VESA
Selecting a mount for your TV is largely a matter of preference, but along with your TV's weight and size, there's one specification you'll want to familiarize yourself with to avoid any compatibility issues.
This simple specification is referred to as a VESA size (or pattern) and indicates the position of the four mounting holes on the back of your TV. Without your TV's VESA size, you may end up purchasing a mount that doesn't fit your screen – a headache that can be easily avoided!
All major TV and TV mount manufacturers follow these standardized screw-hole positions to ensure that their products are compatible with one another.
Watch What is VESA? video.
What Exactly Is VESA?
VESA is an acronym for the Video Electronics Standards Association, a group of over 300 companies that came together to establish certain VESA standards in the consumer electronics industry. One of these standards covers the aforementioned mounting hole patterns located on the back of your TV, which you may also see referred to as the Flat Display Mounting Interface (FDMI) or VESA Mounting Interface Standard (MIS).
All major TV and VESA TV mount manufacturers follow these standardized screw-hole positions to ensure that their products are compatible with one another.
Determining Your TV's VESA Size
In most cases, you'll be able to find your TV's VESA standard size in the user manual or on the manufacturer's website. If all else fails, you can easily measure it yourself following these three simple steps:
VESA specifications are typically displayed in millimeters and are read in order of the horizontal measurement followed by the vertical measurement. For example, if the distance between your TV's mounting holes measure 400mm across by 200mm high, your VESA size will be shown as 400×200.
VESA Variations
You may find that your TV's VESA specification doesn't quite look like what you've seen above, and instead includes the term "MIS". This is simply a way of representing certain hole patterns. Common MIS variations include:
These will include a number to verify the particular size (e.g. MIS-F 600 represents a 600×600 VESA pattern)
Now What?
Once you've figured out your TV's VESA size, you can use it to find a compatible mount for your TV. Since most mounts accommodate multiple VESA sizes, finding one that fits your needs shouldn't be difficult.
Mounts that feature an X-frame style TV bracket – such as Kanto's M300(opens in a new tab) and PS300(opens in a new tab) full motion mounts – are perfectly suited for TVs with standard square VESA patterns (e.g. 200×200).
For more versatility, look for a VESA TV mount with an H-frame bracket, such as the PDX680(opens in a new tab) or PS350(opens in a new tab). Their adjustable arms allow for a wider range of VESA sizes, including those with a rectangular pattern (e.g. 600×400).
M300
PS300
PS350
PDX680
PMX700
Whatever mount you choose, you should feel confident in your purchase now that you've taken a moment to read up on the importance of VESA. Just remember to find one that accommodates your TV's VESA size and you'll be well on your way to enjoying all the benefits that a mounted TV has to offer.