Indoor digital signage is seeing an increase in LCD advertising displays, these LCD advertising displays are used in locations such as hotels and corporate head quarters for quick, trouble free deployments.

What goes into LCD advertising displays?

The floor standing digital advertising signs are a complete solution that includes a commercial grade screen (normally LG screens), a media play that is PC based and will run almost any digital signage software.

All a user has to do is to create the content and add it to the media player, the media player is internally connected to the screen and is initially controlled by a remote control through the screens. The signage can be programmed to show the content at set times, it can even be scheduled to power up and power off if 24×7 operation is not required, this saves time, money and is good for the environment.

LCD advertising displays now touch screen.

The digital advertising signs are now being fitted with touch screen capabilities, so they be used for multiple functions from hotel way finding to allowing customer to select the model of vehicle they are interested in at a car dealership.

These touch screens can be single touch or multi touch, these can be used for gaming in Quick Serve Restaurant applications.

An example of way finding in a hotel.

Now imagine you arrive at an unfamiliar hotel for a conference, you then see the floor standing LCD advertising displays with the name of the conference so you approach the sign, you are then instructed to touch the sign and it directs you to the room the conference is held in. This reduces peoples waiting time for directions and frees hotel staff to deal with more serious issues.

Now touch screen solutions can be used for displaying the restaurant menus for lunch and dinner.

Sizes of LCD advertising displays.

These floor standing LCD advertising displays are available in sizes from 36” up to 85” and vary so much in design and functionality,  a units have software to display the ads, some do not, some have to be updated manually or updated through a digital signage network. Content updates for LCD advertising displays.

One of the main challenges is getting the content onto the advertising screen, this can be done in two ways, the first is manually using a USB drive, copying the content form a computer and then inserting the drive into the media player, however if there are a few of these signs the problem arises that it is time consuming and the additional cost of a networked enabled solution then seems more appealing as it pays for itself much faster. The networked digital sign can controlled from any where as long as there is an internet connection.

LCD Enclosure Global Limited make a range of outdoor LCD enclosures as well as supplying LCD advertising displays.

Digital signage enables screens such as LCD, and Plasma screens that are to be installed within locations where people can view the screens and information that is played on them. Digital signage can be replaced with traditional printed signage and posters with the updated central location at a click of a button. Digital signage takes away a numerous processes that are involved with the distributing, printing and installing traditional printed material.
Digital signage is used by various companies across business sectors. There is a wide range of digital signage software packages that are made available today and choosing one among them is quite easy. Customers simply have to evaluate their needs, budgets and costs in order to make their choice from the entire range of solutions offered by any seller.

A software program is mainly used to control the digital signage network an administrator can deliver information and digital media to the customers through various plasma TV’s, projectors and so on. Thus, all these solutions can be controlled with the help of digital signage software by enabling high resolution images to the display. Most of the digital advertising signage software solutions are built on the Windows platform and they do not need any proprietary hardware. These software programs offer cost efficiency, reliability and they can be installed on any network very quickly. These software programs basically make communication between the server and the hardware easier. Some digital solutions are also of the standalone type which can be plugged into existing television sets. Standalone digital signage devices are mainly concerned with the data input in the system and are not connected to any networks. Updating digital signage can either be done manually or by using a scheduling system data feed.

Advantages using the digital signage software.

There are many pros and cons to digital signage like the extreme attractiveness of the former and the high cost of the latter but this is understood as a one-time cost which can then go a long way in savings for future marketing and communication. With the advent of sustainable technology and superior ease of access, these digital signage solutions are finding a great market share and importance because of their hassle free and extremely fast usage and also the underlying future savings which they entail. As such, regardless of their utility, they offer a very secure and reliable method of transmitting information to a singular or multitude of sources.

Simply put, without digital signage software it is almost impossible to provide an engaging solution.

LCD Enclosure Global Limited produce a range of digital signage enclosures that are used to protect hardware as well as the digital signage software on the players.

A digital display enclosure is a common place solution that can be installed in a matter of minutes but will last months, if not years protecting the hardware used for digital advertising.

Understanding the use of digital advertising.

Recently there has been an increase in a trend to use digital advertising so market a company, these companies either pay an advertising agency a set amount every month to produce and display their adverts that have been created using computer programs such as Flash. The advertising agencies use digital advertising as the modern way to advertise a product or service to a much larger target audience.

Or some businesses have decided to deploy a range of digital display enclosures for digital advertising solutions, as these companies have realized that they can sell advertising slots on their digital advertising systems hard drive, whilst outsourcing the content creation.

Digital advertising and a digital display enclosure.

Now installing a digital advertising solution can be expensive, however using a digital display enclosure allows the use of more cost effective commercial screens and media players, rather than dedicated manufactured outdoor screens. These digital display enclosures provide all the weather protection as well as physical protection from abuse, enabling the digital advertising solution to be deployed in any weather condition.

Possibly earnings from digital advertising

Imagine for a moment that you have 3 screens in a shopping mall advertising your products and services, then just think if you offered 2 minute digital advertising slots at a price of $200 per month. Providing the shopping mall has a large footfall you can easily expect to sell a minimum of 100 advertising slots, this would generate $200 x 100 customers = $20,000 per month. Bearing in mind each digital advertising station costs $3500 per location, the initial set up costs for 3 screens would cost $10,500. As you can see from the initial investment of $10,500 there is an immediate return on investment in the first month of approximately $7,000 once you take out the costs for creating the digital advertising content. With the following 11 months providing a minimum profit of $19,000 per month.

Is digital advertising profitable?

So for the first year after an initial investment of US$10,500 for 3 screens in one high footfall location will yield a return of $19,000 x 11 months = US$209,000 plus $7,000 for the first month making a total income for 12 months of US$216,000 profit.

So in any start up business, a profit in the first year of US$216,000 is very impressive, if clients require content updates, you can then charge the customer for the updates, ideal for generating new income streams during the holiday season and the summer.

LCD Enclosure Global Limited produce a wide range of digital display enclosure that are used for digital advertising.

You may have seen several posters that are plastered on the walls of department stores and shops and restaurants. These are covered by advertising the new product and the latest fashions or to make you aware of the best offers. These traditional marketing methods are paper based. Now imagine that as a substitute for the paper you are using a display screen that is dynamic and updated over time and displays not only a message, but a massive number of messages in different formats, such as text, images , video with or without audio. This is known as digital signage or outdoor digital signage.

Today, outdoor digital signages uses mostly LCD screens. Not necessarily due to the LCD, but can also use any form of screen including CRT, plasma, LED and LCD.

What is the demand for outdoor digital signage?

These days outdoor digital signage is becoming a fast and efficient method for advertisers and integrators to display various adverts that are rich in content, that is full of pictures and videos with or without music, time are real and dynamic.

To capture the attention of potential customers while they are in offices, or shopping or any other public place that you want to target, it is essential to make use of digital signatures. Digital communication is but the advance over traditional advertising media posters in public places.

What is the key step in the design of an outdoor digital signage system?

Digital Signage is all about content. The key step is the display of content. Since a digital signaling system varies from one system to another depending on the type of content displayed. If the provider does not spend much time asking questions that accurately define the system, most of the time the solution delivered will not bring the expected results.
One of the key areas sometimes overlooked is the protection needed for outdoor use, this takes the form of an LCD enclosure, their are manufactured by a small group of companies who understand what needs to go into an LCD enclosure to protect the digital signage hardware, making the outdoor digital signage system last for a minimum of 5 yeas in extreme conditions.

How do you measure the success of the implementation of digital communication?

One of the most essential elements to be used at the same time we must make the decision on the deployment of digital signage is the return on investment (ROI). ROI is measured when there is an increase in sales in cinemas, shops and other places. The return on investment includes several factors including printing, transportation and labor reducing costs. The key factor that helps in measuring the success of the deployment  of outdoor digital signage is to define the goal and aim at exceeding the goal set.

LCD Enclosure Global offer a range of LCD enclosure that provide protection for outdoor digital signage systems.

Digital signage has now developed from indoor a hotel to outdoors by the pool, even located on the beach, but protection is required from the elements.

Well you know when you have had a day at the beach, reading your favourite novel and you get back to your hotel room and discover sand every where. Well imagine the sand getting into the hardware, what damage would it do?

With more and more integrators favouring commercial grade solutions, to separate themselves from the low cost, inexperienced installer, this hardware is usually three times the price of the indoor hardware, so when these are deployed outdoors, they have to be protected to defend the investment used.

What happens if? LCD Enclosure Explain

If the hardware is not protected, the screen will certainly have to be waterproof, these are very costly and on long lead times, this is to protect them from the sea and any hurricanes that hit.

Sand – This is a major problem, when sand gets into any hardware, it causes short circuits due to the tiny particles of glass acting as conductors, this is a huge problem when sand penetrates the rear of the screen and media player.

Salt – Well this sounds bizarre, just because we cannot see it, but if you left a radio on a beach unprotected it would fail in a matter of weeks, as the salt eats away at the casing this is why when an LCD enclosure is used to protect the hardware it has to be made from 316 stainless steel. This grade of steel is recognised throughout the world to have rust busting properties.

Now when using an LCD enclosure you must ensure that the cool air that enters the enclosure is clean, meaning that sand particles are not part of the clean, clear air cooling the enclosure, otherwise the internal hardware will end up failing due to a build up of sand over a period of months and years, so the better solutions offer a special filter than will filter out the sand and only let cool, clean air into the protective housing.

These outdoor digital signage enclosures can be mounted on poles using the rear VESA mount, making installation a breeze, so next time you are on a sun bed on a beach reading your novel, remember why those enclosures are there.

For more details on LCD Enclosure Global’s range of stainless LCD enclosures, contact them on +44 844 3578687 or 888-460-3573 toll free to discuss how they can assist you with you beach installation of digital signage.

LCD Enclosure Global – anything else is a compromise.

Outdoor digital signage part three, here we will look at the LCD enclosure, this is the most cost effective solution.

What makes the LCD enclosure the most flexible solution is that is will take a various size of screen in one enclosure, for example the LCD46 can take screens from 36” up to and including 46” screens irrelevant of manufacturer. This makes them perfect for an off the shelf solution as this outdoor digital signage industry is such a fast moving one if you don’t have the stock you loose the sale.

Outdoor digital signage.

In a solid steel LCD enclosure, you can mount a small factor PC, thin client or a media player to display the content that is to be shown on the LCD or plasma screen.

Cables enter the enclosure in either the rear of bottom of the enclosure, depending upon the installation and engineers, so that unsightly cables can be eliminated. For updating the content the Internet can be used for either wireless connectivity especially when the enclosure comes with a wireless antenna – why not use it!

An outdoor LCD enclosure can easily be fitted with a touch screen panel if required, this will add to the price however the payback is very quick and the total solution is far less than the price of a kiosk or anything else on the outdoor digital signage market at present.

Manufacturers of LCD enclosure provide them in ranges from 17” up to and including 80”, as you can image shipping them is hard work, this is why they are normally shipped in crates to prevent damage.

Now you need to look for a company that manufactures them that also supplies a range of ceiling mounts, as you can imagine these LCD housings coupled with a screen and other hardware will weigh in excess of 160lbs, so the mounting hardware has to be as robust. So the best LCD enclosure to look for is the one that can be mounted directly to a wall and also featured a VESA mounting pattern on the rear of the enclosure so it can be mounted from a strong ceiling mount, one you want to look is here – often copied seldom bettered.

LCD Enclosure Global, outdoor digital signage experts.

An outdoor LCD enclosure is a new phenominom when someone wishes to install a regualr home TV out in their backyard or a commercial screen outdoors for digital outdoor signage. The key reason these housings are designed for is to protect the TV no matter if it is a plasma, LED or LCD screen in an outdoor location knowing they have the correct protection from the weather and vandals.

An LCD enclosure provides all the protection to keep the hardware inside safe from the external elements including dust, rain, and even snow. So these units have to be robist as well as weatherproof.

These housings also protect from the external temperature that a TV encounters, using various methods to cool – preventing overheating of the television as well as heating preventing the outdoor TV freezing.

Due to the robust design of an LCD enclosure they also offer protection from actual attacks from vandals, the better LCD enclosures are manufactured from heavy gauge steel and fully welded for maximum strength.

LCD enclosure – Without security the investment will sore.

However some LCD enclosure manufacturers place too much enfaces on looks, if the enclosure works as intended by protecting the digital signage hardware from the weather and hooligans, it has done it’s job. It is no good looking very pleasing to the eye but being compromised easily and the internal hardware either damaged or stolen – which would you prefer a secure LCD enclosure or a nice looking unit that has to have the hardware replaced frequently due to theft or damage?

Outdoor digital signage is sweeping the world with vibrant outdoor marketing, that allows businesses to enforce their brand on consumers. This is why digital signage outdoors is such as success, as it engages with the consumer.

But when these advertisers are investing heavily into outdoor digital signage, the major concern has to be is their investment protected? If for example the LCD enclosure has placed more enfacise on looks rather than security and practical aspects the chances are that the hardware will be damaged in a matter of days if not weeks and will need replacing.

So look for an LCD enclosure  manufacturer who offers a slution that will deter the most determined physical attacks and your investment for the hardware, knowing it is protected, However if you want a solution that will protect your delicate digital signage hardware in all conditions, we have the answer.

LCD enclosure Global – Outdoor digital signage enclosures of the highest quality and standard.

Remember the times when plasma TVs first came out, they were over £1500m now you can pick up a 42” plasma TV that is a leading brand for only £389, so in the next 3 to 5 years 3D TVs will replace the LCD and plasma screens of today but will they be worth it?

Samsung PS63C7000

This television is Samsung’s series 7 range, and is a full high definition 63” plasma television with the added benefit of also being able to play 3D videos. The set is packed full of features including 4 HDMI connections so that you can connect up all your HD gadgets.

What makes this screen so attractive to me, is that in my previous plasma screen it was around 80mm deep, this beauty is only 36mm deep and will be the envy of anyone’s’ neighbours when one of these screens are delivered.

The screen size is a massive 1498 mm wide x 965 mm high x 36mm deep and weighing only 38 KG with out the stand, who would want to mount this on a stand? Surely you would want to mount this on your wall via the 600 x 400 VESA mount on the rear of the set.

The display will allow you to go online with internet television giving you a real clean and crisp picture from the high resolution of 1920 x 1080 with 1080 full high definition motion.

Another good feature of this screen is the film mode (cinema progressive) providing cinema smooth movies through the 3D HyperReal engine.

So all you have to do now is find a 3D DVD or Bluray player and a couple of 3D movies and you are all set for your first showing, but don’t forget your 3D glasses.  These can also be used for outdoor digital signage when placed inside an outdoor LCD enclosure.

With advancements in the digital signage technology has made it even more cost effective for businesses to deploy indoor as well as outdoor digital signage. The key reason digital signage is used is to promote or market a product or service, now the solutions on the market range from small digital poster that are available in sizes from 17” up to a whopping 70”, or alternatively there are the digital menu boards these are intended for restaurants to advertise their menu, these systems are different in that the media player is a standalone unit and the content can be updated remotely using the internet, these are perfect for the retail sector due to the ease of control and monitoring the media.

Product Promotions.
Retailers are finding that static posters and flyers are reducing in effectiveness; this is the reason for them investigating digital signage. However the options are available for any size company to roll out or use digital signage, for example a digital poster could be used in your local fish and chip shop to advertise their menu to the likes of a retailer who has blue X days, here they are using digital signage to up sell on sales day maximising profits for the retailer.

We are seeing this technology now even being used at gas stations and petrol stations using outdoor digital signage to get customers into their onsite shop or convenience store, by delivering tempting promotions to the customer as they fill up with fuel.

Media player.

The first option is whether or not to use a standalone media player or a built in media player, the costs are extreme, however the standalone solutions are the more affordable but this does come at a cost, you cannot remotely update any content, other than by connecting a wireless mobile dongle to the USB port and connecting that way, normally content is updated manually with a USB drive.

Wired or wireless media player.

This will be based around your project and if a wired solution can used this would be the most reliable; however in some instances wireless would be better. As you can imagine a wireless media player is more expensive due to the extra electronics that makes it wireless.

The fundamental difference is that on an all in one unit, the media player stores content on a storage device, normally a CF card, compared to a wired or wireless media player stores the content on its own inbuilt disc drive. If you are looking for a solution that needs little updating the digital poster is perfect, however if you are working on a project for 200 screens you would certainly want to be using either a wired or wireless media player.

Possible solution?

The cheapest solution is a digital poster, as these come complete with a screen and this also has an on screen menu to program so that you can arrange the content as you wish and these all in one units are roughly the same price as a digital media player, depending up on the size of the screen for the poster.

There are other ways to also save money on a digital signage project which we will look at later.

LCD Enclosure Global – specialist manufacturers of outdoor LCD enclosures, these are shipped throughout the world through a network of distributors of outdoor digital signage hardware.

LCD Enclosure Global – anything else is a compromise.

Call +44 (0) 844 3578687