I will never wall-mount a TV again

I've always thought a wall-mounted TV was the cleanest, highest-tier TV installation unless you move into the realm of custom cabinets that hide your TV until you're ready to watch it. I lived in a place with walls that could not take a wall mount for years, but when I moved into a more modern house, one of the first things I did was pay a professional to install our TV, mounted on the wall.

I was quite happy with it the first time, so when I later moved again, I repeated the process. However, as time went by, I soured on the whole idea of wall-mounting a TV.

The “clean” appearance usually hides another cable-management problem

Out of sight, out of my mind

What you see above is my first ever wall-mounted TV setup. It works, because we decided that this living room TV would not have anything connected to it other than a single power cable. This TV would only work using its built-in smart apps, and therefore not a single HDMI cable was needed.

Quiz 8 Questions · Test Your Knowledge

TV remotes through the ages
Trivia challenge

From clunky clickers to voice control — how much do you really know about the humble TV remote?

HistoryTechnologyBrandsFeaturesDesign Begin 01 / 8 History

What was the name of the first wireless TV remote control, introduced by Zenith in 1955?

AFlash-MaticBSpace CommanderCChannel MasterDLazy Bones Correct! The Flash-Matic was invented by Eugene Polley and used a flashlight-style beam aimed at photocells in the TV's corners. It was the first wireless remote, though it had a quirky flaw — bright sunlight could accidentally change the channel. Not quite. The Flash-Matic, invented by Eugene Polley in 1955, was Zenith's first wireless remote. The Lazy Bones was actually Zenith's earlier wired remote from 1950, and the Space Commander came later in 1956. Continue 02 / 8 History

What technology did the Zenith Space Commander remote use to send signals to the TV?

ARadio wavesBInfrared lightCUltrasonic soundDVisible light pulses Correct! The Space Commander used ultrasonic sound — tiny aluminum rods inside the remote chimed at different frequencies when struck, and a microphone in the TV detected those tones. This is why it had no batteries for many years. Not quite. The Space Commander used ultrasonic sound waves, not infrared or radio. Small aluminum rods were struck like tuning forks to produce high-frequency tones the TV could detect. Infrared remotes didn't become standard until the late 1970s and 1980s. Continue 03 / 8 Technology

What type of light do most modern TV remotes use to communicate with the television?

AUltraviolet lightBVisible red lightCInfrared lightDLaser light Correct! Modern remotes transmit data using infrared (IR) light, which is just beyond the visible spectrum. You can actually see IR light if you point a remote at a smartphone camera and press a button — it shows up as a purple-white flash. Not quite. Modern TV remotes use infrared light, which is invisible to the human eye but detectable by your smartphone's camera. This is a handy trick for testing whether a remote is working — just look through your phone's camera and press a button. Continue 04 / 8 Features

What is the primary advantage of Bluetooth-based TV remotes over traditional infrared remotes?

AThey use less battery powerBThey don't require line of sight to workCThey have a longer signal rangeDThey are immune to interference from other devices Correct! Bluetooth remotes don't need to be pointed directly at the TV, unlike IR remotes which require a clear line of sight. This is why many modern smart TV remotes and streaming devices like the Apple TV use Bluetooth — you can control the TV even when it's behind a cabinet door. Not quite. The biggest practical advantage of Bluetooth remotes is that they work without line of sight — you can point them sideways, behind your back, or through thin walls. IR remotes must be aimed directly at the TV's receiver, which Bluetooth eliminates entirely. Continue 05 / 8 Brands

Which company introduced the first TV remote that used infrared technology on a commercially sold television set?

ASonyBPhilipsCMagnavoxDRCA Correct! Philips introduced the first consumer television with an infrared remote in 1980. This shift from ultrasonic to infrared technology paved the way for the standardized IR remotes we still use today, and Philips later developed the RC-5 protocol that became an industry standard. Not quite. Philips was the pioneer of consumer infrared TV remotes in 1980. The company also developed the RC-5 communication protocol, which became widely adopted across the industry and helped establish the infrared standard we still largely rely on today. Continue 06 / 8 Design

What does the term 'universal remote' mean in the context of TV accessories?

AA remote that works in any countryBA remote pre-programmed to control any single brand of TVCA remote that can be programmed to control multiple devices from different brandsDA remote with wireless charging capability Correct! A universal remote can be configured to control devices from multiple manufacturers — like your TV, soundbar, cable box, and Blu-ray player — all from one handset. They work by storing thousands of IR code sets and either learning from existing remotes or being programmed with a brand/model code. Not quite. A universal remote is one that can be programmed to operate devices from many different brands and categories, replacing the pile of individual remotes on your coffee table. They store vast libraries of IR codes and are one of the most practical TV accessories ever made. Continue 07 / 8 Technology

When you press a button on an infrared TV remote, what is the signal it actually transmits?

AA continuous beam of infrared lightBA series of pulsed infrared light bursts in a coded patternCA single infrared flash unique to each buttonDA modulated radio frequency disguised as infrared Correct! IR remotes send rapid pulses of infrared light in specific patterns — essentially a binary code — that the TV's receiver decodes to identify which button was pressed. The signal is typically modulated at a carrier frequency (often 38 kHz) to reduce interference from other IR sources like sunlight. Not quite. IR remotes work by pulsing infrared light in precise coded sequences, not a continuous beam or a single flash. These pulses are modulated at a specific frequency, commonly 38 kHz, which allows the TV's sensor to distinguish the remote's signal from ambient infrared sources like lamps or sunlight. Continue 08 / 8 Features

Which of the following streaming device remotes was among the first mainstream remotes to include a built-in microphone for voice search?

ALogitech HarmonyBAmazon Fire TV remoteCTiVo Slide remoteDRoku remote Correct! Amazon's Fire TV remote, launched in 2014, was one of the first mainstream streaming remotes to feature a built-in microphone and dedicated voice search button. It helped push the industry toward voice-activated controls, which are now standard on most smart TV and streaming remotes. Not quite. Amazon's Fire TV remote, introduced in 2014, was a trailblazer for built-in microphone voice search on mainstream streaming device remotes. This feature helped shift consumer expectations and is now found on remotes from Apple, Google, Roku, and most major smart TV manufacturers. See My Score Challenge Complete

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Instead, we had a separate setup with a smaller TV and all the consoles hooked up to it. On our next move, that would change, since the main TV would also need to have all the consoles connected. The common area just wasn't shaped correctly for the old solution of having a separate gaming setup.

The very second we had to connect three consoles and a streaming box to the TV, things started going sideways.

Ultimately, I was able to hide most of it with trunking, but the idea of having to do this again fills me with dread, and I am going to be moving into a new place within the next year.

Don't get me started on wanting to change things like the sound bar or HDMI cables. When I upgraded to a 120Hz TV, I had to change out all the HDMI cables for ones that could handle 4K 120Hz. Not because every current device I had needed this (it was just my PS5 at the time), but because if I was going to change the cables, it was better to just do them all and get it over with.

A wall mount makes every future change more difficult

You're allowed to change your mind, you know

In my experience as someone who moves around a lot, the first layout you have when starting in a new place is rarely the best one. Eventually, after actually being in a space for a while, you make tweaks or rethink things until they actually fit how you live day-to-day.

Unfortunately, unless you're mad enough to keep drilling and filling holes in the wall, your TV is likely going to stay where it was first mounted. Which means your other furniture has to be arranged to take the TV's position into account.

Aftermarket VESA stands give you the same height without the commitment

More people need to know this is an option

One of the main reasons we wall-mount TVs is because the factory-standard feed they come with is usually quite awful.

It's really the minimum solution to prevent your TV from falling over and offers you no built-in height adjustment or swivel. So, that means the plasma stand or other flat surface you use is the sole arbiter of how high your TV is, and changing its angle means turning the whole thing. Vertical tilt? Forget about it.

The good news is that the VESA mounting solution on the back of most TVs isn't just for wall-mounting. There's a huge variety of aftermarket stands that take advantage of the VESA mount to upgrade your TV stand.

Take this PERLESMITH stand you see here. Once you attach your TV to it, you can adjust the height and swivel it, and this stand in particular even has cable management features built into it.

Type Tabletop Mount Material(s) Alloy Steel

A simple yet versatie stand that should fit all but the largest TVs.

Dimensions 37-78 inch TVs to 99lbs with Mount Brand PERLESMITH Colors Black $70 at Amazon

It doesn't have to be a tabletop model either. There are floor stands as well, some of which even have shelves for a console, streaming box, or Blu-ray player. If you like, you can even get a TV stand with wheels, which is what I did.

My next TV is going on a rolling stand or just a good old TV table

I'm gonna keep rollin'

That's right, the thing that really changed my mind about wall-mounting was a rolling TV stand I got as a solution to a bedroom that had nowhere to mount a TV. So my secondary TV could be moved to somewhere in the living room for playing games or as a work monitor with my MacBook hooked up to it, and then rolled into our room for late-night movies. Or likely just more video games, if I'm being honest.

Looking through all the options, I realized that when I next move, it makes more sense to simply get a stand that will sit close to the wall than do yet another installation. The cost of a nice stand is about the same as a wall-mount installation by a pro anyway (which landlords insist on), so for me, this feels like the right way to go.