What to Expect from a Quality Presentation Cart

TV carts have many uses in many situations. They’re the ideal solution when you need to move a flat panel TV or monitor from room to room or set it up in different configurations within a room. Choosing the right flat panel TV cart as a presentation cart can make your office presentations easier or enhance mobile presentations at trade shows, kiosks and other events.

Stability

The most important feature in AV carts is stability. Because you’ll be mounting a heavy monitor or flat screen TV at the top, you want a rolling TV cart that has enough base width and a low enough center of gravity to prevent tipping when you wheel the car around corners or over small obstructions.

The best way to ensure that the flat panel TV cart you choose will support your plasma TV or monitor is to choose a rolling TV cart that’s designed to hold the weight and dimensions of your screen.

Mounting

Unlike standard AV carts, flat screen TV carts are designed to allow mounting the monitor rather than placing it on top. It’s important that you choose a presentation cart that will work with the mounting pattern on your flat screen monitor or television. In most cases, this won’t be a problem if both the TV cart and the television are VESA compliant.

Mobility

In addition to stability when you use rolling TV carts, you want to be sure that the cart rolls easily over multiple surfaces. If you’ll only be using the presentation cart on flat, smooth surfaces, most types of casters or wheels will be fine. If, on the other hand, you’ll be rolling the stand over many different floor surfaces, including carpeting and tile, and might have to maneuver it over thresholds, you’ll want to pay particular attention to the type of casters used on the mobile TV carts you’re choosing.

Multiple Mounts

One of the many advantages that flat screen TV carts have over traditional AV carts is the ability to mount multiple screens and monitors. Multiple monitor TV carts are the ideal solution for presentations that require more than one screen.

Materials

When choosing a TV cart on wheels for your office, school or business, look for one made of high quality materials. Steel and polycarbonate work together to create strong, versatile and attractive presentation carts that you can use in almost any setting. If you’re not sure about the best presentation cart for your needs, the customer service department of most TV cart manufacturers will be happy to answer your questions and help you choose.

TV Carts Buying Guide

TV carts are an essential part of your home theater or office AV setup. Your television or display may be the heart of your theater, but TV carts bring your screen to life and give you options that you wouldn’t otherwise have. TV carts on wheels or without give you the option to move your screen from room to room, put it on a stable footing and provide shelf space and outlets for the accessories you need to extend its functionality. With the many types of TV carts available, choosing the right one can be a bit confusing. These answers to these questions can help you choose the right flat screen cart for your viewing needs.

Will You Need to Move the TV Between Rooms?

If your television screen will be staying in one room, a standard TV mount might be a good choice. If, on the other hand, you’d like to be able to move your television from one room to another for video presentations or any other reason, you’ll want a mobile television cart. There are many different types of rolling TV carts on the market to suit your needs.

How Many Screens Do You Want to Mount?

If you want to be able to move multiple televisions, you’ll need a mobile TV cart that supports multiple mounts. You may want to use this option if you regularly move a multiple screen setup from one office to another or even from one location to another in the same room. It’s especially handy in a school or office setting.

Will You Need to Accommodate Different Size Rooms?

The size of a room determines the best positioning for a flat panel television. If you’ll be moving your display from one room to another, you may not always be in the same size room. A flat screen TV cart that allows you to adjust the height of the TV platform can make a big difference in setting up the room and making sure that all viewers are able to view the screen comfortably.

Do You Need to Accommodate Other Accessories?

Most mobile TV carts are designed to accommodate other hardware and equipment that you need for your presentations, including speakers, projectors, DVD players and computers. When choosing the right TV cart, look for one that will accommodate everything you might need to carry with you from room to room when you move your screen.

Once you’ve decided on the basics, look at the range of TV carts that will accommodate the height and weight of your flat panel television and choose the one that best suits your needs.

How to Choose an Apple Cinema Display Mount

The Apple Cinema Display models come standard with an attached desk stand. If you want to mount your Apple monitor on the wall, on a monitor arm or on your desk, you’ll need to by an Apple Cinema Display mount and the Apple VESA mount adapter kit available from the Apple store.

Why You Need an Apple VESA Mount Adapter Kit

The foot for the Apple Cinema Display is attached to the back of the monitor unit. That mounting solution is not VESA compliant. The screw openings and slot for the Apple desk mount will not fit other types of monitor mounts. Before you can install the Apple Cinema onto a VESA Apple desk mount, Apple wall monitor mount or an Apple monitor arm, you’ll need to install the adapter, which fits over the slot and adds screw openings that will fit any VESA compliant monitor mount.

Installing the Apple VESA Mount Adapter

Installing the Apple VESA mount adapter is so simple that most people can do it in five minutes or less. The adapter kit purchased from the Apple store includes everything you need to install the adapter, including a hex key TORX tool to remove the screws from the Apple desk mount. Just put a towel or blanket on a flat surface, then place your Apple Cinema Display face down on the padded surface. Use the hex tool to remove the screws and lift the Apple monitor stand off the back of the display. Snap the plastic bumpers onto the edges of the VESA adapter, position it over the slot in the back of the monitor and screw in the fasteners. You’re now ready to install the monitor on an Apple Cinema Display Mount.

Choosing the Right Apple Cinema Display Mount

Every monitor mount is specifically designed to hold a monitor of a certain size and weight. It’s very important to make sure that you choose a monitor wall mount or monitor desk mount that’s specifically designed to hold an Apple display, especially if you’re mounting it on a movable monitor arm. The thin form factor of the Apple Cinema Display gives it a different center of balance than some other monitors, and Apple Cinema Display mounts are specially engineered to take this into account.

If you’re uncertain about whether a particular Apple monitor mount will work with your model of Apple Cinema Display, buy from a knowledgeable merchant who can answer your questions. Most websites that sell Apple Cinema display mounts will list the models that each monitor mount will handle, but will be happy to answer your questions if you want to be sure.

Can I Use an Apple Cinema Display Mount with Any Monitor Mount?

Mounting your Apple Cinema Display requires a special Apple Cinema Display mount adapter. Apple Cinema displays aren’t naturally VESA compliant, but the Apple Store does sell an adapter kit to install a VESA adapter on the back of your Apple monitor. Once the display adapter is installed, you can choose an Apple monitor mount to mount your display on a wall, in a corner or on your desk.

The Apple Cinema Display is one of the most popular displays on the market. The thin bezel maximizes the display area, making the Cinema ideal for applications using multiple monitors to display scenes on walls or for use as an extended desktop. With an Apple VESA mount adapter kit, you can choose from a wide range of monitor mounts for your Cinema display unit, including Apple monitor arms, Apple desk mounts and Apple wall mounts.

Choosing the right Apple monitor mount for your display is no different than choosing a monitor mount for any other monitor. It’s important to choose an Apple monitor mount that’s designed to hold the weight and size of your display. This is especially important if you choose an articulated Apple monitor arm that allows you to change the tilt angle and distance of the monitor from the wall. Extending the monitor arm can change the center of gravity, which can destabilize the monitor and make the mount precarious.

In most cases, the manufacturer will list the Cinema Display models that are compatible with a specific Apple monitor mount. If your monitor isn’t listed, you’ll be risking an expensive piece of equipment by using it. If the manufacturer doesn’t provide compatible monitors for the mount, choose the monitor mount that supports the size and weight of your Apple Cinema Display.

Why Choose an Apple Monitor Mount?

The Apple Cinema Display comes out of the box with a desk stand that gives you limited placement options. For many people, those options can be painful. Neck strain, eye strain and headaches can result from trying to work on a monitor that’s placed too low or too high. An Apple monitor mount allows you to put the monitor where it is makes the most sense ergonomically. An Apple desk mount can free up desk real estate and allow you to move the monitor into position for whatever work you’re doing. If you choose an Apple monitor wall mount, you can choose one that allows you to change the viewing angle and position and set up the monitor for viewing by multiple people.

If you’re uncertain about the best Apple Cinema Display mount for your monitor, most websites that sell monitor mounts will be happy to answer questions for you and help you choose an Apple monitor mount that will hold your Cinema Display safely.

Advantages of Corner LCD Wall Mounts

Flat screen and LCD TVs are often best appreciated when they’re mounted on a wall. When you mount your LCD TV, you free up the floor space that would be taken up by an entertainment center or TV stand and give your room a sleek custom-designed look. If you have unbroken wall space, it’s fairly easy to mount your television. In many homes, though, the wall space is taken up by windows, doors and moldings. Corner LCD wall mounts allow you to mount your television or monitor and take advantage of the unique benefits.

When you mount an LCD television on a flat wall, you’re restricting the viewing angle from which it can best be watched. In fact, if you’re viewing an LCD from any angle but head-on, you’ll notice an appreciable degradation in color and picture quality. With the television on a flat wall, the persons sitting directly opposite it will have the best viewing angle. Everyone seated to the left or right will get much poorer picture quality.

When you use corner LCD wall mounts to put up your LCD television, you greatly increase the range of positions in the room from which the television can be comfortably viewed.  A corner mount also opens up new possibilities for arranging the furniture and floor plan of your room that aren’t possible if you mount the television set on a flat wall.

While the corner positioning can limit the movement available for your television, you have many different choices of corner flat TV mounts. Depending on your needs, you can choose a corner articulating wall mount or a corner TV full motion mount as well as a basic corner TV wall mount.

When you order a corner LCD wall mount for your flat screen television, you’ll need to know the size and weight of the television you’ll be mounting, as well as the distance from the corner to position on the wall where you’ll be placing the mount.

Mounting a television in the corner is not much more difficult than mounting it on a flat wall. You’ll need to locate the studs on the adjacent walls in order to mount your television securely and safely. Consider a dual arm corner LCD wall mount if your television weighs more than 125 pounds. Smaller LCD televisions can be mounted on single arm corner TV mounts.

Corner LCD wall mounts allow you to position your flat screen LCD television at a convenient angle that can be viewed comfortably from almost anywhere in the room. It may be the most versatile positioning for your flat screen television set.

How to Choose Corner Mounts for Your Flat Screens

It’s common for people to mount their flat screen televisions on the wall for easier viewing, but what do you do if you have limited wall space? Modern architecture can be heavy on windows – a lovely situation if you like lots of natural light. If you need a wall on which to mount your new flat screen television, though, all those windows can put a serious crimp in your choices. In rooms where the wall space is taken up with windows, doorways and other interruptions, corner mounts make the most sense.

Mounting your flat screen television in the corner offers a number of benefits. The most important of these benefits is the ability to view the screen from nearly any position in the room. Corner wall mounts that swivel and move make it even more convenient to have your television mounted in the corner of the room. There are several different styles of monitor mounts that are especially designed for mounting in the corner.

Corner TV Full Motion Mount

Full motion corner LCD TV mounts provide the most flexibility of all types of flat screen mounts. When you mount your TV in the  corner with a full motion wall mount, you’ll be able to change the tilt angle up or down and swivel it left and right to the extend allowed by the walls on either side of it. A full motion mount is generally the most expensive option, but the versatility and flexibility often offsets the higher price.

Corner Articulating Wall Mounts

An articulating wall mount is the most popular type of corner TV mount because it offers the best combination of flexibility and affordability. Like a full motion TV mount, you can tilt your television up or down to give you the best viewing angle, as well as swiveling it to the left and the right. The range of motion is more limited than you’d get with a full motion TV mount, but the cost is also considerably less.

Swivel Wall Mounts

A swivel corner mount allows you to turn your flat panel television from left to right, but it doesn’t allow for tilting the television angle up or down for easier viewing. A swivel mount is appropriate if you’ll always be seated at the same height – that is, if you won’t be lying down or sitting on the floor to watch television. Swivel wall mounts are generally mid-range in cost.

Tilting Corner Mounts

Tilting wall mounts allow you to change the vertical angle of the television but not swivel it right or left. A tilting corner mount is most appropriate in a small room.

Generally, you’ll get the most value when you choose a corner mount that provides you the most options for positioning the screen. Consider a corner TV articulating wall mount or a corner TV full motion corner mount for fullest amount of options.

Flat Screen Mounting Tips

Mounting your flat screen television or monitor can be a relatively simple process if you know what you’re doing and you plan a basic wall mount. If you’re planning to use a more complex flat screen mounting solution, though, you may run into unexpected issues. These tips will help you with planning and executing more complicated flat screen mounting styles.

Recessed Installations

If you want your flat screen television to be flush with the wall, a recessed flat screen mounting is the way to go. To recess a flat screen, you’ll need to allow at least three inches of open space above the top of your television as well as on both sides of the plasma or LCD television. It’s also important to make sure the recess is deep enough to allow air to circulate behind the television set to prevent overheating. Keep in mind that if you choose to recess your flat screen mount, you’ll be stuck with the  size you choose later. Upgrading to a larger set will be difficult.

Finding Studs

The most important part of mounting your flat screen monitor or plasma television is placing the fasteners securely. That generally requires finding studs in the wall. There are a few tips you can use to help you find the wall studs for your flat screen mounting more easily. In new houses, studs are generally placed 16 inches apart on center. That means there will be 16 inches from the center of one wall stud to the center of the next. If you find one stud, you can easily locate adjacent ones.

Start looking for wall studs by checking where your wall outlets are placed. In newer construction, power outlets are usually placed adjacent to a wall stud.

You can usually locate a wall stud by tapping gently along the width of the wall. You’ll hear and feel the difference when you’re tapping over a stud. If that doesn’t work, or if you want more precision, you can pick up an inexpensive stud finder for about $20 at the hardware store.

Your flat screen mounting hardware should be positioned so that it is centered on the wall studs to take advantage of the strength and stability.

Corner Mounting

In many apartments and homes, there is little open wall space on which to mount a plasma television set. A corner wall mount allows you to use wall real estate that often goes to waste. Corner TV mounts can be tricky to install, but the extra effort is rewarded by a flat screen mounting solution that allows you to easily rearrange furniture and seating.

The right flat screen mounting hardware and devices can keep your television safe and make watching it more enjoyable. Take the time to choose the right television and monitor mounts and you’ll find the installation is much easier.

A Look at Flat Screen Mounting Types

Mounting a flat screen panel or monitor requires a bit of forethought and planning. Before you purchase a flat screen mounting device, there are a number of things that you need to consider.

Will the Flat Screen Mounting Fit the TV or Monitor?

While there are VESA standards that define where the screw holes are placed on the back of your flat screen television or monitor, not all manufacturers follow them for all of their devices. Apple, for example, has many monitors that aren’t standard and may require a special Apple VESA mount adapter. If your flat screen doesn’t tell you the VESA standard it meets, measure the distance between the holes to make sure you get a flat screen mounting device that will fit it properly.

Is the Weight Rating High Enough?

Flat panel screens may weigh far less than traditional monitors and televisions, but many still weigh far more than you’d expect. It’s important to choose a flat screen mount that is rated to hold your monitor’s weight. In fact, it’s best to exceed the weight rating. You’ve invested far too much money in your flat screen plasma or LCD to take chances with a flimsy flat screen mount.

Will the Flat Screen Mount Work with the Size of Your Screen?

Weight is only one factor. If you choose a corner wall mount, for example, the width of the screen may not fit right between the two walls. Many tilt wall mounts will only support a specific size screen, often because the center of balance is different. Check the manufacturer’s recommendations on the flat screen mount to make sure you get the right size rating.

Flat Screen Mounting Types

Here’s a quick rundown of the different types of flat screen mounts available.

Flat Wall Mounts keep your flat panel television close to the wall and is usually the least expensive flat screen mounting option.

Tilting Wall Mounts let you tilt your television or monitor up or down, but not in any other direction. These are the best choice if you’ll be mounting the flat panel high on the wall.

Arm Wall Mounts are the most popular choice for mounting flat panel monitors because they allow the monitor to be positioned and repositioned for comfort and use.

Corner Wall Mounts allow for flat screen mounting between two walls, an option that’s popular in rooms with little wall space.

Car Headrest Mounts are growing in popularity as people make more use of the mobile capabilities of pad and tablet computers. An iPad car headrest mount makes it easy to mount your iPad for backseat viewing.

Choosing the right flat screen mounting device can make your TV viewing experience more enjoyable and keep your new flat screen device safe.

The Advantages of Choosing Ergonomic Monitor Mounts

Monitor mounts may seem like a small thing to consider, but choosing the right monitor mounts can have a profound effect on productivity and workflow in your office or your home office. The right ergonomic monitor mounts can make it easier for you to get your work done and promote your health while you’re working. If you’re still working at a computer with a flat screen monitor sitting on your desk or standing on some sort of stand, you may be doing yourself an enormous disservice.

A few years ago, I worked in a busy office, doing administrative functions. About 90 percent of my day was spent working at the computer, with the monitor standing flat on my desktop. Within a few months, I found myself suffering from constant headaches, a sore neck and a dull throb between my shoulder blades that just would not go away. And while I ordered the office supplies and equipment, my office supplies catalog didn’t even have a section of monitor mounts. It wasn’t until the boss brought in a feng shui consultant to rearrange his office that it occurred to me that most of my ills and discomforts could be completely alleviated by changing the position of the monitor using an ergonomic flat screen mount.

The Monday morning after the consultant visited the office, I arrived to find my workspace fundamentally transformed. The desk was turned to take advantage of the light and provide a view of the outdoors through the window next door. The chair was replaced with one that provided lower back support and a higher seat. The biggest change though, was the monitor mount that lifted my flat screen monitor off the desktop and put it at precisely the right height for comfortable viewing.

Positioning the monitor for more comfortable viewing is only one of the many advantages provided by monitor mounts, though. Adjustable monitor mounts allow you to move the screen into the right position when you shift your chair, or turn the screen so that you can share the contents with others in the room – a nice change from having my boss leaning over my shoulder to see what I was trying to show him. It’s a major selling point for monitor mounts in physician’s and dental offices, or in any office where you want to be able to swivel the monitor to allow a client to view your work.

Well-made monitor mounts free up space on the desktop that can be used for other things. In a busy setting where multiple people work side by side or share the same work desk setup, adjustable monitor mounts allow each user to position the monitor for his own preference. Many monitor mounts hold multiple monitors and allow you to arrange them so that you can extend your desktop and view multiple open programs and screens at once.

Best of all, the ability to position the monitor through the use of monitor mounts virtually eliminates many of the physical problems encountered by workers who spend much of their time sitting in front of a computer screen. If you use a computer more than a few minutes at a time, look into the variety of monitor mounts, flat screen mounts and even laptop mounting solutions that can make your life more comfortable, more productive and easier.

Important Things to Know When Choosing Monitor Mounts

The right flat screen mount for your monitor can make your work easier, relieve eye strain and neck pain and help you work more efficiently. Flat screen monitor mounts come in many different configurations and can support your monitor on the desk, suspended from the ceiling, on an articulated arm or attached to the wall or your desk. Each of these configurations has advantages and disadvantages, and some are more suitable for particular monitors than others. Selecting monitor mounts or monitor stands for your office or home computer setup can be confusing, but there are a few important things you should consider.

Know the VESA Standard

VESA stands for Video Electronics Standards Association. The international non-profit corporation develops relevant open standards for the display and display interface industry. Like other standards organizations, the purpose of VESA is to help ensure that video displays and products made to work with video displays adhere to certain standards and guidelines so that they can be used with each other. In the case of VESA, there are specific guidelines for hole patterns, screw sizes and guidelines for the mounting apparatus used by manufacturers based on the size of the screen and the weight of the monitor. Before purchasing monitor mounts for your office or home setup, check to find out which VESA standard your monitor mount will need to meet.

Decide on a Mounting Location

Think about the way you or your staff use the computer monitors and how they must be mounted for ease, efficiency and convenience. There are monitor mounts for walls, ceilings, desks and poles, as well as mobile monitor mounts that are freestanding. Consider whether the monitors need to be stationary, how much adjustment you need and choose the best location for a flat screen mount based on your research.

Types of Monitor Mounts

There are numerous ways to mount monitors for viewing. The main types are desk mounts, wall mounts, ceiling mounts and pole mounts. Desk mounts may use grommets, clamps or freestanding LCD stands to secure your monitor directly or arm mounts, which allow more flexibility of movement and adjustment. Wall mounts tend to be arm mounts, and many offer full articulation that allows you to adjust the height, horizontal position and angle of the monitor easily.

Weight and Size of Monitors

Weight can be an important factor to consider when choosing monitor mounts, especially for arm mounts. When choosing arm monitor mounts, be sure to take into account extension along with the weight of the monitor to decide on the best product for your needs. If you’re mounting multiple monitors side by side, the size of the monitor can also be a significant factor in deciding which type of flat screen mount will work best for your situation.

If you’re not certain which monitor mounts are best for your needs, you can nearly always get expert help from the store or manufacturer from which you are making your purchase. Most suppliers and manufacturers have experts on staff who can help you choose the right monitor mount for your needs.