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marioncohen1

Televison in Kitchen

marioncohen1
11 years ago

I am renovating my kitchen and would like a small TV on the counter. How can I have a TV without all the wiring or cable box showing? I see it in photos but not sure how it can be done?

Comments (17)

  • hrajotte
    11 years ago

    Is the TV "digital cable ready"? If so, and you don't watch any premium channels requiring the box, you can probably just ditch the cable box and plug the cable right into the TV. You might even save a few bucks by turning in the box.
    If you need the box, can it be placed in a cabinet?
    As far as the wires, about all you can do is coil them up and secure them with plastic ties. Hopefully you can place the TV near a receptacle, or maybe one can be added during the renovations.
    Who is doing the renovation work? Maybe they can help you accomplish what you want.

  • mike_kaiser_gw
    11 years ago

    If your cable company requires a cable box, then you need to find some place to hide it. I installed one a while back and I could place a special split box behind the TV to handle the coax and electricity. The cable box was very small and could sit behind the TV and included a little infrared repeater that attached to the front a the TV for the remote.

    If something like that won't work for you, then you'll need to hide the box in a cabinet.

  • Elmer J Fudd
    11 years ago

    Easily done:

    1. Enable a Slingbox capability for your home TV signal (done by either purchasing a Slingbox device if compatible with the system used for your existing TV signal provider, or by becoming a Dish customer and getting equipment that provides the Slingbox capability).

    2. Instead of a TV in your kitchen, find a location to use a laptop PC or tablet or an all-in-one PC on your counter.

    3. Using an app (for either I-device or Android) or a browser window, you connect to the Sling device over your home Wifi and (assuming a decent wifi signal) watch HD quality TV in your kitchen or anywhere else at home or out of the house. On a trip, with a smartphone, anywhere.

    With my Dish system, all channels available in my subscription are available via the Sling feature. One can also watch any programs previously DVR'd with the box.

    I have this capability, it works great, and the best is that when done watching "TV", the "TV" can leave the kitchen and be stored or used elsewhere. Picture quality outside of the house does depend on your having adequate internet upload bandwidth from home and download bandwidth where you connect. Within the house, your internet service speed is N/A, the signal remains wholly within your home network.

  • doug_gb
    11 years ago

    @snidley: "Easily done"

    Are you serious - you've just added Sling Box / PC / andriod to the equation.

  • Elmer J Fudd
    11 years ago

    I'm not sure I understand your comment doug gb.

    The question was how to watch TV in a kitchen without wiring and a cable box. The Sling approach does what was requested and offers flexibility as to what device to use. Or even to use multiple devices, different ones at different times and places.

    Most people aren't inclined to screw around with a roll-your-own approach. Plug and play is how the world is going, and Sling is definitely that.

  • doug_gb
    11 years ago

    @snidely: "The question was how to watch TV in a kitchen without wiring and a cable box."

    If you read the question it says: "How can I have a TV without all the wiring or cable box showing?"

    I outlined a $40 simple solution - by an IR repeater and put the cable box in a closet. Does that sound difficult?

    @snidely: "Most people aren't inclined to screw around with a roll-your-own approach."

    Your solution requiring Slingbox, a PC, and an Android - that's a cobbled together system with much more complexity and expense

  • Elmer J Fudd
    11 years ago

    My suggestion offers an inexpensive and elegantly simple wireless solution, using components that people already own. No need to buy a TV or pay extra to run new wires.

    It's apparently something you know nothing about, your criticism is simply silly.

  • greg_2010
    11 years ago

    "Easily done" for a technophile. For the average person, that would sound extremely complicated and it would require them to buy a slingbox and a laptop or tablet.

    That solution may be elegant, but I chuckled when you said 'easily done'.

  • alan_s_thefirst
    11 years ago

    Run wires through the attic, drop down through wall, install a recessed box for cable and power. If you search this forum for "wire fishing" or google it, you'll get some ideas. It may be worth paying someone to do it, though.

    Install the cable box in a closet or something, if you're lucky it will have an rf (radio receiver) rather than IR (infrared) remote, but you can do this:

    http://www.logitech.com/en-us/product/6347

    Here is a link that might be useful: Leviton recessed box

  • doug_gb
    11 years ago

    The reason I like puting the cable box in a closet / pantry is that you have lots of space.

    Also I would run both coax and HDMI - some of the new boxes only have HDMI outputs.

    My RF remote for Direct TV works through a layer of cabinets and a real plaster wall. The DirectTV HD box is in the pantry.

  • andrelaplume2
    11 years ago

    Hey Doug,
    RE:
    What you can do is get an IR repeater - you mount the IR sensor (small diameter) near the TV. The sensor then sends the remote control signal over a wire ( this wiring is installed during your remodel ) and converts it back to an IR signal at the cable box.

    Google 'IR repeater' - there are many sold on Amazon for around $40.

    I never heard of this but I may have an application for it. May I ask though how running a wire from the sensor thing back to the cable box is any differnt than running coax from the tv back to the cable? Am I missing something..Is the reapter somehow wireless..I am confused.

  • doug_gb
    11 years ago

    @andrea: "May I ask though how running a wire from the sensor thing back to the cable box is any differnt than ..."

    The cable box is controlled by a remote control. Many remote controls use an Infrared light signal (people cannot see infrared) to communicate with the cable box. If you want your cable box to be in another room (or behind a door), you can use an infrared repeater.

    The coax cable is for the TV picture. The IR repeater is for the remote control.

    You will still need a coax cable.

  • stinkytiger
    11 years ago

    Hi Marion,

    My wife's solution I think is elegantly simple. We are in New York and our provider is Cablevision. We have internet and cable TV from them. They have an "App" that runs on an Apple IPad. That app allows you to watch TV.

    We actually bought the iPad for my daughter, but my wife uses it more than anyone else. Watching TV in bed is also simple.

    All you need is basically an Ipad and WiFi in your house. The cost to us was $US 500 for the Ipad. The Application was free from Cablevision.

    Not sure if you cable provider has something similar. No wiring required.

    Best, Mike.

    Here is a link that might be useful: Ipad Cable TV application

  • tomatodog
    11 years ago

    I bought an IR repeater myself, very easy and quick to install. It would be a good solution for a low price around $40.

  • marial1214
    11 years ago

    We have an undercount Tv in the kitchen, yesterday we ran the cables amd box up into the cabinet, then moved the shelf up 3 inches so it could still be used. I love it. I have to open the cabinet though to change the channel but having the box and the electricity cords stuffed inside a basket in the counter for 7 yrs was frustrating, I finally got the counter back. We don't do much channel surfing so it's good for us.

  • pbx2_gw
    11 years ago

    what about a RF Repeater?
    Do they use radio waves- which I believe - would eliminate running wires for the Infared repeater no?

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