Altra - TV Stand for Flat-Panel TVs Up to 60 Inches or Tube TVs Up to 32 Inches - Antique Black

When we knew we were finally upgrading to a flat-panel television, we also knew we would have to get new furniture for it. Our old stand was not made to hold anything bigger than a small old-style TV and there was no getting around that. These new flat TVs are wide screen which most older entertainment centers cannot accommodate.

We had three requirements when shopping for new furniture: 1. Something inexpensive: We did see some very nice entertainment centers that cost $1000s, but it just wasn't practical for our budget. 2. Sturdy: We wanted something sturdy that would last us for awhile. 3. Enclosed: We didn't want open shelves since that leads to lots of dust on our equipment

After walking around Best Buy and reviewing all the furniture they had on display, I was fairly disappointed. Many of the items there were pretty expensive and at the same time didn't look all that great. I know the store models are moved around a lot so they tend to get nicked up, but even if I ignored the nicks and scratches I simply didn't like the furniture I was seeing there. There was no way I was going to spend $1000 for a piece of furniture that I thought was ugly.

So when I turned the corner and found the Altra - TV Stand for Flat-Panel TVs Up to 60" or Tube TVs Up to 32" - Antique Black at Best Buy, I knew it was the one. At $429, the price was right. It was made of wood and seemed sturdy. Finally, the shelving was enclosed just like I wanted. In addition, it came in Black which made things a lot easier because I didn't have to worry about trying to find a wood color hat would match my furniture.

Putting it Together
We picked up our furniture from our local Best Buy and brought it home ourselves. You could also have it delivered, but obviously pick up is cheaper. The box was heavy so we knew the product would be made of strong and sturdy material. When putting it together, we quickly noticed some of the problems we had read about in reviews.

The Cam locks didn't always fit right and some of them broke

The pieces didn't always line up and we ended up having to force the back onto the product leaving a little dent on the inside (but it is on the inside so we will live with it)

There were a few scratches here and there, but luckily mostly towards the back

The doors were an absolute pain to figure out how to install and my husband and dad and I had to try various different things before they lined up correctly and looked right

There are random red lines around the doors, windows, and other seams, not really noticeable once put together but when we were building it, the red lines seemed to stand out so much

One of the drawers went together easily, the other one had to be forced together because it didn't line up

The Finished Product
Even though we had some problems putting it together, we hoped for the best and decided to keep going. Luckily once it was put together and put against the wall, it didn't look so bad anymore. Once we put our TV on it and all our decorations, it no longer looks like a cheap product and instead looks quite nice. In the end, I'm happy with the look of the product and I think it will last us for years.

It's slim design basically fits the TV and leaves just a little room in the front and back for knickknacks. Based on the marks on my carpet, this furniture is 2" shallower than my previous stand and we can really tell the difference. Our room seems so much more opened up than when we had the big Oak entertainment center that took up the entire wall.

The Product In Use
This cabinet contains two doors on either side that open to reveal 1 shelf each. This means you have room for 4 components. In our case we have used one shelf for the PS2, one for the PS3 and one for games. The 4th shelf is currently not being used but would be a great spot for a VCR, DVD player, or anything you need!

The glass on the doors makes it so you can see these things but they do not look messy at all. The components can sense the remote even with the door closed. Our things are now much more organized than they used to be! The back walls of these spots have 3 large oval holes in them that help with Cable Management. In the past, all of our cables had to go through one or two small holes, but with this new furniture our cables are actually pretty organized making it easy to unplug something without everything being twisted together.

In the center, there is a spot that is covered in mesh where a center speaker is supposed to go. Since we don't have a center speaker, we decided to instead use this for our cable box. It fit perfectly! I ended up slicing the mesh and folding it down so that we could see the cable box. It actually looks like it belongs there and it makes much more sense to have the cable box centered instead of behind one of the doors.

Also in the center are two drawers. The top one fits all of our various remotes neatly and easy to access. We use the bottom drawer for things like playing cards and dice. These drawers are pretty skinny and small, so don't think you can store a lot in there. It's best to keep them for little things like remotes and cards.

In The End
This furniture really does look good with our TV and decor. You would have no idea that we had so many problems with it when putting it together. If you are looking for a cheap item that works for your new TV, give Altra a try. Why spend thousands on something that you don't really like? It may take a little bit more work and force to put together this stand, but it is worth it because of the money you'll save. Enjoy!!