So the brand new HDTV is in your house. No doubt if you have not set it up yet, you are ready to
do so, but may not be sure what to do next. To take full advantage of the the flat screen, more
then likely you will want to mount it on the wall. Should you do it yourself or call a professional
installer? If you have some basic skills, a few tools, a family member or friend to offer you a
hand and a willingness to save yourself a sizable installation fee, you should be more then capable
to install your flat screen tv wall mount.
Where to place your flat screen tv wall mount
The first thing you will need to do is decide where you want your new tv. Although there is no
definitive rules, it is generally suggested that you place the center of your tv slightly above eye
level for the optimum viewing experience. Make sure to take into account your speaker locations by
leaving enough room on both sides of the flat panel for the main speakers as well as room above or
below for the center channel speaker.
Types of LCD TV wall mounts or Plasma wall mounts
There are several types of wall mounts to consider.
Fixed Flat Panel Mount - A fixed mount is the least expensive option and should be
sufficient if you are absolutely sure you know where your tv will be placed and do not have any
need for flexibility in tv viewing angles. Check out the
Large 32 Inch to 54 Inch Flat Panel Universal Fixed Wall Mount (Platinum)
Tools you will need for this project include a drill, level, socket set, measuring tape and a
saw to cut through the drywall if installing a wall plate. Each wall mount will have its own set of
installation instructions that will be slightly different, but generally you will need to figure
out where you want to place the mount and then use a stud finder to locate the wood studs in your
wall or alternatively you can use a concrete anchor into a solid concrete or cinder block wall.
You will need to decide if you want the cables to run through the wall or if you want to use
molding to hide the wires. For the cleanest look most people choose to run the cables through the
wall into a wall plate behind the tv as well as also install a recepticle behind the tv. Before
running cable through the wall be aware of National Electric Code and contact an electrician for
help if in doubt. For example, power cables should not be run through the wall. Many of todays tvs
will simply need an HDMI cable to connect the tv to the receiver since the HDMI cable can carry
both audio and video, but you may want to also consider running component and composite cables into
your wall plate as well for added flexibility.
Make sure that you use a level to ensure that the mount is fixed to the wall so that the tv will
be level. Then you will simply connect the mount to the wall through the included hardware and
connect the mounting bracket to your tv. You will want to have the help of a friend or family
member in order to place the LCD or plasma on the wall mount. Fine tune the tilting of the mount,
attach the cables and you are ready to go.
Recommended LCD TV wall mounts and Plasma wall mounts
There are several options to consider when looking to purchase a flat screen tv wall mount.
Check out the LCD articulating mount page for a list
of popular flat screen wall mounts that are regarded as some of the best for general and home
theater use.
Check out this short video tutorial from StudioDell on How to Mount Flat Panel TV's
