Should I use wall brackets to mount my Plasma or LCD TV on the wall instead of a stand?

Well, there’s pro and cons.

One, wall brackets save floor space.

Then again, if you have a lot of decorative art hanging on the walls, you might lose a piece, which might not please the lady of the house.

Flat panel TV screen wall bracket kits can be very inexpensive, while a stand or entertainment unit may carry a higher cost.

Stands offer the option of more easily moving your LCD or Plasma TV unit, whereas with wall brackets, you’ve sort of made a pretty firm decision. Yes there are cable hiding considerations, but a stand or entertainment unit is certainly more portable.

The battle rages - which is better, Plasma or LCD TV?

Imagine you’re watching your yet to be chosen wall bracket mounted large screen TV and an old rerun of Gilligan’s Island is on. Remember the classic question,

Recessed installation of your Plasma TV and Frame

LCD TVs - tidbit facts you might not know

LCD TVs weigh less than Plasma TVs of similar size.

LCDs are more energy efficient than Plasma TVs.

Sharp holds the current world’s largest size title for an LCD TVs, with a 108 inch LCD panel introduced in 2008.

LCD TVs have approximately twice the life expectancy of Plasma TV screens, 60,000 hours for an LCD TV screen as opposed to 30,000 hours for the average Plasma unit.

LCD flat panel outsell Plasma flat panel TVs by approximately 8 to 1.

LCD TV technology is over forty years old.

LCD flat panel TVs emit no radiation at all.

LCD TVs perform better at high altitudes than Plasma TVs.

LCD TVs generate less heat than Plasma TVs and are thus better suited for mounting over a fireplace.

The smallest LCD we could find was a 15 inch flat panel unit made by Toshiba.

Plasma TVs - tidbit facts you might not know

Plasma displays were first used as computer terminals.

Fujitsu was the first company with a Plasma color TV, a 21 inch screen in 1992.

As of year 2008, the largest plasma video display in the world is a 150 inch unit manufactured by Panasonic.

In the first quarter of 2.8 million Plasma TVs were sold worldwide.

Plasma displays are brighter than LCD.

Plasma TV screens are made of inert gases, xenon and neon, between two flat panels of glass.

Plasma displays last about 30,000 hours.

Contrast ratios for plasma displays are often advertised as high as 1,000,000:1.

Plasma TVs are more prone to burn in than LCD TVs.

Plasma TVs are considered to be better for watching fast moving images and are as a result often preferred by sports fans.

Plasma TVs emit some radiation, but less than a tradition TV.

Primary source (Wikipedia)

Extending the life span of your flat panel LCD or Plasma TV

It is widely agreed that LCD TVs last about twice as long as Plasma TVs do. The average LCD life span is about 60,000 viewing hours while the average Plasma TV lasts for about 30,000.

Does that mean LCD TVs are twice as good?

Ha ha. No. That’s years of enjoyment from either type that you have wall bracketed in your living room or den or above the fireplace.

Still, you want to get the most out of either. So what are the factors that will increase the life of your flat panel wall bracketed TV unit?

Try lowering both the brightness and contrast. They probably don’t need to be as high as they are as first shipped from the manufacturer.

Another tip is to avoid burn in on your Plasma set by not leaving the same image on for long periods of time, as in many video games, and also if you use it as a computer monitor. Use a moving screen saver if you hook it to your computer.

Plasma and LCD TV sales reports and outlook news

LCD TVs still outsell Plasma TVs 8 to 1, but in 2008, plasma TV sales are up approximately nine percent so far.

Plasma TV sales dropped last year, but now are up this year?

What’s the deal?

Well, Plasma TV costs are coming down for one thing, due to new technology. As a result, more people are opting for a Plasma set wall bracket mounted in the living room rather than the traditionally front running LCD TV.

Also, competition in the Plasma TV market is fierce, and more manufacturers are entering the market. And competition means mower prices, another incentive for consumers to go for Plasma over LCD.

Remember that February 2009 isn’t far away, and that is the date that all television goes digital.

A lot of people are going to be buying a lot of big screen TVs, and it’s going to be interesting how the market percentages play out between Plasma and LCD.

Plasma TV versus LCD related to burn in, which is a better choice?

Well, that’s not such an easy question to answer and you ask a few people and you are bound to get varied answers.

More and more people these days are using wall bracket mounted Plasma and LCD flat panel TV screens to play their favorite video games and the choice isn’t clear as to which type is best.

Consider that video games have lots of action. Plasma TVs offer brighter images, deeper blacks and thus contrast. That’s why they’re also considered better for watching fast moving sports, like hockey, football and tennis.

But Plasma TVs are also prone to burn in, and that can be a problem with video games where a similar image can be left on screen for a long time.

Another culprit of burn in is not often thought of, but is news channels that have tickers at the bottom. The prescribed remedy
for either the gaming issue or the ticker issue is to not play for hours and hours on end, or to change the channel to one without a ticker for a while now and then/

Disposing of an old or broken Plasma or LCD TV

Let’s say your wall bracketed LCD TV has seen the end of its days, or is broken beyond repair for whatever unfortunate reason. What should you do with it? Just take it down from the wall brackets, unmount it and leave it out for the trash man?

Likewise, if you have just purchased an LCD or Plasma TV and are planning on disposing of your old television set, you should consider recycling it, or perhaps even giving it to charity.

Both CRTs and LCD TVs should be recycled.
Television recycling is now big business and many services offer dismounting, removal, disposal and recycling of LCD and Plasma flat panel TV units.

As more and more of the consumer population moves to plasma and LCD flat panel TVs, there will be more and more old fashioned TV sets to be disposed of, and these should be recycled to reduce environmental impact.

Considering a career in Plasma and LCD installation and / or repair. Is it for you?

Let’s say you’re a pretty handy fellow and you’re not crazy about your current job.

Let’s also say that you have previously installed your own Plasma or LCD flat panel TV unit, wall bracket mounted it, and think not only that you did a fine job at it, but you actually found it enjoyable.

Why not consider doing it for a living?

You might be able to even work for yourself, getting jobs through the Internet with your own web site, or the local shopping circulars, or other work for hire sites like Craig’s list.

Make the rounds of the local Plasma and LCD retail shops and see if they don’t need someone to handle an overflow of work. You could wind up with a new career at something that pays well and you also find enjoyable.