Archive for the 'General' Category
Sources and Options for Inexpensive TV Stands
It’s a bit of a downer. You just dropped $2K on a super High-Def Plasma TV and you’re siked, only to realize that acquiring a tv stand to go along with it is going to cost your another $200 to $400 dollars. Yeah, tv stands have gone up in price just like everything else, and you could part with a couple Benjamins to get a decent one. Luckily, I have a few options for you. Here are several sources you might consider if you are interested in an inexpensive television stand.
The Goodwill or Salvation Army
I know, I know. They are not the most prestigious of retail outlets. But you want inexpensive, and these are about as inexpensive as they get. The cool thing about these places, besides being cheap, is that you might be able to find some interesting vintage tv stands. Something with character and a little bit of wear might be perfect for your loft or fixer-upper.
Liquidation Sales
The economy is rough, and with a rough economy comes bankruptcies and store closures. That means there will be more and more bright yellow signs highlighting liquidation sales. When Circuit City closed its doors, there were some excellent deals on modern tv stands and accessories. Keep your eyes open for these.
Bulk Resellers
By bulk resellers, I basically mean companies that buy items in lots and thus get a much cheaper price which they can pass on to you. Check out Big Lots or The Dump if there is one in your area. You can pick up some nice stuff for a LOT less.
Online Retailers
Don’t count out the online retailers. Sites like Target, Wal-Mart, Amazon, and Ikea have great deals and even greater deals on special occasions. You just want to avoid furniture and electronics retailers if you want inexpensive.
Craigslist or Freecycle
No list of inexpensive sources for household items would be complete without mentioning Craigslist and Freecycle. People often sell tv stands on Craigslist for next to nothing because they want them out of their house. On Freecycle, people do sell tv stands for nothing because they want them out of their house, or to have another life with a loving family 
Build your Own
If none of those options work for you, you might just want to build your own. You can find plans online for building a basic stand, and add your own enhancements along the way. This will only cost you materials and any equipment you don’t already have. Of course, it might cost your some sweat and maybe some blood and tears if you miss a nail, but it is often worth it. You get a stand for your tv, some room in your budget, and pride knowing you built it yourself.
Shopping for Corner TV Stands
Corner TV stands can be the answer for people who have limited space or a conservative taste in design. The right TV stand can be the answer to both issues. Before you buy any TV stand there are a few questions that you may want to ask of yourself and the website you are buying from: what is it made of, how durable is it, will it fit in with the décor of my home, will my TV fit on it, and will I be using it in a corner of my house or on a flat wall. All of these are good questions, but are sometimes forgotten in the heat of the moment of purchase.
Quality and Durability of Corner TV Stands
The best way to measure the quality and durability of any product is to know what it is made of. If you are buying a wood tv stand, you will want to know if it is particle board or solid wood. If it is soft wood like pine, it can be dented by the vacuum cleaner whereas hardwoods will not. Obviously, hardwoods will last longer than particle board. The same goes for metal stands. Steel will last longer than aluminum, but both are very durable. The quality and durability of your corner tv stand can be measured by the quality of the materials used to build it.
Décor and Corner TV Stands
TV stands can be bought in any style, today. From Louis Philippe to ultra-modern. The trick is knowing the style that you use in the room where you intend to put this stand. Even if you have an eclectic taste in style and want the room to just be comfortable, there is a stand for you. If you do not have any particular style in mind then you should try something in a light-colored wood. That goes with nearly any room. Whatever you do, think it through a little before you buy.
Does it fit?
With corner stands you have to ask yourself that question twice. Once about whether or not the stand will fit nicely into the corner of your home and once again about whether or not it is big enough to hold your television. You are going to want to measure the corner and tv to get your answers. Make sure the surface is longer than the tv just to keep it from rubbing the walls around the stand. Usually you should allow 4-6 inches so that you will have a couple of inches of space on either side of your television.
Once you have answered all of these questions, you should be able to find several corner tv stands that match your needs. The quality of the stand you buy should be the thing in the front of your mind, followed by budget. Paying a little more to get a product that will last longer is the key to saving money in the long run. Hopefully, this post has helped you make an informed decision on the tv stand you choose to compliment your television set.
What to look for in a new TV Stand
Much excitement follows the purchase of a new television. Euphoria floods the household when it arrives. It changes the look and feel of the room it enters. Hours of research and thought are put into that decision. But often, not near enough thought is put into the stand it sits on. So here are few tips on what to look for when shopping for tv stands.
Corner vs Flat Wall
One of the first things to consider when searching for a TV stand is the location. Where you intend to place the television is important to determine before you get to the store. For instance, are you going to go with a corner stand or place the tv against a flat wall? Choosing a corner for the television could save you valuable space in the living room. However, if you have a large flat panel screen, putting it against a large empty wall may be ideal. Think through your intended location for the television and imagine…
Set Depth
Another important point you’ll want to take into account during your shopping excursion is the set depth. The modern trend for plasma and LCD television sets is to make them as thin as possible. If you intend to purchase one of these sets, you do not need a stand with much depth at all. In fact, you might want to go with a slim stand which protrudes only a few inches from the wall. Your living room may look unbalanced otherwise. However, if your set still uses a large tube to project the image onto the screen, it is necessary to get a good idea of the set depth before heading to the store. Be sure the leave an inch or two for cables or cords when calculating your measurements.
Weight Requirements
Just as important as set depth and your intended location is the weight of the set. All TV stands are not constructed the same. And all do not hold the same weight. Determine how heavy your television is and make sure the set you go with can handle that amount of weight. It would be unfortunate to come home from a long day at work ready for a weekend of college football on the tube only to find you’re new HDTV shattered into several pieces amongst the heap of plywood which used to be your tv stand.
External Units
Now this is an important one. Make sure you take into account all of the other devices that you intend to attach to your television now and in the future. Will you need space for game systems, DVD or Blue-Ray players, stereo equipment, external speakers, or laptops? Do you need just a stand or an entertainment center? Make sure you think ahead. If your children aren’t yet old enough to play video games, they soon will be, and they will certainly want to plug them into the “big TV” from time to time.
Accessibility
Cords, cables, antennas, inputs, - will you be able to get to them? Nothing is more frustrating than when you have your television on its stand pushed back against the wall in the perfect place - and then you need to get behind it to plug something in. In many cases, you end up struggling either to pull that heavy set out from the wall or to stuff your hand behind it at just the right angle to get the cables into the appropriate position. This can easily be remedied by purchasing a TV stand with enough room for easy access to the rear panels.
Term of Use
Also vital is the estimated term of use for the stand itself. If you wish to keep this television stand around for several years, it is important to pay attention to the construction. A cheap stand is fine if you only intend to use for a short time. Maybe you want to mount the tv on the wall next year when you have some time. If however, you want to pass this stand down to your children one day, a furniture quality stand may be a better fit than composite wood or aluminum TV stand.