Go to Windows 7 Insider Guide
Community Newsletter: Q&A: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall
- 6/29/07 2:36 PM
mounting plasma
by radtech35 - 7/1/07 3:36 PM In reply to: Mounting Plasma TV by DJHRVVI am a 34 yo woman who is rather handy with tools and reading directions, the most important part! I assembled all hardware and with the help of my husband, mounted are 50" plasma to the wall. It was heavy as HECK! I have a philips and the hardest part was finding the correct mount. The ones that I found in most stores(including Costco, where I bought it) did not fit my TV. I ordered one from a store that sold only TV mounts for $80. I then mounted the horizontal part to the wall with the heavy duty bolts provided into studs and then mounted the vertical hangers on the back of my TV into the wholes that are built into the TV. We then lifted the 125 pounder onto the wall, where it has been for appx. 8 monts with no problems.
Placement of the TV is VERY important. We did hang ours a little to high, like 6 inches too high:( However, it really isn't that bad and I haven't had any neck aches, but I DO realize that it's too high
When we get a much smaller one for our bedroom, I know that I can do it. We did buy one that tilts so it was easy to hook up.
You DEFINITELY need 2 people to hand it, even if it is smaller than 50". Obviously, if you have zero or very limited experience with tools, then you shouldn't risk it, but if you don't have that problem, I would save my money, take my time, and do it yourself.
For those who say "don't bother" and hire someone, I say KNOW YOUR LIMITATIONS.
Healthy Juices
by healthyju - 4/29/09 2:02 PM In reply to: Mounting Plasma TV by DJHRVVAfter having loved the mango juice so much, I looked up nutritional information about the mango, and turns out it makes up very healthy juices. For example mango juice, as do most of all juices drinks, has not so many calories, zero fat, a little sugar and carbohydrates to give me an energy boost, and it is filled with Vitamin A, Vitamin C, Vitamin B, Potassium and many other important nutrients. Juices drinks have a lot more nutritional value than the regular coke I would drink or any carbonated drink.
More info at: http://healthyjuiceguide.com
tv show
by casanovajoe - 6/22/07 6:19 PM In reply to: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
add a member to your tv show for comments and questions.
Mounting the task of mounting a TV on the wall
by jimboman1952 - 6/22/07 6:41 PM In reply to: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
This is a job that someone w/ minimum skills can do in an hour easily (find a wall stud, drill a hole, tighten a bolt, etc.)!
There are a couple of kinds of mounts available. One mounts it so it doesn't move at all (not what I wanted). The next will tilt up or down (also not what I wanted). The one I DID choose was the articulated arm kind. It resembles a human arm, in that it can start out flush w/ the wall (for storage), swing out at the "shoulder" & the "elbow", w/ the "wrist" able to flex left, right, up and down to best optimize viewing. My flat panel can be 1/2", or 28" from the wall.
IMPORTANT!
1) Buy a mount that is rated for the weight/size of the TV. If it is rated for the weight... it will not fall off the wall! Don't under-buy! If yours weighs 60 lbs, and one says, "30-59 lbs" ($80), and one says, "50-80 lbs" ($120)... find $40 and spend it!
2) Mount it to a wall stud (these run every 16" or 24" up and down the walls of most homes. Use a stud finder... $6 (worth it!) You may have to comprimise the position you chose by 8"-12" left or right.
3) Pick a spot you can live w/ for awhile. You can move it easily enough, but you won't want to.
The one I got came w/ everything neccessary to do the job (except the tools). Socket wrench, crescent wrench, and a drill is all I used.
Find the stud, draw a vertical line down the center of it on the wall, hold the plate, or template (w/o articuleted arm or TV) on the wall, pencil the hole spots, drill holes half the screw body thickness (to prevent stud splitting, and ease tightening), bolt on plate, attach arm, attach TV, reattach wiring stuff (use a wire wrangler to keep 'em neat), and WHAM! BAM! Your Plasma is floating in thin air, an' yer watchin' Three Sheets in style!
Get a pro
by Improviz - 6/29/07 4:17 PM In reply to: Mounting the task of mounting a TV on the wall by jimboman1952My suggestion? Unless you are a contractor and a low-voltage wiring expert, get a pro to do it. Cable management is just one aspect. Most people mount their TV's WAY too high. You want it at just about eye level (middle of the screen) when you are sitting down to watch.
Don't be a n00b and put it 8 feet in the air over your fireplace, etc.
Where are you happier in the movies? Craning your neck up at the screen, or sitting a bit further back in a seat that puts you more at eye level?
One of the best reasons to get a pro is: if something gets screwed up, they will have to make it right. If you drop that TV or drill into a power line... well, if you're still around after your hair stops smoking, you will only have yourself to blame! LOL
Get A Pro (Comment)
by colonel05 - 6/30/07 5:17 AM In reply to: Get a pro by ImprovizI Strongly agree with the original poster. Many new homes in FL are built to withstand hurricanes. Walls are reinforced and one often has difficulty in attaching bolts to the walls. I started the project and found it to be difficult! Yes, I called a professional. It cost a bundle but with my limited skills & mounting equipment the price was relatively worth it. BTW: my plasma is a 43" Pioneer. Great product and now I am really enjoying the plasma TV.
how NOT to mount a plasma/LCD
by sanchez19 - 6/29/07 5:57 PM In reply to: Mounting the task of mounting a TV on the wall by jimboman1952so, does no-one recommend just slapping a load of glue on the back of the TV? Not any old glue of course, strong glue????
In all seriousness, thanks for some great tips which we'll be using over the weekend to mount our new TV, fingers crossed!
Try Gorilla Glue ?
by jtowle2001 - 6/30/07 7:28 AM In reply to: how NOT to mount a plasma/LCD by sanchez19Consider gorilla glue, it's great. It expands too, making it cover the back of the TV. Just put some newspaper on the floor to catch the dripping excess glue.
After using it on my TV, I was going to write to them and ask if they'd pay for me to build an entire home held together with no nails, no screws, just gorilla glue. I think the TV weighs less than a gorilla.
<<grin>>
4 Tips for hanging a panel TV from a pro.
by boxfresh151 - 6/29/07 6:31 PM In reply to: Mounting the task of mounting a TV on the wall by jimboman19521 NEVER, NEVER put a power cord in the wall. It IS a fire hazard, a real actual “can happen to you” fire hazard, and it can void your home owners insurance if there ever were a fire. If you don’t know how it install a power outlet then find a reasonably prized electrician. figure $75 to $150 bucks.
2 Have him (or her) put the standard outlet (not a recessed clock outlet) 2 or 3 inches below where you want the top of the TV panel. In other words you want the outlet above the mounting bracket but not sticking out from the top of the TV. I say above the bracket because you will most likely want to tilt the TV down and you will need the space for the cords and surge protector. Yes you need a surge protector.
3 Buy in-wall rated cables. They will have “CL2” or “CL3” printed on the side of the cable. I would get them online (bluejeanscable.com is dirt cheap) but Best Buy sells in-wall HDMI cords of the shelf. This will make your install NEC compliant.
4 I would recommend a low profile Sanus mount. Once the bracket is up test it out buy hanging off it before you trust your TV on it. A professionally installed full sized bracket will support the weight of two grown men. Expect nothing less.
Mounting Plasma TV
by not2worry - 6/22/07 6:58 PM In reply to: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
We bought a good plasma mount from Best Buy. They have several types depending on whether you want the TV to be stationary or pull it out and swivel it to various angles in the room.
The one thing you might want to keep in mind is hiding the TV'power line and any lines to the cable when you do the install. Before we installed the plasma mount we drilled a hole in the drywall for the lines and fished them down the drywall and drilled another hole close to the electrical and cable connection boxes. That way we did not have lines runnning down the room.
Also, before you mount your unit be sure you have it at the view height you want. Once it's installed it's there, unless you know how to repair drywall and have a desire to repaint your room.
You will also need to have good toggle bolts or a stud finder to make sure your mount is securely fastened to the wall.
If you are hooking into Cable you might want to upgrade to the best cable connector available to give you the best picture on your screen.
Having an "assistant" helps. This is usually a two person job. Make sure you got all your cables that you want connected to the TV before you mount, especially if it's a stationary mount.
Good luck! It's a reasonably simple job it you read the instructions and take your time. We mounted two of our plasmas and actually preferred the mount that has more mobility than the standard mount, but it's a matter of personal preference.
PS: You might also want to go on line to the mfg site and enter your model number. They sometimes have recommendations on what kind of mount is best for your particular model, since some plasmas do have rear attachment feautures.
Wall-mounting a Plasma TV: Do It Yourself
by billmarsano - 6/22/07 7:15 PM In reply to: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Your set's manufacturer has doubtless anticipated you and included wall-mount instructions in your original documentation (or has them online). Follow them with care!
Basic advice: Hang mount using Molly bolts or other "through-fasteners" of size sufficient to bear weight of TV + 25%. Under no circumstances use 'rawl plugs,' 'expansion shields,' plastic thingy-sleeves or ANYTHING that doesn't go all the way through the wall and lock in place from behind. You want absolutely security. Only through-fasteners provide it.
Details: Probably your wall is sheetrock (plasterboard) nailed to 2x4-inch vertical studs of wood or metal. Thump the wall with your fist every few horizontal inches. Sheetrock (p'board) walls thump solidly over studs and boom hollowly in-between. The studs will be 16" apart "on centers;" (i.e., 16" from center of one to center of next). Solid plaster walls--rare except in pre-WWII houses--sound and feel ROCK solid. After 3 or 4 thumps you'll be GLAD to stop thumping.
Now then: drill into the stud. The bit will penetrate p'board quickly but slow markedly on hitting wood (and sawdust will emerge when you withdraw the bit). BUT: if after penetrating p'board you come to a DEAD STOP, you've got steel studs.
For wooden studs, get screws of size recommended by mfr from your home depot. ALSO get a drill bit for a full-size pilot hole of the RIGHT size for the screw (consult w/home depot guy on this). Drill to the full length of the screw, lube screw threads w/candle wax or beeswax, and drive the screw home. It will hold like the dickens. Good idea: if using drill-driver, your screwdriver bit should have a 'sleeve' covering both head of bit and screw. It keeps bit from slipping out of the screw. Even easier: Philips-head screws (crosshead) or Robertsons (square 'slot').
Or, simply ignore the studs. Drill through the p'board and secure mounting with Molly bolts or other through-fasteners. (A Molly bolt opens like an old-time ship's anchor behind the p'board. It cannot be pulled out w/o destroying the wall.) Fasteners that use screw threads or friction to hold in plaster are NOT for heavy, expensive objects.
What if you have metal studs? It is possible to drill pilot holes and follow with "self-tapping sheet-medtal screws"--the sort of thing commonly used for heating ducts--but I disrecommend that.
Here's why:
You're an amateur. Wood screws and Mollys are fail-safe and sheet-metal screws are not. And drilling through steel studs, thin as they are, is a tedious pain; you'll ruin several bits out of sheer impatience.
Just so you know:
1. Pilot hole is imporant because it's almost impossible to drive a really big screw into solid wood. You'll rip the head off the screw or burn out your drill-driver.
2. Right SIZE is important because screws hold ONLY with their threads. (Unlike nails, which hold by friction.) Hole too big--not enough holding; insecure. Too small--hard to drive screw. Got it?
3. No wax? Soap's OK but it attracts moisture, which could lead to rust stains.
4. Practice on old scrap stuff in your garage if you can. You'll feel and do much better if you can reduce or eliminate "duffer's performance anxiety."
5. All of this makes sense and is easier to do than to describe.
What a GREAT IDEA! (really!)
by Cadillac84 - 7/2/07 6:15 AM In reply to: Wall-mounting a Plasma TV: Do It Yourself by billmarsanoYou said:
4. Practice on old scrap stuff in your garage if you can. You'll feel and do much better if you can reduce or eliminate "duffer's performance anxiety."
I say:
That's a really great idea!
The following is directed to the original question:
Go into your garage (if you have one) and stick up a piece of sheetrock scrap (you can buy scrap pieces at Lowe's/HD/any building supply store) and then practice hanging the set in the garage. Make all your "noob" mistakes out there and then do it "right" in the real place.
You can experiment with the idea someone offered of removing the sheetrock the whole width of the mount so that the mount is flush against the studs rather than against the sheetrock. If you get a tilt and swivel mount, you will like that the set ends up closer to the wall, but the tilt/swivel may not work -- you'll get to make sure.
You can bring a chair into the garage and see if you like the height you selected. Lots of good outcomes from doing that. If you lube the threads of the woodscrews with beeswax, you can remove them and use them again.
Don't have any beeswax? Go to a downtown church (Episcopal or R.C.) and ask to speak with someone from the Altar Guild. Any time a Mass is on the schedule, the Altar Guild will be represented. They will be using 51% beeswax candles and they will have lots and lots of "stubs" which the candle company reclaims for $x.xx per pound. I can tell you that x.xx is a very small number; they'll be happy to give you a couple of stubs and you only need one. 
Don't have a garage? Too bad! Maybe a walk-in storage room or unfinished "bonus room"?
One respondent said (approx): "the fact that you asked means you don't know what you're doing, so hire a pro." I suggest the opposite: "the fact that you asked means you will look over the advice carefully and do a good job."
In any event, good luck!
Attaching plasma TV
by mulineum1 - 6/22/07 7:47 PM In reply to: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I have been thinking about your question about attaching your 42" plasma tv to the wall, and have a couple of ideas that may work.
The first one is to look and see if there are any slots in the back to allow you to hook the tv to the wall, if there is the best way is to find the studs in the wall and if they are far enough away from each other that you can hit two of them (you'll be lucky if there are two studs to make contact with), then you will have to get four screws (one for each of the slots on the back of the tv) and a drill and drill bit (a little smaller then the screws). Then you will have to do some measuring, measure how far the slots are from each other and how far in the slots from the edge of the outside of the tv. Make sure you know where you want to put it on the wall, then mark with a pencil your first hole that you will be drilling, then take a level and measure off where the second top hole will go, use the level to make sure the second hole is level from the first hole, and continue to measure where the other holes are going to be and make sure all of them are level from one another. Now drill the holes with the drill and drill bit, then put the screws into the studs and make sure to leave enough of the screw head out to attach to the slots in you tv.
Now would be a good time to have a friend there, both of you take an end of the tv and attach the slots in the back of the tv to the screw heads.
The other way I was thinking of is you do the same as above except you use toggle bolts if you can't find the studs and have to put it into the wallboard instead.
I hope this has helped you out.
Plasma Advice
by SteveP55419 - 6/22/07 8:06 PM In reply to: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
Hi Tom -- I'm going to throw my two cents in here and try to talk you out of putting the TV on the wall.
Unless you have a very large living room with lots of fine architectural features, your TV is going to be an important focal point. Focal points need to be dressed up -- framed, if you will. Take the fireplace, for example. Most people place a nice picture, a mirror or a wall hanging above their fireplace. This enhances the focal point and makes your room look nicely composed. Imagine a fireplace with a bare wall above it. Ugh.
If you put your TV on the wall and don't dress it up by putting something of a similar scale underneath it (like a side table) its going to look quite ungainly. It will make your room look off-balanced. The bad news here is that, unless you are willing to sacrifice decorating sense, you really can't save the floor space that you say you need because SOMETHING needs to be beneath your TV and that something is going to take up that space.
So here's my point: since you need to put something underneath your TV, why go to the bother of putting it on the wall in the first place?
Assuming you now have one of those ghastly brushed aluminum and glass stands, I would suggest putting it on Craig's List (amidst the thousands of others -- nobody likes them) and then go out and find a nice one that will blend with the rest of your furniture. Don't get one of those boxy ones that encloses the TV in a cabinet and makes your room look like a warehouse. Get the console variety. Find one that sits low so that the TV is as close to eye level as possible. Get a potted palm or something to place along side.
Unless you want your living room to resemble the customer lounge at a car dealership, I would suggest taking quite a few deep breaths before buying the stuff you need to mount your TV on the wall. Look at some decorating magazines and take your time.
Maybe more than you can chew
by Purplehayss - 6/22/07 8:08 PM In reply to: Tips on how to get that plasma TV mounted on the wall by Lee Koo (ADMIN)
I used to install home theaters, hanging the plasma is fairly simple but the way you have asked this question leads me to believe that you may be better off having someone install it. Just so you can have an idea first you need to get the mounting kit, they have universal ones and most will work just fine. You would need to mount the backing plate on the studs in your wall. This is the simple part. The real problems come in when you want it to look good, assuming you have everything level, the next professional look you would be going for is no visible wires. This means wall fishing all of the wires so your TV has the appearance of a picture frame. If you feel comfortable with all of the audio and video cables, I would still recommend you have an electrician put an outlet behind where you want the TV so you don't have the power cord coming off of your TV like a neon sign at a bar. These all can be very simple, but things can get hairy. Are you mounting this TV on a fire wall, is there plumbing in that wall, will you miss the electrical wiring in the wall, and most importantly is this the last time I am going to move this room around, remember, once you mount the TV you have to do this everytime you move it. I hope this has helped you understand what is involved with mounting a flat panel TV, oh and I forgot IR repeaters if you want to hide the rest of your components like the cable/sat box or dvd player.
| Forum legend: | |
 |
Locked thread |
 |
Moderator |
 |
CNET staff |
 |
Samsung staff |
 |
Norton Authorized Support team |
 |
AVG staff |
 |
Windows Outreach team |
 |
Dell staff |
 |
Intel staff |
