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davidoloan

Suspended
Original poster
Apr 28, 2009
419
72
I once had an Apple TV2 hanging from a TV about 8cm from the wall. The controller worked badly.

I read on this forum that you could Velcro an Apple TV2 to a wall behind a TV.

The IR receiver is in the middle on the front of the Apple TV. If you turn your Apple TV to vertical the IR receiver will have difficulty receiving the controller signal. However, if you put the Apple TV right against a wall the signal bounces off the wall and the IR receiver picks it up perfectly. If you pull it 5-10cm away from the wall but keep it vertical the IR receiver again struggles to get a perfect signal.

I got a new Apple TV3 for the kitchen. I had to reinstall, so I took a few pictures to show how easy this is to do. It makes for a neat installation.

1.jpg

I stuck 3M DUAL LOCK HEAVY DUTY VELCRO STICKY PADS to the wall. I chose a spot at the bottom of the TV location where the TV has a hollow cut out to fit the stand.

2.jpg

I took a note of how far below the bracket the bottom of the TV would be. I placed a spirit level 20mm above this, got it level, then set the Apple TV3 on the level and pressed it against the sticky pads.

3.jpg


4.jpg


5.jpg

I left 2 feet of masking tape hanging off the Apple TV3 and 2 feet of masking tape hanging from the hollow at the back of the TV, and lined the tape up and set the TV on the bracket. The TV is heavy and big and its easier to look down the front at the two strips of tape than over the back.

6.jpg


After using Velcro to attach it directly to the wall I find that the controller works as well as if the Apple TV was horizontal.

Two reasons to stick it to the wall and not the back of your TV :
TV's, especially plasmas get warm.
The IR receiver receives a much better signal when the Apple TV is right against the wall.
 
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iHeartsteve

macrumors 68000
Feb 12, 2012
1,554
900
Cool! At first I envisioned the apple tv hanging crooked and basically half hazardly.

Very neatly Done!
 

Knocks

macrumors newbie
Oct 17, 2011
7
3
Hi davidoloan,

How is this installation holding up 2 years later? I was warned against using velcro by the Home Depot folks due to concerns that heat from the unit might weaken the adhesive on the back of the velctro strip.

How has it been in your experience?
 

iamMacPerson

macrumors 68040
Jun 12, 2011
3,488
1,927
AZ/10.0.1.1
Hi davidoloan,

How is this installation holding up 2 years later? I was warned against using velcro by the Home Depot folks due to concerns that heat from the unit might weaken the adhesive on the back of the velctro strip.

How has it been in your experience?

When I did velcro on mine, the velcro came clean off the Apple TV after about a year. I decided against doing it again, as I thought it was a waste on money. I would instead get one of those holders off of Amazon.
 

GhostMac24

macrumors 6502
Jul 27, 2011
322
5
NC
Most of ours are velcro'd to the backs of the TV's they are associated with. They do not get warm and are still on there as solid as day 1. I made sure to use the same stuff I sue in the shop (industrial strength). Take some serious force to get it off!
 

Knocks

macrumors newbie
Oct 17, 2011
7
3
Thank you guys. I just velcroed my new Fire TV, and it seems to be doing fine.

I attached it to the drywall instead of the TV for better heat distribution, and I used two picture frame hanging strips by 3M to save the drywall from being destroyed when it's time to take them off.
 

davidoloan

Suspended
Original poster
Apr 28, 2009
419
72
Hi davidoloan,

How is this installation holding up 2 years later? I was warned against using velcro by the Home Depot folks due to concerns that heat from the unit might weaken the adhesive on the back of the velctro strip.

How has it been in your experience?

When I did velcro on mine, the velcro came clean off the Apple TV after about a year. I decided against doing it again, as I thought it was a waste on money. I would instead get one of those holders off of Amazon.

Two and half years late ................. sorry. Its still rock solid after almost four years.
 
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