[JoshK]

I am just wondering if any of you have seen anything like what I am looking for in a plasma mount.  I've not see such a solution if it exists, which is probably doesn't but seems that it should.

My wife has the idea of turning our old chimney into a faux fireplace with gas insert and a mantle to finish it off.  My older plasma was mounted about where the mantle would reside.  I hadn't mounted the newer 58" plasma because of my wife's vision. 

The problem is that this puts the plasma up higher than either of us would like.  With all the plasma mounts on the market I've never seen one that articulates downwards, i.e. in the vertical direction rather than just horizontal.

What I'd really love to see is a mount that comes out about 4-6" and drops down at least 16".  But a 58" plasma is a heavy beast, so it'd be ideal if it had some sort of shocks to assist in lifting it back up again.  So in store it could sit up above the fireplace, but when in use it would drop down in front of the fireplace to be eye level.  I can't imagine that this wouldn't have a market.

Anyone ever seen anything like this, custom or retail?

[Bob in St. Louis]

This may work depending on how heavy the TV is, and your level of fabrication skills.

"Rockler.com" sells a mechanism that raises and 'swings-up and out' the top of a coffee table. I'm sure with some good old fashion modification, a fellow could make this mount to a wall instead of the base of a table. The addition of automotive hood or rear trunk supports could assist the lifting. These can be purchaced at aftermarket parts stores fairly cheaply based on load rating capability.

This structure:



Turns this:



Into this:



The wieght of the TV would be the deciding factor though.


.......Or, you could hinge the bottom of the TV and allow the top to pivot down. This wouldn't help with overall height, but would make the viewing angle in relation to the screen better.

Bob

[Mike Dzurko]

I don't know if any of these might work:

http://www.sanus.com/us/en/products/productCategory/line/visionmount/pcat/fullMotionMounts/


Peerless also come to mind

[Wayner]

These guys are suppose to be the Cadillac of the industry.

http://www.chiefmfg.com/

Wayner

[Len_Dreyer]

I don't know if any of these might work:

http://www.sanus.com/us/en/products/productCategory/line/visionmount/pcat/fullMotionMounts/

I have one of the WMAA18s.  It doesn't articulate vertically as Josh would like.

[Mike Dzurko]

I flipped through a couple distributor catalogs last night w/o success. I'd try Google . . .

[JoshK]

Thanks for the ideas guys.  I guess I've seen all but Bob's options.  I was looking for the automated lift idea (upside down to give me the vertical travel I am looking for >>8") but with the option to come out from the wall about 6".  I'm sure if I found it I'd scoff at the price.

[Bob in St. Louis]

OOOHHHHHhhhhh, You're talking about one of those fancy big city jobbers that the rich folk use to raise their plasmas up from the foot board of their beds, aren't you. But you want one that mounts to the fireplace and tilts down? 

Um, don't know man. Never heard of one that's motorized AND does tricks.
That would be DIY in the extreeeeeme!

Bob

[JoshK]

Well, it doesn't have to be motorized.  Some sort of hydraulic spring could work to assist lifting.

[Bob in St. Louis]

Sounds "do-able" depending on how good of a "DIYer" you are.

Kinda like the TV show Monster Garage, but Monster Theater instead.  aa

Bob

[JP78]

josh, we install motorized mounts very similar to what you describe all the time. 

the k2 robotic mount is very nifty, but it doesn't have more than 4-6 inches of drop.  it is, however, very slick to use. i'm guessing a local a/v integrator would probably charge you 1,000usd to have it installed, maybe a bit more since you're in nyc.
http://www.k2mounts.com/x-arm.html

we had auton manufacture us a dual motor custom mounting system to do exactly as you said.  the cost was about 6,000 usd. you can find more info here:
http://www.auton.com/index.html

good luck with your search,

[jqp]

We have entered the dimension where the mount/installation costs much more than the mounted 

[JP78]

i'm not saying i understand the dimension, but the mounts do stick around through multiple changes to the television.