Tuesday, June 2, 2009

Buying a Cabinet, Stand or Bracket for LCD Plasma TVs

by Mat Churchill

Shop for a sturdy cabinet. Dovetail joints are a good sign; inspect for other signs of quality worksmanship. If shopping in a store, give the stand/cabinet a nudge and see what happens. If youre shopping online, sift through reviews and watch for complaints as to lack of sturdiness.

For interior design, the general rule of thumb is to stick to a minimum of materials, which should match. If the room contains a number of wood pieces, it is advisable to buy another wood piece. Glass and steel are complementary so if you have one, you can add the other. It is important to match the colors; stick with mahogany if you started with it and don't mix steel with brass.

As cabinets have grown to accommodate larger televisions, space diminishes. Shop for one that will keep an "open" feel to the space. An armoire or cabinet will visually eat a lot more space than a table. Color is also important: dark will be more dramatic (particularly if the piece is large) so lighter is preferable.

Be sure to factor in the electronics that will need to be within a cables reach of the television: your DVD or Blu-Ray player, video game consoles, On Demand box, etcetera. These devices should have air circulating around them to prevent overheating; an open-backed cabinet or table is ideal. If you purchase an armoire or closed cabinet, drilling will be necessary both for air circulation and to route the cables to the tv and the cords to the outlet.

Width can also be important. With todays skinny lightweight tvs, only a minimum of surface width is necessary. A skinny tv may appear to swim on a large stand and itll increase floor real estate to think thin while shopping.

A swivel stand will be a valuable investment whether you decide on a stand or a cabinet. Some stands designed for a cabinet will pull forward as well as swivel, which will make the tv seem larger. (If your seating area is already fairly close to the tv, save the money and skip this feature.)

A wall mount will of course take up a minimum of space and is usually the best option; in most cases, it will be less expensive. Be sure to choose one that is adjustable. This is paramount if the seating area around the tv might be in flux; if you have gatherings and add in a few more chairs at one end, for instance, the tv may need to be adjusted on the fly. With most, this is unlikely, but the tv does need to be positioned initially for optimum visibility. Some LCD tvs in particular suffer from glare issues if hit by direct light so a tiny angle shift can significantly enhance visibility.

Be sure the designated wall will support the wall mount. Knock to check where studs are and if you're uncertain that the wall can withstand the weight, it's probably not worth risking. (Ceiling mounts are also available.) If you have not yet purchased the tv, you can opt to purchase one from a store that offers installation, and leave it to the professionals.

And allow room for expansion if youre thinking of upgrading to a larger tv soon or plan to add more electronics. When in doubt, too much space is almost never too much space. In the world of electronics, less is not more.

About the Author:

To get all the latest information and lowest prices on lcd and plasma television stands, brackets and cabinets, be sure to visit us at www.digitaldirect.co.uk. These links may also be useful tv wall bracket and lcd tv wall mount

Get all the information and photos:: http://coringa.info/technology-and-gadgets/buying-a-cabinet-stand-or-bracket-for-lcd-plasma-tvs

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