Until recently, the sensor for my Kinect for Xbox 360 ($149.99, 4 stars) was propped up by a cardboard box placed behind a 46-inch plasma TV. Why? Microsoft, the company that created the Kinect, recommends that the sensor be placed two to six feet above the floor—and the closer to six the better. Since I didn't have shelving above my HDTV and drilling holes into my drywall wasn't an option, my choices were limited. One of them is PDP's TV Mount for Kinect ($39.99 list), which has adjustable arms that screw into the VESA holes found in the back of most flat-panels (typically used for mounting the set on a wall). Assembly took about 15 minutes and the Kinect sensor locked securely to the mount. Though the PDP mount won't fit all flat-panel HDTVs and is pricey compared to other solutions, it's a clean concept and gets the job done.

Before you even consider this mount, check the location of the VESA holes in the back of your HDTV, specifically the top-most ones. Each arm on the PDP mount is 16 inches long, and it won't reach if the holes on your TV are situated too far from the top. Also, if your HDTV is already mounted to a wall, this mount is worthless to you—the holes you'd need are already taken.

The package comes unassembled, and has many pieces, but don't despair: of the 20 different screws included in the package, you'll use just two. PDP provides different size screws to blanket as many HDTV models as possible. The adjustable arms themselves come in four pieces that took only a couple of minutes to put together, plus ten more minutes to attach them to the back of the flat-panel. The two screws will fit almost anywhere on the arm, so it's just a matter of finding the right angle to balance the Kinect sensor. It's made entirely of plastic, so it'll seem flimsy during assembly, but it's sturdy enough to hang on to the sensor.

PDP says that the mount will work with display sizes between 26 and 60 inches. That isn't entirely true. For instance, some LED HDTVs are too thin to support such a mount, or it becomes an eye-sore if you do manage to get it up. In addition to my 46-inch set, I also tried to set up the mount on a 55-inch Sony KDL-55HX800, which had VESA holes that were just out of the reach of the arms. The good news is that it mounted perfectly on 5 of the 6 HDTVs I tried it with, including my own.

As long as you've got a TV with the right holes at the right height, the PDP Mount for Kinect is a clean, useful way to mount the Kinect sensor in its optimal spot. If $40 is a little too steep for this holiday season, though, you can always test your DIY skills and make your own mount for just $5.

More Gaming reviews: