Mounting a Flat-Panel Display

When it comes to displays, thin is in. But how do you put them on?

Below the bracket— or within it, if it has large cutouts— cut a hole in the sheetrock large enough for the connectors on your cables to pass through. This hole will be hidden when the panel is mounted. Directly below this, at a height where it will be hidden— if your electronics sit in a cabinet below the screen, as is typical—cut another hole the same diameter. Now you can drop your cables down from the top hole and fish them out through the bottom. Leave enough slack at the top to allow easy hookup to the panel.

Advice and disclaimer: Power cords and signal cables that are perfectly legal in the open air are not so legal inside walls. Low-voltage lines must meet certain fire-code requirements, and power lines other than Romex need to be in a conduit. The correct way to power a flat-panel display is with a grounded outlet mounted behind it (photo 4). Many homeowners opt for the easier solution of simply hiding power cords in the wall. Be aware that this could cause problems between you and your insurance company should the cause of a house fire be traced to your flat-panel TV.

With support bracket on the wall and cables in position, you're ready to attach hanger brackets to the back of the set (photo 5). The hardware packet that came with the kit should have everything you need regardless of the brand of your set. Take your time to figure out which bolts and spacers you need, and how high you want to position the hangers. Running overly long bolts into a flat-panel display could cause a short circuit, or crack a circuit board or display glass. Three-eighthinch penetration of bolts into the back of the set is more than adequate, provided they are sufficiently tight.

Putting the brackets on this Pioneer was an easy job, because it was already on its table stand. Once the hangers were secure, the table stand was removed. Always use two people to hang a flat-panel display, so that you can both see behind it (photo 6). Make sure the hangers mate with both top and bottom rails of the wall bracket. Connect your cables and center the panel where you want it. Check it for level—despite your perfectly placed wall mount, you may find that the panel is off slightly, due to variations in the hardware. You can shim one of the hangers with a small piece of cardboard.

Once the panel is where you want it, insert the security screws in the bottom of the hangers. They will keep the panel from moving if it’s accidentally bumped and prevent it from coming off the wall during natural disasters or burglaries. The security screws supplied with the Sanus Visionmount are Allen-head machine bolts. An extra-long Allen wrench, not in the installation kit, makes inserting them easier.

Test all the panel’s functions before you clean up and move the furniture back in place. Adjust the tilt of the screen with the help of a household member seated in the “sweet spot.” Maximize the dramatic impact of your wall-mounted display by keeping the area around it free of visual clutter (photo 7). When it’s not being used for movies or TV, it can double as an art installation, showing works by professional artists, or even—who knows?—some of your own. That, of course, is a subject for another time.