Outdoor digital signage is becoming one of the most popular forms of advertising and messaging. Able to reach large audiences, this out of home media is now visible in all sorts of locations, from outside retail stores to large digital billboards adorning the sides of highways.
Currently, large-scale advertisers seem to possess the mainstay of outdoor screens, with smaller advertisers and businesses put off by the thought of high set up, running and maintenance costs; however, outdoor digital signage does not have to be expensive if LCD enclosures are used.
Whilst many outdoor signage systems make use of expensive outdoor screens-one of the highest costs of providing outdoor digital signage-standard screens can be used outdoors; it’s just a matter of protection, which is where LCD enclosures come in.
The difficulty with placing a screen outside is that so many environmental elements can cause a screen to fail. Weather, vandalism and variable temperatures are all capable of disabling a screen.
Weather is a perhaps the most obvious element that can a damage an outdoor screen, which is why so many outdoor digital signage users opt for outdoor TVs. While these provide ample weather protection, they are very costly and do not protect against damage caused by impact. Vandalism is a real risk to an outdoor screen, so physical protection along with weatherization is needed for any outdoor screen.
LCD enclosures offer all round weather protection but also are manufactured to be resistant to impacts, whether caused accidentally or deliberately. With steel housings and shatterproof screens, they provide optimum outdoor protection.
Furthermore, as temperatures can vary from one extreme to another, LCD enclosures contain climatic systems ensuring the interior of the enclosure is the optimum conditions for running a screen in-no matter what the ambient conditions and temperature are doing.
Flexibility
With a standard outdoor screen, once it fails-and all screens will eventually fail-the screen has to be replaced. Outdoor screens last no longer than standard commercial grade screens so the high cost of replacement is another factor that puts people off from getting involved in outdoor digital signage. However, as LCD enclosures can house all types of standard screens, once the screen fails, the cheaper screen can be replaced, simply by unlocking the enclosure, removing it form the housing and inserting another one. Over a period of several years, the cost savings can be astronomical, as outdoor screens often cost 3-5 times more than standard varieties.
LCD enclosures also give offer the flexibility to choose whatever screen you like. From high brightness screens, designed to cope with bright sunlight, to cheaper plasmas, LCDs or LED back-lit screens. And as the LCD enclosure provides the perfect environment inside the housing to protect the screen, the displays often last longer than manufactures predictions-further saving money.
LCD enclosures are a comprehensive and effective way of providing outdoor digital signage. With all round protection and the flexibility to protect any type of screen, they can save money. LCD enclosures can also be reused time and time again, with the same enclosure able to protect several generations of screen, ensuring each display is fully protected.
