What is Digital Signage?
As someone who came up with the phrase in 1992, I am well qualified to explain.
Neil Longuet-Higgins
Woodbridge 2024
Digital signage has splintered into many verticals over the past few decades but is essentially a replacement for a poster or sheet of A4 paper. The advertising industry still bases the sizes of outdoor Billboards on a multiplication of this. A 48 sheet or 96 sheet is simply a size you get when you keep doubling the area of display.
n the U.K. digital world this has evolved into 6m x 3m and 12m x 3m screens across the country, and for smaller displays, our own television set sizes prevail with 55”, 65”, 100” etc being the norm.
There are many types of screen displays available, many you may be familiar with such as Liquid Crystal Display or Light Emitting Diode as well as lots of more specialist devices.
Which screen is right for me?
The answer to this question has changed dramatically over the past few years but still depends on one key factor. Content is King. Without knowing what message you want to get across to your audience or what source it is coming from or being updated by, you may as well go back to basics with a sheet of paper.
Any screen or digital signage project should start with the above, that is your part. Ours begins when we know what you are trying to achieve and can offer impartial advice.
Types of Display:
These are the screens we use in our own homes and are the most prevalent. They are designed for home use only, have low brightness of 3-400 nits and are designed to work a few hours in the evening. A screen you may see in a fast food restaurant or a shop window, are a world away from these. Commercial grade screens are designed to work 16 or 24 hours a day and be bright enough for daylight with up to 3000 nits. These have been the entry level display for many years and will be found in boardrooms, retail, DOOH, control rooms and more.
LCD
O-LED
Despite the name these are simply LCD screens with a different form of illumination, small LED bulbs rather than standard ones. It is purely a way of TV manufacturers to sell more screens to the public as LCD gradually diminishes.
There are many types of LED screens. DIP, SMD, Flip-Chip, GOB, Mini LED, Micro LED, 4 in 1, Transparent LED etc. You do not need to understand any of these technologies, that is our job at ON-AV to give you the best impartial advice for your project. Our team has spent years in the digital signage industry advising large and small clients the best way of maximising the ROI from signage, from the hardware to the revenue stream itself.
LED
Paper Ink
This is a newer type of display that replaces certain types of paper poster. They are very power efficient but nowhere the contrast and brightness of LED or LCD.
A form of see through screen that can have a holographic effect when certain content is played. There are several types that can be especially effective in retail and on glass windows.
Transparent LED
Digital Signage is split across many verticals such as Retail, Out of Home, Sports Stadia, Airports, Transit, and many more. We have worked across most of these areas and are specialists in many of them.
Our unique advantage is unlike normal AV companies or AV distributors, we do not work with just a few manufactures of signage. We have the whole industry at our fingertips and realise that there are many specialists for each type of product and no one size fits all.
Digital Signage is split across many verticals such as Retail, Out of Home, Sports Stadia, Airports, Transit, and many more. We have worked across most of these areas and are specialists in many of them.
Our unique advantage is unlike normal AV companies or AV distributors, we do not work with just a few manufactures of signage. We have the whole industry at our fingertips and realise that there are many specialists for each type of product and no one size fits all.
The first question we always ask is not about the size of screen or resolution. It is about what you wish to achieve with digital signage. Do you want to promote yours or others business? Are you looking to increase revenue? What type of content are you looking to display? These answers to these few questions are far more important to understand your needs than any technical questions, and it this that allows us to be ahead of our game.
We partner with some exceptional Content Management Providers whether you have a single screen of a full on roll out. It’s getting the balance right that puts our skills at the forefront.
When you are planning a single of multiple LED screen the array of manufacturers can be intimidating, from the big household names like Samsung and LG who are often sold by professional distributors, to the Single brands that you may have heard of such as Unilumin of Absen.
All of these will charge a high premium for their services due to global marketing and advertising budgets. At ON-AV we pick the very best for each type of screen as there is no one make for all and many of the biggest players don’t actually make their own screens.
When we find the perfect screen for your project, it has full UK warranty, and will be the best in class.