How Can I Create a Stealth Setup for Playing Discs on 2 Wall-Mounted TVs?
Q I am planning to buy two TVs, a 65-inch LG OLED and a 49-inch Samsung LCD, both of which will be wall-mounted. I also want the option to play Blu-ray discs and DVDs with both TVs. My initial plan was to buy disc players and hide them behind the wall-mounted sets, but I can’t find a player with a vertical orientation. My goal is to see nothing but the TV on the wall. The one option I’m contemplating at this point is sticking a PlayStation 3 Super Slim game console behind the TV. Do you have any other suggestions? —Steve Knot, via email
A do have another suggestion. While you can still probably find a now-discontinued PS3 Super Slim online, when configured vertically, the Sony game console’s 2.5-inch depth will cause your TV to jut out prominently from the wall — perhaps not the elegant installation plan you had in mind. And since the Sony PS3 Super Slim needs to be plugged in, you will also have to deal with concealing a second power cord. Lastly, reports I’ve read of Sony’s slim console state that it has a somewhat cheesy pull-out disc tray as opposed to a slot-loading drive, a limitation that will likely further reduce the elegance of your installation.
A far better option would be use a Wireless HDMI kit like IOGear’s GW3DHDKIT, a model that Sound & Vision reviewed in 2012 and one that remains current in the company’s product line. The IOGear kit relies on WHDI 5GHz, a protocol that offers the advantages of long-distance and an ability to transmit signals between walls and doors without loss. The GW3DHDKIT consists of a transmitter unit that you plug your player into, along with a compact receiver unit that plugs into an HDMI input on your TV. But the most important feature for your purposes is a USB power option that lets the receiver unit draw power from a USB port on the TV, as opposed to running a cord to an AC wall socket. The GW3DHDKIT also provides HDMI loop-through to connect to an AV receiver for audio, and it can send remote codes over the wireless link, letting you control your Blu-ray player by pointing the remote at the TV’s screen.
Unfortunately, Wireless HDMI kits like the IoGear can only send wireless signals to one TV at a time. However, the price for the GW3DHDKIT has dropped substantially since we initially reviewed It — from $349 to $200 through various online retailers — so buying two units will now put a less significant dent in your wallet. Another option: IoGear sells a pricier pro version, the GWHDMS52MB, that supports transmission to up to four wireless receivers. MSRP is $700, though you can find it online for less.