Choosing the right lift for your project

There are several factors to consider and this guide should help you to understand them but if you do have any questions our team is here to help. Simply contact us and we'll take you through it. We have also prepared this guide to give you some guidance.

VESA Compliance

As standard our motorised TV lift mechanisms have VESA compliant brackets and are compatible with all major screen brands including:

• Panasonic
• Sony
• LG
• Samsing
• Philips

It is always better to buy the TV prior to making your cabinet, as different models have different VESA centre positions on the back and you need to fit the TV to the lift to find out the best cabinet height required. Sometimes Sony TV’s have non-standard VESA Centres, meaning you may have to either make a bracket or drill the mounting bars to suit. to read more, see our VESA standards see our guide.

Dimensions

The height of your TV will determine the minimum stroke (lifting height) of your motorised lift.  If the stroke is too short then the TV won't clear the cabinet top. You always need to select a lifting height that exceeds the height of the TV you have bought.  Don't worry though, you can always restrict the lifting height if required by adjusting the position of physical end stops or during programming of the lift.

Please bear in mind, different TV models will mount in different positions on the lift and will also need to clear the motor at the bottom of the TV lift as this varies it is important to have the TV prior to building the cabinet.

If you haven't yet got a TV, then checkout our guide on Choosing the right TV for your room.

The Cabinet

The TV lift must be mounted to a uniform, flat surface.  Any unevenness on the mounting surface can cause the body of the to twist, effecting the smooth operation and causing damage to the lift.  It is advisable to fit the lift to a slide out board to allow you get access to the lift if there are any problems with the TV or the lift mechanism.

Switches can be built in to the cabinet and are supplied with the lifts as a back up to the remote control.

It is advisable not to fit the lift too close to the hinged edge of the cabinet as the force required to raise the TV is greater the closer you get to the hinges
Cabinet lid hinges should not have any resistance, SOSS hinges are a good option.

You must make sure the lid doesn’t go beyond 90 degrees as the weight of the lid resting on the lift will be the only thing allowing it to close.
There are plenty instructional videos on the internet giving cabinet building advice, here are some we have found useful:

More information on How to build a hidden TV cabinet