By Bob Gatton
Now that electrical power and the proper connections have been installed (see
Pre wiring a media room for more information), it's time to hang the television. The actual hanging of the set is quite straightforward, but please keep in mind several points:
- Flat panel displays can be very heavy. For instance, a Pioneer 61-inch plasma (Pioneer PDP-6100 HD) weighs 135 pounds. Be careful and put safety first; have enough people on site to safely lift the television. If it is being mounted over a fireplace, the bottom of the set may be four or five foot above the floor. Smaller displays are lighter. For example a JVC 26-inch LCD television (JVC LT26X506) weighs about 48 pounds, but that's still heavy enough to require caution.
- Make sure that the mounting bracket is securely attached to the wall. Follow the manufacturer's recommendations. On any set 30 inches or larger, I always try to secure the bracket to two studs
- Measure twice... no, three or four times. An off-center or uneven display is a very obvious error. Laser levels come in very handy for these installations.
Where to hang the TV
If you are unsure on where to install the set, cut out a piece of paper that is the same size as the display. Tape it on the wall, get a chair, sit down and look at it. This will give you a good idea if this is the correct place and height for comfortable viewing. Ideally the set will be at about eye level and straight in front of you; any turning, raising or lowering of your head for extended periods of time can result in a sore neck.
Most flat panel displays use VESA mounts (VESA stands for Video Electronics Standards Association and rhymes with 'Lisa'). VESA is a non-profit standards organization with more than 100 manufacturer members. The specification sheet for a VESA-compliant product will state that the product uses a certain size VESA mount: 50, 75, 100, etc. When purchasing the mount for the set, make sure that the television and the mount have the same VESA number. Sets that are not VESA-compliant have their own unique mounts or adaptor plates that attach the VESA mount to the display.
Depending on the installation, you might want to investigate articulating mounts and tilting mounts. Articulating mounts let you pivot the screen left and right and sometimes up and down. These are great when you want to see the screen from more than one viewing area. And mounts that let you tilt the screen down are perfect for when the screen is installed higher than normal, for example, over the fireplace. (Remember to be kind to your neck; it is much more comfortable to watch the display when it is tilted slightly down towards the seating area.)
Of course the other option is to put the flat panel display on a table stand, but who would want to do that? They look so much better when installed on the wall.
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