Flat Panel Television

  
 
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Flat panel televisions have made it possible to have a television in your living room or other rooms without having to deal with an ugly looking television. With the added benefit off being able to mount your flat panel television to the wall, flat panel televisions can now represent a piece of art rather than an ugly eyesore. Flat-panel TVs offer some of the best pictures available, plus a sleek design that looks great in almost any décor. Their slender shape and light weight make them ideal for wall mounting.

LCD stands for liquid crystal display. You can think of them as liquid crystals squeezed between two pieces of glass. You can find LCD screens which can range in size from a 15 inch desktop model all the way up to a 70 inch big screen model. An LCD flat panel TV has several advantages over Plasma televisions. LCD's work very well in both darkly or brightly lit rooms which can be a real plus. LCD's offer a slightly higher resolution than plasmas and they also have an anti-glare aspect which is why they are superior in bright rooms. The cost of an LCD TV is also much less prohibitive for the smaller models. A long term advantage of an LCD is that they use less electricity than Plasmas and they also have a longer lifespan.

The plasma screen, as the name suggest is made of a formulation of minute gas plasma cells that are charged by electrical voltages which create a picture. The size of plasma TVs are usually 42 to 70 inches. Larger sizes are available, but at a premium price. With a Plasma TV, you get a wider viewing angle and the off-angle color is much better than that of LCD television. With a Plasma screen TV, you get exceptionally high quality levels of brightness and contrast due to is deeper shades of black. One of the biggest advantages plasmas screen TVs have over LCDs is the price of the larger screen models.

So if you are still not sure which flat panel TV is best for you, consider the following. If you are looking for a 50 inch or larger screen television than plasma screen model is probably the best choice because you can get the most for your money. For models less than 42 inches the LCD may be the best choice because they look great and their prices are getting better every year.

Height- Ideally, the middle of your TV screen needs to be at about eye level while you're seated. You'll want to be comfortable while watching TV, and mounting it too high can result in neck strain. Plus, you'll probably see the best-looking picture when you view your TV head-on, rather than at an angle. However, lots of folks find that mounting their TV that way looks too low, and move the TV up so that the middle of the screen is around standing eye level. If you do opt for a higher mount, try adjusting your seating to compensate. Move your couch further back so that you don't have to look up at such a steep angle, or recline when you're watching TV. You might also consider using a tilting wall mount to angle the TV down — you'll see a better-looking picture when you view the screen straight on, rather than at an angle.

Screen glare- Sit in your favorite TV-watching spot and look at the place on the wall where you plan to mount your TV. Is there light reflecting off that area? If so, is it something fixable (by closing the curtains, or by moving a lamp)? Screen glare can be distracting, and detract from an otherwise beautiful picture, so be aware of potential sources of glare. A tilting or swiveling mount can also help you cut down on glare, by allowing you to angle the TV's screen away from the light source.

Selecting a Wall Mount-Most TVs don't come with their own mounting hardware, so you'll have to purchase it separately. If you haven't already purchased your wall-mounting bracket, check out our tips below on picking out the right fit for your TV. 

  • Check your TV's owner's manual for mounting guidelines. Some models require use of a specific bracket, but most models are compatible with a number of brackets that follow VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) standards. You'll see the word "VESA" followed by a number, which tells you how far apart the holes on the bracket or TV are in millimeters. For example, VESA 75 means that there are 4 holes in a square, and each side of the square is 75mm long. VESA 100/200 means that the holes are in a rectangle, with two sides measuring 100mm and two sides measuring 200mm. You should be able to find that information in the owner's manual, or you can measure the holes yourself to determine which VESA standard fits your TV. Many mounting brackets are compatible with more than one VESA standard, so finding one to fit your TV won't be difficult.
  • Always check the screen sizes that the bracket says it can hold, and stay within the appropriate range. You should also to check the maximum weight a bracket can hold and make sure that it can support your TV.
  • Think about what you want your bracket to be able to do. Do you want to be able to swivel the TV left and right to avoid glare, or get a better view from different seats? Do you want to be able to nudge your TV up and down in case you don't get the bracket exactly where you want it the first time? There are lots of options out there, so keep such conveniences in mind.

 

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