You can mount thin LCD and plasma panels almost anywhere. Swivel and universal joints on mounts allow you to tilt or rotate screens with the mere touch of a finger. New standards among manufacturers regarding mount locations on the display frame have buoyed a third-party mount market that now gives you more choices than ever.
You'll find the following three basic types of mounts:
- Flat panel: Designed predominantly for plasma and LCD displays, you find versions for ceiling, wall, and pole mounts (for floor-based mounting). Flat-panel mounts can be static, pitch, and swing mounts. Static mounts don't move. Pitch mounts pivot the display up and down. Swing mounts articulate up and down and side to side.
- Projector: Designed for projectors, these mounts are generally universal-style mounts that accept a lot of different projector models. This base mount unit is then complemented with other accessories for attachment to a ceiling, wall, pole, or other mount. If you have a drop ceiling, for instance, you would attach the projector mount to a variable-length pole that allows you to make your mount installation flush with the ceiling tiles.
- Automated: Designed for applications where you want to hide your gear when not in use, automated mounts lift or drop your HDTV into the ceiling, floor, or cabinet. Click a button, and voilà, your TV is back. Automated swing mounts can, with the press of a button, swing your TV into a preprogrammed position.
