Home Theater Mounting Products Proliferate

By Colleen Bohen On Mar 12 2007 - 6:00am

With ever more attention being paid to the home theater market and the growing ubiquity of flat-panel televisions being spurred by recent price declines, it only stands to reason that savvy retailers will keep up to date on the latest mounting technology available in order to best meet their customer's needs, and more importantly, to ensure that they'll get the biggest possible piece of the home theater accessory profit pie. In that vein, TWICE has surveyed a number of mount manufacturers to find out about their latest products and to see what developments they have made of late. Our findings follow:

Premier Mounts has introduced a line of economy flat-panel mounting solutions called Victory mounts that it says is a response to growing demand for low-cost mounting solutions. The line is now available and features seven products, and suggested retail prices range from $30 to $150.

The line includes two models of its Universal flat mount — model XUF-2637 fits screens measuring between 26 inches and 37 inches and the XUF-3760 fits screens between 37 inches and 60 inches. The mounts are priced and $79 and $99, respectively.

Other products in the line include two Universal tilt mounts, an LCD swingout arm, an LCD tilt mount and an LCD flat wall mount.

Barkan will begin to produce some of its mounting hardware in black. Its initial black production will be for models 33, 34, 43, 44 and 80. The products will be available at retail by early summer at suggested retails ranging from approximately $90 to $325.

Chief has unveiled its new Cinematic series of automated mounting solutions for swing-arm mounts, flat-panel and projector lifts, and table stands. All of the mounts in the Cinematic line are said to offer programmable viewing angles and fast, fine-tuned viewing adjustments.

The CM1 automated swing-arm mount, model CM1W18, is among the first products to launch under the Cinematic umbrella and it is available now. This home theater mounting solution will allow users to make their screen extend up to 18 inches from the wall and swivel up to 50 degrees in either direction to reach the user's desired viewing angle with the press of a button. The product can accommodate screens measuring up to 61 inches and weighing up to 170 pounds. It features three programmable preset viewing positions and can be mounted on or recessed between 16-inch center studs.

Other currently available products in Chief's new cinematic line include an automated pop-up lift and an automated swivel table stand. An automated speaker adapter and an automated art accessory are planned for the second quarter.

K2 Mounts has introduced its model K3-A1-S, an articulating mount for 37-inch to 61-inch displays. According to the company, the arm can extend up to 26-inches from the wall and can swivel up to 120 degrees. The screen sits flush at 3.5 inches from the wall when the arm is retracted. The product is available now for a suggested $599.

Maximo Products is planning to release a new Cantilever series in the third quarter under its MountMaster brand. The mounts will feature a dual-arm design that will allow for tilt, swivel and forward extension adjustments. A component shelf will also be included.

According to the company, two Cantilever models will be available. The smaller CL-52 will accommodate screens measuring between 26 inches and 52 inches, and the CL-63 will be designed to support TVs that measure up to 63 inches and weigh a maximum of 200 pounds. The company has said that retail prices are tentatively $299 for the CL-52 and $399 for the CL-63.

AVF's latest addition to its Nexus line of flat-panel mounts is the NXL503, which can hold screens measuring up to 40 inches that weigh no more than 100 pounds. The mount features a split single arm and it can rotate up to 180 degrees on two axes, at the screen and at the wall, for a wide range of viewing angles.

The product can extend up to 17 inches from the wall. Its incorporation of the Nexus Cam Box technology lets users use touch controls to operate its 15-degree variable tilt adjustment.

The NXL503 will be available in "silver effect" and "piano black" finishes. It will ship in May with an expected suggested retail price of $149.99.

ProMounts' UA-PRO300 features ProMounts' QUAD design which allows installers to center the mounting plate on almost any screen in both the horizontal and vertical planes automatically without requiring measuring. The 22-inch-wide mounting plate is said to be compatible with standard stud spacing. The product can be mounted flush against a wall and extend up to 26 inches outward. It allows the screen to pivot up to 50 degrees in each direction, depending on the size of the screen.

The product can support screens measuring up to 63 inches that weigh up to 200 pounds. The UA-PRO300 features snap covers for cable management and screw cap covers. According to the company, all mounting hardware and theft-resistant security hardware is included and it has a suggested retail price of $549.

Finally, the Universal tilt flat-panel modular wall mount from Peerless Industries is designed to fit screens measuring between 23 inches and 84 inches. It retails for $249 and features a three-piece modular wall plate design, adjustable brackets and includes mounting and screen attachment hardware.

The product offers up to 12 inches of continuous side-to-side adjustability for wall placement, and the viewing angle can be adjusted 15 degrees in either direction using the one-touch tilt feature.