5 Signs You Need a Freestanding Display Mount and 8 Questions to Ask Before Choosing One

Many applications call for video displays that need not be mounted to a wall, but choosing the wrong freestanding display mount can stifle utilization or risk safety.

CI Staff
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Look around.

Chances are you see a video display somewhere.

Due to popularity of digital signage, video conferencing, video collaboration, video communication — you name it — we live in a world in which demand for mounted video displays is through the roof. In many cases, people are choosing not to mount those video displays on a wall and instead opting for a more adaptable freestanding display mount.

Freestanding display mounts are more versatile in that they can more or less go wherever the end user chooses and in some cases are movable, but you also give up some conveniences when choosing not to use a traditional fixed wall-mounting approach.

So, for what applications is a freestanding display mount appropriate? There are quite a few:

Wayfinding—This is a fairly obvious one since most of us have seen freestanding digital signs strewn about college campuses, malls and corporate or hotel lobbies. They’re often in fixed, freestanding displays. In some cases, wayfinding signage needs to be portable such as in a hotel’s meeting or function area where it’s beneficial for the end user to be able to move a display depending on where the action is. In those applications a freestanding mobile cart might make sense.

It’s even better if the cart allows the user to switch from portrait to landscape depending on copy and communication needs.

On the Move Applications—The need for portability when it comes to display mounts isn’t limited to wayfinding. There are several applications in which users need to move signage from place to place depending on day to day needs. In corporate applications, for instance, users may want to move a video display from room to room for video conferencing, collaboration or signage purposes.

Since the role of the display changes frequently in these environments, a portable freestanding display that offers adjustable height can be helpful. Sure, video display prices have fallen to the point where more companies can afford multiple displays and therefore won’t need to move them, but there are plenty of small offices and other customers who find it hard to justify the costs of additional flat panels and want to maximize utilization on the ones they have.

Open Offices—Besides increased employee-to-employee collaboration one of the effects of open-office designs is more multi-use spaces, including huddle rooms. Employees find themselves huddling around areas for various functions. Some functions might require a video display such as video conferencing or collaboration and some might not. A portable freestanding display mount helps customers with open-office spaces make better use of their space while wasting less of it when a video screen isn’t needed.

Fluid Messaging—There are needs across just about every market for messages that aren’t always needed. A bar or restaurant, for instance, might want to display a digital sign thanking Tuesday’s sponsor of Trivia Night but not so much on Wednesday. A conference center might want to leverage a digital sign that directs attendees to their next event, but not so much after the conference has ended.

A company might welcome visitors from a key customer with a digital display but need not do so once the visit is over. In these cases of fluid messaging a portable, freestanding display mount comes in handy.

Classrooms—In many classroom environments in which video displays are used consistently but not constantly a portable, freestanding display mount make sense. Where it gets tricky is when the portable display becomes a trip hazard for students and instructors. So a mobile freestanding display with a low profile is a preferred choice in classroom settings. Middle Atlantic’s FlexView Series offers display stands with slim profiles that are certified for safety and pose less of a trip hazard than comparable carts and stands.

Of course, deciding that a freestanding display mount is appropriate for a particular application is only half the battle. The next step is realizing what features you need and which ones you do not. So here are some questions to ask before choosing a freestanding display:

What is a monitor wall and do I need one?

As demand for multi-display, freestanding digital signage has grown the definition of a monitor wall has gotten a little hazy: A monitor wall can be defined as:

  • multiple displays affixed to a wall that can create one large image, or
  • multiple displays on a freestanding or mobile mount system,  that can create one large image.

Both are correct, but the difference comes with whether or not it is considered a permanent installation, where on the wall, cable management takes place inside the wall and between wall mounted units, as opposed to a system that can be moved, where cabling is hidden within a self-contained unit.

Read on to see seven more questions to ask before choosing a freestanding display mount.

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