This one might look pretty decent with tinted windows. Not bad for 400ish i think.

http://common.csnstores.com/common/products/TC/TC0197_a.jpg

I like it, it's nice for $400ish.

Costco has some good pieces online - ranging from the frugal to the decent (but nothing exorbitant).

I bought a decidedly frugal set at Costco ages ago - perfect for my 42" setup with a plethora of components. Definitely bank-friendly, and adequate for all my gear - but in silver, not wood/accents etc!

I bought this at Raymor and Flannigans for $400. It's not bad but it lacks ventilation outside of the cutouts for the wires. I have to keep the doors open when I play Xbox.

http://i130.photobucket.com/albums/p273/rguyer/P1000003.jpg

It can also depend on how much you wish to spend. My stand handles my center which is larger than yours, 7-11/16" H x 24" W x 14-1/2" D. Of course it has a lot of extras as well including cooling fans. But you will pay for it. The stand is from Diamondcase.

Closed view:
http://members.cox.net/holydoc/stereo/Plasma/Front%20View%20Closed%20Plasma.jpg

With doors open:
http://members.cox.net/holydoc/stereo/Front%20View%20Open%20Plasma.jpgDiamondcase TT-400 shown in the Glazed Maple

http://www.diamondcase.com/TT/TT400/TT400_Closed_Glazed.jpgThe Diamondcase TT-400 shown is above is one of the nicest stands I've seen linked in the thread. It's one of the few stands that can accomodate larger centers, as well as two sets of components. The only negative I see is the depth; at 24" tall and 26" deep, it takes up quite a bit of space.

Without extras like fans, how much does something like this set you back? $1500? $2000? $2500? $3000?

This one might look pretty decent with tinted windows. Not bad for 400ish i think.

http://common.csnstores.com/common/products/TC/TC0197_a.jpg

I just emailed techcraft to see if replacement black mesh inserts can be ordered. This way I could go all black mesh. If so, that might work for me as well. But wife really likes wood doors.

I've seen it in person at a CC and I thought it looked pretty decent. It was discussed a bunch earlier in this thread and you can see a few other pics from owners (triton had some pics http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9317698&highlight=SWP60#post9317698).

The Diamondcase TT-400 shown is above is one of the nicest stands I've seen linked in the thread. It's one of the few stands that can accomodate larger centers, as well as two sets of components. The only negative I see is the depth; at 24" tall and 26" deep, it takes up quite a bit of space.

Without extras like fans, how much does something like this set you back? $1500? $2000? $2500? $3000?

See my post here: http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=8803810&&#post8803810

The Diamondcase TT-400 shown is above is one of the nicest stands I've seen linked in the thread. It's one of the few stands that can accomodate larger centers, as well as two sets of components. The only negative I see is the depth; at 24" tall and 26" deep, it takes up quite a bit of space.

Without extras like fans, how much does something like this set you back? $1500? $2000? $2500? $3000?


I just got the same unit in cherry, going to pick it up at 5:30pm. Thanks for posting those pics, made my desicion a lot easier and the wife totally approves.

Can someone recommend a decent stand for a 40 inch LCD flat panel? It's a Sony Bravia with black casing. Right now, i'm using my old CRT stand which looks a little ghetto. I'm a poor college student and only looking to spend around $100.

Jaewon,

I would suggest the "Z Line Designs T341S Drake TV Stand" from Tweeter/HiFi Buys. It is a very nice stand that would make the Sony w/ the black casing look great. I have the same stand holding my Pioneer 5070. Well I just noticed that you only wanted to spend 100 bucks, so there is no need to look at this stand because it cost a couple hundred more.

BigLou96.

Here is the TT-400 all setup.

Here is the TT-400 all setup.
i think baron davis would have been a better match for the nice setup :D

Here is the TT-400 all setup.Great setup.

We really like that stand, but almost $3k (after shipping) is a bit more than we want to spend.

Does anyone have experience with the triple-unit, Salamander Synergy 236 (http://salamanderdesigns.com/syn/triples.jsp) shown below? If so, how wide a center can the center shelf support? I see that the shelves are 19.75" wide and 18" deep, but what is the usable area? It sounds like the compartment dividers are optional, but it's not clear whether the doors require those dividers.

http://salamanderdesigns.com/syn/imgs/gal_236cb.jpg

The Synergy Triple 10 (shown below) looks interesting for use with a wall mount, if it can be purchased without the center door:

http://salamanderdesigns.com/syn/imgs/popgall_133wb.jpg

Great setup.

We really like that stand, but almost $3k (after shipping) is a bit more than we want to spend.




I hear ya, I only live 20 miles from the place so I was able to pick it up.

Jaewon,

I would suggest the "Z Line Designs T341S Drake TV Stand" from Tweeter/HiFi Buys. It is a very nice stand that would make the Sony w/ the black casing look great. I have the same stand holding my Pioneer 5070. Well I just noticed that you only wanted to spend 100 bucks, so there is no need to look at this stand because it cost a couple hundred more.

BigLou96.

Wow, that stand looks great. Want to donate some money to me? :p

Maybe once i get settled in my new place and save some money up, i'd consider something in that price range. Anyone have other suggestions for an affordable flat panel stand? I'm thinking about just getting one from IKEA or something, heh. :)

http://www.overstock.com/?page=proframe&prod_id=2298799

Check that one.

Jaewon, here's one more. You might like this better:

http://www.homedecoratorsoutlet.com/P/Melbourne_48W_TV_Stand/280/

There's a $10 off promotional code for this- 8581590
Even with shipping and stuff, it should come in at just under $100.

First, I'd like to thank everyone who contributes/contributed to this incredible thread. After looking at everything I possibly could, I bought a console from Standout Designs. (I can't post a link; still under 5 posts, you'll have to google it)

It's the Horizon console 70ce with cherry doors and drawers and espresso stained Ash cabinet. I had them put 2 drawers instead of one drawer and a center speaker shelf since I don't have a center speaker and I have a lot of stuff to go in the drawers.

The reasons I decided on this one are:
It's all wood. They sent samples of all the stains to compare, so it was easy to see what it would look like in my house.
It's low and long. Only about 18" high and 70" wide. I think it looks very sleek.
It's plenty ventilated in back. You can leave the back panels (which have vents cut into them) off completely if you'd like.
It holds all my stuff. 6 components including a turntable.
It has glass so my remotes all work. They have clear, grey and bronze. I got grey and I really like it. You can see all the stuff, but it's not obvious.
Price. $1500 delivered. If you don't need the center drawer ($139 I believe), it would be less.

I was hesitant about buying something I couldn't see in person. But, it really looks great. It was packaged amazingly well. I have a history of bad experiences with delivery people and either their people (con-way) are really gentle with the stuff or the packaging is perfect. I'm guessing the latter. There were no marks at all anywhere on the console.

Also, the people I dealt with at the company were pleasant and we had no problems. It took a little longer to get (about a month) than it would for a standard one drawer console, but I was in no hurry. The sales guy I dealt with seemed more concerned with the delay than I was.

I'm very pleased and couldn't have made this decision without all of the input on this site. Thank you.

I hope to have pictures to post (once I can post pictures-takes 5 posts to qualify right?) in the near future.

First, I'd like to thank everyone who contributes/contributed to this incredible thread. After looking at everything I possibly could, I bought a console from Standout Designs. (I can't post a link; still under 5 posts, you'll have to google it)

It's the Horizon console 70ce with cherry doors and drawers and espresso stained Ash cabinet. I had them put 2 drawers instead of one drawer and a center speaker shelf since I don't have a center speaker and I have a lot of stuff to go in the drawers. Looks like you get a lot for your money.

Can't wait for your stand pictures. :)

I have been wanting to get a stand from Standout Designs for a while, but they are way too low. They change/add items periodically, like before I recall they didn't have a piece that used the full width, like they added a while ago.

I want something similar in the 24" to 27" high range, with 69"-72" wide, and 20"-21" deep, interior side compartment width at least 20.25", interior depth at least 18.75", that is real wood furniture, and a black finish (actually silver would be better, but it is rare to find. I could only find silver on a wider piece).

I have searched a lot, I don't think I missed anything, now I just look periodically to see if there is anything new.
If you know of anything like this or close, please let me know.

I have been wanting to get a stand from Standout Designs for a while, but they are way too low. They change/add items periodically, like before I recall they didn't have a piece that used the full width, like they added a while ago.

I want something similar in the 24" to 27" high range, with 69"-72" wide, and 20"-21" deep, interior side compartment width at least 20.25", interior depth at least 18.75", that is real wood furniture, and a black finish (actually silver would be better, but it is rare to find. I could only find silver on a wider piece).

I have searched a lot, I don't think I missed anything, now I just look periodically to see if there is anything new.
If you know of anything like this or close, please let me know.Why do you want something so tall? For the best possible picture, you want your eyes to hit as close to the center of the screen as possible.

Plasmas do have a wide viewing angle, and degrade very little with off-axis viewing, but the best picture is still obtained front and center, from less than 30" degrees off the vertical axis. That puts your eyes in a position to resolve maximum possible resolution.

I think the Horizon N70e (pictured below) is the perfect height for 50" and larger plasmas, you just need to order it with a shelf instead of a door to accommodate larger centers. The only change I'd make is a reduction in center shelf width -- 26.75" is a bit excessive. The unit is 69.5" wide, which is fine with 60-65" plasmas, but is a bit wide for 52-55" and smaller plasmas. They could shave 3-4" off that width with a smaller center shelf.

http://www.standoutdesigns.com/store/pc/catalog/G_HOR_N70E_AE_AT_7013_OBP.jpg

I still have a few more posts before I can post pictures, so I'll reply regarding the height. I think that most of the stands I looked at were in that 24" range. Course, that could be because I didn't want anything that high. :) I think if you have a really big screen, you should have a pretty low stand. If you think about it, let's say you want your eye dead center in the screen. If you have a really small tv, like a 12", your stand is going to be pretty tall to get it to eye level. If you have a 60", the height of the screen. top to bottom, will force the stand to a much lower position to get it to eye level. That being said, it all has to do with what you are comfortable looking at, what viewing angle you prefer, and how high your seats are.

Additionally, I should mention I don't even have a plasma (or big lcd) at this point. But, I still find the level of my current tv to be satisfactory, and indeed preferable, to the old stand it was on which was about 23" high.

That's five messages, so next we'll try some pics.

OK. Here's a pic of my Standout Horizon 70ce.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=81397&stc=1

Hopefully that works. Now I'm curious as to how people post pics into the actual message without a link. Do you need a storage type place (photobucket, etc)?

First you copy and past the location of the picture. Then you click on the "Insert Image" tab that has a picture of a mountain. Then a pop up window will appear that says "Insert the text to be formated" you paste the location of the picture in that pop up window. And whalla you're all done. It can't be an attachment tho, the location should end in jpg. So yeah, i guess you do need something like photobucket.com because avsforum does not save pictures as jpg's.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/magnavox.jpg

I picked up a BDI Avion 8529 in Esperesso for $1500 + tax at a local dealer.

I showed them this online price (http://www.palmbeachdigital.com/Details.asp?Source=Nextag&ProductID=2711) . And $1500 + tax was the best they could do.

It's a big stand at 77 inches wide, but i figure i can put my speakers on the stand for now, and when the time comes, i can always upgrade my TV up to a size 73" or so without having to also upgrade the stand once again..

Now im just waiting for my TH50PX60U to be delivered...



http://www.jensen-lewis.com/images/product/1756-04-avion8529es.jpg

Nice. That is my exact setup. Check it out below. My recommendation is if you are going to mount the plasma, please have 2 other friends help you. I tried to mount it with one other person and it was not so much fun. 3 people will make it so much easier.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/Living_room51.jpg

Nice. That is my exact setup. Check it out below. My recommendation is if you are going to mount the plasma, please have 2 other friends help you. I tried to mount it with one other person and it was not so much fun. 3 people will make it so much easier.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/Living_room51.jpg

Oh wow, i didn't notice you also had the same TV. But yeah, it's your picture that convinced me on the BDI 8529, you can even check my post history showing i copied and pasted your setup. Im even going to have the same Wii sensor bar ontop of my Panny! lol

Nice. No real complaints about the bdi. Still if i had to critique it, wheels are tiny and given the weight of all the components and given the fact that i have carpet, the unit doesn't glide in and out easily. That being said I am able to move one side at a time with a little elbow grease which is very useful. The fact that the back panels slide in and out (or can be taken off with ease) is also a huge plus when you want to get back there. Other than that its pretty solidly built. The windows can be a bit small which limits the angle you can use your remotes at (i guess you can get an rf repeater or whatever you call them). Also the height of each shelf is not super high, about enough to stand the wii vertically but not enough room to plug in old gamecube controllers at the top (i have to pull it out to do such a thing). The fact that the mounting poles are hollow is a huge plus as you can hide the HDMI cable, power cord, and wii sensor in them and then it only comes out on top.

Its funny that you noticed the wii sensor, most of my friends think its part of the tv because it matches it so perfectly. Overall its pretty great and if you have a smaller center channel speaker than i do, you can put it in the middle shelf and then the plasma looks really cool off of the poles.

One last word of advice, again have 3 guys. You will need to get this thing level and its really quite a pain with just two guys. Have fun and post your pics when you're all setup.

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/Living_room51.jpg
Very nice set & room you have. :)

The only problem with my setup is that my thermostat is right by the TV and I think the heat from my TV and components kick my AC into motion during the summer and cause the thermostat to seem warmer than it is in the winter...sorta sux but those are the sacrifices ya make for your tv.

Some pictures, pre-assembly.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/BDI004.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/BDI005.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/BDI001.jpg

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/Home003.jpg

The BDI 8529 measures from speaker stand to speaker stand in the picture above. A 1080p 70" Plasma would look nice there someday. :D

For now im just waiting on the 50" PXU60 to be delivered.

Sadly you cannot mount a 70" plasma (it would have to rest on the stand). I actually bought mine from a furniture store and they assembled it for me except for mounting the plasma. Enjoy the BDI piece. I think its great. We actually have near the same setup as I have a PS3, xbox 360, and wii as well. (also have toshia hd-dvd player). I will say this, even with the vents the ps3 and xbox 360 will get hot and a bit loud although I suspect not as bad as my totally enclosed setup before. I'm not entirely worried though plus having the doors shut does help keep some of the noise down. I placed both the ps3 and xbox 360 on the bottom shelves so that the heat rises away from it and the vents on the bottom shelf also move some heat out. One of the primary reasons for buyin the bdi piece was because of the ventillation system which I believe works for the most part.

I haven't figured out how to get the front grill off of the piece so that I can put the glass instead of the mesh...do you have any idea? The rubber on the back seems so tight and i can't peel it off.

Does anyone consider a cabinet with a center location for the speaker unimportant? I see lots of cabinet pictures without a center speaker shelf. The speaker just sit on top, in front of the LCD/ plasma.

Does anyone consider a cabinet with a center location for the speaker unimportant? I see lots of cabinet pictures without a center speaker shelf. The speaker just sit on top, in front of the LCD/ plasma.

Buster,

I considered it very important when I went to purchase. That is why I bought this Diamond Case design. It fit my huge center speaker.

http://members.cox.net/holydoc/stereo/Plasma/Front%20View%20Closed%20Plasma.jpg

And opened:

http://members.cox.net/holydoc/stereo/Front%20View%20Open%20Plasma.jpg

I'm not a photo editing expert, but here's my editing attempt. I edited the Bush Sonoma cabinet with the doors & shelves from the Bush Napa cabinet TV Stand. The two cabinets appear to be the same except for their finishes. The Sonoma comes with a mocha cherry finish and the Napa has a light cherry finish. So, here's the before and combo. This is a relatively inexpensive cabinets. Some of you may want the opposite of what I've shown. Let me know your thoughts and comments.

http://shutter06.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/13/002/77/B7/3D/E6/9z0wOY35zxXQHIt5gEAOIQhjnLFrEHAl0247.jpg

http://shutter02.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/10/001/2B/EB/09/C1/MHHMxoiPpdCyyCuOxUFPwYTZxCty+Zue0258.jpg

http://shutter08.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/03/018/31/EE/35/89/B3yr5yyBdZNerdLkVbDzGMtFLooaaM8u0258.jpg

Could you reverse the colors on the last photo?

As requested, here is the Bush Napa cabinet with the Bush Sonoma doors & drawer. Man, you've got me working hard first thing in the morning. :)

http://shutter10.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/12/00A/37/FD/76/00/4yiYGr4X8eW6bq2ueSjPJWthQei4yPai0258.jpg

The Bush above is good value solution if you have a small center from a HTIB. Unfortunately, most larger centers will not fit.

The Diamond case is still the best I've seen for larger centers. The Horizon N70e is a cheaper alternative (about 40% of the price) and can also accomodate large centers if you replace the center door with an optional shelf.

I posted earlier on here that I had bought an Ethan Allen Horizons Credenza. A year later I still love the piece but found that there was not enough ventillation for my xbox 360 and ps3 which were getting extremely hot. The rest of the components seemed fine. Additionally I wanted a way to mount my plasma but not to the wall.

So I got a BDI 8529 with the plasma mount. Check it out:

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/Living_room51.jpg

Jason,

I love that piece, except for the price, but I'm having so much trouble finding something that will fit my Paradigm Studio CC-470 center channel that I'm apparently going to have to drop loads of money on a unit like this. I actually have virtually the same setup - Studio 20's up front, the CC-470, etc.

Here's my question - can you choose where the plasma is centered vertically on that attached plasma mounting poles? I don't want to mount to the wall, but I'm concerned that my current and future TVs won't have the clearance to make sure the screen totally clears the center channel. I want to make sure there's some "play" in the vertical placement of the TV before commiting!

Thanks,

Trent

Jason,

I love that piece, except for the price, but I'm having so much trouble finding something that will fit my Paradigm Studio CC-470 center channel that I'm apparently going to have to drop loads of money on a unit like this. I actually have virtually the same setup - Studio 20's up front, the CC-470, etc.

Here's my question - can you choose where the plasma is centered vertically on that attached plasma mounting poles? I don't want to mount to the wall, but I'm concerned that my current and future TVs won't have the clearance to make sure the screen totally clears the center channel. I want to make sure there's some "play" in the vertical placement of the TV before commiting!

Thanks,

Trent

Why not have someone local build one custom to your needs.

I have a CC-470, unfortunately, my plasma is basically at the highest point allowed on the unit leaving about 1 inch between the top of the CC-470 (with the feet) and the bottom of my 50" panny. I suppose you have a little bit more play and can raise it one notch higher (maybe another half and inch or so) but it will be less stable as the top piece of the bracket will only have half of it mounted to the poles (not sure if that's allowed or not, you may want to call BDI).


If you search elsewhere in this thread (perhaps in the 50's), someone else has the same setup and apparantly you can get the CC-470 to fit in the top center shelf but you must actually take the shelf out (the entire shelf out and it will fit without the feet. I'm too lazy to try it (he posted a picture) and I like the shelf space. Its up to you if you want to try it.

Finally, the price is a bit high, but there is a way to save money on this piece. Try to find an actual furniture store (rather than a home electronics store) that carries BDI. The furniture store by me was a few hundred cheaper because they get better economics on the piece as they carry the full line of BDI furniture (chairs/mirrors/tables/etc). Plus they actually had cheaper shipping for me compared to an electronics store (as furniture delivery is their thing) and they assembled the whole thing except for mounting the plasma.

Jason,

I love that piece, except for the price, but I'm having so much trouble finding something that will fit my Paradigm Studio CC-470 center channel that I'm apparently going to have to drop loads of money on a unit like this. I actually have virtually the same setup - Studio 20's up front, the CC-470, etc.

Here's my question - can you choose where the plasma is centered vertically on that attached plasma mounting poles? I don't want to mount to the wall, but I'm concerned that my current and future TVs won't have the clearance to make sure the screen totally clears the center channel. I want to make sure there's some "play" in the vertical placement of the TV before commiting!

Thanks,

Trent

You can find the BDI 8529 (77 inch) for $1550 shipped, with no taxes. I don't think that's too bad at all. I figure that's like paying 1300 for the stand, 100 in taxes, and 150 in shipping.

<snip>
http://shutter06.pictures.aol.com/data/pictures/13/002/77/B7/3D/E6/9z0wOY35zxXQHIt5gEAOIQhjnLFrEHAl0247.jpg


The bummer with the Bush Napa VS05250-03 (or "-02" at Best Buy) is that Best Buy just recently blew out their stock of these at $99.99. I had my eye on the stand for a while as a possible inexpensive alternative but never pulled the trigger since I have not puchased a TV yet. Anyway.... I hunted for a couple of weeks at all the local BB stores and online and through BB customer service but could not locate one at BB at the lowered price. Customer service was not much help since they could not do a national search that was better than what I could do on the website. If anyone finds a stash of Bush Napa VS05250-02's at some BB please PM me.

The bummer with the Bush Napa VS05250-03 (or "-02" at Best Buy) is that Best Buy just recently blew out their stock of these at $99.99. I had my eye on the stand for a while as a possible inexpensive alternative but never pulled the trigger since I have not puchased a TV yet. Anyway.... I hunted for a couple of weeks at all the local BB stores and online and through BB customer service but could not locate one at BB at the lowered price. Customer service was not much help since they could not do a national search that was better than what I could do on the website. If anyone finds a stash of Bush Napa VS05250-02's at some BB please PM me.

Same situation here. I went to purchase from BB online last week and got the "page unavailable". After some research I found they no longer carry this model. Would love to find one!!! ughh

Jason, thanks for the input. I'll try to find that information in the thread. I read almost all of it, but apparently missed that.

You can find the BDI 8529 (77 inch) for $1550 shipped, with no taxes. I don't think that's too bad at all. I figure that's like paying 1300 for the stand, 100 in taxes, and 150 in shipping.
It's just more than I'd budgeted to spend - I'm 23, getting married in two weeks, just bought a house, just spent $600 on a car repair - basically $1500 on a stand is not high on the priority list for spending right now!

I've got no problem spending for quality, but I don't want to spend money I don't have. I'll probably just wait and save up. I'm not a credit card guy.

Trent

Eh, you can buy it with the wedding money you get :)

Is that smart? Nope. But your friends are gonna come over and wish they were you.

Same situation here. I went to purchase from BB online last week and got the "page unavailable". After some research I found they no longer carry this model. Would love to find one!!! ughh


I was in and out of BB over the last two weeks and never saw the Napa on sale.

I was in and out of BB over the last two weeks and never saw the Napa on sale.

If you see one in the store you can ask them to check the computer price.. perhaps they just did not put a sign on it. I called many stores and every one showed the price as $99.99 but they just did not have one... except in some cases the display model. The price went into effect around 4/22. Like I said, if you find a stash, please PM me. I would provide a link to the BB site but they have removed it from the website as of this week.

Does anyone have any experience with this Sanus WFV66 stand? I searched this thread and could not find much. Pictures? Experiences? Thanks. Looks to be very sharp but I have not been able to locate one in any store in my area. Cust service says it is available online only. It is from the Woodbrook collection.

http://www.sanus.com/us/en/products/ProductDetails/line/AVFoundations/pcat/woodbrook/modelCode/WFV66/layout/layout/

http://www.sanus.com/images/lifestyles/detail/WFV66c_NF24c_VMPR1_LS_570px.jpg

I love the BDI Avion, thought about buying it, decided to build it .
Originally I built it with 2 drawers in the center,after I finished the unit I bought a real pair of speakers and center channel.
I needed to modify the space for the very large center. So I simply removed the two drawers and created a face plate to go around the center channel.

Cost of materials not including my time was under $400 dollars.


http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/mtnjam67/speakers0002.jpg


http://i62.photobucket.com/albums/h89/mtnjam67/speakers0004.jpg

Does anyone consider a cabinet with a center location for the speaker unimportant? I see lots of cabinet pictures without a center speaker shelf. The speaker just sit on top, in front of the LCD/ plasma.

Personally I think it looks like crap with a center channel sitting on top of a cabinet and somewhat blocking your plasma or LCD. Isn't it about a "clean" look with the TV mounted on the wall etc..
IMO you have to figure out a way to hide the center and keep the top of the cabinet clean for that sleek,stealth look.

but that's just my opinion.

I've been searching in vain for the past hour, attempting to find a good, solid, media storage bookcase with a grand, victorian, medieval, indian, or asian (not modern) look to it.

Preferably holding a shedload of media from CDs to DVDs. The mission-style cabinet from the main resellers online looks too cheap when I saw it in Fry's.

Ideally, this would have a sliding glass door to keep dust out, but the collection visible. Failing that, a bookcase that's DESIGNED to fit media would be the next bet. I can find hooker furniture with a grand look, but they only have bookshelves that are much taller than DVDs.

Can anyone help?

Much obliged

SY

have you tried racks and stands? http://racksandstands.com/

Thanks for the response Jason,

Yes, I have. The problem is that I'm looking for something a little "higher end". I recently checked some of the racksandstands furniture at Fry's, and wasn't happy with the quality.

At this rate, I'll buy something from Hooker, and then ask them to include a couple of additional shelves. I was jus wondering if there was anyone with really good-looking DVD libary shelving.

Finally up!

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/BDI015.jpg
http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/BDI009.jpg

BD and HD DVD movies fit perfect next to the center channel speaker :D

Weird. Is that couch from Crate and Barrel because it looks almost exactly like the one i have...its like we have the exact same taste. Looks great but in a few months I know you are gonna take it to the next level and get the plasma mounts :)

Weird. Is that couch from Crate and Barrel because it looks almost exactly like the one i have...its like we have the exact same taste. Looks great but in a few months I know you are gonna take it to the next level and get the plasma mounts :)

It's from Macy's furniture department. But yeah, they do look similar.

http://i71.photobucket.com/albums/i142/krissy1969/Setup6.jpg

We need some pillows with more colors..

I know it's been several pages and many months, but is anyone with an Ikea MARKÖR tv unit able to give me the width of the center shelving area? I'm looking to get a center speaker in there that's 20" wide.

Alternately, can anyone recommend something fairly inexpensive and not too modern/glassy looking that will hold an 20"w x 8.5"h center channel speaker? My tv is a 46" LCD, and since I spent all my money on the tv and speakers I'm having a bear of a time finding something I can get my girlfriend to approve that will fit the center speaker.

Thanks in advance.

The problem I have with many of the stands is that if you are going to pay the price for a high quality wood piece of furniture, you dont want all of your components and wires showing. I would think you would want them hidden.... if not there are plenty of nice metal and glass stands for 1/2 to a 1/3rd of the price.

Has anyone tried fabricating their own poles for the BDI stands? $500 seems harsh for two metal poles.

Jsp is really nice, but after calling a local dealer, I cant drop $3500 on the Jazzy.

Has anyone tried Copenhagen furniture plasma wall stand or credenzas? They are priced really well.

http://www.copenhagenimports.com/hometheater_group.php?category=plasma

The third one in, the Kona, is a really nice looking piece in person and runs $1600 for the whole set you see in the picture, but can be fitted for your needs.

FYI:

$500 gets you the poles and the plasma mount itself. I think plasma mounts on their own can cost a few hundred so its not that bad....Plus I believe you have to bolt the poles to the piece itself.

Bush Charleston with 46" LCD.

http://img46.imageshack.us/img46/1937/tvstandcopyno5.jpg

Mastacow53. Nice setup but I really want to know what you were watching as I would love to visit that body of water and those mountains!!! (G)

I had a unique little niche my system had to go into so I finally wound up at a local Houston furniture maker we had gone to before to have a dining room table made - Yubos - Houston (http://www.yubos.com/YubosGallery/Top/default.htm).

My pre-52" Samsung LCD (LN-T5265F) cabinet was poorly ventilated and there had been problems with my Denon receiver overheating ... so I went with perforated steel door panels (front and rear) this time. The rear panels are removable, which made setup a breeze.

Here's the end result ... I may never leave my living room again.
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/Yubos_AV_Console/Yubos_AV_Console1.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/Yubos_AV_Console/Yubos_AV_Console2.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/Yubos_AV_Console/Yubos_AV_Console3.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/Yubos_AV_Console/Yubos_AV_Console4.jpg

Tx_eggman,

Nicely done.

You will definitely appreciate the extra venting. Hopefully you have at least 3-6 inches off of the back/rear wall so that the heat will dissipate without impacting on the plasma?


..Mark

Txeggman, glad you got something to fit your needs, it's not always easy to find.

Do you know where I can get the black perforated metal screen? My cat loves to scratch on the fabric screens I use now.

Txeggman, glad you got something to fit your needs, it's not always easy to find.

Do you know where I can get the black perforated metal screen? My cat loves to scratch on the fabric screens I use now.

I picked mine up at the McNichols office here in Houston.

22 gauge
.117" holes
5/32 hole centers

I got plain steel and spray painted it black after it was cut.

They have a lot of offices nationwide:

Link: McNichols Locations (http://www.mcnichols.com/about/contact/locations.html)

or you can get it shipped. I paid about $90 for a 10' x3' sheet ... which was about twice what I needed. I left the surplus with Yubos. You can also pay McNichols to have it cut to the sizes you need

Has anyone tried fabricating their own poles for the BDI stands? $500 seems harsh for two metal poles.



I agree. We just went to a store to look at the Avion yesterday and REALLY like it, but I can't fathom spending that much on it, in addition to purchasing the mount. I'm trying to find a unit with a similar look and just attach a mount to it (something like the Whalen mount). So far I'm thinking that the Tech Craft SWP60 with their PLM 50 mount might do the trick. Problem is that I haven't seen that mount in person so I'm not sure how nice it will look. Anyone else got any suggestions to achieve the BDI look at a lower cost?

http://www.ebpeters.com/files/d_1210.jpg

Anyone owns the "Ann Entertainment stand". It is very wide, low , deep (very few TV stands are 24 inches deep) and available in 3 colors. The price is a bit expensive at $1100. I am very interested in it and like to see it before I buy, but its only available online/mail order.
http://www.ebpeters.com/Ann-Entertainment-Center-p-16447.html
Thanks

http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/Yubos_AV_Console/Yubos_AV_Console3.jpg
http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/Yubos_AV_Console/Yubos_AV_Console4.jpg

Really nice. I especially like the doors and how they did the perforated steel inserts. Any advice on dealing with a furniture builder building your cabinet? Questions to ask, things to check, etc. I'm about to hop into the same situation.

By the way what kind of wood/stain did you use?

']Really nice. I especially like the doors and how they did the perforated steel inserts.
By the way what kind of wood/stain did you use?
We had originally wanted to make it out of banac, the same wood they used to construct a dining room table for us last year. Here are a few links to pics of the table when it was nearly finished:

Table 1 (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/table1.jpg)
Tabel 2 (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/table2.jpg)
Table 3 (http://i7.photobucket.com/albums/y257/tx_eggman/table3.jpg)

They quoted us a price for using banac but, because banac only comes in rough planks, having to cut and plane every piece of wood in the unit made using banac cost prohibitive. We wound up using cabinet grade birch plywood and are really thrilled with the end result.

The stain is something they came up with when they built the table. It's a concoction that included roofing tar and mineral oil and was then sealed with polyurathane. We used it on the AV console because we wanted it to match the table as closely as possibe because, eventually, we want to build a coffee table and end table to match. It turns out that the birch has a much different grain character than the banac did .. so, while the overall color will quite similar, the stain pattern is different.

']Any advice on dealing with a furniture builder building your cabinet? Questions to ask, things to check, etc. I'm about to hop into the same situation.
I sent Yubos fairly detailed schematics of what I wanted as far as sizes and functionality .. most of the details (sizing, hinges, hardware, how to attach the removable back panels, etc) were worked out over the phone along the way. I did make two trips to their shop while the work was going on. The two gentelmen who are Yubos were really easy to work with and offered several creative solutions for some of the functionality I wanted.

We had originally wanted to make it out of banac, the same wood they used to construct a dining room table for us last year...

They quoted us a price for using banac but, because banac only comes in rough planks, having to cut and plane every piece of wood in the unit made using banac cost prohibitive. We wound up using cabinet grade birch plywood and are really thrilled with the end result.

The stain is something they came up with when they built the table. It's a concoction that included roofing tar and mineral oil and was then sealed with polyurathane. We used it on the AV console because we wanted it to match the table as closely as possibe because, eventually, we want to build a coffee table and end table to match. It turns out that the birch has a much different grain character than the banac did .. so, while the overall color will quite similar, the stain pattern is different.

I sent Yubos fairly detailed schematics of what I wanted as far as sizes and functionality .. most of the details (sizing, hinges, hardware, how to attach the removable back panels, etc) were worked out over the phone along the way. I did make two trips to their shop while the work was going on. The two gentelmen who are Yubos were really easy to work with and offered several creative solutions for some of the functionality I wanted.

Wow, Banac. I've never even heard of that. The birch looks nice though. Solid too. I'm thinking about going with quartersawn oak, but that's one of the things I'm going to chat to my builder about to see what he thinks (as well as the stain and anything else that comes up). Cost is going to be a big factor.

Detailed schematics. Tell me about it! I've been drawing up plans for mine for about 3 months. Both in photoshop and in Sketchup (Google's 3D modelling program). My guy's gonna look at me like I'm nuts when I show up with all these crazy blueprints! lol

The hinges have turned out to been a real pain for me. It looks like you went with Blum, but most of their hinges won't work in my cabinet because I'm mounting rack rails 1.5" from the front of the cabinet and I don't have the room to mount anything deeper than that. Been looking for a euro hinge that will fit in that space and still provide a seamless BDI-esque full-overlay front when the doors are closed. Tricky finding something, but I'll probably end up going with a Grass hinge or maybe the Blum Compact 33.

Anyway, cheers on finally getting yours done. Enjoy it! :)

I haven't read all of this thread but didn't see the piece of furniture I'm now using for my 47" LCD stand. I was going to get a separate rack for all my components (they were in a stack on a table for years) but after looking at the local stores I found one at Fred Meyer and Wal-mart (Wal-Mart was about $30 less for the same furniture) that was almost the perfect dimensions. It is about 58" wide and 18" deep, which helped it fit perfectly in my living room.

I'm not a huge fan of the glass shelves it has, but now that it is installed I am loving it, my fireplace sits right behind it (I never used my fireplace anyway) and all my power adapters/strips and a lot of my cabling is in the fireplace so the entertainment system and sit right up against the wall, which makes it pretty nice in my small space.

Here is a link to one of the sites that I found that sells it:
http://ezbuyfurniture.stores.yahoo.net/rta-60176.html

Here is a picture of it in my living room, note that this was taken with the camera on my phone so don't expect perfection :^):
http://www.splashblog.com/random42/?albumid=All&pageno=1&preview=617585

I thought this was pretty cool. Check out this TH58PX60U before and after.

http://www.framemytv.com/catalog/IMG_8707_low.jpg

http://www.framemytv.com/catalog/IMG_8699_low.jpg

http://www.123buydirect.com/prodImages/medium/TH42PX60U.jpg

Where can you buy that?

http://www.framemytv.com

Where can you buy that?
http://www2.panasonic.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/vBYOPHomePage?storeId=15001&catalogId=13401&langId=-1

Thanks for the links to the frames. Very nice, but a bit pricey. Besides, I don't like how the mat looks over the speakers when the tv's turned on. It gives the impression that I'm constantly watching a non-full screen picture that the aspect button won't get rid of :)

Not sure how to search for this topic: I'm soon to get a 42" plasma and would be happy to build a simple bench. I like the wood look--cherry stain or thereabouts--but I don't like either the look or the prices (or both) of prefab benches that I've seen onlne or in stores. I made a bench already that I've used for a 27" CRT. See link:

http://www.nd.edu/~dthomas6/Images/bench.jpg

I could make another like it, but am unsure what kind of resizing might be needed for a 42" flat panel. How much shallower might it be, for instance? I'd really suppose a flat panel might be prone to tip. Is that so? (It's my first, so I really don't know!) Would I be smart to plan for some kid of bracing (which I don't see, of course, on commercial benches?

The new TV will go in the same place as the one in the picture, FWIW.

Thanks for any tips or warnings!

David

I agree. It would look better if they oversized the frame a bit to have the same amount of matte on all sides. But do like the idea.

My Sony 40" lcd actually came with a strap that connected to the pedestal with a knurled screw and there was a grommet hole and screw for the other end to attach it to furniture. I don't know if that is standard on other models or not.

Here's mine from Crate and Barrel

I ran across a great price for the Bell'O PR-25 Real Wood Lattice Front (http://www.bello.com/index.php?partition=show_product&categ_id=46&prod_id=175&tab=1) being sold at www.Quazzu.com (http://www.quazzu.com/servlet/the-1869/bello-pr-dsh-25-pr25-tv/Detail) . Quazzu seems to be a legit company according to their rating on Amazon.com (http://www.amazon.com/gp/help/seller/at-a-glance.html/103-0356899-2247823?ie=UTF8&marketplaceSeller=1&seller=ACKGVK1XX89IQ)

Hi,

I just purchased the Standout Designs N70e Horizon Series stand and I love it but I cannot figure out how to lower the center channel shelf? I took the drawer out below but I cannot seem to figoure out how to "unlatch" the brackets holding in the center channel shelf. Any ideas? I spoke to Standout Designs before I ordered this and they indicated lowering the shelf was no problem at all but i'm stumped.

Thanks...

Just got my Westy TX-47 setup. I'm very happy with the TV and the stand. It was actually a purchase at Walmart of all places. Mount and everything came with the stand.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z252/bidzer/DSC_5426.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z252/bidzer/DSC_5501.jpg

Just got my Westy TX-47 setup. I'm very happy with the TV and the stand. It was actually a purchase at Walmart of all places. Mount and everything came with the stand.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z252/bidzer/DSC_5426.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z252/bidzer/DSC_5501.jpg

Ive been looking at the very same stand for the same exact tv. my last entertainment center was also purchased from walmart. i wish it was cheaper though, i was originally looking for the smaller one for my 32 westy to put in my bedroom.

How are you going to hide all the cables to clean up the look of the system? I've seen plenty of open designs like this before but routing cables through fixed holes (in hollowed out poles/tubes/etc) is a complete waste of time and makes changing or adjusting anything a real pain. Leaving cables visible looks messy. As a result I've always gone with enclosed furniture.

How are you going to hide all the cables to clean up the look of the system? I've seen plenty of open designs like this before but routing cables through fixed holes (in hollowed out poles/tubes/etc) is a complete waste of time and makes changing or adjusting anything a real pain. Leaving cables visible looks messy. As a result I've always gone with enclosed furniture.

There's actually enough room between the bottom shelf and the floor where I can tuck the excess cables into. I'm going to go all HDMI with my components so it should clean up easily as well.

Heres my new setup. Its a Bush Universal Stand (VS74952)

http://www.layddly.com/gallery/d/18754-2/DSC_1291.JPG

Has anyone ever purchased a stand from Baker Road (http://bakerroad.com/br_1.html)???? Here is the one we are considering... (Just the part under the TV. not the whole thing..) http://bakerroad.com/images/furniture/l_143.jpg

Just curious if they are any good.. Thanks in advance!!!!

Have spent hours, upon days, upon weeks researching a/v furniture options. Check out Importadvantage.com and snapav.com, they have some nice automated flat panel pop ups, extremely reasonable $$. There are others depending on your style requirements, i.e. cabinetronix.com, hookerfurniture.com, etc.
You can mention the referral if you like.
Audio Plus
Sagle, ID

Does anyone own or know someone who owns the Ikea Lack Shelving Unit (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00045560) ? I am seriously debating on using two of these turned horizontally side by side below my projection screen to hold my components. The problem is that I don't know the inside dimensions to the 4 compartments. Will it be enough room for the components?

Unfortunately I don't have an Ikea anywhere nearby, so I am limited to answers I can find online. Can anyone help?.........

I considered this too, but it looks like the segments are less than 17" wide, which is needed for most components. 4x17=68". the piece is only 74.75" and has 5 cross pieces that look over 1 inch thick, maybe 2 inches thick each.

Does anyone know the name/brand for this mount? It's installed on a friend's wall and I'm trying to find one like it. He doesn't know the model.

Thanks!

Does anyone know the name/brand for this mount? It's installed on a friend's wall and I'm trying to find one like it. He doesn't know the model.

Thanks!http://www.monitoroutlet.com/SP5479.html
http://www.monitoroutlet.com/plasflattvac.html?gclid=CNftgsCrjo0CFRGCGgodI0I5pQ

Does anyone know the name/brand for this mount? It's installed on a friend's wall and I'm trying to find one like it. He doesn't know the model.

Thanks!

From Chief: http://www.chiefmfg.com/client_files/www.chiefmfg.com/downloads/600027B_Chief_Reaction_Series_Flyer.pdf

Hello:
Went to Ethan Allen yesterday. They have a new series called horizons studio. Color is very close to the red BDI cabinet that I was about to purchase. It has glass/wood panels that can be swapped out on all of the doors. It also has a optional panel for a plasma. Cost 600 less than the BDI even with the panel still about 300 less than the BDI. It is a complete group so you can get matching tables ect...

The cabinet looks sweet in person. The color is actually off in the catalog and it looks oak, but it is dark red like the BDI. I can't actually find it on the web site b/c its so new i guess? Not so bright on their part!!! I have a catalog and I may try to post an image. It looks 1000% better in person however. Personally I like it better than the BDI although the BDI is true audio furniture and I'm sure the features on the BDI crush any ethan allen furniture.

This has been a terribly painful search and I'm am so glad its over.

later,
hawk

From Chief: http://www.chiefmfg.com/client_files/www.chiefmfg.com/downloads/600027B_Chief_Reaction_Series_Flyer.pdf

Right on the money! Thanks!!

What is out there that will allow you to place the TV higher? I would like to watch while I am reclining, I figure I will want it about 6' off the floor or so. Initially you would think I could just wall mount it, but my walls are not parallel (dont ask me why...its a loft thing). Wall mounting could be done with an articulating arm, but it would look kind of odd.

Anyway, so what I am thinking is getting some furniture that would allow it to stand fairly high. Most things I have seen so far are quite low to the ground. Also, would be nice if you could not see the components. I have an RF remote so that would be no prob.

I considered this too, but it looks like the segments are less than 17" wide, which is needed for most components. 4x17=68". the piece is only 74.75" and has 5 cross pieces that look over 1 inch thick, maybe 2 inches thick each.

You are correct in your estimate. I found someone on eBay selling the Lack Shelving Unit and emailed him to inquire about the inside dimensions. Sitting horizontally, each compartment in this unit is 16" wide x 9.8" high x 15" deep. Unfortunately this is not wide enough to house most components.

Hello:
looks like ethan allen finally updated their website. The horizons studio collection is up. Again, the color is off on the photos it looks more like the Red BDI stand. Also, it looks better with the glass doors on than the wood. The photos on the web site do not do it justice. It almost made me cry in person.

later,
bp

Hello:
The photos on the web site do not do it justice. It almost made me cry in person.

later,
bp

If you are crying in an Ethan Allen, you may need to get out more! :p

G

Has anyone ever purchased a stand from Baker Road (http://bakerroad.com/br_1.html)???? Here is the one we are considering... (Just the part under the TV. not the whole thing..) http://bakerroad.com/images/furniture/l_143.jpg

Just curious if they are any good.. Thanks in advance!!!!

My vote goes to the Diamond Case TT-400 Plasma Credenza.

It took me four days to read this thread, but after that it appears my only affordable choice for a 60" Sony LCOS RPTV with a small center speaker is the StudioTech Ultra U-22T. I also considered the Salamander Synergy Triple and Diamond Case TT-400 but they are too expensive (the TT-400 is damn nice, and I would love to be able to afford it). A good thing about the StudioTech piece is it comes in light cherry, the same stain as my speakers and sub.

It may take a couple months to save up, so I'll be monitoring this thread to see if anything else sparks my interest.

-Robert

but after that it appears my only affordable choice for a 60" Sony LCOS RPTV with a small center speaker is the StudioTech Ultra U-22T.

but that unit costs ~$1100 :( I wish there was something cheaper that would also work.. I really like the BDI units but I like the prices of the BakerRoad...

It took me four days to read this thread, but after that it appears my only affordable choice for a 60" Sony LCOS RPTV with a small center speaker is the StudioTech Ultra U-22T. I also considered the Salamander Synergy Triple and Diamond Case TT-400 but they are too expensive (the TT-400 is damn nice, and I would love to be able to afford it). A good thing about the StudioTech piece is it comes in light cherry, the same stain as my speakers and sub.

It may take a couple months to save up, so I'll be monitoring this thread to see if anything else sparks my interest.

-Robert


I also just read the entire thread and came to the same conclusion...U-22T in light cherry. I got a chance to see the Synergy Triple the other day, and it just isn't for me. I was also a little surprised to see that most stands of this style seem to be a few years old now. The newer stuff coming out seems to be either a) A very open style or b) Huge wall units that look like they weigh about 10x the TV.

I do live near an Ethan Allen store, so I will check that out before I buy the StudioTech.

I also just read the entire thread and came to the same conclusion...U-22T in light cherry. I got a chance to see the Synergy Triple the other day, and it just isn't for me. I was also a little surprised to see that most stands of this style seem to be a few years old now. The newer stuff coming out seems to be either a) A very open style or b) Huge wall units that look like they weigh about 10x the TV.

I do live near an Ethan Allen store, so I will check that out before I buy the StudioTech.

Suggest you order the wood samples from StudioTech before you buy if light cherry is to be matched with other furniture. I have the tall equipment rack in light cherry. It is a very nice piece of furniture but the actual color is not what I expected. (Happy with it never-the-less).

Ray

Suggest you order the wood samples from StudioTech before you buy if light cherry is to be matched with other furniture. I have the tall equipment rack in light cherry. It is a very nice piece of furniture but the actual color is not what I expected. (Happy with it never-the-less).

Ray

Could you post or PM some pictures please? I would very much appreciate it.

In any case, it's the only one I could afford of the three, and my significant other insists on something that hides all my components and looks somewhat like furniture. Though this is a plasma'ish thread, my intent is to put a RPTV on it, so something 20-23" height is desirable.

Thanks,
Robert

Has anyone purchased a Plateau stand? I really like this one but not sure of the quality.
http://www.racksandstands.com/Plateau-SR-V-65-E-PT0101.html
Any input would be appreciated.

avion 8529 (or the smaller 8527) with their plasma mount owns all

/endthread

I have a wall in a big room which just goes perpendicular to one of the sides of the room. Imagine a big rectangular room which has been split by a protruded wall in the middle. I would like to put a plasma on this wall and be able to move it around whenever I wish, i.e. if I want to watch it from either side of this rectangular room, it should be ok.

Does someone sell a wall mount that allows to move plasmas around a wall? If not a furniture that can allow to move the plasma one way or the other? I do not want to buy two plasmas to cover the whole rectangular area if possible....

Any comments/ suggestions?

Thanks.

As I couldn't find a stand that could fit all of my equipment (and was low enough for a big screen), I decided to design and build one. I used autodesk inventor (which is a pretty cool program) to design it. Here are some photos.

Overall view of the entertainment unit. No hdtv yet (that was my motivation to complete the stand). Constructed from maple plywood with maple trim:
http://i12.tinypic.com/6291fo3.jpg

Close up of corner. The corner is veneer covered mdf. This is a good shot to show the actual color. I selected stainless curved handles as this meshes nicely with the curved corners and the doors:
http://i12.tinypic.com/6bxbsqr.jpg

Inside the unit. Difficult to tell from the photo, but the doors are perforated stainless steel:
http://i15.tinypic.com/5zo20s9.jpg

The center door is cloth to allow for the NHT center channel speaker:
http://i18.tinypic.com/4tfl8ns.jpg

Wiring harness (there's one on each column). Just trying to keep the cabling under control:
http://i10.tinypic.com/5ylzhhl.jpg

Padded metal legs. Perhaps overkill as they aren't too visible unless sitting down low:
http://i18.tinypic.com/5xdjlgj.jpg

Spring mechanism to prevent the doors from slamming shut. They work quite well:
http://i9.tinypic.com/4y9dq52.jpg

I designed the stand to fit all of my current equipment (but allowed an entire section for the receiver as it will eventually be replaced):
http://i18.tinypic.com/4lxw8rm.jpg

The color was achieved using aniline dye (as wood stain doesn't work too well on maple):
http://i17.tinypic.com/52e2jhd.jpg

Extending drawer. The vcr tapes will eventually disappear.
http://i12.tinypic.com/4u2b1vc.jpg

If anyone has questions on the construction, feel free to ask!

Wow, nice job on the design and the build, and congrats on getting it done! I can empathize as to how relieved you must feel right now. I'm in the final, final stages of designing my own home theater cabinet. I've been working on the thing for months!! Can't wait 'til I can hook it up!

Close up of corner. The corner is veneer covered mdf. This is a good shot to show the actual color. I selected stainless curved handles as this meshes nicely with the curved corners and the doors:
http://i12.tinypic.com/6bxbsqr.jpg
I thought about using perforated steel for my door panels too, a la Salamander and Studiotech's cabinets. I changed to using speaker grille cloth for all the doors, however, after concerns were raised about the steel's acoustic transparency.

It's a tradeoff though. With the steel you get more durability as well as that specific aesthetic though. That was my big concern about going with cloth for all the doors, but I think now that it's going to look good. It's all about off-setting the softness and dullness of the cloth with harder, more glossy elements.

Wiring harness (there's one on each column). Just trying to keep the cabling under control:
http://i10.tinypic.com/5ylzhhl.jpg

That's so funny that you made those cable management harnesses. I designed the exact same thing for my cabinet (only with 3 holes, though). Great minds think alike! ;) Where did you get the idea to do that, by the way? I got mine from researching the Studiotech U-22T and seeing their cable management hooks at the rear of the cabinet. Like you, though, I used circles in my design (easier to drill, and I figured the circles would provide smoother threading). How are they working out for you?

Again, congrats on finishing it. Looks great! :D

Tom,

I've got two ideas that may work.

Depending on how the perpendicular wall is built (if it is big enough) possibly you could fit an articulating arm on the wall. Cheif makes some good arms that pull forward and rotate either direction. I believe they make two different versions that extend different lengths. If you go that direction definitely opt for a double arm design as they are much stronger. You could even get really tricky here with a motorized arm but I don't think they would rotate near enough for you.

If this is not practical for the wall why not choose a furniture system that is built on wheels? I know my furniture system (TT-400 by diamondcase.com) is built on heavy duty wheels and rolls pretty easy (on travertine tile). I think they (and probably some others) would have some great "mobile" options.

Hope that helps get the creative juices going.

G

I have a wall in a big room which just goes perpendicular to one of the sides of the room. Imagine a big rectangular room which has been split by a protruded wall in the middle. I would like to put a plasma on this wall and be able to move it around whenever I wish, i.e. if I want to watch it from either side of this rectangular room, it should be ok.

Does someone sell a wall mount that allows to move plasmas around a wall? If not a furniture that can allow to move the plasma one way or the other? I do not want to buy two plasmas to cover the whole rectangular area if possible....

Any comments/ suggestions?

Thanks.

I got the idea for the mesh from studiotech, but came up with the wiring harness idea myself (my last setup had wires everywhere). When I was designing it, I thought that maybe I put in too many holes, but I've found that with lots of large holes it's easier to push through the connectors, and you can align the wires parallel along the length of the stand. If you haven't built that part yet, I would suggest you add more than the 3 holes you mentioned. I still might add some wire ties, but we'll see. The hardest part of the construction was veneering and attaching the rounded corners to the flat plywood. The metal doors don't block my remote signals, but definitely would have blocked the sound (I tested it) which is why I went with the cloth center door.

I got the idea for the mesh from studiotech, but came up with the wiring harness idea myself (my last setup had wires everywhere). When I was designing it, I thought that maybe I put in too many holes, but I've found that with lots of large holes it's easier to push through the connectors, and you can align the wires parallel along the length of the stand. If you haven't built that part yet, I would suggest you add more than the 3 holes you mentioned. I still might add some wire ties, but we'll see. The hardest part of the construction was veneering and attaching the rounded corners to the flat plywood. The metal doors don't block my remote signals, but definitely would have blocked the sound (I tested it) which is why I went with the cloth center door.
Yeah, that's not a bad idea about adding the extra holes. They are meant to serve a dual purpose in my unit. The whole cabinet is meant to house sliding shelves which will hold my components (for easy access to the rear panels). It's a three box structure (like yours is a five), with rack rails installed in the left and right sections. The center section is oversized to house my center channel and other oversized gear (a Mac Pro) in a drawer. When the shelves slide out, I need those rear cable management holes for the cables to thread through. Kind of like a pully system. They also serve to keep the cables off the ground so they don't attract dust. I'll consider adding 1 more. The idea for three came after plotting out where the cables would run and then determining how many holes I'd need, but it would suck to come up short.

Again, congrats on finishing. I'm also adding those Blumotion SoftClose springs. Great, aren't they? :D

Just got my Westy TX-47 setup. I'm very happy with the TV and the stand. It was actually a purchase at Walmart of all places. Mount and everything came with the stand.

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z252/bidzer/DSC_5426.jpg

http://i192.photobucket.com/albums/z252/bidzer/DSC_5501.jpg


How far off of the floor is the top of the TV?

I just found a very nice TV cart that is 50" wide. It has a great price and is high quality. The only problem is I am wanting a Panasonic 50PX77U. The width of this set is 52" meaning that the tv will hang off 1 inch on both sides.

Would this look absolutely ridiculous or would it be ok?

Here's mine. It's sturdy and compliments my plasma well:

http://img73.imageshack.us/img73/5740/pioqf2.jpg

TV: Pioneer 5070
Stand: Bell'O WVC-8848

The wires have been tamed and moved from view since this picture was taken.

Can someone give me some pointers as to where to buy BDI 8539/8529? I know Magnolia has them. But I'm hoping for a little bit of discount. PM me if prefer, thank you!!!

I really like setups that can have modular media storage towers on the side like this:

http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p5702/index.cfm?cm%5Flid=1&pgid=p7570&cm%5Fsrc=rel

But that's too expensive for me. Any ideas?

Can someone give me some pointers as to where to buy BDI 8539/8529? I know Magnolia has them. But I'm hoping for a little bit of discount. PM me if prefer, thank you!!!

Don't go to the electronics stores to get them. Go to the website and find any reputable furniture stores near you. The one by me sold a larger selection of BDI furniture (including the coffee tables, mirrors, etc) and so I guess the larger amount of business enabled them to offer larger discounts. I saved a few hundred by going through the furniture store instead of an AV store. In addition, the delivery charge in my case was cheaper and they assembled it for me. Honestly, the savings I got from the furniture, delivery, and assembly enabled me to get the stand and the plasma mount for what the av stores near me were charing for just the console.

Behold, the Bell'O PVS-4207HG...

Link (http://www.bello.com/index.php?partition=show_product&prod_id=190&categ_id=39)


http://www.bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207HG_Room2.jpg
http://www.surroundsolutions.com/contactcommerce/images/internal/PVS-4207HG_Room.jpg
http://www.bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207T-Naked.jpg

I would fear all the visible wires showing in the back of that piece. Notice how in the photos how they just don't have any wires in the pics...we all know that won't be the case when you actually purchase the unit. I'm all for enclosed media consoles because you can hide the wires.

I would fear all the visible wires showing in the back of that piece. Notice how in the photos how they just don't have any wires in the pics...we all know that won't be the case when you actually purchase the unit. I'm all for enclosed media consoles because you can hide the wires.

Jason, it would appear that way when you're looking at a bare stand but when you slapa big receiver, center channel, and DVD player/PS3 on there, the cables won't be very visible at all... Plus having 2 big floorstanding speakers on either side will help as well...

Any suggestions for a height adjustable stand? I'm going to be getting a ~40" TV for a bedroom computer monitor / TV. I'd like to be able to lower the TV when I use it as a monitor and raise it when I'm watching TV from bed. I'm renting so may not be able to use a wall mount.

Something like this,
http://www.monitoroutlet.com/CHF56481.html

Since it's only going to be 40" I'm hoping for a smaller, cheaper one.

EDIT: Wow, I started considering wall mounts but have yet to find one that allows for vertical motion.

I just found a very nice TV cart that is 50" wide. It has a great price and is high quality. The only problem is I am wanting a Panasonic 50PX77U. The width of this set is 52" meaning that the tv will hang off 1 inch on both sides.

Would this look absolutely ridiculous or would it be ok?

My personal opinion is that it will look perfectly fine. When the TV is on it's own mounting stand there is a good amount of open space between the bottom of the TV and the top shelf of the stand you're considering. Because of this space, a difference of 1" will be barely perceptable. In this video: CNET 50PX77U Review (http://reviews.cnet.com/flat-panel-and-plasma/panasonic-th-50px77u/4505-6482_7-32317316.html) the stand is maybe 8-10 inches smaller than the TV. Your set up will look much better.

As I couldn't find a stand that could fit all of my equipment (and was low enough for a big screen), I decided to design and build one. I used autodesk inventor (which is a pretty cool program) to design it.

Holy cow! That is some very nice craftsmanship. Did you do the veneer work yourself? I'd like the low height for my big screen also. And you've got a lot of storage space there.

So... I'm ready to place my order for one, but you forgot to include a link to your order form. ;)

Thanks! If you mean the veneer over the rounded corners then yes, I did it. But the rest is maple plywood (with solid maple trim). I'm in a condo (that has a shared workshop) and I worked on it for so long, it seemed that everyone I met in the elevator would ask me "is it done yet"? I work too slowly to build these for someone else, but if anyone wants the drawings so they can build one themselves, no problem. One of the awesome things about autocad inventor is that you end up with separate detailed drawings of every piece of wood required to build it (in this case, roughly 30 drawings).

I was also looking at that walmart stand, looks really nice in a home.

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/06/63/11/03/0006631103224_500X500.jpg

This stand is available from Walmart.com for only $170! I love it and think it would look great, however I am concerned about the quality. It's made by South Shore. I haven't seen it In-store and I'm guessing it's on-line only. Does anybody here have any experience with this one? Thanks.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4544966

How far off of the floor is the top of the TV?


I know this doesn't answer you question but mine sits close to 26" off the floor and 58 1/2" high. I have the a Panasonic 50" Plasma. I have the stand in the lowest setting.


http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/02.jpg
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/01.jpg


For anyone interested, it is a Vas-Furniture swiveling flat-panel floater... You can buy one at Menard's or Hell-Mart. I got mine for $208 (out the door IIRC) but they go for around $230 or 240? I forget.......

If you take your time you CAN hide the wires unless you have hardwood floors. My DVD Player's power cord was to short but I will be taking care of that very soon! Trust me I have a billion wires taped down under my carpet! There is nothing wrong with open TV stand designs, it just takes forever to get that clean look but once it is done, it looks 100% better! I think it looks even better in person, the digi shows all the flaws and makes everything look washed out. Fluorescent lights don't play nice with digital cameras.... I had to use flash :-/

http://i.walmart.com/i/p/00/06/63/11/03/0006631103224_500X500.jpg

This stand is available from Walmart.com for only $170! I love it and think it would look great, however I am concerned about the quality. It's made by South Shore. I haven't seen it In-store and I'm guessing it's on-line only. Does anybody here have any experience with this one? Thanks.

http://www.walmart.com/catalog/product.do?product_id=4544966

I really wanted that stand too as it is smartly laid out for speakers and components. My friend has it and she says that it looks really cheap. I haven't seen it yet though. We'll see...

I know this doesn't answer you question but mine sits close to 26" off the floor and 58 1/2" high. I have the a Panasonic 50" Plasma. I have the stand in the lowest setting.


http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/02.jpg
http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/01.jpg


For anyone interested, it is a Vas-Furniture swiveling flat-panel floater... You can buy one at Menard's or Hell-Mart. I got mine for $208 (out the door IIRC) but they go for around $230 or 240? I forget.......

If you take your time you CAN hide the wires unless you have hardwood floors. My DVD Player's power cord was to short but I will be taking care of that very soon! Trust me I have a billion wires taped down under my carpet! There is nothing wrong with open TV stand designs, it just takes forever to get that clean look but once it is done, it looks 100% better! I think it looks even better in person, the digi shows all the flaws and makes everything look washed out. Fluorescent lights don't play nice with digital cameras.... I had to use flash :-/

How does it mount to the TV? I have a Sammy 52" LCD...and that TV stand looks pretty solid...

I take it hell-mart is walmart?

How does it mount to the TV? I have a Sammy 52" LCD...and that TV stand looks pretty solid...

I take it hell-mart is walmart?


Yeah it is haha. The mount comes with the stand and swivels left or right! ;) It holds 150lbs IIRC, so you'll be set to go.

Behold, the Bell'O PVS-4207HG...

Link (http://www.bello.com/index.php?partition=show_product&prod_id=190&categ_id=39)


http://www.bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207HG_Room2.jpg
http://www.surroundsolutions.com/contactcommerce/images/internal/PVS-4207HG_Room.jpg
http://www.bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207T-Naked.jpg

Anyone have any experience with these products? I'm seriously contemplating buying one!

Anyone have any experience with these products? I'm seriously contemplating buying one!


Jason, I don't have any experience with the stand but I fell in love with it when I saw those pictures on Bell'O's site. I had some concerns about the stands design/rigidity but after looking at that picture of the silver version of the stand, I don't have those concerns anymore. You can see the sturdy steel frame and how that top shelf would support the TV with the curving support beam....

Bell'O makes GOOD quality stands...

I'm gonig to be purchasing this stand in about 6 weeks... I'll likely be placing a Pioneer PD5080HD on top of it...

I'll post pictures when it all goes down...

Anyone own one of these. My issue is to pick a stand that will allow for a variety of large center channels with a FP.

http://techcraft.net/htm/products/solutions/images/trk50bx.jpg

Some pics of my latest HT setup


http://www.flickr.com/photos/sudheeranne/sets/72157601542762605/

Maybe someone can help me... I am looking for a TV stand that that is a cherry colored wood that can hold a 50" Plasma.

I like the way this looks:
http://salamanderdesigns.com/syn/synergy.jsp?modelbase=slc20 with the open center shelf, so I am not too restricted on center speaker size, but I can't find much in my price range. I would like to spend no more than $500 on the unit. Does anyone have any suggestions? I have been looking at racksandstands.com but I haven't found anything that really fits my needs.

Can anyone suggest a STAND for a 52 LCD. The TV itself is 51" wide. The tv base cant be more then 26" wide. Does the stand have to extend 51" wide? Is it okay if the sides of the LCD hang over the Tv stand? I have an old 30" TV stand for an old CRT. Can I use this stand or would there be a problem?

Any ideas?

Can anyone with a Salamander Synergy 236 tell me the width of the center speaker area? Someone asked a few months ago, but there were no replies.

My center speaker is 21.75 (20.5 of actual speaker width). Are there side panels or the speaker fit slightly behind the center L-R wood panel?

Thank you

So last weekend I told (read: consulted with) my wife that I was going to get the LN-T5781F when it hit our local stores, with an obligatory in person inspection of course, and today she came back and said fine as long as she can buy this for it to sit on...

http://www.audio-video-furniture.com/Common/Product/Images/42/3322-l.jpg

I was pretty surprised. it wasn't girly at all. She even told me she looked for the most masculine stand she could find to go with it since it's my toy. She thought it would go well with our Aperion cherry speakers, and all our A/V stuff is black.

So apparently I have gotten the post 'let me think about it' approval to pick it up when it comes out near us... that is as long as it's not a grand over MSRP like some mail order places are trying to stick you for it.

Anyway, to the point, does anyone have experience with this product? Bueno? No bueno?

Don't have experience with it... but if you go for it, I would check around locally. I'm looking at the similar KI model PV358 and I've found it at three local stores for around $300 less than what I'm finding online.

Just bought this entertainment unit for our condo to house a 42" Philips LCD:

http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n45/futuredoc84/VisuRosalia.jpg

It's called the "Rosalia" and made by a Canadian furniture company called "Visu." We ordered it in an all black finish for $3000 out the door. I thought it was way too much to spend on a piece of furniture like this but my mom was stubborn and had to have it. Gonna attach a Peerless articulating wall mount.

Estimated arrival in about 6-8 weeks so I'll post pics when it's installed

For anyone interested in an option for a long narrow piece that will sit only 13" high may want to check out how I made an Ikea Lack Shelving Unit (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00045560) work as my component stand.

See photo's: here (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost.php?p=11368641&postcount=87)

In my case, I used 2 of them side by side to sit 12'5" long below my screen. I only assembled 3 of the dividing sections (2 ends and middle) on each unit, which also happen to be the main supporting pieces. So I have a total of 2 dividing sections in each unit. This allowed me to fit my components in with enough space to breath. Each unit measures, 75" wide x 13" high x 15" deep while sitting horizontally.

Works for me. Plus the stand is dirt cheap!

Have spent hours, upon days, upon weeks researching a/v furniture options. Check out Importadvantage.com and snapav.com, they have some nice automated flat panel pop ups, extremely reasonable $$. There are others depending on your style requirements, i.e. cabinetronix.com, hookerfurniture.com, etc.
You can mention the referral if you like.
Audio Plus
Sagle, ID

:)Thank you for the reccomendation. We have recently added to our offerings including a large wall unit that is very unique: http://www.importadvantage.com/Avalon-TV-Wall

Here's what I got! :)

http://www.bdiusa.com/avfurniture/images/novia_8429.jpg

Except I have the cocoa stained cherry version.

Because I live in an apartment where I can't mount the TV and my wife wants to use the top of the stand for decoration, I'm looking to get a stand that has the vertical bars on the back to mount the plasma on. My wife strongly wants some kind of "real looking" furniture (in other words, not the industrial look or cheap RTA look that you find so commonly).

Any suggestions other than the BDI Avion and Salamander product?

Check out Standout Designs. All solid wood, ships assembled. www.standoutdesigns.com

anyone know of a stand like the one below but is 24-27 inches high?

http://common.csnstores.com/common/products/BU/BU2524_l.jpg

BDI Icons are ~24"H

anyone know of a stand like the one below but is 24-27 inches high?

This (http://www.dynamichomedecor.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DHD&Product_Code=Elite-EL-906&Category_Code=) is the stand I purchased. I love the way it looks, and it matches our furniture perfectly. Its a bit more affordable as well, compared to some of the higher end stands. It's (HxWxD) 26.25x65.75x21.75"

Here's (http://www.dynamichomedecor.com/Images/elite/906_956.pdf) a more detailed layout if you need additional dimensions.

Don't know if this is the right forum, as I am asking about a mount rather than a stand, but I assume a mount is furnature in a way. I am looking for suggestions for a wall mount for a Panisonic PZ700U. I am stongly considering placing it above the fireplace (about 5 feet high from the bottom of the screen). We will be sitting 12 to 13 feet, back but I assume I will need a fairly high degree of tilt. From what I have read in this forum, articulating arm seems to be the way to go, but I'd rather not have to spend the money unless standard tilt mounts will most likely not be sufficient. What do you think?

I gave up looking for an entertainment unit that would hold my center speaker as well as my PS3 in the vertical position, so I built my own.

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenza4.jpg

Close-up:

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenza3.jpg

On the left is my HTPC and Panamax power conditioner.

On the right is a Denon 3808 receiver and DirecTV HR20 (too bad they don't come in black).

In the middle is my Klipsch KSP-C6 center speaker and behind it is a APC 700W UPS feeding the HTPC, PS3 and HR20. The shelf below that holds my wirelss keyboard and mouse.

The PS3 sits between the the center speaker and the 3808/HR20. I got another opening just like it to the left of the center speaker for a Xbox Elite or something like that.

The unit it 82" W * 19.5" H (including the feet) * 24" D and the plasma above it is a 65" 1080p Panny.

It was about $500 in materials (basically cabinet grade 3/4" plywood and black formica.)

nice job. i like the overall clean look of the setup. and the silver legs are a nice touch.

I gave up looking for an entertainment unit that would hold my center speaker as well as my PS3 in the vertical position, so I built my own.

On the left is my HTPC and Panamax power conditioner.

On the right is a Denon 3808 receiver and DirecTV HR20 (too bad they don't come in black).

In the middle is my Klipsch KSP-C6 center speaker and behind it is a APC 700W UPS feeding the HTPC, PS3 and HR20. The shelf below that holds my wirelss keyboard and mouse.

The PS3 sits between the the center speaker and the 3808/HR20. I got another opening just like it to the left of the center speaker for a Xbox Elite or something like that.

The unit it 82" W * 19.5" H (including the feet) * 24" D and the plasma above it is a 65" 1080p Panny.

It was about $500 in materials (basically cabinet grade 3/4" plywood and black formica.)

Looks great, you did an awesome job. I wish I had the skill and tools to do my own stand.

I gave up looking for an entertainment unit that would hold my center speaker as well as my PS3 in the vertical position, so I built my own.

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenza4.jpg



very nice! :cool:
are those forte or chorus? i've got chorus IIs up front paired with an academy center, kg3.2 for surround. :)

Those are a pair of Forte speakers. They have been with me since college and still going strong!

Thanks for the complements on the cabinet! It was a whole lot of work, but I really like the end result.

Here are a few more construction detail shots. All the vertical pieces were dadoed 1/4 inch for strength and getting rid of any bow in those pieces.

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenzaconst1.jpg

Notice how the backs of the vertical pieces are an inch or so from being flush with the rear. This allowed me to run all the wires back there.

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenzaconst2.jpg

And finally a shot with the rear cover nailed on. I did have to go back and cut out vets along the upper edge of the rear cover for cooling as some of the pieces were getting really hot. But everything now appears to be running relatively cool.

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenzaconst3.jpg

I gave up looking for an entertainment unit that would hold my center speaker as well as my PS3 in the vertical position, so I built my own.

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenza4.jpg

Close-up:

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenza3.jpg

On the left is my HTPC and Panamax power conditioner.

On the right is a Denon 3808 receiver and DirecTV HR20 (too bad they don't come in black).

In the middle is my Klipsch KSP-C6 center speaker and behind it is a APC 700W UPS feeding the HTPC, PS3 and HR20. The shelf below that holds my wirelss keyboard and mouse.

The PS3 sits between the the center speaker and the 3808/HR20. I got another opening just like it to the left of the center speaker for a Xbox Elite or something like that.

The unit it 82" W * 19.5" H (including the feet) * 24" D and the plasma above it is a 65" 1080p Panny.

It was about $500 in materials (basically cabinet grade 3/4" plywood and black formica.)

Where did you source the metal stands?

Great job! Is that laminate or flat black paint?

I was wondering if anyone could post some pictures of there salamander set ups. Really want to see what they look like in action.

While I can see the beauty in many of these, I can't afford them.

Thankfully, Ikea (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30086993)has a nice, reasonably priced option for us.

Ikea can be a good option if you stay away from the particleboard stuff (difficult since lots of their stuff is made with the junk).

Hello guys,

I just returned from Big Lots where I picked up a beatiful TV stand for only $129. It is similar to some $300+ stands that I almost got at Circuit City. It very closely resembles some of the Z-line stands, and my girlfriend actually liked this one better. I in no way work for Big Lots, just wanted to share for any of you price weary folks like me. Build quality is just as good from what I can tell, with both chrome accents and black tempered glass. Now I just have to wait for my new Panisonic Plasma to arrive....

The picture doesn't do it justice, if you live near a Big Lots and need a TV stand, you should go and see it.

http://www.biglots.com/Images/Furniture/Item/Large/610008840.jpg

Our Price: $129.99

FEATURES & BENEFITS
• Three black tempered glass shelves with polished edges
• Wire management back panel
• Square metal tubing with chrome plated accents
• Accomodates most televisions; CRT, PLASMA, DLP & LCD not exceeding 240 lbs.

SKU# 610008840
Dimensions: 48”W x 22”D x 22.25”H

It very closely resembles this Z-line TV stand from CC, http://www.circuitcity.com/IMAGE/product/detail/zln/EC.ZLN.Z221S.JPG
The size of this one is 55"W x 24"D x 22" H

jra166, is that a book on the middle shelf :-)
It looks like there is a metal column going down the center of the $129 stand and at 22" max depth, can you fit a DVD, VCR or receiver in the middle?

i won't have an opportunity to set it up until this weekend, but I will report back regarding the depth in the middle.

I gave up looking for an entertainment unit that would hold my center speaker as well as my PS3 in the vertical position, so I built my own.

On the left is my HTPC and Panamax power conditioner.

On the right is a Denon 3808 receiver and DirecTV HR20 (too bad they don't come in black).

In the middle is my Klipsch KSP-C6 center speaker and behind it is a APC 700W UPS feeding the HTPC, PS3 and HR20. The shelf below that holds my wirelss keyboard and mouse.

The PS3 sits between the the center speaker and the 3808/HR20. I got another opening just like it to the left of the center speaker for a Xbox Elite or something like that.

The unit it 82" W * 19.5" H (including the feet) * 24" D and the plasma above it is a 65" 1080p Panny.

It was about $500 in materials (basically cabinet grade 3/4" plywood and black formica.)

That is awesome! Except for one thing. . .

Unless my eyes deceive me, the PlayStation logo on the PS3 is still horizontal. You can twist it to make it vertical (the logo on the chrome/black part). :D

I found that out when I thought mine was crooked. Then discovered they even catered it down to the last detail. Pretty nifty.

Nice work, makes me want to attempt such a thing.

I am looking for a small simple wood media rack (nothing modern, nothing black, no glass) for my bedroom. I plan to mount a 42" LCD and I need a stand/rack/cabinet for a DVR and a DVD player.

Any suggestions appreciated.

I went back about 10 pages then gave up...It looks like most of the ones posted in here are larger main living entertainment centers.

While I can see the beauty in many of these, I can't afford them.

Thankfully, Ikea (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/30086993)has a nice, reasonably priced option for us.

Ikea can be a good option if you stay away from the particleboard stuff (difficult since lots of their stuff is made with the junk).

Yeah, I saw that too and am meaning to go check it out in person. I cant figure out how tall is the storage compartment? Any idea?

I am looking for a small simple wood media rack (nothing modern, nothing black, no glass) for my bedroom. I plan to mount a 42" LCD and I need a stand/rack/cabinet for a DVR and a DVD player.

Any suggestions appreciated.

When you say 'no glass' I assume you mean glass shelves. How about something along this line...

http://www.martinfurniture.com/TL/TLC340.htm

When you say 'no glass' I assume you mean glass shelves. How about something along this line...

http://www.martinfurniture.com/TL/TLC340.htm

Yes, glass shelves is what I meant. I like the look of this. I like the idea of the Ent center looking like a dresser (to blend with the bedroom furniture). Maybe even something a little taller/thinner without glass doors. I would have to get a IR receiver but it would be nice to not see the DVR or DVD player at all.

I was actually thinking of using a Dresser and putting a false drawer front that flips down for the top drawer. Keeping the DVR and DVD in that top space. I would have to add some ventilation out the back, but with IR all you would see is a dresser and a LCD mounted kinda high on the wall.

What do you guys think?

Yes, glass shelves is what I meant. I like the look of this. I like the idea of the Ent center looking like a dresser (to blend with the bedroom furniture). Maybe even something a little taller/thinner without glass doors. I would have to get a IR receiver but it would be nice to not see the DVR or DVD player at all.


With this one you'll see very little of the equipment, but you wouldn't have to mess with the IR issue...
http://www.martinfurniture.com/HCR/HCR340.htm

Or with this you could easily replace the small windows with speaker mesh, which would be great if you have a center speaker to hide...
http://www.martinfurniture.com/HCR/HO340.htm

Has anyone used this before? ie seen how sturdy it is?

http://www.bello.com/index.php?partition=show_product&categ_id=46&prod_id=186&tab=1

http://www.bello.com/images/products/PP-59B_Angle.jpg

I'm looking for a way to avoid wall mounting if I can (rental), I'd like to put this behind my desk, as the TV would be a computer monitor and TV. I'd be mounting a TV 40-60lbs depending on if I get the 40" or 32". The weight of the stand plus my solid wood desk sandwiching it to the wall, I hope is enough to hold it. If need be I can put one or two 25lb sand bags on the base.

The key question for me is, what is the depth of just the stand and not the 10" base. I'll try calling bello tomorrow.

I gave up looking for an entertainment unit that would hold my center speaker as well as my PS3 in the vertical position, so I built my own.

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenza4.jpg

Close-up:

http://www.cstone.net/~dk/credenza3.jpg

On the left is my HTPC and Panamax power conditioner.

On the right is a Denon 3808 receiver and DirecTV HR20 (too bad they don't come in black).

In the middle is my Klipsch KSP-C6 center speaker and behind it is a APC 700W UPS feeding the HTPC, PS3 and HR20. The shelf below that holds my wirelss keyboard and mouse.

The PS3 sits between the the center speaker and the 3808/HR20. I got another opening just like it to the left of the center speaker for a Xbox Elite or something like that.

The unit it 82" W * 19.5" H (including the feet) * 24" D and the plasma above it is a 65" 1080p Panny.

It was about $500 in materials (basically cabinet grade 3/4" plywood and black formica.)

A few questions...

Where did you get the feet? It was really $500 in materials!?

Do you have any more build photos? I'd really like to build something similar for my Condo...just a little smaller.

Which Wall Mount are you using? I have a Sammy LNT5265 (52" 1080p LCD)

Yeah, I saw that too and am meaning to go check it out in person. I cant figure out how tall is the storage compartment? Any idea?

I belive the height is 9" inside, but I'll need to measure when I get home from work. I think it's slightly more than 7" at the lip in front, I needed to angle my receiver a bit to get it in (with the AM antenna sitting on top). I think each bay is at least 19" wide (side ones I believe are slightly wider than center).
Holds my 50" 700U without a problem. Looks really nice for Ikea, and is solid wood - often difficult to get at Ikea.

I belive the height is 9" inside, but I'll need to measure when I get home from work. I think it's slightly more than 7" at the lip in front, I needed to angle my receiver a bit to get it in (with the AM antenna sitting on top). I think each bay is at least 19" wide (side ones I believe are slightly wider than center).
Holds my 50" 700U without a problem. Looks really nice for Ikea, and is solid wood - often difficult to get at Ikea.


Thanks so much. The measurements of the interior would be really appreciated. Did you have to drill a hole for the cables? Did you also get the floating shelf above from Ikea as well?

How do you find the viewing angle of the set as it sits a little low?

Thanks again!

A few questions...

Where did you get the feet? It was really $500 in materials!?

Do you have any more build photos? I'd really like to build something similar for my Condo...just a little smaller.

Which Wall Mount are you using? I have a Sammy LNT5265 (52" 1080p LCD)
I got the feet (3 15/16" tall) from this place:

http://www.closet-masters.com/detail.aspx?ID=329

Be sure to get the ones with the mounting plate. It only adds $0.71 each.

Unfortunately I don't have any additional built photos as I didn't have my camera handy as I was building the cabinet.

Here's a more complete list of materials used:

2 4x8 sheets of 3/4" 13 ply cabinet grade oak @$49.00 from Lowes
1 4x8 sheet of 1/4" board for the back @10.00 from Lowes
5x10, 3x10 & 3x8 sheets of Formica black laminate $230 from local cabinet shop
6 cabinet feets $70
Glue for laminate $15

So in all, it came to $423

Now, you also need a good table saw with a blade for regular wood cutting, one for the laminate, and an adjustable dado blade.

You will also need a router with a straight cut bit and well as a 45 bit for where you have 2 laminates coming together.

I didn't laminate the bottom of the shelves, nor the very bottom piece.

The shelves were mounted using pins I found at Home Depot.

Outer shelves are 18" wide, the center shelf is 25" wide. The 2 vertical openings are 8" wide. All 3 shelves are adjustable up and down in 1" increments.

That is awesome! Except for one thing. . .

Unless my eyes deceive me, the PlayStation logo on the PS3 is still horizontal. You can twist it to make it vertical (the logo on the chrome/black part). :D
I never knew that. I just rotated mine. Great catch! :D

I never knew that. I just rotated mine. Great catch! :D

Haha. You're welcome. You went the whole 8 and 7/8th's yards. Figured I'd give ya the extra nudge.

anyone have any suggestions on pedestal stands?

i don't need shelves... but wall mounting in my house is a difficult option (old house with plaster walls), so i'm hoping to find a pedestal that would mimic a wall mount...

thanks. i searched on "pedestal" and didn't come up with much.

Thanks so much. The measurements of the interior would be really appreciated. Did you have to drill a hole for the cables? Did you also get the floating shelf above from Ikea as well?

How do you find the viewing angle of the set as it sits a little low?

Thanks again!

So here are the #'s:

Okay, the opening in the front's narrowest point is 7" top to bottom, but with a little tilting, you can get a larger receiver inside. The actual height inside is 8.5". A bit lower on either side because of plywood bracing. Each of the 3 bays are 17 3/4" wide.

No drilling, the is a gap between the sections in the rear of the cabinet, before the back board to connect between bays, and there's a large hole in the center bay's rear for cables to exit. Additionally, there's an opening that runs the entire length in the rear to also run cables if needed.

My wife said she thought it a little low the first day. No comment since. I actually like it because the panel doesn't start until 6" above the top of the unit. From where we sit, our eyes are just below center on the TV (50" Panasonic 700U).

anyone have any suggestions on pedestal stands?

i don't need shelves... but wall mounting in my house is a difficult option (old house with plaster walls), so i'm hoping to find a pedestal that would mimic a wall mount...

thanks. i searched on "pedestal" and didn't come up with much.

I LOVE my BDI Vista - they offer it w/o the shelves for about $200 less. Super nice quality and GREAT wire management in the back. The new Vista has a more "pedestal" look to it than my older version with legs. (this is a pic before the new xbox elite and the new arrangement of components - nothing on top of my receiver or cable box anymore - I'll update it once I take a new pic of the new arrangement)
http://btz.smugmug.com/photos/179171892-M.jpg

this one billken?

vista 9950 (http://www.racksandstands.com/BDI-9950-BD1107.html)

that does look pretty sharp...

Yup that's the new version - I can't say enough good about BDI stuff - love mine.

So here are the #'s:

Okay, the opening in the front's narrowest point is 7" top to bottom, but with a little tilting, you can get a larger receiver inside. The actual height inside is 8.5". A bit lower on either side because of plywood bracing. Each of the 3 bays are 17 3/4" wide.

No drilling, the is a gap between the sections in the rear of the cabinet, before the back board to connect between bays, and there's a large hole in the center bay's rear for cables to exit. Additionally, there's an opening that runs the entire length in the rear to also run cables if needed.

My wife said she thought it a little low the first day. No comment since. I actually like it because the panel doesn't start until 6" above the top of the unit. From where we sit, our eyes are just below center on the TV (50" Panasonic 700U).


Thanks. That was really helpful! I like it a lot.

I got the feet (3 15/16" tall) from this place:

http://www.closet-masters.com/detail.aspx?ID=329

Be sure to get the ones with the mounting plate. It only adds $0.71 each.

Unfortunately I don't have any additional built photos as I didn't have my camera handy as I was building the cabinet.

Here's a more complete list of materials used:

2 4x8 sheets of 3/4" 13 ply cabinet grade oak @$49.00 from Lowes
1 4x8 sheet of 1/4" board for the back @10.00 from Lowes
5x10, 3x10 & 3x8 sheets of Formica black laminate $230 from local cabinet shop
6 cabinet feets $70
Glue for laminate $15

So in all, it came to $423

Now, you also need a good table saw with a blade for regular wood cutting, one for the laminate, and an adjustable dado blade.

You will also need a router with a straight cut bit and well as a 45 bit for where you have 2 laminates coming together.

I didn't laminate the bottom of the shelves, nor the very bottom piece.

The shelves were mounted using pins I found at Home Depot.

Outer shelves are 18" wide, the center shelf is 25" wide. The 2 vertical openings are 8" wide. All 3 shelves are adjustable up and down in 1" increments.

Thanks a lot!

Yup that's the new version - I can't say enough good about BDI stuff - love mine.
Where'd you get your version and the 3rd shelf? I like yours better then the new one.

Where'd you get your version and the 3rd shelf? I like yours better then the new one.
I bought a floor model off the same dealer I got my Pio Elite from - Butch's Sound and Vision in Natrona Heights, PA.

He gave me a heckuva good price for it ($300) - then I called BDI directly about an extra shelf and the guy there (Dave) looked into it for me and discovered they still had a few leftover shelves before they changed to the new design - so I ordered directly from them. BDI gave me a great deal on the extra shelves too - I paid $142 for two of them with brackets (I think the new extra shelves retail for $175 each now).

http://www.racksandstands.com/Azura-420401-QB1345.html

Does anyone have this and know how much weight it can support? How is the ventilation? Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.

http://www.racksandstands.com/Azura-420401-QB1345.html

Does anyone have this and know how much weight it can support? How is the ventilation? Any help or opinions would be greatly appreciated.
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9358258#post9358258
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?p=9457413#post9457413

http://www.costco.com/Browse/ProductSet.aspx?Prodid=11228012&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|93|23006&N=4018595%205000014&Mo=15&No=5&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=28195&Ns=P_Price|0||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav= (http://www.costco.com/Browse/ProductSet.aspx?Prodid=11228012&whse=BC&Ne=4000000&eCat=BC|93|23006&N=4018595%205000014&Mo=15&No=5&Nr=P_CatalogName:BC&cat=28195&Ns=P_Price|0||P_SignDesc1&lang=en-US&Sp=C&topnav=)

has anyone had any experience with glass stands... I will be getting a panasonic 58pz700u... it is a black tv, I want the stand to be black as well, the glass says it can support 300 lbs. thanks.. also, i'm looking to keep things under $250... i know that eliminates most quality stands :)

iamkoza, if you have a Big Lots near you, stop by and take a look at their 3 shelf black glass TV stand for $130. See my post on the previous page for a picture of it. Great stand for shopping on a budget.

I do like the stand you linked too, I like the shelf system in the middle. Available in both silver and black. Here's another link with dimensions, although the costco price is better: http://www.dynamichomedecor.com/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Store_Code=DHD&Product_Code=Walker-Edison-V60Y712B&Category_Code=

http://content.costco.com/Images/Content/ProductLarge/220071LL.jpghttp://www.dynamichomedecor.com/Images/walker/v60y712_d.jpg

my center speaker would fit on that top shelf quite well... HD DVD player on the middle shelf, and then my receiver on the bottom. I like it!

I got the feet (3 15/16" tall) from this place:

http://www.closet-masters.com/detail.aspx?ID=329

Be sure to get the ones with the mounting plate. It only adds $0.71 each.


For those asking, Ikea also sells something similar. CLICK (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/00054564)

I'm currently using these feet and it does a great job spicing up the overall look.

Here are a couple of solid sub $500 offerings from IKEA and Costco. More warmth and "furniture" feel to them vs. industrial metal and glass designs.

Markor (http://www.ikea.com/us/en/catalog/products/20102516)TV console from IKEA
http://www.ikea.com/PIAimages/42506_PE137362_S4.jpg



Metropolitan (http://www.costco.com/Browse/Product.aspx?prodid=11227816&hierPath=93*23006*56274*&whse=BC&topnav=&Browse=&lang=en-US#)60" TV Console from Costco


http://content.costco.com/Images/Content/ProductLarge/143845LL.jpg

sorry if this sounds like a stupid question, but for my panasonic 58pz700u, it pretty much requires that you attach it to stand (and the wall). Attaching to the stand is kinda difficult with a glass stand.... any suggestions on how to handle it?

iamkoza: I've read the installation instructions on the Panny 58PZ700U. Panasonic wants you to attach the base to the wood cabinet with wall hooks to the wall to prevent it from tipping over. This is precautionary and in the manual for legal reasons. I think the base should be plenty heavy to support the plasma in freestanding mode.

iamkoza: I've read the installation instructions on the Panny 58PZ700U. Panasonic wants you to attach the base to the wood cabinet with wall hooks to the wall to prevent it from tipping over. This is precautionary and in the manual for legal reasons. I think the base should be plenty heavy to support the plasma in freestanding mode.

I'm just worried about people bumping into the tv on accident. I'm going to try an adhesive putty, museum putty from the container store, and place it between the bottom of the base and the glass stand. I will report back if it actually improves the stability vs. leaving the TV free standing

On the Costco units with the back panel, what do you use to mount the plasma to the back panel? It says that the "wall mount" is not included. Do you still have to have a wall behind the wall?

Hey folks,

Here's a different looking stand I came across at Pier One that I think I'm going with. My wife and I wanted something in wood but didn't like most of the traditional pieces we were finding.

It's called the Kobe TV Stand, sku# 2146474 and is only $379. I emailed Pier One customer service and was told it was rated for a TV up to 175 pounds. Dimensions are approx 58"w x 18"d x 23"h. It's very dark, almost black in color. The center shelf is not adjustable but the ones behind the doors are.

Sorry for the crappy pic - it was taken with a cell phone testing to see if my center speaker would fit.


http://i15.tinypic.com/62xcthg.jpg

Naxray,

Did you get that one from Pier 1? Can you tell me how tall and wide the center channel shelf is?

Thanks

I have not gotten it yet but did take some measurements. The center shelf is 19" wide, and the sections above and below are 8 1/4" in height - maybe a slight bit more. My center speaker is 8 1/4" so I took it in to make sure it would work. It fit with little room to spare.

I have some additional measurements if you need them.


Naxray,

Did you get that one from Pier 1? Can you tell me how tall and wide the center channel shelf is?

Thanks

So far so good. I have a JBL northridge Center channel that measures 7-1/4 high, so I should be good. How about the side shelves. Would you happen to have some dims on those? If I got this unit I would replace the circles with perforated metal for ir transmission and I would like to stuff my xbox360 / hd-dvd, and DTV HDDVR behind the scenes as it were.

Thanks for your help!

Nick

the area behind the doors are approx. 18"w x 16 1/2"d x 17"h. There's one adjustable shelf on each side that I'd guess is about 1/2" thick.

I thought about replacing the circles with speaker material but I think the wife likes it the way it is...one step at a time I guess. ;)

I do recall when I was looking at it that I felt I might have to open up the back some for better ventilation and wire access.

Hope that helps!

Hello, Thanks for all the help on stands here, I've done some reading on this and I haven't seen the question asked, How stable are the stands that come with Larger 50" + Lcd tvs?
I just purchased a Sharp 52" and I'm debating whether I need to mount it? on the wall or on a stand?
Will the stand that comes with the tv be stable enough that my 5 and 10 year old won't be able to knock it over? If I just place it on a stand?
Thanks All, great sight?

I believe most of the flat panels come with wall straps to strap the TV to the wall so it won't fall over on a kid. My 42" LCD did. Obviously wall-mounting would negate the issue entirely.

Just thought I'd share. This site has some stuff that looks nice and reasonably priced. Can't speak to the build quality though.

http://www.homedecorators.com/Furniture/Home_Theater/

I took a chance and ordered this:
http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Craftsman_26H_Wide-Screen_TV_Stand_with_Media_Storage_Doors/110/

but have not received it yet. My Samsung 5084 is wall-mounted. This unit will sit directly below the plasma. I plan on putting the center channel on top of this stand and removing the two lower drawers for additional equipment.

I believe most of the flat panels come with wall straps to strap the TV to the wall so it won't fall over on a kid. My 42" LCD did. Obviously wall-mounting would negate the issue entirely.

Thanks fpr the reply. Can anyone else chime in on how stable a 52 LCD is using the stand that comes with it, and if in fact they do come with straps? Which would make a lot of sense.

I took a chance and ordered this:
http://www.homedecorators.com/P/Craftsman_26H_Wide-Screen_TV_Stand_with_Media_Storage_Doors/110/
but have not received it yet.

Please let us know what you think after you get it. I've thought about ordering from them before, but never did because I was suspicious about the quality. But I'm suspicious about everything! :p

Please let us know what you think after you get it. I've thought about ordering from them before, but never did because I was suspicious about the quality. But I'm suspicious about everything! :p

Will do - I don't expect it to arrive much b4 December tho - must be a slow boat from China. :p If it arrives undamaged, has decent oak veneer over plywood or some type of "solid" wood (not cheap particle board), and is reasonably well constructed I will consider it a bargain, as the freight charge was only $35. I was told by customer service that the unit weighs in at about 125 pounds, so there is some substance to it. Does any1 know if plywood or solid wood is heavier or lighter than MDF or particle board? If it is MDF, is this such a bad thing? Given the choice, I think I would prefer MDF over run of the mill particle board. But...if is looks shabby in the box, back it goes. not even gonna try to assemble it.

I am also looking on ebay for an antique oak credenza/lowboy/sideboard that i could modify for A/V equipment. Just need to hit something local.

There are some beautiful art deco and eame's era pieces out there whose build quality and finish surpasses much of what you could buy new today.

Does any1 know if plywood or solid wood is heavier or lighter than MDF or particle board? If it is MDF, is this such a bad thing?

There are some beautiful art deco and eame's era pieces out there whose build quality and finish surpasses much of what you could buy new today.

Not sure about plywood, but MDF is heavier than solid woods. MDF is also denser than particle board. Here's an MDF comparrison (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Medium-density_fibreboard#Comparison_to_natural_woods). And here's a discussion on MDF vs. particle board (http://www.woodweb.com/knowledge_base/MDF_versus_particleboard.html)for cabinetry.

I agree with your opinion on furniture quality these days. I just ordered a large armoire that I was planning on using to hold all of my A/V equipment. I purchased it from the online store of Neiman Marcus. Coming from them, I assumed it would be very high-quality... boy was I wrong! It had joints that I could see light shining through because of the gaps, areas where stain was missing, missaligned drawers and the wood materials were thin and flimsy. After I got it, I did a little research on the manufacturer... it came from a high-volume production facility in China. (Should have researched BEFORE I bought) :o.

I returned it, so now I'm doing the same thing you are... looking for an old specialty cabinet of some kind I can modify. I'll let you know what I find.

I am sure something creative could be done with this:

http://cgi.*********/Indian-Rosewood-Art-Deco-Cabinet-Wet-Bar-Circa-1930s_W0QQitemZ280155316799QQihZ018QQcategoryZ63564QQssPageN ameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

- and would prolly match some nice rosewood towers to boot!

bah, i guess you are not allowed to post ebay links - the auction item is 280155316799 for any1 interested - its out of my price range.

Just ordered my Bell'O PVS-4207HG for my 46" Sharp LCD.

(Bell'O pictures, not my actual set up)

http://bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207HG_Room2.jpg

http://bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207HG_Undressed.jpg

http://bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207T-Plasma_2_0.jpg

After 5 straight days of reading and viewing every single post and picture on this thread, I decided to go for the Sanus NF213c.

Hope it works out for my new Sharp 46in.

90769

http://akamaipix.crutchfield.com/products/2002/051/h051nf213c.jpeg

Here's what I got! :)

http://www.bdiusa.com/avfurniture/images/novia_8429.jpg

Except I have the cocoa stained cherry version.
Looks good. What kind is it? Larry

Just ordered my Bell'O PVS-4207HG for my 46" Sharp LCD.

(Bell'O pictures, not my actual set up)

http://bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207HG_Room2.jpg

http://bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207HG_Undressed.jpg

http://bello.com/images/products/PVS-4207T-Plasma_2_0.jpg
wolfgaze,
I'm really interested in this stand as well. Please provide a review once you get this up and going.

dylan,

No problem. My order is supposed to ship this week or so. I won't be able to set it up until about 2 weeks after I receive it so I should have an update for you and some pictures in about 3 weeks.

I expect nothing but top notch quality from Bell'O. Don't think I'll be disappointed....


The weight capacity on the top shelf (where the TV sits) is 125 lbs. My LCD will weigh 88 or 90 lbs. The weight capacity on the other 2 shelves is 50 lbs. I'm worried that I may have 1 too many components on the bottom shelf so I will possibly look to reinforce that bottom sheet of glass with some wooded supports (need to stick a receive, cablebox, & PS3 on that bottom shelf). My center channel speaker will sit on the 2nd shelf.

Just an FYI, you need to contact Bell'O and they will email you a list of Dealers in your area. Definitely call a bunch and request this stand. Some Dealers were quoting me $500, others were quoting me closer to $300.

On the Costco units with the back panel, what do you use to mount the plasma to the back panel? It says that the "wall mount" is not included. Do you still have to have a wall behind the wall?

I am wondering the same thing.

Looking at this entertainment center:
http://www.costco.com/Browse/Productgroup.aspx?Prodid=11214155&whse=BC&topnav=&browse=&lang=en-US

So, I am wondering what additional equipment is needed to place the TV on the back panel? or does the panel just hide an actual wall mount?

Thanks.

I'm using the BDI Avion 8528. This is hands down the best piece of AV furniture I've ever bought. Very well thought out, tons of ventilation, and it comes pre-assembled (except for the doors). Front windows are tinted too which is nice.

http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/uploads/th.7808be2259.jpg (http://img2.freeimagehosting.net/image.php?7808be2259.jpg)

Just finished reading the thread, and I noticed that the Loop Media Stand from Crate and Barrel was mentioned, but without feedback. Link here: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=994&f=22294&fromLocation=trends&l=247

Wondering if anyone had ever bought it, and what their experience was with mounting the plasma to it. I went and saw it in the store and it seems to be a standard "2nd wall" type of piece, where you would be drilling lag bolts through the wood piece and securing it with washers and nuts.

I was planning to buy the Monoprice Tilting/Swiveling Wall Mount to mount a 50" Panasonic plasma from Costco.

I just got the Z-line designs 55" stand setup, bought it at CC. No pics yet but here are my impressions

Nice size 55" width big enough for three components on each shelf but not too large. Seems very well built and nice appearance. Very deep, maybe too much depth if you don't want your stand sticking out into the room. Also very heavy, around 150-160 pounds without components on it.

Here is a link it's comparable to the Z22 Elements model under Home Entertainment. The model picture is the same style but mine has more of a regular chrome than in that picture. http://www.z-linedesigns.com/

This Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=713200) confirmed for me why I will never buy a glass shelf furniture.

I had always been skeptical/wary, but this confirms it for me.

I'll stick with something made of wood.

Has anyone come across a stand that measures in at around 50" wide? I need a new stand for my new 50PZ700 and I am pressed for space. I COULD go to 60" wide but at around 50" I would be more than happy.

Thanks

This Thread (http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=713200) confirmed for me why I will never buy a glass shelf furniture.

I had always been skeptical/wary, but this confirms it for me.

I'll stick with something made of wood.

Me neither, no matter how strong/reinforced a manuf. might claim them to be.

Just finished reading the thread, and I noticed that the Loop Media Stand from Crate and Barrel was mentioned, but without feedback. Link here: http://www.crateandbarrel.com/family.aspx?c=994&f=22294&fromLocation=trends&l=247

Wondering if anyone had ever bought it, and what their experience was with mounting the plasma to it. I went and saw it in the store and it seems to be a standard "2nd wall" type of piece, where you would be drilling lag bolts through the wood piece and securing it with washers and nuts.

I also have the same question. My entertainment unit just came in and it has a very similar back panel:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n45/futuredoc84/BackPanel.jpg
I was hoping the back panel would be a bit thicker than it is but it's only about an inch thick. Should I add some wood 2x4s behind the panel? If anyone has any links to instructions that could help me with this I'd really appreciate it :)

We seem to be making it up as we go along SGMD1. I went to my local hardware store today and they have steel strips with holes for lag screws cut in. I'm thinking about running me lag screws through those strips to provide extra stability. The wood 2x4 sounds like a good idea too.

Are you planning on using the wall strap that comes with the unit to secure the stand to the wall? I want the unit to be stable, but it defeats the purpose of having a floating unit if I'm drilling into the wall.

I just picked up a new 46w3000 and this Casual Life Designs 76" console. I think it looks pretty good but I underestimated the overall dimensions on it. Its growing on me, but still feel its a little large. I will need to get some new speakers to slim things down.

Its VERY heavy and about killed me to move. I'm on 3rd floor and comes fully assembled at 275 pounds. My only other gripe is wire management is a bit rough, the two glass shelf sections are only connected by running wire behind rack through two holes. I am not full hdmi yet so I had a number of cables to run, causing an extra 1.5inch from the wall. I think someday i will go in and router out some holes or wire runs to make this easier. The center are two drawers, and the extra side doors hide media pullout trays and a htpc pullout (hide my cable modem and router here) My prior rack was a Salamander dual 40" rack with two bridges, so I am used to easier wiring. Pm me if anyone in washington is looking for any of the salamandar gear =)

Current:
http://i24.tinypic.com/6cnn.jpg

Before:
http://i23.tinypic.com/jsiuqd.jpg

I just picked up a new 46w3000 and this Casual Life Designs 76" console. I think it looks pretty good but I underestimated the overall dimensions on it. Its growing on me, but still feel its a little large. I will need to get some new speakers to slim things down.

Its VERY heavy and about killed me to move. I'm on 3rd floor and comes fully assembled at 275 pounds. My only other gripe is wire management is a bit rough, the two glass shelf sections are only connected by running wire behind rack through two holes. I am not full hdmi yet so I had a number of cables to run, causing an extra 1.5inch from the wall. I think someday i will go in and router out some holes or wire runs to make this easier. The center are two drawers, and the extra side doors hide media pullout trays and a htpc pullout (hide my cable modem and router here) My prior rack was a Salamander dual 40" rack with two bridges, so I am used to easier wiring. Pm me if anyone in washington is looking for any of the salamandar gear =)


Can you provide a link to where I can purchase this? They casual life website I found did not seem to have the products listed.

Stand that measures around 50" anyone? I need one for a 50" Plasma and I need one that is as close to the plasma size as possible.

Thanks

Stand that measures around 50" anyone? I need one for a 50" Plasma and I need one that is as close to the plasma size as possible.

Thanks

www.racksandstands.com - plenty of search options there (including stand width) to find what you're looking for - or at least get you started. (your 50" plasma isn't going to be 50" wide most likely - the 50" is corner to corner)

When you are looking at a stand does the width matter as long as it can handle the weight?

Can you provide a link to where I can purchase this? They casual life website I found did not seem to have the products listed.

It is though the Costco home store in Kirkland, Washington. There are only two home store, one is Washington and the other in Arizona unfortunately. Costcos website has the phone numbers on store locator, not sure if they can ship. If they do it would be VERY costly however, 275pounds =P

OmniMount has a motorized flat panel wall mount that tilts, pans and swivels via IR remote control:
http://www.marketingmatters.net/mmmailers/PressReleases/omnimount_pma/

I also have the same question. My entertainment unit just came in and it has a very similar back panel:
http://i109.photobucket.com/albums/n45/futuredoc84/BackPanel.jpg
I was hoping the back panel would be a bit thicker than it is but it's only about an inch thick. Should I add some wood 2x4s behind the panel? If anyone has any links to instructions that could help me with this I'd really appreciate it :)I have a different stand with a backpanel too. DO NOT just drill holes and put a regular bolt cos it will eventually fracture the wood especial if the backpanel is mdf. Get some toggle bolts (i got hilti/toggler toggle bolts from home depot). they hold firmly and protect the backpanel.

http://www.toggler.com/products_hwh_installation.html
I used 8 of the 1/4 X 2-1/2 size

Thanks for the tip about the toggle bolts. I have a similar stand, although the back panel is made of wood, not MDF. Still the toggle bolts seem like the way to go.

IBefore:
http://i23.tinypic.com/jsiuqd.jpg

Where did you get your before? This actually would look good with my current setup.

I am in the first stages of getting ready to purchase a LCD and one of my thoughts over the years primarily since I use a living room as both living and theater that I'd like to hide the TV. My room is kind of a great room but is a very nice theater with Berklines and at least for me a expensive audio system with the likes of Pass labs and such.

In years past I did some high-end cabinetry building that included fake panels and motorized parts. I’ve built cabinets as large as 12 feet wide by 7 feet high and have done hidden equipment in places like a doctors office.

I’m borrowing the picture above just to make my point easy in that it would be possible to make a cabinet that at the back and still within the cabinet you would have what looks only like a large Audio cabinet but would have a LCD TV pop out of the back top and extend up to a watching position and would be automated. I have seen cabinets that did this in the past that used a scissors lift but they took up the whole cabinet for a wide and deep TV. The cabinet I propose would only use about 5 inches of the back of the cabinet and so you’d have the front space in the cabinet for the regular audio gear.

Just a thought and please opine.


John

Well the toggle bolts didn't fit through the Monoprice mount that I have, so just going to have to risk it with the 8 lag bolts.

We have been looking for a dark wood or black wood stand for our new 60". One site I have been impressed with is "audio-video furniture.com". I've spent dozens of hours searching and this site offers a lot at very attractive prices . Anybody used them in the past? They seem to carry many of the popular brands.

Has anyone come across a stand that measures in at around 50" wide? I need a new stand for my new 50PZ700 and I am pressed for space. I COULD go to 60" wide but at around 50" I would be more than happy.

Thanks

I picked this up at bestbuy for $250 or so after tax, its listed at $252 but you can find a 10% off coupon all over the internet.

http://home.comcast.net/~cozmo85/lcdsa.jpg

its 50" wide, and 18" deep. Made of black glass and solid wood.

http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7941089&type=product&id=1152228084457

does anyone have any suggestions for a 60" stand w/ a shelf/compartment large enough to hold a 24" center channel, in black or cherry? i love the BDI's & Salamanders but can't quite stretch the budget that far so looking for something <$700 or so. thanks.

anyone have any suggestions on pedestal stands?

i don't need shelves... but wall mounting in my house is a difficult option (old house with plaster walls), so i'm hoping to find a pedestal that would mimic a wall mount...

thanks. i searched on "pedestal" and didn't come up with much.

Hi ccoten,

I'm pretty pleased with my Sanus pffp2 stand. No real complaints other than the wire management requires PATIENCE.

There are some nice units available from Cost Plus World Market that are on sale this week.... Saw them last night and thought of all of you....

Riley 3 Piece set (http://www.worldmarket.com/Fabulous-Furniture-Sale/Riley-3Piece-Media-Set/lev/4/productId/7140/view/10000/Ns/SORT_MAX_PRICE|1/N/1100494/Nty/1/index.pro)

Stand alone
(http://www.worldmarket.com/Fabulous-Furniture-Sale/Riley/Riley-Media-Stand/lev/4/productId/2332/Ne/3/sectionId/3252/N/1100494+4294967215/categoryId/1100494/pCategoryId/1100494/Ns/SORT_MAX_PRICE|1||CATEGORY_SEQ_3252|0/index.pro)
Granada (http://www.worldmarket.com/Fabulous-Furniture-Sale/Granada-Media-Stand/lev/4/productId/5328/view/10000/Ns/SORT_MAX_PRICE|1/N/1100494/Nty/1/index.pro)

If you have a Cost Plus near you, worth a look.

Well the toggle bolts didn't fit through the Monoprice mount that I have, so just going to have to risk it with the 8 lag bolts.

I have a similar back panel and just did what you originally thought of. I cut 2 pieces of plywood and stuck them behind the panel to use as an anchoring point for the bolts. Works perfectly fine for me.

Get some toggle bolts (i got hilti/toggler toggle bolts from home depot). they hold firmly and protect the backpanel.

http://www.toggler.com/products_hwh_installation.html
I used 8 of the 1/4 X 2-1/2 size

I LOVE these toggle bolts.... Never saw them before this post, so thank you very much!

These look so much better then the older sprung butterfly style.

I just bought the StudioTech U22D

It's a nice looking cabinet with very good cable routing and ventilation. I feel it's a bit too high for my 46" set and a bit too deep for my room but otherwise, it feels and looks expensive. It's got plenty of room to let my Onkyo 875 breath, and I really like the perforated screen that hides components but still lets remote IR through

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/systemxbr.jpg

Mine did come shipping damaged in one corner and they are likely going to give me a credit.

My place is very small so I am forced into 42" or smaller by default.

I am trying to figure out if there are any coompact mobile stands available whereby I could mount the plasma and wheel it to different locations in the room, using HDMI and power cords tethered to components located on a shelf.

Anybody seen such a thing?

I bet there is a thread on that, I will search! ! !

edit: something kinda like this, but not $800! ! ! !
http://www.schoolroomfurniture.com/a...d=MP256-DR1048

I just bought the StudioTech U22D

It's a nice looking cabinet with very good cable routing and ventilation. I feel it's a bit too high for my 46" set and a bit too deep for my room but otherwise, it feels and looks expensive. It's got plenty of room to let my Onkyo 875 breath, and I really like the perforated screen that hides components but still lets remote IR through

http://gallery.avsforum.com/data/502/systemxbr.jpg

Mine did come shipping damaged in one corner and they are likely going to give me a credit.

Those CM1's are just so sexy aren't they? I love those speakers.

All –

I am looking for a 50” wide TV stand that can accommodate a 9 1/2 “ high center channel speaker on the middle shelf (speaker needs to sit on the middle shelf since the TV will be sitting on top of the TV stand) – see attached diagram.

So far the ONLY stand that we have found that comes close is the BDI ICON 9425. It has an adjustable shelf which I believe can be lowered 2 inches to provide an 8 ¼” opening and another 2 inches behind the frame. This means that the metal frame opening will overlap/block the center speaker ~ 1 ¼ inches.

Does anyone have alternative suggestions that would allow for a 9 ½” high center channel? Our material/color preference is metal/glass/back.

Thanks.

All –

I am looking for a 50” wide TV stand that can accommodate a 9 1/2 “ high center channel speaker on the middle shelf (speaker needs to sit on the middle shelf since the TV will be sitting on top of the TV stand) – see attached diagram.

So far the ONLY stand that we have found that comes close is the BDI ICON 9425. It has an adjustable shelf which I believe can be lowered 2 inches to provide an 8 ¼” opening and another 2 inches behind the frame. This means that the metal frame opening will overlap/block the center speaker ~ 1 ¼ inches.

Does anyone have alternative suggestions that would allow for a 9 ½” high center channel? Our material/color preference is metal/glass/back.

Thanks.

Have you considered an open stand? Like the OmniMount VT2-FP - Cosmic Video Plasma TV Stand w/ Mount? It comes in Black too.

Have you considered an open stand? Like the OmniMount VT2-FP - Cosmic Video Plasma TV Stand w/ Mount? It comes in Black too.
Thank you for the suggestion. The particular stand you mentioned is a bit too wide, but OmniMount has some interesting products. I am going to investigate the OnmiMount STELLAR G353 as it looks like it may have a taller top shelf - it is hard to tell if the quoted 9.5" adjustable top shelf is partially blocked by the frame.

Thank you for the suggestion. The particular stand you mentioned is a bit too wide, but OmniMount has some interesting products. I am going to investigate the OnmiMount STELLAR G353 as it looks like it may have a taller top shelf - it is hard to tell if the quoted 9.5" adjustable top shelf is partially blocked by the frame.

No problem. I have a similar situation as I'm looking for a stand that gives me flexibility in supporting a large center channel.

Looks like the 9.5 is from galss to glass.

No problem. I have a similar situation as I'm looking for a stand that gives me flexibility in supporting a large center channel.

Looks like the 9.5 is from galss to glass.

I spoke with OmniMount today and they confirmed that it is the distance between the two glass shelves so the speaker will be partially blocked.

Any other ideas?