TVs above a fireplace?

I always see pictures of homes with plasma or LCD TVs above a fireplace. Even some mounted on the brick with no mantel. The TV would certainly be in direct line of the heat. This can?t be a good thing for the TV. Is there some type of heat diffuser that needs to be put in place before mounting the TV?

Thanks TP

that doesn't make any sense, if all the heat is going out the chimney, then how does one heat a house using a fireplace?

You're correct, most of the heat goes up the chimney. Fire places don't

actually heat the house - they cool it!!! They may heat the immediate

area by radiant heating but they pull cool air from the rest of the

house and send it up the chimney. They have some conduction - touch the

brick around the fire place. But, they have little convection unless you

add a heat exchanger and fan. That's why old houses (1800's say) had so

many fireplaces. That was the only way to make the entire house warm.

Most Lcd's that you'd put over a fireplace will have a built in fan. The

heat was the first thing that I thought of when I thought to get one.

But if yours was built right the walls should never get hot. When you

go to get one ask a saleman about it. I'm sure if you get the right

person you'll get all the info you need.

You might also get uncomfortable looking up at that angle all the time. Make sure before you start mounting.