Project requirements vary widely and many require a custom solution to ensure specific electronics work well outdoors.  

Most enclosure manufacturers offer a few ‘off the shelf’ products, but electronics are ever-changing and certain instances will require a unique, custom product to be developed.

Each year, the U.S. federal government spends hundreds of billions of dollars purchasing products and services.*

As digital signage becomes more and more popular, companies are finding creative ways to deploy signage in various locations, like the inside of a wall.

The ability to recess an LCD enclosure into a wall provides a clean, sleek installation and, therefore, does not become an obstruction to passerby’s.
 

A touchscreen is a powerful tool when deploying kiosks in public spaces.

With many benefits, touch foil provides a vandal and weather resistant solution for interactive digital signage. Many options exist on the market. The installation environment will dictate the version of touch-foil that will be most beneficial to the user.

In 2010, new ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) regulations were put into place regarding accessible design for disabled Americans.

These changes particularly impact how digital signage can be installed in public places. Installations may include self-service kiosks, LCD enclosures, and video walls, just to name a few. These types of digital signage need to adhere to the proposed guidelines for ADA compliance. Ultimately, it just makes good business sense that a digital signage message is reachable and viewable to all users of the system. For example, one of the guidelines require a non-glare finish and 70% contrast between the sign background and lettering.

For the purpose of this blog, we will only address items associated with installing digital signage enclosures. For more helpful information on creating ADA friendly content, reference Kiosk Marketplace’s article “Meeting the ADA Compliance Challenge.” 

Options to deploy digital signage are virtually limitless for college campuses. 

From digital menu boards to advertisements at the book store to upcoming special events, indoor digital signage has become more of a need - versus a want - in the last ten years. What about outdoor digital signage? Robust electronics, easier to use content drivers, lower costs of ownership, and more solutions available on the market have educational institutions turning to outdoor digital signage to maximize their messages to students, faculty, and visitors.

Looking to deploy outdoor digital signage for your company or client? 

When considering a digital signage solution, there are many items to consider, including screen size, enclosure material, and thermal management. However, one of the main topics of concern is the location of the digital sign. Like retail space, real estate, and restaurants, when installing digital signage, location is everything! Location, Location, Location. You simply cannot purchase and install digital signage without first considering the various factors that may hinder visibility and longevity. The sun plays a large role in whether the digital signage will be a success or failure. There are a few things that, when prepared and planned properly, will create the perfect environment for any outdoor digital deployment.

When visiting a college campus, large healthcare/hospital facility, or amusement park, using digital signage, in the form of wayfinding kiosks, to figure out your current location or destination is extremely important.

When planning a large outdoor wayfinding project, it is critical to keep the message simple. With the rise in outdoor digital signage, it may be tempting ‘to make a big splash’ by incorporating fancy technology or overloading the signage with flashy and stimulating content. However, including too many elements can be overwhelming to those who are just trying to find their way around an unfamiliar place. According to Irfan Khan’s blog, ‘7 Digital Signage Trends for 2016,’ digital offers a better experience for the end user, “Digital signs are inherently more attention-grabbing than a traditional static sign. Thanks to recent technologies, digital signs can be even more engaging to customers and viewers—in fact, they can be interactive, turning viewing them into a personal experience.”

From wayfinding to transportation hubs to sports stadiums to Quick Service Restaurant drive-thru’s, dazzling, outdoor digital signage is popping up everywhere.

As an integrator, it is often difficult to narrow down a request from an end customer.

It is not uncommon for a customer to say “I want to put an LCD outdoors. Can you please help me find a way to protect it from the elements?” Unfortunately, there is not a “one for all” enclosure solution that will work anywhere and at an affordable price. It is simply not that easy.  

There is a bit of a science to allow an LCD to work outdoors properly, where it is not originally intended to be used. Many companies claim to provide LCD enclosures that can be used outdoors, but many variables cannot be ignored. A number of questions should be posed, by an integrator to the end customer, prior to providing an outdoor LCD enclosure recommendation.