Out with the old, in with the new.  While our 2008 Tiffin Allegro is used, well-kept and maintained, the technology hasn’t quite been updated with our televisions and DVD players.  As my grandfather used to call them, “Boob Tube”, they are the old boxy, hefty televisions before HDTV came along.  So now we have a dilemma to replace these antiquated televisions with the state-of-the-art HD flat screen televisions.

Trying to determine what is the appropriate size television to replace with, we looked at several factors.  First is the compartment box where the television is inserted in.  When the television is removed, there will be a large, voided space which can be used for storing some small items.  But the bigger concern is how do we cover up the large gaping hole?  We looked at the television specifications to determine which size television we could use, and the weight to determine which full-motion wall mount to use.

Our front and rear televisions have openings of 21” x 25” and 18” x 19.5” minimum respectively.  We determined that we could use a 40” HDTV for the front (21” x 36”) which will cover the hole when folded in the travel position. This 40” weigh about 21 pounds.  For the rear, we can use a 32” HDTV (17” x 29’) which will cover most of the hole with about a half-inch gap on the top and bottom.  This 32” weigh far less at 8.5 pounds.

Now that we determine the size of the televisions and its weight, the next task was to determine which full-motion wall mount we could use.

This can be misleading when searching for wall mounts that is designed for televisions with specific lengths.  For example, if a bracket says it can support 10” to 24” television, but the real factor is that it can support up to 25 pounds.  The weight is what determines whether it can support a television, not the length (or height for that matter.)  Today’s television is slimmer and lighter than what these wall mounts typically are designed for.  Frankly, I think the wall mount manufacturer are lagging the television industry.  One key factor we looked at is the extendable length.  We wanted to extend television as far as possible so we can swivel at a comfortable range. We recommend at least a foot from the wall for optimal viewing. ­

Now that we have determined the appropriate television dimensions and wall mounts, our next step is to remove the old “Boob Tube” in preparation for the new ones.  This will require some labor time, patience and careful consideration for the wall mount placement.  Stay tune as we learn on the go.