Okay, given the fact that most people are going to need somewhere to mount their Xbox One Kinect camera, it’s time to discuss an unconventional, yet highly effective way of mounting the Kinect on top of your TV.
I call this the “best” mount for Xbox One Kinect because this isn’t just a one function device/accessory. If you want to shop for specifically designed mounts for a Xbox One or Xbox 360 Kinect camera, then please at least consider my solution first. I know from past experience that buying console specific accessories can be a bit frustrating when you end up retiring the console and have spent all that extra money on items that have zero use after the fact.
So my solution is the Joby GorillaPod. There are many variations of this product, so don’t be confused. The Joby GorillaPod Original is what you need. This mount stand will cost you (on sale) about what you would pay for a specifically made Kinect mount. Instead, with my solution, this product will be useful either as a smartphone tripod, a camera tripod or it will have some resale value perhaps on used websites such as craigslist.
The fact is, this is a way to get more from your money spent. I’ve been using a Joby GorillaPod for years, specifically for mounting my Xbox Kinect. Given the relatively light weight of the Xbox One Kinect and the Xbox 360 Kinect, there is next to no concern with the GorillaPod not being able to hold your camera in place.
If you are ultra concerned (and you shouldn’t be), you could also wire or use a long “twist tie” to secure the Kinect to the arms of the GorillaPod. The sticky or tacky nature of the GorillaPod arms makes slipping a lot less likely. Take this into consideration too. I’ve used the GorillaPod for similar uses and it has securely held a product that weight wise, is equivalent to around probably 5 of the Xbox 360 Kinects. Weight wise, sure the Xbox One Kinect is longer and a bit heavier but it’s not an issue. You can create a wide base by spreading the front two arms on the front edge of the TV. If you’re ultra paranoid, you could also opt for the more robust GorillaPod which is used for SLR cameras. I can’t speak to the price point of that model and how usable it would be for this purpose. I can only say that it’s made for a heavier camera and thus the “knobs” are likely bigger and more stiff.
One advantage of the GorillaPod as a Xbox One Kinect mount is with compatibility. Because every inch of every arm is adjustable, I can’t envision a television that this wouldn’t work with. I see that the official Xbox Kinect mount product description says:
Mount your Xbox One Kinect sensor to nearly any TV with the Kinect TV Mount.
Even the official product can’t assure that it will be a solution for all TV’s. Perhaps I shouldn’t suggest this GorillaPod will work on all TV’s, but decide for yourself before buying it. The GorillaPod is so flexible, I’m sure you can find some tweak that works for your TV.
How To Set It Up
There are three arms to the GorillaPod. To create a stand for the Kinect, use two arms to latch onto the top, front edge of your TV and have the one arm bent (arched) against the back of the TV. I think photos will do a better job than my written explanation. The two arms of the GorillaPad should be bent at the end, perhaps the last couple balls on the end of those two arms should be bent to an angle so that they won’t slip backwards. The rear arm needs to be bent in an arc shape so that it secures the resting spot on top for the Xbox One Kinect camera. You can spread the two arms at the front wide apart if you prefer a great resting area for the Kinect. In my example, I’m using the Xbox 360 Kinect which has a small base and therefore, I have the front two arms of the GorillaPod quite close together. Ultimately it’s up to you when you’re setting it up. Tweak the arms until you are confident in what you have. Also keep in mind that the Kinect should be horizontal and that you may need some minor tweaks in the GorillaPod arms to achieve this.
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