Need suggestions for very short TV cabinet

[kfitzsimons]

I'm purchasing a 40" flat screen tv. We have a half wall 48" high that the tv must be even with or slightly below. The tv is 26 1/2" high which leaves only
21 1/5 " for the cabinet.  I also need to use an open design for the legs as there is a fresh air vent behind the cabinet location.  Width of the tv is 38" and I need to leave about 6" on either side of the tv for possible speaker location (or a sound bar) and so the tv doesn't look like it's right on the edge of the cabinet.  I have plenty of room on the wall for cabinet width.  I'll need to house a cable DVR box and DVD player.  Possibly a receiver. 
Has anyone made something similar to this?  I'm concerned it will look really "squatty". Suggestions and photos very welcome.

 

[Brice Burrell]

Is the fresh air vent a supply or return? If its a return you won't need to allow for nearly as much space around it as you'd have to for a supply. 

 

[Administrator_JSVN]

A photo of your space would be helpful.  Just a note about TVs, the optimal height for a TV is where your eye (while seated in front of the TV) is about a 1/3 of the way up the screen.

Not sure what you're going for style-wise, but here's an example.  Doesn't look squatty in my opinion.

22-1/2" tall by 52" wide:

 

[woodguy7]

This is one i made about 7 years ago.  The TV is a 42" plasma & there is space for speakers either side.  there is space for 3 devices behind each door.  The back panel has wide slots in in to allow cables in + air to circulate.  When using the xbox, i slide the door open so that it  doesn't heat up too much.  Probably too big for what you want but it might give you an idea.  Like Shane said, you don't want the screen to low & i find mine to be a perfect height. 
The cabinet is 5' wide & 25.5" high including the stainless steel legs.

Woodguy

 

[jeffinsgf]

Have you considered wall mounting the screen and then building a much smaller cabinet for the players and boxes, etc.?

 

[jonny round boy]

Have you considered wall mounting the screen and then building a much smaller cabinet for the players and boxes, etc.?

I thought the same - why not wall-mount the TV?

 

[christoff]

Here is my solution for a TV cabinet, or TV Console...

 

[mastercabman]

I did a job about couple years ago.the sun room was framed at a 15 degree angle.the windows on the side of the room were also at 15 degree.
So the homeowner wanted a tv cab to match the room.

 

[kfitzsimons]

Brice, yes it's a cold air return, so not much space is needed.  Don't really want to wall mount as that really is more-or-less permanent. I'll post a photo for more ideas.  Thanks for the info so far. Great feedback.

 

[Tezzer]

This is a Low Line for plasma out of Aussie Red Gum.  The extreme edges of the Plasma were 1200mm, so I made the outer leg to leg the exact same width as that Plasma with the top an 80mm overhang. Also included are my Domino handles

I also dont like the stands that come with the TV`s, so i got rid of it and made two 20mm angle iron fittngs around 500mm in length, and screwed them (top 100mm) to the back of the Plasma and the lower 400mm to the back of the cabinet. I made the top back of the cabinet with no overhang at the back and used 17mm ply backing for strength. It looks terrific and streamlined.

 

[sw1211]

One thing to keep in mind, unless you want to open the doors every time you need to use a remote, you might want to consider glass doors or an open design with no doors.  Some remotes, like Bose don't require line of sight, but most do.

 

[Tezzer]

Now days you can get cheap remote sensors so you can have closed doors

 

[kfitzsimons]

Teezer, man I like the idea of the brackets on the back of the tv to mount it to the cabinet! I'm going to work on that method in the design.
Kevin

 

[jacko9]

Here is a picture of a short Honduras Mahogany cabinet I built for my wife.  I constructed the case with my new Domino Joiner (my first project with my new toy).  The cabinet is 22" tall by 60" wide and 18" deep.  The two doors slide in a rabbit cut in the bottom and top.