Mounting a TV in a home office

A screen on the office wall does three jobs: a big second display, a face-to-face window for video calls, and background news or a match. Each one pulls the mounting position a different way.

Decide the main job first

• Computer display used at the desk: it must sit close and at eye level — see below.
• Video calls and presentations seen from across the room: wall opposite your chair, centre around 45 to 50 inches high.
• Background TV: off to one side, so it's a deliberate head-turn away and not a constant distraction.

Using a TV as a monitor

It works, with limits.

• Height: the top third of the screen should be at or just below eye level. For a seated adult that puts the centre only about 40 to 46 inches off the floor — lower than most people mount.
• Distance: a 43-inch 4K TV is comfortable from about 3 to 4 feet. Much bigger and you'll be moving your neck to read the corners.
• Text clarity: set the TV's input to PC or Game mode and make sure the computer sends full-colour (4:4:4) signal; otherwise small text looks fringed.
• Lag: Game mode cuts the delay between mouse and pointer.
• Burn-in: OLED TVs can retain static images such as taskbars. For all-day spreadsheet work an LCD TV or a proper monitor is the safer choice.

The mount

An articulating arm ($89) is ideal in an office: pull the screen toward the desk for work, push it back for a call, angle it away from window glare. A desk against the wall limits how far the screen can come forward, so check the arm's reach.

Glare and your camera

Don't mount the TV where a window reflects in it from your chair. And think about what your webcam sees: a bright TV behind you flickers on camera; a TV beside the camera makes it look as if you're always glancing away.

Cables

An office TV has more cables than a living-room one — HDMI or USB-C from the computer, maybe a camera and a speakerphone. Plan the route before mounting:

• an in-wall kit with a pass-through for HDMI if the computer sits below,
• or a cord cover down to the desk.

Long HDMI runs need the right cable; see the HDMI guide when planning anything over about 15 feet.

Sound

For calls, the TV's speakers are far from the microphone and cause echo. A speakerphone or headset on the desk works better than routing call audio to the wall.

Small offices

In a spare-bedroom office a 43 to 50-inch screen is usually the limit before it dominates the room. Our labor for 43–65″ screens is $114.