Design Guide:
DIY Plasma TV Installation
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Does the thought of completing a Plasma TV installation yourself scare you to the point you feel you need to hire a professional? Well...it shouldn't! With a little bit of proactive planning and applying some level of common sense, you can do this yourself fairly easily and avoid the exorbitant costs charged by your national retailer or local contractor. While this is certainly dependent upon the aesthetic look you're trying to achieve in your home theater as well as contraints you're faced with (such as a finished room), a basic Plasma television installation can be accomplished about as easy as hanging a shelf or a picture.
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The information we're going to provide to you assumes that you will be installing your Plasma (can be applied to LCD TV installations, as well) on a wall using some sort of wall mount product. We won't be covering stand mounts (not much to say, right?) or ceiling mounts (not a widely used approach in typical home theater environments).
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Let's get started...
Planning
If you've read through our site, you'll notice that planning is always at the top of our list. Want a recipe for failure or mediocrity? Don't plan. Now -- want a recipe for success? Make sure you've put some thought into what you want to achieve both short- and long-term and you'll hit the ground running on the right foot. A successful Plasma TV installation depends on it.Specifically, the location where you plan to put your television is very important. Why? Because it ties so closely with the view of your guests. Remember, the size of the image source affects the position of your seating. The larger the television, the farther the distance the seating should be from the TV. You also want the television to be installed at a reasonable height -- preferably directly in the line of sight of your viewing audience. Hence, these things could affect the location of the TV and the characteristics of the TV could be impacted by the location. You need to balance these things with your overall objectives.
Product Purchase Considerations
Basically, two types of mounting systems are available on the market: fixed and tilt/swivel. For the most part, the selection you make between these two is merely a matter of personal preference. A tilt/swivel model provides you with some additional flexibilty in terms of how the television can be viewed at various locations in your room, but not much more. This is especially important if you're planning on installing the TV higher on the wall, such as above a fireplace. Additionally, tilt/swivel models also carry a heftier price tag. Regardless, your Plasma TV installation won't be affect much either way you go.If you've purchased or intend to purchase an expensive TV, then contemplate this: why mount an expensive TV with an inferior mount? More expensive doesn't always mean better, but often you do typically get what you pay for.
Make sure that the cables you purchase to connect your components are long enough (and have enough slack) to run from one to the other. Don't forget to consider the types of connections your TV and home theater components support so you can optimize performance (and obviously to ensure you get something that is compatible).
Look for a wall mount that has some sort of safety feature for ensuring the TV stays securely fastened. This is even more important for larger televisions.
Lastly, be sure to read as many product reviews as you can before you buy. You can quickly and easily tap into valuable information on various retailer websites that will help you to understand the ease of installation, quality of the product, and user-friendliness of the supplied instructions.
A Simple Piece of Advice
Both your TV and your mount will come with installation instructions. Read them carefully! And use the information presented here to supplement your Plasma TV installation.Continue reading the next page (link to page 2 below) to see what tools you'll need to do the job right, what installation options you have to choose from, and other do-it-yourself considerations.
If you've already got some tips to share, visit the section below before you navigate to the next page. If not, you'll have another opportunity to jump back here at the end of the next page.
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Do You Have a Tip to Contribute About Plasma TV Installations?
Have you recently installed a Plasma or LCD television and have tips or other considerations you'd like to share with others? Perhaps you can suggest ways to make the process easier? Or recommend a mounting kit you've used?
We welcome your thoughts and ideas and would love for you to share them with us!
Home Theater Plasma TV Installation → Design Guide.
