In operations centers for 911 dispatch, utilities, transportation, and security, monitors matter. The 6 to 8 monitors at your console are your window into the world you’re working to serve and protect. To serve you well, the monitors need to be positioned properly, which is where monitor mounts come in.
With monitor mounts, you can connect and position multiple monitors on any desk—specifically, a sit-to-stand console common in 24/7 operations. Options for mounting monitors include:
To decide how to mount your monitors, consider the following goals:
Protect comfort and productivity: Look for monitor mounts that can achieve proper ergonomic placement for multiple monitors, thereby preventing neck pain and eyestrain. Many studies link pain and productivity loss, including a 2022 study published in the Journal of Occupational Rehabilitation, which found that employees with neck pain reported a nearly 15% loss in productivity. According to the Human Factors and Ergonomics Society (HFES) National Ergonomic Standard, monitors should be positioned as follows:Angle: A 25° downward view angle to the center of the screen, sitting or standing. To achieve this angle for users from the 5thto 95th percentile in height, sitting or standing, the desk height must be adjustable from 23” to 46” high.
Focal Distance: A distance of 19” to 29” from the eyes to the screen. To customize the distance for each user, the console must allow monitors to move forward and back at least 10”.
Equal Distance: Equal focal distance for each monitor (or as close to equal as possible). This requires the monitors to be positioned in an arc.
Save time and money: The monitor mounts need to support the weight of the screens and withstand the constant adjustments that occur at shared workstations in use around the clock. Ideally, they will last as long as the consoles and the monitors themselves—upwards of 10 years. Some monitor mounts, such as monitor arms, need replaced after a few years because they wear out. In a worst-case scenario, if a monitor mount fails, life-saving work may be interrupted, and the screen may be broken. To reduce the hassle and expense of replacing monitor mounts, look for ones with long lifespans.
Ensure easy replacements: In 24/7/365 dispatch and control centers, monitors need to be replaced on the fly. Look for a monitor mount that allows 1 tech to quickly lift a screen and replace it without struggling with hidden screws and cables. The last thing you want is a 911 dispatcher out of commission while a technician shuts down the computer, takes apart the workstation, and struggles to lift and secure a new monitor. With these goals for monitor mounts in mind, let’s look at the pros and cons of various methods.
Monitor Stands
A monitor stand is a primitive way to raise a monitor in the dispatch and command center world. In a pinch, you can raise a monitor by placing it on a small riser, a thick book, reams of paper, or stacks of files. (RIP the phone book, which stopped serving as the perfect monitor stand circa 2009.)
Pro: Inexpensive (or free) and easy to install.
Con: Although you can get risers for dual monitors, this is no way to manage 6 to 8 monitors. Plus, it’s unstable when raising or lowering the sit-to-stand desktop and exceedingly difficult to adjust monitor height for different users.
Monitor Arms with Clamps
A monitor arm is a hinged bracket with one end attached to the screen and the other end clamped to a surface or slatwall. You simply pull the screen to adjust its distance, height, and angle. A monitor arm with a clamp is especially useful for something like a touch screen positioned next to a desk.
Pro: Inexpensive, simple to install, and easy to use for adjusting a single monitor. Monitors are off the desk, allowing space for paperwork.
Con: First, the arm needs to be clamped to something—maybe the console itself or a CPU cabinet. This is fine for 1 monitor but not 6. Plus, in many cases, the arm is not strong enough to bear the weight of the monitor over time. When the monitor starts to sag, the joints in the arm need to be tightened. A lot. Eventually, the joints and pistons wear out, and the arm is toast. (Unless you prop up said monitor with a book or maybe an old VHS tape as shown here.) In addition, it can take two people to swap out a screen on a monitor arm because one person needs to hold the arm down while the other attaches the monitor.
Monitor Arms Affixed to Slatwall
A slatwall is a panel system with horizontal grooves for inserting monitor arms and other equipment. The slatwall is usually attached to a console, and it moves up and down with the desktop. Some centers, however, have entire walls made up of slatwall with large screens and monitor arms attached. In this case, consoles must be placed near the walls.
Pro: A very flexible system that can handle all the monitors a dispatcher or operator can reasonably see. Monitors are off the desk and it’s easy to adjust the distance, height, and angle of a monitor.
Con: Because the slatwall relies on monitor arms, each monitor needs to be adjusted individually. Despite the ergonomic benefits, users are unlikely to take the time and effort to manually reposition a half-dozen or so monitors at the beginning of each shift. (Creating a monitor arc effect by pulling screens and tweaking placement would be especially time consuming.) And the issue with weak arms and sagging monitors mentioned above remains. When the slatwall is attached to the console, it requires its own lifts and motor, making it quite heavy. The additional lifts not only intrude on leg space but they experience wear and tear. All this and they’re expensive as well.
Monitor Array on a Parabolic Arc
A parabolic arc is a curved bracket that allows you to create a curved array of monitors. The arc makes it possible for each monitor to be at an equal distance from the user’s eyes, and to quickly adjust the distance and viewing angle for all the monitors at once. The arc may allow for multiple rows of monitors, or a dual surface desk with two separate arcs can allow for independent movement of the two rows of monitors.
Pro: With a curved monitor array, users at shared workstations can quickly adjust all the monitors at once at the beginning of their shift. Access to the back of the console makes it easy for IT to replace damaged/outdated monitors, change sizes, and add or remove monitors as needed. Unlike monitor arms, bowing is not an issue because the monitors are attached directly to the arc. The arc can reside on the desk surface, so it doesn’t require separate lifts or motors. For the ultimate in a parabolic arc, see how Xybix’s patented Rollervision technology works.
Con: A parabolic arc works best on a curved console, although it can fit comfortably on a straight console. Because the arc is designed to ensure that monitors are equidistant from the eyes, screens cannot be adjusted individually to “surround” the user. In some cases, the arc is attached to a slatwall rather than the desktop, which is expensive, heavy, and requires an extra motor to handle the weight.
Bonus: Cable Management
Powering all those monitors can quickly create a tangle of cords behind the desk. Managing all these cables is critical to ensuring that monitors stay plugged in and usable, preventing trip-and-fall hazards, and protecting monitors from damage. Expert cable management offers a nice clean look and provides easy access for IT as well. See a Xybix cable management solution here.
Xybix Is Here to Help
With nearly 30 years’ experience in outfitting dispatch and control centers, Xybix is uniquely qualified to understand your needs. In fact, we have an entire team specifically dedicated to helping customers plan out how and where monitors will be mounted—with an eye towards future technology and expansion. We know that each monitor mount option has its place, so we can manufacture and install them all—and we might even be able to be get you a phone book (er, monitor stand).
Reach out with questions any time. We’re here to help.