only way it can be done to look good it doesnt count because its not an option. Its not your problem they bought the wrong shit.

Just mount the sound bar snug to the bottom of the TV. (no gap)  Run the power cord behind the TV to the plug that is there for the TV.  If you keep it snug you can't see the power cord at all.

No problem, that bar was owner supplied and we showed them what it would take to install it without it looking terrible, had it signed off, still could see behind it. I'll be sure to check out that forum, I could always use another site to visit regularly.

So some here think it's okay to run the power cord IN the wall?


That's just sad....

You cant get away with dropping the power cords down a hole in the wall around here. The best solution is to hang the sound bar from the TV and run the cables up the back/down the bracket etc with the TV cables.

If that wont work you can try an inset box like this with blank plates over both openings. Make sure you mount your sound bar directly under the TV and have this box mounted so that its hidden by the sound bar and TV.

I was thinkin' the same thing.  

2 days ago me and a technician re-worked a projector/screen installation.  We pulled a 35' extension cord out the wall.  It was running from the projector in the ceiling down the wall, behind the av equipment.  Oh yeah, it was also spliced and wire nutted (with foil tape) twice.  Yikes.

jokingly I looked at the homeowner and said...Go ahead and tahnk me.

For what?
Because I may have just saved your families life, and installed a sweet 110" screen on the same day.  :)

Don't put power cords in the walls folks.  It's really not worth it.Really.

I did one of the Samsung sound bars a few weeks ago for the first time in a bedroom.  It's a nice improvement over the TV speakers without the expense of a real solution.  I'd do it again for a low-budget secondary TV.

I used a Levition recessed entertainment box behind the TV.  This gave me a spot for a duplex outlet to plug in the TV & soundbar and also room to bring the AV cabling in from sources that are mounted in a closet.

The soundbar mounted up close to the bottom of the TV (even though the manual says not to do this) so the power and toslink cables aren't visible and the extra was coiled up into the Leviton box.  There's another cut-in box behind the edge of the glass table so I could drop analog audio cables down to the wireless headphones. 

Those are the best LV rings I have used. A little more expensive but worth it.