Budtrol Tv/Gaming Stand Review

This purchase has been long overdue due to my build-up of basically every console I’ve ever played and no place to store them all conveniently. If you’re interested I currently own an Original Xbox, Wii with a Gamecube built in, Playstation 1 and a few Nintendo 64’s (One is RGB modded in an ice-blue case and a custom blue power LED). The best part is that they all fit onto my Budtrol Tv stand nicely with my framemeister XRGB and an S-video switch with room left over for more consoles if I ever purchase one by adding another tray.

Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig1. – My Budtrol stand completely set up.

This large metal stand is of very rigid design and quality which will surely last forever even if improperly treated such as being left in the rain, and the rugged black finish makes it feel even sturdier – and look good. The stand is about 30 Kg’s in total assembled without a screen with only one mounted tray. Overall it’s rated to hold up to 80 Kg Tv’s and a maximum size of 60″, although I believe you could mount slightly bigger ones if required and if their mounting system supports it.

I purchased mine through Ebay at a pretty good price of $280 AU including shipping which I thought I should jump on due to the quality of the metal and the well designed nature of the product. Looking through the alternatives listed on Ebay I was a little sceptical about the quality of a few of them as they looked as if they would bend if I put a Tv on them! Another factor when looking for a Tv stand is the ability for additional and re-locatable shelves to put whatever I see fit on them. Budtrol also sold the shelves so that was a tick in the box for me, and at $40 AU it was another pretty good deal.

Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig2. – Castor wheels in the box.
Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig3. – The castor wheel base.

Specifications:

Item number: AD6810T
Compliant to VESA Standard and non-VESA (Random) Standard.
This wall mount is made from 2.0 mm solid reinforced heavy-gauge cold steel.
Very solid and durable, this product made from thick and quality steel
The best quality which can be seen from the weight straight away
Adjustable camera bracket and removable shelf
Additional shelves available for purchase
Lockable castor wheels
Sturdy and durable design
Lifetime manufacturer Warranty.

Tilt: -15-15 degrees
Color: Black
Castor size: 100mm diamter, 27mm thick
Mobile stand height: 1500mm
Camera stand height: 1660~1730mm (adjustable)
Base height from the floor: 19cm
Dimension of shelf: 485x293mm
Dimension of camera tray: 300x230mm
Maximum horizontal hole distance: 750mm
Maximum vertical hole distance: 440mm
Recommended screen size: 32-60″
Capacity up to 80kg
Dimension of package A:132x43x7cm
Weight: 11kg
Dimension of package B:77x70x13cm
Weight: 19kg

Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig4. – The only instructions for the unit.
Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig5. – One of the sliding arms hanging off the base.
Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig6. – The tightening screw and the bolt to prevent the Tv coming off easily.

There are mounting holes for the shelves on the vertical section of the unit which can hold multiple shelves, although you will get less vertical space between each one the more you add, so measure your devices beforehand and leave room for dvd and game cartridge swapping. I found that four shelves was the perfect number for me, giving optimum space for the consoles without blocking a view of the tv for the larger items on top.

Setting up the unit was a bit of a pain as the instructions basically consisted of one exploded diagram of the unit with the ambitious task of working out which pieces are what. Otherwise it was just as you expect to set up, requiring about 30 minutes to an hour and a screwdriver. The part of the unit that holds the Tv was a little confusing as I attached it to the unit first instead of the back of the Tv, as I should have done and which the instructions made no mention of. Honestly it’s much easier if you’re setting this up alone to just attach the bracket to the Tv and then simply lift it up and over onto the unit. The alternative way is to hold the Tv steadily to the frame while attempting to screw the bolts into the back.

Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig7. – The Tv connection point on the sliders.
Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig8. – The 4 bolts on each tray.

The bolts didn’t feel as if they were long enough to hold the Tv up through the thickness of the metal, although in the end they were perfect as you just have to ensure that they are tight. My main concern was that when screwing Tv’s and monitors into VESA mounts you could accidentally screw too much thread into them and permanently damage the screen or cause the glass to crack which would be catastrophic, or the alternative which is not screwing them in enough and having the screen fall to the ground and smashing. Either way there’s little room for error especially with the price of some Tv’s these days.

Castor wheels are a must on these units as the whole point is being a re-locatable unit for displays and presentations or as a movable gaming station. I will hardly be moving mine during it’s life, although I mainly purchased it for the height at which the Tv is, so I can watch shows in bed streamed from my NAS while having it angled down slightly.

Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig9. – Tightening the bolts on the back of the Tv.
Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig10. – The sliding bar for Tv re-positioning.

An annoyance I found with the unit is the large metal frame at the back which holds the Tv. This is a little too long for my liking and the biggest nuisance is the inability to reach the ports at the back of the Tv due to the coverage and proximity of this metal panel. I found a work-around by purchasing right-angle RCA plugs but I’m just letting you know it will be quite a struggle plugging anything in if you opt for the lowest Tv position on the frame. Speaking of position, it has a rather high amount of height adjust-ability, a range of about 40 cm’s letting you put it in the optimal position for your needs.

The angle is straightforward to adjust although I would have liked a range larger then 30 degrees consisting of 15 up and down for the more peculiar usage patterns, such as watching shows in bed.

Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig11. – The vertical section of the stand.
Budtrol Tv Stand Review
Fig12. – The stand with consoles on the trays.

There’s relatively little cable management options on the unit which is a shame, as I have a ton of cables from each device going to the back, and looping them around to the front again to avoid the appearance of cable clutter from the front. You can of course use some of the mounting holes for zip-ties which would clear them up a little more but then there’s always the problem of adding devices and having to re-zip every cable again if you’re a perfectionist.

The shelves are just as strong as the main unit and screw on very tightly with four screws, if you’re wanting to place heavy objects onto them such as Pc’s or large speakers.

Too Long Didn’t Read:

Budtrol Tv/Gaming Stand

Price/Value
It’s a pretty good deal for $280 AU with shipping and $40 per additional shelf.
Price: 70%
Durability/Quality
A well designed and sturdy unit with a nice black finish and rough texture.
Durability: 100%
Size/Weight
Quite a compact stand given it’s purpose and really reduces clutter, Fairly heavy but worth the trade-off for quality and sturdiness.
Size/Weight: 85%
Features
Includes some nice features including a carrying handle, castor wheels, easy one-person monitor mounting, supports multiple trays.
Features: 90%
Aesthetics
A nice looking unit overall with it’s black finish and fairly simple design which would look good in an office.
Aesthetics: 90%
Usefulness/Innovation
Not the most innovative product but still useful nonetheless and fills a needed void of movable entertainment systems.
Usefulness: 80%

Total

Probably the only choice in a portable Tv entertainment unit with a very sturdy construction and a fair amount of customisability. The camera mount is a nice addition and overall it’s got a nice texture and aesthetic charm to it.

Total: 74.7%

Legend

0% – 25% = Terrible Item, The item will break shortly after purchase and will leave you with a paperweight only left for discarding.
26% – 50% = Meh Item, A very poor item that you would use and forget about after a few months of use, or may break quickly and degrade over that time.
51% – 75% = Good Item, This item would satisfy your needs for a long time but isn’t the best quality around and may need replacing or become outdated after a year or so.
76% – 90% = Fantastic Item, An item that you need but may either cost lots or wear out over time and may eventually need replacing after 2 or so years.
91% – 100% = Amazing Item, An extremely durable item that will suit all your needs for the device and more, as well as lasting many many years.

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