Installing a Flat Panel TV
The shallow profile of Flat Panel TV's open up variety of mounting options, including wall and ceiling mounts, or table top and wall stands. Before you fix your pride and joy in place, spare a thought about the optimum viewing location and how you want it mounted.
Consider where you will put your Flat Panel TV
Do not lie the Flat Panel tv screen flat. Keep it upright at all times, even in the car during the journey home.
| Diagonal Screen Size |
Viewing Distance From Screen |
|---|---|
| 36 cm (14 inches) | 72 cm |
| 51 cm (20 inches) | 102 cm |
| 68 cm (27 inches) | 136 cm |
| 80 cm (32 inches) | 160 cm |
| 93 cm (37 inches) | 186 cm |
| 106 cm (42 inches) | 318 cm |
| 119 cm (47 inches) | 357 cm |
| 140 cm (55 inches) | 420 cm |
| 155 cm (61 inches) | 465 cm |
| 165 cm (65 inches) | 495 cm |
The low level of reflection from modern flat panel designs generate less glare than curved CRT TV's, and the relative brightness of Plasma and LCD technology outperforms Rear Projection TV's and Projectors in brightly lit rooms. Despite these advantages, even the best Flat Panel designs can be affected by glare from direct sunlight or overhead lights. If you don't plan on using curtains or blinds to block sunlight coming through a window, determine where the sun comes in and how it moves throughout the day before fixing your Flat Panel in place. If possible, place your couch where the sun hits the wall and your TV on the opposite side of the room.
As mentioned in the Plasma and LCD buying guides, it is important to buy the right size TV for your room. The rule of thumb is that your minimum viewing distance from the TV should be no more than 2-3 times the diagonal screen width. The higher resolution of High Definition TV's mean that you can generally sit a little closer. See our guide for a comparison of viewing distances to TV size:
Mounting Options
Unfortunately, a Flat Panel TV won't stand up by itself, so you will need to decide which of the various stand and mounting options are best for you. You will need to balance the desire for protection provided by a permanent mount, with the flexibility in room layout that comes with a stand. Don't forget to include the cost of a mount and professional installation in your budget if required.
Wall Mount
Most manufacturers provide a wall mounting bracket as an optional extra, and some third party models are available if needed. Standard wall mounts mean your Flat Panel TV sits on the wall where it is hung and cannot be moved, a swivel arm mount lets you swing your Flat Panel TV from side to side for better viewing from different angles and a tilting wall mount is ideal if you want to hang your Flat Panel TV above eye-level and angle it down (i.e. works well if you want to watch TV in bed.)
A standard flat wall mount is relatively easy to install yourself, with the mounting bracket adding around 5cm (to accommodate cables, etc.) to the depth of your Flat Panel. Installing a swivel arm mount or a tilting wall mount is a little more difficult and adds a little bit more to the depth of your Flat Panel than a standard flat wall mount.
Ceiling Mount
A ceiling mount allows you to hang your Flat Panel TV from the roof, and is a good option if you don't have sufficient wall space or table top space for your Flat Panel. Installing a ceiling mount is tricky (not all ceilings can support a Flat Panel without additional reinforcement) and is best left to a qualified professional. The store where you made your purchase may be able to put you in touch with a professional installer. Ceiling mounts are most commonly produced by third party manufacturers, and usually provide a hollow space in the mounting spar to hide the audio/video and power cables.
A ceiling mount generally means that your TV will be several meters from the digital set top box and other associated equipment, and depending on the type of cables used, this can be a problem for the picture quality. Consult with your store or professional installer about the type and grade of cables required, as lower quality cables may have no appreciable impact on signal quality over lengths of a meter or so, while producing undesirable results over longer lengths.
Table Top Stand
A table top stand connects to the bottom of your Flat Panel TV and allows you to sit your Flat Panel TV on a table, desk or entertainment cabinet. Usually, the manufacturer of your Flat Panel TV will also sell a matching table top stand as an accessory, but there third party models available if required. The installation of a table top stand is generally straightforward and shouldn't require a professional. However, if your store offers free installation it's certainly easier to leave the hassle to someone else.
Fix the locking strap on the table top stand in place to prevent the Flat Panel from tipping.
Because of their relatively small footprint, table top stands don't provide a great deal of stability. Under general circumstances they will keep your TV upright, but the high height and narrow profile of these designs makes them vulnerable to tipping if knocked or pulled. Coupled with the considerable weight of the larger Flat Panels, this instability can make them a threat to small children and pets. Many panel and stand designs allow the unit to be fixed in place with a screw or strap to prevent the TV from tipping forward to the point where it becomes unbalanced. Remember to fix your flat panel in place to reduce the risk of disaster.
Floor Stand
A floor stand allows you to mount your Flat Panel TV as a free-standing unit, free from other furniture. Both manufacturer and third party models are available, but floor stands tend to be more common with some of the high-end models, where cutting edge aesthetics go hand in hand with a hefty price tag. Most floor stands allow the cables to be hidden in the support column. This avoids the need for a table or other kinds of mounts, and is a good option for entertainment or outdoor displays, or if you can't drill into walls or ceilings.
Floor stands aren't appropriate for areas with small children. Keep in mind that fitting the Flat Panel to a floor stand is generally a two person job.
Doing It Yourself
Flat Panels are relatively light when compared to an equivalent CRT TV, but they're still heavy enough to pull themselves out of the wall if not installed correctly - which is expensive and dangerous, as well as just plain embarrassing for you as they're not designed to bounce. Before beginning, check your insurance policy to confirm if you will still be covered for damage to the TV if you perform the installation yourself. The manufacturers warranty certainly won't cover you if the TV pulls itself out of the wall with the bracket still attached (to the TV that is, not the wall...). Don't take on the installation job if your skills are not up to it, and if in doubt, consult a professional.
If you still think doing it yourself is the best option, you need to choose the location where the Flat Panel will be fixed to the wall. To some degree this may be dictated by the wall's construction - is it concrete, brick or plasterboard? Installed properly, concrete and brick will provide the most secure mount, but if you are dealing with plasterboard you will need to find the underlying stud (plasterboard by itself will not hold your Flat Panel).
Once the mount is secured on the wall it is a good idea to pull hard (be careful) on the mount to ensure it is firmly in place before you attach the Flat Panel.
Next, using the dimensions or template provided with the mounting bracket, measure carefully the exact location of the mount and it's screws. If you are dealing with plasterboard you will need to find the stud(s) you will be attaching the mounting bracket to. If you don't already have one, purchasing a stud finder from a hardware store is a good idea, as when you are dealing with something this delicate and expensive knocking on the wall isn't the most accurate way to locate the stud. Next, determine how high you want your Flat Panel to be. For standard flat wall mounts and swivel arm mounts this is usually eye-level when seated, whereas tilted mounts are usually placed higher than eye-level and tilted down. It's a good a idea to stop at this point and confirm that the mount position is in the right spot when viewed from your couch, etc.
Once you have measured where the mount will be placed, using a pencil, mark a drilling guide for each screw and use a spirit level to ensure the screw positions are horizontal. The old builders saying of "measure twice, drill once" definitely applies here, as it's hard to correct mistakes later. Drill holes in the wall to start off the screws, screw the screws into the wall (using thick gauge screws) and attach the mount to the screws. Once the mount is secured to the wall and it is straight (check again with the spirit level), ensure that the mounting bracket is firmly attached. Finally, attach your Flat Panel to the mounting bracket. Though Flat Panel TV's are lighter than CRT TV's, they are still heavy so have another person on hand to help move the panel in place.
When installing in-wall cables, consider purchasing quad-shield or 'Bonded Foil + 95% Braid' cables to prevent interference from electrical and telephone wires.
Lastly, you may want to think about hiding the cables that come out of you Flat Panel. If you have a concrete or brick wall think about using white tubing to hide your cables or if you want to run them through the wall this is a little tricker and may need the assistance of an electrician. If you have a plasterboard wall you can cut or drill a hole in the wall behind your TV and run your cables through the wall. You will then need to cut another hole where you want your cables to come out. Once both holes are cut, thread the cables through the wall and fish them out through the second hole. Also, be aware of the future as it might be worth while running HDMI/DVI cables through the wall even if you are not using them today. Some time now may save you more time later as this new technology will be on our doorstep soon.
Now sit back and enjoy the viewing experience!