GeekSugar

Tech @ Home: Mounting a Flat Panel TV Above Your Fireplace

GeekSugar — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 08:30:19 PST

Although it looks nice, mounting a flat panel TV above your fireplace can take years off of its life if you aren't careful. Aside from possible smoke damage, your new LCD or plasma screen was built to run at a specific temperature (check your owners manuals for exact specs, but usually between 32-100°F), so watching a movie and building a roaring fire can actually damage the components inside your TV if it gets too hot.

Thankfully, all is not lost. Find out how you can ensure your new TV doesn't get fried from the inside out after the break.

Geek Out Your Kitchen

GeekSugar — Mon, 08 Jun 2009 05:56:18 PDT

Pretty much everyone was into the idea of a geeky kitchen when we talked about it a while ago, so to that majority, this next group of ideas and products are for you. Check out my favorite tips and concepts for making your kitchen as techy as possible.

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Flat Screen TVs: Tips and Tricks For Your Viewing Pleasure

GeekSugar — Fri, 22 May 2009 15:00:52 PDT

There's an arms race among the tech giants to have the biggest, flattest screens out there - but people like little old me are just concerned with a gorgeous, clear picture and the decor advantages of a slim TV. Have you joined the skinny screen club? Check out my tips for mounting, cleaning, and enjoying your TV.

How-To: Properly Place Your TV For Optimal Viewing

GeekSugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 10:05:40 PDT

Before you drop all that money on a 46-inch flat panel HDTV you found on sale, maybe you should make sure there's enough room in your studio apartment for that bad boy. What, you think that just because it's flat you can fit it anywhere? As fun as it may seem to turn your apartment into a full-fledged movie theater, you should know that there are optimal viewing distances that you should adhere to. The general rule of thumb is to place your TV at a distance of three times the height of your screen (3 x H) away from your sofa.

For example, if you're buying a TV that has a screen height of 30 inches, you should sit approximately 90 inches or 7 feet away to view your picture in all its splendor. Just a little something to keep in mind before you buy that new LCD!

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A DVD Turns a Drab TV Screen Into a Fab Light Installation

GeekSugar — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 07:33:33 PDT

I still get a kick out of those virtual flames fireplace DVDs, so when I saw the Colorlight DVD on Chip Chick I instantly thought - how great for a dinner/cocktail party! Once you pop in the DVD (which costs $25), eight different colors will slowly rotate and set the mood for your little soiree (or romantic nightcap). I've been in elevators (London), airports (Frankfurt), and in airplanes (Virgin America) that have all used this color rotation technique to enhance moods, so put it to use in your living room, and you may get rave reviews!

The Bathroom, and Other Odd Places to Mount a Flat Screen TV

GeekSugar — Tue, 24 Mar 2009 01:45:06 PDT

Mountable flat screens have been one of the greatest design boons in home technology; their slim lines free up valuable real estate, as well as allow you to put TVs in places the big boxes previously could never fit. But just because you can doesn't mean you should. Check out a few unconventional places for TV mounting.

TV in My Bathtub? Yes, Please

GeekSugar — Thu, 28 Aug 2008 07:31:16 PDT

After much debate on where it's cool to have additional televisions in your house (I'm against in the bedroom, but for the dining room, for the record), I have another curious TV location for you to try on for size: the bathtub.

The Cosmo Hydromassage TV Bathtub is a spectacular two-in-one, combining a 17-inch LCD flat screen TV with a whirlpool tub. It fits two people, so woohoo to that! Despite the cost - about $4,580 - this is something you'd need to splurge on, due to the sensitive electronic nature. Please don't go DIYin' this.

Tech Idea I Need to Steal: Tori and Dean's Dining Room TV!

GeekSugar — Tue, 19 Aug 2008 04:00:36 PDT

Not only was I super jealous of LilSugar's one-on-one interview with Tori Spelling last week, now I'm jealous of Tori and her flat-screen-TV-in-the-dining-room setup (part of the home remodel they did on their show, Home Sweet Hollywood).

I may be a total prude about not allowing a television in the bedroom, but in the dining room? Heck yeah. Especially for the nights when you're alone and just want Spaghettios and addictive reality TV.

I have neither a dining room nor an extra flat screen TV, so not only is Mrs. McDermott my '90s TV idol, she's my TV-displaying idol too!

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Daily Tech: Oprah Waits in Line For a Wii

GeekSugar — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 12:05:45 PDT

Oprah recently visited a Walmart in Hawaii and purchased a Nintendo Wii and two Wii games. - TMZ
LG will be coming out with a Blu-ray player that will offer built-in Netflix streaming this Fall. - CrunchGear
It is expected that Apple will be doing a refresh on their iPod and Notebooks, and will unveil these new products by mid-September. - MacRumors
Lifehacker reveals five of the best note-taking tools, from basic pen and paper to Google Notebook. - Lifehacker
I absolutely love this! A beautiful antique storage unit, mixed with a gorgeous flatscreen, and artwork, the perfect blend of vintage meets modern chic! - Unplggd
Robert Englund, which most of you know as the man who played Freddy in the Freddy Krueger movies, sat down with an interview with AOL's Switched and revealed that he can't wait to get his hands on a LG Scarlet flatscreen. - Switched

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Would You Buy a White TV?

GeekSugar — Fri, 13 Jun 2008 13:01:32 PDT

I might need a new TV. Yesterday Apartment Therapy highlighted this gorgeous Hitachi LCD ultraslim flat-panel television. Not only do I have a crush on the white frame, but also I'm excited for this trend in electronics. The iPhone 3G, the MacBook, now TVs . . . what's next?

I believe the trend can be attributed to Apple - the iPod remained clothed in its iconic white for a few years (I once read in Domino that Apple wouldn't surrender its formula for the specific shade of white).

We were accustomed to that yucky beige for years, and then everything seemed to trend black, and now we're finally seeing more clean, colorless white. You know how I feel about it; how do you?