Hanging a flat panel TV

[Bill]

We used to have a 9" CRT-type television, which we set up on the counter above the refrigerator. It took up too much precious counter space. We bought a 15" flat-panel LCD TV, which we set up in the same place. It was better, but the base of it still took up too much space. What to do? Owners of 2007 TMs can solve this problem by ordering their TV mounted in the bathroom wall. But I have a 2006!

I finally decided that I could hang the TV from the top edge of the over-sink cabinet, as shown in the photo below. It turned out to be quite easy. I bought a 6" x 18" piece of sheet steel from Home Depot, cut it into two pieces, and bent the pieces into a mating pair of hanging brackets. The brackets are quite similar in concept to the brackets that hang the cabinet on the wall, but bigger. One bracket hangs over the top edge of the cabinet. The mating half is mounted on the back of the TV (where standardized mounting holes are thoughtfully provided). When we arrive at our campground, the TV slips into the bracket, and when we leave, it slips out for travel on the couch. It should be easy to duplicate, as long as your TV is not too big.

A quick technical note. I have one of the first LCD TVs. These early versions suffer from a limited viewing angle - that is, you have to view them from pretty much straight on. (Newer TVs are better.) To aim it to eye level in the middle of the couch, I bent up the cabinet half-bracket so that the TV is not flat against the cabinet wall - it angles out into the room a bit. If you have a newer TV, you probably don't have to do this.

Bill