Rear connections inaccessible

[Bractitioner]

New Bravia 43in smart TV. Rear sockets are recessed, so invisible except from underneath. They are labelled in tiny letters embossed in the black plastic. Hard to see or reach when near a wall, impossible when wall-mounted. Any change in connection means unmounting or moving the TV, turning it round and feeling or squinting at it (all while supporting it if it's not on its legs). Surely no need to be so discreet - how often is the back on show? Another TV of ours, a Panasonic, has its manual control on the back. It's a matchstick-tip sized joystick, all but impossible to manipulate. Isn't it pointless to conceal what you can't see anyway?

[royabrown2]

@Bractitioner 

For the 65” LG GX TV we have to have mounted flush to the wall, a cable has been brought down from every connection in channeling to our AV cabinet, where we can use them, and swap connections, at will.

For the upstairs TV, a 43” LG, we have that mounted on a cantilever arm, so we can pull it out and change connection while still having it supported.

Sony get blamed for lots of things, but issues with Panasonic TVs shouldn’t be one of them 😛

The best solution ever for this back-of-the -TV issue was Samsung’s One Connect box, where a single cable goes up to the TV, and you can plug everything else into the separate box.

[Bractitioner]

Thanks, interesting solutions you have there.

"Sony get blamed for lots of things, but issues with Panasonic TVs shouldn’t be one of them 😛"

I didn't blame them. Though maybe they could be blamed for being no better than Panasonic in this regard. So my question was 'isn't it pointless to conceal what you can't see anyway?'. Is it?

[LightFoot]

Hi @Bractitioner   If you are talking about the detachable covers that hide the ports then my guess (and it is only a guess) apart from dust they help with the acoustics and may improve the sound quality.

[Bractitioner]

Good point, thanks. Although no detachable covers, my ports are angled downwards and recessed. This would indeed reduce dust, knocks etc. However, it makes them impossible to see and reach, and the small-print labelling cannot be read, without not just de-mounting the set but also upending it and - in my case - using a torch and a magnifying glass. I've had equipment with brightly colour-coded labels on the rear ports or large feel-able buttons on rear controls. But this TV seems designed to hide them, when they can't normally be seen anyway. That seems daft, unless I'm missing something.

[LightFoot]

Hi @Bractitioner   What is the full model number of your TV? It will start with XR or KD. There should be a diagram of the ports in the reference guide to save you looking for the labels.

[Bractitioner]

Thanks, I have the reference guide. It doesn't explain why the ports need to be concealed when they are at the back of the unit.