Big, wide screen, high definition TV sets are becoming more and more popular in the home, for many reasons. With the price of going to a movie so high when you factor in the price for gas, parking, and snacks, a lot of people are choosing to watch movies at home and want quality approaching that of a projected movie in a theater. Also, more and more programming is now in high definition, and people are increasingly likely to have high definition video cameras and blu-ray DVD players. The old small, boxy, squarish TV sets just don’t cut it for viewing HD and movies.
A few years ago there were three main types of widescreen TVs to choose from: Rear projection, LCD, and plasma. But today the bulky rear projection TVs are rapidly declining in availability, so the choice is between LCD and plasma. Both are very slender front to back and have their advantages, but the plasma sets are still the best for overall image quality and smoothest motion, and are available in the largest sizes, while also being less expensive than LCD for their size. Also, they used to not be as bright as LCD sets, and had problems with pixel “burn in” leaving ghosts on the screen, but that is changing. Especially if you want to watch blu-ray movies or sports events like football, plasma is you best choice.
Plasma TVs are heavy, so when you purchase one, you need to have a way to get it off the ground. A mounting bracket for the wall is the best solution. Wall brackets for plasma TV sets are a less bulky display solution than putting the set on a cabinet or other piece of furniture, and many allow you to easily pivot your TV from side to side. The main issues to deal with are making sure the wall is strong enough to support the TV, and hiding the wires, which if at all possible you don’t want to have dangling down in full view.
Mounting brackets are designed for different types of walls and TV sizes. Make sure you get one that fits both your TV and wall type. If the TV will be mounted on a stud wall you can put the wires in the space behind the drywall. This would involve quite a bit of effort but looks great. The other alternative is to use a conduit that you hide the wires behind. If you are going that route, get the conduit at the same time that you purchase the mounting bracket.
If you are mounting on a stud wall it is critical for the screws to go into a stud, not just the wallboard. Use a level, and big screws such as #14 inch and half screws. If hiding the cables behind the wall, drill a hole for them behind where the TV will be. If you have another type of wall such as cement, you will need to follow the instructions that come with the mount. Good luck!