With the falling cost of LCD screens and the ease and practicality of LCD enclosures, outdoor digital signage is no longer only for big businesses and advertisers. More and more smaller companies and institutions are installing outdoor screens for communication, branding, providing information or advertising. Read the rest of this entry »

Thousands of different televisions are on the market. From varying screen sizes, different technologies such as plasma and LCD, and they come in a wide variety of costs brackets. For outdoor digital signage, commercial grade screens provide a longer-lasting solution but there are also two other technologies that are essential for using a screen outdoors. Read the rest of this entry »

Digital signage sued to be a complicated business, anybody wanting to install signs around a retail store required half a dozen experts to install, network, generate content and maintain the screens.

All-in-one floor standing unit

Now, with the falling cost of LCD displays and an increase in manufacturers, now installing a digital signage system can be incredibly simple.

All-in-one digital signage systems contain all the hardware necessary to operate and run a digital signage campaign. Often housed in a floor-standing enclosure, the all-in-one system contains both high definition screen and media player, enabling the uploading of content through a simple USB socket.

Floor standing units provide many benefits for a digital signage campaign. Unlike poster systems that are positioned flat against a wall and are easily missed by an audience, floor-standing digital signage units are prominent and provide a noticeable feature.

Ideally positioned in aisles, near checkouts, entrances and opposite elevators, floor-standing units provide an ideal platform to engage customers in a retail environment.

With fully integrated media player, most of these all-in-one systems provide some fundamental benefits, such as:

• Playback, loop play and shuffle play
• Both audio and video playback
• Compatible with most major video, audio an image codecs, including MPEG-1,MPEG-2, MPEG-3, MPEG-4 MP3,VOB,AVI
• Memory Cards systems compatible most standard SD card formats
• Auto play
• Built-in stereo speakers

With a wide range of sizes available including the most common 32”, 36” and 42” sizes, these floor-standing units are ideal for almost any indoor environment. However, these types of standalone system are not suitable for locations near external doors where windblown dust and rain could get into the system..

Floor standing outdoor enclosures do provide a simple and effective method in these locations, however. Also available in a variety of sizes, there is room enough inside the enclosure to house both the screen and a media player enabling simple and effective digital signage.

Since the rise of the tablet PC, touch screens have become increasingly common. A recent report suggests that by 2015, half of all computers purchased for children will implement touch screen rather than keyboard. Touch screens with, therefore, be as familiar to the next generation of computer users, as keyboards are for today’s computer users.

With an increase in use of touch screens in computing, some people are predicting an end to the traditional keyboard, so touch look set to replace the keyboard.

The great advantage to using touch screens is that you don’t need a separate input and output device, which is the main reason table computers have become so successful, the display, keyboard and PC are all packaged in a handy slim line system.

Despite their growing popularity and advantages over keyboards, touch screens do have some drawbacks. Firstly, they offer very little feel for those that type, namely writers; however, a similar argument was made against the computer keyboard when people began moving from typewriters to PCs, and we know what happened to the typewriter.

Will touchscreens replace keyboards/

But touch screens do have other drawbacks too. Touch screens are unresponsive to gloved hands, making their use impractical for certain industrial applications. Dusty, damp or dirty environments also cause problems for touch screens, as dirt and debris lead to false inputs.

However, different touch screens use multiple technologies to achieve the same results and each method has advantages and disadvantages, which may or may not make them suitable for differing environments.

Resistive touch screens are the most versatile, as they consist of a glass plate covered with both a conductive and a resistive metallic layers; this is the type of technology most tablet computers employ. Resistive touch screens, however, are susceptible to interference from debris and dirt so are not suitable for most industrial applications.

Capacitive touch screens, on the other hand, store electrical charges on the glass panel face, transferring to the user when touched, making them more resistant to contaminants, which makes them an ideal solution industrial applications.

In such a fast-paced world, people want to be kept informed. In the service industry, when people are forced to wait it leads to complaints and disgruntled customers. Transport companies have long known this and have always tried to keep customers up-to-date of the latest developments. Knowing about train delays, timetable changes and cancellations is important to customers, as it can affect their working day by making them late, and knowledge helps them make alternative arrangements.

Information screens provide an ideal platform for keeping customers informed. With a networked system, operators can relay information to the customer as and when it comes in. Information screens are now a common sight on station platforms and bus depots.

These screens are normally just the standard LCD TV systems we all use at home, but because of the types of location the screens have to function, they need protection from the elements.

Protection for information screens is not just about keeping them dry and out of the weather, although, obviously, this is important for any screen functioning outdoors. However, other elements and problems need defending from in outdoor environments too.

Information screens require protection

Readability is essential for information screens and several factors can cause problems with the clarity of a screen. Sunlight is one issue that needs addressing when using any type of screen outdoors. The reflection and brightness of the sun can lead to glare and viewing problems. Sometimes this can be corrected by changing the position of the screen, hanging it under an awning or shelter. On other occasions, however, anti-reflective glass and high brightness screens are necessary to ensure complete readability.

Because of the amount of static content on an information screen, plasmas are not ideal as they can suffer from screen burn, where permanent marks form on the screen due to the screen face getting hot. LCDs are far better equipped to deal with static content.

Keeping the LCD at the correct operating temperature is also essential, especially in areas where excessive heat and cold occur during seasonal changes. When installing information screens, making sure the temperature parameters are within those of the possible ambient extremes is essential.

Digital signage comes in all shapes and sizes, from digital posters adorning the walls of subways and concourses to the giant outdoor digital signage billboards along roadside. One form of digital signage that is highly effective for retailers, hotels and other indoor service locations is the standalone or freestanding unit.

Indoor free-standing totem with personalised branding on the enclosure

These kiosk type displays are becoming a common sight in hotel lobbies, department stores, banks, and around shopping malls and retail stores. Unlike digital posters and other wall-mounted screens, standalone units’ great advantage over other forms of digital signage is their prominence.

Providing a noticeable and eye-catching feature, standalone units invite curiosity by their prominence, and this leads to more chance of people viewing the content. Some retail totems even take the opportunity of having branding on the digital signage housing itself, which provides an extra level of advertising that people notice, even if they don’t view the content.

There are of course disadvantages to these standalone systems, primarily in the amount of space they take up. For a retail environment, this is valuable real estate where items could be displayed for selling. One area of a store that is hardly used for sales, however, is near the entrance. Many large retail stores keep their doors open throughout the day and because of the need for people to get in an out, the space by the doors is rarely utilised.

Outdoor digital signage totem--ideal for foyers and doorways

A standalone digital signage display is ideal in these locations, however, as it becomes the first thing shoppers see when they enter the store, and placed in the right location it shouldn’t provide too much of an obstacle that prevents shoppers getting in and out.

Of course, with the risk of rain and windblown debris, most standalone units are not suitable for these near door locations as they could easily succumb to the weather elements. But outdoor systems, such as the Armagard freestanding totem, provide an ideal method of utilising a noticeable and prominent digital signage display in a location susceptible to the weather.

Built to with stand outdoor environments, with temperature control, weatherproof housing and steel enclosure, the freestanding totem is a portrait mode digital signage display that offers real prominence and is ideal for front of store and foyer locations.

Digital signage is one of the fastest growing forms of advertising. Many indoor locations with high footfalls, such as shopping malls, concourses and airports have LCD screens providing advertising and promotional content. And even around high streets and city centres, outdoor digital signage is becoming a popular feature.

Digital signage content should be simple, clear and to the point.

Having been around for several years now, you’d have thought many users and integrators would have mastered digital signage, however, digital signage is often not being used effectively.

One of the most common errors made with digital signage is the content being made too complicated. Using LCD screens out of the home is a completely different medium than the TV that sits in people’s front rooms, and is therefore, viewed differently.

People view most digital signage screens only very briefly, and for outdoor digital signage even more so. Because of this limited time to get a message across, the key to effective digital signage content is simplicity.

The content should be uncluttered, bold and simple enough a viewer can instantly grasp the message that is being displayed; whether that’s a promotion, a new product or a brand, and the message should be clear and to the point. For outdoor digital signage, this message needs to be on the screen continuously as outdoor advertising screens are viewed for just fleeting moments.

Another common problem with a lot of digital signage content is the over use of moving imagery. As mentioned earlier, digital signage are not TVs and are therefore, not viewed the same. While movement is effective at catching a viewers attention, too much will lead to the message getting lost amongst all the action.

Perhaps one of the best methods to discover if digital signage content is working is to test it. Split testing different adverts and asking people to conduct surveys on what they recalled about the content can reveal startling information that can be used to improve content and help establish what types of digital signage content works and what doesn’t.

When a screen is being used outdoors for such purposes as outdoor digital signage, it is fairly obvious that it is going to need protecting from the weather. However, protecting a screen from outdoor elements is not as easy as it may sound, and several important factors need taking into consideration.

The first problem with weather protection for a TV screen is the need for screens to expel heat. If you look at the back of any TV device, you will see vents, designed so that hot air generated inside the television can get out. With LCDs most of the heat is generated by the backlight, and failure to allow this heat to escape will soon lead the screen to overheat, which can cause the screen to fail, permanently.

The difficulty in using a screen outdoors is that to prevent damage from rain and other weather elements the screen needs waterproofing. However, the screen can’t just be sealed inside a watertight enclosure because the heat generated by the TV still needs expelling.

To get around this, outdoor LCD enclosures have vents on the underside of the enclosure, and to prevent moisture splashes from getting inside they employ a clever chambering system that is shaped specifically to allow air out but no water in. Cooling fans inside the enclosure provide the necessary circulation of air that expels the heat and draws in cool, fresher air, ensuring the internal temperature remains at the optimum for running the screen.

These cooling fans also help in times of warm weather when overheating is even more of a problem. During summer and in hot locations the fans ensure the screen is kept within operating ranges—for some locations that experience extremely high levels of heat in the summer additional fans are required, and in some circumstances, air conditioners are employed.

In winter, the opposite problem can occur. If temperatures get too low and freezing occurs, this too can lead to permanent damage of the screen. To prevent this, the fans can be thermostatically controlled to make use of the heat generated for the screen to keep temperatures in  the required range, while insulation and even heaters can be deployed for extremely cold weather locations.

Using screens in outdoor locations means protecting them protected from the elements; keeping a screen dry, making sure the temperature never veers from the LCD’s operational optimum, and providing physical protection are all essential for outdoor digital signage and other exterior screen uses.

It is possible to assess easily many of the hazards that can lead to damage of an LCD display, before installation. These include identifying the weather elements and possible temperatures the screen will face when in operation. Seasonal variations need accounting for, as some locations have sweltering temperatures in the winter and freezing temperatures in the evening. All outdoor screens need waterproofing. Any rainfall, even a small amount will disable a standard LCD or plasma display as will snow and hail.

Screens left outdoors or in unsupervised locations will also need security protection. Making sure vandals and thieves can’t disable or steal the display is just as essential as weatherproofing. And while it’s possible to anticipate most of these measures, there are unforeseen circumstances that can also lead to screen failure.

High Winds caused by gales, hurricanes and other freak weather fronts, pickup debris and can hurl it around. A screen face is particularly vulnerable to impacts and a high velocity object hurled around by high winds can easily smash and disable the screen. All outdoor digital signage, therefore, needs some form of shatterproof protection over the screen.

Another problem that occurs especially when nearby construction is taking place is dust ingress. Dust can disable a screen as quickly as liquids. Dust can also block filters and cause overheating so any outdoor screen needs to be able to cope with dust ingress.

The sun also leads to problems for outdoor digital signage. Screen burn occurs when too much direct sunlight is bearing down on a screen face causing hotspots to occur. If parts of a screen are continuously hot, permanent damage to the screen occurs.

Any outdoor digital signage left facing the path of the sun or in extremely bright sunlight locations needs some form of screen cooling to prevent hotspots and permanent burning of the display.

A lot of businesses are now implementing outdoor digital signage screens to provide advertising, promotion and brand awareness. Placing a screen outside a premises is an excellent way of attracting customers and provides a low-cost form of marketing that can reach a wide audience.

With indoor digital signage screens, only customers inside the store only view the; however, with an outdoor screen, people that may not have intended on visiting the store view the message, and may be attracted inside.

Using an outdoor screen to encourage customers to visit a store is only as effective as the message displayed and the number of people that get to see it. A screen outdoors with even a great promotion will not be worthwhile if few people get to see it, so maximising the views a screen can get will greatly boost its effectiveness.

Outdoor screens have the advantage over indoor displays in that there is less digital competition, These days, digital signage is everywhere, from shopping malls and railway stations, to pharmacies and petrol stations. Outdoor digital signage, however, is still fairly rare, with only major city centres and towns utilising them for advertising.

Simply placing a screen in the front of a shop may not be enough for people to notice the content. If the screen is not facing the oncoming audience, is too high or the content isn’t eye0catching enough, people may not give it any attention. Also, compared to indoor screens, outdoor displays have a far shorter dwell time. People only view the average outdoor digital signage display for a second or two, which isn’t long to get whatever message your are trying to convey across.

To maximise the success of an outdoor screen, you first need to position the screen at the right angle, facing the coming audience. Keep the screen as near to eye-level; as possible, or failing that, angle it towards their eye-line.

Secondly, messages need to be simple. Complicated and intricate content won’t work with such a limited dwell time so all messages need to be simple, bold and to the point. Using a large, prominent font as well as using the largest screen size you can get away with, the bigger the better as often people view an outdoor screen whilst travelling past in public transport or from the other side of the road, so the bigger and clearer the content the better.