‘Mount up’ to the challenge of hanging a flat panel TV

So you’ve finally bought that new flat panel television to better enjoy movies and sporting events—now the set has to get mounted and installed.

What mount type should be chosen—wall or ceiling? What hardware is needed? How should you go about actually mounting and installing the new set? A professional installer could be hired, but this costs money and spoils the fun for doityourselfers.

Free expert advice on placement, mounting and installation of hometheater equipment is provided at www.mountingtips. com. The site features practical “how to” installation tips and an online forum for visitors to exchange information.

“In their eagerness to purchase a flat panel television by the holidays or Super Bowl Sunday, many consumers neglect to consider the mounting procedures involved with such a large piece of equipment,” said Jason Cole, marketing director for Premier Mounts, a manufacturer of TV mounting systems and sponsor of the new website.

Here are a few tips from the website for households getting ready to or that have already purchased a flat panel television:

•Practice makes perfect. Hang a poster or picture in the place you’re thinking of hanging the TV if you are unsure of where to put it. Leave the “filler” there for a few days, and if it still looks good after the trial period, chances are strong the TV will look good there as well.

•Hang it right the first time. Rather than hanging the television once and later deciding you want it at a different height, aim to have the middle of the television at eye level when sitting on the couch. This way you won’t find yourself straining your neck. Some feel hanging a television at this height will make it seem too low, taking away some of its decorative appeal. If that’s a concern, try hanging the television so the bottom of the screen is at eye level while you’re sitting.

•Eliminate “cable” TV. Make wallmounted plasma or LCD television more aesthetically appealing. Few things look worse than a flat panel television with cables dangling underneath. While most mounts enable hiding cords within the mount itself, others may not. In such instances, it’s often best to cut a hole in the wall behind the screen and snake the wires through the wall to the A/V gear. However, consult an electrician for such a job, as well as local building code which might prohibit running power cables inside a wall.

•Take your time. While it’s natural to want to get your flat panel television up and running as soon as possible, keep in mind that mounting typically takes a professional a couple of hours. Doityourselfers should set aside twice that amount of time.

This story is provided by State Point Media.