OmniMount OE120IW TV Mount Review
By Stephen Hornbrook on
Performance
Value
Overall
The OE120IW, part of the OmniElite Series, is a brand new style from OmniMount featuring Ultra Low Profile in-wall installation. How do they obtain such a low profile? All the mounting hardware is situated inside the wall, between 2 studs. This allows the extension arm to retract into the gap between the studs and the TV to fit snuggly against the wall. The OE120IW will properly show off the sexy slim look of the latest flat screen TVs, while keeping the flexibility of an adjustable mount.
The OmniMount OE120IW is a robust, well built flat screen mount with easy to install instructions. It features a full range of movement for targeting an audience with the best possible viewing angle. We highly recommend this as a top choice for TV mounts.
Easy To Install?
The quick answer is yes. As soon as you open up the box you are greeted with an illustrative install template. It has all the important info for getting the mount installed including drill hole markers for the lag bolts and outlines for the sheetrock cut out. I did run into a couple minor issues during the install process. The first step, before even purchasing the OE120IW, is to determine the placement of the mount and whether it will work. The OE120IW requires an empty wall with a 16” stud gap. 16” stud placement is fairly standard in the US, but it is certainly not guaranteed. Measure with a stud finder first to be sure.
I was originally going to mount my family room TV, but two small windows are above where the TV mount would go. The additional framing for the windows means the gap is too tight of a squeeze for the OE120IW. After looking at the stud finder measurements and taking into consideration the outer wall insulation, I deemed it too risky to cut a large hole in the wall. Not a problem though, the master bedroom TV needs a mount as well. The measurements for the bedroom wall are within the target 16” range.
Once the installation wall is chosen and measurements have been made, its time to get down to business. It’s always a good idea to gather up all the necessary tools and hardware required for a project: a drill, phillips head screwdriver, ratcheting socket wrench, dry wall saw, level, and a pencil are key for a successful job.
First step is to mount the VESA plate on the back of the flat screen. There are several screw types, so it is important to find the correct size and, if necessary, spacer to fit the TV. With the plate attached to the TV, the mounting box can be fitted to it and measurements from the box to the top and bottom of the TV can be taken.
This is an important step as it will make sure the TV will end up where you want it to before cutting a hole in the wall. With those measurements, the distance from the ceiling, or floor to the provided illustrative cut out template can be determined prior to making any cuts into the wall.
With the two studs found and marked, place the template in between, level, and mark the drill holes and saw lines with a pencil.
After some manual labor, the OmniMount OE120IW’s new home should be ready to go. Of course, you never know what a builder has hidden behind the sheetrock. In my case it was a power cable running to an outlet below for the adjacent room. This was a non-issue though, as I was able to route the cable to the outside of the mounting box. The box itself measures less than 16”, which allows for a small window of play with stud placement, but also room for a cable to squeeze by.
As noted in the instructions, it is important to not just run the TV’s power cable behind the wall, this would be an electrical code violation. OmniMount sells an optional OPK2 power accessory kit (Editors Note: This arrived this week and will be installed shortly with this piece updated) that mounts in the OE120IW and provides a UL in-wall rated power line that runs behind the wall. OmniMount also offers a cable management kit (CMK) that gives the install a more finished look if cables cannot be run through the wall. For now, I chose to have a couple of visible cables running down the wall and will later use the OPK2 Power Kit.
The OE120IW is secured in place by four large lag bolts. Tip: don’t forget to put the trim piece on before installing the TV to the mount! I’m not saying I did this, but I’m also not saying I didn’t. Lifting a large TV onto the mount requires two people, but it is easy to line up the VESA plate to the mounting arm and slide the TV into place. Once the TV is mounted, two small screws secure the mounting plate to the mount.
Fit and Finish
The fit and finish of the OE120IW is top-notch. It clings to the wall with the utmost confidence. The dual scissor arm and tilting mechanism work well to position the tv just how you want it. Extend the TV away from the wall and rotate left or right to face the current seating position. The quality components leave even a heavy plasma TV in the selected position. Adjustment in and out from the wall does take a bit of effort, but there is a mechanism to control the tension and loosening it allows for silky movement. Changing the tilt angle is a breeze for even one person. OmniMount has a patented “gravity tilt” system that really does work.
Having a clean dresser, free of a bulky TV not only looks better, but it makes the room seem bigger. Now we lie in bed and look up at the TV at a natural angle, putting less strain on the neck. Having the TV angled down a bit also reduces glare from the windows and bedside lamps. Another plus if you have kids, wall mounting places a heavy TV out of reach and secures it in a safe place. No worries about tip over accidents.
OmniMount OPK2 Power Kit
In order to complete the install of of the OmniMount OE120IW, the OPK2 power accessory kit is necessary for running those ugly cables behind the wall. Running a standard power cable behind a wall is against the electrical code, so never attempt a shortcut by doing this. OmniMount sells a perfect solution for this issue in the OPK2. It is a relatively quick and straightforward install and the finished product leaves a clean and professional look.
The OPK2 works with the OE120IW mount by utilizing the 2 open bays on the bottom of the inside mounting box. One is for a cable channel plate that feeds the HDMI cable down the wall and the other is for the preassembled black power outlet. An in-wall approved power cable feeds out of the black power outlet runs down behind the wall, ending in a clip together plug. This plug clips into the white plug attached to the white wall plate. A power cable connects to the wall plate and feeds power to your TV, while an outlet channel allows passthrough of an HDMI cable.
There are a few main steps involved with the OPK2 install. First is to line up the provided template with your desired location for the wall plate. For my install that was lining it up with the other wall outlets a few inches from the baseboard and directly beneath the OE120IW mount. Simply cut out the section of drywall and you are nearly finished. I installed the plate for the HDMI cable and ran a 15 foot cable through that and down to the cut out. Then I ran the black power cable through the wall and installed the power plug outlet. This is where the TV power cable plugs in. Having connected the black power clip to the white one and feeding the HDMI cable through the wall plate, I screwed in the wall plate. It uses small tabs that fold out and squeeze the wall plate to the drywall when tightened. Simply plug the male end of power cable into a power source and the female end into the newly installed wall plate and the install is complete.
The end result is a professional, clean, cable free install!
Conclusions
The OmniMount OE120IW in-wall TV mount is an innovative and well-executed design. The hardware is well built, instilling confidence when mounting an expensive flat screen.
There are a few drawbacks with this design, the main one being the 16” stud gap and empty wall requirement. Given the moderately sized hole needing to be cut into the wall, there is little to no room for error, but this just means careful planning and double-checking measurements. Installation is easy for the seasoned do-it-yourselfer and relatively straightforward for those that shy away from handiwork. The OmniMount OE120IW is one of the finest flat-screen TV mounts and highly recommended.
Pros
Near flush fit against the wall without sacrificing full range of movement. Quality build fit and finish.
Cons
Won’t work in all situations. 16” stud placement and empty wall required. Little room for installation errors. On the expensive end for TV mounts.
Summary
Easy to install and as well built as flat screen TV mounts come, the OE120IW is a clever design and highly recommended given a compatible wall setup. Yes it is expensive at $350, but you can rest easy knowing for sure your mount is bolted securely into studs and its about as sexy as flat screen mounts get.
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