TPMA3-BK Wall LCD Projector Mount
Bretford
Inc. produces a wide variety of furniture for schools and commercial companies.
Products include large conference tables, A/V carts and even projector
mounts. We are covering the TPMA3-BK Wall LCD Projector Mount designed
to hold larger projectors while still allowing access to all sides of
the unit. Unlike conventional projector mounts that use mounting screws
to hold the projector, the TPMA3-BK utilizes a pair of adjustable arms
to hold the projector in place. This allows for a wide variety of projector
sizes especially those which are typically heavy. The open design allows
for adequate airflow in and out of the projector. The mount can accommodate
a projector up to 17" wide, 27" deep and 16" high. The
wall bracket arm extends about 12 1/2" from the wall and is designed
to mount to a single stud. The design allows the projector to have a 10
degrees Pitch, 10 degree Roll and a full 360 degree Yaw. The mount can
support projector weights up to 31 pounds and comes with a black power
paint finish.
Installation
The TPMA3-BK mount ships in two separate boxes due to the size of the
components. One box contains the wall bracket arm while the other box
holds the mount. Assembly of the mount is simple and depending on the
size of the projector being installed, the user can select different side
support sizes included with the kit. We were able to use the smaller supports
for our Optoma H77 DLP projector, but we barely met the maximum width
requirement. The adjustable arms used to hold the projector in place does
come with self-sticking pads to help prevent the projector from being
scratched. Our installation required us to invert the projector from the
elevated position on the wall, so the pads were used on the top side of
the projector housing that faces towards the ground. This worked out well
for us. We just hope the pads stay firm over time and don't cause the
mounting arms to loose their tight grip on the projector. My advice would
be to check this from time to time to ensure the projector is firmly in
place. Fortunately for us, we are constanly changing projectors for review,
so this shouldn't be a problem.
We
liked the open design of the TPMA3-BK, which made it easy to access the
video panel. The projector and mounting plate can easily be removed from
the top support that is attached to the wall arm. This makes it easy to
install as well as remove the projector when maintenance is needed. Positioning
the projector was also easy and provided us with more than enough Pitch
and Roll flexibility to get the picture properly aligned on our
Stewart 100" 16:9 FireHawk filmscreen. Ideally, the offset should
be close to zero to prevent the picture from suffering from geometric
distortions, but in some cases small adjustments may be required to optimize
the picture.
Conclusion
We
liked the rugged design of the Bretford TPMA3-BK mount. It offers customers
a flexible universal mount for a variety of projector sizes. The construction
and build quality is excellent and should serve users well, especially
on larger, less manageable projectors. On the downside, the TPMA3-BK is
not the most attractive looking mount and exhibits a more industrial and
heavy-duty look that may conflict with some owners' modern-looking decor.
However, the mount is completely functional and provides projector owners
with a quality product.
- Kevin Nakano
