Help setting up tv and cable box

I assume you will have power behind your tv. You can always stick the cable box behind the tv with the cable run to the box. Then run an ir repeater to the front/bottom of the tv. They are low profile and hardly noticeable.

Something like this

Who is your tv provider? If Directv by any chance they have an RF remote so line of sight isn’t required. If someone else you can do as I suggested or put the box in another room and see about running the ir repeater a longer distance if possible.

I dont want the cable box on the mantle. I was hoping to be able to put it in a closet somewhere else in the house, but still have the remote function.

You’d have to have an HDMI cable ran to wherever you put the box.