Large TVs, probably dumb question...

2,918 Views | 24 Replies | Last: 8 yr ago by hph6203
The Fife
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Apologies if this is a dumb question...

With any tv, while it's turned off you have a black rectangle on your wall. Right now we have a 47" in a large family room so it doesn't seem that big. When we move up to 80+" within the next year or so, it will be a huge black rectangle on the wall. I've seen doors, pictures and other ways to cover up smaller ones but for big tvs that doesn't work out so well.

My question is have any manufacturers even thought about this sort of thing, like maybe coming up with a way for it to just display a picture while turned off like a Kindle does? If an additional layer in front of the screen or backlighting would be required I guess I may have answered my own question...

I'm pumped up about redoing our entertainment center/server closet/tv area but not as excited about the big black monolith that will be on the wall and wish there was a way around it.
KidDoc
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AG
That is a good idea but I haven't seen it implemented. You could always keep it on but that would suck up $$$ for electricity. I know when I have my chromecast on it displays random photos and you can set it up to display family pictures or whatnot. I guess you could set that up and turn it on when you had company and whatnot.
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JDCAG (NOT Colin)
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AG
You could always hook up an AppleTV or Roku and set up some kind of slideshow that pulls pictures from the local network somewhere.

It's not necessarily a low power solution, but it would "sink in" to the room much more than a TV that is just turned off.
The Fife
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I thought about leaving it on with our Chromecast, but wouldn't it shorten the life of the tv by quite a bit? I'm assuming maybe 4 extra hours of being turned on / weekday + 8 per day on weekends but Iguess it depends on just how much it takes over the room. It wouldn't have to be crazy bright anyway, just something that's there. To be honest I've never looked at how much power a tv draws either... I've always just assumed that compared to the HVACs, dehumidifiers, refrigerator and everything else it would be small in comparison.

Swapping out the picture every hour would probably prevent image burn in at least...

Edit: FWIW this is the way it looks now. All of the electronics are going to the server closet (door on the right), there will be a different entertainment center and TV, and it will be wall mounted. The room is about 30' deep so things look a little small from the table.

Aggietaco
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AG
Do you really think having a huge ass TV will bother you? They do make some actuators that you can mount to lift a piece of artwork or a mirror over your TV that sounds like would solve your issue if you decide it's a problem. I've also seen roller shades and window treatments used when there are windows in the area to match.

Leaving the display on full time sounds like a big energy waste and necessary wear and tear on the display to me.
The Fife
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Mrs. Fife may be at play here... She's also why this can't happen until after I rebuild the master bedroom and bathroom.
BEaggie08
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AG
I don't get it. How much time do you spend hanging out in your den without the TV on? Generally, if we're in the living room, the TV is on. If we're reading, it's typically in a different room. If we're outside doing other activities, then WGAS what the big TV on the wall looks like?

If you don't watch TV very often, and you primarily want the big screen for movies, why not get a projector with an in ceiling retractable screen or something like that?
Chipotlemonger
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AG
Women decorating logic. It really doesn't make sense.
MGS
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quote:
When we move up to 80+" within the next year or so, it will be a huge black rectangle on the wall.
Paint your wall black.
agdoc2001
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AG
Sharp TVs at least used to have a Wallpaper mode - they would go into a low energy state where they used power equivalent to a small lightbulb and could display an image. I have no idea if this is still an option on their newest models however.

Really nice place, by the way!
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The Fife
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quote:
Women decorating logic. It really doesn't make sense.
Tell me about it. We've been around and around wtih tile for the bathroom a couple of times... it will probably start at the corner of the shower and run completely along an entire wall. She wanted something bold and bright that would end up being completely impossible to decorate around, especailly if you want a diffferent color scheme sometime later. I think she finally understands what a PITA it would be for me to change out the tile, and that you should get your colors from things more easily replaceable but it took a few weeks.
The Fife
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quote:
Sharp TVs at least used to have a Wallpaper mode - they would go into a low energy state where they used power equivalent to a small lightbulb and could display an image. I have no idea if this is still an option on their newest models however.

Really nice place, by the way!
That would solve the whole thing, especially if we (she) could upload new pictures to it.

Thanks! This room is part of an 18 month rebuild I did of this part of the house. When we moved in the room was painted Barney purple, 8' ceiling in here, solid wall between here and the kitchen to the left and a huge 3' deep hidey hole for the previous owner's DLP TV that became part of the server closet. My one regret is that I didn't pre-wire for surround speakers. This winter I get to go up into the attic and add it.
KidDoc
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AG
That wallpaper mode sounds pretty awesome, here is one I found on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-LC-80LE650U-80-inch-Aquos-1080p/dp/B00BYQYZJ6
No material on this site is intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis or treatment. See full Medical Disclaimer.
QuesoMuchacho
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AG
I recall seeing TV screens that turned into mirrors when they weren't in use. I thought that was cool.
95_Aggie
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AG
quote:
I recall seeing TV screens that turned into mirrors when they weren't in use. I thought that was cool.

Great solution for the bedroom ceiling.
The Fife
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quote:
That wallpaper mode sounds pretty awesome, here is one I found on amazon.

http://www.amazon.com/Sharp-LC-80LE650U-80-inch-Aquos-1080p/dp/B00BYQYZJ6
Sweet, that was one of the models I've been looking at! Hopefully it'll be a little bit bigger/more affordable/both by winter...
jopatura
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AG
We have that 80" Sharp model, but I've never been bothered by having a big giant black object on our walls. It also helps that our wall is huge and there's quite a bit of white space still surrounding the TV (at least four feet on either side and the top). We also have a pretty balanced entertainment console, so the eye isn't drawn to one thing in particular.

I think it's more noticeable when you oversize the TV for your space and left with literally nothing but TV to look at.
213 Grove
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AG
quote:
I recall seeing TV screens that turned into mirrors when they weren't in use. I thought that was cool.


MGS
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That's a lot of glare. You'll only be able to see the TV in complete darkness.
213 Grove
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AG
quote:
That's a lot of glare. You'll only be able to see the TV in complete darkness.


It shows up just fine in the video without complete darkness. I get what you are saying but it's not that bad
redd38
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AG
quote:
quote:
I recall seeing TV screens that turned into mirrors when they weren't in use. I thought that was cool.



Too bad they seem to have gone out of business.

I would think that would be pretty easy to DIY though.
An Ag in CO
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AG
If you mount the tv so the screen is flush (or a little deeper) with the wall then the options are numerous in terms of what you can do to "cover' the screen when not in use. And whether you use some type of screen or covering (a painting, etc.) you can easily make it an electronic and automated system so the cover retracts when the tv is turned on. And it's not expensive at all.
Flashdiaz
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AG
install tv using a french cleat, that way, you can take it off easily and boom, no more black rectangle.
BigJim49 AustinNowDallas
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AG
I have 3 tvs against the library- 42,39,35 .

One great day i had 3 different A&M sports on - we won 2 out of 3 !

Mostly though wifey gets first call and I watch on #2 with sound off !
Ulrich
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Projector?
hph6203
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AG
quote:
quote:
That's a lot of glare. You'll only be able to see the TV in complete darkness.


It shows up just fine in the video without complete darkness. I get what you are saying but it's not that bad


It's pretty bad if you don't want to watch yourself, while watching your TV. That reflection is pretty freaking crisp.
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