Buying Guide: TV Wall Mounting
We’ve recently been asked a few times about some of the finer details surrounding wall mounting. In particular, questions have been raised by you guys surrounding VESA and non-VESA wall mounts. Here’s a bit of a buying guide for you…
What is a VESA Wall Mount?
VESA is a set of standards for manufacturing flat screen TV and PC monitors. The standard includes the hole-patterns on the back of the TV or monitor for adding a mounting device.
Before you buy a VESA wall mount, be sure that your Television or monitor is VESA compliant. The specific VESA mounting details should be included in your TV’s manual and/or in the specifications. However, if you’re unsure you can just contact us and we’ll run through it with you.
Checking Your TV’s Mounting Hole-Patterns
There are four mounting holes on the back of your TV that you need to check. The distance between these holes determines the VESA compatibility of your TV and tells you which mount will fit. Any Wall Mounts that are VESA compliant will fit the majority of LCD, flat screen and plasma TVs.
How to Measure Your Television’s VESA standard
Look for the four mounting holes on the back of your TV. Measure the horizontal and vertical distance between them in millimeters. This forms the VESA standard. A “VESA 100 X 200″ means the mounting holes are 100mm apart horizontally and 200mm apart vertically. Larger hole-patterns are generally used on larger and heavier TVs that need the wider support.
In addition to specifying mounting hole-patterns, VESA standards also specify the where the cable exits will be located. This should allow you to run cables as to your TV as needed, concealing them wherever possible within the constraints of the mounting bracket.
Different Types of VESA Wall Mounts
Fixed Mount - The fixed mount is the most simple and least expensive of any wall mounts. The major characteristic of the fixed mount is that it is secure in place and much closer to the wall. This is because there is no tilting mechanism between the TV and the wall. This is best used for plasma TVs which have the widest viewing angles of any TV (less likely to require any movement) and for small rooms where space is at a premium and seating is directly in front of the TV.
Slimline Fixed Mount – The Slimline fixed mount is made for newer TVs that have an ultra slim design. Generally, these are the newer LED TVs, which can be as little as 1cm thick. If mounting a TV that is that slim to the wall, it is ideal to have a slimline mount that allows the screen to be hung as close to the wall as possible. Samsung’s LED TVs are the ultimate example of the slim TV design we mean, and to compliment this, Samsung have their own Slimline Fixed Wall Mount. This is an expensive version of this style of mount however, and more affordable options are available as well.
Tilting Wall Mount – The tilting wall mount has vertical angle adjustments that let you tilt the TV up or down several inches. This is ideal in situations where the TV is mounted higher than the optimal viewing height, like above a fireplace for example.
Tilt and Swivel Wall Mounts - Tilt and swivel wall mounts allow for movement both up and down (tilt) and left and right (swivel), allowing you to move the TV into any position for the best viewing angle. Some tilt and swivel mounts even let you move the TV out from the wall over 70 centimetres (see articulated arm mounts below)! When the TV is pushed up against the wall there is some space behind the TV to accommodate for the tilt and swivel mechanism. This can be 3 to 4 inches.
Articulated Arm Mount – The mount with the greatest tilt and swivel flexibility is the articulated arm mount. This mount lets you move the TV into virtually any position and then folds up when you push the TV back against the wall. The TV can be pulled away from the wall on the mount, by up to 70cm or more!
Remember, it’s not a good idea to skimp on your TV wall mount and buy a cheep mount. You want something that will give you the positioning features you want and be a strong solid reliable mount that will hold up. All the wall mounts offered by Eljo will give you all this and more.
Check out our full range of TV Wall Mounts here.
