Date: 7/30/2009

Pros: impressive capacity attention to install process

Cons: misprint in manual (being corrected)

Review: I purchased the CM2C40 for use with a 58" Panasonic plasma. After some discussion with Chief's technical support, we determined the proper adaptor, and had the unit shipped to my office. Delivery was very prompt; I had it in a matter of days. The unit is extremely well-packaged, but will require two people to carry it safely. Be sure to save the packing material as part of the support frame will be used during the configuration of the mount. All required accessories and parts were included. The manual did a fairly good job of breaking down the installation steps, and Chief was available for any questions I had. This thing is a tank. My installation called for moutning it above a fireplace at the base of a vaulted ceiling. After shoring up the rafters and creating a baseplate, the mount was secured. Holding this lift in the air while driving the pags was not a fun experience, but this is definitely a two person task. The lift houses an integrated cable management system that keeps cords isolated inside the chassis. I would have liked to see a way to separate the power cable from the signal cables, or at least a way to accommodate different diameter cables. One thing I found odd was that the manual calls out that 8' of length will be used by the pulley system-if a static display is 10 feet from the source, this lift will require an 18 foot cable to reach. The included cable was only 6' long; I'd recommend getting a replacement IEC cord. The covers that housed the internal components and cable pulleys seemed like they had been sealed-I had to break out an offset philips screwdriver to gain access. The manual suggests preparing the cable management before the lift is mounted, but carrying a 100+ lb lift with cables trailing behind to step on would have ended with me and my girlfriend on the floor (me with a crushed pelvis, and her from laughing) Once the lift was secured and the cables managed, the covers were replaced. These are not flimsy Fisher-Price plastic; they actually support the weight of the lift when wall brackets are used. I was impressed by how sturdy the unit was overall. The lift uses Chief's standard Q-lock system, which was a welcome feature. This was going in a slim profile situation, so a simple latch was all I had room to reach. Between the thickness of the lift, the adaptor plate, and the plasma, I was left with a 1/4" gap between the display bezel and the structure of the false wall that housed it. I was more than a little leery of any sway that could occur as it travelled up the full length of the wall. Once the plasma was attached, I ran into a problem. There was some kind of misprint in the manual that misjudged the distance between the bottom of the lift and the cosmetic panel that covers the opening when the lift is retracted. After speaking with Chief, they found a fix and sent me the parts to correct it. This would not have been an issue for a smaller display, but if you are pushing the size restrictions on this lift, double check your measurements. There are ways to make it fit, but you might have to make a call to Chief. I plugged in the lift and IR capture, then pressed "Up" on the remote. I didn't have to configure any pin switches or limit settings; the lift fired right up. I was able to use the set screws to decide exactly where the lift retracted and extended. Dozens of uses later, the limit settings are the same. i was also glad to see there was no sway or drift on the travel path itself; the plasma never came closer than 1/4" to the wall housing. The lift is also compatible with other Chief speaker mounts, and a center channel is in the works. The lift is quiet, smooth, fast, and will be easiliy integrated once a control system gets installed. While this is not a $250 solution, it's the best way I've seen to automate some of the larger displays out there. TK