# I'm shopping for a new TV, and a wall mount, any advice? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 16, 2023, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336 "2023-01-16T23:37:51Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/61 "2023-05-12T02:18:24Z")
I’m sure mounted above would work fine too. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/62 "2023-05-12T02:26:32Z")
> [@squeegee](#): > > But if you use a pull down mount, and place the soundbar on the shelf, wouldn’t the soundbar end up behind the TV when pulled down? I’d put it low enough to not be hidden. I’ve never had a sound bar, or any other extra speakers, but i guess that’s how modern TVs are designed to work. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/63 "2023-05-12T02:34:17Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I’ve never had a sound bar, or any other extra speakers, but i guess that’s how modern TVs are designed to work. Thumbnail description: a soundbar will have a sound input that will either come from your TV or your cable/other box. Ideally the soundbar input is an optical or coaxial [S/PDIF](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S/PDIF) input that has all the audio channels from the broadcast. Left, right, center, rear left/right, subwoofer/LF. Possibly other channels. The soundbar will require a sound input of this sort and power. Plan for both. The soundbar will do the rest: combine all those channels as necessary into something pleasant. Adding: perhaps modern TVs now have a wireless way to talk to soundbars (better than 2 channels stereo I would hope; for me the whole point is a good center channel for good dialog.). I’ve never run into this, but maybe I’m behind. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/64 "2023-05-12T02:45:43Z")
The back of my LG 2yo OLED TV. Note the digital optical out connection. Excuse the blurriness. [![](https://i.imgur.com/yzdmZ45.jpg) ](https://i.imgur.com/yzdmZ45.jpg) That connection, or a coaxial digital (orange connector) is what I would expect to attach to a sound bar. If your new smart TV is running Amazon Prime Video, movies should output 5.1 or whatever audio to that connector. Roku should have the same type of connection or you need a better Roku. Again, maybe someone has solved this wirelessly and I’m behind the times. That’d be nice. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/65 "2023-05-12T02:49:34Z")
I don’t know if there’s any benefit to a wireless soundbar? Both it and the TV are too big to move around when you use them. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [May 12, 2023, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/66 "2023-05-12T02:52:42Z")
> [@puzzlegal](#): > > I don’t know if there’s any benefit to a wireless soundbar? TV sound systems tend to have wireless woofers, because home users couldn’t be expected to figure out how to hook them up otherwise. So wireless home audio is a thing, but only for subwoofers usually. I could see soundbar and TV folk making some wireless bluetooth audio standard for living rooms with soundbars, maybe even for surround audio. Haven’t seen it yet, but I haven’t really been paying attention the last couple of years. It seems like it would be tres cool: pair 6 speakers to your TV, done. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/67 "2023-09-21T23:14:26Z")
Hey, @puzzlegal , how’s your basement coming? Question: did you end up getting a pull down TV mount? A friend is interested in getting one and looking for a review. Thanks! PS: I purchased this sound bar recently that was recommended by one of the review sites above. $199 and it sounds great - there’s a center channel speaker and the dialog is sooo much clearer now. > **[Amazon.com: VIZIO V-Series 5.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with Dolby Audio,...](https://www.amazon.com/VIZIO-Bluetooth-Subwoofer-Assistant-Compatible/dp/B08CGVTVMN)** > > Shop Amazon for VIZIO V-Series 5.1 Home Theater Sound Bar with Dolby Audio, Bluetooth, Wireless Subwoofer, Voice Assistant Compatible, Includes Remote Control - V51x-J6 and find millions of items, delivered faster than ever. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [September 21, 2023, 11:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/68 "2023-09-21T23:39:15Z")
It’s basically done. Thanks. We are down to odds and ends. And thanks for your help with the mount. I got the mantlemount. The reviews said its only downside was being more expensive than some others, and when i shopped, it was about the same price as other highly-reviewed choices. (It claimed to be on sale. Who knows, maybe that was real.) It took the installers hours to decide they could actually do it. The website clearly said there was enough clearance, but it was tight, and maybe they had to attack the TV higher or lower than they usually do. It works great. I got a manual one, not the powered one. It’s slightly stiff to pull it in and out, but not too bad. It exactly works to put the TV where i want it. The horizontal rotation isn’t huge, but it’s adequate for the space, even when i am on the treadmill which is kinda to the side. I bought the sound bar recommended by the installers, in part because they would do it right there and then. I checked online reviews, and it seemed fine. I don’t know anything about sound bars, though. ---
**Author:** ![squeegee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/squeegee/32/14537_2.png) [@squeegee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/squeegee)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336/69 "2023-09-22T01:18:46Z")
Cool, thanks for the update and the review. Glad your project came out well! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/im-shopping-for-a-new-tv-and-a-wall-mount-any-advice/978336.md?page=3)