Selecting where you will mount your displays goes hand in hand with selecting the displays themselves as the location will influence the size, aspect ratio, required brightness, viewing angle and other attributes of the display.

You should normally mount your display at eye level but don’t be afraid to experiment with novel locations like high up on a back wall or even in the floor under a heavy glass pane. Eye-level provides the most visual impact and maximizes the effectiveness of your display’s limited viewing angle but other locations can attract attention and help move people around a store.

Taking that one step further, because displays can serve different uses in a store and you really need to decide why you are installing digital signage before you decide what to install, where to install it and what to show on it. If a display is being used to direct people around a store you might want to mount it up higher or on the end of an aisle (think 50-200′ visibility and very large text), if it’s being used to create atmosphere you might want them located in the entrance way or scattered around the store with text that’s clearly visible from (10′-50′), if it’s being used to promote particular products or particular offers you might want them in the entrance, next to the product being promoted or right at the point of purchase (think 2′-10′).

Most displays are mounted using VESA mounting plates which have a standard placement for the bolt holes allowing you to use any compatible mounting bracket with any display no matter which manufacturer you chose. Depending on the size of your display there are various options available including wall-mount, ceiling-mount, and pole-mount. Smaller displays like picture frame displays can also be located on counter tops or attached to shelves like a traditional ‘shelf-talker’.

Unless your display is being mounted in a store-front window it’s normally best to avoid direct sunlight.

After you’ve figured out where to locate your displays you also need to decide where to mount your playback device in relation to your display and what cabling you will need between them. Signage solutions based on PCs typically need a well ventilated storage space to prevent overheating. Flash-memory based playback devices are much smaller and can often be hidden behind the display, and sometimes even mounted on the same VESA mount that supports your display. A networked player will also need access to an Ethernet or wireless network so you’ll need to have cables pulled for that or ensure your location is reasonably close by. Standalone players on the other hand can work anywhere you have power.

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