We used to have a huge projection TV screen in our office. While it was great to watch movies on it, it weighed over 200 lbs and took up an entire corner of the room. When it stopped working, we had to take it apart in the room in order to get it out to the trash. A week ago, we got ourselves a nice 46" LCD panel television via Craigslist. The great thing about LCD TVs--even with larger ones--is that they are relatively thin (less than 2" thick) and comparative light (less than 50 lbs). Even though they are thin, they still take up quite a bit of room on the desk.
One solution to the problem is to mount the LCD panel on the wall, something which was not be possible with CRTs and projection TVs. We reviewed a few different types of LCD mounts last month, but we needed something a little more adjustable for the 46" Sony Bravia screen. Because we plan on putting the tv above the desk, we need an articulated mount with tilt, angle, and extension adjustments. The one we got was this one from DIY Home Theater Supply. Their web site is a great one-stop shop for all things audio and video.
The mount is ruggedly constructed from heavy-gauge (2.5mm) cold steel with a black power-coat finish. Its dimensions and range of motion are as follow:
- Front plate: 32" x 9 3/8"
- Wall plate: 19 11/16" x 11"
- Tilt: -15 to +15 degree up and down.
- Swivel: -60 to +60 degree side to side
- Extension from wall: 5" to 20"
The unit came with everything (mount, brackets, screws) needed for mounting the LCD panel on most types of walls (sheet rock, cement, etc.). As with attaching anything heavy to a wall, the mount must be anchored directly into the studs.
Note: While this mount will fit most large flat panel plasma and LCD TVs with mounting patterns up to VESA 750x450, it is not compatible with certain LG , Pioneer, and Sharp brand TVs. Mounting holes on the back should be 30" or less apart horizontally and 18.75" or less apart vertically.
The adjustability of this mount is achieved via tiltable braces and the extendable bracket. The ability to tilt allows the panel to be mounted higher on the wall and angled down for more comfortable viewing. The extension adjustment allows the panel to be moved out and angled horizontally. We wanted the extension feature because when we are not using the TV, we would like it to be pushed flat against the wall. When in use, we would like to angle it for the best possible viewing angle depending on where we are in the room.
Not every mounting situation requires this kind of flexibility. However, if you are going to go through the effort of putting a mount on the wall, we would recommend considering using a mount like this. Even if your current television setup does not require all of the adjustability, if you are anything like us, it is unlikely you will replace your current screen with something smaller in the future :-) At DIY Home Theater Supply prices, you can get this mount for less than what you would pay for a lesser mount in the stores. So, why not get this more flexible mount and do the job just once?
We have read through the installation instructions. They look pretty straight forward. Since we are always short on desk space around here, this is one DIY project we need to get completed soon. The only thing we need to do now is to schedule the project and rearrange some of the current stuff on the walls. We hope to have the mount-installation write-up posted by the end of the month. So many projects, so little time. [Permalink] - Articulated LCD Mount FirstLook
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