Flat Panel Installation

[Mindaika]

I'm looking to buy an LCD TV soon, and due to space constraints, I want to wall-mount it. I know that it needs to be stud mounted, and I'm totally a stud, but is is safe to try to mount it by myself, or should I pay a professional installer? If so, does anyone have any recommendations for professional installers in the Brooklyn area? (All I could find online was Crutchfield's service.)

 

[jonnythan]

It's perfectly safe to mount it yourself, assuming you have can find studs.

 

[modman]

Well, it depends

I just mounted a 50-inch plasma, using my friend and neighbor, who is quite handy. We did it...but it took about seven hours together (14 man-hours total) to plan it out, find the studs, drill the holes, mount the bracket, run the wiring through the wall, run the wiring under the house to the amp, then mount the TV. It looks fantastic...but what do you value your personal time at? For some folks, it is far cheaper to pay a pro $400-500 to mount and wire the thing. For others, it is a matter of pride and economics. I'm not sure I'd do it again! (While my friends were out on a Saturday night getting drunk and partying, I was under my 80-year old house, straddling a sewer pipe, drill in hand, boring a hole in the floor joists, praying, "please god let this be the right place!")

 

[hemiram]

I kind of wish I had hidden my wires, but my room is on a crawl space, and it's nasty down there with all kinds of dust and besides, There are many ways of covering, or dressing up the wires that don't cost all that much. It only took us about an hour and a half to mount the TV and front 3 speakers, and hook everything up.

 

[jonnythan]

I took about an hour and a half to mount mine by myself. No problems. My girlfriend helped me lift it and hang it on the mount.

I used some pretty generic plastic raceway from Lowe's to hide all the wiring.

http://www.jonnythan.com/tv/IMG_5016.jpg

 

[Mindaika]

Sweet Nasonex!

Very nice! I'm looking to mount a 27" LCD in a 50" apartment, so I won't really need to do much more that mount the actual set. Thanks for all the help!

 

[hemiram]

Just make sure that you don't buy one of the insanely priced mounts for it, I have found the same mounts, at all kinds of insane prices, ranging from a low of 24.99 plus 20 bucks shipping to over 300 bucks! The SAME mount!

The one I bought is sold locally under about a half dozen names, with different colored graphics on the box, and in a few different colors, silver, "gold", black, and white, at prices from $89 to $269, depending on the store. it's a couple of hunks of stamped steel!

I bought mine for 24.99 and shipping, and had no problems.

 

[Mindaika]

Sanus

I found one from Sanus that's about $70. It has both tilt and swivel, and support up to 40lbs (the TV to be held is 25). I think it's the VM1.

 

[hemiram]

That's at least a sane price, I probably would have jumped on that too, but I did the Ebay thing and found what I needed right away and got it in 3 days. I didn't need the tilt option, but mine has a fixed tilt position that I would need if I mounted it as high up on the wall as some people do. I don't want to look up when I watch TV, I put mine at eye level while sitting in my chair.

 

[Mindaika]

Follow-up

That brings up another question: I know that placing TV's at eye-level is the best, but due to space constraints, I may have to place it higher, although probably not significantly higher though. Will that be much of a problem?

 

[Nick250]

That brings up another question: I know that placing TV's at eye-level is the best, but due to space constraints, I may have to place it higher, although probably not significantly higher though. Will that be much of a problem?

Part of the equation is how does one have to hold their head when watching the TV from their normal viewing position. Looking up for an extended time can become uncomfortable to the neck muscles.

Nick

 

[hemiram]

My neck is pretty messed up, and if I had to look up, I would be too miserable to enjoy my new TV! If I had to do it again though, I would set it about an inch or two lower than it is now. The center of my screen is 46" off the floor.

 

[e73bass]

Brings up a question on mounts---will be mounting a 37" LCD in bedroom--are there any mounts that allow for a HD TV Tuner box from DISH.--preferably on the back of the mount--maybe in a vertical position so you don't see it.

 

[BMXTRIX]

Brings up a question on mounts---will be mounting a 37" LCD in bedroom--are there any mounts that allow for a HD TV Tuner box from DISH.--preferably on the back of the mount--maybe in a vertical position so you don't see it.

Not that I've ever seen, and HD boxes need a LOT of open ventilation around them or they will fry... as in cook themselves to death. No, not an exageration at all. If you value your electronics, you will need that box put somewhere with adequate airflow.

 

[shadow]

That brings up another question: I know that placing TV's at eye-level is the best, but due to space constraints, I may have to place it higher, although probably not significantly higher though. Will that be much of a problem?

If you do not have tilt capability in your mounting solution, you will likely have problems since off center viewing results in loss of perceived color accuracy and a sore neck.

 

[ht_addict]

Part of the equation is how does one have to hold their head when watching the TV from their normal viewing position. Looking up for an extended time can become uncomfortable to the neck muscles.

Nick

Actually its not as bad as you think, unless you have your set mounted too high. I mounted mine high enough that it allowed me to get the tweeter off my center as close as possible to being inline with my mains. The mount I got does swivel so I have it angled downward. Here's a pic.