Suggestions: TV Nook with no Power or Cable outlets

[freshprince1]

So, thanks to whoever desings Excel Spec homes, I have a "TV Nook" above my fireplace with no power or cable outlets in it. Any suggestions as to how to get a flatscreen in there running my new Telus Optik TV, XBOX, DVD Player, and DivX Player?

I can think of two things:

1) Run an extension chord down the wall to the floor a few feet away to the nearest outlet.

2) Add a power outlet by drilling a hole and somehow splicing into the nearest outlet. Not sure how I could run the wire?

I'm a capable handyman but do not have much experience with this kind of stuff. Has anyone encountered this problem? What would you suggest? Just wondering if anyone has a better idea.

See below for handy-dandy Paintbrush depiction of my predicament.

http://i123.photobucket.com/albums/o304/littledevil606/TVnook.jpg

Thanks in advance.

[rage2]

Hire someone to do it professionally.

Seriously, any way you do it on your own (unless you're an electrician) is going to be ghetto.

[Mitsu3000gt]

Why are so many houses/condos/apartments done this way? My entire condo building is like that, as are a lot of homes I've seen. A clear place for a TV, but no cable outlet. They usually have power outlets though.

These days though, there is no need for a "nook" as everything is flat screen haha.

When the Shaw guy came to hook up my cable I just got him to install an outlet for me, he did a good job and it took him like 5 min. Didn't even charge me.

[roll_over]

yeah tuck it under the base boards LOL most builders let you choose the location of power outlets STOP HATING just kidding. Its not going to be cheap by any means

[jonnycat]

I had the exact opposite dilemma. My nook was too small for any of my tv's and the only cable outlet was in the nook. I ended up buying a 37" tv solely based on the width of the base stand, so it could sit on my mantle. It coverered the majority of the nook except at the top. I place a temporary shelf unit inside and mounted my PVR and DVD above the tv.
http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5201/5241257977_afc3842610_z.jpg


I am assuming your fireplace is on an exterior wall. You can have your cable company come and move the cable outlet, but they won't be responsible for repairing any of the holes they may need to make.

If your dead set on having your tv in there, I would buy some shelving or cd racks to place beside the fireplace so you can hide all the cables.

[codetrap]

There's a plug under your fireplace for the fan that should run to a switch on your wall. What I did was tie off that switch so it was always on, and put a plate in it's place. That ensured the plug was always on. Then I ran drilled a hole in the top of the fireplace mantle, and put a power bar on the back of the mantle for the electronics, making sure that the hole was at the very back of the fireplace so it was well away from the firebox. For the network/cable I pulled that up the same path behind the fireplace from the basement. Easy as pie.

All the speakers, power, data, satellite runs down that back left corner. I bought a standard desk cable hole filler thing to clean it up on top. The DVD/Reciever and HD box hide the powerbar and the cables. TV is hung off the back wall.

As for the fireplace fan, I bought the one that works on heat. It's got a temp switch that when the fireplace goes on for a certain amount of time, the fan comes on, and turns off when it's cool again. Great for moving that hot air.

If you really want to have an outlet box/etc up there, then pull it up behind the fireplace where the gas goes up from the basement, and then put a box in the wall. You can easily take the mantle off and make it quite nice.

[bspot]

Originally posted by rage2
Hire someone to do it professionally.

Seriously, any way you do it on your own (unless you're an electrician) is going to be ghetto.

Not true at all.

If you are sitting above an unfinished piece of basement, it's easy. All you need is fishing tape, a reno box, a clock box (recessed outlet, good for TV applications) and a junction box for the basement if there isn't one to tap into already.

Fish the cable and power up from the basement, splice it in, good to go. It will look exactly like all the other outlets in your house. Not ghetto at all.

[tictactoe2004]

Originally posted by Mitsu3000gt
Why are so many houses/condos/apartments done this way?

Everyone wants to have their new homes pre-wired properly but most people don't want to pay to have it done right, so 95% of the time the electrician ends up pulling the low voltage wires because they can do it cheaper than the pros and then this is what you end up with.

I see this happen all the time.

[eblend]

Yah, very simple, I did this at my place (didn't have a nook but had a fireplace and wanted a TV above it. Simply find the studs and make a small hole next to it, then use fishing tape to run the cable down (mine went right into the hole where the gas line runs to the fireplace in the basement. Run the cable through that hole and put it up directly into my electrical panel. Got a recessed power/av cables plug from monoprice and all is good. The surround on the fireplace is double walled so it actually isn't hot when the fireplace is running, so standard electrical wireing is all you need.

http://images2.monoprice.com/productlargeimages/40061.jpg

[Muji]

I have never really understood why anyone would want their TV at that height anyway. I know my house has this, I would never put my TV there. To each their own I guess, but reconsider doing so, the height is brutal for watching anything.

On the same school of cheap bastard designing and building my house, no fans in the gas fireplaces to circulate the heat outward into the room. They would add a wee bit to the cost of the house, same goes for the AV wiring and AC above the fireplace. I guess this is like the auto makers now having block heaters as an optional item.

Detailed instructions here (look at #6 regarding proper AC wires as well):

http://www.wikihow.com/Install-a-Flat-Panel-TV-on-a-Wall-With-No-Wires-Showing