Home Page - LCD TV Guide - LCD TV Mounts - Installation Guide Part 2

Flat-Panel TV Installation and LCD TV Mounts - Part 2

Choosing the Right LCD Mount

The many different types of LCD TV mounts - from LCD TV wall mounts to pedestal stands - open a whole new world of mounting possibilities otherwise impossible with traditional bulkier TV sets.

In this second part of our LCD TV installation guide, we look at the various LCD mounts available for the job, together with their pros, cons and application.

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Article last updated on:
12^th November, 2009

Choosing the right LCD TV Mount for the Job

Almost all LCD TVs come with a tabletop stand as a standard accessory. This in itself should do a fine job as long as you happen to have a suitable table or cabinet of the appropriate height.

Yet this is just one of the many mounting options available for flat-panel televisions.

The reality is that these less than 4-inch deep display panels have given rise to a vast range of alternative LCD mounts. These range from the modern-looking pedestal stand complete with shelf supports to take your AV gear, to wall-type tilting and articulated swivel-arm LCD TV mounts, and TV ceiling mounts.

Important: Irrespective of the mounting option you choose, ensure that the LCD TV mount you opt for comes with a VESA compliant mounting hole pattern.

This is the standard measurement for flat-panel TV mounts. Universal stands designed to fit various sizes normally come with multiple hole patters to fit the different screen sizes.

The VESA mounting standard includes the VESA 50, 75, and 100, while larger models may use the VESA 200.

The number behind the VESA standard indicates the mounting hole pattern in millimeters. For example, the VESA 100 will have four holes placed at the corners of a 100mm by 100mm square.

The exception is the VESA 200, which comes either in VESA 200x100mm, or VESA 200x200mm hole pattern.

So let us look at each of these mounting options...

Pedestal Stands

Floor space is not an issue? Then a possible option is the 'pedestal' type floor stand. It provides an ultra modern look that better fits flat-panel TVs than the standard 'tabletop stand/cabinet' combination. This type of LCD TV mount do provide an easy mounting option for flat-panel televisions. It is the way to go especially if you have limited DIY skills since you do not need to drill any holes in walls.

OmniMount G3-FP-DARK flat panel floor stand for up[ to 60-inch HDTVs.

Pedestal type LCD TV mounts would normally enable you to hide all interconnecting cables inside the supporting column; most will also provide for height adjustment of the supporting bracket.

This mounting option is a great straightforward option for spaces without small children.

Mounting an LCD TV using a pedestal-type floor stand is no different from installing an ordinary TV.  Just follow the instructions to assemble the various parts together using the provided Allen-key and/or spanner, and adjust the height of the supporting column and equipment shelves - if included, as necessary.

You then need an extra pair of helping hands to lift and place the LCD HDTV on the stand. All that remains is to connect the inputs and outputs by following the installation instructions that come with the flat-panel LCD TV and AV gear.

There are various pedestal stands to choose from. A high quality yet affordable floor stand is the SANUS SYSTEMS PFFP Universal Flat Panel TV Stand. This SANUS LCD TV floor stand is presently selling at amazon for around $250. It is not among the cheapest mounts available online, but it represents good value for money and comes in an attractive silver finish. The whole package includes the SANUS VMPL50S LCD TV mount - designed to accommodate flat-panel displays up to 50 inch, and a glass shelve to support an HDTV set-top box, a DVD, etc. Additional equipment shelves are available if required.

SANUS SYSTEMS PFFP Universal Flat Panel TV Stand

An upgraded version of the PFFP LCD TV mount is also available - the SANUS PFFP2B Universal plasma/LCD TV floor stand. It has the same metal structure as the PFFP except that it comes with two equipment shelves as standard. The PFFP2B is available in either matt black or silver finish.

LCD TV Wall Mounts

LCD TV mounts designed to hang your display on a wall are available in a large variety of models and come from many different brands. LCD wall mounts vary from the standard fixed wall mount to tilting mounts and articulated swivel-arm mounts.

The use of a tilting wall mount is ideal for hanging your LCD HDTV above eye level - say, if you are going to watch TV while laying in bed. Articulated swivel-arm mounts lets you swing your flat-panel TV either side for better viewing from different angles.

All LCD wall mounts consist of two main parts, a back plate that mounts onto the wall, and a front plate with the VESA mounting hole pattern that is screwed onto the back panel of your LCD television. What happens in between these two plates determines whether the wall mount is fixed, tilting, etc.

Irrespective of the model and brand, the mounting process for an LCD TV mount is practically always the same. You just screw the back plate onto the wall, attach the front plate to your LCD TV, and then lower the whole LCD TV/front plate assembly in place into the rest of the wall mount assembly. You would need the help of an extra pair of hands here. Models vary, so make sure you follow the installation guides that come with both your mount and LCD TV.

There is even more in favor to the standard fixed-type LCD TV wall mount. This is also the easiest to install yourself; if you have ever hung a bathroom cabinet, you can handle the job, but...

Unless you have some sort of restriction with the additional increase in depth resulting from the use of adjustable wall mounts, try to avoid using fixed LCD TV mounts. True that these are the easiest to install, but once you lower your LCD TV in place, it would be difficult if not impossible to manage the inputs at the back of your television. This is important as not all LCD HDTVs come with conveniently placed inputs. In the worst case, you may have to remove the LCD TV from the wall bracket each time you need to pass a new cable.

Tilting and Articulated-Arm Wall Mounts: Tilting and swiveling wall mounts add a bit more depth to the overall mount than fixed LCD TV wall mounts. The tilting wall mount shown on the right is approximately 3-inches in depth as against the less than 2-inches for a standard fixed-type wall mount. But then these mounts leave your interconnecting options open, as they will enable you to add more cables to support new gear later without having to remove the LCD display panel from the supporting brackets.

ST660S Universal Tilting Wall Mount for 32-63IN Flat Panel Televisions

Tilting wall mounts provide for a change in the vertical angle of view (typically ±15 degrees) of the television depending on the viewer position. These LCD wall mounts are best suited where the ideal mounting height is not feasible.

A swiveling bracket allows also for a change in the horizontal viewing angle. This means tilting and swiveling/articulated arm LCD TV mounts have a further advantage. Through the proper adjustment of the LCD panel, it is possible to improve the viewing experience while minimizing, or even eliminate glare problems.

Opting for a wall mount that allows for vertical and/or horizontal movement is the best way to go if the additional increase in overall depth is not a problem. Price wise, the additional expense for a tilting LCD TV mount with respect to a standard 'fixed' type wall mount is minimal, yet the convenience gained is significant.

Articulated-arm LCD TV mounts provide for even better positioning of the LCD panel while maintaining all the benefits associated with tilting and swiveling mounts. These type of wall mounts however, are somewhat more expensive than fixed or tilting LCD wall mounts. The SANUS stand shown here is selling at Amazon for just under $300. Still, this mount is good value for money considering its solid heavy-gauge steel construction. Further more, it comes in an attractive polished silver finish, and features tilt, swivel, pan, and extended motion adjustments.

Sanus VMAA26S VisionMount TV Wall Mount for 30 to 50-inch LCD TVs

Ceiling LCD TV Mounts

Last but not least, you can go for a ceiling mount - another good bedroom option. Note however that this is the most difficult to do it yourself. Unless you are a professional, we do not recommend that you try installing a ceiling mount on your own as you need to take the structural integrity of the ceiling into account. Ceiling mounts are generally more expensive than the fixed wall-type LCD TV mounts though when you purchase online, the price difference between standard wall mounts and ceiling mounts is not so pronounced. In fact, the articulating LCD ceiling mount featured on the right is selling at amazon for less than $80; this is practically the price of a good quality fixed-type wall mount.

Articulating LCD Ceiling Mount

This silver finished ceiling mount is both VESA 100 and VESA 200 compliant, and can support up to 100lbs - meaning that it can easily take a 42-inch LCD or plasma screen. It also features a 5-degree upward and 15-degree downward tilt mechanism for better positioning of the flat-panel TV.

Buying Tips:

Plasma and LCD Mounts at Amazon.com

If you are in the market for a flat panel TV mount, we advise to visit the amazon storefront; the vast choice of products and the various buying options available from the different retailers are among the best online. 

However, prior to any decision, we recommend to do some research of your own. Look at what other customers had to say about their LCD mount following their purchase. This will give you extensive insight about the product of interest - in particular about the built quality and ease of assembly and installation. A good starting point is the customer feedback posted on the amazon site. 

You can search the amazon storefront for LCD Mounts without leaving our site by using the amazon search box below; your search results will appear here under.

LCD TV reviews & product guides appearing under this section 

LED LCD HDTVs - Sony vs. Samsung Part 1: Samsung A950 Series

LED LCD HDTVs - Sony vs. Samsung Part 2: Sony XBR8 series

LED LCD HDTVs - Sony vs. Samsung Part 3: Which is Better?

The Sony S4100 Series of entry-level 1080p LCD HDTVs

Samsung 2008 LCD line-up - Part 1: Series 9, 8, 7 and 6

Samsung 2008 LCD line-up - Part 2: Series 5, 4, and 3

Samsung LN-T53/54H 720p LCD HDTV Series

Samsung LN-T4665F 1080p LCD Television

Sony KDL-46XBR4 46-inch 1080p LCD HDTV

Recommended Technical Guides 

Plasma Television
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Digital TV
A complete guide to Digital Television - DTV converters, TV antennas, and DTV transition.

Guide to Digital Satellite TV
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Equipment Racks:
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The HDMI Cable Guide
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TV Viewing Distance
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Should You Opt for a 1080p HDTV?
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Home Theater Design:
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Check out the latest special offers on LCD HDTV sets at amazon

Samsung 2008 Flag-ship LED LCD HDTV. Our detailed review available here

For our LCD HDTV review of the Samsung A650 series, please check our 2008 Samsung Product Guide.

The LG 47LG90 is a first attempt from LG in LED backlight LCD HDTVs.

Check out the latest offers on Flat-panel TV mounts at amazon

For a full range of plasma & LCD TV mounts, please check the
LCD TV Mounts
section at amazon.com.

Alternatively, use the search box at the end of the page to search the amazon storefront without leaving our site.

What about a refurbished HDTV as an inexpensive TV option?

Save up to 80% on Clearance and Refurbished HDTVs

Visit RefurbDepot.com to see their vast range of factory-direct refurbished HDTVs

More information on refurbished gear is available in our guide to
Buying Refurbished Electronics

Would You like to get the best out of your LCD HDTV Set?

There is no better way to make the most out of your LCD HDTV then to invest in a set-up DVD.

A great calibration disc is the Avia II Home Theater Set-up DVD, which is suitable for both the novice and the expert.

Another interesting calibration disc is the Digital Video Essentials HD, suitable mainly for advanced users.

For more information, check our Guide to HT Set-Up DVDs.

...back to 'Part 1: LCD TV Mounts Installation Guide'

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