Mounting your TV, it’s a challenge for many people. Not only finding that right spot, but physically mounting it and hiding the wiring can be a pain in the butt. The problem with mounting your TV is that most of us are mounting them far too high.
I was over at a friend’s house, and he proceeded to show me his brand new 75″ Vizio TV that he had professionally mounted above his fireplace. It took everything to hold back my true thoughts, as he was very proud of his new TV and placement of said TV.
But you do not have to make the same mistake when mounting your TV. You actually may be better off just using a TV stand, but if you insist on mounting your TV to the wall. Here are a few guidelines to help you through it.
Mounting Your TV
Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Mount High
- It’s hard on your neck: Mounting your TV high can result in neck pain as you look up to view the display.
- Angles matter: While TV viewing angles have gotten better, the optimal viewing angle is still straight on, and mounting your TV high results in a less than optimal viewing angle.
- Heat is bad: If you’re mounting your TV over the fireplace and use your fireplace. The heat could cause damage to the electronics and display of your TV.
- It’s aesthetically dopey looking: Of course, this point is purely subjective, but we think TVs over the fireplace are just stupid looking.
So How High Should You Go?
Well, the best height is eye level for most TVs. This will give you the best viewing experience and make the most of all those fancy specs on your new TV. People often complain about a TV and how it looks because they haven’t taken the time to calibrate the color, and they’ve mounted it too high or not in an optimal place or space.
For those of us who prefer a little more guidance, here’s a good chart for determining the optimal TV height and viewing distance for various TV sizes. Thanks to TV Installation Services for this chart.
TV Size | TV Height | 1080p Viewing Distance | 4K Viewing Distance |
50″ TV | 60 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 6.2ft – 10.3ft | 5ft – 7.9ft |
55″ TV | 63 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 6.8ft – 11.3ft | 5.5ft – 8.7ft |
60″ TV | 66 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 7.4ft – 12.4ft | 6ft – 9.4ft |
65″ TV | 69 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 8ft – 13.4ft | 6.5ft – 10.2ft |
70″ TV | 72 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 8.6ft – 14.4ft | 7ft – 11ft |
75″ TV | 75 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 9.3ft – 15.4ft | 7.5ft – 11.8ft |
80″ TV | 78 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 9.9ft – 16.5ft | 8ft – 12.6ft |
85″ TV | 81 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 10.5ft – 17.5ft | 8.5ft – 13.4ft |
90″ TV | 84 inches from floor to center of TV screen | 11.1ft – 18.5ft | 9ft – 14.2ft |
So, that’s why we think you should stop mounting your TV so high. But what if you have no choice but to mount your TV high or over a fireplace? The team over at Digital Trends gives some good tips on ways to make the best of it, check those out here.