Stand that delivers ! (Centurion GT4 Flat Screen Glass Stand)

Member Name: tallpete33

Product:	Centurion GT4 Flat Screen Glass Stand
Date:	07/08/09 (51 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Sturdy and attractive, easy to build, good value

Disadvantages: Poor cable tidy

Finally going from a CRT to an Sony Bravia 40 inch LCD flat screen meant a new stand and so after much (ok about 10 minutes) research I plumped for the Centurion but have no regrets about my choice. Boxed up it weighs in at 28kg which is manageable for one reasonably strong person. I ordered it from amazon late on Sunday night and it arrived via Citylink early Tuesday. It was well packed with hardboard inside the box, not just foam padding, so was in one piece (ok several pieces, if you're being pedantic) with not a mark on any part.

It was reasonably straightforward to put together, no tools required and took a friend and myself about fifteen minutes. Basically, you put the thickest top shelf upside down on a rug and build upwards. It is probably best to take the legs fully apart and group together the leg parts, spacers and washers to use as you need them. The instructions are adequate, though hardly a work of art, and the shelves are labelled "this way up" so it's difficult to go wrong. You'll need to spend a few minutes rubbing those stickers off once assembled though !

Once built, the unit is very sturdy and smart in an 80's nightclub kinda way, as is the fashion for most AV kit these days. The glass and chrome are of an excellent quality and did not have a mark on them. The leg tops stand a couple of mm proud of the top surface, not that this looks unsightly, just though it may be worth mentioning. Once built, it is easier to move around than I would have thought and the width exactly matches that of my TV so looks made to measure. It is more than deep enough for the TV stand also. You could quite easily fit a DVD player and a games console or digi box across the width of either lower shelf so if you have a lot of kit you will be fine with this unit. If you're like me though you'll go for the stacking option, though the "bread bin" PS3 is hardly conducive to this!

My only gripe is the cheap plastic cable tidy at the back. It attaches at the rear to the shelves with flimsy plastic clips, is not very substantial and could be wider to be honest. I'll be upgrading my PVR to one with HDMI soon and will finally be rid of the dreaded thick SCART leads so this should be less of an issue soon but I was disappointed with this part of it.

That gripe aside, this is a very good stand and at less than seventy pounds delivered, a decent price compared to those on the high street.

(also reviewed on amazon)

Summary: Excellent piece of kit for up to 40 inch TVs