How to Put that New Flat Panel TV on Display

(ARA) – If you don’t already have one, this spring would be a great time to invest in a flat screen TV. Prices have come down dramatically on these high-tech wonders, and if you watch a lot of television, you’re sure to appreciate the crisper picture, better color and sound.

But those aren’t the only options that are appealing about them. With flat screen TVs, you no longer have to sacrifice a lot of square footage to put a big set on display.

“You can hang them from a wall, suspend them from a ceiling, pretty much anything you can think of, you can do with the help of specially designed mounts, pedestals and home theater furniture,” says Keith Pribyl, vice president of retail sales for Sanus Systems, a Minnesota company that designs and builds a broad variety of audio video furnishings, mounts and accessories.

* Home theater furniture

If you’ll be keeping the TV in a recreation or family room with lots of space, you may want to invest in a piece of furniture specially designed to hold flat screen TVs. New this year from Sanus is the Model PFFP2b TV stand. Constructed for strength and stability to hold even the heaviest TVs, the stand features contemporary design with a stunning aluminum column and beautifully finished piano-quality black lacquer base. It comes equipped with the Virtual Axis tilt system that provides smooth fingertip tilt motion, and a wire management channel that keeps cables organized and hidden away. It also has two extra-thick, tempered, smoked glass shelves. Its dimensions are 43 inches wide, 23 inches deep and 50 inches tall.

* Pedestals you can set up anywhere

Another stylish solution for home theaters short on wall space is to get a Flat-Panel TV Pedestal. Sanus Systems offers two models constructed of heavy-duty material and featuring a wire management channel. The Model FFSF1A-S1 in all black or with a black base and silver column. It fits TVs from 17- to 32-inches, and features one adjustable smoked glass shelf. Model FFMF2A-S1, available with either a black or silver base and two adjustable shelves, can accommodate larger A/V systems. Pedestal mounts are compatible with VESA 100, VESA 200 x 100 and VESA 200 x 200 patterns.

“Our new pedestals are a great option for medium flat-panel TVs,” says Pribyl. “They offer a classy alternative to mounting TVs on the wall, which is a great solution for rooms with little wall space or for customers who would prefer not to mount their TVs directly to the wall.”

* Ceiling mounts

If you don’t have any wall space at all, another option is to mount the TV right to the ceiling. Sanus Systems offers two sizes of VisionMount Flat-Panel Ceiling Mounts: Model SC1A is for 13-inch to 30-inch LCD and plasma TVs, with a maximum weight capacity of 50 pounds; Model MC1A is designed for 23-inch to 40-inch LCD and plasma TVs. It has a weight capacity of 70 pounds, and features Virtual Axis technology that offers effortless tilt, swivel and roll control without the use of tools

Both mounts are made of heavy gauge steel. They are available in silver and black finishes, and ideal for any room in the house -- home theaters, family and living rooms, bedrooms and even kitchens.

Sanus Systems products are available at thousands of retail locations nationwide; a store locator is available at www.sanus.com.

Courtesy of ARA Content