For over a year now we have had our cable box, DVD player, and AppleTV sitting on a shelf to the right of our fireplace. For over a year now, it has driven me nuts!! When we got a new loveseat, the shelf made it impossible for someone to walk behind the loveseat. The space was too crammed. It was time to move the cable box.
I spent several weeks researching how to accomplish this task. So many of the devices out there do not show pictures explaining how it works. I don’t know about y’all but I’m a visual learner. It made it hard understand how these devices work without seeing it. I hope this blog post helps you to see exactly how it’s done!
Behind the wall to the right of our TV lies my closet. There is a top shelf in my closet (I can’t reach) that we decided would make a great place to set the cable box. We purchased a Wired IR Repeater from Radio Shack (costs around $25.00) to control our cable, DVD player, and AppleTV from my closet.
Some of the benefits:
- Extends the range of an infrared remote control so you can control up to six devices up to 23 ft.
- Controls your devices located behind closed doors or walls or hidden in a cabinet or closet.
- Extra long extension cable gives you flexibility in where you locate your devices.
You simply adhere the receiver to the back of your TV (it comes with 3M tape on the back, you just gotta stick it on) and connect the receiver into the repeaters box and then to an outlet. Next, place the emitters on your devices IR sensor and plug the other end into the repeaters box. What’s an IR sensor? It’s the exact spot on your Cable box (DVD player, etc) that you point to turn it on/off or change the channel. If your not sure where that is I suggest looking in the device’s manual, google it, or have a friend hold the emitter on the device and from another room try changing the channel. Have your friend move the emitter around until you determine where the sensor is. And that’s it! You can see below where we placed the IR sensors on all our devices. It’s fairly easy to set this part up. The most difficult part we found was running the cables through the wall exactly how we wanted.
We decided to run the receiver from the back of the TV, through the attic, and down into the ceiling of my closet. This same Radio Shack device would work if you wanted to hide all your devices in a closed cabinet beside the TV, or in a media closet etc. We also ran a HDMI cord from the TV into our HDMI hub the same way. We use a HDMI hub so we only have to run one HDMI cable from the TV, to the hub. Then the cable box, DVD player, etc plug into the hub rather than the TV.
Now we simply point our remote at the receiver we placed below our TV, and our signal is sent through the IR repeater to the cable box and the channel is changed! It’s awesome! Works so much better for us than when we were pointing at the box to the right of the TV.
I hope this helps you all! Feel free to comment with any questions you have!
P.S. This is not a sponsored post in anyway. I just really like this product and am so pleased with how it’s worked for us I had to share!
Thank you! This was great and you made it sound simple…minus the wall demolishing.
Thank you, Martha! ☺ We actually did not demolish a wall- We simply drilled a small hole in the ceiling in order to run the wires from the attic.
Jamie! Thanks so much for this post, you should see the cords around my TV at my house, they are out of control! I sent this to my husband so he can get this done!
Where did you get that console table?! I love it!
Thank you so much! It was given to us by family; however, I painted it Annie Sloan “French Linen” and replaced the hardware.
We are going to attempt mounting the tv like you. I don’t see the cord for your tv!!! How did you hide that??? Thanks.
Hi Carol! Great question! Fortunately, we have a plug behind our TV.
We are about to do the same thing. Just wondering how you have your TV plugged in & where the cords are.
thanks.
I’m really confused (not surprising!). If I read correctly, the RECEIVER is taped to the back of your tv and the wire from the RECEIVER was sent through the ceiling to connect to the REPEATER in your closet. Is that accurate?
Did you run the EXTENTION cable through the ceiling as well?
If so, the distance between EMITTERS doesn’t look like your devices/tv can be far away from one another. How did you place one EMITTER ion your tv and the others EMITTERS on the devices in your closet?
I’m sure I’m missing something really obvious….
Thanks!
Hi Katie! You are right on track! The wire from the receiver runs through the wall to the repeater box in the closet (it’s the only wire run from the back of the TV). From the repeater box we attached the emitters to each device (cable, Apple TV, etc). There is not an emitter on the TV, only the receiver is on the TV. The other devices (cable, etc) are not far at all from the repeater box. We have them right next to the repeater box – However, the cables are all really long! The boxes do not necessarily have to be side by side. Hope this helps!
Hi, I just found your blog and love your work. Im curious how your were able to get the plug for the tv wired into the brick Fire place. I would love to be able to do that with my fire place.
Hi Amy! When we refaced our fireplace we installed a plug at that time.
This fireplace looks very similar to what we have. I had someone come over to hang the TV over our fireplace and said they couldn’t drill directly into the brick to run electrical. How did you guys hide your main electrical outlet behind your tv? Or did y’all drill into the brick?
I really liked your tip about adhering a receiver to the back of your TV to keep it from cluttering up your apartment! I imagine that you could reduce the amount of cords you have even farther by using an IR emitter if your devices are compatible, instead of traditional cables. That would probably be something you’d want a professional to set up though.
Hi Jamie
Did you also build your fireplace? Is it a real or faux fireplace. I love it and have been looking for design inspiration just like this. It is real brick? Thanks Rachael
Hi Rachael! Thank you so much! Yes, we did reface our fireplace. The bricks we used are old Chicago brick veneers.
Hi Jamie
Thanks so much for coming back to me. Can I be cheeky and ask how far it comes out into your room? I don’t have a huge amount of space. Congratulations on your news too by the way! Very exciting x
What did you do about power in your closet?
The light in the closet has an outlet!
Thank you:)
Wow I didn’t even know there was such a thing! I have already sent this to my husband so we can get this now. Thank you!!
Do you also have the cable connection behind the TV for the cable box or is that also in the closet?
That cable connection needs moved to the closet. It plugs into the cable box…. Which is in the closet.
Do you know if this device would work with game console, like PS3s or Xboxes? We use these instead of DVD players.
I do believe so!
where did you get the boxes to hide the cable and dvd player
Hi! How were you able to keep your sound bar connected without it being plugged into your TV? Also did you have to plug the receiver into an outlet behind your TV or just in the closet? Thanks so much!!!
Hi Hailey! We do not have a sound bar – But I’m sure it would work the same way.
Tell me about those shelves with the iron bars!
You mentioned a HDMI hub? Can you explain to me just a bit more exactly what you used/how you used it?
I love this idea but I also have plaster walls (home was built in 1908) so I’m trying to explore all possible options!
Same! I’m interested in hearing more about this. Is it the same as an HDMI Switch?
You said that you ran the receiver from the back of the TV, through the attic, and down into the ceiling of my closet, but I don’t see any cords going from the tv up the wall to the attic. How did you hide that cord?
Hi Jessica! There is a hole behind our TV we run the cords through!
Hi! I love your solution and have been eyeing something similar!
Are your devices still connected to the TV via HDMI cables or does the IR eliminate that?
Thanks!
It is helpful however, I’m having trouble to where to hide the DVD player, Xbox, and sound system control if the TV is hanged over the fireplace/piano! .. you can’t place them in the attic/another room and go there every time you want to change a DVD!!
It works well for our situation because the box is in a closet. Since we did this I don’t think we’ve used our DVD player once 😂