Thirty per cent of Australians live in rented accommodation and can’t drill holes in the wall without first going to the landlord for permission, and good luck with that. A further unknown percentage of Australians choose not to drill holes because they’re scared of stuffing it up, and there are others in this country who wouldn’t know how to drill a hole in the wall if there was a stash of gold bars in there. But while Wi-Fi has made it easy for such people to enjoy whole-of-home audio systems they still frequently face problems when it comes to vision.
Maybe no more. At last, the no-drill-required idea has reached television stands.
A new stand from One For All can give you the look of wall mounting without the drill holes.
Tellies are large lumps and until now have had two types of mount; tabletop and wall. Tabletop mounts are simple and usually supplied free, but their success depends entirely on the table or cabinet upon which they are intended. Height is the big issue because at least the lower third of the screen should be at eye level. A table mount atop a higher sideboard or drawers means you’ll spend your entire viewing life looking up rather than straight ahead.
With wall mounts you can choose height to the millimetre but, yep, you’ll drill holes in the wall and have at least one pesky cable to hide. And you’ll pay extra.
And here’s the thing: There are places where neither stand works, especially for renters. A vacant corner in a study may be ideal for a smaller screen but how do you get a television there without drilling holes? Even if there’s a piece of furniture big enough for a table mount you’re unlikely to be able to get the screen at the angle you want, much less pivot it out of the way when not needed. In bedrooms there’s usually a chest of drawers, but you’ll most likely be looking to one side as well as up.
And so to the new alternative. One For All is known for its universal remote controls but it’s extending its wings with a neat idea; a couple of stands that let you put your telly anywhere you want without drilling.
There’s also the option of a tripod mount.
Its $399 tripod mount can be placed anywhere. This takes a screen up to 65 inches (165cm) at a range of heights and pivots through 360 degrees. There’s a holder for a soundbar and ties for power and data cables. It’s available in oak with silver grey, or walnut with gunmetal.
But it was the $499 Slimline that caught my eye. This goes hard up against a wall, held in place by whatever cabinet you may have backing onto it; a low component cabinet would be ideal. The screen can be positioned through a range of heights with a soundbar on the cabinet underneath. It looks the same as a conventional wall mount, but there are no bolts in the wall.
And it has been nicely thought through. It’s indented at the floor support to allow for skirting and the upright, extending from there to the television, also serves as a conduit for any cabling required between the television and the cabinet. The aesthetics won’t upset anyone. Well hardly anyone. This one takes televisions up to 60 inches (152cm) and can be tilted through 15 degrees if reflection is a problem.
Both stands can support up to 30 kilograms and are supplied in flat packs. But fear not; there’s not an allen key in sight. There is an online compatibility tool to tell you if the Slimline will take your telly.
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