For gamers, movie aficionados, and tech creatives alike, everyone knows an enjoyable experience largely depends on the screen. Whether a monitor or television, screen quality can make or break a user’s experience. But what good is a high-quality screen if it is not positioned effectively? How can anyone make the most of their screen with wires or other objects obstructing the view, or when viewing the screen requires an unnatural contortion of the neck and spine?
An often overlooked way to fix these issues is by mounting your TV or monitor.
While this is a simple undertaking, there are many different mount styles and approaches one can take when mounting a TV or monitor, and it is essential to have a mounting plan in mind before you get started. Selby Acoustics, one of Australia’s leading TV mounting hardware dealers, answer daily questions about the ins and outs of hanging TVs. They share below the different mounting types and their requirements. Read on to learn more about mounting your screen to maximize your experience.
Mount Types and Tips for Monitors and TVs
Before we go over the different mount options for monitors and TVs, it is important that anyone looking to replace their mount system inspect their monitor or TV to get a sense of mount capabilities. Most monitors and TVs will be VESA compatible, meaning there will be four holes on the back in a square shape that will allow the attachment of any compatible mount. However, some monitors and TVs that are curved or smaller in size may only accept mounts made by the same manufacturer as the screen itself. VESA information for TVs and monitors can be found in the product manual or online, and will note the specific VESA size that is required and will increase as the weight of the monitor or TV increases.
Another thing to consider is the weight of your monitor or TV. Weight specifications should be available in the manual that came with your monitor or TV, or online, but you can also weigh it at home to get a sense of what kind of mount will best support the weight of your screen. Unless your screen is exceptionally heavy, though, this should not be an issue for most mounts.
Freestanding Mounts
Freestanding mounts are the standard mount type that typically come with monitors. However, some manufacturer-provided freestanding mounts are flimsy and do not feel very supportive. If you are looking for an upgrade in durability, replacing your freestanding mount may be all that is necessary. Some freestanding mounts also offer height adjustments, tilting, panning, and rotating.
Side-Clamp Desk Mounts
Side-clamp mounts are also more used for monitors and are secured using the edge of a desk or table, so it is absolutely essential that your desk or table has a “lip” of several inches that the side-clamp can hold on to. The main benefit to side-clamp mounts is that they free up desk space. From the side of the desk where the mount is secured, a bending arm will extend up and over to reach the back of the monitor. Side-clamp mounts are available with tilting, panning, and rotating features as well.
Through-the-desk Mounts
These mounts are typically best suited for those with multiple monitors that require heavy-duty support. Through-the-desk mounts are like freestanding mounts as they attach to the center of the back of the monitor and go straight down, but instead of resting on the desk, they are bolted through the desk and secured underneath. This of course means that drilling a hole into the desk or table is a requirement for this mount type, so it is important to be sure that you are happy with your mount location before you break out the power tools. These mounts are also available with tilting, panning, and rotating capabilities.
Wall Mounts
Wall mounts, used for both monitors and TVs, are by far the sleekest looking mount option, but they also tend to be the trickiest. Not only will you have to make sure the mount works for your monitor, but you will also have to make sure the mount will work for your wall. Most walls are built using wood studs that can be drilled into for mounting, but if there are no suitable studs where you want to mount your monitor, you may be out of luck. Further, a wall mount cannot accommodate multiple monitors, because the weight distribution would put too much stress on the mount and the wall itself. If having multiple monitors is something you want to do in the future, first ask yourself if you are willing and able to have multiple wall mounts to support such a set up.
Like the other mount types discussed above, wall mounts can be fixed, tilting, panning, rotating, and may even have extending arms to allow users to pull the monitor some distance off the wall. However, with these features generally comes an increase in price.
Additional Mounting Tips
1.Lighting
Before you make any investments in a wall mount, make sure you are certain of the location you want your monitor or TV to be in. This is important for multiple reasons, but an often overlooked factor is lighting. Before you drill a through-the-desk mount into your desk, or a wall mount into your wall, make sure the lighting in the area is suitable for the your viewing needs. This is especially important if your mount is fixed, or does not include features that allow for tilting, panning or extending.
2.Cord Management
It is also a good idea to examine your cord situation and ask yourself how important it is that your cords are showing where they are. As mentioned above, some mounts will come with built-in cord management that assists in hiding cords, but this is often something that will be reflected in the price of a mount. If you have a dozen cords that run from speaker to monitor to monitor to a TV you plan on mounting, ask yourself first if you are okay with how the cords may look.
3.Ergonomics
Wherever and however you decide to mount your TV or monitor, make sure it is mounted in a position that will be ergonomic for your body to view the screen. For any type of screen, health experts recommend that the screen is positioned to be most often viewed at eye-level, to avoid putting too much strain on the neck.
