Project: Installing a 27-inch LCD TV

> A prior owner had replaced the original CRT televisions with LCD flat panels. We had a 2-year-old 27-inch Viewsonic on hand and decided to swap it for the 23-inch. The process is described below, and each picture can be clicked for a larger view.
23-inch LCD TV
27-inch LCD HDTV
> The greater width of the TV blocks both left and right cabinet doors. One option would be to redo the doors, and that may be done at a later date, but another option is to mount the TV on an arm, which also allows easy access to the wiring and area behind the TV, and that's the way chosen.

The Omni Mount model CL-M has more than enough capacity to handle the 27-inch LCD. It is designed to mount to a wall stud, so the easiest way to mount it was to install a 2x4 in the center of the cabinet, securely mounted to ceiling and plywood base. At the top there are 1-1/2-inch angle-aluminum pieces screwed to the sides of the 2x4 and the ceiling plywood. A steel strap (1/8-inch thick) is attached to the very top of the 2x4 and brought 6 inches back along the ceiling to reach an area where there is steel in the ceiling, and it is attached at at that point.

The base of the 2x4 is "surrounded" by a piece of 3/4-inch plywood. Because it is beveled to match the angle of the platform it can't move forward, but a heavy screw is set into the plywood behind the 2x4 for stability and extra precaution.

There are two threaded rods that go from the ceiling to the sides of the TV platform; the left one had to be moved to allow the "elbow" of the mount to clear.
Omni-mount from the left
Omni-mount from the right
> The greatest angle that the OmniMount allows the TV to tilt downward is less than the angle of the cabinet faces. That made it necessary to install the 2x4 on a small rearward tilt to allow the angles to agree. When it was done, the TV fit snugly against the door edges, protruding only about 1-1/2 inches.

A consequence of the downward angle is that gravity wants to pull the TV outward. The mount can be tightened enough that it won't easily move, but bumping down the road would probably cause it to open. That problem was solved with a single heavy bungee cord. It is looped around the back of the 2x4, and at the center held down by a heavy screw and fender washer. The back bottom of the TV has a metal "cup" where a stand can be attached; two holes were drilled for the hooks of the cord. The result is that when the TV is pulled outward a small distance it "wants" to return to the stowed position rather than move further out.
Small amount of protrusion
Bungee cords hold against unintended extension
> The TV can be easily shifted a small amount to one side to allow a cabinet door to open, although it would have to be pulled way out to open both doors at once. The TV can also be moved significantly to either side if desired for viewing. The small movement does not require removing the bungee cord.
Moving to the side allows door opening
TV can be offset to left or right