LCD Enclosures Not Just For Advertising.

LCD enclosures are manufactured from steel provide the maximum protection for the electronics inside, now LCD enclosures are being deployed in many unusual places, discover more.

An LCD enclosure is one of the the most cost effective solutions for protecting outdoor digital signage hardware as well as safeguarding a TV in someone’s garden, due to the robust nature of the unit.

When organizations use LCD enclosures for a digital advertising solution, the installers are aware that they can use digital signage hardware that is designed for indoor use, outdoors. As the LCD enclosures provide the security against theft and vandalism (as recently seen in the UK riots), as well as providing their own heating and cooling system so that no matter how hot or cold it is outside of the LCD enclosures, the hardware inside is at the best operating temperature.

LCD enclosures in coal mines.

However, moving away from digital advertising, LCD enclosures are used in coal mines do that the mine can promote and inform visitors about the mine, the staff, the products and by products. These are deployed with also an alert system should an incident occur during a public visit sot hey the right evacuation route, or worse still if a child in a school party gets lost in the low lights of the mine.

The possible challenges with a coal mine is the dust that is present in the air and the damp environment, usually without any protection an information screen would be ruined in a matter of weeks, now using LCD enclosures the hardware can be deployed and the units fitted with special filter units, filter out harmful particles in the air and protect the hardware form shorting out should carbon particles or dust gather on the internal components of the electronic signage hardware.

LCD Enclosures on the sides of vehicles.

Well this is a controversial solution, as some States in the USA allow them and some don’t, some entrepreneurial couriers have realized that they where missing an opportunity to add an extra income stream to their business.

Whilst they are out on their delivery route, the vehicles can display ads on large screens up to 65” on the side of their vehicles, now the business owners are looking on how to achieve this, so let us consider the hardware.

Hardware and LCD enclosures for vehicles.

The digital signage hardware that goes into LCD enclosures will comprise of:

A digital media player, this stores the ads and information on the internal hard drive or memory card.
An LCD screen that the media player can be connected too to display the ads.
The LCD enclosures to protect the hardware.

These LCD enclosures the more affordable digital signage hardware to be used rather than specific outdoor digital signage hardware, the LCD enclosures provide the outdoor protection.

LCD enclosures Global Ltd manufacture a range of protective outdoor digital signage enclosures as well as their LCD enclosures.

Digital menu board solutions

Digital menu board solutions are being used increasingly throughout business, however understanding the down side of a digital menu board will contribute to a successful installation.

With the new bill being passed in the USA, many UK subsidiaries of US corporations are adopting the US stance and deploying a range of digital menu board solutions. However there are a few challenges to overcome and bearing them in mind helps any organization establish a successful installation.

Digital menu board problems

So what can go wrong with a digital menu board? Understanding the problems with a solution allows people to factor in some of these and work with the challenges but there are solution!

The main digital menu board challenge

There are two types of digital menu board, the first is a networked solution that is updated using the internet and the second is a standalone USB digital menu board.

The main issue with standalone digital menu board solutions is that a member of staff has to create the content, sometimes depending on company policy this could be in the USA and the digital menu board network is extended in to Germany, so the challenge is how do they run the same corporate advertising whilst targeting the local demographics? The answer is that the content creator in the US office has to have a counterpart in the European office who can then tailor the ads to the local peoples needs.

Then someone at the digital menu board outlet has to use a USB to add the content to the LCD advertising boards, however this person has to be reliable, otherwise the entire menus could be wiped off the digital menu board system.

A more effective solution is a network enabled digital menu board, as the name suggests you can connect these to a network point that is then connected to the Internet and so anyone can update the content remotely from the USA to Germany with no issues.

Digital menu board mounting options

The digital menu board system can be mounted using the VESA compatible mounting pattern on the rear of the screen, this allows the screens to be tilted down to the public whilst they are queuing up to place their order. However not all digital menu boards have this facility and check especially if the digital menu boards can be mounted in a portrait position, otherwise it could be very costly having a mount manufactured.

A digital menu board can assist with the public’s selection of meals, as they can now see clearly the calorific content of each item, so they may select a lower calorific content meal and this hopefully will help in some reduction of obesity with the public taking ownership of what they eat.

As you can see there are only a few potential problems with a digital menu board system, however being aware of them will not help you decide on what solution you choose and how to overcome any of the challenges that are associated with them.

LCD Enclosure Global Limited manufacture a range of LCD enclosures as well as supplying a range of digital menu board systems.

Digital signage on Campus

There are so many advantages to installing digital signage, it’s hard to know where to begin, but in the case of the educational sector, the benefits and plus points are huge. Firstly it is information – in many forms, from being a virtual map – a way finding device, which can also be interactive, to a publicity board displaying information on forthcoming events and diary dates for the school programme. It can also bring in additional income by promoting a service or product endorsed by the school or college. These suggestions simply replace the more traditional approach of static advertising on paper and exhibited on a notice board or in a glass case.

Choosing a suitable location is of utmost importance, like positioning a dynamic digital menu board on a wall opposite the entrance door, installing a floor standing touch screen unit in a foyer next to the reception or installing a striking video wall arrangement; made up of 4 individual LCD screens, configured in a square/rectangle group to create a large synchronized display. Small (32”) digital signage visual signage can be useful in food halls and refectories, where the daily menu can be temptingly shown, along with nutritional information and prices, all of which can be updated as per a schedule, pre-programmed or simply altered via a wired/wireless network, Bluetooth connectivity, or by inserting a USB device into the memory card reader.

 Digital Signage in education

Installing an LCD digital poster will be a significant investment, but bear in mind the income generated from the subtle advertisements to the not so subtle, which can soon equal the initial outlay. Requiring an engineer to install such kit may also add to the cost, but when ordering your flat panel digital screen, ask for a discount for purchasing the whole package.

Appealing to the wide range of demographics at the school or college is essential to get the best out of the electronic display board, so the content is just as important as the quality of the hardware. Many e-companies will assist in producing a valuable infomercial, to include all the important information you wish to present. These screens are all around us and we use them, many without thinking, on a daily basis, so installing them into an educational facility is no different, but so very functional. The other major benfit is that the current digital signage solutions are very affordable

LCD Enclosure Global Ltd are the leading manufacture of LCD enclosures and outdoor digital signage enclosures used on educational facilities.

Professional grade displays – Tips for success

Professional grade displays are used both indoor and outdoors for digital signage applications, and it has been found that professional grade displays are the best solution than domestic grade displays.

With the new new bill being introduced in the USA for displaying information for the food such as calorific value etc, Quick Serve Restaurants and franchisee owners have been purchasing regular domestic grade displays instead of the professional grade displays due to the price alone and are finding they have made the wrong decision.

Now imagine the environment within a quick serve restaurant (QSR), you have to take into consideration the heat, dust, grease.

Why use professional grade displays?

Professional grade displays are manufactured to run 24 hours per day, compared to domestic displays that are manufactured to work only 4-7 hours per day. They are also designed to manage thermals and this prevents heat build up within the professional grade screen, these professional grade displays have a far superior operational time or usage time compared to a domestic display.

Professional grade displays against dust and grease

These units are manufactured to protect the internal circuits from any airborne particles, such as dust entering the display, also grease can build up in domestic displays but not in professional grade screens due tot he unique venting and cooling these units have. The front viewing window is a protective glass unit and has anti vandal protection as an industry standard, there is no protection on a home TV.

Professional grade displays & warranty

These professional grade displays come with a general 5 year warranty or 50,000 hours (equals 7.5 years!), compared to the 1 year warranty a home TV has, when a company uses a domestic unit in a commercial setting the warranty can be reduced to 3 months or void completely.

Controlling professional grade displays

Most professional grade displays can lock the screen so staff and customers cannot mess with the controls, this cannot be done with a home TV, so anyone could bring a remote control in and start changing the settings – imagine what this would do for your advertising!

Mounting profession grade displays

Professional grade displays can be mounted in either landscape or portrait, so they can be used as a digital menu board or digital poster, unlike a home TV that can only work in landscape.

These are some of the pitfalls of using a home display instead of professional grade displays.

LCD Enclosures Global Limited provide various solutions including their LCD enclosure range that are sometimes used to protect professional grade displays.

Knowing LCD screen sizes

This may sound rather basic, however to many people entering the digital signage market, they may not have come into contact with LCD screens before, so let us explain how these are measured.

The main part of any digital signage solution is the display, if it is wrong the campaign could fail before it even begins.

LCD screen sizes can vary.

The easiest way to measure an LCD screen is to take the top screen size (inside the black border or bezel) on the top left hand side to the bottom right hand side, this could be classed as the inner size. If you measure the outer size you will have the wrong size.

Now with the black border/bezels becoming narrower, the LCD screens themselves are becoming more compact making them ideal for digital signage.

Well you may think that this is not important, however if you are deploying outdoor digital signage you will need an outdoor digital signage enclosure, these are anti vandal, protective, steel cases that also are equipped with internal cooling and heating (as an extra option), to make sure the digital signage hardware is kept in the correct environment.

Now knowing the screen size of the screens used is essential when looking for an LCD enclosure, as the last thing you need on site is when all the digital signage components are on site and you find that the LCD enclosure is too big or small for the LCD screen because the screen has been measured incorrectly.

This is why outdoor digital signage is spreading in most outdoor areas, such as tube stations, coach stops especially when there is high foot traffic, as advertisers see this is a niche area to target passengers and can be used effectively especially when there are transport delays, restaurants could advertise meal deals so travelers are not hungry as well as helping with killing time, otherwise called “time warping”

As you can see, getting the screen size is essential when these screens are going into an LCD enclosure or outdoor digital signage enclosure.

LCD Enclosure Global Limited manufacture a range of LCD enclosures as well as outdoor digital signage enclosures for most sizes of LCD screen.

Taxi Cab digital signage is Now!

The world of advertising is without limits and this certainly includes a digital poster on top of a taxi cab. Imagine seeing one driving around Broadway, advertising the opening of a new musical or special offer for a restaurant. It would certainly be eye-catching and therefore giving the desired effect of advertising. Attracting customers needs to be highly visual in order to appeal to local companies sponsoring an advertisement. This is a niche and unique product and is prime to appeal to restaurant goers, theater patrons, clubbers and high street retailers.

The practicalities of mounting such a digital advertising poster are easily overcome by purchasing a unit from LCD Enclosure Global, who specialize in innovative advertising products. Any taxi company investing in such media advertising will be expecting a substantial return on investment as digital menu boards offer a pioneering form of advertising. Fleet operators can schedule a campaign to run concurrently within the group, or alternatively as an individual operation. Uploading the media content is also practical as most LCD displays are wireless; therefore can be updated via Bluetooth connectivity, from virtually anywhere in the world. Bluetooth also allows advertising companies to alert a customer to special offers, promotional products or freebies by pairing the mobile cell device to the taxi LCD display. This then sends a message to the consumer for him to qualify for such an offer. Alternatively, a USB device can be plugged directly into the unit to deliver or update the content. This enables the taxi company to host any number of adverts, bringing in an additional income in a difficult economic climate, whilst utilizing their assets (taxis). This also keeps the maintenance and down time costs at a minimum.

Taxi cab digital signage.

Either static or video images can be displayed, depending on the traffic situation, which is a consideration in a busy city, where foot traffic will be the focus of the advertising operation. Advertising content can be formatted to be location-based delivering appropriate advertising depending where the vehicle is driving, so advertisers can target precise locations and be attractive to the demographics of a certain area. Another plus point of taxi top LCD monitors is that it can be used for emergency information, i.e. a terrorist attack, or natural disaster. So next time you’re in a big city, imagine the yellow taxi cabs with animated and dynamic images on their roofs.

LCD Enclosure Global Limited manufacturer a range of protective, outdoor LCD Enclosure including a range of taxi cab digital signage solution.