Flat Wall Mount
Flat Wall Mounts are the most common mounting option for Plasma TVs for home or business use. This option is the least expensive and allows the plasma monitor to remain closest to the wall, adding under 2 inches to the depth. It is used in the home theater, living room, or company boardroom to achieve the sleek appearance plasma TVs are known for.
Tilt Wall Mount
This mounting option is used when placing the plasma TV higher than the desired eye level. A tilt wall mount typically allows 15° to 20° of tilt, depending upon the brand. Commonly used above fireplaces or on the bedroom wall, a tilt wall mount is also just the thing for overhead displays in retail or industry, with or without an attached ceiling bracket. A tilt wall mount typically adds from 4" to 6" to the overall depth of the plasma display when mounted.
Table Stand
Most consumer-oriented plasma TVs come with their own matching table stand, used wherever there's enough table-stop space to support the TV. These units are custom made to manufacturers specifications as each plasma display has its own requirements regarding how the stand fits the plasma. The stands will generally the plasma TV 2.5 to 4 inches from the table. The table stand allows for a surprisingly sharp look and allows for maximum flexibility, as nothing is permanently affixed to the wall.
Plasma TV Cart
Typically used for business applications, this display solution is used for trade shows as well as in-house presentations. It is used often in a courtroom setting or to mobilize up to the edge of a boardroom table for maximum visual presentation. It may include a platform for placing a DVD player, laptop computer, or VCR.
Articulating Wall Mount
This apparatus uses a swivel arm which folds up when not in use, allowing the plasma to be "flush mounted" like the tilt wall mount. It adds between 3 to 4 inches to the depth of the plasma mount depending on the manufacturer. It is used for maximum flexibility in Sports Bars, library studies, and commercial display operations. Most articulating wall mounts can turn 120° to either side and tilt up to 10-15°
Ceiling Mount Options
A ceiling mount arm is normally used with the tilt wall mount and provides an attractive mounting options for airport displays, check out counters, hospital rooms, and bedrooms. Though the ceiling mount can be used with flat wall mount tilting the unit downward is normally necessary. Lengths of ceiling mount poles are variable depending upon customer needs. Standard lengths are 24 to 43".
Lift Options
There are a variety of lift options also available such as motorized ceiling lifts, console lifts, motorized furniture lifts and hydrolic furniture lifts. Lift options allow the plasma or LCD TV to be hidden from view when not in use. Hydrolic lifts are manually operated and less expensive while motorized lifts can be operated using remote control.
Step 6: Choosing your Plasma Television
Below are the best selling plasma displays compiled from data provided by vendors located around the United States. They represent the best selling models in all size ranges.
Step 7: How and Where to Buy a Plasma TV
Your first choice in where to buy a plasma TV is between a retail store or online at ebay you can save if you buy from ebay because almost there is 99% chance for saving on ebay.
Plasma Screen Television Installation
One common question people have regarding plasma is, "is the plasma TV hard to install?" The short answer is, no. Installing a plasma TV is relatively easy, there are just a few things to consider.
If you opt to install the wall mount yourself, there will be a few things you will need. You will need a stud finder in order to locate the studs in the wall. Once you've done that you are ready to anchor the mount on the wall using a drill and four screws. You will need a level (preferably laser) to help make sure the plasma TV mount is level. During this procedure, it helps to have at least two people present to help lift the plasma onto the mount. Once the wall plate is installed on the wall and the mounting adaptor plate is installed on the back of the plasma TV all you have to do is hang the plasma on the wall plate and you are ready for your cable hookups.
Running the cable inside wall becomes a bit more complicated and depending on your carpentry skills may require some professional installation. You probably want to hide the cables in the wall to conceal them. This also an easy process but you will need a special device to "fish" the cable through the wall.
For articulating wall mount applications we recommend a professional installer unless you are extremely handy. Articulating wall mounts are heavier and more difficult to work with.
If you are planning on placing the plasma TV on the table stand, it is very easy. Many consumer plasma TVs these days come with the stand already attached. Hooking an HDMI cable to the TV is simple and your ready to go.
Connecting your Plasma TV to Your Home Theater
Hooking up your Plasma TV may seem liek a daunting task, but it's much simpler when you know which types of connection are available, and which ones you need—both now and in the future. We'll walk you through the major types of video connections:
Composite Video
Composite Video terminals are the old standard "A/V" jacks you're probably familiar with. A composite video cable delivers both chrominance (color) and luminance (light/dark or grayscale) information along the same cable. While composite video is far inferior to Component Video, it's still capable of producing a good picture, and may be your only option for VCRs and some cable boxes. Be sure to use a high-quality composite video cable for best results.
S-Video
S-Video uses a 4-pin rounded plug to separate the chrominance and luminance signal, which theoretically should improve picture quality over the standard composite video "A/V" connection. In practice however, we've found that most of today's plasma televisions perform just as well, or even better, with the composite connection: the video processing circuits in the plasma will do a fine job of separating the information once it reaches the monitor.
Component Video
The best of the analog video connections, component video terminals are found on almost any plasma TV you'll be considering, and can be used for progressive-scan DVD, HDTV, and your higher-end cable and satellite boxes. One important note is about the bandwidth of the component video terminal: if you want to use your component inputs for HDTV, look for component inputs called "high-bandwidth" or "HDTV component video" to ensure the terminal can handle the extra information passed through an HDTV signal.
DVI (Digital Visual Interface)
DVI is a multi-pin plug used to transfer video information in an all-digital format. Because the signal undergoes less digital-to-analog conversion, DVI should result in a sharper picture with less conversion artifacts. Most DVI outputs provided by Home Theater gear will be of the DVI-D type, which only carries digital signals, and usually supports the HDCP (High Bandwidth Digital Content Protection) standard of copy protection used by many HDTV providers.
Many PC video cards use DVI outputs as well, and you may find plasmas with DVI-I terminals, which support both digital and analog signals. If you see a DVI-I terminal on a plasma which does not support HDCP, it's most likely intended for PC use.
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface)To take advantage of the latest and greatest, you'll want a plasma TV with an HDMI input—or the option of adding an HDMI terminal board to your plasma. With a bandwidth of up to 5 Gbps, the HDMI standard allows for transmission of high-quality digital video (up to 1080i) along with up to 8 discrete channels of audio, all on the same cable. Found on the latest HDTV set-top boxes and a growing number of DVD players—many with HDTV-quality upconversion, HDMI has proven more than a home theater fad, and should be around for years to come. Backwards compatibility with the older DVI standard means you can use an adapter cable to use DVI output devices with your HDMI-enabled plasma television.
RGB/VGA
The 15-pin d-Sub VGA jack is still the standard for PC video connections, and is usually accompanied by a ¼" stereo "mini-jack" for PC audio. If you want to use your plasma as a PC monitor, you'll need a 15-pin VGA terminal or a PC-compatible DVI connection.
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