Digital information screen

While modern technology such as email and mobile phones provide efficient communication methods, providing information to a mass audience—especially an unidentifiable audience—still provides many challenges for businesses.

Transport hubs are a popular location for information screens. Here, no other method of relaying timetabling information and scheduled arrivals provides the same up-to-the-minute communication. Passengers expect to transport hubs to inform them about delays or scheduling changes, as they can have a large impact on a passenger’s plans for the day.

The advantages of using digital signage screens for relaying this sort of information is that the screens are highly visible, and when news comes in of delays, this information can be instantly sent to the passengers, preventing complaints and keeping the passengers happy.

And information screens have uses for other types of business too. Schools, colleges and universities find that communicating with staff and students over such large areas as academic campuses can be difficult. With so many people arriving intermittently, providing the latest information requires a noticeable and immediate form of communication. While most students now have access to email, educational establishments can’t rely on when the messages sent by email are checked, so crucial information needs relaying in a more immediate manner.

Outdoor information screens positioned outside entrances provide a noticeable and instant form of communication, and are particularly useful in emergencies, preventing students from wondering into an incident by warning them on the way in.

Businesses to benefit from information screens as a form of communication, especially those that operate in large buildings and sites. Factories and warehouses often struggle to communicate with workers, but information screens, strategically positioned, provide a noticeable form of messaging. And with the speed that information can be relayed across information screens, enables urgent and time-sensitive information to be relayed at the same time.

With an eye-catching display, internal and external communication becomes straightforward and ensures no matter what the information that needs to be got across, it is easily and quickly disseminated.

Information Screens and the Speed of Delivery is a post from: Armagard

Keeping railway customers informed about delays and scheduled changes is a challenging task. Public address systems have traditionally been the communication system of choice with the familiar announcer calls a common sound in most railway stations.

LCD screens provide railway and station operators an ideal platform for keeping customers informed and displaying timetable information, news of delays and scheduling changes.

The great advantage of using a screen network around a railway station or platform is the immediacy. As soon as the station hears of train delays, this information can be uploaded to the screens for the customers to see.

This immediacy drastically reduces the number of complaints from disgruntled passengers, as customers can see for themselves, how long the delay is and when the train is now due to arrive, rather than standing around not knowing what is going on.

Traditionally, information screens were only ever placed inside the station itself, or on platforms on larger, central railway stations; however, increasingly, due to the falling cost of delivering information screens, more and more smaller stations are implementing them too.

Part of the challenge and costs of implementing information screens on railway platforms comes in protecting them. Many rail operators are now turning to LCD enclosures as a means of protection for their information screens as they enable the use of standard LCD TV hardware.

While most platform information screens are under cover, there is still a need for protection as rain and other elements get blown onto the display. Furthermore, without temperature control, the heat of summer or sub zero temperatures of winter could lead to the display failing. Another advantage that many railways stations have found using the LCD enclosure system is that when the screens eventual expire—as all screens will—they are easy and cheap to replace and install in the same enclosure, as opposed to buying specific outdoor hardware that will only last the same amount of time.

Railway Information Screens – Importance of Protection is a post from: Armagard

Cathode Ray Tube televisions (CRTs) like this, while bulky and heavier than modern flat screen LCD or plasmas, certainly had longevity that modern TVs do not.

The lifespan of a modern television is measured by its half-life, when the screen fades to half its potency and, therefore, needs replacing. Most consumer-grade screens used around the home have a half-life of about five years. For digital signage, things are a little different. While most digital signage applications use commercial-grade screens, which are designed to last longer than consumer-grade screen, the conditions in which they operate is more demanding.

The backlight of an LCD governs its half-life, and a commercial grade backlight usually lasts for about 60,000 hours. Because digital signage displays tend to run continuously, 24-hours-a-day, this means that most commercial-grade screens will need replacing after about six years; however, in outdoor locations, this length of time is greatly reduced.

To function outdoors, outdoor digital signage needs a high brightness screen. As the backlight of an LCD generates its brightness, this means a more powerful lighting system, which reduces the lifespan of the display. Furthermore, because outdoor environments have variable temperatures and conditions, this further reduces the lifespan of the LCD, requiring the screen to be replaced more often.

Outdoor digital signage displays are expensive commodities. Because of the waterproof and weatherisation requirements, outdoor LCDs can cost five to ten times the price of indoor screens, making replacing the screens an expensive prospect.

By using protective outdoor enclosures, the cost of screen replacement is dramatically reduced. As they allow standard screens and the same protective enclosure can be reused time-and-time again with several generations of screen, the savings can be substantial, even when using high brightness screens. As screen replacement is an ongoing cost of running outdoor digital signage, over time, the cost of an LCD enclosure soon pays for itself.

How Long Does an Outdoor Screen Last? is a post from: Armagard

Placing a screen in a deserted area provides extreme challenges.

The Middle East is not an easy place to deploy out of home screens in, however, especially in outdoor locations. As many cities in these areas are surrounded by desert, ambient temperatures can rise extremely high during the day, while at night, temperatures can fall to well-below freezing.

Dust is a common problem too, especially in regions near deserted regions, and dust is just as damaging to a screen as liquid, able to cause overheating and short circuits, so needs keeping out of the display.

Several Middle Eastern companies have turned to Armagard for a solution for outdoor digital signage helping to help keep their screens functioning in such difficult conditions.

Armagard’s LCD enclosures have the advantage of being modular, which enables customization of the enclosures to fit each specific location. And for the Middle East this requires protection from dust, heat and cold conditions.

To cope with dust, an Armagard LCD enclosure is manufactured to IP65, which means the design prevents any small particles from getting inside the enclosure. This is important as dust can clog up fans, cause overheating and even cover a screen preventing clarity of viewing.

Because f the extremely high heat levels experienced in the Middle East, several options have been utilized; air conditioning, an expensive means of preventing excessive heat-build up in the enclosure; cooling fans, which keep the air moving from around the screen, transferring it away, and an air-curtain, which blows a curtain of air across the screen to keep it cool.

At night, the opposite problems occur and the screens needs keeping warm. Insulation is not an option in these locations, as this would inhibit the cooling properties during the day. Heaters, which are thermostatically controlled, provide a solution and come on when the internal temperatures fall below the operating range.

Desert locations provide a real challenge for outdoor digital signage but a customized LCD enclosure enables each location’s demands to be.

Digital Signage in the Middle East is a post from: Armagard

Information screen can also provide news and other content

The difficulty in providing information for all these industries is that the information is forever changing and needs updating, for the transport industry, this could be minute-by-minute so finding an effective means of updating information is critical.

Traditional methods such as paper noticeboards and PA systems have their limitations, especially when information forever changes, but using a modern flat screen device is an ideal method of communicating information to customers.

The great advantage of using information screens is the immediacy information can be uploaded. Railway stations have been using information screens for years inside their ticket offices and on their platforms. This enables customers to view when the next train is due and discover any cancellations.

Some locations prove difficult to provide information screens, however. Outdoor locations and areas that receive extreme seasonal weather can cause any installed screen to fail.

To provide an information screen in open, outdoor locations, or in areas that experience extreme weather, requires the use of a protective TV enclosure.

LCD enclosures house normal TV screens but ensure they are kept dry and at the right temperature for use in extreme locations. Built to European IP65 guidelines, an LCD enclosure is designed to prevent moisture and weather elements from getting inside to the display, but the real key to their use in outdoor locations are the components inside.

Keeping the screen at the required temperature, even when ambient temperatures are extremely hot, or below zero, require the use of climatic systems. Cooling fans help carry heat away preventing overheating while thermostatically controlled heaters ensure that the temperature inside the enclosure remains constant, no matter how cold the ambient gets.

By using an LCD enclosure, outdoor information screens can function throughout the year, providing customers with the necessary and relevant information to keep them happy.

Information Screens for Outdoors is a post from: Armagard

Breakdowns and damage can double the length of time a screen starts returning your investment. Having to pay for a new screen almost doubles your initial spend, and even if a screen is repairable, or just needs a reboot, the length of time the screen is off means time the screen is not working and not doing what you spent money for it to do.

Outdoor digital signage exaggerates these problems. While one of the benefits of digital signage is the lack of needing a technician to regularly visit to replace content, this also means that it may take time to notice a down or damaged screen. With an outdoor screen, downtime can go unnoticed for days, weeks, or even months.

Outdoor screens are also more vulnerable to vandalism and often, without adequate protection a smashed display is going to need replacing, or at the very least, require a costly repair.

Many outdoor digital signage displays are built to be rugged and cope with the odd knock, but often this protection is not adequate enough and can lead to failure, either temporarily or permanent, but an LCD enclosure provides far more better protection for most outdoor applications.

Made from steel, LCD enclosures can endure severe impacts. Even the most tenacious vandal will struggle to damage the steel housing of an LCD enclosure, while a shatterproof screen keeps the display face safe.

If worst comes to the worst and the screen face is attacked, replacing the shatterproof screen is far easier (and cheaper) than having to replace the screen itself.

LCD enclosures also have another advantage over other outdoor type screens. While they house standard consumer or commercial grade screens, the internal environment inside the LCD enclosure remains constant regardless of ambient temperatures and conditions.

Because this optimum internal temperature is always at the ideal for a functioning screen, there is less likelihood of breakdown as overheating and elements such as dust can’t invade the enclosure.

When a Screen breaks – so do your plans for ROI is a post from: Armagard

Outdoor LCD enclosure--wall mountable

Many other cities too are following suit with large-scale digital signage projects aimed at reaching a wider audience as possible, while companies like JC Decaux and Clear Channel are replacing many of their six-sheet advertising hoardings along high streets with modern digital versions.

Outdoor digital signage is certainly becoming more widespread, and while outdoor screens have a long way to go to catch up with their indoor rivals, more and more static hoardings are going digital.

But it is not just these big screens and multinational companies that are taking advantage of outdoor digital signage, increasingly, smaller businesses are seeing the advantages of outdoor screens too.

And it’s not expensive as many people think to use an outdoor screen for branding, promotion, information or advertising.

While bespoke outdoor digital signage are expensive, for simple single screen applications outdoor TV enclosures provide an inexpensive solution. Able to house standard TV models, either LCD or plasma, these weatherproof LCD enclosures provide all the outdoor protection necessary.

With wall mountable systems and totem floor-standing enclosures, outdoor LCD enclosures provide a simple and cost-effective method of displaying outdoor content.

outdoor LCD enclosure--floor mountable totem

LCD enclosuresare not just weatherproof but provide all the protection needed for using a modern LCD of plasma screen in an outdoor location. With internal temperature control that ensures the screen is at the optimum conditions—no matter what the ambient temperature is doing—and vandal and impact protection, outdoor LCD enclosures are ideal for almost any outdoor application, providing a robust, secure and protective environment for screens of almost any make and model.

Outdoor Digital Signage – Not Just for Big Players is a post from: Armagard

LCD Enclosure

As perilous to screens as liquid, dust can disable a modern LCD or plasma and cause all sorts of problems.

Dust is a common cause of electronic failure as it penetrates inside vents, covering circuit boards and causes overheating and sometimes short circuits; attracted to static, dust also forms a film over screen faces, which slowly dims the screen and requires regular cleaning.

In locations where high levels of dust are present, such as warehouses and distribution hubs, screens can fail extremely quickly, so protecting any digital signage or other display in these areas is essential.

Keeping dust away from a screen, however, can prove problematic. All TV devices need a route to transfer warm air away from the screen to avoid overheating, which can lead to an area for dust to penetrate.

LCD enclosures, commonly used for outdoor digital signage, are also ideal at keeping screens dust free. Using the same technology that prevents water from seeping into the display, LCD enclosures are also dust tight.

Furthermore, as LCD enclosures provide a glass front over the display, there is no static build-up, preventing attraction of dust. The internal fans and filter systems of an LCD enclosure prevent dust from getting into the cabinet and infesting the screen.

Even in outdoor locations dust can cause potential problems. Nearby construction and other sources produce airborne dust that can penetrate outdoor digital signage and information screens. By using an LCD enclosure for outdoor weather protection, the screen will also be protected from these airborne particulates.

Digital Signage and the Perils of Dust is a post from: Armagard

Transport

The leading outdoor digital signage environment with 50% of all spent revenue is transport. Including signs placed on subways in train stations and airports, the transport industry also utilises a lot of displays onboard buses trains and at bus stops. With an estimated £100 million due to be spent on outdoor digital signage in 2011, £50million will be spent on transport. With transport customers offering a captive audience, with little else to do than absorb the content offered to them, it’s no wonder transport leads the revenue share for outdoor digital signage.

Roadside Digital Signage

The second most prevalent environment for outdoor digital signage is at the side of the road. Roadside screens constitute 28% of all revenue spent on outdoor digital signage, but the reason for this is perhaps due to their effectiveness.

Roadside screens attract a wide audience—passers by and commuters using transport systems can all see a roadside display and as these screens tend to be larger than comparative outdoor digital displays their readability is fairly long distant—especially the large digital billboard hoardings now seen along major motorway and highways.

Retail

The third most prevalent environment for outdoor digital signage is retail. Shopping centres and retail parks are now littered with outdoor digital signage displays providing retailers with an ideal platform to entice customers through the doors.

22% of outdoor digital signage displays are in retail or leisure environments such as outside cinemas and theatres.

Expanding Outdoor Use

While the indoor sector is starting to slow, outdoor digital signage is continuing to expand and there are plenty of opportunities for all sorts of industries. And with the falling cost of outdoor screens and increasing use of LCD enclosures, outdoor digital signage is not as expensive as people often imagine.

The Three Major Environments for UK Outdoor Digital Signage is a post from: Armagard

And media players are a confusing buy with so many different models on the market, all boasting the latest and best technologies and all sold with complicated terms, jargon, and unique benefits that can leave most people bewildered.

There is a vast difference in prices too with devices ranging from a few hundred dollars to several thousand, but often many of these devices are far too complicated for the majority of signage needs.

Essentially, a media player is nothing more than a small PC that enables content to be uploaded, distributed and played on the TV screens—either over a network or directly.

Indeed, many installers opt to use simple thin client PCs, which has several advantages, including the ability to use conventional software, not forcing you into expensive subscriptions from specialist digital signage software vendors.

For simple systems where just one or two screens are being operated the small factor PC can be kept inside the same LCD enclosure as the screen, benefitting from the weather and physical protection.

And there is no need to spend a fortune on a thin client PC or media player as an array of simple and easy to use devices are available at extremely low prices, here are a couple of examples.

Hewlett Packard T5325 Thin Client

HP Compaq Thin Client

The HP t5323 Essential Series Thin Client is a simple and affordable, power-efficient HP thin client Featuring ICA and RDP connectivity with basic multimedia and USB redirection. Misco price, £197.99 inc VAT.

The ViewStream 100

A digital video and audio player designed for the playback of MPEGs and still pictures on TV and video.  The videos are stored and played back directly from solid state Compact Flash memory card. On Google Shopping for £150.45.

View Stream 100 Digital Signage Player

Media Players and Thin Client PCs – Simple and Cost Effective Digital Signage Solutions is a post from: Armagard