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which have sat ominously in the corner of our living rooms on cabinets and stands,  for the past few decades have now been replaced by something slim, sleek and oh so stylish.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.

It doesn’t matter how good your sound system might be, the sound can only be as good as your speaker. The speakers are the important element which actually transmits the sound straight to your ears, and the only way that they can receive the sound is by being transmitted along the speaker cables. This makes your choice of speaker cable another important consideration when first installing a new sound or home entertainment system. By choosing the right speaker cables you will give the right sound to your speakers, with perfect clarity.

The different sizes of speaker cables are measured in a unit known as a gauge. Basically, the smaller the gauge equates to the thicker the wire. Usually sizes are 12 AWG, 14 AWG, 16 AWG and 18 AWG.

There are generally two different styles of speaker cables to choose from, one which is rounded and one which is flat. The flat style is often chosen for speakers which are wall mounted, as they can fit flush against the wall and can be painted, thus they are virtually hidden without the need to bury them into the plaster.

There are different qualities of speaker cables and you need to choose very carefully for your system. It is no use paying a lot of money for a state of the art sound system, only to spoil it all by using the cheapest speaker cables you can find.  Bear in mind the length of speaker cable you require. The further the distance between the speaker and the receiver, the bigger part of the signal is lost, so if you need to have quite a long length of cable you are advised to use a larger gauge of speaker cable. Generally, you should not really use anything less than 16 AWG in order to get the best results.

Actually measuring the amount of speaker cable you are going to need is really pretty easy. All you have to do is run a piece of string along the route which the wire will take, and allow a little extra, (I always allow a little extra for everything! You can always take some out but it’s more difficult to add on, that’s what I always say). Carefully run the wire along the tops of door frames etc, and allow plenty of slack for corners and turns, as pulling the cable tight can damage the interior wires and consequently lose some of the performance.

Speaker cables consist of two leads, one for carrying the signal from your receiver’s output terminals, and one to the speakers input terminals. They will probably be covered in different coloured plastic, one may be marked positive (+) and the other one negative (-). It is important that you fit good solid connectors on the ends of the wires, instead of using the bare ends. This will help to make a good solid connection and also safeguard against possible short circuits, which is also a fire hazard.

It is a good idea to be advised by your salesperson when buying a new system with speakers which is the most suitable, but if not then there are plenty of places around which stock a good supply of quality speaker cables.  Remember, the sound can only be as good as the quality of the speaker cables.