Knock, knock, who’s there?

Posted by Frank under Homeowner, Tips

That old and faithful TV that you had for more than 15 years finally kicks the bucket. It’s time to shop for the latest and greatest in home electronics.

You’re a conscious consumer that wants to get the best price without sacrificing quality. You begin to shop online for a new LCD TV visiting many online stores. You finally find the price you’re willing to pay and you make your purchase.

The TV you purchased is a 46 inch LCD with all the bells and whistles. It’s now Friday, and you can’t wait for the TV to be delivered, so you drive to the store to pick the TV up in time to watch all your favorite football games on Sunday.

Oh no! You realize that you have no place to put the TV. You decide to mount it on the wall, but you need to go back to the store and purchase the mounting bracket.

You un-box the TV and wall mounting kit, but you have no idea how to mount it. It’s getting late and you want your TV ready to go by Sunday. There’s only one thing you can do, post a service order with ServiceLive.com to get your new TV wall mounted by a professional installer.

Knock, knock! It’s the installer! A short time later your new TV is mounted and all the wires are hidden away. It’s Saturday and you can enjoy College Football too!

Tags: Football, Home Theater, LCD, servicelive, TV Installation

Declaration of DIY TV Installation Part 2

Posted by Frank under Homeowner, Tips

There are a number of websites that have easy to follow, step-by-step instructions for wall mounting your own flat-panel television. Most of them contain the proverbial warnings that point out dangerous consequences if the process isn’t carefully followed. “The television may fall down if…” (Or) “You may electrocute yourself if…” Some of these websites even point out potentially fatal errors that are common for the average Do-It-Yourself consumer. Aside from these extreme examples, there are a few common mistakes people make when wall mounting a flat panel television. Below is one example from this extensive series that we call the ‘Declaration of DIY TV Installation’.

CABLE CATCH-22

Brand new HD Television: $1000.00
Satellite/Cable bill for HD content: $15.00/Month
Wall mount bracket: $200.00

Not being able to watch HD quality programs because you used the old cables - disappointing.
You’ve maxed out your new Visa card for High Definition TV, but for some reason the picture doesn’t look as great as it did when the TV was on the showroom floor. Is it retail trickery? Is it a slippery salesman using the old “bait-and-switch” tactic? Is it a defective TV? None of these questions apply.

When you installed that shiny new piece of technological brilliance you used the same old yellow, red, and white composite cables. These wires can’t carry the amount of information necessary to use your new TV to its potential, thus, no HD for you. Most new televisions have several options for what type of cable you can use. Be sure to look at the back of the TV and each piece of source equipment (cable/satellite box, TiVo, DVD player, receiver, etc) and make the proper wiring selections. It absolutely makes a difference.

Recognizing this list only represents a snippet of the perils involved with wall mounting a flat-panel television, should you choose to take the plunge yourself we have a few overall recommendations.

1. Research several DIY websites and learn as much as you can.
2. Have the proper tools and equipment ready before you begin.
3. Work slowly and follow the manufactures directions.
4. Most importantly, be prepared from the onset to call an expert if you
   run into trouble. With ServiceLive, you’re only a few clicks away from a
   professional.

Credits: Scott Hall at www.westwingsolutions.com

Tags: Cables, DIY, High Definition TV, technology, TV Installation