Hey y'all. I'm going to start a new thread because this seems to be veering away from how to mount it. It doesn't seem fair to clog up this discussion with my design problems. Thanks for your help. Anybody want to stay with this discussion (and all help is VERY welcome, check out the new thread.) Thanks.

What is a universal adapter and do you have to have it for articulationg mounts?

Only on the Omni mounts. The Universal plate allows a person to mount a plasma or LCD to the mount.

Chris (Cleveland Plasma)

I think you responded to someone else with this same issue, but just wanted to confirm. I am trying to mount my 42HDS69 centered above a fireplace mantle. I am using the Sanus VMPL50 mount.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/attachment.php?attachmentid=62420&stc=1

The mounting strip is just shy of 29” long and I have a stud practically smack dead in the center of where the mount needs to go; so, I can’t get a second set of lags on any studs. My question: since the mount came with 6 lag bolts (evidently in case some snap off, as I’ve heard from others who’ve tried to mount Sanus), should I be able to drive 2 lags into that center stud, and do 4 heavy-duty anchors in the other corners to support my set safely? The 42HDS69 weighs about 90 lbs.

Thanks
CD

^^^^ I would use Toggle Bolts though. 2 on each end, for a total of 4.

Disclaimer: Always mount at your own risk. I know I can make this work, but every situation requires thought and on board trouble shooting! When in dought contact a custom installer.

I want to replace my old 32" CRT with a 40" or 42" flat panel. The CRT is sitting in a section of my built-in wall unit that is not wide enough for the flat panel to fit into. So what I'd like to do is to set the flat panel at the front of the opening. It would just slightly overlap the edges of the opening but wouldn't protrude so much as to encroach on the adjacent sections of the wall unit. The problem with this approach is that I don't have enough room in front of the opening ("counter space") to accomodate the flat panel stand. So I'm trying to figure out how to MOUNT the unit in the opening.

My thoughts are to either construct a new "wall" in the opening and use a wall mount on that "wall" OR to use an articulating mount which would be attached to the back wall (drywall/studs) of the cavity. Construction of the "wall" seems complicated (not sure how I'd do it and attach it so that it would be secure) and would then leave a big empty cavity behind that I couldn't access. The mount is expensive and seems like a weird way to accomplish what I'm trying to do.

Any suggestions/ideas/experience with similar situations? Thanks.

Any ideas on the preceding post?

I thought I read that the center of the picture should be at eye level. I measured the everything and that puts the bottom of the screen (50" plasma) at about 25" above the floor.

I read a post on this thread that said to place the plasma so the bottom of the screen is at 40" (or eye level).

What is the recommended height placement of the plasmas?

courtesy of Westa6969's sig:

http://www.myhometheater.homestead.com/Verticalviewing.html

so I guess if you want the top of the screen to be 15 degrees above horizontal eye level:

sin 15 degrees = .259

multiply your distance in inches to the screen by 0.259 and then add that to 40 inches (or your eye level).

I thought I read that the center of the picture should be at eye level. I measured the everything and that puts the bottom of the screen (50" plasma) at about 25" above the floor.I read a post on this thread that said to place the plasma so the bottom of the screen is at 40" (or eye level).What is the recommended height placement of the plasmas?
Here is my take: You are correct in that mounting a plasma at eye level they will be close to the floor. I feel to close. Making them subject to damage from people walking by, close to a little ones reach, and everything else. I recommend the bottom of the screen be put at eye level or even a little higher. To get a neck crap flat panels would have to be quite high. (Just my opinion.)

I posted another thread on this and realized...maybe it should have gone here instead. So sorry for the duplicate post -

So I have a 50" Panasonic 60u and am going to install a tilt mount. If I am trying to leave like a 4" gap between the bottom of the tv and the furniture I am installing it over. Do I have to factor in anything for the tilt? How much will the tilt lower the screen?

I've downloaded several instruction ( I plan on getting a Sanus mount) and nothing indicates how to factor this in if needed.

Thanks,

Mike

4" is plenty. But I would just hold the mount up and move it up and down. Probally 2" is all thats needs but just check

useful advice for me, great thanx op

to properly surge protect the plasma, does it, and the A/V equipment that is plugged into it, all need to be plugged into the same surge protector?

Or can I have the plasma plugged into a surge protector in the outlet behind the plasma (4 feet high on the wall), and the STB, DVD player, etc., plugged into another surge protector in a different outlet (1 foot high on the wall, directly below the other outlet)?

to properly surge protect the plasma, does it, and the A/V equipment that is plugged into it, all need to be plugged into the same surge protector?

Or can I have the plasma plugged into a surge protector in the outlet behind the plasma (4 feet high on the wall), and the STB, DVD player, etc., plugged into another surge protector in a different outlet (1 foot high on the wall, directly below the other outlet)?


I'm no electrician, but I would think as long as they're both plugged into surge protectors it would be okay. A few people here have talked about ground loop problems causing interference (hum, noise in audio) and distorted color bars in video. I would imagine if your setup were properly wired it wouldn't matter.

I'm no electrician, but I would think as long as they're both plugged into surge protectors it would be okay. A few people here have talked about ground loop problems causing interference (hum, noise in audio) and distorted color bars in video. I would imagine if your setup were properly wired it wouldn't matter.

Seperate surge protectors are adequate. With regards to ground problems, as long as both outlets are on the same circuit and are properly grounded you will be fine; when equipment is on different circuits you could open yourself up to potential ground issues.

Seperate surge protectors are adequate. With regards to ground problems, as long as both outlets are on the same circuit and are properly grounded you will be fine; when equipment is on different circuits you could open yourself up to potential ground issues.

Do you have any more insight into the seperate circuit thing? why specifically AV? I mean as a consumer we have stuff plugged into a multitude of different circuits, I'm really curious to know the theory behind grounding issues on different circuits.

Do you have any more insight into the seperate circuit thing? why specifically AV? I mean as a consumer we have stuff plugged into a multitude of different circuits, I'm really curious to know the theory behind grounding issues on different circuits.

Someone more qualified than I should comment on this but I'll give "My understanding" FWIW:

The ground wires for a given circuit have different resistances due to length of the run, gauge of wires, splices, etc. When hooking up A/V components plugged into different circuits via cabling (coax (component, RF, audio), dvi, etc) for example, ground/earth ground is shared between the components (a conceptual loop). The difference in potential between the path to the grounds can cause undesired current/signals to travel between them resulting in audio/video noise.

Most times the cable from the cable company is incorrectly or poorly grounded and is the cause of many analog video issues.

I may have horribly mangled the above and hope that someone will clean this up for me.

Yay! my 300th meaningless or incorrect post :D

It looks like that I'll need to use a raceway for awhile to hide the power cords and cables from my Plasma to the AVR. How much of a problem is there running the power cord of the plasma next to the HDMI and component cables within the same raceway, ie is there any issues with interference etc. Thanks.

I'm looking to mount an LCD (46") in a bedroom in front of the bed. Should I go with a mount that has a mechanism to tilt it, or should I simply mount it flush? The two models of Sanus I'm looking at - one has tilt (12 degrees), the other no tilt. The TV will be about 9 feet from a persons head.


I'm also trying to figure out how hight I should mount it. Following advice in this article seems a bit low, see below:

9 Feet away: 108"
Eye level: 40-48"
Eye level at 48": Top of screen @ 75" (6.3 feet)
Eye level at 40": Top of screen @ 67.97 (5.6 feet)
Screen Height: 28.89"

Any thoughts if this seems low? I'll put up the cardboard mockup and see, but am curious for any others feedback.

Thanks!

I'm a newbie about to mount an LCD over fireplace using component cables running in the wall and am intrigued by the Leviton modular wall plates mentioned in first post in this thread as they would give a nice clean transition between the in wall cables and cables to plug into DVD and DirecTV box that will be in a small cabinet aside FP. I'm uncertain tho that they have the snap-in modular connector piece for use with component cables? If so, how have others clean and neatly "transitioned" their cables from inside the wall to outside and then in the devices? Any insight appreciated!...

Hola guys,

Concerning the component cable modular adapters...yes they do have them (RCA type ends). But you will still need component style cables to go from the jacks to the back of whatever AV piece of equipment you want to use.

BTW, to those that thanked me...you're very welcome and glad I could contribute.

I'm a newbie about to mount an LCD over fireplace using component cables running in the wall and am intrigued by the Leviton modular wall plates mentioned in first post in this thread as they would give a nice clean transition between the in wall cables and cables to plug into DVD and DirecTV box that will be in a small cabinet aside FP. I'm uncertain tho that they have the snap-in modular connector piece for use with component cables? If so, how have others clean and neatly "transitioned" their cables from inside the wall to outside and then in the devices? Any insight appreciated!...

i did (or more accurately, still am doing) exactly what you are describing. instead of pulling all of my cables thru a singular opening behind the plasma. i actually cut holes in the drywall & mounted 3 wall plates for all of my connections.

my 42" sammy plasma is mounted above a fireplace. i have 3 types of video running to it: component, composite & s-video. i have stereo audio connections for TV audio out, center channel speakers, as well as all of the afore-mentioned video sources.

as you can imagine i have a lot of connections! :) i'll need to check when i get home, but i think it was about 15 connectors that i used and 6 wallplates (3 behind the tv & 3 behind the stereo). for component cables, i simply used RCA jacks (quickport connectors). they worked perfectly. see this link for examples of the connector types:
http://www.broadbandutopia.com/levquicsnapc1.html

actually i used a combination of this brand & another sold by Fry's. some of the jacks are interchangeable with their respective brand of wallplates, but not all of them.

i hope to have a picture of my setup soon.... still trying to figure out which wire is which on my s-video calbe :)

kahlil

I will start a new thread with some pics for people interested. I need ot get up to 5 posts so I can insert pics in my thread.

http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showthread.php?t=728699

Question regarding surge protection, will this work.

I'm thinking of installing a recessed outlet behind the panel and daisy chaining that to an existing hospital outlet. Will the recessed outlet be protected or is the protection only provided to cords plugged into the outlet itself.

I'll be running a 42" LCD from the protected outlet. Is there a way to determine power requirements? My outlet is good for 420 joules.

Ok gents. Its done. I found the studs. Metal Studs. And I used Toggler Hollow Wall Heavy duty bolts. It was easy.

My problem was pretty simple and stupid. I didnt know what a metal stud felt like. So I didnt realize when I went right through it. I expected it to feel like a wooden 2x4, which it doesnt.

Bolts:
http://www.toggler.com/products_hwh_installation.html

Anyway, I attached a picture of the finished product. Well amost finished.. I'll hide those wires later.

Thank you all very much. The forum comes through again.


I'm curious, how high to the bottom of the set did you mount it?

gohd...

The cable is simply a piece of extension cord, similar to the power cord for your computer.. It is all exposed, like any other power cord, no code issues. I elected to use male plugs on both sides, so that I could be sure that, lets say the big pug pin on both plugs was connected by the same wire. If I used a power cord like the computer and simply cut off the computer end, and tried to attached another plug, I would have no idea as to which wire was attached to the large pin. Hope it makes sense. Of course, the ground wire goes to the receptacle ground.

I did not know about the units designed for the back of the mount. I used a Belkin unit found in the office supplies surge protector section of CC, for $34.54, a lot cheaper than the ones in the video section.

:eek:
Two male plugs on an extension cord is definitely dangerous!

What happens when you unplug the wrong end first? You will have 120 Volts on the exposed pin on the plug.

Nobody would be prepared for that because it is never done because it is DANGEROUS! What if your wife or significant other unplugs it while dusting? :eek:

I need to mount my plasma but do not have the screws nor do I want to do to a hardware store and buy one of each size. Does anyone know the thread and screw length? I will have 3/8" on the outside of the set which accounts for spacers and the mount itself.

Thanks

Lots of "not to code" or "it's fine" in this thread, but no one has enumerated the hazards, so that folks can make an educated decision. From what I understand of the intent of the code, there are three safety issues that running an extension cord or the TV cord through the wall would expose you to, that I can think of:

- Wire gauge. If you run too much current through too small a wire, it heats up. Possibly to the point of melting and/or catching on fire. I don't know of many TV's that come with 14ga+ cords, nor are many extension cords made with that kind of wire (normal outlets are 15A, but every house varies; 15A=14ga, 20A=12ga). Plus the plugs have to have the correct amperage rating. And it doesn't matter how much power the TV is *supposed* to pull, something could always go wrong. The circuit breakers will pop before your properly sized romex heats up, but a current load that the breaker/romex can handle just fine might cause issues with a whimpy cord. And if it's inside the wall, you won't even smell the telltale burning plastic...

- Wire insulation. Scrape a piece of romex. Now try an extension cord. One doesn't even really notice if you drag it around a nail, one cuts like butter.

- Moisture. All sorts of rules with height, GFCI's, etc. that revolve around doing the right thing if your wires get wet inside and preventing that in the first place.

All of the above can be safely worked around, and the least common denominator for that safety is pretty much what's in the electrical code. That doesn't mean that it has to be to code to be safe. But if you don't have a big clue, judging when it's safe to depart from code is risky.

In many states the homeowner is not required to adhere to code for work they do themselves, though it may cause inspection issues when it comes time to sell the house.

Asking a real electrician this question will always get you the answer of, "Of course it's not safe." Anything less opens them up to liability. (Back to lowest common denominator again.)

For me, personally, when it comes to running a standard power cord behind a wall: For a given room/wall in my house, I can make an educated choice as to whether it's safe. But I can't make a blanket statement for my entire house, much less for everyone's house! And I'd be leery of anyone that said they could. And my religion - If it's behind a wall, and it's not rated for the maximum current load of the circuit (wire, plug, outlet, all of it), then you're nuts. And any exterior wall or something near the lowest concrete pad: also nuts. And running the cord without understanding the code or how our electricity works: nuts.

If I've forgotten any of the hazards this can cause, someone speak up...

This is an excellent summary of the potential hazards associated with running the power cord inside a wall. I am struggling, however, with why it is more dangerous than either:
a. running that same AC cord in a raceway one-tenth the size of my wall cavity and then fastening the raceway to the very same wall, or
b. installing a dedicated AC outlet behind the tv but then having to wind up and cram my 6-foot AC cord between my plasma and wall.

Whether the cord is in a raceway or in the wall or wound up in a ball behind my wall mounted TV, the risk is similar. Right?

That risk, it seems, is a potential failure of the cord itself. I mean, we all have 'approved' AC cords inside of practically every wall in our dwelling.

That's a lengthy preface to my question:

Does the use a a high quality UPS/surge arrestor significantly mitigate potential AC cord problems? According to its specs, my ULTRA 1500 UPS cuts power instantly if a short is detected. It also offers overload protection and shuts off in 3 seconds or less if the circuit exceeds 130% of nominal load.

Any UPS/Surge Protector experts care to comment on the significance of short circuit/overload protection?

I think the obvious difference between running an extension in the wall and through a raceway is how do you get to the extension in the wall should there be a problem? I'm guessing by the time you noticed any smoke it'd be too late. At least you can open a raceway.

To follow on Gouie's thoughts, if your house catches fire and there is cord in a raceway, you are to code and fine. If your house catches fire and there was extension cord run inside the wall, who knows if your insurance company decides to battle you on it.

You don't have to agree with code, but you should follow it.

I will be finally getting my plasma on the wall tomorrow...

I am lucky enough that the wall I am mounting the plasma on is the same wall of my office closet.

Essentially...

1. Put up a sanus VLP3 mount on the wall
2. Installed a Panamax recessed outlet
3. Installed a normal grounded outlet in the office closet
4. Cut a 2" diameter hole through the wall into the closet and stuck some screw together PVC fittings from home depot in there. Finished with a round hole face plate from home depot.
5. Installed a shelf about 3.5' in the office closet where all my AV requipement will be...

Friday I have low voltage wiring guys coming to do the 5.1 sound wiring...

Can't wait:)

Has anyone heard of an easy removable wall mount?

The goal: Move the TV between two walls.

My wife hates the idea of mounting the TV to the wall and then never being able to move the TV or furnature again. My solution is to make two locations, three would be ideal, with recessed connections for power, 2 Coax Connections, and the flat panel mounting bracket gizmo.

The power would run to an adjacent outlet and would only provide power to the TV.

The Coax cables would run to a central location where I could switch my DirecTv Sat cables to either room location.

The unused box on the wall would be covered by a picture or mirror.

What I need to find is a way to remove the wall mount and move it to another wall and make the mounting holes reusable. Is there any product that can be used in wooden studs that would accept threaded bolts? I was looking at blind nuts but that would require me to tear apart the wall and add a support structure for the blind nuts. I'd like to find some anchor that could be drilled into the studs.

I hope I got my point across.

Any one have experience with the peerless pla articulating wall mounts:
http://www.peerlessindustries.com/Products/BrowseProducts.aspx?peerlessName=pla

Looking for a mount that will allow me to adjust the TV to more than one viewing angle.
Panny TH-50PX6U

THanks

I'm currently deciding between the Mitsubishi LT46231, Sharp LC-52D62U and Sony KDL-46XBR3 in that order. Which ever one I choose, I will wall mount it. My plan is to mount it and drop all the connecting cables to the floor (every connection just in case) where they will be terminated via Leviton or equavilant type wallplats and inserts. I understand how to do the RCA type connection (Audio L/R, Video, and Component) and the F-Type for cable and S-Video, but I'm not sure what to do about the HDMI, DVI, or Optical out. I haven't seen any inserts for these type of connection. Are there any?

For power, I plan on switching out an outlet that will be below the TV with on of Levition Hospital Grade Surge Protective Receptacles. From their I will run power up inside the wall to and recessed outlet in which the TV outlet will be plugged into.

Does it sound like I'm on the right track? The only thing I'm missing is what to do about the HDMI, DVI and Optical. I haven't seen any wallplate inserts for these type of connections.

To follow on Gouie's thoughts, if your house catches fire and there is cord in a raceway, you are to code and fine. If your house catches fire and there was extension cord run inside the wall, who knows if your insurance company decides to battle you on it.

You don't have to agree with code, but you should follow it.

My foremost concern is safety. Code is concieved to address those 'worst case' scenarios (e.g. 20AWG x 50 foot extention cord).

What I want to to know is if I 'overbuild' with an in-wall 10AWG primary cord on a 15AMP circuit, terminating to a modern 1500UPS module, will this represent a fire hazard?

I'm currently deciding between the Mitsubishi LT46231, Sharp LC-52D62U and Sony KDL-46XBR3 in that order. Which ever one I choose, I will wall mount it. My plan is to mount it and drop all the connecting cables to the floor (every connection just in case) where they will be terminated via Leviton or equavilant type wallplats and inserts. I understand how to do the RCA type connection (Audio L/R, Video, and Component) and the F-Type for cable and S-Video, but I'm not sure what to do about the HDMI, DVI, or Optical out. I haven't seen any inserts for these type of connection. Are there any?

For power, I plan on switching out an outlet that will be below the TV with on of Levition Hospital Grade Surge Protective Receptacles. From their I will run power up inside the wall to and recessed outlet in which the TV outlet will be plugged into.

Does it sound like I'm on the right track? The only thing I'm missing is what to do about the HDMI, DVI and Optical. I haven't seen any wallplate inserts for these type of connections.

Check monoprice.
http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10517&cs_id=1051706&p_id=2730&seq=1&format=2&style=
My quick look couldn't find a toslink plate but I know they exist.


I posted the same idea regarding your power some time ago. I want to swap an existing outlet with a surge and daisy-chain a new outlet from there to the tv. My question is, will the new outlet be protected or is the protection only provided via the outlet itself and not the chainable screws on the back of the outlet.

I thought I was all set with getting the Panamax recessed surge protected outlet but in searching for a good price I found this:

"WHAT THIS ITEM IS NOT. You can not purchase one of these, replace your box in the wall, and, expect your device is protected, it is not. Re-read this paragraph as far as what you must purchase. To repeat, this is not a device that allows you to protect say a wall hung plasma unless you hook it up properly by buying TWO of them, and, the appropriate interconnect modules even if the rest of your system is already surge protected. The limitation is not this product, it is how surges work and the concept applies to all products from all manufacturers.

The MIW-POWER is a HUGE product in the surge protection world. Home Theater Systems are increasingly being deployed with a plasma or LCD screen on one side of the room, with the rest of the system elsewhere. This is a problem electrically, as you *cannot* protect the display with one protector, and the rest of your system with another protector, and expect it to work, it doesn't. No one warrants such a setup, mainly because it doesn't protect you. Of course, whenever you decide to put the screen one one side of a room, and the other equipment elsewhere, you have another problem - you also have to get the video connections run across the room! Well, the MIW-POWER is one of the products that solves this problem.

The upside of the MIW-POWER vs the MIW-POWERKIT-TL version, is that it is generally easier to install when a room is already existing. The downside is that you then have to protect every interconnect cable between the 2 separate systems, you do not have to with the MIW-POWERKIT-TL.

The MIW-POWER gives you a single wall box to install, and obviously, you will need to order TWO of them. One goes by the display device and provides additional filtration to remove noise that could have been introduced, and the other goes by the system which has the surge protector. You plug the surge protector (not an outlet on the surge protector, the surge protector power cord itself) into one MIW-POWER, and the display into the other MIW-POWER. The MIW-POWER plug in is recessed by 15/16" to allow for placement behind a TV. Finally, you *must* also purchase two interconnect modules to route your signal cables to the display, either the MIW-VGA, MIW-DATA, MIW-SVIDEO, or MIW-5RCA. These are required as they provide additional protection for the interconnect cables as you need them since you have two separate grounds. What this ends up giving you is a system that has all the advantages of products like the Max5510 with superb filtration, and also a fully protected system. It was not really possible previously to get this."


Am I an idiot that I thought they I only needed one outlet or is everyone unaware of this? Let me know what you think.

Has anybody ever ordered a wall mount from monoprice?

When I looked around town here, wall mounts were $150-200. On monoprice they're less than $30... I don't even have the drywall up on the wall where I'm mounting it yet, but I assume either of these:

This one (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082801&p_id=2852&seq=1&format=2&style=)

or

this one (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082801&p_id=3004&seq=1&format=2&style=)

Would work... are the 2 mounts on wall mounts actually spaced 16" apart just like wall studs should be? Or are they adjustable? I just don't want to hear a $2000 crash in the middle of the night and I can't find a brand or model # on the two linked wall mounts to do anymore research.

I also really can't see the difference between either of the linked wall mounts... other than the price.

Oh and the TV I'm going to be mounting is a TH42PX60. Thanks guys.

Has anybody ever ordered a wall mount from monoprice?

When I looked around town here, wall mounts were $150-200. On monoprice they're less than $30... I don't even have the drywall up on the wall where I'm mounting it yet, but I assume either of these:

This one (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082801&p_id=2852&seq=1&format=2&style=)

or

this one (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=108&cp_id=10828&cs_id=1082801&p_id=3004&seq=1&format=2&style=)

Would work... are the 2 mounts on wall mounts actually spaced 16" apart just like wall studs should be? Or are they adjustable? I just don't want to hear a $2000 crash in the middle of the night and I can't find a brand or model # on the two linked wall mounts to do anymore research.

I also really can't see the difference between either of the linked wall mounts... other than the price.

Oh and the TV I'm going to be mounting is a TH42PX60. Thanks guys.

I have that TV as well.

I have always heard vey good things about peerless industries mounts. I used the 'mount finder' on the peerless web site to determine the correct mount (I think it was model SP660).

I bought that model from Amazon for about seventy bucks with free shipping.

It was a quick, easy and secure way to mount the TV.

My foremost concern is safety. Code is concieved to address those 'worst case' scenarios (e.g. 20AWG x 50 foot extention cord).

What I want to to know is if I 'overbuild' with an in-wall 10AWG primary cord on a 15AMP circuit, terminating to a modern 1500UPS module, will this represent a fire hazard?

Actually if you really want to run 10GA wire, that's your call. It is overkill but does no harm electrically speaking. I see no advantage unless the cable is something you already have or can get free. The bigest problem I see is terminating the ends properly. 10GA is thick and although I haven't tried it, I think you will have some trouble connecting the end to a standard electrical outlet. I guess you could use wire lugs crimped on the ends for the outlet conection, just don't crimp with a cheap crimper. You need to make the connections tight.

Are you planning on making a home run with this cable? Meaning from the CB Panel to the outlet. Lots of in-wall work. Or just from a nearby electrical outlet?

When considering mounting one of these, realize the failure mode is the top bolt(s) pulling out from the wall. The bolts themselves will never fail.

It's pretty easy to calculate. Take the weight of the TV, multiply by how far the center of gravity is from the wall and divide by the distance from the bottom of the wall plate to the upper bolt(s).

For example, TV weighs 100lb, centered 5" from wall and wall plate is 4" from bottom to bolt. Result (100x5/4) is a pull of 125lbs or 63lbs each for two bolts. Add in a safety factor of at least 3:1 and you can see why anchors and 3-way brackets can be problematic for larger sets.

The best way to increase strength is to put another bolt below the top one. The bottom bolt(s) serves no real purpose.

My foremost concern is safety. Code is concieved to address those 'worst case' scenarios (e.g. 20AWG x 50 foot extention cord).

What I want to to know is if I 'overbuild' with an in-wall 10AWG primary cord on a 15AMP circuit, terminating to a modern 1500UPS module, will this represent a fire hazard?

Are you talking about 10 ga Romex or an extension cord?

I am going to mount my 58" panasonic using a Chief Manufacturing PSM-2059 mount plate on the wall in my condo.

The wall is the dividing wall between two condos, it has fire barriers, sound proofing material, and extra sheets of wood over the wood braces underneeth the drywall. This info is word of mouth from the contractor after I could not find studs with a studfinder and he told me about the wall construction. He recommended I drill pilot holes through the drywall and wood sheet until I find the studs.

The PSM-2059 mount plate was not supplied with wall anchors, what size and type of anchors would you recommend for this type of wall construction?


Regards
Pieter

I am not sure how the pilot hole trick will work, with a small bit, it might be hard to "detect" when you have made it through the first plywood sheet and are now in the stud. Two things you can try: Using a long finish nail to hit the stud center. Alternatively there is a stud finder I recently saw that has a special deep scanning mode that you may want to try. It is ~30 or so. I used that model, but NOT in the deep scan mode. I'll say for regular stud finding it worked way better than my old stanley.

As for your second question, there are no wall anchors supplied with any mounts that I am aware of. The mount kit is designed for a wood stud wall using lag bolts. For a wood or concrete install, you will need to use a different anchroing system. I would guess yours is either metal or wood based on your description of the construction. If wood, I would suggest washers & lag bolts of 3/8 or 5/16" x 3" will be sufficient with a pilot hold drilled 2.5" deep with a 1/8" smaller bit than the bolt size. This is what is typically supplied with the mounts. However, you should take the weight of your parts, wall construction, stud locations before you use this info. I'll defer for the metal for somebody else to chime in.

I am not sure how the pilot hole trick will work, with a small bit, it might be hard to "detect" when you have made it through the first plywood sheet and are now in the stud. Two things you can try: Using a long finish nail to hit the stud center. Alternatively there is a stud finder I recently saw that has a special deep scanning mode that you may want to try. It is ~30 or so. I used that model, but NOT in the deep scan mode. I'll say for regular stud finding it worked way better than my old stanley.
Can you explain the finish nail technique a bit more?

I already replaced my Black & Decker stud finder, that did not find any studs, with a Zircon i700 (http://www.zircon.com/SellPages/ScanAndSensor/i700/i700.html) model, and this machine is much better, but still only gave me a weak signal so I will have to probe around the indicated area.


As for your second question, there are no wall anchors supplied with any mounts that I am aware of. The mount kit is designed for a wood stud wall using lag bolts. For a wood or concrete install, you will need to use a different anchroing system. I would guess yours is either metal or wood based on your description of the construction. If wood, I would suggest washers & lag bolts of 3/8 or 5/16" x 3" will be sufficient with a pilot hold drilled 2.5" deep with a 1/8" smaller bit than the bolt size. This is what is typically supplied with the mounts. However, you should take the weight of your parts, wall construction, stud locations before you use this info. I'll defer for the metal for somebody else to chime in.
The studs are wood, so your information is good, thank you.

Can you explain the finish nail technique a bit more?

The finish nail technique is the one I most suggest for hitting the center of the studs. Basically you use the stud finder to find the approximate center / edges of the stud. Then you take a finish nail and tap it through the sheetrock. If there is a stud, it will be pretty obvious because the nail stops. If it goes through really easily, there is nothing behind it. I do this about every 1/4" or so until I hit the edge then go over to the other side of the stud and repeat. Then I know the center of the stud. Put an X, that is where the lag bolt goes. You won't be able to see the holes once the wall board is up, but it is easy to fill anyway. I use a piece of masking tape on the wall for lines and so forth, b/c I prefer to use a pencil and sharpie. (see the picture)

I also would measure the position of all four locations. 1) I would not trust the studs to be straight up and down and 2) It is a sanity check, if you find the bottom is 3" off the vertical from the top, that is red flag, that you must have an error somewhere.

The studs are wood, so your information is good, thank you.

Your welcome.

One more thing I should have mentioned, the lag bolts included with mounts usually assume the standard wall board thickness and then studs behind it. Your wall is thicker so you should scrap the bolts provides and get ones that are another inch or so long.

The finish nail technique is the one I most suggest for hitting the center of the studs. Basically you use the stud finder to find the approximate center / edges of the stud. Then you take a finish nail and tap it through the sheetrock. If there is a stud, it will be pretty obvious because the nail stops. If it goes through really easily, there is nothing behind it. I do this about every 1/4" or so until I hit the edge then go over to the other side of the stud and repeat. Then I know the center of the stud. Put an X, that is where the lag bolt goes. You won't be able to see the holes once the wall board is up, but it is easy to fill anyway. I use a piece of masking tape on the wall for lines and so forth, b/c I prefer to use a pencil and sharpie. (see the picture)

I also would measure the position of all four locations. 1) I would not trust the studs to be straight up and down and 2) It is a sanity check, if you find the bottom is 3" off the vertical from the top, that is red flag, that you must have an error somewhere.



Your welcome.
So in my case I'll have to drive the nail through the drywall and the extra layour of wood, thx.

i just read this entire thread and no one explained how to mount a 42" plasma in a gingerbread house with marshmellow studs.

You will need licorice sticks and gummy bears. ;)

I am trying to decide which, if any wall mount is best to use to mount a 47" lcd above the fireplace. The stone is uneven ( some stones stick out probably 3" or more than others) A flush wallmount will not work (I don't think) What kind of a mount would work best and give me clearance to hang my tv? Would a mount with an arm be my best bet? Can I go through the stone or should I go through the mortar?

Thanks for your help

I am trying to decide which, if any wall mount is best to use to mount a 47" lcd above the fireplace. The stone is uneven ( some stones stick out probably 3" or more than others) A flush wallmount will not work (I don't think) What kind of a mount would work best and give me clearance to hang my tv? Would a mount with an arm be my best bet? Can I go through the stone or should I go through the mortar?

Thanks for your help

In this situation, I would DEFINITELY recommend professional help from someone who knows what they're doing. You have many complicating factors ... any one of which could result in disaster if not properly handled.

In this situation, I would DEFINITELY recommend professional help from someone who knows what they're doing. You have many complicating factors ... any one of which could result in disaster if not properly handled.

Thanks bigmjh, I was thinking the only complicating factor was the uneven stones. I thought I may be able to get around this if I bought a mount that had a wideopen space in the center of the wall mount bracket (then I could place it so the protruding stones were in the middle of the mount, hopefully still giving me enough room to put the tv on the mount without the back of the tv hitting the rock) and the mount would sit flush.

I was going to mount my new Panasonic TH-50PX80U and the studs on wall is not centered in the middle of the wall where I need to mount it. Can anybody tell me on how to fix this problem so I mount my PDP in the middle of my wall.

Thanks,
you reply to this post or email me at deatony@bellsouth.net

I was going to mount my new Panasonic TH-50PX80U and the studs on wall is not centered in the middle of the wall where I need to mount it. Can anybody tell me on how to fix this problem so I mount my PDP in the middle of my wall.

Thanks,
you reply to this post or email me at deatony@bellsouth.net


i kind of had a similar situation with mine, but it was easily remedied by the adjustability of the wall mount. i believe most of them offer a horizontal adjustment so that u mount the frame/brace to the studs, but the bracket which holds the plasma can slide left or right some so that u can "center" your tv. hope that makes sense :)


have you purchased your mount yet? if not then i would suggest you look into that feature &* see how much adjustment you have relative to the amount of offset needed to center your tv.

peace!
kahlil

Is your wall covering drywall, plaster, brick?

If its drywall, you can cut out a piece top to bottom, all the way between studs.

Add a nailer to the inside of each existing stud to mount new drywall on.

this would be a good time to run all your wiring to the plasma including any computer/internet cables and maybe a FireWire 1394 cable. Don't forget to place a power outlet box back there.

Place new stud where you need it and toe nail in place with some 16p nails or some 3" long deck screws.

Fill the opening with drywall and tape edges and fill screw holes. Since you will be looking at this alot, as its under the plasma, take your time on sanding the drywall joints. You can never have it too smooth. By a can or two of texture and do a good job to match the existing texture. Pactice on some drywall in the garage.

The paint the whole wall.

I just bought a th-42px80u and a Cantilever plasma lcd/plasma wall mount from Sam's that is supposed fit 34" to 58" screens. When trying to mount the tv on the wall mount the clips on the rear of the tv are wider than the mounting plate. It shows in the manual for the mount the bracket on the tv is supposed to fit inside. Can anyone help me??

I am trying to decide which, if any wall mount is best to use to mount a 47" lcd above the fireplace. The stone is uneven ( some stones stick out probably 3" or more than others) A flush wallmount will not work (I don't think) What kind of a mount would work best and give me clearance to hang my tv? Would a mount with an arm be my best bet? Can I go through the stone or should I go through the mortar?

Thanks for your help

Never drill into the mortar because it is going to be the weakest. And I agree that you should seek professional help with this one. GL!

http://www.anchorco.com/images/eight_sixteen_24_big.jpg
Thought this might be helpful for people who are having trouble hitting two studs and/or centering their plasmas/LCDs. Here is the website and a set of PDF instructions and specs... http://www.toggler.com/pdf/toggle.pdf

We use these on installations all the time, they are a real life saver.

I was going to mount my new Panasonic TH-50PX80U and the studs on wall is not centered in the middle of the wall where I need to mount it. Can anybody tell me on how to fix this problem so I mount my PDP in the middle of my wall.

You will need to be a bit more specific. The mounting plate doesn't usually need to be centered on the wall. You can hit two studs and slide the TV on the brackets to either side, giving you a bit of play. If you still can't hit two studs, you can use anchor mounts such as the ones recommended in an earlier post (or you can get standards ones at Home Depot, etc.

I am trying to decide which, if any wall mount is best to use to mount a 47" lcd above the fireplace. The stone is uneven ( some stones stick out probably 3" or more than others) A flush wallmount will not work (I don't think) What kind of a mount would work best and give me clearance to hang my tv? Would a mount with an arm be my best bet? Can I go through the stone or should I go through the mortar?

You can use just about any mount. I like Omnimount personally because it comes with the parts needed (including instructions) for masonry installation. If your mount doesn't have these instructions you can obtain masonry/lag screws or masonry wall anchors at any Home Depot or Lowes store. You'll use plastic spacers to take up the slack between the uneven surfaces of your mount. The installation is very easy. The only difficult consideration is where to place the wires and obtain electrical access. Oh yeah...drill into stone never mortar.

I just bought a th-42px80u and a Cantilever plasma lcd/plasma wall mount from Sam's that is supposed fit 34" to 58" screens. When trying to mount the tv on the wall mount the clips on the rear of the tv are wider than the mounting plate. It shows in the manual for the mount the bracket on the tv is supposed to fit inside. Can anyone help me??

It's difficult to know exactly what you are talking about. But larger TVs (I have a 61") often need extension arms to fit on the mounting plate. did you make sure that the mount is compatible with your model before you purchased it? Sorry, that was a rhetorical question.

Sorry to bring this thread back from March, but I am wanting to cover my cables from a wall mounted plasma using wood/oak slats similar to the drawing here neelapala.com/designs/ddish.htm (with a www in front) that was shown in a previous reply in this thread. My question is, how do you hang the slats and hide the cables behind the slats? Do the slats stick out from the wall a few inches? I had thought about using slats because I don't want a generic looking raceway. When I google for information about wood slats I find loads of websites talking about blinds.

I'm looking into buying a flat panel mount for a small 32" Westinghouse. I found a cheap company but I've never heard of them and wondered if anyone had any experience with www dot seethebigpicture dot net ? (I don't know if there are any linking rules so I don't want to have any issues.)

Did you evr find your mount if not let me know we sell them

HEY PATINVISION
Are you trying to tell me you mounted a Flat screen on a wall onto sheetrock and it's holding????? With thee type og anchors????

hey hi guys

mounting a plasma is not an easy task to perform you need a expert to fix it onto the wall . so be careful of doing this kind of tactics .If you are interested you can check out the link here . This I have found while surfing online and i have found good collection of brackets.
avnow.com

I just came across this Datacomm product for mounting TV's. Has anyone ever use this part and is it easy to use??? http://********************/Default.aspx?p_id=4&Product_id=963 Can any one give me some insight on this product. I appreciate your input.

I just came across this Datacomm product for mounting TV's. Has anyone ever use this part and is it easy to use??? http://********************/Default.aspx?p_id=4&Product_id=963 Can any one give me some insight on this product. I appreciate your input.

Other members here including myself have purchased a Pro Power Kit from monoprice (http://www.monoprice.com/products/product.asp?c_id=105&cp_id=10425&cs_id=1042505&p_id=4652&seq=1&format=1#largeimage) and others have purchased a Power Extension Kit from PowerBridge Solution (http://powerbridgesolution.com/avsspecialorder.html).

I did the Powerbridge myself last year. Thought I'd share what I found when I ordered, a special link for forum members to special order the PowerBridge cheaper (www.powerbridgesolution.com/avsspecialorder.html)($39.95) than the one from monoprice ($48.00)

I did the Powerbridge myself last year. Thought I'd share what I found when I ordered, a special link for forum members to special order the PowerBridge cheaper (www.powerbridgesolution.com/avsspecialorder.html)($39.95) than the one from monoprice ($48.00)

Thanks for the information. I actually bought the Datacomm version after I watched the video on YouTube! Looks pretty simple and clean. I will show some pics wheen I am done!

http://www.youtube.com/user/CableGiantProducts

I've read through this entire thread... it was lengthy, spanning a few years lol

So, here's my situation, bought a new house--has metal studs, or concrete exterior block construction for the exterior. I need to mount a 6010 pioneer on one of those walls. If I do it on the exterior--Cutting out block, will not be fun to run the wires, or going up to the attic for the speaker wires. If I do the metal studs, I can probably span 3 studs--vmp3 sanus (not positve the model is right)--extending one. I worry that even 3 studs using 6 toggle bolts wont be enough to support it.

I was thinking I'd be best ripping out some sheetrock and putting in woodstuds (at least 2) to make sure it's supported properly.

Any thoughts?

Same problem with 42" and 50" plasmas in the other rooms.

toggle bolts will work. Drill a pilot hole then drill holes large enough for the toggle. You can also open up the wall where the middle space is in the bracket and then reach in and fasten the bolts with nuts. There is the plywood route too.

plywood in front of the drywall, or substitute drywall.

standard drywall is capable of holding 200ish+lbs no?

My main concern is the metal studs buckling--I'm guessing toggles + 3 studs, top/bottom on each may be ok. Think it would help to pull the drywall off and affix plywood to the stud instead?

construction grade metal studs should not buckle. They are, after all, holding up your home.

I'd just go with the toggles myself. You can go to home depot and see house contruction grade metal studs for yourself. My bigger concern would be stripping the bolts or the hole, but toggles covers that just fine.

Drywall can hold a lot of weight. Even if you didn't hit any studs, the toggles just into drywall would hold up your plasma.

true--i know i've read that the drywall can hold 200+ lbs somewhere--just hoping to get someone that's tested the toggles + metal studs to chime in. The tv is heavy, but like I said, across 3 studs has to help. I've not seen what type of studs are in the wall yet--but wanted to be prepared.

does home depot/lowes sell something that will work or should i order from one of the links online == toggle bolts

do some research online then go to Lowes and see what they have available. You can buy pretty big toggles at Lowes though.

Also do a search on the internet for metal studs and mounting plasma. I saw a lot of hits and some of the commentors posted their experience. Most said toggles were just fine.