There are great benefits to mounting your television on the wall. Not only will you have more space in the room, but you can also avoid the expense of buying furniture just to sit your television on.
Fixed or Slim
This is a low-profile, fixed bracket which essentially mounts your TV like a photo frame. There is usually no movement, but some models do allow for a small 5-degree forwards tilt.
Tilting
These brackets allow a forwards tilt of up to 15 degrees, which is ideal if you need to adjust the face of the screen to compensate for glare from a window or light source. The ability to tilt your television can also be helpful when watching TV in bed or sitting on the couch, or if you choose to mount your screen higher on the wall. Many tilting brackets also tilt upwards, which can make it a lot easier to plug in cables.
Full Motion
These brackets have an arm or arms, allowing you to extend the bracket away from the wall and swivel it left/right. This is handy for pointing the screen towards your viewing position. Most full motion brackets also include the option of forwards tilt.
Corner Brackets
The perfect option if you want to mount your TV in a corner, which is a popular choice for people who don't have wall space available due to a doorway, window, fireplace or other obstacle. These brackets typically come with a longer single arm, which is designed to be positioned in the corner of the room. A corner bracket should not be pulled in and out frequently, but rather the arm is used to get the perfect viewing position for your screen and then left in that position.
It's important to know the size and the weight of your TV, and the distance between the mounting points (VESA Pattern) at the back of your television. All brackets have specifications based on size and weight of what will be attached to it. Armed with this information, you can now start narrowing down the models that suit your need. For example, my TV is a 50 inch LCD. I want to be able to view it from my dining table which is offset in the room, but sometimes I may want to view it in the kitchen, too, which is on the opposite side. I decide to use a dual arm full motion bracket, so I can angle the TV left and right, based on where I am in the room at the time. It is rated for up to 110kg, so I know from my TV specs, that this bracket will be more than enough for my need.
Whether you have a small TV in your kitchen or bathroom, or an enormous screen in your family room, a wall bracket is a great way to not only improve your viewing, but is a fantastic design element giving you extra space in your home.
Read the instructions
As with all kinds of equipment, from your new digital camera to your microwave, if you don't read the instructions, you will not get the most out of your device. The same goes for mounting brackets. If you presume how it works, chances are high that you'll mess it up. We cannot stress this enough: read the instructions. Also make sure you read them before starting your install, not after you've already gone half way through and figured out that something's not quite right!
Don't try to do it alone
You will need the help of a second person. An extra pair of arms can help you position the mount, drill, hold the level and help lift the TV... and then tell you how good you are when you've finished!
Always know what's in your wall
What's behind your wall? You need to know if behind your plasterboard is timber, bricks or steel framework. This will not only affect your choice of wall fastener but also the placement of the screen. If it is timber or steel frame you will need a stud finder to work out where it is going to hang. You will also need to sort out if there are any hidden power cables in the area you are planning to mount so you can be sure to miss them as well. The results could be disastrous if you drill into live cables. Take care here!
Always use a spirit level
It is near impossible to get a screen level without one. Although it sounds very obvious, it happens a lot more than you would think. There can be nothing worse than walking into a room dominated by a huge screen and noticing that it's uneven. It's very noticeable!
Don't hang it too high
This is also very common. Your screen should be positioned so that when you are sitting down to watch, the eyes of the characters are level with yours. Luckily most directors go with a rule of thirds, so this can make it easier for you to figure out. If you were to divide your screen horizontally into three, the top line of the two should be at your eye height when sitting in your viewing position. A few centimetres each way won't make a big difference, but don't be tempted to raise it when you are mounting it. It may feel low when you are standing up looking at it, but once you have settled back in your comfy chair it will be perfect.
Please remember that your screen is an expensive (and possibly heavy) bit of equipment so requires a strong, solid support. If you feel like you're not too sure on hanging it, we recommend hiring a pro to hang it for you. They do this every day, so will be quick and accurate, saving you lots of time and stress.
If you are still a little unsure which style to go for, check out our full range of TV wall brackets.
Selby Acoustics has become one of Australia's largest online retailers of TV brackets. Together with over 2000 other products, our brackets are available from our two retail stores in Victoria (Hallam and Geelong) as well as Australia-wide with fast free shipping via www.selby.com.au.
For phone orders, expert advice and more information on TV brackets, contact the Selby team on 1800 692 225.
