I was thinking of purchasing a lift to make flat panel installs a little easier.

A google search turned up the following:
[Link: e-zspreadnlift.com]

From the pictures it looks like this might work for installing a flat panel on an articulating arm wall mount provided you turned the TV around so the glass was facing the winch mechanism. With the arm wall mount you could manipulate the arm of the mount into the proper position to lock on to the TV mounting buttons or mounting frame.

I'm not sure how well this would work for a fixed/tilt wall mount since it seems like it would be difficult to position the lift into the proper position without being able to manipulate the position of the wall mount itself.

Does anyone have any experience with this lift? Or do you have a another solution for single man flat panel installations?

You might want to ask them if they have improved it since the sales demonstrations they had at a Southern California distributor about a year ago. The demo they had there didn't go together properly and it wouldn't support properly. I think the forks dropped, or something else that would have been catastrophic. There wasn't a TV on it at the time -- the saleslady was trying it out. Gears that should have engaged did not as spacing was wrong.

If it all meshes, literally, it's a GREAT idea.

I have a hard time understanding why you would want to even attempt this. Do you have something against hiring employess to do this right? This contraption is just asking for trouble. We own 2 Genie lifts and they are a major PIA and cause damage to walls and floors. We only bought them for dealing with 40"CRTs.

40" CRT damn those had to be heavy.

4 guys and a Genie lift and they would usually leave impressions in hardwood floors. [Link: reviews.cnet.com]
We always called them 300#

The genie is, however, the only way we're going to get down that Sony g90, 242 pounds. Roll the genie in on blankets... it's very much like those old illustrations of the Egyptians rolling stuff over the desert.

Would you all be interested in supplying me with some ideas on the mechanism to hold LCD/plasma? I have already figured a better way to raise/lower the system and definitely a better transport ystem that will not damage carpets or hardwood floors.

Maybe we can market something substantially better.

http://www.eztvlift.com/

This one looks to be much better. They do not come up on many search engines. Saw it at Cedia.

Actually I think using a properly designed lift would be a much better and safer way to install a flat panel than having 2 or 3 people lift it manually.

What happens if your helper slips, loses his grip, or his back goes out?

Since the majority of flat panels weigh less than 200 lbs., it seems like it should be easy to design a lift which would be stable and not damage floors.

Thanks for the info - I will check this one out.

Still looking for info from anyone who has hands on experience with either of these lifts. Although Ernie's experience with the manufacturer demo of the first lift is somewhat worrisome.

The Sony KV-40XBR800 was 304 lbs. to be exact! For some reason every one I ever installed went up or down a flight of stairs, above a fireplace, and/or had to be taken in for service.

Grab a couple of those guys waiting in the parking lot@ Home Depot! Pay 'em each $20 & a six pack of Tecate' or a bottle of Cuervo! 8>)

Damn I don't miss the old heavy Trinitron 36 & 40 inch monsters... Makes my back ache, just thinking about it!

Does anyone own one of these things? They do look like a great idea, but they also look like scratches and dings waiting to happen. I guess you could cover the "holding areas" with some sort of foam to protect the tv. Does the bracket lower close enough to the floor so that 1 person can lift the televisoin onto the lift? Otherwise, you need 2 people anyway. I don't mind doing the clean and jerk on a 42" but anythinh larger than that.....lets just say my wingspan is a little lacking.

This must be some west coast thing because there are no guys hanging out in the Home Depot parking lots in Chicago.

God how i hate those giant tubes.. We had a 40" mitsubishi @ the office that we moved every time we relocated. The last time we moved.. i got the boss to give it away :).

Here in SoCal the HD lots often have 10-20 guys hanging around. If you drive a pick-up truck and drive near them you get can get swarmed by guys asking for work.

On one hand it shows they do want to work and earn the money, but on the other you have to be careful about liability and sometimes you get a dangerous group. I would NEVER take a day laborer from anywhere into someone else's home especially around high dollar homes with lots of nice stuff.