Atdec Telehook TH-2050-VFM Display Mount Review

TH-2050-VFM First Impressions and Build Quality

Anyone who has spent any amount of time with me will realize I'm all about mounting a TV overtop a fireplace or on a wall. My friends would hate me, except for the fact that I use them as guinea pigs for wall-mounting TVs so often... and it's generally quite successful. In this way I go from "that annoying TV guy!" to "that guy who mounted our TV over the fireplace and gave me back half my living room!" Believe me, I like the second one better myself. When Atdec was looking for a place to try out their new TH-2050-VFM in the field I started looking around... and found a friend that still hadn't mounted his TV on the wall (honestly, it's getting so bad that a friend of mine actually snapped a pick of this guy's existing TV install and texted it to me). Word is spreading: "Get your TV on the wall or Clint will do it for you."

In this particular case we were dealing with a TV that was set on top of a fireplace mantel. It was an older flat panel TV, so it had that going for it. It also supported a VESA mounting pattern, so the TH-2050-VFM seemed to be the perfect solution to our desire for a better use of space.

First Impressions and Build Quality

The Atdec Telehook TH-2050-VFM came in a rather bulky but attractive box. The TH-2050-VFM was protected by loads of cardboard and covered in a plastic bag to protect it from the elements. With it came two multi-section bags. One contained display mounting hardware including screws of various sizes and washers. The second contained everything you'd need to mount the TH-2050-VFM to the wall. Also included in the packaging is a drill guide, a tightening tool, and an installation guide.

The TH-2050-VFM is a great-looking mount that comes in a combination silver and black color scheme. The articulated arm has three pivot points - one at the wall, one in the middle of the arm, and the last just behind the mounting plate. Tilt is facilitated by an adjustable mechanism designed to support larger-sized monitors than the ball-joint used on smaller mounts like the TH-1040-VFM.

While the main structure is all silver, the display mounting plate, the last pivot joint, and the wall cover are all black. There are also black plastic trim/coverings that run the length of the arms. This black and silver motif is very industrial in design and goes well in conjunction with most flat panel displays. My overall first impression of the Telehook TH-2050-VFM mount was one of quality. It isn't overly heavy but instills a feeling of something that is built to last. The plastic cover for the wall mount was the least impressive part of the mount in that it felt a little flimsy but, then again, it's a cover. It's not like it is a structural element.

TH-2050-VFM Installation and Conclusion

Installation is what we like to call "stupid-easy". You just pull out the included paper guide, find your stud and drill the holes. The sticky tape on the paper guide allows you to place it on the all over a stud and drill your holes single-handedly... in theory. In reality it fell off as soon as the drill hit it and spun around a bit. Still, it's the thought that counts, right? Hold it in place and drill and you'll be fine. It also serves to catch a little bit of the drywall dust for you, though don't expect it to be perfect - at least you can clean up with a wet paper towel as opposed to a vacuum cleaner.

Because the mount folds down as it does, you actually want to have a stud located exactly 2-inches off-center in order to center your display onto a wall. That may be problematic but you have a few tricks you can employ. One, you can flip the mount upside down in the event a stud is in the right offset but on the opposite side from where it should be - this actually happened in our case. The second thing you can do is to adjust the mount plate to the TV to compensate for the mount position. This may not be possible for all TVs, but you have a plate capable of 400x400 spacing. If your TV is 100x200, for example, you have a lot of wiggle room to use different mount holes on the plate to get the TV centered. The third thing you can do - if you're an absolute stickler for centering and don't require it to be exactly flush, is to pull the TV out just enough to adjust it where it needs to be - and leave it out. This may work well on a fireplace installation where the TV can stand to be out a bit when viewing content.

Here are the installation tools to get the TH-2050-VFM up on a wall:

• Tape measure
  
• Power Drill with the appropriate sized bit
  
• Phillips Head Screwdriver
  
• Level
  
• Socket wrench and/or socket bit
  

We installed the mount into the wood stud walls of a 1920's bungalow home (my neighborhood is full of these). The hardest part was finding the stud. Since the walls are plaster over furring strips, a knuckle-wrap test is much more accurate than a stud-finder. We used a 5/16" bit to pre-drill our holes and secured the mount in place with the three included lag bolts. It made a confident grab onto the wall and we were absolutely convinced our TV would never pull out or fall off (being well within the 77 lb weight limit for the mount).

There wasn't much left to do except mount the VESA plate to the flat panel TV (a Magnavox model). This TV had a host of mounting hole options, but we picked the ones that made the most sense and provided the most security to the plate. During this step just make sure the matching receptacle for the tilt mechanism still attached to the mount is oriented correctly. If you install the plate upside down you'll have to do it over again. We also noted that you have to back off the locking screw on the mount in order to slip the plate-equipped TV onto the mount.

After this, slide the TV on and run your cables through the provided cable channels (use a screwdriver to remove them and reinstall).

Some may wonder why you have to go through the trouble of using screws to remove the wire tracks, but as one who has used other methods can testify - those are the only kind that work.

Wires are unruly - you need a fastening system to keep the covers in place securely, and Atdec has provided a great solution.

Conclusion

The Telehook TH-2050-VFM is a great mount. It's easy to use and will support pretty large displays (with LED backlighting technology, TVs are getting lighter and lighter). Unless you are aware that you simply don't have a stud anywhere near the right location, or you absolutely ant some horizontal placement flexibility in your display, this is a highly recommended mount. For obvious reasons it would also work well in a corner or a commercial environment as well. It's elegant, beautiful and well-built. Kudos to Atdec for another great mount.

Atdec Telehook TH-2050-VFM Flatpanel Mount
$189.99

Atdec
http://www.atdec.com/
888-303-4252

About Atdec
Atdec has been a leader in the mounting industry for over 20 years. The company is committed to bringing to market best-of-breed laptop, display and projector mounting solutions that offer the highest levels of functionality and ease of use. Superior features, extended operational flexibility and durability make Atdec’s products ideal for a broad range of applications in various markets including: commercial space, POS, home entertainment, office, education, digital signage, healthcare, audio and visual specialist. All Atdec products are Designed for Disassembly (DFD) which means they are made to be taken apart easily for recycling at the end of life. Atdec offers a free return policy for products at the end of their life.

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