AV installers, Home Cinema installers and LED, LCD & Plasma TV installation in London, Essex, Kent, Sussex and Surrey

Frequently Asked Questions

I would like to have my screen installed above the fireplace. Will the heat from the fireplace harm the TV?

Usually we are able to perform the installation above most fireplaces, however, prior to proceeding, you first need to check the ambient temperature above the mantel when the fireplace is in use. Plasma & LCD displays are normally specified to operate within a temperature range of 32 - 100 degrees Fahrenheit (0 - 40 degrees Celsius). The actual operating temperature range varies from model to model, so please check with the accompanying manufacturers operating manual.

Can I mount my Plasma or LCD on a plaster board wall?

Yes we can mount a plasma or an LCD screen on a plasterboard stud wall or dry lined wall. By using the correct type of bracket and fixings, we would spread the load over the plasterboard by fixing into the existing metal or wooden studs using a stud locator to locate them. Our brackets have a wide footprint which would enable us to locate the studs while still maintaining the screen position. We would also over fix the bracket.

Can a plasma or LCD screen be mounted on a articulated arm on a plasterboard wall?

Yes, however some additional strengthening of the wall maybe required depending on the size of the screen.

Do I need a mains socket behind the screen?

No. A long mains cable can be installed to a local mains socket.

Do you carry out electrical work?

No. If you require any electrical work please contact a qualified electrician before your screen installation.

How can wires be hidden in solid brick walls?

If the screen is going to be fitted on a non-working chimney breast we can drill through chimney breast and through the side wall, this would enable the cables to be feed through the holes.

If you are planning for the area to be redecorated, we can cut a chase (groove) out of the brick to enable the cables to be buried in the wall. We would then plaster over the chase to an undercoat plaster. Professional plastering of the area would be required afterwards.
If no redecoration is planned, surface trunking is another option which can then be painted if you wish. This method makes for a quicker and less disruptive installation and therefore also reduces costs.

How can wires be hidden in plasterboard wall?

Fairly simple. A hole is cut in the wall behind the screen and then another hole below and pull cables through the holes. Most new buildings are of this type of construction. For external walls, the gap behind the wall would not be enough to pull the wires through and a groove would have to cut into the plasterboard and plastered over once the cables have been laid in the wall.

How are my walls left after wall chase?

It's impossible to leave a wall chase ready for painting with one application of plaster.
When your walls are chased out to bury cables, we re-plaster to an undercoat finish. This will be level with the wall, but will need some finishing work. The undercoat plaster will have a rough texture and this will require a rub down to remove any high spots. Afterwards, apply a fine filler. Finally give the wall a final rub down with fine sandpaper (best fitted to a flat sanding block to obtain a perfectly flat finish.) You are then ready to paint.

Are you fully insured?

Yes, we have public liability insurance and are fully insured up £5,000,000 .

Do you carry leads and wall brackets?

Yes, we carry a full range of cables of various lengths from 1 metre to 10 metres, Scart, HDMI, DVI, RCA, Component, SVHS, Optical, Aerial, satellite, VGA.
We also carry a range of brackets to suit most screens from small LCD to large 50" plasma screens.

Can I provide my own bracket and leads?

Yes no problem we can fit any of your own parts. However our two year guarantee would only cover parts Direct AV Installations Ltd. has supplied.

Can you extend Sky or aerial cables?

Yes we do extend aerial and Sky cables.

How high should my screen be mounted?

We can advise but it's your decision. Everyone has a different option but most want their screens high on the wall because it looks good when not in use. I would say if you are watching a 3 hour film, looking up at your screen, may not have seemed such a good idea. As rough guide, if you were sitting 12ft away, a good height on a flat wall would be 36" to 40" from the bottom of screen. If the screen is to be mounted on a chimney breast, about 6" - 7" above mantel piece is a good distance.

If you want to test how it feels, find the dimensions of your screen then halve the screen height - this will give the screen centre. Mark the wall with the screen centre point and then sit in your normal viewing position. You'll get a good feel of how it will be, watching at your chosen height.

We are happy to advise you on mounting height but it's your final decision once the screen has been mounted. It's not adjustable and a refit would be fully chargeable.

What would be the ideal speaker positions for my home cinema system?

Please review our Home Cinema page.

Can you mount the screen flush into wall?

Yes, but in some cases, where mounting onto a solid brick wall, there is not enough depth within the wall, so the only way to achieve a flush mount is to build a false wall to house the screen.

If the wall is an internal plaster board stud wall there may be enough room. We would need about 160mm minimum depth within the wall and there would have to be a gap around the screen of about 35mm to allow for ventilation.

How do you Bring cables out of the wall?

If we are chasing cables or feeding cables into wall to finish the hole we normaly fit a brush plate these are available in white or metal finish Brush plates are available in White , brushed metal or chrome finish.

What would be the cost of installation?

Each installation is different and therefore difficult to price in this section.
Please call or email and we will discuss your requirements and provide you with a quotation.

If you require a site survey for advice, we can arrange for one of our installers to visit, this is free service to our local customers. On most installations a telephone is survey is perfectly sufficient.

As we don’t sell equipment you will get totally unbiased advice.