Sanus Wall Mount

Manufacturers often advertise the weight capacity of HDTV wall mounts by screen size, a relatively meaningless specification. For a given screen size, plasma HDTVs weigh about 20 percent more than LCDs, and some plasmas weigh considerably more than others. Always match your plasma's weight to the actual weight capacity of the mount. You can select a wall mount that fits your budget and your viewing needs from a wide selection of available products.

Manual Wall Mounts

Decide whether you want a manual mount or a motorized mount. As of August 2010, one big-box retailer sells a manual tilting mount with a 180-pound capacity for under $40. The unit does not provide side-to-side swiveling. Depending upon your viewing habits, this may or may not be a capability you will need. The same retailer sells a single-joint articulating wall mount with a 40-pound capacity for under $30. You can push an HDTV with a single-joint articulating mount flat against the wall or you can pull it out from the wall; however, the flat position will be a few inches to the right or left of the extended position. From the same retailer, you can buy a double-articulating wall mount that keeps the same position relative to the wall, whether flat or extended, with both tilt and swivel capacities, for $40.

Motorized Wall Mounts

For considerably more money, you can buy a motorized full-motion mount. Full motion mounts tilt, swivel and extend. These mounts provide remote control and often a number of preset positions. Some provide weight capacities of more than 200 pounds. You should also consider the weight capacity of the wall. A 150-to-200-pound HDTV extended 15 inches or more from the wall exerts a lot of leverage on the wall studs. You may need to have a contractor double up studs behind the wall and/or reinforce the wall section with a plywood gusset between studs. While the wall will probably not collapse without this reinforcement, it may soon begin to bow out.

Alternative Solutions

You can also mount an HDTV in front of a wall rather than on the wall. Several commercial mounts allow the television to rise vertically; you can install a motorized mount inside a cabinet in front of the wall and raise the set with a remote for viewing. These motorized "pop up" mounts provide full tilt and swivel capabilities and a number of positions you can select, store and recall. They start, however, at around $2000. Consider ceiling mounts as well, which have similar motorized and preset position capabilities for under $1000. You can also buy inset mounts that allow you to hang the HDTV in a position flat against the wall, much like hanging a picture. Note that you will need to do some carpentry to achieve this look and that, unlike the other mounts, these do not allow you to tilt or swivel the set.