Mounting a Flat-panel TV on Chimney-breast...

Does anyone have any advice they can offer me about fixing a flat-panel TV above a functional fireplace (coal-effect open gas fire)? Specifically, I'm interested in:

1) Whether heat from the fire might be a problem (don't want to torch a brand-new 55" TV!)
2) To chase or not to chase cables? If chased, to conduit or not?

My idea is to create a 2cm void between the existing plaster, using wooden batons and plasterboard, & then skim over to leave a smooth finish (over the entire chimney-breast). The cables can then be passed through the void for connection. Has anyone tried this or something similar before?

Any other advice would be much appreciated!

If nothing else, it sounds like it'd be too high up and cause neck pain.

Put a thermometer where you are planning to hang it and see what the temperature is with the fire running.

Be very careful you don't puncher the chimney and allow gasses to escape.

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Originally Posted by directhex

If nothing else, it sounds like it'd be too high up and cause neck pain.

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Well, it's a big screen, so I'll sit some distance away :)

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Originally Posted by peterb

Put a thermometer where you are planning to hang it and see what the temperature is with the fire running.

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already done that :) The temps aren't all that high (5 degrees C above ambient), but I don't know how sensitive TVs are to such things? I guess it's not worse than if I were living in a hot country? (I should be so lucky!).

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Originally Posted by Jay

Be very careful you don't puncher the chimney and allow gasses to escape.

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Well, that was one reason for trying the baton & plasterboard route...

5c above ambient should be fine, however I'd echo directhex's comment about the height. Biggest mistake most people make when mounting a tv is putting it too high . You really dont want to go much higher than viewing eye level otherwise you'll get neck strain and viewing angle may cause picture to look worse (usually with older or cheaper panels). Eitherway I'd suggest you post on avforums for good advice.

A friend of mine has a 55" plasma mounted on his chimney breast, it's been there 2 years without any issues at all.

i would chase into the wall and conduit the cables that way you can replace wiring that goes faulty. you can hire a twin wheel disc cutter from your local tool hire shop this option would take less time than building a false wall to hide the cables in. i belive you can get dedicated sockets specificaly for hdmi arial etc which would be neater again as you won't have large amounts of spare cable behind the tv .
hope this helps