Flat panel televisions are the newest and hottest technology in televisions, and they offer several advantages over standard tube televisions. One of these advantages is the great increase in picture quality, they also offer sleeker, more modern designs that fit well with any decor. Another great benefit is the fact that they are well designed for wall mounting due to their flat design as well as their light weight.

When you begin to consider the possibility of wall mounting one of the first things that you need to know is what is behind the wall that you plan to cut in to, you don’t want to drill or cut into anything in the process of mounting.

Once you’ve determined that you are safe to mount in your chosen location it is time to look at equipment needs for this job. Most of the flat panels that you can purchase do not come with the mounting hardware necessary for wall mounting, so you will need to purchase it separate from the television. First of all you must find and purchase an appropriate wall-mounting bracket, you should be able to check your owner’s manual to determine a suitable bracket for your television. The majority of flat panel TV models are compatible with several brackets that follow the standards set by VESA. The models will have the word VESA, which will then be followed by a number that indicates a millimeter distance between mounting holes on the brackets or the TV. An example of this would be a VESA 75, which means that the four holes on the bracket are separated by 75 mm, there are also some brackets that are rectangular in shape and will have a VESA number like 100/200, which indicates that on two sides of the rectangle the holes are separated by 100mm and on the other two by 200mm.

Next on the list of importance is to ensure that the bracket you select is compatible with the screen size of your flat panel, as well as to double check that the weight capability can hold the weight of your TV. It is also important to consider what you would like the bracket to do, such as swiveling to avoid glare or for a better view from a different seat in the room. You may need to nudge the television slightly after mounting in order to assure that your view is exactly as you would like.

The ideal mounting is one where the TV screen is at about eye level to seating, you should also be aware of glare from light reflection, which will reduce the quality of your view, so be aware of these things during the mounting process.

Another aspect of the mounting is the placement of power and A/V cabling. There are ways of doing this that are quick, and ways that are more labor intensive. You can run your wires inside of the wall if you would like, but this will be the most labor intensive. Other options for wiring that avoid the in-wall labor include the use of paintable cable raceways that you can attach to the wall, or you could consider running cables underneath baseboard or molding if you have more distance to cover. Any of these options will eliminate the ugliness associated with the tangled mess of cables and cords that are often visible between your television and your entertainment cabinet.

Once you’ve determined the route and method of cabling you will need to figure how much of the wiring you will need. As in any situation it is better to have too much than too little, following is an example:

Running wire from receiver to wall -3 ft

Running horizontally behind the wall -7 ft

Running vertically to TV inside the wall -5 ft

Wire for wall to TV distance (with slight excess) -2 ft

Total of all measures -18 ft, adding a 15% error factor gives you approximately 21ft necessary to do the job properly.

Once you’ve reached this point you are basically finished, all you have to do from here is fit the two pieces of the mount, the one on the wall and the one on the back of the TV, together and your flat panel TV is successfully wall-mounted.

So you’ve already shelled out big bucks for that flat panel TV, but what about sound? Stereo sound enhances television and movies by immersing you in the on-screen action, surrounding you in atmospheric music and sound effects. Get the most out of your plasma or LCD flat screen purchase by investing in a quality sound system.

Basic Speaker Setup

Not every home theater needs an expensive, state-of-the-art surround sound system. Depending on your room size and budget, you may find that a simple two-speaker setup is all you need to enhance your TV-watching experience with stereophonic sound. A two-speaker setup is best positioned in front of the listener, preferably with one speaker placed on each side of the TV. Different audio channels produce different types of sound, which vary by manufacturer. Testing a pair of speaker’s sound quality in store before buying is recommended.

Home Theater Surround Sound Setup

For a truly immersive TV-watching experience, go the extra mile and invest in a multiple speaker setup to create a home theater with surround sound. A basic home theater setup (4.0) requires four speakers to create surround sound, but adding a subwoofer will provide those rich, deep, low bass sounds that round out the overall effect.

Below is a quick breakdown of surround sound speaker setups:

- 4.0 Setup: 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right)

- 4.1 Setup: 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer

- 5.1 Setup: 1 Center Channel + 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer

- 6.1 Setup: 1 Center Channel + 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer + 1 Rear Surround

- 7.1 Setup: 1 Center Channel + 2 Front Channels (Left & Right) + 2 Rear Channels (Left & Right) + Subwoofer + 2 Rear Surrounds

Speaker Layout and Positioning

Not many people know that different speaker layouts are recommended for viewing versus listening. For general TV and movie viewing, place the front channel speakers at the edges of your flat panel TV, pointing toward the seating or viewing area. The center channel speaker should be positioned either above or below the flat panel TV. Rear channel speakers should be positioned either high up on left and ride side walls, or set just behind the viewing area in a dipole setup. For music listening, all speakers should be placed in a manner that surrounds the listening area in a circle with all components equidistant from the center.

If your TV viewing or music listening area seems too small to fill with so many speakers, consider purchasing specialty speaker stands and mounts to save on space. Some types of speaker mounts enable you to install speakers into your walls and ceilings, freeing up much-needed floor space and surface area. Smaller speakers can also be placed on tabletops and bookshelves. Many pieces of home entertainment furniture have special built-in shelves or cabinets for holding speakers. Large speakers can be mounted or, depending on personal taste, left freestanding on the floor.

Speakers can usually be purchased in complete sets. Many stores sell surround sound systems that consist of a group of speakers, a subwoofer, plus an audio receiver component. It is almost always more cost-effective to purchase speakers in sets like these, and you’ll find they’re easier to set up as well. Now that you’re familiar with the basics of stereo speaker sound, you’re on your way to creating a great sound setup to compliment your new flat panel TV!