Out of home advertising is as relevant and as effective today as it has always been. Providing advertisements, promotion and branding outdoors reaches a large audience for a comparative small cost compared with other advertising media. With our streets littered with posters and adverts, getting an outdoor sign noticed takes some doing, which is why so many outdoor signs are now going digital.
Outdoor digital signs are everywhere, from giant digital billboards on the side of highways, to the advertisements and branding that have replaced the neon in places like Time Square and Piccadilly Circus. Many shop fronts are also using outdoor digital signs, attracting customers with moving imagery and providing a more noticeable sign in the evening.
Outdoor digital signs have many advantages over static media, not just their eye-catching nature. Firstly, an outdoor digital sign can be updated remotely, without the need for manual replacement of new content. Secondly, content can be scheduled, taking advantage of certain customer demographicssuch as restaurants changing their content during different meal timesand finally, outdoor digital signs, once installed, require no printing costs or time wasted waiting for new content to arrive in the post.
Using outdoor digital signs can be a challenge, however, with protection a critical aspect of a successful outdoor digital signage campaign. Outdoor digital signs are nothing more than conventional flat panel TV screens such as LCD or plasmas. While these devices are designed to operate in normal indoor locations, a modern TV screen needs protecting if it is to operate as an outdoor digital sign.
Using modern TVs outdoors as outdoor digital signs requires housing them in a protective enclosure, which provides all the necessary protection an LCD or plasma screen needs to function outdoors and in all weathers.
Enclosures for outdoor digital signs need several aspects to their protection. Firstly, they require weatherproofing, protecting the enclosed screen from rain and other elements, secondly they need some form of temperature control, to maintain a steady temperature regardless of the ambient conditions, and thirdly they need some form of physical protection to defend against impacts and attempts at vandalism.
Outdoor digital signage enclosures, commonly called LCD enclosures, provide all this necessary protection. Able to house almost any make and model of TV, an LCD enclosure keeps the enclosed screen dry, preventing rain and other weather elements from getting inside.
Internal cooling fans transfer heat away from the screen, preventing overheating, and in locations where temperatures get excessive, heaters, additional fans, insulation and even air-conditioning ensure the screen remains at the optimum temperature, preventing overheating in the summer and freezing in the winter.
Physical protection is also important for an outdoor digital sign enclosure. Most outdoor digital signs are vulnerable to vandalism as they are often left in unmanned locations. Shatterproof screen protection is essential for an outdoor digital sign, not just to protect the screen from impacts but as glass can lead to injury, its not suitable for public locations. Outdoor digital sign enclosures are commonly manufactured from steel, which provides sturdy physical protection from impacts and shocks.
LCD enclosures allow the use of standard TV systems outside as outdoor digital signs. Inexpensive and cost effective, LCD enclosures enable all sorts of businesses to utilise outdoor digital sign technology at a fraction of the investment of buying an outdoor screens. With all round protection and the flexibility to repair and replace the screen when necessary, LCD enclosures are a ideal solution for using outdoor digital signs as advertisements, shop front branding, information screens and even outdoor TVs.
Armagard have nearly two decades of experience manufacturing protective environments for computers, printers and displays. Using this knowledge and experience, Armagard have produced a range of protective
outdoor digital signs designed for protecting standard LCD and CRT screens in outdoor or hazardous locations - ideal for outdoor digital signage or patio/backyard TV viewing. Our
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