Thank you for the praise. Give me some time before I send out the XLS. Thanks for mentioning that the Wiselink PRO has some issues. It is worth writing about. I am not surprised though considering much of this technology is fairly new and products like the iTV and 360 limit you on what formats can be viewed as well.

The best solution for a true geek to get the best out of a TV is to hook their sets up directly to a PC. Granted this takes quite a bit of knowledge and money and is the reason Wiselink PRO was made BUT I believe if people actually have the resources to have a PC connected to their TVs it would give a better user experience. ie: Netflix HD streams now

Plan on putting something together talking about creating convergence at your home with all the technology out there.

A note for those considering the 7-series due to Wiselink PRO: I read around on forums and the TV’s ability to actually play the files you want it to (MP4s, Divx AVIs…) will be limited. All users who posted found limited success and often had to re-encode, ultimately opting to just plug in their computers.

Any chance you could post / email me the XLS version of this? I’d love to be able to dork out with sorts, filters, and conditional formatting.

Cheers,
Mike

Samsung doesn’t use dual tuners anymore. The older models use to have one for AIR and another for Cable.

All new models support PIP BUT they have to be video inputs. For example if you have an over the air HD antenna in your RF input & your cable box in your HDMI 1 input you can do PIP. You can also do PIP with your PC input. Be working on your PC and be watching TV in any of the other inputs.

New sets don’t really come with dual tuners anymore because 1) Cable boxes are the ones who have taken this task on 2) Manufactures realize that majority of people don’t use cables from the wall but use a cable box or set top box.

Peace and Blessings

Alright now to business. First off definitely recommend a professional service such as Circuit City or Bestbuy for your installation. The reason why is because mounting over a fireplace is a hazard and not something you should do on your own. Also I might reconsider the location but if you find that is your prime location then go for it! As yes they are going to rip you off. Will talk about this at end.

I’m not entirely sure what your setup looks like. If you’d like take a photo of the location of the fire place and I’ll mock something up for you in Photoshop. Not sure if you have a power outlet by the fire place but to acquire the no cables visible look you’ll HAVE to place an outlet above the fire place. It’s a fire hazard for a power cable to go through the wall. NO installer will run the power cable through the wall.

Now for the blu-ray player question. Honestly the person who told you the PS3 is your best bet is right but with some conditions. It does the most for your money BUT if you are an audiophile you might lose out on some things if you have a fancy receiver(can learn more about this in my Why is DTS-MA added to PS3 article on the right side bar). If you are looking for sound as well it might be worth taking a look at some of the Sony Home Theater systems with Blu-Ray player. As far as the “eye” thing is concerned you can go with a remote control extender or get a Harmony remote or Universal remote with RF so it can go through walls. That’s up to you.

Now for buying the TV and install. Most places charge a premium for fireplace installs. Your best case scenario is to walk into one of the big stores like CC or BB. Tell them that you are interested in getting a “package” put together for you. Essentially what your goal is to get them to lower the price of everything since you are buying a complete package. Trust me they LOVE when you say you want an install. Especially at CC since they are pressured by their performance. Get an idea of how much the set goes for online (Amazon, Fry, Ebay, etc…) Usually it will be cheaper online then in the store. Tell them you’ve seen the price of the set on Amazon, etc.. and understand that its more to buy in the store but you are willing to pay that much shown and get a break on the installation. Roughly an install on a 52″ will be around $500 with mount included. Your goal is for them to lower the price of the TV or installation dramatically because you getting the Mount/Install and added cost of Fireplace Install. All those services has an EXTREMELY high mark up. In the end get them to lower the price of the TV to balance how much you paying for the Install to come out much less since they lowered the price of the TV. Chances are they going to pitch you the Warranty hard considering your over the fireplace. If you willing to buy it tell them you want an even bigger cut cause you are spending a lot and could get the TV, Mount, Service, etc… much cheaper if you went online or paid for each service separately.

One KEY NOTE. If you do plan on running the cables through the roof or floor DO NOT buy cables for this at the store. Get an estimate of how long cables need to be and order online at Monoprice.com.

It might be worth getting Geek Squad or CC City Design to goto your place and give you an estimate. I know CC City Design LOVES doing this and will try to up-sale you like crazy but if you stick to your plan just act interested and get an estimate of how long of cables you need or best option you like for doing a no cables visible option for you.

You’ve already been helpful, so thanks in advance!!

Again thanks