Articles and whitepapers

Product Article: Low- and No-Profile Mounting Solutions from Chief (2/6/2008)

By Robert de Jong, Chief Manufacturing

Flat panel installations in the home are changing. Rather than being an ostentatious purchase, the TV is now expected to blend into the interior design, yet still be seen from anywhere in the room. This requires a mount assembly that is invisible when not in use, and that has a cantilever/swivel function when multi-angle viewing is required. It should also be easy to install, and be easy to adjust post-installation.

Chief offers a number of products that meet these requirements. The PIWRFU and MIWRFU are in-wall box swing arm mounts designed for 42"-65" and 26"-50" flatpanel TVs respectively. The PSMT2015 Thinstall Series is a wallmount for flatpanel TVs up to 65".

The Chief PIWFRU next-generation in-wall mount solution for 42"-65" flat panels.

PIWRFU and MIWRFU in-wall mounts

The PIWRFU and MIWRFU in-wall swing arm mounts hide the swing arm assembly completely in the wall when retracted, creating a clean, no-profile installation, with the TV flush against the wall. They also provide full flexibility when the arm assembly is extended.

To make installation easy, each mount, with integrated in-wall box, ships in one fully-assembled piece. Ideally, it would be installed in studwall constructions or integrated into furniture. However, since it requires a recess of just 15 cm, installing it into existing or new brick or concrete constructions is also possible. The in-wall box has a weight capacity of 75kg, and includes cable management for a clean installation that also protects cables from being damaged. After the installation has been done, the TV can be moved left, right, up or down, and there is an integrated lateral roll system so that the screen can be leveled perfectly.

The Chief in-wall mount provides a flush, no-profile installation when in the home position, and swivel and tilt action when extended.

Thinstall

A big change in the residential custom installation industry is that displays are becoming so thin that an assembly which adds more profile to the installation than the mount itself, is no longer acceptable. To meet this new requirement, in addition to the above-mentioned in-wall mounts, Chief has designed a new wall-mount series called Thinstall. The first mount released in this series is the PSM2155 for the Hitachi 1.5" series, which adds a total mount profile of just 0.49" (1.2 cm) to the TV.

These mounts can be used in residential / home theatre environments where the installation needs to blend into the interior design, or in cases where ultra thin displays are installed and where a profile behind the TV is not wanted. To speed up the installation, Thinstall ships as one fully-assembled custom mount with an 80kg weight capacity.

The Chief Thinstall one-piece bracket design adds a total mount profile of just 0.49" (1.2 cm) to the TV.

Sideview of the Chief Thinstall PSM2155 wallmount with a width less than a 20-pence coin.

The installation process

All Chief wallmounts follow an easy three-step installation process that starts with a fully-assembled mount included in the box. The PIWRFU and MIWRFU also include a template for easy measuring and simplified post-construction installation, as well as a universal interface that will fit any type type or model of TV.

Post-installation features of the PIWRFU and MIWRFU allow the installer to easily fine-tune the position of the screen horizontally and vertically, while proprietary ClickConnect technology allows the TV to be connected and disconnected from the mount without tools. Integrated security is also part of the mount assembly in order to protect the TV from theft. Thinstall incorporates proprietary GlideLock technology for tool-less latching.

Summary

Displays are getting thinner and flatpanel installations have increasingly complex requirements in terms of profile and flexibility. Chief's next generation of in-wall mounts and new Thinstall series deal with these requirements with dedicated professional mounting solutions that are quick to install. During 2008 and 2009 most TV manufacturers will bring ultra thin TVs to market, so the Thinstall series will be expanded to coincide with these developments, providing a dedicated low-profile solution to match the profile needs of each specific TV line.

During their first month of availaibility in the EMEA region, the in-wall products have already been keenly adopted in the custom install, home theatre and furniture markets, where design and post installation fine-tuning go hand in hand. In-wall mounts are a fairly new concept for the EMEA market and demand for more product detail is growing rapdily. In answer to this, Chief is releasing product animation and video tools through its website, to show installers the benefits and features of these solutions.

Robert de Jong is the EMEA Product Marketing Manager for Chief Manufacturing, manufacturer of professional mounting solutions.

www.chiefmfg.com