Transporting a TV – upright means intact

Transporting a TV lying flat: why the panel breaks

A modern TV panel is a large sheet of glass only a few millimeters thick that barely tolerates bending. Lying flat, every bump in the road works like a lever on the unsupported screen – fine cracks or a complete panel break are the typical result, often only visible at the next switch-on.

On top of that: transport damage is not a warranty case. Manufacturers prescribe upright transport in the manual; a TV that broke while lying flat will be neither repaired nor replaced. The TV therefore always travels upright – just as it stands on the sideboard.

Transporting an OLED TV lying down? Absolutely not

For OLED TVs, the no-lying rule counts double: OLED panels work without a backlight and are therefore even thinner and more flexible than LED and LCD panels. At large screen sizes, the glass can sag under its own weight when lying flat – manufacturers such as LG therefore explicitly require upright transport in the original box.

LED and QLED sets are somewhat stiffer thanks to the backlight stack, but not built for lying flat either. The rule is the same for every panel type: upright, padded, secured against tipping.

Getting the TV to its destination safely

The TV travels best in its original box with the molded padding; without the box, wrap it in a thick blanket and protect the corners. In the vehicle it stands upright between soft, stable items of cargo – a mattress and a strapped-down dresser, say – secured so nothing can tip against the panel; the basics are in our glossary article on load securing.

After a cold drive, the set needs one or two hours to acclimatize before being plugged in – otherwise condensation settles on the electronics. The transport cost calculator shows the price for a transport with driver up front; for a full move, the moving checklist helps.

Shipping a TV: parcel, freight forwarder or direct drive

When sending a TV as a parcel, the box dimensions count, not the screen size in inches. DHL accepts parcels up to 120 × 60 × 60 cm as standard, larger ones as bulky items up to 200 cm long and 360 cm in girth – the longest side plus twice the width plus twice the height – each up to 31.5 kg. A TV box is wide and tall: from around 65 inches it usually exceeds the girth limit, and smaller sets only go as bulky items. Measure the original box and work out the girth before heading to the post office.

Then there is the handling. In the parcel network the box runs over conveyor belts and sorting systems, and nobody makes sure it stays upright – yet that is exactly what manufacturers require. LG's manuals state that a TV must be transported upright, never turned on its side or tilted, and that large sets must be carried by at least two people.

A direct drive avoids both problems: the TV is collected from the retailer, the seller or your home, stands upright and strapped in the van and is handed over without reloading – with carrying help if you like. The transport cost calculator shows the binding price up front.

How big is a 55, 65 or 75-inch TV – and which vehicle fits?

The inch figure describes the screen diagonal; one inch is 2.54 cm. For a 16:9 picture, that gives the size of the screen area: a 55-inch set measures around 122 × 69 cm, a 65-inch around 144 × 81 cm, a 75-inch around 166 × 93 cm and an 85-inch around 188 × 106 cm. The bezel and stand come on top, and the original box is considerably bigger again.

That determines the vehicle. Up to 65 inches, the TV stands upright and padded in a compact van. From 75 inches, the screen width alone exceeds the load length we assume for the compact van – the 2.7 m class van is then the right choice, and even an 85-inch set stands upright in it. In a car, a large TV practically only fits lying down, which is exactly what manufacturers rule out.

Before transport, remove the stand or wall-mount plate; the screws go in a labelled bag taped to the set. Hold the TV by its frame, never by the screen, and carry large models with two people. In the vehicle the screen faces a padded surface, and nothing may tip against it.