LCD Mounts

possibly a stupid question: are all TV wall mounts the same?

i just bought a philips 19" flat screen TV. since my room is relatively small, it's going to be most beneficial to mount it on the wall. i'm looking on ebay, but don't want to buy something that's not compatible with the TV. so, are they all universal? or do i need to buy one specifically for the TV i bought? also, any suggestions on hiding the cabling and mounting my tivo?

Public Comments

1. They are more or less universal, just pop down to wal-mart or best buy and pick one up.
2. They are universal but go by size. Most mounts would be separated into 19"-30" and 32"-50" sizes. There should be 4 holes on the back of your TV and they will be either 4" or 8" apart. Make sure mount matches that. Since your tv is 19", I can almost guarantee that holes are 4" apart. There are also mounts that tilt up and down and swivel from side to side and the ones that are fixed. Obviously, fixed ones are cheaper. Sanus is generally a decent brand for good cheap mount. Can't give you advice on hiding cable or mounting tivo as I can't see your setup and it would vary depending on your layout.
3. Most comply with the VESA (Video Electronics Standards Association) standards. So, if your TV is VESA compatible and you buy a VESA compatible mount, you should be fine. All of this should be on the box labels. You do need to pay attention to the weight rating and to make sure that whatever mounting fasteners and the wall can handle the weight.