Sledge hammer to the wall.

What type of ceiling? Can you find the wires in the ceiling running to the wall?

I've got nothing to add, except make sure this doesn't happen:

This is what I would do if possible.

If not you might just have to knock a hole in the wall where it would make logical sense for the TV to go and see what you can find.

If the previous owner simply drywalled over the entire outlet box(es), even if they did remove the receptacle first, simply grab a 4 foot level and look for a high spot, and start there.

If you think they did a complete removal and matched everything correctly, like a professional would, about the only way to find anything is to look downstairs and see if you can see the HDMI cable running up through the floor; that will give you an idea as to where to start. If it is above another finished room, then you're about to learn how to patch and blend drywall and paint...

Post a pic of the wall, floor to ceiling, and I may be able to give you more advice on how to find 'em if they're still there.

Oh - and where did the HDMI cable run to? Can you find the other end to verify that it is still in the wall?

- Jeff

*Note: Licensed Master Electrician... I've had to do this once or twice before...

dry walling over an live electric outlet or junction box in a wall would be inappropriate from what I know. So perhaps they removed both AC and hmdi cable. Can you look in basement for any hdmi cable and see if it goes up in the wall? or if this is single floor, look in attic for cables coming down from above?

Do you have a work light to shine on the wall ? Unless it was done by a pro I'd think there's a chance you could pick out the area under direct light. Or even with your head against the wall looking.

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"I think I've cracked the code. double letters are cheaters except for perfect squares (a, d, i, p and y). So Leddy isn't a cheater... "

This and the level are good advice.

If visual inspection doesnt work, take a small, long stemmed screw driver and probe every few inches 1" from each side of the stud, it should bottom out on the box. You could dance if you hit a live wire... this is why you dont drywall over a box like Pat said.

The screw driver holes will be much easier to patch than taking a sledge to the wall.

Studs are spaced 18" I think.

Stud spacing is most likely 16". 18" would be very odd. (assuming you're in North America)

to answer some questions - yes, the other end of the HDMI cable is across the room where all the inputs for speakers are. The room has in wall speakers front and back, but the connectors for the speakers are all at the "back" of the room - along with the HDMI. The previous owner said he ran the cable across the ceiling and down the other wall behind the TV. He even told me the approximate location where is was (along with the outlet).

I agree that drywalling over an outlet would be nuts, but I assume the HDMI cable is still there at the very least. I don't think guessing based on how one would normally wire a house is going to work - as the guy that installed it all was kind of winging it.

So it sounds like there is no magic bullet - I just have to keep poking around until I find it (or give up). I guess I will be patching a lot of holes soon....


Thanks for all the replies.

OTOH removing the entire section of drywall and just mudding and taping the missing section and repainting may actually be quicker and easier. Added bonus, if you're putting a wall mount for the tv you can add some more support where the mount is going so your TV doesn't look like Duffy's picture.

+1
16" o.c. and 24" o.c. are the standards in the English speaking world. UK and Aus use a metric spacing very close to 16" and 24", because gyp board and plywood is basically the same size world wide. 18" spacing won't fit even sheets of gyp board.

In a situation like this I've learned that it's probably going to save you some time, money and sanity to just hire a professional!

Can't tell you how many seemingly simple projects like this I've fucked up!

  

OTOH removing the entire section of drywall and just mudding and taping the missing section and repainting may actually be quicker and easier. Added bonus, if you're putting a wall mount for the tv you can add some more support where the mount is going so your TV doesn't look like Duffy's picture.


That's not bad advice. Your TV will be covering the hole and any drywall repairs. Back in the day when I was an apprentice electrician, we used to do this kind of retrofit stuff all the time. The only other issue you might have is if they de-energized the plug before covering it with the new wall. That would depend on where that plug was in the circuit. It won't be cut it if it's in the middle of the branch circuit as something else down the line won't work. Let is know what you find.

Or just forget about poking holes until you find the old HDMI cable and just add a new one. May be easier to patch the 1-3 holes needed to snake a new HDMI cable than deal with the frustration of trying to find the old one.

(and if you're trying to add the HDMI in the same approximate location anyway, you'll likely find the old one in the ceiling, as others have suggested)

Just to tie up this thread: I spoke to the original owner and narrowed down where everything should be. I drilled a 4" hole, but on some gloves and started feeling around through all the insulation and finally found an AC cable. Someone had removed the outlet and the box and just left the power in the wall (capped off at least). I am glad I found the insulated part.

Once I knew where the power was, I kept looking and found everything else: HDMI, co-ax, Ethernet.

So it is all good. I just need to patch some holes now....

Before you close up that wall, you should address that electrical line correctly. Code doesn't allow you to just cut and cap the line in the wall. All junctions/connections must be accessible so you should install a junction box and terminate the line correctly, remove it completely, or de-energize the line by terminating it further back in another accessible location.

And to be clear, if you go the route of a junction box, it needs a faceplate into room. i.e. you can't bury a junction box either.

I am planning to add a box and an outlet (and faceplate) at the end of that line. Is that what you meant?

If the line is live that is good. I was saying if you were not going to have a receptacle, you would still need to end a live line in a box that comes through the drywall with a solid faceplate. don't bury a box behind drywall. you should be able to open all junction boxes without tearing into drywall.

 
How long ago was the HDMI installed? The spec has changed a bunch of times, upgrading to match what is theoretically possible from sources and displays that are being developed. Summary. If it's older than 1.4, it might be worth pulling the latest 2.0.

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Brian

Gonna buy a fast car, put on my lead boots, take a long, long drive
I may end up spending all my money, but I'll still be alive

Thanks. It was added in 2012 so probably 1.4. I too have thought about this, but for now am going to leave it, as I don't have an appetite to deal with it right now.

I'm glad some spam-bot bumped this thread, because holy shit, did this picture ever make me laugh!

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Long Chile was a silly place.