There are four parts to any winning outside digital advertising solution, without one of these key wooden blocks, the wall is sure to collapse. Let us analyse at each block.
1) LCD screen - for outdoor use, the best type of screen is a sun bright screen, these work ideally in direct sun light with no affect to the TV. A commercial screen is the perfect choice, as these are designed for constant use rather than the TVs we have at home that are only used a few hours per day - a commercial TV is designed to run 24 x 7.
2) Media players - there are three types of digital advertising media players, one is wireless, one is wired and the other is based on storing the media on to a storage device, such as a memory card. These vary in price from the cheapest, this being the memory card kind with the hard wired media player next with the WIFI unit being the most costly. The choice will be dictated by the projects requirements, the most popular units are the hard wired and wireless solutions as the content can be uploaded from one central location if you have a medium to large signage network.
3) Software - this normally comes in two forms, the first is to create the media that will be shown on the digital signage network and there are many free or trial packages on-line to try, before you commit to purchasing the media content creation software. The other type of software is normally integral in the media player, so many screens can be controlled from one central office through a browser window as if you where on the Internet. The content players for memory cards have a built in menu and is controlled through a remote control, much like a remote for a TV.
4) LCD enclosure - so without protection, how is your digital signage solution going to work? This is the primary function of an LCD display enclosure to protect the hardware from water and excessive heat, this could be in a kitchen or on a beach, out on the streets of Arizona or in a hospital in North Carolina. These flat panel enclosures give protection not only from the weather but also potential attack from vandals and vandals.
At the end of the day, it would be futile to spend days installing fibre for the media players to find that the displays had been vandalised or even worse stolen. Each one of the above tips could help you reach digital advertising Nirvana.
Dave owns the leading manufacturer of outdoor digital signage protective cases, as well as a range of monitor enclosures that are used throughout the world through a network of integrators.
