Whilst a few steps behind the indoor digital advertising market, outdoor digital signage is rapidly catching up with more and more installers and advertisers realising the value of using AV screens in outdoor locations.
Outdoor digital signage is a more challenging media to get involved with though and each location can throw up new challenges that have to be countered to ensure the screen will tolerate the conditions of the outdoor environment.
But many of these challenges and limitations in using screens in outdoor locations are easily countered with protective devices like LCD enclosures allowing the use of digital screens in almost any environment.
High Street
One of the most common areas for seeing outdoor digital signage is along the high street. From advertising to local information such as wayfinding, outdoor digital signage is finding numerous uses on our high streets.
The most common challenge to cope with when placing screens on the high street is the weather. Waterproof LCD enclosures manufactured to IP65 (NEMA 4) are commonly used to ensure the screens are protected from the weather but there is often issues with the ambient temperature and direct sunlight that have to be countered too.
Transport Hubs
Bus stations, railway platforms and even taxi ranks are attractive locations for outdoor advertisers because of the sheer volume and captive status of the audience. Again protecting the devices from the weather is important to ensure the screens can cope in these environments.
Ski resorts
An example of an extreme location; ski resorts are increasingly installing screens as a way of providing important and emergency information (closed runs, avalanche warnings etc). Digital signage in ski resorts is highly effective at providing this real time information but it has to be protected from the extreme cold.
Heaters are often installed inside the LCD enclosures as is insulation to ensure the screens do not freeze.
Schools and institutions
Another common outdoor location is outside schools, colleges and even religious buildings. These screens can pass information to the staff, students, visitors and parents, simply and effectively. Often these locations can be vulnerable though and susceptible to attacks of vandalism which is why steel anti-vandal LCD enclosures are a common solution.
