Wait, an environmentally friendly TV mount? Yes, it's true. OmniMount's OmniLite Series of fixed, tilt, and cantilever mounts is touted as the company's first eco-friendly line of flat-panel TV mounts. So what exactly makes an eco-friendly mount? In this case, the company has reduced the amount of materials used, both in the mount itself and in the packaging. Despite cutting down on the amount of materials in each mount by 32 percent, OmniMount has increased the overall strength, meaning that a smaller mount can support a heavier TV. All of the OmniLite models feature condensed packaging and streamlined hardware kits.
Additional Resources
• Read more AV mount reviews by HomeTheaterReview.com's staff.
• Find an LED HDTV or plasma HDTV that could be mounted with the OmniLite mounts.
The user manuals and installation templates are printed on the inside of the box to cut down on paper usage. The internal packaging is 100 percent recyclable, the outer box is made of post-consumer recyclable material, and the package printing is done with non-petroleum-based ink.
The OmniLite Series includes five models. The OL50FT, OL125FT, and OL200FT are dual-function models that can be used in either a fixed or tiltable manner. Between the three, they can accommodate panels ranging from 13 to 70 inches, from 50 to 200 pounds. Each of these three models offers varying degrees of tilt mechanism, with an on-wall mounting profile between 1.2 and 2 inches. The company recently added two cantilever-style mounts that offer pan, swivel, and tilt (-5 to +15 degrees): The OL50C ($59.95) can hold a flat panel from 13 to 32 inches (up to 50 pounds), while the OL125C fits most flat panels from 23 to 45 inches (up to 125 pounds). All five models are VESA-compliant and use OmniMount's Lift n' Lock system to make it easier to secure your TV to the mount.
High Points
• The OmniLite Series is an eco-friendly line of mounts that uses less materials, recyclable packaging, and non-petroleum-based inks.
• The lineup includes fixed, tilt, and cantilever models and can accommodate panels of numerous sizes and weights.
• The package includes installation templates and hardwire kits, and the mounts feature Omnimount's Lift n' Lock system for easier installation.
Low Points
• The line does not include any motorized models, although that would probably defeat the eco-friendly purpose.
• While the OmniLite mounts have fairly modest on-wall specs, they aren't as low-profile as other products in the company's line.
Conclusion
The OmniLite Series combines versatility and eco-awareness. In terms of versatility, the line offers different types of mounts to suit a variety of needs. As for eco-awareness, TV mounts may not be the first category that comes to mind for a makeover; however, in designing this line, OmniMount reminds us that power consumption is not the only environmental issue in this industry. They've taken simple steps that all consumer electronics manufacturers should consider to make their products a bit greener. The OmniLite Series' eco-friendly aspect will certainly appeal to an ever-growing part of the electronics-buying public that wants to make environmentally conscious choices.