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The popularity of the new "flat panel" televisions has led to quite different requirements for entertainment centers.
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This is a fairly typical "stand" for a modern television. The height is typically about 30 inches, but can be as low as 24 inches (as in this unit). Some people find one section adequate for electronics (which would likely be in the center). The overall width of this unit was 54 inches - with two electronic sections, a smaller storage area was placed in the center to use the remaining width. |
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The electronics can be behind glass doors (for access by remote controls through the doors). Each section should be about 18 inches inside width. Ventilation is a critical issue for the electronics in the cabinet. One solution is to leave an opening between the bottom of the door and the bottom shelf as shown here... a couple inches where air can enter from the kick-space or under the cabinet. The shelves are back a little bit, so "cool" air can flow up inside the door. |
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Depth for electronics, ventilation, and wiring should be 4-6 inches deeper that the deepest electronic unit - often 20-25 inches (this one is 22 inches). The shelves are shorter front-to-back so wires and air can flow behind the units, and dividers between electronic sections do not reach the back of the cabinet so wiring can run between sections. If the cabinet will be away from the wall, then a hot air vent can be placed at the top/back of the cabinet, with wire holes at the bottom back. If the cabinet will be against the wall or in an alcove, a vent hole can be put in the top, behind the TV. |
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$1,350 for the TV Stand with 3 "plain" doors and interesting legs,
$1,250 with kick space rather than legs,
See veneer options if you like the "colored" bubinga veneer door.
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This entertainment center was a fun design challenge. The homeowners normally watched TV at one end of a long narrow living room. A couple easy chairs were near a fairly deep alcove in the side of the room. The plan was to normally keep the TV in the alcove, convenient for viewing by two people. If a larger group wanted to watch TV, pull the TV out, visible from the whole living room. The TV would be on a rolling cart that could be stored (and used) in the alcove, or rolled out for group viewing. Casters were hidden under the cart (minimal clearance to roll on the hardwood floors) The associated electronics were on a shelf under the TV, with media or other storage in the drawers. |
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When the TV was in the alcove, there was room for additional bookcase storage. To make best use of the available space, tall bookshelves were put on the side of the alcove (rather than the back). The bottom portion of the bookshelves, which would be blocked by the TV cart, can be accessed for storing long items through doors on the front - what might be called the side of the bookcase. In this photo, the TV cart is partially forward. A picture will eventually go on the wall, above the TV, between the bookcases. |
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$1,350 for the entertainment center cart with 4 drawers,
Bookcases $950 each, $1,800 for two
$3,100 total for all three pieces
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The entertainment center is flanked by two separate bookcases, each 24 inches wide. The Electronics Cabinet in the center is 40 inches wide, with special bracing to support the extraordinarily heavy television set. A shelf for a center speaker is just above the TV. Under the TV are four drawers, with solid walnut fronts, sized for video tapes, CDs, and DVDs. |
The electronics are at the top, behind glass doors (with solid walnut frames) to allow remote controls to be used without opening the doors. Special provision were made for ventilation and wiring at the back of the top cabinets. |
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$1,850 for the entertainment center alone,
$3,950 total with the two library bookcases
This client recognized that the doors that hide the television in some entertainment centers are rarely (if ever) closed, so elected to leave the TV and speakers visible. She also preferred a relatively low height for the TV, so the electronics were placed above, rather than below, the TV. In the upper position, other furniture is less likely to interfere with the remote controls for the electronics, which work through the glass doors. The tape and DVD units are at the bottom of the electronics stack, so are easily reached, with the other electronics above them. Special steps were taken to provide ventilation for the electronics through the back of the cabinet, so the doors could remain closed when they are in use.
The overall height of the unit is 84 inches (7 feet) so it would stand slightly above the bookcases at either side. The television is almost 38 inches wide, allowing a 40 inch wide cabinet with two stacks of electronics, side by side. The television is 25 inches deep, but most of the weight is at the front, and other components only needed an 18 inch depth, so the cabinet is 18 inches deep and stands about 8 inches away from the wall, with the TV protruding from the back of the cabinet. The bookcases hide the back of the TV, leaving lots of room for ventilation and wiring behind the cabinet.
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Be sure to also see the custom conversion entertainment center for a bedroom, with the TV high enough that both partners can see the screen lying down. |
Width: The television or the width of an alcove often controls the width of the entertainment center. If doors to enclose the unit are desired, additional room needs to be allowed at each side for the doors to slide out of the way. Since the "flipper" doors cover the inside of the cabinet, another inner cabinet must be built, inside the doors, to support any shelves. However, when the doors are open, the electronics are probably uncovered as well, allowing ventilation from the front.
Most electronics units are under 18 inches wide, most often about 15 1/2 to 17 inches. This probably relates to the traditional 19 inch "relay rack" (19 inches between mounting screws, able to support a shelf about 18 inches wide) used in commercial installations. If a glass door will be used in front of the units, allow a little extra room so the unit can be moved to the side if the door stiles block the remote control receiver. Ventilation is critical - allow for cool air input as well as hot air out - sometimes with a very large allowance for ventilation at the back if the units will be run with the door closed.
Height: The height of a drawer needs to be about 6 inches on the inside to allow various media (tapes, CDs, DVDs) to be stored. Therefore two drawers, plus kick space, puts the bottom of the TV at least 21 inches above the floor, as in the walnut entertainment center above. Common height of the shelf for the TV ranges from 24 to 30 inches, to clear most coffee tables and feet on recliners. When the television is a little higher, the electronics can be underneath.
In a wide unit, the electronics can be in a separate "bookcase-like" unit that slides in beside the TV, and slides out to make the connections. If the electronics are above or below the TV, the back of the electronics have to be accessible after the unit is in place. In the system above, the bookcase at the right is moved away to provide access. Special hardware is available to allow a stack of electronics to be pulled out and rotated for ease in making connections, but the hardware alone is over $500.
Electronics: A power strip will almost certainly need to be mounted outside the unit, near the electronics section, because of the large number of units to be plugged in.
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