Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 [UPDATED 04.30.2009]

Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 and 45-179-195

I’ve been searching a LCD arm mount for a few years now. There have been a number of attractive and fully articulate designs on the market for purchase. The primary colors available have been limited to silver and black or a combination of the two colors. This is fine because both colors lean themselves nicely to practicably any interior design one may have in their home or office. Though appearance is not, the main function one would concern themselves with when making a selection. It is important that it blends in well with your decor.

Presently, there are two market models the commercial units targeted at the general consumer and the industrial units for the business customers. Durability, function, pricing and warranty separate the two market models.

The commercial units are attractive, functional, with a warranty of 1 to 3 years and price varies between $49.99 on the low end to $300.00 on the high end of the scale. Consumer-based LCD monitor mounts typically can accommodate monitor weights of 20 pounds or less and is VESA compatible with 75mm and 100mm mountings. For general household use one would find these models sufficient to support his or her ergonomic needs.

Industrial monitor mounts are attractive in a more industrial design and less tailored to decor appeal. Their design appears to be more streamlined and slight less contemporary art as their consumers’ counterparts. Warranties tend to extend beyond the 3-year time frame based on design specifications. Prices normally start around $170.00 and go up from there. But the industrial monitor mount will accommodate weights of 20 plus pounds up to a few hundred. Typical VESA mounting holes meet the standards of 75mm, 100mm, and 200mm and additional attachments are included to meet those specifications should your particular monitor require adaptation.

There are three basic mounting designs:

One is the wall mount that allows one to attach his monitor to a wall much like hanging a picture. Depending on the select wall mount the monitor or flat panel television may be stationary, minimum tilt, of a fully articulated arm that would permit you to position the display in a number of viewing directions.

Another mount is referred to as a desk mount and as the name implies you can mount the display arm to a desk using an included clamping system, and in some cases the clamping bracket is recoverable and by drilling a small one inch hole in the desktop the flat panel display arm could be permanently mounted to the desk for a clean contemporary appearance.

The third LCD/Plasma arm mount is actually a combination of a wall and desk mount. It’s the pole mount. The pole mount depending on design can be mounted onto a wall or attached to a desk as mentioned previously. Then the articulated arm attaches to the pole itself and not directly to the surface. This in my personal opinion is the best choice by far. Should the pole be mounted onto a wall it offers the arm a 270-degree rotation, on a desktop 360-degree rotation. The arm can be easily positioned at any point on the pole (poles’ length typically ranges from 15 to 28 inches). An articulated arm is one to two adjoining pieces giving the customer additional choices. Using both arm constructs the display can be maneuvered in a number of directions up and down, left and right, forward and backwards, tilt up and down and pivot 90 degrees to the right (useful if you have a pivoting monitor that adjusts from portrait mode to landscape mode).

When I recently purchased the (see my review on this monitor) Viewsonic VX2235WM 22 inch HD with stereo speakers, LCD Monitor I elected to purchase the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - (45-179-194 and 45-179-195). Ergotron industrial designs with a five-year warranty. The actual model I chose was the 45-179-194 in silver. The model number ending with a (5) is the exact same mounting except it is black in color. I chose the silver because my monitor was primarily black with a silver trim. The silver mounting arm highlights this accent and offers a custom sleek contemporary appearance. The proceeding paragraph fully describes the articulation of the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm. This model also accommodates a monitor of 20 pounds without difficulty which some consumer models failed to live up too. The Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm weight limit is affected by the thickness of the actual monitor attached. To achieve the maximum weight limit the monitor should not exceed a 2-inch thickness.

I have a 22-inch monitor support by the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 and it appears to have no issues maintaining the monitor in any position I chose to place it. The monitor weights in at 13 pounds with the stand removed.

The Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 is both a luxury and a need for me. The monitor’s included stand would have easily held the display but with limited tilt abilities. Had I been an average user spending short periods of time a front the display the manufacturer’s stand would have sufficed. But for me, I’m at my workstation eight to ten hours a day, having an adjustable mounting arm allows for more comfortable positions when seated or standing.

My acquisition of the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 was obtained via buy.com for merely $117.99 with free FedEX shipping. Buy.com was having a special because the same unit in black for priced $179.99 with free shipping. I received the item within two days of ordering.

The Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 was very well packaged, all parts that were suppose to be present were, the instructions for assembly and installation were thorough an easy to follow. It took merely five to ten minutes to unpackaged contents, lay pieces out, read the instructions and fine tune a few adjustments. Actual installation of the articulating arm occurred in approximately five minutes. I opted not to use the desk clamp already attached to the pole and elected to assemble the arm directly to the desktop.

I chose later to purchase attachments like a keyboard arm, of a notebook try, or a second monitor arm — the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 will easily support those upgrades.

Though the arm is extremely articulate, it sports a very nice cable management system. It had no difficulties hiding a DVI-D cable, a Sub-D VGA cable, the AC power cable and the Audio cable.

I must not neglect to mention that the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm includes screw and mounting plate for converting the VESA 75mm mount to a 100mm mount support. Screws are also provided to permanently mount the monitor to the arm or you may utilize the four quick release thumbscrews should you have a need to remove the monitor in a speedant manner. I elected to make use of the thumbscrews as a permanent attachment but the availability to rapidly remove the monitor if the urge or need happened to arise. Thus, reducing the need for tools like Philip’s screwdriver that may not be readily available at a later date.

I can contemplate of no reason why not to recommend the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194. Even if you bought this mounting arm to sport your flat panel display and to wow your friends, it would be money well spent. Gamers, power users, or someone that is concern about solid ergonomics should buy this product. Once you have it and installed one wonders how you lived without one all these years.

This review is primarily for on the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 and 45-179-195. But much of this reviews, content is easily applied toward most mountings on the shelves today. Hopefully, if you are in search of or merely browsing mounts this information will aid your journey as you make your purchasing decision.

WHAT’S IN THE BOX???

Ergotron LX Desk Mount Notebook Arm - 45-179-194
SILVER black available

One pole with preassembled C-clamp
One permeant mounting clamp (typically requires drilling a one inch diameter hole in desktop)
One 100mm VESA hole compliant LCD mounting plate
Four Philips screws for attaching LCD mounting plate to arm
Four Philips screws for attaching LCD mounting plate to Flat Panel Monitor
Four Thumbscrews for attaching LCD mounting plate to Flat Panel Monitor
One Pose able arm with 75mm VESA hole compliant
One 9 inch extension arm
One Allan wrench key
Two Allan wrenches one small one larger
Two Self-Adhesive rubber circular pads to prevent marring
One Instruction manual
Two Quick ties for additional cable management
One five year warranty



[UPDATE]


I recently purchased two more of these Ergotron arms one in silver like the others I own and one in black. I had no hesitation especially when I saw the price drop and the FREE shipping. In this economy there are still some real deals to be had.


Even at the original pricing of these monitors arms they are worth every Lincoln Penny. The Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 has improved my computer experience tremendously. I just love the ability to place the monitor in the position that's right for me at the moment. It quickly adjust when I'm sitting or standing. All I need to do is take hold of the monitor and position it for my viewing pleasure and comfort — there are no buttons to push, screws to loosen or tighten (except for the initial adjustments during installation).


Upon my first purchase I viewed it more as a luxury and convenience due to the desk real estate I would be saving. But believe me every monitor should be sold with an Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 instead of the cheesy stands that accompany them. Don't get me wrong—some of the include stands are very nice looking and perform their function, and makes it easy to pull from the box and set up. On the other hand it's an entirely different world of enjoyment when you have an Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194.


When you spent 10, 12, 14 hours a day in front a monitor as I do you appreciate these arms immediately. Though the manufacture states a maximum 20 pound capacity I have had no issues of the arms holding my monitors. I have a 22" LCD HDTV with built-in DVD player on one. You know a DVD unit adds quite a bit of weight to the monitor.


The plastics on the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 for securing your cables seems to be of even better quality on the newer units (more rigid).


Should you be in the market to free up your desk real estate, improve the ergonomics at your computer; don't buy an inexpensive monitor arm from an Ergotron competitor. Get the real deal and let your monitor sport the best monitor arm out there. The Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 are extremely well built, solid construction, easy to assemble, and guaranteed to out-last us all.  I picked up the black colored one for $110 and the silver one for $112 at buy.com. Ergotron packages their equipment very well and I have not experienced an issue of missing pieces or damage goods upon receipt.



You will not believe the freedom or movement and flexibility the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194 provides. It has a full range of motion and transforms your monitor from landscape to portrait with a simple turn. If you don’t have a monitor that automatically switches from landscape to portrait mode you can pretend you have one via the use of the Ergotron LX Desk Mount LCD Arm - 45-179-194. Obviously some views won’t accommodate landscape to portrait because it’s not a true mode switching monitor but you can view portrait photos in their native position.


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