The VIVO VP01W is a low profile universal projector mount that’s designed for standard ceiling heights. It has a decent range of tilt and swivel motion, and can be rotated, but there is no height adjustment. Since it’s a universal mount, it can be used with most projectors that weigh under 30 pounds. We recently installed one of these mounts in a home theater setting to get some first-hand experience with how easy they are to install and adjust, how reliable they are, and how they hold up under real-world conditions.
Design: Low profile design, so you’re unlikely to notice it once installed
The VIVO VP01W is a low profile projector mount that’s designed to place your projector about six inches from the ceiling. It’s made up of two major components, a ceiling mount, and the projector mount, that bolt together in a hinged joint. The hinge that connects the two main parts of the assembly provides a bit of movement to aim the projector down toward your screen, and a second hinge provides side to side tilt. The entire assembly can also rotate on the axis of the bolt that holds the hinge assembly to the main projector mount component. The rotating mount assembly uses four adjustable arms to provide a fairly universal solution to bolt up a wide variety of projectors. Each arm is connected via a single bolt, so they can rotate freely and also slide in or out.
Setup Process: Easy setup process, but adjustments are difficult after installation
The mount comes in two pieces, but assembly is very easy. To assemble the unit, you merely have to loosen two adjustment bolts on one piece, slide them into the hinge on the other piece, and then screw in two additional bolts. Once that’s done, you can start bolting the mount to your projector. Bolting the mount to a projector is also fairly easy, although the difficulty that you experience will depend on the precise configuration of mount points on your projector. If the mount points are too far away, you won’t be able to use this mount. If they’re too close together, then you may find it difficult to arrange the mount arms in a way that works due to the way that they tend to bump into each other when pulled all the way in. Due to the low profile design, and the fact that this mount uses small hex bolts to secure the hinges, adjusting the tilt on the unit can be difficult once it’s installed. We found that the projector also tends to move a bit from the intended position when tightening down the adjustment bolts.
Construction: Sturdy steel construction strong enough for most projectors
This is an inexpensive mount, so the construction materials aren’t as substantial as high-end units. It does use all-steel construction though, even if the steel is fairly thin. The unit feels strong enough, and solidly built enough, that it seems unlikely to create any problems as long as you stay under the suggested projector weight limit. The construction does leave a bit to be desired in terms of stiffness, especially in the hinges. We didn’t experience any movement or shaking during our testing, but we could definitely see how excess vibrations, like from people walking around on an upper floor, could cause this unit to shake enough to cause some annoyance.
Compatibility: Universal mount system gives good coverage
VIVO says that the universal mount arms are designed to work with any projector that has mounting points that are less than 12.5 inches apart. Similarly designed mounts from VIVO also come with the caution that they won’t work with mounting points that are closer together than two inches, and that appears to be the case here as well. If your projector mounting points are between two and 12.5 inches apart, then this mount should work for you. It can also be used with projectors that have fewer than four mounting points by removing one or more of the mounting arms, although that does reduce the amount of weight you can safely hang from the unit.
Range of Motion: Decent tilt and swivel movement, but hard to adjust
The VIVO VP01W provides a decent range of motion, with the hinges allowing you to tilt it 15 degrees to point it up or down, swivel it 15 degrees side to side to make it perfectly level, and rotate it 360 degrees to point it directly at your projector screen. There is no vertical adjustment, so your projector will always be six inches from your ceiling with this mount. The adjustment bolts are a little difficult to reach due to the lack of space between your projector and the ceiling, and that difficulty is amplified by the fact that the adjustment bolts are hex head. The mount comes with an Allen wrench for these bolts, but fumbling around in such tight quarters with an Allen wrench isn’t easy. If you have an appropriate hex driver, extension, and socket wrench, you’ll find the adjustment process to be a bit easier.
Price: Good value for a basic mount
Typically priced between $10 and $17, the VIVO VP01W represents decent value for a basic mount. It’s compatible with most projectors, works well in most situations where the ceilings aren’t too high and there isn’t too much vibration, and provides a decent range of movement for making fine adjustments. Similar units are typically priced in this same range, and you have to pay quite a bit more if you want to get your hands on a mount that’s built more solidly and easier to adjust.
Competition: Higher priced units are easier to use
QualGear Pro-AV Projector Mount Kit (view on Walmart): Usually priced around $65, this mount is significantly stronger than the VP01W. It can handle projectors that weigh up to 70 pounds, and includes a massive 12 adjustment points to get the exact positioning you’re looking for. However, the maximum distance between mounting points is just eight inches. This is the kind of mount you buy if you’re really serious about home theater, but it’s so expensive that most people will do just fine with something like the VP01W. Interested in checking out more reviews? Take a peek at our roundup of the best projector mounts. The VIVO VP01W is a nice little low profile projector mount that gets the job done for an extremely affordable price. It isn’t the easiest mount to adjust, and it isn’t the sturdiest mount either, but it represents a tremendous value for the money. If your ceilings aren’t too high, and the mounting points on your projector aren’t too far apart, you should get a lot of mileage out of this mount.
