Looking for recommendations for a baby proof TV / entertainment centre that doesn't look too shabby.

February 2, 2008 12:48 PM

Looking for recommendations for a baby proof TV / entertainment centre that doesn't look too shabby.

My eight-month old son hasn't started crawling yet, but you can tell he's just weeks (if not days) away, so we've started baby proofing our apartment in earnest.

One of the main problem areas right now is in the living room. I have a 32" LCD TV that sits out in the open on top of a basic TV stand and I really want to baby proof this so it can't be pulled / pushed over.

We're renting, so I don't want to put the effort into wall mounting the TV. The current thought is to get it into some kind of entertainment unit that has some kind of sliding door or glass front.

(I also have a DVD player, cable unit, Tivo, and small shelf stereo that all could use some storing, too, but the TV is the priority.)

I've seen the giant wooden units that make it look like they were carved from a massive tree trunk as well as the black particle board ones that seem better suited to a guy who insists on demoing his setup using Top Gun at full volume. But finding something that's pleasantly designed and safe seems difficult if not impossible.

Any suggestions?

posted by theNonsuch to technology (9 comments total)

I just went through this as I have a 13 month old little girl. Best advice I can give is try out local consignment stores. They'll have all sorts of selections at great prices. We ended up finding a simple entertainment center for about $90 including $20 for one fo the employees to deliver it in his truck on the way home.
posted by Octoparrot at 12:58 PM on February 2, 2008

Think about it... are you really sure you want a glass front? If your son gets excited and starts banging on the door, you could end up with glass everywhere and perhaps a seriously injured tot.

I would recemmond making your television more stable so it doesn't tip, but don't put it behind glass. It will get drool, milk and whatever else on it. The best approach I found was just to recognize it will happen and don't freak out when it does.
posted by Doohickie at 2:17 PM on February 2, 2008

recommend. duh.
posted by Doohickie at 2:17 PM on February 2, 2008

I looked long and far for something like this and ended up buying a BDI equipment rack. It was expensive (about a grand for the 8528) but I have doors over everything and the remotes can fire through them no problem. The shelves and back are vented and it's easy to wire up any new device. It's built out of solid wood, so it weighed a ton and will last forever.

My daughter used to mess with my components in an open unit when she was an infant but never touched the doors to the BDI unit once it was in place.
posted by mathowie at 2:27 PM on February 2, 2008

Oh, I wrote a review of it here on my PVRblog site.
posted by mathowie at 2:29 PM on February 2, 2008

Having just had our 20" LCD fall about two inches from our heads while sleeping the other night (damn having cats who jump on things!) I can understand your worry.

I don't have a specific suggestion as to a cabinet-fixture, but I do recommend putting braces that tie the cabinet to the wall to ensure that it doesn't topple over on anyone (as well as on any taller bookshelves and such).
posted by nursegracer at 4:43 PM on February 2, 2008

Matt, the BDIs look amazing, and I really like how they come with a mounting kit so you can mount the TV right onto the unit. I'm scared to see how much the two that support the mounting kit will cost, though... but they're definitely some of the nicer looking racks I've seen.

I'm taking a trip down to a store in town that carries them to take a look in person. Thanks!
posted by theNonsuch at 7:14 PM on February 2, 2008

We had the "no frills, cheap" solution. We left it out in the open. Used a piece of plexiglass (the thinnest the hardware store could cut for us) and velcro to make a cover for the screen. (So far, it has been awesome! She has snuck in there to put stickers on it as well as coloring it with a stray crayon once...no problem.)

Then we tied it down with two heavy duty buckle strap tie downs (they look like this). Not so pretty, but very solid.

For the TIVO, two VCR Guards. One velcro'ed to the top and hanging over the top edge. One that we slid underneath that TIVO's front legs that curves up the front of the unit and overlaps the one hanging down from the top. She could never figure that one out.

Total cost = approximately $50
posted by jeanmari at 7:29 PM on February 2, 2008

I replaced my TV with a projector around the time my son was born. There were many reasons, but this was one of the big ones.
posted by Caviar at 5:00 PM on February 3, 2008