Flatpanel Mounts Technology Showcase
May 3, 2011 2:41 PM,
by Bennett Liles
Along with the ever-widening market for flatpanel displays of various types, there has come the inevitable expansion of mounts, arms, and accessory mechanisms for the displays. As prices have come down and screen sizes have increased, mounting hardware has grown more muscular and varied in design to suit the explosion of flatscreen monitor applications and environments. Manufacturers have met the challenge to hold weight to a minimum while increasing weight ratings and incorporating ingenious ways of blending the mounts into existing architecture. Digital signage applications have seen new durability and all-weather designs, while home theater mounts are built into in a wide range of furniture items, some motorized. Monitor wall and command center mounting solutions now see an unprecedented level of modularity, customization options, and cable management designs. Here we have a look at the latest array of mounting hardware devices for flatpanel monitors.
AFC Z500 WM
AFC Industries offers a wide range of wall mount solutions for flatpanel monitors including the AFCZ series arms with a variety of arm lengths. Models include one- and two-arm variants with arm lengths of 4in., 6in., or 8in., making the total length anywhere from 12in. to 20in. Each model features a VESA 75/100 mounting plate and one, two, or three 180-degree swivel joints. The monitor attachment can swivel up to 270 degrees, and the loading limit is 25lbs. The arms, finished in flat gray, have wire management holders on the bottom, and they can be mounted to a pipe extending upward from a 90-degree wall bracket.
Avteq UM-1T
One of the more popular mounts from Avteq is the UM-1T, which mounts flat against a wall and has two locking vertical mounting brackets that can slide and vary the distance between them to accommodate 32in. to 65in. displays with the ability to tilt vertically up to 15 degrees. The unit includes mounting hardware and has a 280lb. monitor weight capacity. For mounting two flatscreens side by side, the VMPU-100L offers solid steel construction and a load capacity of up to 350lbs. Optional extras include the ACS-200 for mounting a camera or set-top system above the screens and the PS-50 shelf, which allows mounting equipment below the display screens. The CM-2T and CM-2TL can be used to ceiling-mount two monitors 26in. to 32in. and 32in. to 52in. respectively. The monitors are arranged back to back and can tilt -5 to +15 degrees. The brackets are VESA-400×600-compliant.
Cheetah APDAM2
Made of 30lbs. of high-grade steel, the APDAM2 from Cheetah Mounts offers a flat profile of 4.25in. from the 1/8in.-thick wall plate to the back of the display and can be extended out to 21in. from the wall. Once mounted, the screen can tilt ±20 degrees and the base can be supported by studs up to 17in. apart. The unit will support flatscreen models up to 63in. and 165lbs. The wall plate provides a large center hole for cable pass-through and the mount will swivel up to about 150 degrees depending on the size of the display. To prevent inadvertent separation of the display from the mount, dual TV locking screws are provided.
Chief PXRU
The PXRU automated swing arm from Chief is an electrically operated wall mount system that is capable of RS-485 serial and infrared control. The model handles flatpanel displays from 32in. to 65in. weighing up to 165lbs., and it offers horizontal swivel up to 45 degrees in either direction along with a maximum down tilt of 12 degrees and maximum display thickness of 4.25in. The mounting surface can extend from 4.5in. to 27in. from the wall. The infrared remote control includes four position presets and the mount structure includes an integrated cable management system. The mount extends at .75in. per second, pans at 4.5in. per second, and tilts at 3in. per second. Power consumption in motion is 85W and less than 2W in standby.
Da-Lite TWM-2000
Equipped with a rail-mounting system to accommodate flatscreen models with mounting holes from 0.2in. to 62in. apart horizontally and up to 20.5in. apart vertically, the PWM-AR1 articulating mount from Da-Lite will hold displays up to 130lbs. The unit offers 20 degrees of tilt and can hold the display up to 29in. from the wall. The articulating arms are 1″x2″ 14-gauge rectangular steel tubing welded to solid steel pivots. Accessories include the WB-100 recessed wall box, which allows the arm assembly to be hidden when not in use. The TWM-2000 thin wall mount features two mounting brackets that slide along a wall channel. Composed of 14- and 16-gauge steel, the mount can tilt forward up to 15 degrees.
Draper FSL-F-50
The FSL-F-50 flatscreen lift from Draper is designed to raise a plasma or LCD monitor from inside a custom-designed piece of furniture to a full viewing position on top. Intended for displays up to 50in. diagonal size with a maximum weight of 210lbs., the unit is only 31.75in. high when in the stored position, but can extend to 148 percent of its stored height at a rate of 1.26in. per second. The mechanism can be optionally controlled through RS-232/IR operation. When in motion, the unit’s 24V motor slows to creep mode as it approaches the full up and full down positions, and it can be customized with an adjustable height limit. Mounting is done with a universal bracket, and the whole unit measures only 4in. thick. Electrical overload protection is included along with a bottom shelf that can accommodate a strip of matching material to cover the opening when the display is up in viewing position.
For mounting flatscreen displays weighing up to 75lbs. in hard to reach areas, the LC4X4DS2 articulating wall mount from Lucasey Manufacturing has holes to fit VESA-400×400, -400×300, and -400×200 patterns. Triple pivot points enable the back of the mounted display to hug the wall with as little as 3.2in. protrusion and be pulled out to a maximum distance of 25in. Designed to attach to 16in. wall studs, the unit can provide a vertical tilt of 45 degrees up and down. The wall attachment plate has a large center opening for wall cuts and wiring to pass through. The mount is available in either black or silver finish. Accessories include the LCAPDVD for hanging equipment below the monitor, WMATB6 toggle bolt kit for metal studs, and WMAAB6 concrete anchor bolt kit.
The VisionFrame video monitor wall from Middle Atlantic Products is equipped with VESA-compliant flatpanel mounts that can be arranged into walls up to 13ft., 3in. high and unlimited width. Available in free-standing and desk mount models, the unit is made of 6005-T5 aluminum extrusions finished in a durable black powder coat and it can support ten to 80in. monitors. The mounts are pre-assembled for easy installation and the heavy-duty floor supports bolt down and include levelers. Hidden horizontal and vertical cable channels completely conceal cabling and provide solid support while AC power strips clip easily to the rear beam. A unique hook system on the supports eliminates the need for measurements and speeds assembly.
OmniMount IQ200T
The OmniMount IQ200T goes easy on the back of the display, avoiding metal-to-metal contact by using padded rail hooks for 37in. to 63in. flatpanel displays. Supporting weight up to 200lbs., the mechanism provides a tilt from -5 degrees up to +15 degrees, and it is universal and VESA-compliant from 100×200 up to 400×600. Intended for double-stud mounting, the unit provides sliding lateral on-wall adjustment and a Lift n’ Lock feature for quick and easy installation. End caps cover the locking hardware for an aesthetically pleasing side view. The LEDP75 full-motion flatpanel mount offers a special dual-mode installation for on-wall or in-wall flush mounting. The unit can handle up to 75lbs., and it provides ArmGlide motion of 11.35in. lateral travel. The finish is brushed anodized aluminum.
Flatpanel Mounts Technology Showcase
May 3, 2011 2:41 PM,
by Bennett Liles
Peerless IM760PU
Peerless covers a range of mounting options with two models in their extensive line. The PLCM-UNL straight column ceiling mount features 0- to 20-degree adjustable tilt and 360-degree swivel capability. The mount is suspended from a standard 1 1/2in. 11.5 NPT schedule 40 pipe, and it can handle a load of up to 200lbs. Included are theft resistant security fasteners attaching the screen to the mount. For in-wall mounting applications, the IM760PU provides 19in. of pull-out distance for big displays up to 71in. The wall box mounts between 16in. stud centers, and it has removable gang box and cable management access plates on the top and bottom. Stud locating tabs adjust 1/4in. left or right to aid in precise positioning. The finish is scratch-resistant fused epoxy available in high-gloss black or silver.
Premier Mounts AM300
A wide variety of mounting solutions is fielded by Premier Mounts including the P4263F low-profile mount for flatpanels up to 63in. Equipped with adjustment points for both horizontal and vertical tweaking, the unit holds the back of the display less than 1in. from the wall, and it has a huge open area on the wall bracket for passage of cabling. It can also handle two displays side by side. When the mount is fitted on the SHLF-VE, the height is adjustable in increments of 1.3in. and there are shelves available for mounting equipment above or below the display. The AM300 swing-out mount for displays up to 68in. includes cable management and adjustable tension on swivel points. The mount extends from 4in. to 26in. from the wall and allows up to 15 degrees of tilt adjustment. The Premier line is extended with the AM50 VESA swing-out mount for displays up to 37in. and the AM80 swing-out mount for flatpanels up to 47in.
Sanus VXF220
With a design clean enough for the living room and tough enough for outdoor deployment, the VXF220-B1 all-weather, full-motion mount from Sanus Systems features a weight capacity up to 200lbs. for displays from 42in. to 75in. Cables are concealed by FollowThru in-arm channels and QuickConnect system allows the mounting head to snap into the arm assembly and unlock with the push of a tab. ProSet after mounting adjustments allow fine tuning of height and leveling. The wall plate has mounting holes to accommodate 16in. or 24in. studs, and the all-weather steel hardware comes in a black finish.
SnapAV SM-CS-ART2-L
Easy installation greets users of the SM-CS-ART2-L Strong Contractor series universal articulating mount for large displays. SnapAV designed the unit to allow quick attachment of the arms to displays up to 63in. The display then hangs on the mounting extension with 180-degree swivel and 15-degree tilt. When fully folded, the whole mechanism extends only 4 7/8in. from the wall. Wire management covers are built into the arms, and multiple bolt slots in the back plate allow a horizontal shift up to 6in. The unit is VESA-compliant at 200×100 and 200×200 up to 800×600. The structure is stamped steel and can hold a maximum display weight of 150lbs.
Spectrum TXCMK201-S
For bedside applications, the TXCMK201-S TX Light 2000 extension ceiling mount from Spectrum Industries can drop a display up to 21lbs. into a tight space with minimal obstruction. The mount swings 340 degrees and extends up to 63in. with an LCD height adjustment of 25in. The VESA 75/100 mounting plate can tilt over a range of 50 degrees, and the arm features internal cable management for a clean appearance. The display folds up to within 4in. of the ceiling base when not in use. The standard color is silver, but color, size, and feature customization is available.
Video Furniture PM-D-FR
Video Furniture International offers a solid solution to dual plasma display mounting with the PM-D dual plasma bracket. The unit can integrate with VFI’s plasma carts for a mobile videoconference setup including a height adjustable integrated camera/codec mount, a hidden interior wiring channel and 11 gauge steel construction capable of handling 32in. to 50in. flatpanel displays. The PM-XFL-D plasma/LCD floor stand has a six-position shelf for DVD, cable or satellite receiver, codec, or audio amplifier. The stand includes an adjustable camera mount, steel 5in. casters, and it comes in a black powder-coat finish.
Video Mount Products PDS-LC
The FP-MWAB flatpanel articulating wall mount from Video Mount Products can hold 24in. to 37in. displays with a maximum flatpanel hole pattern of 400×400. The unit offers left/right rotation of 45 degrees with tilt of ±15 degrees and a list correction of ±4 degrees. The load capacity is 80lbs., and the unit has a built-in level indicator. The PDS-LC large flatpanel ceiling mount can handle 37in. to 63in. displays with a maximum hole pattern of 860×500. Displays up to 180lbs. can rotate 360 degrees with up to 15 degrees tilt.
Vogel’s Professional offers its Thin series of wall mounts especially designed for ultrathin LCD displays. The Thin 315 tilt mount allows the screen to be tilted 15 degrees with less than 1in. from the wall. The Thin 345 full turn and tilt mount can be turned 90 degrees to the right and left with a tilt of up to 20 degrees and the unit includes the Cable Inlay System to conceal cabling. The Thin RC355 remote-controlled wall mount silently pans up to 20 degrees right or left with the push of a button.
WallWizard TA55
For a minimum hardware mounting method, WallWizard has the DM65 manual flush/tilt combo mount. A simple crossbar design with a locking handle, the unit offers security with easy lateral movement of the display. The display can be mounted flush 1in. from the wall or at a 9-degree tilt. The mount can accommodate 42in. to 65in. displays with a weight capacity up to 150lbs. The SA52 motorized swing mount fastens to the wall at one end and can vary the swivel angle up to 90 degrees by remote control with two position presets. The TA55 motorized tilt mount can control the tilt angle of a display from 37in. to 55in. diagonal size. The tilt angle range is from 0 degrees to 10 degrees with two preset positions.
