Of course, the right location and having engaging content are also important, but the platform can also make a big difference. If an audience doesn’t notice a screen, then no matter how good the content, the effectiveness of the digital signage display is compromised.

One of the most noticeable types display is the digital signage totem. These standalone units come in various sizes and styles but are similar in their prominence. Rather than be positioned against a wall or hung from a ceiling a digital signage totem is a floor standing display that becomes a feature, which is hard to miss by an audience.

Digital signage totems are both effective indoors and out. The totem design is nothing new. Long before digital signage began usurping static signs, traditional outdoor advertisers used totem displays to show outdoor adverts. Often, these were known as six-sheeters because the displays would house six adverts connected together, which would change at regular intervals. This enabled advertisers to maximise the real estate of the display unit. And digital signage totems are just as effective at this. Advertisers can use a totem display to provide multiple content at a valued space. Of course, with a digital signage totem, replacing advertising is far simpler as content can be uploaded at will, and in real time.

But it is not just advertisers that benefit from the visibility of a digital signage totem. For retailers they can provide a prominent messaging system that can assure customers get to see the promotions offered on the screen. A digital signage totem, positioned at a store entrance will ensure everybody entering will notice the content. Even in front of buildings, totems provide an effective messaging system. Outdoor digital signage totems that are impervious to the rain and other weather elements are ideal ways to relay important information to visitors to a building. The prominence and noticeability means that important information won’t be missed.

From drive thrus to museum entrances, retail stores to colleges, digital signage totems provide one of the engaging, prominent and eye-catching platforms for digital signage content and are far more effective at getting people’s attention than comparable digital signage systems.

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Whether you are a business, retailer or service provider, good communication is an essential aspect to any organisation, and no other medium is as effective and as flexible as a digital display for providing all sorts of messaging.

And digital signage isn’t complicated, not when you strip away the jargon and look at the basic building blocks that go into a digital display.

Display for Digital Signage

The most fundamental component is the display screen. This is what displays the message to an audience, and could be an LCD TV, a plasma screen, touch screen or an LED display board. Screens can be installed in portrait mode (vertical) or landscape (horizontal). Digital signage displays come in various sizes from large digital billboards to small, compact screens at a convenience store point of sale, but whatever the size, type and orientation of the screen it needs to be able to display digital content.

Player for Digital Signage

Another crucial component of any digital signage display is the player. These too come in various shapes and sizes from small media players for display content on single screens to more complicated systems able to deliver content to a network of displays. Essentially, a digital signage player is just a PC that is able to handle digital images and distribute it to a display device.

Software for Digital Signage

All digital signage players require some form of software platform to send the content from the media player to the screen. Again, a wide selection of different software platforms are available with varying functionality, but most digital signage software systems enable content scheduling and handle variable timings.

Enclosure for Digital Signage

Often overlooked, a digital signage system requires some form of display enclosure to house the screen and media player. Digital signage enclosures also come in a variety of types, from simple housings that allow homogeneity of the displays to sophisticated outdoor digital signage enclosures that enable the screens to operate outdoors and in variable weather and ambient temperature.

Content for Digital Signage

The final basic component for any digital signage system is the content. Content can be anything from important information aimed a staff and visitors, schedules and timetables, to advertisements, promotions and branding information. Whatever the content, making full use of the capabilities of a digital signage system is key for successful content creation.

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Outdoor digital signage enclosure protect outdoor displays

Eye-catching and engaging, outdoor digital signage is also flexible and able to display content almost instantly, making it ideal for emergency messages and for adapting information to suit different times of the day.

Essentially, outdoor digital signage is the same as digital screens seen in indoor areas, such as shopping malls and airports. As with indoor screens, an outdoor digital signage display requires a screen, which can be an LCD TV, plasma screen or touch screen; a digital signage player, for uploading content to the display; and some form of software platform to handle the content and permit scheduling.

Outdoor digital signage, however, does require one other attribute that indoor displays don’t need, an ability to function in all weathers and temperatures, and for normal screens this means they also require an outdoor digital signage enclosure.

Weatherproof Outdoor Digital Signage

Outdoor digital signage enclosures provide protection from the weather. Rain, snow, sleet, hail and the wind, all need protecting against to prevent the screen becoming damaged. Most outdoor digital signage enclosures are built to guidelines such as the European IP 65 and the American NEMA 4 standard. These guidelines demonstrate that the outdoor digital signage enclosure can withstand the basic weather elements of an outdoor environment.

Temperature Control for Outdoor Digital Signage

Outdoor digital signage doesn’t just need weatherproofing. Protection from the variable and seasonal temperatures is also essential. If a screen overheats in the summer, or succumbs to freezing temperatures it will need replacing so outdoor digital signage enclosures have thermostatically controlled components such as cooling fans and heaters to ensure the internal temperature of the enclosure remains at the optimum for the enclosed screen.

Physical Protection for Outdoor Digital Signage

Another attribute outdoor digital signage requires is physical protection, especially if it is to be left in exposed or unsupervised locations. Vandalism and the risk of accidental impact can lead to a screen needing replacement, so outdoor digital signage enclosures are manufactured to be tough and resilient. Often made from steel and with shatterproof screens, outdoor digital signage enclosures ensure the housed screen can’t be damaged through impact, whether accidental or deliberate.

Sun Protection for Outdoor Digital Signage

The sun can also cause problems for outdoor digital signage. Direct sunlight can cause reflection problems, while high ambient brightness can make the screen unreadable. Because of this, high brightness screens are the best solution for outdoor digital signs, while if the display is positioned facing the sun, some form of anti reflective protection should cover the screen face.

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The first step to generating content is deciding what exactly you want the content to achieve. For a retailer this may be a promotion or sales item you want to draw attention to, for a service provider, such as a school or college, it may be news of an event or a form of wayfinding, while a manufacturing or distribution business may want to communicate important information to staff and visitors.

The next step is to evaluate the sign’s position and location and how much time you have to get the message across. The amount of time people engage with a screen differs depending on location. Indoors signs may attract people’s attention for several seconds, while an outdoor digital sign has less time to engage people. Therefore, content for an outdoor digital sign needs to be simple and direct, while an indoor screen may offer a little more freedom to provide more detailed messaging.

While digital signage displays have the potential to display complicated moving imagery, wherever the sign is located, it is best to stick with simple, bold content, limiting the transitions and not going overboard with fancy graphics and effects. For a sophisticated digital signage campaign, it may be worth considering using a third party to generate content but for simple information, this can easily be done in-house. All sorts of content generation software is available, most of which is easy to use and readily available to download to most PCs.

Once you have generated the content, the next step is to get it to display on the screen. For this, some form of media player and content management software is required. These vary from simple devices that are designed to upload and schedule content to single screens by a USB cable, to more complicated and sophisticated devices and systems that can handle hundreds of messages and disseminate them to hundreds of screens through a networked system.

Basically, a media player works like a small PC and content is usually uploaded in standard video or image files such as JPG, GIF, PNG, TIFF, MPG, WMV, MPEG or AVI. Most content management platforms enable the displaying of multiple messages and scheduling of content for different times. Once the screen is displaying the content, everything should be tested to ensure messages are being displayed correctly.

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Outdoor digital signage requires a good location

Simply erecting a screen outside a building may not be taking full advantage of the uniqueness of the medium, but there are steps you can take to make sure you are making full use of the flexibility and dynamic nature of an outdoor digital signage display.

Type and size of outdoor digital signage display

For outdoor digital signage, making sure you have the right size and type of display is important. While size and type of screen make little difference with indoor displays, for outdoor digital signage the type and size of screen can make a big difference. While it doesn’t matter what technical format screen is used, whether it is an LCD, plasma or some other form of display, what is important is the screen brightness. Due to the power of sunlight, a high brightness screen is important for outdoor areas, to avoid readability problems in times of high ambient light.

Outdoor screens are often read from further away than indoor screens, so making sure you have a large enough display is also important for outdoor locations. The screen should be readable from a good distance away, which may mean using a display far larger than you would indoors.

Position/location of outdoor digital signage display

Making sure you have the right location for an outdoor digital signage display is also important for making the most of the technology. Firstly, a screen needs to be in a location where an audience is most likely to view it. A screen on the side of a building is not going to be as effective as one placed near an entrance. Secondly, the screen should be as close to eye-level as possible. If a screen is hanging from a ceiling or is generally too high, there is a good chance an audience will overlook it. All outdoor digital signage displays should be placed to face the oncoming audience and be as prominent and hard to miss as possible.

Content of outdoor digital signage display

Due to the distance an audience views an outdoor digital signage display, as with screen size, content needs also to be big and bold. All messages should be simple, to the point. Avoid using too many transitions, moving images and fancy graphics. Just because an outdoor digital signage display is similar to a television, that doesn’t mean the content should be too. The main benefits of an outdoor digital signage display is its flexibility, dynamic nature and ability to engage with large numbers of people, not the fact that it can display moving images and fancy graphics.

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Digital signage is ideal for delivering information at schools and colleges

Not only does information have to be disseminated to a large number of people, but also information can frequently change, and the time it takes to get the information across can be critical. In emergencies, people need to know what’s going as soon as possible, but this isn’t always possible with traditional information platforms.

 Notice boards, for instance, rely on somebody physically changing the information and while public address systems are more immediate, for larger areas and places with high levels of noise they are not always practical. So finding a platform that can relay important information in real-time is a benefit to many service providers and businesses.

Digital signage is one such platform. Not only are digital signage displays a very noticeable medium that can draw the eye and engage with people far more effectively than static signage, but also, there are other benefits to using a digital signage system for relaying information too. Digital screens have the ability to upload information remotely and the ability to do so immediately, two facets that can make it invaluable, especially when there is an emergency or last minute change to a schedule.

This immediacy makes digital signage enclosures ideal for presenting changing information. This is why so many train stations, airports and bus depots now have digital signage screens. The displays keep customers informed with up-to-the-minute information. This helps reduce complaints and provides a far better service to the customer. When a train, plane or bus is delayed, rather than have people become frustrated, digital signage keeps them informed, reducing anxiety and annoyance.

Furthermore, if there is an emergency at a location, such as a transport hub or even a college, school or other public building, people can be forewarned when they arrive, rather than stumble into a situation and endangering themselves. This is particularly beneficial in large areas such as college campuses, where people can arrive at all sorts of different times and at different entrances, which can make warning them of an emergency by a different method very difficult.

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Sunlight can make outdoor digital signage unreadable

Another aspect to outdoor digital signage that poses problems is the getting the appropriate brightness level required for an outdoor screen. Unlike indoor environments, outdoor screens have occasionally to cope with extremely high levels of ambient brightness, particularly in the summer when bright sunlight can overpower a screen and make it unreadable.

 The brightness of LCD and plasma screens is measured in units called candela (often referred to as nits). This unit of measurement is based on the brightness of a candle, with a single candle having a luminosity of 1 candela (candela is Latin for candle). The average LCD or plasma screen used around the home for watching TV has a luminosity of 400 to 500 candelas, perfectly adequate enough for indoor environments. However, on a bright, sunny day, you may have noticed that if the sun is shining through the window onto the TV screen, the TV becomes difficult to see, forcing you to close the curtains.

This problem is caused by the brightness of the sun, bearing directly onto the screen, overpowering the screen’s own brightness and making it unreadable. Of course, for outdoor digital signage there is no handy curtain that can be pulled to shield the screen from the power of the sun, so any outdoor screen has to have a high enough level of brightness to cope with the sun’s luminosity.

Fortunately, many manufacturers of LCD and plasma screens produce high brightness varieties. Typically these have candela ratings three to four times higher than standard screens with a typical high brightness TV emitting a brightness of 1,500 candelas. This is normally adequate to cope with the brightness of the sun, but it does have certain disadvantages.

LCD screens generate their brightness using a backlighting system, typically fluorescent tubes. A high brightness screen will, therefore, require far more power to generate the screen image than a standard screen, increasingly the running costs of the outdoor screen. However, modern, low energy LCD screen that use powerful LED (light emitting diodes) can generate as much brightness as fluorescent screens and use far less power–they also have a longer life, which has further cost savings as the screen will last longer.

Another problem for outdoor digital signage caused by the sun, which can’t be countered by a high brightness screen, however, is readability problems caused by sun glare. Glare is caused when the screen is facing the sun’s path in the sky, so southern facing screens (in the northern hemisphere) can often suffer glare. To counter this problem, angling the screen away from the direct path of the sun is one solution, another is to use an anti reflective coating or glass to cover the screen. This will, however, reduce the luminosity of the screen, so it is imperative that the screen has an extremely high candela rating as possible.

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Winter can be challenging for outdoor digital signage

Ensuring outdoor digital signage screens can cope with winter conditions requires a comprehensive approach to protection. For many locations, this means having an outdoor digital signage enclosure capable of coping with the extreme weather conditions of winter.

Outdoor Digital Signage and Temperature 

Winter is obviously the coldest period of the year, and while most outdoor digital signage screens are designed to cope with the problems of overheating, which is a main cause of screen failure during warmer weather, often not enough manufacturers place emphasis on dealing with the opposite extremes of cold and freezing temperatures.

When temperatures drop below freezing it can have a detrimental effect on electronics and circuitry. The contraction of metals caused by the cold can lead to wiring and components to crack, while the expansion of moisture that maybe trapped inside the enclosure of an LCD screen can also cause damage, which may lead to permanent damage. Ice formations can also cause structural damage to an LCD enclosure if the housing isn’t watertight.

For any outdoor digital signage screen functioning in winter, the interior temperature of the LCD must always remain within the manufacturers operating range. Often this means implementing climatic systems such as heaters or insulation to prevent interior temperatures from dropping too low. Any outdoor digital signage enclosure also needs to be watertight to ensure it can cope with the formation of ice on the housing.

Outdoor Digital Signage and Storms 

Temperature isn’t the only hazard that outdoor digital signage screens face in winter. Storms, gales and severe winds are also common during wintertime, which can also prove hazardous to an outdoor display. Windblown debris can easily shatter a screen face, especially during high winds, so any outdoor digital signage screen needs adequate physical protection.

The face of an outdoor digital signage screen is particularly vulnerable to damage from windblown debris, Due to the need for transparency, outdoor digital signage enclosures are limited in the type of material that can cover the screen face. Glass is obviously too brittle to provide protection against windblown debris, so any outdoor digital signage display needs a form of impact and shatterproof screen. Manufacturers use different materials to provide this protection but any screen face needs to be tested against severe impact to ensure it can withstand hazards such as debris blow about by high winds.

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 Digital displays, both indoor systems and outdoor digital signage, can prove an invaluable tool for efficient corporate communication. With a digital signage network, a corporation can provide all sorts of communication both externally and internally.

For staff, digital signage can provide a method of relaying work orders, company news and even training and orientation information. Digital signage can communicate with visitors, pointing them in the right direction, or with outdoor digital signage, couriers and lorry drivers can be given instructions when they enter a site.

For companies with several locations, a digital signage network enables communication across all sites at the same time. This means that important information can be distributed across every location at the same time.

For visitors, a digital signage system provides a modern method of communication. This can raise the profile of a business and make it appear modern and dynamic.

When it comes to time critical information, digital signage is by far the most efficient method of communication. Compared to other communication methods such as email, noticeboards and memos, digital signage doesn’t require people to log on or search out the information, it is distributed instantly and is highly visible, no matter what the location.

From manufacturing floors and distribution hubs, to office blocks and high-rise buildings, digital signage enables immediate and dynamic communication. Digital signage is highly visible and can reach people that otherwise would be difficult to communicate with.

There are challenges with installing a screen network in a corporate environment, such as assigning responsibility for the network and content, and making sure screens placed in outdoor locations, or in dusty/wet environments are protected, but there are plenty of available solutions to provide digital signage in almost any location or environment. From chilled storerooms and wash down areas, warm office to outdoor locations, digital signage can be installed almost anywhere and for almost any purpose.

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The types of businesses that use LCD TV enclosures varies as much as the types of applications for LCD enclosures, but here is a list of some of the most common types of business applications that outdoor LCD TV enclosures are employed for:

Outdoor Digital Advertising

Outdoor digital advertising is a highly effective method of promoting products and brands. Because of the large volume of people in outdoor environments, outdoor digital advertising can reach far more eyes than indoor systems. With the ability to change content remotely and digitally, advertisers no longer have to pay printing costs or send people round to different advertising sites to put up new content. Adverts can also be scheduled for specific times of day to target certain audiences.

Outdoor LCD TV enclosures provide a cost-effective and flexible method of installing an outdoor advertising screen. With a wide range of sizes available, outdoor LCD TV enclosures can house screens as large as 70” and keep them protected all year round.

Outdoor LCD TV Enclosures for Company Communication

For companies that are spread over large outdoor areas, such as distribution hubs where there is a need to communicate relevant information to HGV drivers and other employees, outdoor screens provide an effective and efficient form of communication. LCD TV enclosures enable screens to be placed in all sorts of outdoor environments, enabling effective communication day or night.

Outdoor LCD TV Enclosures for Information Screens

Because of the ability to relay information almost instantly, LCD screens provide an effective method of giving out information. Transport hubs such as train stations and bus depots make use of outdoor LCD TV enclosures by using them to offer timetable information on platforms and on bus shelters, keeping customers informed of the latest scheduling changes.

 Outdoor LCD TV Enclosures for Messaging

For institutions such as school, colleges, churches and other public buildings, keeping people informed of events and important information can be challenging. Placing outdoor LCD TV enclosures near an entrance ensures that important information can be relayed to all visitors as they arrive.

Outdoor Digital Signage

Whether you want to give somebody directions or just want a modern and eye-catching method of branding or displaying a company name, an outdoor LCD TV enclosure provides an effective and aesthetically pleasing form of outdoor signage. Flexible and able to accommodate almost any make, model or size of screen, an outdoor LCD TV enclosure is an efficient and cost effective form of outdoor digital signage.

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