Broadcast Monitor Flight Cases: Live-In vs Transport Only Guide
You have a broadcast monitor or vision console that needs a case. You know you need hard-shell protection. What most buyers do not know until they have already ordered the wrong thing is that there are two fundamentally different case configurations, and choosing the wrong one creates operational problems that a better-looking case cannot solve.
Live-in or transport-only. The difference between these two configurations determines how your monitor or console behaves on location, how fast your crew sets up, and whether the case works with your production workflow or against it. This guide explains both configurations clearly, tells you exactly which one suits which use case, and covers the specification details that determine whether a broadcast monitor case actually performs in the field.
Table of Contents
The Core Decision: Live-In vs Transport-Only
Every broadcast monitor flight case does one of two things. Either it protects the monitor during transit and the monitor is removed for use a transport-only case. Or it protects the monitor during transit and the monitor is used from inside the open case, with the monitor mounted in the live-in case.
That distinction changes the entire design of the case.
A transport-only case is built around protecting the monitor in transit. The monitor sits in a precision foam interior, the lid closes over a complementary foam layer that immobilises the screen, and the case is latched shut. At the venue, the monitor is removed, set up on a stand or bracket, used during the production, and repacked into the case at the end of the day. The case is a protective container. Nothing more is asked of it.
A live-in case is built around the monitor being operational from inside the open case. The monitor is typically mounted in the lid via a VESA mount, the lid opens to a working angle, and the production team plugs in and works directly from the case. The case becomes a portable workstation. It needs cable entry points in the right positions, a stable lid-open mechanism, a VESA mount rated to the monitor's weight, and an interior that accommodates the cable configuration of the production setup.
Neither configuration is universally better. Both are right for specific workflows. The mistake is specifying one when you actually need the other.
When You Need a Transport-Only Monitor Case
A transport-only configuration is the right specification in three scenarios.
Your monitor is used on a stand, arm, or fixed mount at the venue.
If your SmallHD Cine 17 or 24 is mounted on a C-stand or a director's monitor arm at every location, there is no operational advantage to a live-in case. The monitor comes out of the case on arrival, goes onto the stand, and goes back into the case at wrap. A transport-only case with a precision foam interior is lighter, simpler, and provides equally good transit protection.
Your monitor has accessories attached that change its geometry.
If your monitor travels with a battery plate, a sun hood, a viewfinder loupe, or an accessory handle attached, the case interior must be designed around the monitor plus those accessories in their travel configuration. A live-in case with a VESA mount cannot accommodate most accessory configurations without removing the accessories first. A transport-only case with a CNC-routed foam interior can be built around the exact geometry of the monitor with every accessory in place.
Weight is a constraint.
Transport-only cases are lighter than live-in cases because they do not carry the structural requirements of a mounted working display. For productions where the kit travels as checked air freight, every kilogram matters. If the monitor is light enough to be hand-carried and does not need to be operational from the case, a transport-only configuration keeps the overall case weight lower.
When You Need a Live-In Monitor Case
A live-in case is the right specification when removing the monitor from the case on location is either impractical or a genuine operational problem.
Your monitor is used in a fixed position for the duration of the production. A vision console operator or technical director who works from the same monitor for an entire multi-day shoot, conference, or broadcast event does not need to remove that monitor from its case every day and replace it every evening. A live-in case means the monitor stays mounted, cables stay connected, and setup is a matter of opening the case and plugging into power not rebuilding a workstation from scratch each morning.
Setup speed is a production constraint. Live events, outside broadcast, and corporate AV productions frequently have compressed setup windows. A live-in monitor case that opens, cables up, and is operational in under three minutes is a meaningful operational advantage over a monitor that needs to be unpacked, mounted, levelled, and reconnected on every deployment.
Your production uses a vision switcher and monitor together. This is one of the most common live-in case configurations in broadcast production. A flight case built for a BlackMagic ATEM switcher. The Mini Extreme, Mini Pro ISO, or ATEM 1 M/E with a VESA monitor mount in the lid integrates the entire vision control setup into a single case. The ATEM is secured in precision foam in the lower section, the monitor mounts in the lid, the lid opens to a working angle, and the operator is operational without unpacking anything. [INTERNAL LINK: /broadcasting-film/monitor-vision-console-cases]
The monitor is large enough that daily removal and remounting creates a damage risk. A Samsung Flip Pro or a large format reference monitor is a significant physical object to handle twice a day, every day of a multi-week production. The more frequently a large monitor is unmounted and remounted, the greater the cumulative risk of accidental damage. A live-in configuration where the monitor stays permanently mounted eliminates that daily handling risk entirely.
The Specification Details That Determine Whether a Live-In Case Actually Works
Choosing a live-in configuration is the first decision. Specifying it correctly is the second and more consequential one. Here is what determines whether a live-in case performs or frustrates in the field.
VESA mount rating and compatibility. Most professional broadcast monitors use VESA 100x100mm as the standard mounting pattern. The VESA mount inside the case lid must be rated to the specific weight of your monitor not a generic "up to X kg" spec. For monitors with accessories attached, the mount rating must account for the total assembly weight. A VESA mount rated for a 3kg monitor that is carrying a 5kg monitor with sun hood and battery plate attached is an engineering failure waiting to happen on a bumpy location drive.
Lid-open stability. A live-in case has a lid that opens and stays open at a working angle. The mechanism that holds the lid open whether a gas strut, a lid stay, or a torque hinge must hold the lid firmly at the correct working angle without drift or vibration. A lid that slowly drops while the operator is working is an operational hazard for the monitor and the crew. Specify the lid-open mechanism explicitly and confirm its load rating matches your monitor weight.
Cable entry positions. The single most common specification error in live-in monitor cases is cable entry points in the wrong position. The power inlet, the HDMI or SDI input, and any other connections are in fixed positions on the rear of the monitor. The cable entry point in the case must align with those connections — or the cable management becomes a tangle of adapters and extended leads that creates a problem at every deployment. Before any case is designed, the cable positions on your specific monitor model must be confirmed and the case engineered around them.
Working height and viewing angle. The monitor in a live-in case is at a fixed height determined by the case dimensions and the lid opening angle. For an operator who will spend hours working at this monitor, the ergonomics of that height and angle matter. The case specification should include the target working height — measured from the floor or from the table surface the case will sit on so the designer can confirm the lid geometry achieves it.
Foam protection when the lid is closed. A live-in case with the monitor mounted in the lid must also protect the monitor during transit with the lid closed. This means either a foam contact layer on the upper interior of the case body that meets the screen face when the lid closes, or a retractable screen protector that engages during transit. A live-in case that mounts the monitor in the lid but provides no screen-face protection in transit is not a broadcast-grade case.
Live-In vs Transport-Only — Decision Reference
| Scenario | Live-In | Transport-Only |
|---|---|---|
| Monitor used on a stand or arm at venue | No | Yes |
| Monitor used in a fixed position for multi-day production | Yes | No |
| Setup speed is a production constraint | Yes | No |
| ATEM or vision switcher and monitor used together | Yes | No |
| Monitor has accessories that change its geometry | No | Yes |
| Weight or air freight constraints apply | No, heavier | Yes, lighter |
| Daily removal and remounting creates damage risk | Yes, stay in case | No, removal is fine |
| Large format monitor (Samsung Flip Pro, 27 inch and above) | Yes | No |
Broadcast Monitor Cases by Use Type: What the Production Sector Tells Us
Different production sectors have distinct, repeatable patterns in how they specify monitor cases. Understanding these patterns helps procurement managers make the right decision for their specific context.
AV rental companies typically specify transport-only cases for their monitor hire stock. The monitors go into different configurations on every hire, often used with different stands and mounts by different clients. A transport-only case with a precision foam interior protects the monitor through constant rental turnover without the operational constraint of a fixed VESA mount configuration. The priority is protection across high cycle counts, not deployment speed.
Corporate AV and events teams are the primary live-in case users. A corporate AV team that deploys the same monitor and vision console setup for conferences, product launches, and corporate events wants a case that opens, cables up, and is operational in minutes. Their monitor is always used in the same configuration. A live-in case with VESA mount and pre-routed cable management is built exactly for this workflow. [INTERNAL LINK: /broadcasting-film/monitor-vision-console-cases]
Broadcast and outside broadcast (OB) crews use both configurations depending on the specific piece of equipment. A reference monitor used by a colourist on a drama production travels in a transport-only case and is set up on a colour-critical monitor stand. A vision operator's confidence monitor at a live broadcast event is in a live-in case on the production desk. The decision follows the workflow, not the equipment category.
Touring productions and live events prioritise consistent external footprints and setup speed. Monitor cases for touring are almost always live-in configurations, frequently integrated with the vision console or flypack case as a unified workstation system. The entire vision setup travels in matched cases that open and are operational without rebuilding anything.
How ArmorCases Builds Broadcast Monitor and Vision Console Cases
ArmorCases designs custom monitor cases to fit a wide range of brands and sizes, from SmallHD Cine monitors to Samsung Flip Pro displays with configurations including vertical hinged lids for quick access, live-in monitor cases that double as workstations, and compact carry solutions for field production.
Our vision console and monitor cases range for broadcast and film includes the following.
For BlackMagic ATEM productions: our ATEM Mini series flight case accommodates the ATEM Mini, Mini Pro, Mini Pro ISO, Mini Extreme, and Mini Extreme ISO with a removable VESA 100x100mm mount for monitors up to 24 inches built into the lid. The lid serves as both screen mount and a B-roll table surface when needed. A 1RU front-facing rack sits behind and over the switch for additional equipment.
For larger broadcast production setups: our flypack road case for the BlackMagic ATEM 1 M/E Advanced Panel accommodates the ATEM panel, a 40-inch monitor, dual 3U rack space, a pull-out keyboard tray, and 2 additional 12U rack bays. The rear removable lid has a built-in access door. The front lid converts to a standalone table.
For professional broadcast reference monitors: our monitor cases are trusted by AV rental companies, corporate AV teams, and technical tour managers precision-built with foam inserts, reinforced corners, and durable exteriors to guard against impact, vibration, and weather across the full production cycle.
Every case is built from 9mm laminated plywood panels with aluminium extrusion reinforcement at all edges and corners. Hardware is Penn Elcom throughout with butterfly latches, recessed handles, and castors with documented load ratings. All builds carry a lifetime guarantee on workmanship and structural integrity.
We design from 3D laser scan data accurate to 0.05mm, with every foam insert CNC-routed from a SolidWorks CAD model of the actual equipment. This means the foam recess matches your specific monitor including any accessories attached in their travel configuration not a generic approximation of the monitor category.
Our design and engineering is based in Sydney, Australia, with manufacturing capacity in Guangzhou, China. Urgent single-unit orders are handled through our Sydney workshop. Volume orders for rental fleet builds and tour kit systems run through Guangzhou under the same design standards.
Get a Custom Monitor or Vision Console Case Quote →Tell us your monitor or console model, how you use it on location, and your production schedule. We will confirm whether a live-in or transport-only configuration is right for your workflow and come back with a specification proposal built around your actual equipment.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use a live-in case for a SmallHD Cine or reference monitor?
Yes, provided the case is designed around your specific monitor model and workflow. The VESA mount in the lid must match your monitor's mounting pattern, the cable entry positions must align with your monitor's I/O layout, and the foam-free screen face protection must be incorporated so the screen is not compressed during transit. A live-in case for a SmallHD Cine monitor used by a DOP as a director's monitor on a drama production is a common and well-suited application.
Will my monitor fit with accessories attached battery plates, sun hoods, or handles?
This is one of the most common questions broadcast buyers ask, and the honest answer is: only if the case is specifically designed to accommodate those accessories in their travel configuration. A case built to the monitor's nominal dimensions without accounting for attached accessories will not close properly or will apply pressure to the accessories during transit. When briefing a custom case, always specify the monitor in its exact travel configuration — accessories attached — so the foam interior can be designed around the full assembly.
Do I need screen-face foam protection in a live-in case?
Yes. The screen face should never make direct foam contact during transit. The correct design uses the bezel and frame edges to carry the load, with a foam-free zone over the screen surface itself. For large monitors, a rigid protective screen board that distributes closing pressure at the screen edges is the appropriate specification. Ask any case manufacturer directly how they handle screen face protection in their live-in configurations.
How long does it take to get a custom broadcast monitor case made?
Lead time depends on complexity, quantity, and manufacturing pathway. Urgent single-unit orders placed through our Sydney workshop can be turned around significantly faster than volume orders through our Guangzhou facility. Contact us with your production dates at the outset and we will confirm a realistic production and delivery timeline based on your specification and current workshop capacity.
Can the case be branded with our production company or network logo?
Yes. UV printing, logo engraving, and custom panel colour finishes are all available. For broadcast networks and AV rental companies managing equipment fleets, case branding serves both asset identification and brand consistency functions across client-facing productions.