How to Prepare for Your TV Installation

Leaving your TV installation up to the professionals? Smart choice. But don’t just sit back and relax… yet. A little prep work will ensure everything goes smoothly with your TV installation. In this article, we’ve covered everything you might need to know (and take care of) before your technician arrives.

But first, let’s talk about mistakes.

TV Installation Tragedies to Avoid

We see far too many people make these common TV installation mistakes (but not you, since you’re going to be so prepared):

Buying a TV that’s too big or too small for their space
Choosing the wrong TV wall mount design
Mounting their TV at the wrong height
Laying out their room without considering TV glare or sun exposure
Trying to DIY their wall mounting and making a mess of their walls
Connecting all their devices without consulting a manual or professional
Not adding extra TV wall points for down the track
Trying to lift or install their TV on their own
Not securing their TV or furniture properly for safety
Not tidying up their cords properly when the installation is done
Not patching up holes in the wall if they need to move their TV
Overlooking potential extras, sockets, and connections they might need for their TV
Installing straight into gyprock, instead of wall mounting on a stud
Accidentally hanging a TV that’s not properly level
Forgetting to auto-tune the TV
And last but certainly not least… attempting to DIY their antenna installation

To avoid these mistakes, it really comes down to proper preparation and hiring a professional to do the job. So, let’s talk a bit more about that…

Why a Professional TV Installation Is a Good Idea

So, why shouldn’t you DIY? More and more people are choosing to book a professional to get their TVs installed. The thing is, getting a TV installed isn’t as simple as unpacking your new TV and plugging it in at the wall. In many cases, you’ll want/need other services to properly fit your new TV and get it setup with all the right connections. This can involve:

Technical skills that are a bit beyond the average person
Tools and equipment you don’t keep around your home
Fiddling with cords and electricals
Cutting holes in the wall
Installing other equipment and fittings, like antennas, TV points, wall mounts, etc.
Tuning your TV

Hiring a professional to help you will ensure you get a better job done – more safely and more quickly.

Choosing Your TV

If you haven’t bought your TV yet, that’s something you’ll definitely need to do before you book your TV installation. When comparing different TVs, the main things you’ll need to consider are:

Budget – Get the best TV within your price range
Seating distance – If you want to sit closer, you’ll probably want a smaller TV and/or higher definition so you can’t see the pixels
Size – Choose the TV that’s just the right size for your space and distance
Added features – Whether you want a smart TV, special ports/connections, or something else
Resolution – While a sharper picture can give you a better viewing experience, it can also increase the price

The size and type of TV you buy will inform your next steps, like how you want it set up.

Choosing Your Installation Setup

There are three main setup options for your TV installation:

1. TV Cabinet

Some families prefer to sit their TV on top of a TV cabinet. The benefit of this approach is you can move your TV (and cabinet) around easily, and you don’t need any extra holes in the wall, apart from your TV wall point. Depending on your furniture and TV, it might be a good idea to secure your cabinet to the wall and then anchor your TV to the cabinet for added safety.

2. TV Wall Mount

Another popular option is to get your TV installed on the wall with a TV bracket. This is often the most aesthetically pleasing approach as you won’t need as much furniture in the room. And with proper cord management, it can be a clean, minimalist look. Not to mention it’s safer because your kids/pets won’t be able to accidentally pull the TV or cabinet over.

3. Home Theatre

Take your TV wall mount to the next level with a full audio-visual installation and experience. Connect your surround-sound speaker system and mount speakers throughout your space for a fully immersive experience every time you watch TV.

Want to know more about TV wall mounting? Read How To Figure Out What Kind of TV Wall Mount You Need.

Plan Around Your Schedule

We get it – you’re busy. It’s one of the main reasons you’d just rather get a professional to handle your TV installation. But you (or someone you trust) still need to be at home during the installation, so consider your schedule when you book in your technician. If you’re tied up with family or work commitments, you might ask a friend, neighbour, or even a personal concierge to let your technician in and answer their questions throughout the process.

Think About Location

Before your technician turns up, you’ll need to decide on where you want your TV installed.

First – which room? Most people choose to put their main TV in their lounge room, but you can also add extra TV wall points throughout your home to install TVs anywhere you like.

If you’re wall mounting your TV, you’ll also need to have an idea of how high you’d like it positioned. Your technician can advise you on the best height and angles for viewing, and they’ll confirm this with you before they begin the installation.

Think About Access and Approval

If you’re in a rental property, unit, or townhouse, you may need to get approval from your landlord and/or body corporate before you begin your TV installation. So, write a letter or email to the relevant person that states exactly what you need done, where, and if/how you’ll patch it up later when you move out.

You’ll also need to consider access. If you need an antenna installed or extra TV wall points, your technician will need easy access to your roof or balcony, outside areas, and manhole.

How Do You Wall Mount a TV Without Wires Showing?

Nothing ruins a new TV like cords going everywhere. You can enjoy a TV installation with no visible cords – just ask your TV installer to take care of them when they wall mount or install your TV. They’ll use things like cords covers and holes in the wall to tuck the cords away and make them disappear.

Book Your Other Digital/Antenna Services

As you can see, there’s so much more to a TV installation than just unboxing a new TV. Here are some other services you might want to book in at the same time, so you can get your entertainment system fully up and running:

TV point installation – You might want to add more than one TV point in your home
Digital antenna installation or antenna repair – Without a fully functioning TV, you’ll miss out on free-to-air channels
Foxtel Installation – Get help with installing Foxtel so you have even more entertainment options on your new TV
TV wall mounting – Save space and improve safety with your TV hanging on the wall
TV tuning – Make sure your TV is picking up on the best available signals and the most shows with a professionally tuned TV

Book Your Professional TV Installation

Ready to call a professional? You can reach us on 1300 800 123 for a free quote or to book a TV installation expert to come to your home. We’ll look at your situation (and your new TV), then let you know what TV installation services we recommend so you can get all set up and ready to enjoy your favourite shows.