Vesa in an acronym for Video Electronic Standards Association, a consortium of manufacturers that was formed to establish and maintain industry wide standards for video cards and monitors.
The most common use of the term VESA on this site is in connection with mounting brackets for LCD and plasma screens. VESA have defined a series of standard mounting arrangements that most TV and monitor manufacturers have adopted. This standard set of mounting points allows end users to purchase brackets and stands from manufacturers such and Vogels and OmniMount knowing that the brackets are manufactured to fit the equipment with standard VESA mounting points.
For more information about VESA visit
http://www.vesa.org.
| VESA | Hole spacing | Typical screen |
| MIS-D 75 |
75 x 75mm |
15 - 20" |
| MIS-D 100 |
100 x 100mm |
> 20"
|
| MIS-E |
200 x 100mm |
> 30"
|
|
MIS-F
|
200mm x 200mm |
> 40"
(multiple holes so that mounts can be attached to any of the points)
|
| 400mm x 400mm |
| 600mm x 200mm |
| 600mm x 400mm |
| 800mm x 400mm |
| 280mm x 150mm |
Most plasmas and LCD screens have at least 4 mounting holes on the back for attaching a wall mount. They vary in position and dimensions but they are usually in a rectangular pattern centred on the back of the display. VESA standards cover the hole placement to help you match your screen to a bracket. Screens 30" and larger typically use either VESA 200 x 100 or VESA 200 x 200.
There are several VESA standards for plasma and LCD screens with most large plasma screens being compatible with VESA MIS-F:
For best results you should consider how the cables will be run to the screen, ideally these should be completely hidden in the wall. For stud partition walls this can be as simple as cutting a pair of holes through the plasterboard to run the cables down the wall. For brick or stone walls this is much harder and you may need to consider some sort of conduit.
It is relatively easy to mount your bracket to the wall, however you should ensure that both the wall fixings used use are up to the job. The majority of brackets have multiple holes allowing for an infinite number of mounting options for fixing to most surfaces or structures. Installation is a relatively simple process that can be handled by someone with average DIY skills, however you should remember that the screen will be heavy and awkward to lift - so you will need an extra pair of hands for the final lifting and mounting.
Before fastening the bracket to the back of your screen you should ensure that the bolts used are long enough to pass through the thickness of the bracket and a reasonable length into the thread - but still short enough that they don't touch or damage the electronics inside the screen.
You can usually find advice on the desired length of bolt to use in your screens installation guide or if not you can test the depth by:
1. Inserting a toothpick (or drinking straw) into the hole until you meet an obstruction - being careful not to apply any force.
2. Mark the toothpick at the point where it emerges from the hole.
3. Compare this length to the bolt - remembering to leave a few millimeters for error.
