LOL ML this is good. I like the frame idea. I have threatened to mosaic our TV before. Would be great just on outside frame in front. Joe was not too enthused about it.

Love the behind the mirror TV. I could really go for that one. IN my living room. Not so much in the bathroom. I know some put TV's in their bath rooms. I can even understand it for the on the go working people that want to see the news while getting ready for work. I just can not go that far for us. We only have one TV. Always have and no pans to ever get a second one.

Fun link I could make our black hole TV look really pretty. Wonder why they do not make white TV's???

Shades, I have a white Panasonic 13" TV, old style, and it is about kaputt. I wish they made them in something besides basic black too.

Why not a TV that could have a still picture, like your computer's wallpaper, when you're not using it? You could upload a picture of a nice painting, or a view through a window. Then you could change your 'artwork' as often as you wanted. You could also use a slideshow. With a nice frame, that could work! I'm sure it could be easily done by hooking up a computer to a modern TV. Not sure how much energy it would use, though.

Jay, in the list of products sold by this place linked above, they have a video machine (forget what they call it), which is essentially like a picture viewer you can buy at Staples or Office Depot, etc, and it accepts USB thumb drives or, in the case of their model here, also take their DVDs of art work and rotate them as you like. It also can accept your own photo DVDs. This is in many ways blurring the line between a lot of electronic gadgets, like your computer with screensaver or wallpaper.

Last Christmas, Comcast had a channel or viewing option at least, which made your TV into a fireplace with really nice big fire going, also crackling like wood burning. That is what I'd like for my TV, when I move it OFF the mantle and beneath it, more in the fire box spot. But that is after I build shelving on that wall...mostly to hide power cords to the router, the modem, the phone, the converter box, the DVD, and the TV.

I HATE power cords running everywhere.

oh my, this would be the PERFECT solution for a TV quandry in our den. Anyone have an idea for how to make the picture mechanized to roll away?

That would be an interesting project but I've got zero ideas.

Of course, it wouldn't have to be an automatic thing, I'm not above manually rolling something away..certainly something to think about.

I ordered an all-in-one TV mirror for the bathroom from this company. The item arrived promptly and is very nice. I was a bit surprised I was charged $150 for shipping which wasn't mentioned when I initially checked out (they did call me to let me know it was going to happen, but I still would have thought it'd have been listed in my initial check-out).

The TV picture is pretty good. It is not quite as sharp as a regular non-mirrored TV so I don't know that I'd do this for my main living room TV (it is certainly fine for a bathroom!) This company was also way cheaper than the other options I looked at w/ similar offerings.

enigmaquandry, maybe use one of those auto drapery roller things if you could find a way to hide it in the frame like they use for remote-controlled drapes?

While we are brainstorming the TV frame question, how about getting one of those roll-ups, such as on a roll top desk, or an appliance garage?

I'm toying with the idea of making something to house our flat panel TV, 42 inches, presently sitting on the mantle with a chain tethering it to the wall. DH could not find a stud to mount the bracket on the wall. No rush, this is sort of a low priority thing.

Someone on the kitchens forum has a tv niche in their backsplash. I wonder if you could do a niche in a wall and just hang a big picture over it when not in use? I like the idea of a framed tv but not when the tv is off.

We are approaching the need for a new TV. A black spot is appearing on our screen.:^( Still working so we ignore the spot. So odd. No idea what it is and it seems to change.

Anyway we have been looking at options. 32 inch is more than large enough for us. What I am noticing on the newer TV's is the frame around them are so much thinner now then they were. Our frame is about two inches on top and sides and about 6 on the bottom. And then some of the screen is not used up by the picture most times. The newer frames are only about a inch wide. This is a good thing.

Still loving the the flat screen and the idea of putting a pretty frame over the existing frame. Not sure how that would work with TV not mounted to the wall.

Shades, you might not want to mount the TV on the wall, but how about the "box frame?" Mount THAT on the wall, with holes in the bottom or even a deep enough shelf sticking out to take the smallest BluRay disk player.

I highly recommend the 32 inch Vizio and then the Vizio 328 or maybe it is 338 model BluRay/DVD/CD player that gets WiFi and you can also watch Netflix, Hulu, Amazon YouTube, and who knows what else via your Wifi connection through this player.

I forget how many DHMI inputs the Vizio 32 has, but it is at least 2.

We have TWO of the Vizio 32" sets, one mounted to the wall up in MA, which we'll leave with that house when it sells, including the Vizio DVD/BluRay thingie. We've had both sets for at least 3 years, and no problems at all. Great sets, believe American made.

We have a 42 or 47 inch sitting on the mantle in the living room here. DH tried to mount it on the wall, but could not find the studs in the chimney wall. So we have a steel tether holding it to avoid it tipping over if it ever decided to fall. Actually, if it goes out, we sure don't need to replace it.....DH is not a sports fan, and I don't like to watch TV in there. I much prefer the study for the TV, where I can turn around from my computer and watch, or just listen to the music channels.....maybe a small TV in the kitchen or the bedroom, with earphones, because DH has hearing problems and I cannot tolerate loud TV. My hearing is good to 3db, which is probably my best sense of all (hearing).

Well ML The wall is only about 6 inches wide between two windows available to mount to. So wall mount is out of the question. :^( I still would consider a pretty frame around the TV itself.

I am a bit ashamed to admit I only have one DVD and it is an exercise one. DVD player in my computer. Never watched Netflix and sadly I am not clear on what a blue ray is. GAWD I am so Techno challenged.

I am not the TV fan in our house. Joe is Mr. TV man. LOL I do not think I would even have a TV if it were not for him.

I think we were looking at a Vizio. They were on sale. The dark spot is changing shape again. no idea what it is or why it happened. Or how long this poor beast will last. Saving your notes to share with Joe. Thanks!!

Just remembered an older picture of the living room I can share so you have an idea of my window to TV situation. I made a cover for the couch in off white. That green was too green even for me. LOL

Here is a link that might be useful: TV in window

This post was edited by shades_of_idaho on Sun, Dec 23, 12 at 13:24

ok you guys - i'm techno challenged these days too. so sad since I was in the early wave of those having a computer (early 80s) and took computer programming and worked on computers.
I have no idea what WIFI is - or how to get it - or why.

about the same with blueray - I figure that is the new wave of DVD players. what the dif is I have no idea. I still use a vcr. It isn't working anymore I think (still at old place). It has a dvd player also. need to bring that over.

when one of my old tvs goes I'll be getting a new flat screen and look forward to it except for the cost. I hate that I can't move these old monsters to even clean under/around them.

I think a 27" will be big enough for me. I do watch tv a lot - when I'm down - which is often thruout the day. a lot of old westerns, hgtv, church channels and news. seldom watch the network type shows. have no idea what is even on those anymore. Last I watched was Monk.

Glad to know VIZIO is a good TV. I've seen those in ads.

so, what is WIFI and blueray and why would I want them?

shades - you can 'frame' it by making a 3 sided 'box' for it. Just a shallow box since they aren't 'deep' anymore. Then just slip the 'box' over it. Make the opening in front to the size of the screen. You might put a strip of wood across the front bottom so you have 4 sides to glue some decorative trimwork to. The backside can be wide open, no 'frame' part to it. Think of a shoe box with part of the bottom cut out leaving an 'edge' all around it. It has sides and an open 'back' (where the lid goes on one). Like a shadow box. You don't need the bottom part to the box if you're setting the tv on a cabinet, chest or table.
you could also mosaic the front edges!

you could maybe even velcro the trimwork on so you could change it easily if you want to.

My TV died a few months ago and I bought a tv lift cabinet to go with my new TV. It was pretty spendy, but I love that I can hide my TV now.

Here is a link that might be useful: TV lift cabinet

Melody, what a great idea. I like the idea of a box on the wall though, with the narrow shutters to fold aside....but I am a shutters person for all my life. Or one of those roll-up thingies like in the kitchen to hide the small appliances....I guess it becomes a TV garage? And I also saw somewhere on Houzz the rollup used for a wide closet that had been converted to a home office. Just roll down the door (like they use on the PODS storage containers) and you could even lock it I'm sure, but it also is safe from little kids and pets or, I suppose, many burglars.

The TV lift cabinet is probably fine for folks with a larger bedroom or living room than we have, because I would be setting things on top of it, requiring me to get up instead of simply clicking the remote. Perhaps the rollup could be automatic, like a garage door remote control? Hmmm, how lazy can I get...... :)

"I would be setting things on top of it"

me too. I'd want a remote that would also move the stuff I put on top of it...

Steph I do know what WIFI is. We have it here. It is internet provided to the house then through a router in your house so you can be on your lap top or computer anywhere in the house with out having to be connected to a cord. I can take my lap top out to the garage and yard too. Not much further. I can see a weak signal from my neighbor across the street. My printer is wireless too from computer. LOVE that. The rest I am not sure of. Will google about it.

I like the mosaic idea. Back in the old day of computer monitor I considered doing mosaic on my monitor edges. Then I got lazy and painted it purple. LOL We just have lap tops now. I could just buy a picture frame to fit around the TV or watch for one at a yard sale. But until we get a new TV I am not going to bother doing any thing with this one.

shades - does that work on a desk top also?

"I can see a weak signal from my neighbor across the street."

how can you see it? can you then access their computer thru it?

also, you could just buy a frame - if you can find one in the needed measurements. When the time comes and you get the tv you'll get all kinds of ideas on how to do it.

Many people forget to secure their connection. If they don't you can actually use their line. When my son was here he accidentally hooked up to the neighbors trying to link to mine. I mentioned the open connection to them, it is one of the things crooks like to find driving down streets. Yes you can see what is on their computer, as well as use it for your own. Make sure your's is buttoned up.

I can see our neighbors connection. It is password protected as ours is.I think we are good. Her signal is so week only two bars I would not want to use it any way and I am sure ours is the same to them.

As technicolor said a computer could be hacked into through their connection. I believe the password stops that. And they would have to be home with their computer on. I doubt they leave them on when they are gone. and a car sitting here on the street would be noticed and any further then between our two houses I am sure the connection would be completely useless.

WIFI will work on a desktop as long as you have the ?Receiver or whatever it is called to pick up the signal. The newer lap tops have it built into them. Our older lap tops we have here have a card that fits into the PCMCIA slot. I do not think desk tops have the slots. The city computer used a USB stick that received the signal from the WIFI at the office.