Television Wall Mounts The Right Wall Mount

Finding the correct wall mount for your TV

Television wall mounts give a cool, theater style to your LCD or plasma television. Nearly all TV's don't be packaged with wall mounting hardware, almost all will come with a pedestal, leaving you with the unlimited decisions of how and where you are going to mount your TV to the wall. There are various types of wall mounts are out there and different ones are advised for specific installations. One of the coolest things you can do with a flat screen TV is the option to wall mount it like a movie There are various types of wall mounts are out there and specific ones are designed for specific installations. One of the baddest things you can do with a flat panel television is the option to mount it on the wall like a theater screen. Television wall mounts give a cool, movie house look to your LCD or plasma television. Nearly all TV's don't come with wall mounting hardware, most will come with a pedestal, leaving you with the endless options of how and where you want to mount your television to the room's wall.

A mixed selection of TV wall mounts ranging from fixed mount designs with no movement to mounts with unlimited articulation for adjusting the TV for the best view. Before you rush out and by a cheap a TV wall mount, plan out what you want your wall bracket to do? Does attaching the television falt on the wall work best or does the TV need to swivel down for the best view? Does the TV need to move side to side for viewing from various spots in the room?

TV mounting bracket selection
The first place to look is your TV's owner's manual for suggested mounting guidelines. A specific bracket style is sometimes required, but almost all flat screen models will work with a number of mounting brackets that follow VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) guidelines. In the manual you'll see the logo "VESA" with a number, which tells you how far apart the mounting holes are on the mount or television in millimeters. For example, VESA 75 means that there are 4 holes in a square, and each side of the square is 75mm long. The VESA 100/200 describes holes in a rectangle, with 2 sides measuring 100millimeters and 2 sides measuring 200millimeters. That info should be in the owner's manual, or measuring the holes to figure out which VESA standard fits your TV. Plenty of mounting brackets will work with more than one VESA specification, finding a bracket to fit your TV will not be a difficult task.
Always stay within the the TV screen sizes that the mounting bracket says it can hold up, and stay within the right range. Be sure to check the max weight a wall mount can support and make certain that it can hold your TV.

Here are the basic wall mount types and the applications they're best suited for.

Flat bracket
Tilt mounting bracket
Tilt/swivel mounting bracket
Articulating mounting bracket

Flat bracket — This is the simplest, cheapest type of mounting bracket. It puts the TV closer to the wall than other bracket types — as little as 1" off the wall. A flat mounting bracket has no angle flexibility — the television screen's position is parallel to the wall. This type of mounting bracket is a great selection for plasma TVs, which offer the widest horizontal and vertical viewing angles.

Tilt mounting bracket — By providing vertical angle adjustment, this wall bracket type makes it easy to compensate for a TV positioned above the optimum viewing level. The tilt mechanism causes the TV to be spaced a bit further out from the wall — typically at least 2-1/2". Typical applications include TVs mounted over a fireplace or high on a bedroom wall. The angle setting can help to counteract screen reflections from windows or lights — a common problem for many plasma flat panels and some LCD's.

Tilt/swivel wall mount — With the additional flexibility of side-to-side rotation, this wall wall mount is a practical answer when a television needs to be angled for the best viewing. It's also great for rooms with more than one usual viewing spot.

Articulating wall mount — The most technologically advanced and versatile type of wall mount. It allows the most tilt/swivel flexibility. The articulating arm folds back into the frame so that the flat panel can be out of the way when not in use. This mounting bracket can move the television several inches out from the wall and it allows a bigger turning radius of side-to-side swivel.

Mounting a Plasma or LED flat screen TV on the wall is a great way to add a touch of elegance and give your home a movie theater feel. With so many options for mounting, there is a wall mounting system to fit almost any need. Be sure to follow the TV manufacturer's guidelines about the size and wight minimums necessary a mounting system must have before trying to mount your TV on the wall.