| | |
|
Flat Screen
TV Mount or Stand Buying Guide
After spending a considerable amount of time and money
to pick out the best TV or flat screen monitor that your
budget could handle, you can now turn your attention to buying a suitable
stand or mount. You might be tempted to skimp on this particular purchase,
but that would be a mistake. Just as a beautiful painting benefits from
a gorgeous frame, so too does a television look better when paired with
a lovely stand or mount. Here are a few points to keep in mind as you
shop.
Flat Screen Stands
Today’s flat screen
stands are far more sophisticated than the cheap wood cabinets your
parents used for their CRT sets. Manufacturers realize that an expensive,
high-tech piece of equipment such as a flat screen, LED or LCD television
needs a handsome display unit to go along with it. That’s why many entertainment
consoles now feature a remote controlled lift mechanism that hides your
television within the unit when it’s not in use, and raises it to the
surface when you want to watch something. These pop-up flat screen stands
really give you the best of both worlds, as you’ll have an attractive
storage unit for your electronic equipment and media without the hassle
of having a big screen out in the open around the clock.
If you can’t afford to splurge on a pop-up stand, there
are plenty of more traditional choices out there as well. Below are
some additional options to consider when purchasing a flat screen TV
stand.
- TV consoles and credenzas: Consoles and
credenzas make excellent flat screen stands, being fairly small and broad
enough to support most TVs. One of the greatest traits of consoles and credenzas
is the amount of storage available. There is an ability to store the television
along with other living room essentials, like blankets and pillows.
- Platform TV stands: Platform flat screen stands feature one or more
uprights for shelves, but their frames are usually free of backs, sides or
doors. Glass and metal are their most common materials, though wood is also
available.
- Corner TV stands: These TV stands are wonderful for small living
spaces. Many times a corner flat screen TV stand can be found built to the
specifications of a console TV stand or a platform TV stand.
Buying a TV Wall Mount Many shoppers elect to skip the
stands altogether in favor of wall mounts. These flat screen TV mounts attach to studs in your wall,
giving you a secure place to hang your television. Wall-mounted units are very
much in vogue right now for a couple of reasons. First, they represent the ultimate
space-saving solution since your television will be completely out of the way.
This makes wall mounts a great choice for those in smaller living quarters or
those that already have a bunch of other furniture in their living rooms. Second,
hanging your television on the wall just looks cool! Your home will instantly
have the look and feel of a theater when you watch movies this way, and you’ll
never want to go back to a stand again.
Types of Wall
Mounts
- Under-cabinet or Flip-down mount: Designed for kitchen use, under-cabinet
TV flat screen mounts are also useful in small spaces like dorm rooms, offices
or anywhere else where space is restricted. They fasten underneath cabinets,
allowing your TV to flip out of the way when not in use.
- Platform mount: These wall mounts are
used primarily for CRT (otherwise
known as traditional tube) televisions. The TV sits on a shelf or platform,
which is supported by an arm attached to the wall or ceiling. These mounts
can also come with multiple shelves, holding a DVD player or cable box.
- Swivel: Swivel TV mounts move from side
to side and may also swivel up and down. Styles vary, including or excluding
a support arm with one or more joints. This type of flat screen TV mount can
extend the set from the wall and turn the TV over 180 degrees.
- Tilt: Tilting mounts need to extend farther from the wall (generally
3 to 5 inches) to provide room for the tilting method. A tilt flat screen
or flat screen TV mount generally move the screen 5 to 15 degrees up or down,
with the ability to lock the ideal position in place. This option works well
if the TV is desired high on a wall above the seating area.
- Low-profile: The simplest, most economical flat screen TV mount option.
Basically, it's a metal frame with two upright posts or plates where the TV
attaches. Profile mounts may pull out just one inch from the wall. This option
does not move; it simply holds your flat screen directly to the wall like
a picture.
What kind of flat screen TV
mount or TV stand should you buy? That depends on how much control you need
over adjusting the television once it’s placed in an ideal location.
When shopping for a flat screen TV mount, it’s important
to know the exact weight and dimensions of your television to ensure
you buy hardware that is strong enough for the job. There would obviously
be some significant safety ramifications if you neglect the manufacturer’s
specifications in this regard.
Basically, selecting a monitor or TV stand or mount comes
down to form and function. What do you want your stand or mount to be
able to do? How you want it to look? There’s enough variety out there
that you can expect to get precisely what you want at a price you can
afford.
| |
| | |
|
|