Frequently Asked Questions

They're all the rage these days and no living room is complete without one. With flat screen televisions more and more affordable, the need for a snazzy Entertainment Center to display yours in is a must. Here at EntertainmentCenters AtoZ you'll find the widest selection from the nations' leading manufacturers. But before you dive into the shopping, get to grips with our Frequently Asked Questions page so you can browse with confidence.

What types of entertainment centers are there?

There are as many types of entertainment centers as there are flavors of Baskin Robbins Ice Cream.Well, there may not be 31 types of entertainment centers, but there are plenty to choose from. Unfortunately we don’t offer samples, but we have separated entertainment centers into four major groups to make your choice easier than a trip to Baskin Robbins!!

Transition entertainment centers, sometimes called television consoles, television stands, or conversion entertainment centers, are the smallest and most common entertainment centers seen today. The transition style often has a television sitting on top of the entertainment center with storage below. Transition entertainment centers are great for small rooms, apartments or college dorms because of their simplicity and size.

Wall units get their name because, you guessed it, they are against the wall. Wall units encase the television while storage fills out the remainder of the space. Traditional wall units are made of wood, although more modern wall units may be made from wood and metal, or all metal. Wall units can sometimes be called expandable entertainment centers because they can be modified to meet the users needs. The expansion usually includes adding storage to the sides of the entertainment center. This provides some flexibility for those who are unsure how much room they need for storage, or for those want to save a little cash by buying a complete entertainment center in stages.

Another type of entertainment center is the armoire or television cabinet. These entertainment centers are ideal for those who wish to conceal their television when it is not in use. The armoire style externally looks exactly like an armoire used for clothing, but inside it holds televisions and other electronics, rather than clothing. The cabinet style often resembles the buffet found in many formal dining rooms. The difference being one does not use a television as a wine cabinet or hot plate. We’re not saying you can’t, but most people dislike gravy stains on their LCD television. Upscale cabinet style entertainment centers often allow televisions to be lowered out of site when not in use.

How about a little brain teaser? Where does a corner unit go in a room? The corner? We can’t get one over on you folks. You might not have known that corner units come in two primary flavors: chocolate and vanilla – um, we mean transition and wall. These units are just like the units above except they are designed to fit into the corner of a room. Just because there are two main flavors doesn’t mean we don’t have a third, like pistachio, i.e. armoire. Corner units are popular choices for smaller rooms or apartments that count on economy of space.

How do I know which type of entertainment center is right for me?

Trial and error is one way, but that could be expensive. Below, we have some things that will help you decide what type of entertainment center is right for you.

The location of your entertainment center is the most important thing to consider when deciding on a type. If, for example, you are planning on having your television flat against a wall, a corner unit might not be the best fit for you. Observe your room, your furniture layout, and your outlets. The location of these things will help you decide on a good location for your entertainment center. 

Once you’ve decided where you are going to put your entertainment center, consider the size of your room. An expandable wall unit would monopolize most of the space in a 10’ x 10’ room. We don’t have a problem with you condensing your space. We just want you to be sure you have enough room to move. Another space to consider is ceiling height, which is sometimes overlooked.  We can say with 99 percent certainty, if the normal laws of physics apply in your house, an eight and a half foot entertainment center will not fit in a room with eight foot ceilings. You should also consider the size of your hallways and doors for entertainment centers that come pre-assembled, such as armoire style entertainment centers. If your halls are narrower than an Italian road and have more turns than a country road, a one piece armoire could make for tough navigation.

What functions do I need?

Now you know the where and the how big, but what function does your entertainment center need to serve? By function we mean, what purpose, other than holding your television, does your entertainment center need to serve?

This question breaks down into two parts. Do you need to store the television and associated media or do you need to store more, such as books, dvds, pictures, and other good stuff?

If you just need storage for your television and associated media, a transition, corner, or cabinet entertainment center is probably right for you. Likewise, if space is a concern, these entertainment centers would be good options for you. A wall unit or armoire will better suit your needs, if you need more room for storage. Regardless of what functions your entertainment center needs to serve, storage only comes in two varieties: open and closed. Open storage displays your additional media devices without any doors to conceal them. Closed storage conceals your additional media and other stored items. Closed storage doors can be glass or wood. Many entertainment centers are a mix of open and closed storage, though some may be all open or all closed.

What features are available?

After you decide what functions your entertainment center needs to serve, it’s time to investigate the features. Go, go, gadget cooling fan! Entertainment centers may include many features - some seen, others not.

TV brackets are common on both transition and cabinet type entertainment centers. The brackets lock the television in place. Brackets on transition entertainment centers suspend the television in the air.  We know you could just mount the television to the wall. You could, but then you would have to measure and level your drill marks. Then, you would have to drill through your walls. After that, in order to hide the cables, you’ll have to punch holes in your wall and pull the cables through the wall.  Then you can mount your bracket pieces to the television and wall.  After drilling and punching holes, pulling cables, and attaching brackets, your television will finally be mounted. You probably won’t have much maneuverability once you’ve attached your television to the wall. Why do so much work and destruction just to mount a television, especially when many of our entertainment centers include brackets that are adjustable? Simple, don’t.

Cord management systems are common in entertainment centers. The cord management system in closed storage entertainment centers often consists of only holes in the back of the entertainment center.  Some closed storage centers include built in surge protectors to minimize the amount of cords running out of the entertainment center. Closed entertainment centers may also include cooling fans to keep your electronics from overheating. Open storage entertainment centers often have tubes built into the design to hide cords in order to keep with the sleek modern look.

Some entertainment centers include a magic eye. No, this one won’t make your eyes cross. The magic eye, also known as a universal receiver, reduces the amount of exposure you need for other electronic devices. The magic eye allows all thirteen of your remotes to point at one receiver, while maintaining the clean look of closed storage and the utility of open storage.

What style and material is right for me?

Having already figured out what type of entertainment center is right for you, it is important to keep continuity of style. If you have all traditional furniture with dark finished wood and earth colored fabrics, a silver finished metal and glass entertainment center probably would not match well.  We aren’t saying you can’t do that. We’re just saying that as far as style goes that might not be the best choice.

Entertainment centers come in a variety of materials including:  wood, wood and metal, wood and glass, or metal and glass.  So, you have plenty of options.  Many people choose metal because metal entertainment centers are lighter and often less costly than wood entertainment centers. Metal entertainment centers are also popular for those looking for a more modern style. Most metal entertainment centers have open storage and come in two different formats: all metal and metal with glass accents. 

Ok, but what if I want wood?

Wood is popular because it has a more traditional or formal style. When it comes to wood, heavy is good; too heavy is bad. Keep in mind you may want to move your entertainment center.  If it weighs a metric ton, start training now. Wood is generally broken down into two categories:hardwood and softwood, which are rated a variety of ways. One such way is specific gravity. We’ll use the specific gravity because there is a high correlation between specific gravity and other measures of strength.

What does this mean to you?

Hardwoods, such as Beechwood, Oak, and Maple, have high specific gravities, .68, .68, and .63, respectively. That means a pound of these woods has less volume than a pound of pine, which has a specific gravity of .38.  It is like the question, "Which weighs more, a ton of lead or a ton of feathers?". It takes many more feathers to accumulate a ton than it does lead. This is important because less material yields a harder, sturdier product. Generally speaking, hardwoods tend to outlast softwoods.

Don’t Assume

Because you’ll make an… well, you know.  There are several things people assume when buying an entertainment center. We don’t want you making those mistakes.

Don’t assume that your 27 inch television falls in the “most 27 inch televisions” category. Entertainment centers are all designed and built differently. Some companies still sell entertainment centers for tube style televisions, rather than flat screens. We recommend measuring your television. The height, width, and depth of the television are the measurements you need. Many entertainment center descriptions include measurements for the television cavity. Have questions about the television cavity? Call us!

Don’t assume you can buy some lumber and build one yourself.  Are you a skilled carpenter?  No?  Then your entertainment center might end up like this…

Or this...

You could build an entertainment center yourself and set your television between the stove top and sink.  Then again, our entertainment centers were designed and constructed by professionals. There may be some assembly required, but our White Glove service can help with that. In short, we recommend you review our vast selection, and find the entertainment center that's right for you.

Don’t assume you’re MacGyver. If you are Mr./Mrs. Handy and elect to forgo our White Glove service, you can’t assemble an entertainment center with floss and gum. Use the instructions and hardware provided by the manufacturer. We actually encourage you to lay out all the pieces in your hardware kit. Once the pieces are laid out, compare what you actually have to what you should have. Sometimes there are discrepancies. We’ve all had an extra screw we were sure went somewhere, but belonged nowhere.

If you can’t decide, have questions, or just want to talk – about entertainment centers, call us!