LCD Enclosures

There is another side to digital signage and that is the public safety aspect.

A case in Feburary 2007 is a good case study highlighting how digital outdoor signage is used in the protection of the vulnerable, when a 14 year old Minnesota girl disappeared. Several digital billboards ran an Amber Alert, the girl was found the next day.

Another case, is in Huntsville Alabama, were police started a manhunt for a registered sex offender, the content creation company put together artwork that resembled the suspect and broadcasted it on it’s network of billboards, after runnig it by the local Crimestoppers organisation. It was broadcast on the network at 5pm and by 9:45 the suspect had been captured.

Post brought to you by LCD Enclosures Global – anything else is a compromise.

Out of the 450,000 roadside electronic billboards that cover the USA highways, only 500 are full colour digital signs, changing the message every few seconds. This is set to rise to 4,000 in the next 10 years and this has safety experts concerned.

With 5 US States banning cell phone use whilst driving, what will these full colour digital signs have on drivers? Surely, it will be distracting – it was proven in the UK that the static posters of the Wonderbra advert when first launched caused an increase of 21% in car accidents.

An expert for the Federal Highway Agency explained that the accidents will increase initially, due to the digital signs being out of the norm and doing it’s job – capturing the attention of the driver.

The challenges will fall to the content creators, who will have to resist the urge to use every flashy tool they have in their toolbox of creative genius.

Post brough to you by LCD Enclosures Global – anything else is a compromise.

When trying to futureproof a deployment of outdoor digital signage, you have to bear in mind the potential change in equipment, this could make the project fail if the following is not remembered

• Is the display going to be bigger than the original?
• Is the location un-manned?
• Is the digital sign in an area that is prone to vandalism or theft?

These are all key points to remember when deploying a signage network, what could be a safe area today could be a nightmare in 12 months. If this is the case you may want to consider protecting the digital signage hardware from potential abuse or theft by housing it in an LCD enclosure, these LCD Enclosures provide a safe and secure casing for the delicate electronic even outdoors in temperatures from -20 to 150 F!

This is based on our own experience being a global supplier to America, Australia, Singapore, Asia and of course Europe.

With the facility to integrate outdoor digital signage with live TV draws customers in, making them open for you to market your services or products to them whilst enhancing the customers shopping experience.

However, you will need to check that you are not infringing any copyright of the broadcast company, this is the responsibility of the digital signage company but you as the advertiser also share some of the responsibility too.

You must check the contract to see if there is any “non commercial use” in the policy, if commercial use is allows, the subscriber (namely the retailer) must obtain permission from the cable provider before using the content. If you do not get it in writing you will be breaching the contract with the cable provider.

With fines up to $150,000, is it really worth it? Just make sure that you have the relevant licenses and copyright information in writing before using any live TV in your digital signage network.

Brought to you by LCD Enclosures Global – anything else is a compromise.

One of the main advantages of outdoor digital signage is to draw the attention away form static signs, advertising in transport locations such as ferry terminals, bus stations and railway stations has been so successful based on one theme – all passengers have some element of waiting in their journey. Now this is the time to sell to them, this in turn helps to kill time.

Take for example the London “Tube”, this makes up the London Underground system, when travellers use the tube they have to use escalators to get to their next connection, this brings them into contact with DEP’s (Digital Escalator Panels), advertising and these use a special type of software that actually moves to the next DEP, following the passenger whilst running.

Now digital signage is being used extensively in public transport areas, discover more here…

Even Cruise Liners are using Digital Signage.

Cruise liners are seen as the luxury mode of travel, now they are starting to deploy digital signage to improve guest interaction. One such cruise liner has been fitted out with digital signage solution throughout the ship, with a strong presence in the restaurant areas.

Menu boards in the form of digital posters are placed above the ice-cream bar, pizzeria, snack bar and entrance. These menu boards display digital images of menu items along with the prices.

Digital Signage in New York Cabs.

In the summer of 2007 a project was approved to deploy digital signage to taxis and limos in the New York city, some of them were interactive some just displayed ads and were controlled by GPS, promoting attractions in the particular area the cab was in.

This post was brought to you by Graham of LCD Enclosures Global – anything else is just a compromise.

If the digital sign is part of a network, no matter if it’s a network of 2 displays or 2000 – the ideal way to deliver content depends on a few things.

So you have to look at how the network is going to be connected, will it be hard wired or a wireless connection?

If the network is hard wired in to the LAN of a business, this uses Category 6 data cable, however if it has a smaller network locally these could be linked wirelessly.

Now the above is all right for a static network, a digital signage network that does not move, however a transport network is reliant on cellular connectivity, as this is far more reliable than WIFI over longer distances.

One of the advantages of a cellular network is that there are no unsightly cables and certainly no hubs or servers.

So you can go to a virgin site with no technology and almost instantly deploy a digital signage network that uses the cellular network to deliver content to each display.

Even if the sign is in an LCD enclosure, the cellular signal will still get through to the unique way LCD Enclosures Global manufactures their units. This was developed with a branch of Paccar Trucks who required wireless and cellular connectivity on one of their sites, so the range of LCD enclosures was enhanced for the cellular market.

High end hotels have deep pockets, you see this as soon as you enter in the lobby, LCD’s televisions every where this enhances the customers experience.

Due to most hotels having deployed TV’s and having their own in-room channels, they can utilise this to their advantage and use it for advertising.

For example, the hotel may partner with an online video store, so if a guest sees a video they wish to watch, they can then contact reception, adding the movie to their room, then scheduling a time for the movie to play.

Now let us look at a case study on “captive marketing”.

A Cruise Line Company launched a new addition to their fleet, however they needed to get the word out about the spa and fitness centre services, to maximise the promotion.

The solution was to deploy 2 x 65” LCD touch screen displays outside the spa and fitness centre. Now the High Definition touch screen display guided each guest through the range of spa treatments and fitness facilities that was onboard. Now the solution had a two fold application, as well as a digital sign is also acted as a wayfinding solution for the ship.

We all know and can appreciate the visual and audible experience when we encounter a digital sign, however an organisation has created a way finding solution for both deaf and blind people.

Our initial thoughts where of Map Quest for the blind and deaf, with directions being so precise and designed for pedestrians making it ideal for anyone who is visually impaired.

It works like this…

Any blind person can access the maps via their mobile phone or alternatively download them to their MP3 player. The map includes a starting land mark and an ending land mark.

The idea is to develop the database so deaf, deaf/blind and travellers can use this technology to find their way around.

When ever you have to put a standard LCD television outdoors, no matter what the application, there are always going to be issues. A waterproof LCD enclosure is the answer.

However this solution was primarily designed for the digital signage market were LCD displays are placed in un-manned and high risk areas. These waterproof LCD Enclosures are perfect from being installed in a factory that insists on washing down the production area every shift, to being left in the open, at the mercy of the elements on a train station.

Having over 20 years experience manufacturing protective enclosures for the elctronics and computer industry, LCD Enclosures Global are the ideal partner to work with, if you ever need either a waterproof LCD enclosure or a standard LCD enclosure, contact them on US enquiries 1-888-460-3573 or European enquiries +44 844 3574902.

The units are manufactured from heavy gauge steel and designed to IP65 and NEMA 4X standard, providing a waterproof solution. With units starting as low as $300, this is one of the most cost effective solutions on the market when protection from the elements is essential for the integrity of the television set.

After rising in sales at an unexpected rate, LCD televisions over took plasma TV sales two years ago, however it has been disclosed that the sales will increase 1 percent each year on previous sales according to Display Search Quarterly Worldwide FPD Forecast Report.

However, the second quarter of 2009 forecast has indicated that Flat Panel Displays sales will decline 20 percent on 2008 figures. The worldwide down turn has had some impact on these figures. However 2010 is more optimistic with an estimated growth of 13 percent.

OLED’s are forecast to increase 140 percent from 2008 to 2016, due to the high use in digital signage TFT LCD’s displays is also set to grow 20 percent to hit a final annual figure of $3 billion.

The end is in sight or the old CRT television, as most manufacturers are stopping production later this year when the last will come off the production line in January 2010.

Display Search have forecast that price declines and commodity demands for screens less than 50 inches will impact sales, with LCD TV’s still being the main focus for most manufacturers.

This is good news for the digital outdoor signage market, as there should be some good bargains out there soon, making it perfect time to put an LCD TV outdoors in gardens so people can watch the FIFA 2010 World Cup, but they will also need to protect the TV from theft, so they should ideally house the TV in an LCD enclosure.