With the advent of slimline TVs, which weigh a substanial amount less than the old traditional CRT TVs, the stand upon which they sit or are fixed can now incorporate a range of new designs and materials. The most common material used at the moment is glass, a material which could not withstand the weight of the traditional CRT television.

By Type

Corner: As the name would suggest, designed to fit within the corner of a room. While the front of the stand will usually remain straight, the rear of the stand is angled at varying degrees to suit large and small rooms. The design of a corner stand can be open shelving or a cabinet.

Cabinet: Designed as an enclosed box which a television sits atop. A sizable percentage of TV cabinets are made from wood, or a combination of wood/glass/plastics. A cabinat usually comprises three or more draws or compartments. Cabinets can come in traditional and modern designs and materials.

Open Selving: A minimist design, open shelving comprises two or more horizontal shelves, which are connected by tension rods. This type of shelving can vary widely in quality and price. The vast majority of open shelving stands are made from glass, and suit a modern living room. The television sits upon the top shelf.

Cantilever (Swivel and Pedestal): Possible the most intricate and complex stands available, which is highlighted by their purchase price. The base of a swivel or pedestal stand can be open shelving or a cabinet. No matter what design the base is, the stand will include a central rear tube which will typically reach waist height. The top of the central tube will either contain a bracket for the television to be attached too, or a pedestal for it to sit upon.

By Materials

Glass: The most popular material used for current TV stands. Price can range from £50-700.

Wood: Vary from low quality chipboard to expensive solid woods.

Combination: Vary from expensive glass and solid combination stands, to cheap plastic/chipboard/glass stands.

Plastic: Alongside chipboard, molded plastic represent the lowest ebb of television stands.

By Features

Cable Management System: Internal tubing to hide power, hdmi, scart and other cabling.

BeamThru: Beam Thru glass, which does not block IR signals from a remote signal.

Toughened Glass Shelf: To withstand the weight of heavy devices and larger televisions.

Safety Glass: Impact, UV and scratch resistant.

Vented Rear Panel - Permits airflow to protect against a build-up of heat from internally placed electronic devices. (cabinets)

Q: Will the colour of the stand match my TV?

This can be a tricky to assess, websites do not always represent the colours in a clear light. It's especially problematic with wood and silver plastics. Black is more simple, but glass is the simplist to match up.

Q: What if my TV is bigger than 46 inches?

You will find that a majority of television stands will only support screens of upto 42-46 inches. The problem is not always the dimensions of the television, but the weight. If you're lucky your television may have a low weight to size ratio. Check both the weight of the TV, and how much weight the stand can take. The good news is, there are plenty of TV stands which can support televsions of 60 inches or above. Generally speaking, stands are built in three broad formats, for televisions of 32 inches and below, for televisions of 32 inches to 42 inches, and stands for televisions of 42 inches to 60 inches.

Q: What is ''VESA''?

VESA has no relation to free standing stands, but is relevent to cantilever stands which feature a bracket. The official name for VESA is the "Video Electronics Standards Association". VESA make sure brackets meet strict safety and build regulations. A wall bracket certified by VESA can provide peace of mind.

Q: What kind of brackets are installed in a cantilever stand?

The most common is the "Universal Bracket", which supports a variety of screen sizes. There are also "Flat Wall" brackets, which are not attached to a stand, but instead, hang a television like a picture or mirror. There are also "Tilting Wall" brackets, which are the same as wall brackets, but provides the attitional feature of altering the viewing angle. The most advanced type of bracket is the "Motorised Wall" bracket, which, as the name suggests, can tilt a television through the use of a remote control.

First and foremost, it's essential that a television stand matches the decor of a room. This is the primary reason for replacing the stand which comes with a TV. Along the appearance, stands supplied with the TV are often cheap and made from plastic.

Once the appearance of TV stand has been decided upon, some other aspects to consider are listed below.

- How many shelves does it have, can it house my dvd player, digibox, vcr, stereo and video console.

- If you're planning to upgrade your TV, is it flexible and strong enough to support it.

- Is it made from high quality materials, how long will it last, will the wood or glass scratch easily.

- Can you hide cables behind it, or will they be clearly visible and make a unsightly mess.