Most small to midsized flat screen televisions will come from the manufacture with a table top stand for viewing larger televisions will require mounting on your wall. You may even want to mount a smaller television directly on your wall to provide a better viewing angle or just for saving space.
To mount your television correctly will mean proper selection of a tilt wall mount. Most stores will offer mounts to fit televisions that they sell. If you are purchasing your television online you may want to take a trip to the brick and mortar store to take a closer look at a few tilt wall mounts before you make your online purchase.
Tilt Wall Mounts are rated to the size of television they can hold. You will notice there are two or three selections in width of television and also the weight that the mount can support. Smaller mounts are used for 20 inch to 34 inch televisions, medium sized mounts support 32 to 55 inch displays and the larger mounts are usually dedicated to a specific list of televisions that are over 50 inches in size.
Weight ravelings are also important and you should purchase a mount that is rated 30% or more over the actual weight of your television.
Installing
Installing your Tilt Wall Mount is relatively easy however when mounting the backing plate to your wall you will need to find your wall studs and drive the screws into the wood and not rely on your drywall to support the mount.
You will also notice that there are a few different types of tilting mechanisms on the market. The design you select should allow for easy mounting and adjustment to the rails and locking for placement of the screen at the angle you select.
If you are mounting the television in a public place then you will also want to find a mount that has security features. This option will not prevent theft of the unit but it will make it much more difficult.
Swing arm mounts are also available when you need to hang your television in a strange configuration. Swing arms can be used to reposition the television out of the way as needed and do not need to be locked at all times.
Proper care should be made to inspect swing arm mounts through out their life and if you find that there is wear in the mechanism you should remove the television and replace the mount.
Offset mounts will allow you to attach your television to your wall but position it away from the wall.
This may be helpful in multimedia centers where the cabinet that encloses the television would make it difficult for persons on the sides of the room to see the screen.
Final Note
If you find that the Tilt Wall Mount that you have selected does not accurately fit your television then you should return it and not try to make modifications yourself.
If you have difficulty mounting your television many local stores will offer to perform the work and some will work with you even if you have not purchased the product from them.