The mount market continues to grow and evolve in conjunction with the flat panel sector by Alejandra García Vélez
Today virtually every household has or plans to have a home theater system; companies also use flat panels in their facilities for multiple tasks. As important as choosing a good plasma or LCD monitor is to use a mount that allows you to get the most out of the device.
The market
Therefore, it is not surprising that the growth of the screen industry has a direct impact on the sales of frames. For example, as reported by the Terra Mexico portal, until last September sales of computer products and electronic devices in that country had an increase of 14.6 percent compared to the same period in 2007, to stand at 34 billion dollars. On the other hand, the production of flat screen televisions is estimated to remain during 2008 at about 13.5 million units.
Eduardo Viteri, international account manager at Milestone AV Technologies, said there are several factors that have determined the progressive growth of the assembly solutions and electronics industry in general. Undoubtedly, one of those factors is the demand for mounting devices suitable for modern televisions that are marketed today and whose sale has increased in recent years. "All sales and distribution channels, including the end user, have created awareness that in the face of a significant investment such as the purchase of an LCD, plasma or monitor, regardless of its size, it is best to use high quality solutions, modern aesthetics and with all the relevant guarantees that support the long-term investment", the official said.
However, trends in the market vary from one actor to another, such as professional and commercial installers, which are synchronized with the trends of Europe and the United States; according to Viteri, this is because the needs of an installation are the same regardless of the geographical point in which they are carried out. The same does not happen in the wholesale market, as it depends on the level of acceptance and knowledge of the product, the purchasing power, among other variables.
Apparently, the frame market in Latin America continues to rise despite the economic uncertainty that is being experienced worldwide; Eduardo Viteri said that "it is difficult at this time to set a real projection of growth because economic uncertainty has affected each Latin American market differently and at different speeds as well. However, I believe that we will see a significant rebound in the short and medium term due to the increasing accessibility that the final consumer has to LCD televisions and plasmas."
However, in Viteri's view, Latin America still needs to mature more to take advantage of the available technological advantages seen in more developed markets. But this maturation process depends on circumstances beyond the characteristics of the industry itself, among them is the capacity to consume, the acceptance and change to new technologies, taxes, the overprotection of the market in some countries and even the geography that allows technological products to reach regions more quickly and easily. Therefore, Eduardo Viteri said that "the next two or three years will be vital in Latin America in terms of the implementation of new technologies and their massive acceptance."
How to choose
Given the previous panorama, AVI LATINOAMÉRICA wanted to investigate some generalities of this segment that is gaining strength every day. The first question that customers usually ask is how does the installation of each frame vary? That is precisely why Chief Manufacturing has designed a program that allows you to create through the Internet an appropriate configuration for each project. When entering www.mountbuilder.com you access an interface in which you just select variables such as: type of support, brand and model of the screen, the characteristics of the mount (fixed, tilt, in-wall, etc.) and accessories. The program indicates the depth at which the wall should be drilled, how much weight the frame will support, among other data.
According to Viteri the process is simple, as long as the installer has an easy-to-install solution; however, it makes a very general description of an installation process with a fixed wall bracket:
The first step would be to determine the required mounting solution:
* Identify if the installation will be wall, ceiling or some other more specialized solution such as an automated installation, multi-monitor, modules for conference rooms etc.
* Identify according to the size and weight of the LCD / plasma the universal or customized solution for the screen.
* Choose the additional accessories that complement the frame such as, for example, and in the case of a wall installation, the central or side adapter for speakers, the power conditioner, the pre-construction recessed box, trays for video conferences among other accessories.
Second, the installation itself:
* Demarcate the exact place where the bracket will be mounted on the wall through a perforation that will serve as a guide during the installation.
* Align the initial demarcation with the mount to make sure the fit is equal for both parallel and vertical bars.
* Mount the bracket on the wall using the initial guide perforations as a reference.
* Screw the bracket interface on the back of the LCD/plasma.
* Fit and mount the LCD/plasma on the bracket on the wall.
However, it is important to note that the second part of this example varies according to the installation because each one is different.
Eduardo Viteri gives some tips to keep in mind when choosing a mount.
to. The support that the dealer, distributor and end customer will receive before, during and after installation by the manufacturer.
b. The quality of the frame and all the certifications of the same, which guarantees a long-term installation.
c. The support of the brand in everything that has to do with marketing and advertising matters.
d. Services and innovations that facilitate the installation process.
and. The product warranty.
