MantelMount says new TV mount redefines 'full motion'

MantelMount is arguing that the TV mount industry has used the term “full motion” too loosely for years. The company’s new MAX1 and motor-assisted MAX2 add independent vertical travel, which MantelMount says makes the category finally match consumer expectations.

Why it matters: - MantelMount is challenging a long-used industry term that many homeowners have come to trust when shopping for TV mounts. - The company says true full motion should include vertical repositioning, not just extend, swivel and tilt. - That distinction matters in spaces with above-fireplace installs, media walls, open floor plans and limited room for placement.

What happened: - MantelMount introduced the MAX1 Full Motion TV Mount and the MAX2, a motor-assisted version of the MAX1. - The launch follows a thought leadership article by Remy Kale, MantelMount’s director of client management, in Sound & Video Contractor titled “Why Full Motion TV Mounts Aren’t Actually Full Motion.” - Kale argues that most products marketed as full-motion mounts can point a TV in different directions but cannot reposition it vertically.

The details: - MantelMount describes the MAX1 as a hybrid solution with conventional full-range motion plus independent vertical travel. - The MAX2 adds motor assistance to the MAX1 design. - MantelMount says the mounts are suited for installations where space is tight or obstructions are present. - The article traces TV mounting from fixed mounts to tilting designs and then articulating arms. - Articulating mounts can extend away from the wall and swivel toward different seating positions. - Those mounts typically leave the TV at a fixed height after installation. - Tilting can improve viewing angles, but it does not lower a screen to eye level.

Between the lines: - MantelMount is trying to shift the category definition as much as sell a new product. - The company’s pitch suggests consumer expectations have moved faster than the language used by the industry. - By linking product design to a terminology debate, MantelMount is positioning itself as the authority on what “full motion” should mean.

What's next: - MantelMount says the MAX1 will change how the full-motion category is described. - The company expects the new definition to make vertical movement a baseline expectation for future TV mounts. - Homeowners buying mounts for difficult layouts may look more closely at whether a product actually changes TV height, not just direction.

The bottom line: - MantelMount is betting that the next standard in TV mounts is not just movement, but movement in every direction that matters.