Hi-Fi Guides

The modern flat screen TVs are a far cry from their predecessors. The great big box like TVs which have sat ominously in the corner of our living rooms on cabinets and stands,  for the past few decades have now been replaced by something slim, sleek and oh so stylish. The picture clarity has been greatly improved with the latest Plasma or LCD screens, and the whole concept is now sleek and contemporary.

Whilst floor stands are available for these new style flat screen TVs, many people prefer to choose the other option of using some type of wall mounting. There are plenty of reasons why this could be right for you too.

Mounting your TV onto a wall opens up the entire room as a potential setting for it, whereas the old larger TV cabinets were usually placed close to the aerial point and where the large piece of furniture would best fit within the room. This was not necessarily the best place for viewing the screen.

Although a basic TV mount will fix it flat against the wall like a picture or a mirror, there are also a large variety of mounts which allow you the freedom to tilt, swivel and adjust the positioning of the screen. This can be extremely helpful if you want to sit in another part of the room, or even in an adjoining room and still see the TV. Many modern mounts actually consist of an extending arm which can be folded neatly against the wall when not in use, but swing out and point in almost any direction for comfortable viewing when necessary. For the real gadget lovers these are also available with electronic remote control, so at the push of a button (or two) you can redirect the screen for the perfect viewing experience.

The unsightly mass of cables pushed behind the television can also be a think of the past. Many of these mounts allow cabling to be discreetly hidden out of sight for an orderly appearance. Although some of the mounts can be quite expensive (especially the remote control ones) there is such a wide range of types and prices that there is sure to be something which perfectly suits your style, your needs and your pocket. Just take a look at the many designs available and I’m sure you’ll be amazed at the incredible choice on offer.

Wall mounting your TV does not have to be complicated or expensive. Whichever design of mount you choose you will be given full instructions for fitting and use. It is important to read these instructions carefully before deciding on exactly where you would like your TV to be mounted. Make sure that the mount is completely safe and secure, as it would be a real disaster for your lovely new flat screen TV to crash onto the floor.

Some of these wall mountings even incorporate shelving to house DVD players and the like, so it is easy to keep all your home entertainment equipment together and off the floor. Just think of what you can do with all that newly available floor space. Your room will certainly feel bigger, and the wall mounted TV will be a stylish and aesthetically pleasing addition to the furnishings. There is little wonder that so many people these days choose to wall mount their flat screen TVs.

Your old TV has finally given up the ghost and you’ve decided to splash out and spoil yourself on a fantastic new model. Before you go out and buy the first thing that you see, there’s more to buying a new plasma or LCD TV than meets the eye, and once you’ve decided on the TV and found a great deal, you’re still not home and dry. The next important thing you need to decide is on the type of wall mount you choose. Bear this in mind before buying your TV as size and style can make a great deal of difference. Though you might think it’s a foregone conclusion and all wall mounts are virtually the same, they are not and you need to take plenty of things into consideration before deciding on which one is right for you and your new TV.

There are four basic designs of TV mount; let’s look at them all individually.

The Fixed Mount

These mounts are simply a means of fixing your TV against the wall, and it will fit flush in the same way as you would hang maybe a picture or a mirror. Whilst they are generally the cheapest and easiest method of mounting your TV screen, you do need to be sure that you have chosen exactly the right position for your TV, as you will not be able to tilt or adjust its position later and may find that you cannot see the screen properly when sitting in a comfortable position. You don’t want to have to strain your neck in order to see your new TV screen now do you?

The Tilt Mount

These mounts give you the added flexibility of tilting (as the name suggests) the screen once it is mounted on the wall. This can be extremely useful, especially if there is a glare on the screen at certain times of the day from a nearby window, you can simply tilt the screen when necessary in order to avoid the glare and see the screen more clearly. These may cost a little more than the fixed mounts above, but for many people are well worth paying that little bit more for.

The Tilt and Swivel Mount

These mounts also do exactly as they say, and you are able to tilt your TV screen either up or down, and also swivel it around horizontally. These are especially useful if you like to watch TV from different positions in the room, and also allow you the flexibility of rearranging your furniture without having to re-mount the TV or lose ease of viewing.

TV Arm Mounts

These are usually the most expensive, but for many the only way in which to effectively mount your TV onto the wall. The arms can fold away so that the TV can be pushed against the wall when not being used, and pulled away from the wall and positioned in any way to get the best viewing angle.  These are particularly useful if you want to say, occasionally watch the TV from an adjoining room in the house or while you are busy at the other side of the room. Remote control arms are also available, and whilst these are again more expensive can be invaluable for gadget lovers and people who like to be able to do things ‘at the push of a button’.

Before choosing your new TV make sure that it is suitable for mounting with your chosen method, as not all TVs are compatible with all mounting systems.