Two TVs on one wall for game day

Saturdays in the fall there's more than one game worth watching, and in Auburn that's reason enough for a second screen. A multi-TV wall is simple in principle and unforgiving in practice: any difference in height or level between two screens is instantly visible.

Layouts that work

• Two matching TVs side by side. Clean and symmetrical.
• One large TV with a smaller one on each side (or one on one side). The main game in the middle.
• Two-by-two grid of four identical screens for a sports-bar feel.
• One large over the fireplace, one on the adjacent wall. Not one wall, but often the best fit in a real living room.

Alignment is everything

• Align the screens, not the brackets. Different models have their mounting holes at different heights; measure from the VESA holes to the top of each TV.
• For side-by-side TVs of the same size, the top and bottom edges line up. For different sizes, align the centres.
• Use a laser level across the whole wall, and mounts with post-install height and level adjustment — a few millimetres of correction per screen makes the difference.
• Keep gaps equal: 1 to 3 inches between screens reads as intentional.

Size and distance

Two 55s side by side are about 8 feet wide; two 65s about 9.5 feet. Measure the wall, and sit far enough back to see both without turning your head — roughly the combined width or more.

The wall has to carry it

More TVs means more bolts in the same studs. Plan bracket positions so each plate catches two studs, and consider a plywood backer across the whole area. For big screens, see is my wall strong enough.

Power

Each TV needs an outlet, and several TVs plus receivers on one circuit add up. Ask an electrician to add recessed outlets behind each screen during a remodel; otherwise in-wall power kits or a cord cover per TV.

Signal: what goes to which screen

• Each TV with its own streaming device or cable box is the simplest and most flexible.
• Multiview features in some streaming apps and TVs show several games on one screen — worth trying before buying a second TV.
• HDMI splitters mirror one source on several screens.
• HDMI matrix switches send any source to any screen; useful beyond three TVs.

Label remotes, or use devices with app or voice control — identical TVs respond to each other's infrared remotes. Covering a sensor or using Bluetooth remotes avoids changing both channels at once.

Sound

Only one game should be heard. Send the main screen's audio to a soundbar and mute the others, or use Bluetooth headphones for the second game.

Heat

Several TVs side by side warm a wall; leave the gaps open and don't box them in.

Glare and angle

With a wide array, the outer screens are seen at an angle. Tilt or swivel mounts on the outer TVs, turned slightly inward, help.

Budgeting

With us, each additional TV mounted in the same visit gets 20% off its labor, and the planner lets you add up to the number of screens you need in one booking. For a whole sports room or a bar, the business quote form is the easier route.

A simpler alternative

One very large TV — 85 to 98 inches — with multiview can replace two smaller ones. Compare the wall space and cost before deciding.