Calling you out Julie. The last picture of this install? No strain relief on the HDMI? I see damaged cable and service call in the future. I see too many people who don't cut tie straps, and another one here.

Yes I'm nitpicking,

[Link: cepro.com]

It was really nice of Dave to start a thread here instead of blowing up the article with comments on the site. I'm glad about that because it makes me feel a little better adding to his list. I'm not trying to bag on Julie or on Gadget, but this is a GREAT installation with great creativity but some glaring problems.

I think it would not even be possible for a $99 hang and bang company to install a 65" TV in this space. If true, that makes the whole point of the article moot.

The wall constructed by Gadget is representative of something needed to be able to install ANY 65" flatscreen in that space. $99 could never pay for the wall alone, let alone the entire installation. This is straw man argumentation at its worst.

Yes, the tie wraps should be trimmed. Leaving them unclipped is totally amateur work. If you had this photo and couldn't take photos after they were clipped, that should be explained. I mean, you're not showing pictures of an installation -- you're bragging about how wonderful the installation is!

What is/are the things that look like skinny wires that go along with the power and HDMI cable?

Power and HDMI are never, as far as I've seen, on the same side of the TV. Why did the cables go directly to the HDMI jack, with nothing to hold the HDMI in, with the power cord routed across the TV to the power connection? Why not run the wires to the power side of the TV, then tie down the HDMI cable as it was routed over to the HDMI jack?

Are those three holes at the bottom for the speakers? Why aren't they all at the same height?

Why aren't three identical speakers used? Non-identical speakers DO NOT sound the same, meaning that if, for instance, a movie portrayed a jet going left to right across the screen, one would hear a sound from the three speakers sort of like ooo-eee-ooo as the different speakers reproduced different sounds for the jet.

If those holes are left over from the RPTV, then you should have shown photos of the "before" situation. (This would also impact whether any 65" installation could be done for $99.) Actually, if so, you should have shown them anyway, since nothing in the article explains where the bottom panel came from. It's very weird that they put in a black wall but the finished product has a wood panel that matches the rest of the category.

I think it would be a good idea to retract this article and address these issues, then reprint it if it can be made to make sense.

Looks like an in progress photo to me. Speakers aren't in yet.

Ernie. I agree with 3 similar speakers. In reality. When is the last time you heard a jet coming, arriving and going sound exactly the same? Might be more critical if we were listening to a test disc of you doing the alphabet. A B C starting and the left speaker then center, right and starting over. Even though A does not sound like B or C. It would at least appear to be the same person saying the alphabet. I’m bored. Would someone with great photo editing skills clip the ties and post an updated photo so we can see the completed install.

I use the side HDMI ports due to possible stress put on the HDMI cable with rear facing ports. I have some right angle adapters in the van that I have to use on older TV's from time to time, but anything with side ports typically I will not need them. There are a few TV's that I've run across where the side ports are so close to the edge of the TV that it's impossible to use and hide the HDMI cables. Gotta love engineers.

Who leaves a bare hole like that without some kind of wire-port or other cover plate? That install wouldn't pass as "pro" around here. But maybe that would pass as "pro" somewheres like New York, I could see that. lol

[Link: amazon.com]

A Custom fit soundbar may have looked and sounded better and kept that bottom panel a lot cleaner and could also move then the TV is aimed side to side . those black holes really aggravate the flow of the look. the opening above the TV would have been great for a soundbar as well.

In reality it was a long time ago: in True Lies, Schwarzenegger flies a Harrier from the scene and it goes left to right while going front to back. However, any vehicles driving left to right across the scene, or a person talking while walking, even from left to center, will demonstrate this low fidelity issue.

Julie, we love you, but this just isn't right, especially not as an example to wave at a client. I've seen discussions of HDMI problems among installers that I would show to clients so they can see that WE have problems with HDMI. I would never consider showing them this article to try to prove anything.

highfigh's comment on the article is on point within itself but is really unrelated to the article. The installation described in his linked article could happen to anyone, it's true. But I've only run across one remotely parallel case in over twenty years. Someone ran speaker wire along the floor next to a wall, and a nail that held molding in place over that wire had gone through the speaker wire, shorting hot to ground. So even the one case I've run into wasn't life-threatening.

Put the speakers in line, ALL OF YOU, quit this center higher or lower crap. It looks like shit.

I thought that the TV was not centered between the speaker and the black band above, but that is just me.

To correct this, show pictures before, during, and after. If the story is going to be told correctly, then the pictures need to match.

As integrators, we definitely need an unusual skill set. I am always accused of being an asshole(perfectionist), when it comes to how things look. I think the visual is the same as the performance. The speakers not being lined up and different speakers is a huge red flag for me.

If you are going to talk about perfection, then make the install perfect, or do not show pictures. I know it is something that we all strive for, but it really doesn't take THAT much longer to tighten things up to perfection.

My nickle,
RR

There are no great solutions when you mix full-motion with HDMI. You can tie it up with a nice bend in it But is soon as you do that somebody shoves the TV all the way back and breaks it anyway. Side inputs are good sometimes but then if it’s not a thin cable you will see the cable sticking out and you know the client will bitch about that.

Lately with full motion I’ve just been trying to couple with a thin cable, it’s just safer. Of course if 4K is required I know you can’t just do that. HDMI Sucks! [Link: m.facebook.com]

Note this is not a full motion setup.

It's an articulating mount to float the display at the front of the cabinet.

Since we are nitpicking. Floating that TV on the outside of the millwork and overlapping the vertical bead board looks like ass in my opinion. I would have never done that. Three acceptable options: 1) use a smaller TV that flushes in between the vertical bead board, 2) redo the entire millwork altogether or 3) pass on the job.

I have done a few of these. This one was in 2009. Its the only time i ever installed a black Fujitsu. All the others were silver.

Original blog post: [Link: wiremunky.com]

Photos:

To me, it looks like there may be some sort of sound bar on the shelf above the TV. (the centered pilot light in image #5)

Image #4 shows that a black masking is already installed. I wonder if this means that the speakers will be installed behind the lower panel.