MantelMount

So, you’ve found the perfect flat screen tv for your space but you have no way to install it onto your wall. It’s time to look for a great tv wall mount, but where to start and what considerations should you make?  A great place to start, when searching for a new all mount, is to consider your tv room’s layout. Does your family have an open concept room where your tv is located so you need an articulating tv mount? Or do you have your tv in a bedroom so you are looking for a tilting tv mount? Before making a purchase, you may have simple questions like, “What is an articulating tv mount?”or “What is a tilting tv mount?” It’s also possible to have more in-depth questions regarding wall mounts and wall material like how to mount a tv into stone or brick. There are many different ways that a tv can mount to a wall ranging from tilting to panning and swiveling to rotating to articulating. Many tv mounts do just as their names suggest but to ensure descriptions are correct before shopping, we’re here to guide you through understanding what type of wall mounts are available. A panning tv mount is capable of panning the television left and right but is stationary in the action so it angles the tv. Similarly, a swivel tv mount also moves the television left and right but does so through moving in a horizontal motion — side to side — but does not angle the television.  A rotating mount, on the other hand, is not as popular of a tv mount due to its capability to rotate vertically and most tv-watchers desiring a horizontal viewing experience. A rotational mount, however, is useful for the fitness gurus out there that utilize a vertical experience with working out at home. Many at home tv viewers utilize a tilting tv mount or, especially due to its features, an articulating tv mount, but it is important to understand what they are before buying. What Is a Tilting TV Mount? A tilting tv mount is a fairly simple tv mount that tilts the screen. If you have ever used a camera that is fixed to a tripod, that camera does what a tilting tv mount does: moves up and down from the fulcrum. Although tilting a tv up so the tv is angled more towards a ceiling might not be useful — save for the instances in which there might be glare on the tv screen — tilting the tv downward can help create a better tv-viewing experience if you have to place your screen higher on the wall. When using a tilting tv mount, it is important to take into consideration how high on the wall your tv will be mounted. If the tv is mounted too low on the wall and it tilts down, it might lend to a worse angle than if it was a fixed tv that was not on a mount.  Tilting tv mounts are relatively common with simple technology. So what is an articulating tv mount and what are the disadvantages and advantages of each of the types of mounts? We’ll continue to look into that next. What Is an Articulating TV Mount? An articulating tv mount is a mount that combines the three aspects of panning, tilting, and swiveling; and as all movements are able to be used with these types of tv mounts, articulating mounts can also be referred to as full motion tv mounts. The flexibility of the range of movements in which the tv can be viewed when seated and standing are often attractive for those who own articulating tv mounts. One drawback, however, of an articulating mount is that there needs to be enough room for the movement of the mount for the user to be able to sufficiently utilize the mount to its fullest capabilities.  If you know what an articulating mount is, then you might think that you would need an articulated tv bracket. With an articulated tv bracket, a television viewer is able to take advantage of all of the ways that the articulating mount can be used rather than solely being able to utilize the panning or tilting aspects. An articulated tv bracket would be needed for a tv mount that does not include, in most cases, the panning capabilities to make the mount a full motion tv mount. Deciding Between an Articulating Vs Tilting Wall Mount Whether you’re waffling between an articulating vs tilting wall mount, or thinking about incorporating a different type of tv mount in the decision making process, it is important to take into account all of the factors including weight of the television, the wall material, the room layout and the size of the room that the mount will be in, the price, the lifespan of the mount, and even the ease of using the mount.  MantelMount is the choice for many tv owners who are seeking an enriched and relaxing time watching television while having options for tv placement including pulling down, tilting, and swiveling. With a MantelMount tv mount, a tv user can view their favorite shows, movies, or other programs with a mount that provides a vertical travel distance from anywhere between 26” to 30.5”, a swivel of up to 60 degrees in one way, and adjustable tilts. Whether you purchase a gateway tv mount like the MM340 Standard Pull Down TV Mount or a more advanced model like the MM540, MantelMount can help improve your tv-viewing experience. Whether you are deciding between an articulating vs tilting wall mount or your decision includes any other type of tv wall mount, if the verdict is to purchase a MantelMount tv wall mount, make sure to use the video guides and call our friendly and knowledgeable installers for any installation assistance.

Whether you’ve recently moved in or have been living in your apartment for a few years, making a rental your own requires some creativity. Projects like hanging artwork, painting walls, and upgrading hardware could cost you your security deposit and cause you to pay a hefty price for some small improvements. Luckily, with a little elbow grease and a plan, any rental can be transformed into a more permanent-feeling space without sacrificing the security deposit. One of the biggest questions that hangs over renters' heads is whether or not they can mount a tv on the wall. Many leases prohibit renters from drilling holes in the wall, so it goes without saying that drilling into the drywall for a tv bracket would be very hard to cover up when it comes time to move. The obvious way around this obstacle is to find a renter-friendly TV mount — one that doesn’t require any drilling or placement on a wall. But if you’re working with limited space, placing your tv on a tabletop might not be an option! If you’re curious about how to go about mounting a TV in an apartment, we’ve got some tips for you renters out there. Why Mount a TV in a Rental Unit? According to the Census Bureau and Pew Research Center, there are 20 million rental properties in the United States. A majority of rentals are apartments, located in a complex or a large building with multiple units, but some landlords opt to rent out a single home, leasing individual rooms or floors. Regardless of the set up, the average size of an apartment is 882 square feet and the smallest apartments in the country are located in Seattle, Chicago, and New York. So it should be no surprise that when it comes to storing larger items like TVs, shelving, and storage units, renters look to their walls as a space-saving solution. Mounting your flat screen on the wall also frees up tabletop space that’s essential for other storage in a small rental. Placing a large item, like a TV, on the wall, makes tabletops and countertops available for storing game consoles, books, lamps, plants, and organizers to keep miscellaneous items tidy. But if you’re nervous about drilling into the wall, we don’t blame you. Consider an apartment-friendly TV mount, instead. Best Renter-Friendly Tv Mounts Even if you are hesitant to drill a hole for a wall mount, if you fill the hole and paint over it before you move out, you could easily walk away with your security deposit and piece of mind. If you aren’t ready to take the plunge and drill into your walls, there are other options for apartment-friendly mounts that don’t require any drilling. Pillar Standing TV Mount Some retailers offer furniture options that mimic the space-saving solution of mounting your tv. For instance, Wayfair’s Allejah TV Stand offers a sturdy, free standing tv mount that eliminates the need for a bulky entertainment console. You can adjust the height of this pillar TV stand to achieve the right viewing experience, and at just 26” at its base, this pillar stand is a great, low-profile way to hang a television without making holes. Corner TV Stands & Consoles Renters can also utilize each square foot of their apartment with corner-storage solutions. The Banaz Corner TV Stand from Wayfair tucks a 55” flat screen TV seamlessly into any corner while also offering cabinet space to tuck away game consoles and electronics, and exposed shelves for displaying your favorite decor items like books, a tabletop clock, or photos. No Stud TV Wall Mount If after reviewing furniture options, the best space-saving option is still to mount your television on the wall in your apartment, you can try the No Stud TV Wall Mount from Amazon to free up tabletop and floor space in your rental. This option allows renters to hang a tv without drilling because this bracket is secured into place with nails and comes with a foam backing to protect the wall behind. Once you nail the No Stud TV Wall Mount into place and you install the counter piece to the back of your TV, your flat screen locks into the bracket to seamlessly hang on the wall. When you’re ready to move, taking the TV off the wall is as easy as lifting the flat screen out of the locking mechanism and filling the nail holes with a little bit of spackling. How to Mount a TV in an Apartment If the no stud solution and furniture options won’t suffice, you’ll have to take extreme care to safely mount your tv into an apartment wall without causing unnecessary damage. Creating drill holes is much more permanent than a small hole created with a hammer and nail, so it’s important to create a plan and follow TV mounting best practices before going forward with installation. What You’ll Need: An awl #2 Phillips screwdriver Electric drill Drill bit A set of Allen wrenches Bubble level Stud finder Open end/box end wrench Socket wrench   Step 1. Check with your landlord. The first step is to check with your landlord. As unpleasant as it may be, giving your landlord a heads up will go a long way. If something should happen during the installation process, you won’t have to send an email after something has gone wrong. Start by asking about the building’s policy on TV mounting. If it’s a strict no, you may have to use the no stud solution or squeeze your flat screen onto a tabletop. You can also ask neighbors how they went about hanging their TV without making holes or, if they did make holes in the process, how do they intend to cover them up? On the other hand, your landlord may agree to let you mount your TV in your apartment as long as you pay to have any damage fixed. In which case, you can reassure your landlord that any holes will be patched by asking what color paint they used in the room. That way, you can keep a sample size of the paint color handy when it’s time to move. Step 2. Find the right location. We’ve talked extensively about finding the right location for a TV. Whether that involves choosing the right height for TV-viewing or creating a focal point in an open floor plan, before you start drilling, hammering, or placing your apartment-friendly TV mount in the television room, you need to first pick the right wall. If you’re still having difficulty visualizing where to put your TV, you can easily create an outline on the wall in a way that won’t cause damage to the paint or drywall. Measure the dimensions of your television and mark them on the wall with a pencil. Then, take a roll of painter’s tape and create the outline of your TV. If you need to adjust, you can simply pull up the painter’s tape and try again. Step 3. Locate any studs in the wall. Once you’ve determined the right location for your TV, it’s time to locate studs. You can of course hang your TV without studs using strong mollies, but a more renter-friendly method that is less damaging to the wall is to secure your wall mount into studs. The most efficient way to find studs in the wall is to use a stud finder. These can easily be purchased at your local hardware store or online. Once you have your stud finder, hold it to the wall you wish to use to display the television. If the stud finder beeps while scanning the wall, this indicates there’s a stud under the drywall. You can also test by knocking lightly along the wall with your knuckles to hear for any hollow spots — these are spots to avoid. Once you’ve confirmed you’ve found studs, mark the stud’s center with a pencil. Step 4. Make sure your measurements are level. You may need a partner for this step. Once you’ve indicated where your pilot holes will go, have a friend or family member hold the bracket’s slats over the marks. Place your bubble level on top of the bracket and ensure it sits level. If not, you may need to adjust one of the pilot holes slightly up or down so your TV sits straight. It’s important to verify this before drilling because once you start creating holes, it can be very difficult to troubleshoot without causing additional damage to the wall. And — as all renters know — pristine walls mean a happy landlord when it comes time to move out. Step 5. Mark & drill your pilot holes. To properly mount a TV in your apartment, you’ll have to create drill holes that are the correct size for your TV mount. Typically, a ¼” drill will work, but this can vary depending on the unique specs of your tv mount. As the saying goes in sewing, “measure twice and cut once”. Remeasure your TV, the bracket and mount, and double check that the drill hole marks you’ve made on the wall line up with your TV mount’s slats. When all of your measurements look correct, drill your holes into the studs. For TV mounting advice, always confer with the TV mount instruction manual or customer care line for the mount you decided to use. If you’re buying a MantelMount TV mount, you can always consult our FAQ for TV mounting tips, or call our customer service team with any questions that come up as you get ready to install your wall mount. Step 6. Attach your bracket to the wall & your TV to the bracket. Clear the drill dust out of your freshly-made pilot holes, add washers to the end of your screws, and secure the bracket to the wall through the bracket slats. Attach the tv mounting plate to the back of the TV and, with a partner, line up the TV mount with the bracket on the wall according to the manufacturer’s instructions. If you rent, there’s no need to feel discouraged about working within the limitations of your lease. There are plenty of ways to make your temporary living situation feel more like a permanent home. And be sure to check out MantelMount’s word-class TV mounts and TV accessories, if you’re in the market for a new flat screen mount.

There is something special and alluring about a rustic stone fireplace or stone accent wall. It’s eyecatching and it brings both ruggedness and warmth to any room whether that happens to be a den, living room, or a covered porch with a captivating view. In addition to adding a formidable architectural feature to any home, stone walls also can be massive — much taller than a typical 8-10 ft interior drywall. This can make an interior stone wall a fantastic place to display a giant entertainment center with a giant tv. If the decision is to create a tv-watching experience with an uneven stone wall as the backdrop in the home, there are some considerations to take on before adding a stone wall tv mount, including having the right tv mount and guaranteeing the want to have a tv mount on the stone wall is at 100 percent. What to Know Before Mounting a Tv on an Uneven Stone Wall Before mounting a tv on a wall of any material, there are quite a few items to consider before you start drilling and measuring. For one, you have to choose the right sized tv for your space, discover the right tv height for optimal viewing, and add any baby-proofing to hide wires. Another consideration to make, after you’ve found the perfect tv for your space and the correct hanging height, is to choose your tv mount. For a wall with surmountable height, like a grande stone wall in a large den, you may want to consider a mount with a moveable arm. MantelMount creates tv mounts that can stand up to walls of any size, shape, and material — including stone. For instance, the MM540 Enhanced Mount has a 30° swivel range, 9° tilt, and has a vertical travel span of 27”, making it a great option for large open concept rooms or a tv mounted high on the wall. If the stone wall in your home is actually a stone fireplace, there are additional considerations to make before you mount your tv. In this case, the first step is to identify if the working fireplace is gas or wood-burning. From there, discover if the fireplace’s material is truly stone or hollow. The thickness of the material will determine the best way to hang your tv.  How to Mount a Tv on an Uneven Stone Wall If you are looking to install a stone wall tv mount that does not have a fireplace, similar to installing a tv mount to a brick wall, it might take some patience and another set of hands. Stone, like brick, can have an uneven surface, making it less straightforward to secure your tv bracket than a smooth section of drywall. The first step is to prepare, gather all of the material you need before installation. You also need to ensure you have the correct size mount for your tv. If you’re installing a MantelMount wall mount, the installation steps and FAQ sheet can guide you through the basics. Whether you are learning how to mount a tv on an uneven stone wall in your living room or the exposed brick wall in your bedroom, there are some universal tools you will need for the job. What You’ll Need: An awl #2 Phillips screwdriver Electric drill Drill bit A set of Allen wrenches Bubble level Stud finder Open end/box end wrench Socket wrench  Now the tricky part, mounting your tv on an uneven stone wall or stone fireplace. It’s very important to proceed with installation carefully and methodically. If you’re installing a MantelMount tv mount specifically, you can reach out to anyone on our customer support line at 800-897-9755 x1, or contact us via email.  Stone Wall Tv Mount Tips & Common Questions Our friendly customer service team is always fielding questions about tv mounting best practices. So, we wanted to get one of our experts to weigh in on some of the most common questions and considerations that come up when our customers want to mount a tv into a wall made of unconventional material, like stone. Question 1: “What should I be aware of before buying a stone wall tv mount?” There are a handful of things to think about before a homeowner purchases a tv mount — for a stone wall, brick wall, or any other type of wall — but especially one for an uneven stone wall. Before buying an expensive tv mount, double check the integrity of the stone as the first step and determine whether it is a facade, veneer, or real stone. Usually, a facade or veneer stone wall will have studs behind it, which likely means simple lag bolts can be used for mounting through the wall to the studs. However, if the stone is real, a proper concrete anchor, sleeve anchor, or masonry anchor will be needed for the tv wall mount installation. Question 2: “Are there any special considerations to take into account with the mounting and installation process on an uneven stone wall?” When deciding on the type of mount, think of which would be best for your viewing experience. Although the most popular mounts are static mounts (which are the basic wall mounts), swivel mounts and articulating mounts that usually have a swing arm that travel outwards and move left to right and pull down mounts, such as the MantelMount tv mounts, might allow for better tv-watching. After figuring out which type of mount you prefer, another consideration to take into account is the structural support behind the stone wall. Is it concrete, studs, solid stone, or nothing?  In order to select the proper anchor, you must know what type of support is behind the wall. Once the type of mount and structural support are known, then you must discover the proper anchor type. You want to ensure that you have the correct anchor for your application whether it is a concrete, masonry, or sleeve anchor. Be aware that not all wall mounts come with the proper anchors for each style of application so make sure that the anchor is able to withstand the proper weight. Question 3: “What are some things I must know before mounting a tv on an uneven stone wall?” There are a few things to keep in mind prior to making the step of putting up a stone wall tv mount: Check, multiple times, the measurements for all of your mounting points to minimize mistakes of creating holes in stone. Ensure the integrity of the stone is in good shape and not crumbling. Make sure all of the proper tools and hardware are on hand including hammer, drill, proper anchors, and drill bits. Try to pick the most even part of the wall on the uneven stone wall while also having purchased a depth adjuster as a workaround. The easiest solution to working with the uneven stone wall would be to purchase hanger bolts, with some washers and nuts. Post-installation, the nuts can be used to adjust the wall mount to create a flatter or even plain. For more tv mounting tips and ideas, be sure to check back regularly with MantelMount’s blog or check out our customer gallery for inspiration before your next DIY project.

Since the beginning of time, humans have used different methods to lull themselves to sleep. From reading by candlelight to playing an ambient noise machine, getting into the right headspace to drift off to sleep is key to achieving the recommended 8 hours. Now, it’s true some sleep methods are better than others. For instance, you should not expose your eyes to the blue light of your phone or computer screen as you’re trying to wind down for the night. But this begs the question, should you have a TV in your bedroom and watch it before bed? Find out more about how TV before bed can affect your quality of sleep and whether or not you should place a TV in your bedroom. The Pros and Cons to Having a TV in Your Room It may come as a surprise, but having a TV in your room comes with both advantages and disadvantages. Whether some of these advantages are actually cons and vice versa are up to you, but it is wise to take all the factors into consideration before you decide if you should have a TV in your bedroom.  Disadvantages of Having a TV in Your Room We’ll save the best for last and start with some of the obvious disadvantages of having a TV in your bedroom. For one, it’s well-documented, at this point, that watching TV before bed can disrupt your sleep. If you fall asleep to the white noise of your favorite television show or sports game, studies have shown that insomnia is more likely to disrupt your late nights. What’s more, TV stimulates the mind and having this type of brain activity can cause vivid dreams, disrupting sleep again. But light isn’t the only contributing factor. Because the noise from TV shows and movies can fluctuate, your sleep is likely to be interrupted. When that happens, cognitive function is lessened throughout the day. This means that your mental acumen is not as sharp or clear as it can be if you did not have a TV in your bedroom. One could argue that you can still watch TV too close to bedtime if your TV is in the living room. This is true. However, the short transition time between shutting off the TV in your living room and getting ready for bed is a critical period for your mind to wind down. You can even assist the process further by dimming lights or using light bulbs that cast a warm light to simulate the sun going down, which brings us to another disadvantage. Often, the bright artificial light of a television screen playing in a dark room can have a poor impact on circadian rhythms. This can then disrupt your melatonin levels and cause you to take a long time to fall asleep and have trouble staying asleep. Advantages of Having a TV in Your Room If you already have a TV in your room, you might be wondering if you should watch TV before bed. Well, we’re happy to say, you do not need to go out and rip your TV off the bedroom wall - there are actually some benefits to having a TV in your bedroom. For one, watching TV is a popular way to de-stress after a long day. Lives are often full of stressors and one way to relax is to watch TV while in bed. Meanwhile, other people prefer to have a TV on — usually at the lowest volume — for a bit of white noise instead of a ceiling fan or white noise machine. If you are interested in having a TV situated in your bedroom, be mindful of how high the TV is mounted as you would most likely be laying down or in an otherwise relaxed position instead of sitting completely upright. Also, keep in mind that a bed is often in a higher fixed position than a couch so the right mount would be needed for optimal viewing. Mounting a TV in Your Bedroom If you decide to put a TV in your bedroom, there are a couple of things in terms of TV height and distance from the bed that you should consider. MantelMount has a useful guide for choosing the right-sized TV for the size of your room and how far away to place your furniture. Although we can’t tell you definitively whether or not you should put a TV in your bedroom, if you decide to mount a TV in your bedroom, MantelMount pull down wall mounts can provide you with the best TV-viewing experience before your head hits the pillow and it’s lights out. Due to its patented construction combining high-quality automotive pistons with lightweight alloys and state-of-the-art counterbalance technology, you can easily pull down a large flat screen TV off the wall with a MantelMount wall mount (like the most popular model, the MM540 Enhanced Pull Down), suspend it at eye-level, swivel it left or right, and then simply raise if back up to the stowed position when not watching, if you so choose. Contact our friendly installers to learn about the installation process and to discover which world-class wall mount and TV accessories are right for your set up in whichever room that might be.

  If the kitchen is the heart of the home, it’s our personal opinion that the living room is the soul. From holiday celebrations to lazy Football Sundays, your living room is likely the hub of everyday life, and for that reason, it’s important that every aspect of your living room functions the way it's supposed to. One of the key components of any family room or living room is the entertainment center: the TV. And after you’ve picked the right-sized TV for your space, proper installation comes next. We’ve written extensively about TV mounting for any circumstance: mounting into brick, exterior walls to create outdoor living spaces, etc. We even have comprehensive install manuals for all of our world-class pull-down TV mounts. But what happens if after installation, you notice your mounted TV looks crooked? Well, don’t worry, as TV-mounting experts, we have the solution so you can fix a crooked TV yourself! Possible Reasons for a Crooked TV The first step to fixing your crooked TV is to identify the specific problem. There are many reasons why a TV might look off center and each one requires its own fix. For example, a TV might look crooked because the mount itself was installed crookedly. In this instance, you would need to fully remove the mount and reinstall it. Or your TV might look crooked because the ceiling is slightly crooked, which might occur in an older home or apartment, in which case, you can trick the eye with decor pieces or a paint color to offset ceilings, trim, or an old mantel that is slightly below straight. Here are some other top reasons your mounted TV looks crooked after installation. The mount’s base is crookedly installed on the wall The mount’s base — also known as the mounting plate — is installed crooked on the wall. If the mounting plate is installed crooked, everything else installed from the mount, including the TV, will also be crooked. The vertical hooks are not aligned properly The issue with your crooked TV may not be the mount’s base, however. This is when you can check the vertical hooks. There are vertical hooks that usually attach to the back of a television through the TV’s VESA holes. (If you need a refresher on VESA hole standards, take a peek at this MantelMount blog.) If those vertical hooks are not properly aligned, the television will also sit crooked once it is hung on the mount. Your mount’s hardware is loose Double check to make sure that all the necessary hardware is tightly secured on the mount. Additionally, you will want to make sure the wall does not have a slant or have some crooked parts to it. Surprisingly, there are many times little items, such as a loose bolt, will cause a TV to be crooked. Fixing a Crooked TV Once you’ve identified the problem, you can fix it with confidence, or reach out to the right professional to get a quote and repair it quickly. If you’re experiencing any of the issues above, here are some of our fix solutions you can try at home to straighten your crooked TV.  Make sure everything is level The most important aspect, when installing anything on a wall, whether we are talking a TV wall mount or a painting on a canvas, is to ensure everything is level. To do so, you must use a leveling tool. Using a good quality level throughout the entire installation will be helpful, but especially during the part of the process when attaching the mounting plate to the wall. By guaranteeing the mounting plate is level and straight, you will be setting the foundation up to be as straight as possible. Troubleshoot a post-installation level adjustment You will find that in most cases, mounts do have a failsafe for fixing or leveling a crooked TV. Say you find that your TV is crooked once you have finished your installation. If that should happen, there should be a post-installation level adjustment that comes with the mount. This type of adjustment is either a pair of screws or a knob that will allow for clockwise and counterclockwise adjustments. Secure your mount’s hardware Double check, and possibly even triple check, your installation. Even many seasoned TV-mounting veterans have to check that all the installation instructions were followed properly. Checking your installation work is important because, for instance, you might think that a mount is defective, but there might be one or two small and easy adjustments needed to fix the issue, like fully tightening a bolt at the very beginning of the installation process. Post-Level Adjusting Your MantelMount Pull-Down TV Wall Mount As wall mount experts with our own, word-class line of pull down articulating mounts and accessories, we specialize in TV installation and mounting best practices — particularly, when it comes to working out the rare kinks of a MantelMount wall mount installation. Whether you’re an owner of our Standard MM340 Pull Down Wall Mount or the MM540 Enhanced Pull Down Wall Mount, each one of our wall mounts comes with features like adjustable stops and patented auto-straightening to provide the best TV-viewing experience. If however, you finish installing your MantelMount in its desired location and notice your TV is slightly crooked, we recommend post-level adjusting your TV: Place a level on top of your TV while it’s in the up position. If the TV isn’t level, begin by loosening the leveling screws. Rotate the TV until it’s level. Tighten all the screws. Performing a post-level adjustment should straighten your TV before you finally tighten the screws, but if your mounted TV still looks crooked after the post-leveling, the bracket may need to be reinstalled. To troubleshoot any potential problems, we have a highly detailed and comprehensive FAQ page that can guide you through common installation issues, intricate troubleshooting tips in our installation manuals (in the MM540 manual, see pages 21 and 22), or reach out to a friendly member of our customer service team for more information.

Picture this: You’re outside enjoying lovely weather after a long day of work, sitting underneath a covered patio on a comfortable sofa with a refreshing drink in hand — away from bugs and mosquitoes, of course, watching your favorite show or sporting event on the television. The idea of creating an outdoor entertainment area may have crossed your mind. Our lives have changed greatly over the last few years, and in many ways, people are creating spaces in their homes that can be enjoyed for both entertaining and for family use. One such way that households are transforming their outdoor space is to enhance it with a TV. But, you might be asking, how do you make an indoor TV an outdoor TV? Or, a question you might be wondering is a screened in porch with a TV is any different to a TV on a patio that’s more open to the elements. Or you may have asked thought to yourself if you need a special TV for the outdoors, or if you can simply put an outdoor TV under a covered patio for added protection.  We answer all of these questions and more so you can build the perfect outdoor set up for your entertainment needs. Do You Need a Special Weatherized TV for Outdoors? How Do You Make An Indoor TV An Outdoor TV? Although there are methods on how to make an indoor TV an outdoor TV, it’s not recommended by television manufacturers. This is due to variables like exposure to both water and wind, a rogue backyard ballgame element, and gardening tools that can all badly damage a TV. This piece from the New York Times spells out why you might be more susceptible to considering purchasing a weatherized TV rather than chance your indoor TV outside. Looking to go the route of going for an indoor TV? Regardless of whether you have a screened in porch with a TV or the television is more exposed to the outdoor elements, purchasing a protective covering for your TV screen, like a screen protector with an IP55 grade rating, is an option. What’s more, to protect your TV that’s on a patio, reinforce wires with conduit or a drip loop to protect against water damage. But your best bet for placing a non-weather resistant TV outside is to place it in a TV cabinet or install it underneath some kind of structure like a covered patio. On the other hand, a weatherized TV comes with some level of protection from the elements and would likely perform well in a backyard or under a covered patio. These special TVs, like ones from SunBrite that are capable of having full sun, partial sun, or shaded exposure, are built to withstand extreme temperature changes and can act as more of a permanent solution than running out the clock on an indoor TV holding up to a harsh environment. Additionally, a weatherized TV typically has a brighter display than a normal TV. This makes it possible to watch TV outside even in bright, direct sunlight if you don’t have the luxury of a covered deck or a screened in porch with a TV. To put a bow on the question of if you need a special TV for outdoors, the answer is, yes; if you want to create the best outdoor-viewing experience and don’t want to do constant repairs and maintenance having a weatherized TV is vital. How To Weatherproof A TV Whether you choose to purchase a weatherized TV with an IP54 rating, or you drag an old TV outside, you are going to want to create some level of weatherproofing to give whichever TV you place outside its best chance for surviving through temperature changes and exposure to the elements. One option is to build a weatherized TV cabinet. These can be a great project for the experienced DIYer and provide a level of protection similar to a covered patio, if it’s built correctly. One useful solution to a cabinet or alcove is with MantelMount’s AB40 horizontal adapter that works with certain MantelMount TV mount models.  Although having a cabinet as a structure isn’t necessarily the answer to figuring out how to weatherproof a TV, it is one solution to further make your television safe, secure, and away from the outdoor elements.  If you prefer to have a more slimline approach to your covered patio outdoor TV, a TV case to make your outdoor covered patio lounging setup look a bit more like your indoor living room.  Do none of those options suit your fancy? At MantelMount, we have just the solution: WeatherMounts by MantelMount. Combining a weatherized TV with our Marine Grade 316 stainless steel TV mount will enhance your outdoor entertainment experience so much that you may never want to nip inside.   Invest in a WeatherMount for your outdoor entertaining   Why You Need To Invest In A WeatherMount By MantelMount and Weatherized TV For those intrigued by the idea of having a TV on your patio, mounted with a weatherproof TV mount, there is nowhere else to look than MantelMount. With our WeatherMounts by MantelMount, before going on the market, our team rigorously tested to ensure the outdoor mounts — wherever they are placed in an outdoor entertainment environment — would be sturdy, proven, and long lasting. So, how did we do it? Well, first off, imagine you live on the coast, whether that is in San Diego, Seattle, Miami, or Virginia Beach. In any of those locations, besides sand, what do you get with beachside or oceanside living? Salt. Because salt corrodes metal, we knew that our WeatherMounts had to be exposed to harsh environments, from any coast, that any San Diegan, Seattleite, Miamian, or Virginian knows far too well.  Now that you have the picture of why it was important to test our WeatherMounts, here’s how we did it. We conducted a 720-hour salt spray test that incorporated UV light exposure and 24-hour thermal cycling between 60 degrees and 100 degrees.  In addition to that, the mounts use Marine Grade 316 stainless steel. Why is that noteworthy? That type of stainless steel is known for being corrosion resistant, lending to our mounts being sturdier and more long lasting in an outdoor environment than other non-weatherized TV mounts. Other Ways You Can Use MantelMount For Outdoor-TV Watching If you’ve taken the necessary steps and precautions, such as placing your TV under a covered patio, setting up a weatherized TV cabinet, purchasing a TV case or cover, and buying MantelMount products, like our WeatherMounts by MantelMount, all of those factors make it possible to place your TV at the best height for a comfortable outdoor viewing experience. Whether you’re deciding to use a weatherized TV, a weatherized cabinet, purchasing a weather resistant TV along with a WeatherMount, or are hoping for the best and winging it, MantelMount is here to help guide you through TV mounting with helpful and friendly experts. And that’s for inside and outside TV-watching.

If you recently purchased a home or you’re a frequent Zillow user, you may have noticed a lot of kitchens/dining rooms, and living rooms/kitchens. This phenomenon, known as an open concept floor plan, rose to prominence post-WWII and it appears to be everywhere these days. At the end of the war, domestic life saw an increase in informality. Walled off sitting rooms for formal entertaining began to house early TVs. Living rooms, only accessible from a main hallway, opened up spilling into kitchen and dining areas. By the 1990s, this gradual move to more integrated rooms created the large open concept living spaces we’re familiar with today. While open concept layouts provide homeowners with a lot of flexibility, it can bring up layout issues, for instance, where to put a TV in a living room. If you’re struggling to set up your new open concept living space, we have some recommendations for the optimal place to put your TV. Choose a Focal Point A great place to start, if you're struggling to decide where to put your TV in a living room, is to pick the room’s focal point. Most rooms will have an obvious focal point. That may be a fireplace, grand windows, an alcove in the wall, or some other architectural feature that draws your eye to one point in the room. Once you discover your room’s focal point, work out from that area. If your focal point is a fireplace, for example, arrange couches and chairs around it. The recommended minimum distance between your couch and your fireplace is three feet. But, this would be way too close for easily viewing your TV. Instead, the optimal placement for your TV in the living room should follow the 8:1 ratio. This will create the best TV-viewing experience and allow you to define your living area, even in an open concept layout. What is the 8:1 Ratio? While it’s very important to consider how high to mount your TV, it’s also important to choose the right distance for your furniture around the TV. Many people eyeball this, or choose the distance of their furniture based off the edges of an area rug. But if you’re working with large room dimensions like in an open concept living room, you could risk placing the TV too close or too far away. This is where the 8:1 ratio comes in handy. The 8:1 ratio is a measuring device for determining the optimal distance between your TV and your furniture. It states that for every eight inches in your TV’s size, set your couch or chairs one foot away. If you aren’t sure about the size of your TV, we’ve created a fantastic guide of different TV sizes. Once you know the size of your TV, you can determine how far away you should place your furniture. Let’s say you have a 65” TV. Simply divide 65 by 8 and this number will determine how far away you should put your couch: 65  /  8  =  8.13 You can add a few extra feet if your living room allows, but the 8:1 ratio is a great starting point for your home or apartment’s living room ideas with a TV. You can also use this helpful table if your TV isn’t a standard size:    TV SIZE FURNITURE DISTANCE 32” - 42” 4’ - 6’ 49” - 55” 7’ - 8’ 60” - 75” 7.5’ - 12’ 80” - 85” 10’ - 15’   What if the Room Doesn’t Have a Fireplace? While mounting a TV above the fireplace is very common practice, it may not always be the best solution for your room. For instance, if you’re living in a small apartment with a fireplace built into a corner to save space, there may not be enough room above the fireplace above for the TV. Or, mounting a TV in the corner may create a bad TV-viewing experience.  In that case, you might still be scratching your head about where to put your TV in your open concept room. On the other hand, your main room may not have a fireplace at all, making it even more difficult to create a focal point and place your furniture accordingly. Whatever the case, the TV right placement in your living room may require you to be a little creative. If the focal point is in the corner of the room, try to build out from the corner. Instead of mounting your TV above the fireplace, choose the wall next to it and arrange your TV on a piece of furniture, like a console table or in an entertainment center, that is a comparable height to the mantle of the TV. Then use the 8:1 ratio to arrange your furniture. If you don’t have a fireplace or an obvious focal point, choose a wall opposite your dining room or kitchen area and mount your TV. Make sure you select your mounting tools based on the material of the wall and install the TV accordingly. You can also read up on our most FAQs on TV mounting if you aren’t sure where to begin. Picking the Right TV Mount for Your Open Concept Layout Once you know exactly where to place your TV, the mounting materials you need to mount it, and your furniture’s placement, you need to pick the right wall mount. Just like TVs, wall mounts have modernized and become more sophisticated. From mounts that tilt and articulate by mere degrees, to pull down mounts that lift and lower your TV into the perfect TV-viewing position, there are hundreds of options on the TV wall mount market. MantelMount has created one of the most sophisticated pull down TV mounts available. With counterbalance technology and lightweight alloys, MantelMount wall mounts glide your TV up and down so mounting height is never an issue — you can always easily adjust your flat screen to eye-level. To match the layout flexibility of your open concept room, you may opt for a swivel mount. MantelMount MM540 Enhanced Pull Down TV Mount gives TV-viewers the benefit of a pull-down mount and also the flexible viewing option of a swivel mount. With 60° swivel capabilities in one direction or 30° degree range of motion both directions, this enhanced TV mount gives viewers the ability to watch their favorite shows anywhere in a room with a modern open layout. To find out more about which world-class mount is right for you, get in touch with a helpful expert today!  

A wall-mounted flat-screen TV is often the perfect addition to any room in your home. The theater-like viewing angle of a mounted TV can be the perfect way to watch your favorite shows and movies, relax, and unwind. But before you settle on that comfortable viewing spot and mount a flat screen TV, there are several factors to consider. One of those factors is deciding how high you should hang a TV on the wall. A common question people ask is, “How high should I mount my TV on the wall?” Watching TV at an incorrect height can negatively impact your viewing experience, causing neck and eye strain, so it’s important to pick the right height to mount your TV. How High Should You Hang a TV? Before deciding on how high to hang a TV, it’s important to take into account the following: Size of the TV Before mounting, be sure to take careful measurements of your flat-screen television. Generally, wider TVs are mounted higher than narrower ones. This is to account for the extra space it occupies to create a perfectly balanced view. Size of the Room and Viewing Distance The size of the room is another factor. Think about the size, layout, and design of your room. How wide is the wall and what material is it? How far is it from the nearest seating area? What direction is it facing and will any TV glare be an issue? Where are your electric outlets? These are some of the things to keep in mind when determining the height of your mounted flat-screen TV. Viewing distance also makes an impact on your entertainment experience. Being too far away from the TV can contribute to feeling less engrossed in what you’re watching, but being too close can be a literal headache. Luckily, there is a formula to solve this problem.  What Calculations Do I Need for Mounting a TV to a Wall? The method to calculate the accurate viewing distance and TV mount height is to take the size and divide it by 0.55. As a quick reference, for a 42” television, the optimal viewing distance is 76 inches away. For a 55”, you’ll want to be 100 inches away. As a rule, a 42” television should be mounted about 56 inches from floor to TV center and a 70” television should be mounted about 67 inches to the center of the screen. But this preference could vary from person to person. An important factor, the viewing angle of the TV from your sofa or chair, determines how high to hang your TV. In addition to the viewing angle, keep in mind the average eye level from the floor. How High Should a 55-Inch TV Be Mounted? A 55” TV should be around 61 inches from the floor to the center of the TV screen. How High Should a 65-Inch TV Be Mounted? A 65” TV should be around 65 inches from the floor to the center of the TV screen. How High Should a 70-Inch TV Be Mounted? A 70” TV should be around 67 inches from the floor to the center of the TV screen. Factors in Mounting a TV on a Wall There are many factors that come into play when determining what the perfect height is to mount your flat-screen TV. One typical challenge that is hard to overcome, when televisions are shared, is individual height.  Also, a person’s preferred position for watching TV plays a role in determining the mounting height. If a person likes watching TV while lying down on the couch, they might mount their television in a lower position. Conversely, someone who sits straight and watches TV might mount their television a bit higher. Mounting a TV on a Wall using MantelMount MantelMount’s innovative, high-quality pull-down TV mounts allow you to easily adjust a flat-screen TV. You're able to move the TV to a more optimal viewing height and angle.  Using automotive gas pistons, our mounts allow your flat-screen TV to be pulled off the wall, down to eye-level, and swiveled left or right. The movement that the versatile mounts deliver assure true comfort and the perfect view every time you watch TV. The angle of your MantelMount can accommodate any change to a dynamic room setup or how the audience chooses to view TV. Among others, MantelMount's robust pull-down TV mount collection has features like heat-sensing handles, auto-straightening, paintable covers, and a soundbar attachment. So stop asking yourself questions like, “how high should I mount my TV?” and buy a MantelMount.

This might be a familiar scenario: you move into a new apartment or home with the perfect spot for the living room and TV area. The only problem is, the wall opposite the couch is masonry. After picking the right TV for the room, you might opt to place it on top of a media console, but if the TV is too large, you could create an undesirable, or even precarious, TV-viewing experience. You can’t help but feel that mounting your TV on the masonry would solve many of these issues, but you aren’t sure just how to mount a tv on a brick wall. Luckily, with the right TV wall mount, some safety precautions, the right tools or some help from an installer, you can create the perfect TV-viewing experience no matter how your living room’s walls are constructed. Can You Mount a TV on Brick? First things first, you can mount a TV on brick. Many people don’t realize that mounting a TV on brick — or even a concrete wall — is a possibility so they do not take advantage of the prime location for a television. Whether you are mounting a TV on brick above a fireplace or just the living room brick wall, your TV will have a comfortable home amongst the facade of dried clay blocks. Before you begin mounting a TV on brick, it is not only important to have all of the necessary tools and complementary accessories, but also to figure out how high to mount the TV. Typically, the center of the TV should sit just above eye level, so a 55” TV will sit 61” from the floor while a 70” TV will sit 67” from the floor. If you’ve been searching for a mount that can pull down to eye-level and is capable of being mounted on brick or stone, MantelMount is an option worthy of consideration. Our MantelMount kits come with concrete anchors and specific instructions in the box in the event of this sort of installation. After you’ve established the location, you’ll need to determine if the masonry is strong enough to hold the weight of your TV set up. Typically, the brick or stone used in the wall needs to be several inches thick and able to hold five times the weight of the TV and the TV mount in order for it to be safely secured to a brick wall. We highly recommend working with a masonry expert to establish the wall’s strength. Once you’ve thoroughly examined the wall, you can gather the necessary materials should you decide to tackle the project yourself. What Is the Best TV Mount for a Brick Wall? Although MantelMount cannot recommend a specific TV mount for your home — as each household might have a different television and each individual brick wall will have its own characteristics and possible quirks  — we can spell out the available options and which might be the best TV mount for your brick wall.While all MantelMounts can be mounted on masonry or standard drywall, our "house pick" is the MM700 Pro Pull Down TV Mount, perfect for TVs ranging from 30 lbs to 115 lbs. As long as your masonry supports 5 times the weight of the TV and TV mount combined and you use our provided concrete anchors, you should be in good shape. If you are unsure about the strength of your masony, please consult a professional contractor before attempting this installation. Now if you’re mounting a TV on brick or stone that you know is less sturdy — such as thin brick facades or simulated stone panels — you can pair the MM700 Pro Mount with the AB40 Adapter Bracket. The AB40 Bracket will provide the sufficient pass-through support needed for the mount on thinner stone or brick. If you are installing  our MM340 Standard Pull Down TV Mount or the MM540 Enhanced Pull Down TV Mount on a thin brick or simulated stone panel, those models would require both  the AB40 Adapter Bracket and also the SSB40 Single Stud Wall Adapter. If you’re unsure about mounting a TV on a brick wall, keep in mind that MantelMount TV Wall Mounts are one of the best TV mounts for brick and stone because they come in a variety of sizes and feature-sets, and include a smooth pull down mechanism that makes it possible to create a seamless TV-viewing experience. If your ultimate decision is to use a MantelMount product for your brick or stone wall, please study our thorough and detailed installation instructions, and don’t hesitate to contact support with questions. What Tools do I need to Mount a TV Onto Brick? Just as establishing the strength of the wall is a key step in mounting a TV on brick, it’s also highly recommended to use the right tools for the job. This will help reduce the possibility of damaging your brick wall and also ensure your TV is securely and safely mounted. As a preliminary step, you will need to know the specs of the TV mount you’re choosing in order to select the right size screws, washers, and bolts. Once you know the specs of your mount, you’ll also need:  Painter’s tape Tape measure A level Concrete anchors and lag bolts - these items come in every MantelMount box Concrete screws and washers Drill with a hammer drill function Concrete drill bit Socket adapter, ratchet, or rubber mallet Once you gather your materials, the first thing you’ll want to do to prepare your brick wall for your living room TV is mark the location on the wall where you are going to drill. With your tape measure, measure on the wall where the center of the TV will sit (60” - 67”) and create a mark. On your TV mount, measure the distance between the center and the bottom of the mount. This measurement is what you’ll use to mark on the wall where the bottom of the mount will go and plot out the drill holes for the mount’s slats. Once you’ve marked each screw hole on the wall, you can prepare your installation materials. 3 Easy Steps: Mounting a TV on a Brick Wall Step 1. Drill You will need to choose the concrete drill bit that fits the anchors and screws you’ll be using for your brick wall. A ¼” drill bit will typically be the right size for the job, but sizing will vary based on the individual specs of your TV mount. If any of your screw holes line up with mortar, adjust accordingly so you can anchor the screw at least half an inch from the brick’s edges into the brick. Select the hammer drill setting on your drill and create holes in the masonry at each spot you’ve marked on the wall for your TV mount slats. You’ll likely only need to drill 2.25” - 2.5” into the wall to secure the mount. You can mark this spot on your drill with a piece of painter’s tape for accuracy. Step 2. Insert Anchors After you drill, use a vacuum or shop vac nozzle to clear out the freshly drilled holes. If you’re adding anchors, clearing out dust will allow the anchor to sit flush with the wall and offer support to your screws. Knock the anchors gently into place with a rubber mallet. Step 3. Install the Bracket Now it’s time to mount the bracket into the masonry with your concrete screws. Place the bracket on the wall so the slats line up with the drill holes and anchors. Next, add washers to your concrete screws and thread them through the TV mount slats.  Secure one screw into place with the socket adapter on your drill or the appropriately sized ratchet and use your level to ensure the bracket isn’t crooked. Then, once your bracket is straight, tighten the rest of the screws. Then, all that’s left to do is install your TV onto the bracket.  While MantelMount has a far more detailed installation process than the steps outlined above, one advantage of using MantelMount products when it comes to mounting a TV on brick is that our friendly and experienced customer service professionals are a great resource to help guide you through the (sometimes) tricky process. Since you are now safe in the knowledge of some of the best TV mounts for a brick wall and how to mount a TV to a brick wall, stop staring at your empty living room facade and start living the dream with a MantelMount pull down TV mount secured to your brick wall.

Whether you’re single and living alone or you’re catching a moment of solitude in a house packed with kids, sitting down to watch your favorite show or catching up on the game should be an enjoyable experience. Unfortunately, for those with kids, having the latest entertainment gadgets often comes with more consideration than simply deciding how high to mount a TV or what kind of flat screen to buy. Free standing TVs, bookshelves, and storage units all present a certain risk to curious kids and toddlers. In fact, Nationwide Children’s Hospital estimated in 2019 that one child was injured every 46 minutes from furniture or TV-related accidents with tip-overs as the leading cause of many of these hospital visits. This statistic alone is enough to make any parent think twice about the safety of their TV set up. Luckily, with some basic safety precautions and companies, like MantelMount, that are devoted to safety, parents can also create the perfect TV-viewing experience in their homes while keeping their little ones safe. Read on to find how to prevent TV tip-overs and baby proof an entertainment center. What Causes a TV Tip-over? Every tip-over incident is circumstantial. Whether a child accidentally trips over an exposed TV wire or they bump into a wobbly TV stand in a bout of excitement, tip-overs are unfortunate but they can be prevented by creating awareness around the common reasons tip-overs happen and baby proofing your TV area accordingly. One of the most common causes of TV tip-overs is placement on a storage shelf or piece of furniture that isn’t meant for a TV. Tall dressers, narrow storage cabinets, and unstable console tables are often much less secure than they appear. And when you add drawers and doors that a child can open, bang shut, or climb, that creates additional risk for a TV to tip. Keep in mind that the safest way to baby proof TV wires and your entertainment center is to safely mount your flat screen on the wall out of reach from a cantankerous toddler. Getting Started Baby Proofing an Entertainment Center Start by Wall Mounting Your TV Many parents and families baby proof the TV area by strapping their TV down to the console or storage cabinet. And while this can provide some level of tip-over prevention, it isn’t an entirely fail safe solution. Modern flat screen TVs are much more top heavy than the bulky CRT TVs of the ‘90s. This means that they are far more prone to swaying and wobbling than a TV with a prominent base. That’s why the best way to baby proof an entertainment center is to mount your TV on the wall. We’ll admit, it’s hard to strike a balance between TV wall mount child safety and placing a TV at the right height for the optimal viewing experience. Better yet, MantelMount pulldown wall mounts give parents the flexibility to lower their TVs to the perfect TV-viewing height when they’re ready to enjoy their favorite movie or show, and place the TV out of reach when the little ones are active at play. Our friendly technicians and customer service reps are always around to answer your burning questions about the installation process, but if you feel prepared to go it alone, here’s a good rule of thumb for finding the right height for your TV. Place a TV within 3 or 6 inches of the TV’s dimensions. For instance, the middle of a 55-inch TV should sit 61” off the ground while the middle of a 70-inch TV should be 67 inches off the floor and centered over a console table or fireplace, if that doesn’t place the TV too high. Secure Any Cabinets to the Wall While mounting your TV will prevent potential injuries from TV tip-overs, it’s also important to secure the furniture around and below your TV to keep kids safe. Console tables, TV cabinets, shelves, open entertainment centers, and any make-shift storage cabinets can easily teeter when kids pull open drawers and doors and venture to climb on top or crawl inside. Securing these pieces to the wall in studs or with drywall mollies will not only eliminate injuries from a wobbly TV, it will also eliminate the potential for injury caused by heavy furniture falling over if it’s rocked or jostled in any way.   Don’t Forget to Baby Proof TV Wires While TV wall mount child safety calls for installing a TV out of reach from young children, it also calls for hiding wires, cable boxes, a sound bar or game consoles that could potentially cause injury or become damaged themselves. The easiest way to do this is to place game consoles and technical accessories behind cabinet doors and secure your entertainment center’s doors shut with child proof handle covers. Additionally, families can secure a sound bar in place with a sound bar adapter built for their TV mount of choice. To baby proof TV wires, parents can invest in cord wraps and protectors and secure wires to the floor or behind TV cabinets and cover any unused outlets around their entertainment center with baby proof power strips and outlet plugs. It may not seem like much, but taking these small steps for baby proofing your entertainment center can go a long way to keep children safe and create a stress-free TV-viewing environment. To learn more about MantelMount, contact our friendly customer service representatives for more information. Or, if you’re ready to get started with an installation today, find a dealer and an installer near you.

Since the 1980s, television watchers have gone from big boxy TVs and their television consoles to very streamlined and mountable televisions with a crisp and clear picture. Televisions were invented nearly 100 years ago — in 1927, to be exact (though the first televisions were sold in 1929) — and one could say we’ve come a long way since then. However, since the late 1990s, televisions have become more widely-sought after (especially with upgrading older television models!) due to the high quality of the products. Even more recently there have been questions about what kinds of television sets are better. For instance, a big debate is plasma TV vs LED televisions, which we will look into now, including asking: What is the difference between plasma and LED TVs? What is a Plasma TV? To get to the bottom of the difference between plasma and LED TVs, it’s important to first understand what a plasma TV is. Despite the fact that plasma TVs, also referred to as Plasma Display Panels, have not been made since 2014 nor are they longer on the market, they are still one of the most popular types of televisions in households across the US for many reasons including lifespan and durability.  A plasma TV is a television display that contains millions of minute compact fluorescent lamps (or CFLs) that are turned on and off, according to the electronic circuit that subsequently regulates the individual pixels on the television screen. This is also where plasma TVs get their name. Each of these microscopic CFLs are pumped with gas and once the gas has been triggered by the electronic circuit, the gas is called plasma. Therefore, the plasma literally lights up the plasma television screen.  In the late 1990s and into the early and mid-2000s, plasma televisions were on the top of the list of TVs that a consumer would want to buy. The quality of the plasma televisions, even on large screen televisions, was a difference of night and day as the vibrancy and tone of colors on the screen had much more substance to them than older types of televisions. What is an LED TV? After unpacking what a plasma TV is, let’s look at what an LED TV is. Although when looking at a plasma TV vs LED, it may not seem too different, which is true, but there are small differences between the two.  When looking at the bare bones of what is an LED TV, an LED TV is, simply, a television screen that uses a backlight. This means that, similar to an LCD, an LED television makes use of light — hence the LED acronym of the name Light-Emitting Diode — rather than a gas or plasma. While an LCD TV uses cold-cathode fluorescent lamps for the backlight, an LED television uses the same foundation as an LCD but uses LED lights instead of CCFLs for the backlight. In fact, LED TVs and LCD TVs are so similar that they often can be referred to interchangeably. Not only is there a difference between plasma and LED TVs but there is also a difference between LED, OLED, and QLED TVs. There’s not a large alteration between them as an LED uses the aforementioned LED lights for the backlight, an OLED — standing for Organic Light-Emitting Diode — utilizes its organic chemical elements to independently light up each pixel, and a QLED — which is a Quantum Dot LED — replaces older LED technology by showcasing a richer and higher dynamic color spectrum. So when you’re shopping for an LED TV, and come across OLED or QLED TVs, make note to check out those televisions as well. What TV Should I Choose: Plasma TV vs LED? We can’t tell you flat out what type of television to choose — although with plasma TVs not in shops, it’ll be more difficult to find one — but it certainly is important to understand the differences between plasma and LED TVs. Although both televisions will provide great sound and picture quality for years, it’s important to consider the display when choosing between a plasma or LED TV.  Trying to make good use of a TV’s sound quality? You’ll need to be mindful of where the television is located within a living room, especially a small one, when considering acoustics. Will you need the television mounted on a wall or above a fireplace for an optimal viewing angle to take full advantage of the sharpness of the screen’s images? MantelMount products, ranging from consumer-centric pull down TV mounts to second generation Pro pull down TV mounts made for heavier televisions, can be used to bring a great eye-level television watching experience to your living room or wherever you watch your television. Whether you’re reinventing ways to make use of your old plasma TV or are buying an LED TV, you now have the plasma TV vs LED comparison knowledge. Whatever television you are using to mount, it’ll be vital to take into consideration the sound quality, visual quality, cost, and energy efficiency of the television to make your overall viewing experience a great one.

Maybe you’ve just moved or maybe you’re tired of staring at the same four walls while housebound in the pandemic. Either way, you’re ready to refresh the decor, or perhaps move around the furniture, to get a new look.It makes sense to start with the spaces you spend the most time in—the living room, the bedroom, the den. Also, we’re betting your Netflix subscription has been netting its money’s worth. So, we suggest that you start your redecorating with the TV wall, updating your TV placement and decor—after all, if that’s where you are looking every day, it may as well be the best view in the house, whether the TV is on or off.One of the choices you’ll want to make is whether to have your TV wall mounted or have it sit on a media console, dresser, or other piece of furniture. Naturally, we have some thoughts on this. The Allure of a Wall-Mounted TV Our recommendation is always for a wall-mounted TV, even if you do want a media console under it. Here’s why: It makes the surfaces below—be it a console, a credenza, or just the floor—a lot easier to clean. It leaves those same surfaces free for other uses, practical or decorative. It makes it easier to access the TV itself and its wiring for repairs, cleaning, and moving. With the right pull down TV mount—namely, MantelMount—you get far more flexibility on angle and height adjustments than you can manage with a TV stand. With a stand, you cannot customize much for different individuals, or even the same viewer, moving around the room. A wall mount also offers far more versatility for decor around it, because you don’t have to worry about the piece of furniture supporting your TV being large or sturdy enough—this means you can choose period pieces, more lightweight, or minimalist options. It’s a better bet by far for tight spaces, or when your TV wall is along a high-traffic path—like on a wall between two doors. You can also raise it out of reach of children and pets! Whatever height you choose, a wall-mounted TV eliminates tipping risks. This is safer for people and safer for the TV, too, especially if you spent a large chunk of cash on it.   We trust you are now convinced that the way your TV goes should be up—up on the wall! Now, let’s brainstorm placement and design. Placement of your Wall-Mounted TV The most important factors you want to consider when placing your TV are the size of it, the size and shape of the room, and where you will be sitting—or lying!—when you watch. Choosing a TV wall mount with a built-in tilt, and especially the option to lower the TV, will help when you go from sitting up in bed to slouching on the floor with your pet or toddler. MantelMount’s wall mount options can lower the TV by up to 27 inches! TV Size You might be wondering, “How high should I mount a flat-screen TV?” If you have a broader screen, it is better off mounted a little higher for a better viewing angle. This way, objects placed on furniture below—or people sitting in front of or across from you—don’t have a chance to obscure the lower edge. Room Size You should be sitting about twice the distance from your TV wall as your TV’s size—so, a 60-inch TV calls for you to sit 10 feet (120 inches) away. This, in turn, can dictate which wall works best for the TV mount. Besides, a wider room, especially one zoned for different activities, can call for a larger swivel angle from the TV mount—more so if your TV is on the longest wall. Function and Furniture Placement When choosing which wall to mount your TV on, consider the placement in terms of how you use the room, as well as how light hits the wall you are considering by day and by night: Mounting between windows can be best to avoid glare—unless you have a lot of ambient streetlight that gets in your eyes! Can you use blinds to cut out glare from a nearby window, or do you prefer more daylight? Can you move around lamps or redirect spotlights by night? If you prefer to watch movies with the lights dimmed, which TV wall makes it less likely for someone to trip on furniture when they go to get a drink? How likely is someone to cut across your sightline? You don’t want to be sitting on the couch with a dining table between you and your TV—interruptions are guaranteed. Similarly, if your favorite recliner is positioned on one side of a doorway and the TV on the other, how often does someone stroll in and cross the room? If you’re a serious audiophile, you may need to consider the conflict with existing sound equipment and the acoustics of the room. Think hard about whether you really need a wall-mounted TV shelf just underneath. We know it’s a common arrangement. But, you chose freedom from furniture when you did away with the stand. So, unless it is making a visual point, we have better ideas for storage on that wall below! Let’s move on to room-specific decor for our two favorite TV-viewing spots: the bedroom and the living room (also applicable to the den). Wall-mounted TV Ideas for the Bedroom If your bedtime routine ends with the remote control, here are some of our favorite TV placements: Over the dresser: Because most of us have one, and it is often across from the foot of the bed, this makes sense. Should you want more artwork or storage on the same wall, incorporate the TV into your gallery as just another frame. Let the dresser cue where to place the remote by day, too! On the wall, over the bed: If you have a small bedroom, you might mount the TV directly over the foot of the bed, or you might have it on the wall your bed is pushed up against lengthwise, so that you can watch from your favorite lounge chair across the room. Over the head of the bed! Now, hear us out—some of us have partners who don’t appreciate the distraction at their feet. Get them a sleep mask, or move the bed a little further off the wall, and place the TV behind the headboard—et voila! Less light from the TV will reach them while they sleep. For yourself, invest in a cozy couch on the far wall—and headphones, of course. On the wall opposite the bed: This will make excellent sense if you have a convertible sofa or daybed. Use the space as a living space, as well as sleeping there at night. Higher than your climber toddler: If this TV is going in the kids’ bedroom, place it higher than the shelves your youngest is likely to climb. This is one room where you do not want it anywhere near the bed! (We know kids get bouncy in their castle!) Instead of art: This is the room where you may most want a TV that looks less like tech, so the non-intrusive design of one of the new frame TVs could be for you. Samsung is the leader of these TVs that look just like art when switched off, thanks to the bevel-edged cabinet and white border on the aptly named The Frame. This one resembles mounted artwork, but others, like Sony, LG, TCL, Vizio, Sharp, and Hisense, are doing these slender-bezel TVs, too. There’s even the rotating Sero from Samsung, which looks like an easel in a corner. Alternatively, consider LG’s roll-up screen, which allows the cabinet to even sit right at the foot of the bed or under a window, without disrupting your view. Mirror, mirror, on the wall… Is that a TV, after all? Try a mirror TV, which is literally a looking glass in idle mode, and a perfectly logical accessory in the bedroom, above the dresser! Samsung, Loewe, LG, and Sony are some brands that manufacture these. This is also the TV that can hang across from the bathtub. Wall-mounted TV Ideas for the Living Room Chances are the TV is sharing space with many more activity centers in your living room—this might be the place for family movie nights, or a solo binge-watching saga, but it may also hold the kids’ play area, your pet’s favorite nap spot, the family board games, your music, your knitting… and maybe your dining area. For some of us, this is our home office by day, too!There’s a lot going on, so it can be hard to decide where to focus. Consider:  Space-sharing with other tech: Do you also use the room for homework, a home office, and so forth? Would you want the TV recessed to allow for a sliding whiteboard, say? If you already use that equipment, you can save wall space by putting both on the same wall. Insert in the dip between taller cabinets: Can you move book shelves or other taller furniture apart to balance them visually on either side of the TV? It’s the natural resting place for your eyes, as they travel from corner to corner. Or, put it between pillars and bridge them with a long shelf to underline that flat-screen! You can do the same bracketing with tall plants or framed portraits. Call it modern art: Integrate the TV into a gallery of artwork and mirrors—it can even be off-center within the arrangement of frames, as long as the overall shape of your gallery squares up. Make it a son et lumière: Got a sound bar in the same room? Use it under the TV like a shelf to underscore the screen! There’s less visual clutter and it’s also more compact. (Chances are the acoustics will replicate well, too!) Visual buffet over the breakfast bar: This isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but if you have one of those busy households where everyone’s catching up on the game or the news, then you may as well put the TV on the far wall! Send it to the naughty corner: If you’re really short of space for sitting or viewing, consider a cater-corner mount. Beyond the big couch: Is it practical for some people to be reading or pursuing other hobbies with their backs to the TV? If so, you can have the TV mounted behind one couch, facing your other sofas.  Integrate your Wall-mounted TV with Existing Shelves, Art, and Cabinetry Just because you wall-mounted your TV does not mean it has to dominate your decor. If you prefer your media consumption to stay a little low-key, or just need a lot more storage to share your TV’s wall space, you might want to try one of these ideas for integrating your wall-mounted TV into the existing decor:  Frame it or curtain it: A recessed TV allows you to shut doors or curtains over it when not in use. Borrow the veneer off existing cabinetry or match your upholstery. You can even drop a window-sized blind over it—better still if you can match the size of your existing window treatments for full camouflage. You won’t even know the TV is there. It will be even more of a talking point when revealed, of course! Furniture can sit right under it without competing or looking unlikely—you can even place a bench there. Soften the high-tech edge with natural textures: Even if your flat-screen is on full view, you can lessen the impact by sharing the wall with lots of natural materials—wooden (or veneer) shelves, basketry, live or artificial plants, prints from nature, animal sculptures, and similar items. In this case, keep the overall arrangement of shelves asymmetrical, since nature typically isn’t all that matchy-matchy. Balance it with the handmade marvels: Similar to the earlier idea, this one softens the TV’s contemporary lines with hanging textiles (even a rug!), pottery, baskets, masks, and more on the same wall. Consider some living-edge wood shelves for this one. Modern masterpiece: For anything from mid-century modern to industrial decor, the TV integrates easily with a few geometric shapes, or a minimal bare wall in an urban grey or greige. In this case, rather than shelves, push up period-appropriate furniture along the walls for storage. Alleviate the all-black: If you have a lot of black about the place, consider putting the TV on a wallpapered wall to break it up. Or, alternatively, maybe a texture wall, especially if your other blacks are shiny, too—think pleather, granite, glass... Add grayscale: If your decor is mostly in other shades, like beiges, greens, blues, and pinks, consider adding some greys to tie the TV screen in when switched off. A more pastel theme in particular helps the black of the TV to find common ground easily. A single tall lamp, a throw, or maybe a handful of small objects on the coffee table will do. Final countdown: Which mount to choose? So, we’ve already seen why you would want a mount with: Tilt capabilities—for different heights of viewers in the same chair! (Your toddler should not get a crick in his/her neck anymore than you.) A good swivel angle—for corner to corner viewing. Impressive height adjustability—from floor-level to bunk-bed viewer, say? You also want, of course: Ease of use for everyone—from kids to grandparents, taking into account disabilities, too. Ease of installation. Some degree of economy, please! We suggest MantelMount, of course, so you can rest assured on all the above counts.

Put down the measuring tape! Before you install your TV mount, we have some pointers to assure that your TV is at a perfect viewing level no matter what your set up is. Viewing without Regrets The placement of your TV mount is crucial to your entertainment room's decor and your overall viewing enjoyment. After all, is there anything worse than craning your neck to watch TV after a long day? There are a few things that you need to analyze before deciding on the best place to mount your TV. You need to determine how the TV in the room you’re installing it in is going to be used. Factors like viewing, functionality, seating, and more can all come into play. So, let’s get started! Standard Seating View How high should I mount my TV in a standard viewing setting? Typically for a standard living room set up, you would position your TV 42 inches on-center, measuring from the floor up. This is because a sofa is usually about 18 inches in height, giving you an extra 24 inches, so the TV rests at your eye level. If your sofa is shorter or taller than this, recalculate accordingly. Bar Stool Seating When you are mounting a TV in a home bar, you want the TV to be at eye level for people sitting on bar stools. For this, we recommend moving from the 42-inch mark to 48 inches or 53 inches on-center.  Above Fireplace Mounting Another popular question people have when they purchase a TV mount is how high should a TV be mount above their fireplace?   The rule of thumb is, if your mantel is less than four feet from the floor, you should mount your TV about 12 inches above it. This rule applies to a fireplace without a mantel as well. However, if you have a fireplace that is more than 4 feet tall, we recommend mounting the TV about 6 inches above the fireplace for a more comfortable view. Mounting a TV with Obstructed Views Sometimes the way a room is laid out can pose certain issues when you are mounting your TV. Luckily there is an answer to how high a TV should be mounted when you are in this situation. To avoid interference with a piece of furniture or an appliance, mount the TV as close to eye-level as you can, ensuring there are about 6 inches of clearance between the obstruction and your TV. Let’s Do This! We hope this blog assists you in mounting your TV! If you're still in the process of shopping for a TV mount, look no further than MantelMount. Our patented construction combines high-quality components and state-of-the-art counterbalance technology, allowing anyone to easily pull a large flat-screen TV down off the wall, suspend it at eye-level in front of a fireplace, and swivel it left or right for the perfect view.

TV NECK PAIN? TAKE A MANTELMOUNT AND CALL US IN THE MORNING   At MantelMount, we talk a lot about neck pain. Frankly, it’s getting to be a pain in the neck. After all, we mention it in almost every one of our blogs. We address it in various spots throughout our website. We discuss it with the distributors who carry our product. We just can’t seem to get it out of our heads.  But there’s a good reason for it. It’s because watching a TV above eye level can, over time, produce neck pain, as well as a host of other physical issues.  MantelMount, the premier pulldown flatscreen TV mount on the market, solves the problem by allowing you to mount your TV above your fireplace (a very popular mounting option) or high on a wall, and bring it down to eye level for the perfect viewing angle, not just to maximize your viewing experience but to eliminate the issues associated with craning your necks up too long and too high.  Yet as much as we’ve discussed the neck pain and other issues that can result from improper TV positioning, the one thing we haven’t done is offer you the perspective of a real medical professional – that is, until now. So MantelMount reached out to Dr. Kay Sunakawa, a Doctor of Chiropractic at the Holistic Healing Center for Network Chiropractic in Sudbury, MA, to get her take on the subject.   “Craning your neck upwards can cause neck pain, headaches, and other health issues,” said Dr. Sunakawa, who gained her degree from Life University in Marietta, GA. “Factors such as TV viewing habits, preexisting conditions, general health, can all have an impact.  “For someone who watches maybe an hour of TV a day, and doesn’t watch every day, the pain or symptoms would be minimal, maybe even non-existent. But for someone who watches several hours a day every day, it’s likely to have a more serious impact.” Based on the TV watching habits of the average American, it seems that “serious impact” is the more likely scenario. In the second quarter of 2017 consumers in the United States spent an average of 24.4 hours per week watching live television.  And while the projection for second quarter of this year is down to 22.5 hours per week, that’s still a good deal of neck craning – almost 3.5 hours per day – for those whose TV's are in less than optimal position. “It certainly depends on the individual, their overall musculoskeletal health, how far back they’re titling their head, and many other factors, but 3.5 hours per day, every day of watching TV at a bad viewing angle is going to cause problems,” she stated. What kind of problems? “Neck pain, being one of the more obvious symptoms. But there is also the potential for spine problems that can be less obvious as more strain is placed on it from tilting the head back, especially if the person already has a condition like arthritis or spinal stenosis. Imagine sitting in the front row of a movie theatre for 3 hours, every day. The neck malposition and strain can lead to general neck pain and tightness, and over time it can also result in decreased range of motion, poor or asymmetrical posture, muscular imbalances and stiffness, headaches, nerve impingement, spine degeneration, and decreased nerve impulses to all the vital organs of your body. “With nerve impingement, pain can radiate down your arms, and even down to your legs. Left unchecked, pain and decreased nerve supply can affect the entire body.” Dr. Sunakawa provides the same advice to her clients whether it’s watching TV or working at their computer. “It all goes back to angle,” she explained. “In terms of workplace ergonomics, we always emphasize the importance of having your computer right in front of you.  You don’t want to be looking up or down; straight ahead is the best position. Ironically, while flatscreen TV’s have brought with them a new dimension in viewing enjoyment, they can also be considered the primary culprits when it comes to the aforementioned health issues.  Before the advent of flatscreen TV's, televisions were not mounted on a wall.  The earliest versions usually came built inside a large console that simply stood on the floor.  When the family sat on their couch watching Jack Benny or The Honeymooners, they were, by and large, sitting at a pretty innocuous viewing angle.   When the huge consoles disappeared, the transistor tube-based devices were generally either placed on a table or a shelf in an entertainment center – still at a very acceptable angle.  It was the introduction of the flatscreen that led to wall mounting and the assortment of health issues that have ensued from improper viewing angles.  Of course, MantelMount solves that problem nicely. But even if you don’t use a MantelMount, make sure you are watching your TV at eye level, whether that means mounting it lower on your wall or placing it on a table or desk. Because while constantly talking about neck pain can wear you down, having it is much, much worse.    ###  

AFTER CEDIA 2017, MANTELMOUNT GAINS SEAT AT “ADULTS" TABLE” Sometimes at Thanksgiving dinners, there is a kids’ table.  It is literally a table for children – the place where anyone ranging from 2-16 is required to sit so they don’t bother the grown-ups.  Because grown-ups have important things to talk about and although they love their children, the kids simply don’t have the maturity or the gravitas to be in the company of the adults. That’s where MantelMount was just two years ago; we were figuratively sitting at the kids’ table.  More specifically, as a tiny little start-up, we were at CEDIA 2015 on “rookie row,” sandwiched in with the other youngsters.  We had a quaint little 10 x 10 booth where we were showing our only version of the MantelMount Pull Down TV Mount: the T1MA.  It was a great product which solved a very specific need: TV’s placed over the fireplace or high on a wall create horrible, neck-breaking viewing angles.  MantelMount solved that problem with a well-engineered, solidly built unit that was both aesthetically pleasing and affordable.  We attracted a great deal of interest at that show.  Still, we had a long way to go before we would be able to sit at the adults’ table, the one where the long-established manufacturers of mature, reputable and best-selling electronic products and accessories – most of them household names – were congregated.  These were companies with high-profile market presence, significant market share, and sufficient financial resources to buy an actual market if they wanted.  While we had made what we felt was a noticeable impression at CEDIA 2015, we wondered what the resulting market impact would be.  Had we simply hit an elephant with a pea shooter? Apparently, we had a little more impact than we imagined.  We were named a “Best New Product Finalist” at the show.  At the same show, we were recognized as “Most Creative New TV Mount” by rAVe Publications.  Obviously, we impressed someone besides our family, friends, and attendees who wandered into our booth on their way to somewhere else. Awards kept coming.  We attended the HPBExpo on 2016 and snagged a prize from Hearth & Home Magazine for Best Outdoor Room equipment.  Plus, we won a 2016 Product of the Year from Electronic House, a well-respected publication covering all areas of electronic products and accessories for the home.  Awards are nice, but sales are even better.  And sales were going quite well.  In fact, so well that we were convinced it was time to introduce two new models, the MM340 andMM540.  Both were well-received, and we now had a real “product line.”  (OK, it was only three products long, but it was still a line.) Award were rolling in faster than we could accept them.  The CE Pro Best TV Mount Winner at CEDIA 2016.  The NewBay Media Best in Show for AV Technology at InfoComm 2016.  Then an exciting new model: the MM700, geared towards the professional channel.  New distribution channels.  Increasing sales.  We were firmly on people’s radar, not just consumers but integrators, electronic dealers, and distributors. Just a few weeks ago, we exhibited at CEDIA 2017.  It’s no exaggeration to say that was our coming-out party.  We had a huge 30x30 booth right in the middle of the action.  And we introduced a truly groundbreaking product: our MM850 automated mount.  A motorized mount that works via IP over internet and interfaces with most popular home automation systems (Control4, RTI, Crestron, to name a few), the MM850 hit a home run with everyone who saw it.  No, make that a grand slam.  The media noticed, as evidenced by all the coverage we received.  Attendees noticed, based on the multiple “oohs” and “ahhs” we heard.  Dealers noticed, as we signed up hundreds of them who couldn’t wait to sell the new unit.  And we noticed, based on how tired we were when the show was over.  Oh, and did we mention we also won three awards for the MM850 – a unit that isn’t even available until December?  These were heavyweight awards: Innovation and Tech Today.  Residential Systems.  CE Pro.  (We might have also won Most Congenial, but we can’t remember.) So what does this all mean?  Have we reached the top of the proverbial mountain?  Are we at the pinnacle of our industry?  Far from it.  We still have much to do, and many new products to create and perfect.  What it does means is that in just a few short years, we have arrived.  We went from a barely noticeable start-up with one nice product to a up-and-coming force in the television accessory market.  We’ll never stop trying to do better and to develop innovative products that don’t just follow the latest trends but that set them.  In other words, we’ve left the kids’ table and can now take our place with the heavyweights in the consumer electronics industry at the adults’ table.  Don’t get us wrong; the kids’ table was fun.  But the adults’ table is all business.  ###

When it comes to pulldown mounts for flatscreen televisions, we simply don’t have any competition; it’s not bragging, it’s just fact.  As we’ve pointed out in previous blogs, only a few mounts are even capable of vertical movement.  And of those, none has the range of features that MantelMount has.  The truth is, although we reign supreme in the world of flatscreen TV mounts, we do have some serious competition in the larger mount universe:  Mount Everest. At 29,029 feet, Mount Everest is Earth’s highest mountain, the one that all others mountains wish they could be.  Almost 7,000 climbs have been made to the summit of this 60-million-year-old behemoth by over 4000 climbers, with close to 300 deaths.  Many local names still exist for this behemoth, including Chomolungma in Tibet (“Mother Goddess of the Universe”) and Sagarmatha in Nepal (Goddess of the Sky”).  Listen, we know we’ve got a great mount, but nobody’s calling us goddess of anything. Mount Rushmore National Memorial. Carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota, the Mount Rushmore National Memorial features 60-foot-high heads of four U.S. presidents: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson and Theodore Roosevelt.  The memorial was created to represent the first 130 of American history.  These four presidents were selected because of “their role in preserving the republic and expanding its territory.”  This impressive display was conceived by sculptor Gutzon Borglun and carved with assistance from his son and 400 workers; the entire project took 14 years, from 1927 to 1941.  (Our one advantage: it will not take 14 years to install a MantelMount unit).              Anson Mount. Born February 25, 1973, Anson Mount is a well-known (and in our opinion, very good) American actor.  He portrayed the fictional character Cullen Bohannon in the AMC Western drama series, Hell on Wheels.  He was also cast in the role of Jim Steele on the short-lived NBC Series Conviction.  He appeared in the popular thrillers Straw Dogs (2011) and Non-Stop (2014).  He was recently cast as the Marvel Comics superhero Black Bolt in the upcoming series Marvel’s Inhumans, a show we intend to watch religiously (at the proper viewing angle, of course).  The Royal Mounties. World-renowned for their bravery, tradition, and spiffy uniforms, the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) is the official Canadian National Police Service and an agency of the Ministry of Public Safety Canada.  It is unique because it is a National, Federal, Provincial and Municipal policing body all rolled into one.  The RCMP is responsible for the capture of some of the world’s most notorious criminals and has been glamorized in all forms of media, including movies, books, and televisions shows.  If one of our units gets stolen anywhere in Canada, the RCMP will find it; after all, as the saying goes, “They Always Get Their Man(telMount).” Matching up against the other flatscreen television mounts in the marketplace is not a particularly tough challenge for us.  But as you can see, there are some other impressive mounts out there that can give us a run for our money.  ###

  I own a MantelMount Pull Down TV Mount™.  It has completely changed my TV viewing experience.  No more sore neck.  Great viewing angle.  TV looks great over the fireplace, easy to pull down when I want to watch.  I don’t think I’m exaggerating when I say that MantelMount has changed my life.  (What that says about the quality of my life is a subject for a different day.) It wasn’t always this way.  Up until MantelMount, my TV mounting history was a sad tale of weird viewing angles, damaged TV’s, and poorly-made furniture.  As I reviewed this history, I could only shake my head and marvel at my ignorance.  Frankly, when it came to creating the optimal TV viewing experience, I didn’t even know what I didn’t know.  The first TV I could claim as my own was in college - a small, 12-inch black and white that got just two channels and was missing the volume knob.  I had it mounted on a milk crate in my dorm room.  There is no worse way to watch a TV.  I usually watched it while leaning off the side of my bed, with the upper half of my body almost touching the floor.  Because I was young and relatively limber, it didn’t really bother me very much, though getting into that position today would require some heavy construction equipment and a handful of painkillers.  When I got out of college, I rented an apartment where I bought my first color TV: a 19-inch Panasonic.  With very little furniture and almost no floor space, I elected to place it on one of those horrible end tables that has a magazine rack on the bottom.  The viewing angle actually wasn’t too bad; the problem was that the table had a very small footprint, so even though I did my best to center the TV on the table, it was always in danger of being knocked off the table from the slightest contact.  I’m not sure how many times it fell, but I stopped counting around 20.  Amazingly, it always worked after each losing battle with gravity - until the last fall, after which I gave it a proper burial. When I got married and bought my first house, I graduated to the big time.  I bought an “entertainment center,” one of those big, bulky oak pieces roughly the size of a German Panzer tank.  The TV went in a big section on the right; there were shelves and drawers on the left for all my stereo components, vinyl records, and VHS tapes.  There were a few issues with this set-up.  The TV sat too low in the unit: after about an hour of viewing, it felt like my chin was bolted to my chest.  What’s more, my wife insisted on keeping dozens of photos – kids, relatives, pets - on top of the unit, which always proved distracting.  It was really hard to enjoy an episode of Full House while I had to see 350-pound Aunt Jennie staring at me out of the corner of my eye.  In my current home, I went for the classic mounting scenario: above the fireplace.  As in many homes, it was the only free wall space we had.  I didn’t think much about the height until I started actually watching TV.  From the first minute of the first show, I thought, “This is way too high.  I need to do something about this.”  Springing into action, I proceeded to do nothing for the next eight years (I am nothing if not methodical).  But about a year ago, I found out about MantelMount.  In fact, I saw the company at a trade show I was attending (CEDIA 2015).  The concept was so simple and had been engineered so expertly.  Move your TV down to watch, move it up when you’re not.  Easy to pull down.  Easy to install.  Even heat-sensing handles so you could put it in front of a fire if you wanted.  It was love at first sight.  I purchased a unit, put it up, and my TV viewing has been, quite literally, transformed.  When it comes to my TV mounting journey, I am reminded of the line from the old Grateful Dead song, “Truckin’ ”:  What a long, strange trip it’s been.  ###