If you’ve just bought a slim and sleek LCD TV, you’ll want to put your investment to good use. Don’t just sit it on a table or shelf – wall mounting takes up the least space and allows you to make sure that your TV is in the optimal location. When attempting to wall mount your TV, consider the following placement tips.

Mount The TV at Eye Level

For the best possible picture quality, try to ensure that the centre of the TV lines up with your eyes when you’re sitting down. You might feel instinctively that this is too low, but trust me. The best quality picture is found when you are looking straight at the screen. Besides which, who wants to strain their neck by being forced to look upwards?

Watch Out For Screen Glare

This can be tricky to measure. Keep an eye on the spot which you plan to mount your new TV onto. Is there sun shining directly on it? If so, can this be fixed in some way, perhaps by adjusting the curtains? Screen glare can render your TV unwatchable, so try to make sure that you won’t be struggling to see.

Choose The Right Wall Plates

Check your TV’s manual. Some brands recommend their own wall plates, but there is a universal systems for identifying the correct variety for your screen. Look for the acronym ‘VESA’ (Video Electronics Standards Association) followed by a number. This will tell you about the number of required screws as well as their location. Finding suitable wall plates is then as simple as searching for the same VESA code. Aside from compatibility concerns, you should also consider additional features such as weight allowances and tilt/swivel mechanisms, which allow you to adjust the angle of the screen to combat screen glare or accommodate different seating positions.

Mounting The Screen

First of all, are you comfortable with this task? Most DIYers won’t be at all intimidated by the prospect of a simple wall mount, but if you’re less experienced, consider paying a professional to carry out the actual installation.If you’re confident, get a pencil. Draw a horizontal line where you want the centre of the screen to be. Using a spirit level, hold the plate against the wall and mark the spots where the anchor bolts will sit in the wall. With a power drill, create shallow openings for the bolts, and then screw them in with a suitable spanner. Repeat this process for every bolt. Congratulations, your plate has been mounted. Now simply wire the TV up, sit it on the plate and clamp it into place with the mount’s safety locks.

There you have it – your beautiful new TV has assumed pride of place on the wall. I wish you many an hour of entertainment!

Michael Illington is an unabashed geek with a passion for all things technology. When he’s not blogging or re-watching The Wire, he fills his time with a career in digital marketing.