Do I "vent" the LCD or enclose it? (1 Viewer)

[Lenore]

I have decided on a new LCD as my 36 in. Mitsubishi CRT is showing signs of age..
I am looking at the 40 in. Sony Braiva XBR2, and I wanted to place it inside a shelving unit that I have. Some saleman say fine, others say to properly maintain the LCD I should keep the top venting holes opened to the air as the LCD gets hot.
Does it matter?

Also, do I "need" a power conditioner? I will be adding this Sony to a non- Home Theater Setup which includes an old Onkyo 595 receiver, Sony DVP - C670D DVD/CD player, 2 Ascend Acoustics CBM-170's, Ascend Acoustics HTM-200 and a HSU VTF-2 subwoofer. Is a power conditioner necessary?

Thanks for your help.

Lenore

 

[Allan Jayne]

Always assume that electronic equipment with vent holes needs ventilation, always install the equipment so ventilation is available, and never cover up the holes.

Video hints:
http://members.aol.com/ajaynejr/video.htm

 

[Scott_L]

Power conditioning may help depending on the quality of your power and interference from other devices.
Good non-mov surge protection is highly recommended.
http://www.zerosurge.com/
http://www.brickwall.com/
http://www.surgex.com/

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I don't know about a power conditioner, but I live in Florida, lightning capital of the continental U.S. and a frequent site for momentary power dropouts. So I wouldn't plug a desklamp in without a good surge protector, and all of my serious electronics are on computer-grade uninterruptable power supplies.

And the earlier post was right, any electronic device that has vent hole for cooling needs ventilation. My brother-in-law got a DirecTV DVR for his birthday last year and tried to slide in into his cabinet in place of his old satellite receiver. He had about an inch of headroom above it. It used to shut itself off after about an hour and he had to move it.

I don't know about Sony for sure, but with most manufacturers you can go to their website and either view or download owner's manuals for almost everything they make. These come in real handy when you're shopping for equipment and have the choice narrowed down to a couple of models (forget the in-store hype, that manual will give you the real details.) You can also get the exact measurements, and the installation requirements to check against your room and home entertainment furniture.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Lenore]

Joe,

Thanks.
I too live in Florida, and am worried about lightening and surges.
It appears that the power conditioners are surge protectors in addition to filters.

Thanks again. What are you using to protect yourself from the conditions here in the Sunshine State?

Lenore

 

[Joseph DeMartino]

I mostly use inexpensive MOV surge protectors that I replace every two years, on a schedule. I also use a variety of UPSes from small 6-outlet APC units with 2 battery outlets and 4 surge protected outlets bigger TrippLites in my main home theater room. The TrippLites have large, brith LCD displays that show the current charge condition and the amount of voltage coming in from the wall outlet (the output is, of course, constant.) At the moment the left-hand unit in my tower is showing 119v, the right 123v. The screens are removable so that you can mount them a variety of ways. Mine are mounted horizontally because I placed them in my wall unit like they were another piece of audio/visual equipment.

The other reason for having lots of UPSes around is hurricane season. Since my condo is not generator-friendly, I find having lots of big, fully charged batteries is a good thing. I just turn most of them off when the lights go out, then each in turn to run and charge my laptop, radios, flashlights and cell phone. In 2004, when my office got power back before I did, I would lug one or two of them in to work every day and charge them up there (along with my laptop, phone and spare batteries.)

I must say that after following the links Scott_L provided and reading up on those products I'm seriously thinking about adding a few of them to my arsenal. I like the idea of saving money in the long run and that some of the less expensive ones are specifically designed to be installed in between the wall outlet and the UPS, adding protection to an existing set-up.

Regards,

Joe

 

[Rick89114]

As for the venting the Sony will require a minimum clearance on all sides. I have the 46XBR2 and if I remember right the top clearance is stated at 11 inches. Check the manual for the required clearances. Manual also states not to have a cubby above the unit trapping heat.