Outdoor digital signage is becoming a large part of the overall outdoor advertising sector. Screens in outdoor locations are now being deployed in many city high streets, in front of stores and around transport hubs, concourses and leisure areas.
The effectiveness of outdoor digital signage is what is driving this prevalence of outdoor screens as the potential audience for advertising and promotion is far higher than indoor digital signage or any other comparable marketing system of a similar investment.
A success of an outdoor digital signage campaign is reliant on a couple of variables, though. Firstly, the right location is essential. If the screen is not very noticeable or is not taking advantage of the footfalls that are passing, it won’t be working as effectively as it could.
Secondly, any outdoor digital signage system needs protecting from the many elements that could disable the screen and cost added investment for a replacement. There are five attributes to protecting an LCD screen in an outdoor location.
- Weather – any outdoor digital signage screen needs to be able to cope with the rain, snow, sleet, hail and anything else that the heavens can throw at it. Waterproof LCD enclosures are a waterproof LCD TV are therefore essential for outdoor locations.
- Airborne debris – often over-looked in outdoor locations is airborne debris, particularity dust, can infiltrate inside a device or outdoor enclosure and act as an insulator, causing the device to overheat, but can also block filters, moving parts and lead to short circuits.
- Temperature – outdoor temperatures can range from one extreme in the winter to the other during the summertime. For this reason any outdoor signage display needs to have climatic controls to keep the optimum temperature range. Commonly, devices in locations where sub-zero, or excessively high temperatures are frequently reached, are placed in an LCD enclosures that contain fans, heaters and sometimes air conditioning.
- Sunlight – another hazard commonly overlooked in outdoor locations is the effect of the sun. The sun cause several problems for outdoor screens. Firstly, its brightness can wash out a display making it impossible to read; secondly, the sun can cause glare, also making it difficulty to read, and thirdly, the sun can damage a screen if it is constantly beating onto it, causing burn marks and overheating. LCD screens need therefore to be high brightness and have some protection from any damage the sun can possible cause.
- Physical Impacts – Finally, any screen left outdoors needs to be protected from impacts. Vandalism is obviously a factor in many locations but accidental impact can disable a screen too so a good solid steel LCD enclosure is recommended.
