Dynamic Digital Signage Leveraging the Newest Display Technology for Your Messaging or Branding Needs A Partner of
We ve all become accustomed to seeing some type of display technology wherever we go airports and train stations, museums, malls, retail stores, corporate lobbies, schools and universities, and more. But even with the proliferation of digital signage in public spaces, most of these LCD displays are haphazardly placed with little thought to how the digital signs integrate into the space or achieve their purpose. And these LCD displays are limited in their content reach, so they are visible to only a limited area. With new-generation digital displays, it s now possible to make the displays an integral part of the architecture and fit the needs of the space with a messaging or branding platform that uses the best of clean and efficient aesthetic principles combined with aheadof-the-curve advances in digital technology. The most advanced of the latest-generation digital displays is the new Dual-sided LCD display, that uses new engineering breakthroughs to both place the digital displays seamlessly into the environment and maximize the viewing angles and viewing space for your content. Look for an LCD Display provider that offers new-generation Dual-sided displays, i.e. there is a digital image displayed on both sides of the display. This will give you the flexibility to get the attention of the viewer coming and going and essentially double the amount of exposure for your messaging, branding, or other content. Here s an overview of LCD flat panel displays, to help identify the right display for your particular application. 2
Public Display Shipments into Vertical Markets This graph shows the many ways that digital signs are being used, for airports and train stations, museums, malls, retail stores, corporate lobbies, schools and universities, and more. Data is from Q1, 2014. Source: DisplaySearch. Digital Signage Takes Off The proliferation of display technology in public spaces is the result of improvement in digital imaging, lower costs due to economy of scale in display production, combined with greater need for messaging, branding, safety and emergency instruction and other information as people move through their day commuting, working, shopping, traveling, indeed when and wherever they are. As prices have come down and displays have become easier to deploy and maintain, it s a great time to add dynamic digital displays to your project. But there are many, many options available and that leads to confusion about which products to choose. There are myriad possible pitfalls for the inexperienced, so it s necessary to understand the right questions to ask when selecting dynamic digital displays. Overview of LCD flat panel technology Resolution With any technology choice the first step is defining the right solution for a particular application. LCD flat panels often get lumped into a generic category of AV displays or digital signage displays. The vast majority of LCD flat panel displays now come in 1920 x 1080 resolution. New 4K resolution products are coming out for flat panels but the vast majority of digital signage/dynamic signage applications do not need 4K resolution. 1080 resolution was a huge improvement when it was introduced for digital flat panels just a few years ago, and it s a resolution that clearly presents either messaging or video content for nearly every digital signage or display application. 3
Panel Size When first introduced in the 1990 s, commercial grade LCD flat panels were typically about 40 inch diagonal in size. At that time 50 inch or above were very expensive. Even as flat panel LCD displays have come down significantly in price, still today as flat panels get above the 55 sizes, they get more and more expensive. Today the typical size options for LCD displays start at about 32 inch diagonal (small, but useful for endcaps in retail for example) up to 50-60 inch diagonal that make up the majority of digital signage LCD displays, and then going to the large sizes: 70-84 inches. The extra large sizes are now up to 98 inch diagonal but those large sizes are only for limited use. Brightness One issue with many LCD flat panels is brightness. Most standard LCD displays we view in public spaces simply are not bright enough for the application. Now that they are finally coming into the market, high brightness LCD displays offer a major benefit compared to traditional flat panels. In a typical conference room where you have 30 foot candles of ambient light, a 350-400 nit LCD is fine, but outside of that kind of controlled environment, such as in most digital signage applications, you may have many times that amount of ambient light falling on a display, necessitating a high brightness LCD. Ambient light, or the light present in an environment from all light sources, is the number one cause of degraded display performance in a system. Ambient light affects image contrast by reducing the range between the dark and bright portions of the image. Ambient light also reduces the appearance of color saturation and degrades color accuracy. Add to the factors above, the fact that the LCD flat panel displays that you see in public places, cannot do what the best static signs can do: display images on both sides of the display, and be mounted anywhere that static signs can be mounted. Most standard LCD displays we view in public spaces simply are not bright enough for the application. 4
Mounting Mounting has always been a problem with digital signage. Unlike static signs that can be mounted anywhere, in any shape or size, LCD flat panels only come in a few shapes (mainly TV-like shapes), and are heavy and not easy to mount anywhere. One of the first installations of digital LCD displays, some 15 years ago, was at the country s biggest discount retailer, and featured big clunky displays suspended from big iron poles from the ceiling high up where few people viewed them. In fact, today most LCD displays are not mounted, in a retail store, for example, according to where and how they would be most effective rather they are mounted and placed simply where the big bulky displays and mounts will fit. Installation So even as digital signage has taken off, it s important to note that good sign language is something that conventional, static sign designers have been doing well for decades more than a century actually. Traditional sign industry designers and interior designers have a kind of design savvy the experience and instinct to know how to read a room, or any space, and determine the best possible placement of graphics, of signs, of digital, anything. The point is, there is too much digital signage out there that is just badly thought out in terms of placement, and integration into the existing architecture. And add to that, the fact that the vast of majority of LCD panels being installed lack the features that would allow them to be integrated more easily into any design scheme, and also lack the ability to display images on more than one surface. Unlike static signs that can be mounted anywhere, in any shape or size, LCD flat panels only come in a few shapes (mainly TV-like shapes), and are heavy and not easy to mount anywhere. Only with the introduction of new-generation products like the new BenQ Dual-sided displays, that can be mounted like traditional signage, have new options emerged. 5
7 Tips for Selecting the Right LCD Display Here are some of the core features to look for when selecting and installing an LCD display solution: Choose Commercial Grade 1 Do you want a product from a manufacturer that confuses the specifications, marketing, and distribution of their own consumer TV and commercial LCD display lines? Several large manufacturers of LCD displays mix and switch their own consumer-grade (a lesser grade) and commercial-grade components, marketing consumer-grade displays into commercial applications, leading to quality, warranty, and maintenance issues. For assurance of the best quality in your digital signage application, choose a manufacturer that offers only commercial-grade displays that are designed and warrantied to support 24/7 use. Range of Offerings 2 When you choose your brand of LCD display, choose a provider that offers a complete range of sizes and brightness levels, to fit varying applications. There are also different brightness levels for different displays brighter ones (about 2000 nits) for high ambient light environments, while less bright models can work well in darker environments. 3 Brightness You need 450 nits brightness for normal indoor use, for an LCD display. If you need additional brightness, you can upgrade to a brighter panel with 700 nits, bright enough for bright or sunlit areas. Thin Profile 4 Look for an LCD display that has a thin profile. Integrated Mounting 5 If your LCD display solution has integrated mounting capabilities you may be able to eliminate the added cost of using a third-party mounting system to mount the video wall to the building wall or support. And you ll have more freedom to mount the displays where and how they should be placed to achieve maximum exposure to viewers. Flexible Mounting 6 Choose an LCD Display provider that in addition to regular LCD panels, offers new-generation LCD displays with more architecture-friendly mounting options, including the ability to have the display protrude from a wall (as opposed to being just attached like a picture frame to the wall) or to suspend from a ceiling with clean lines not bulky display mounts showing. Dual-side Display Option 7 Look for an LCD Display provider that offers Dual-sided displays, i.e. there is a digital image displayed on both sides of the display. This will give you the flexibility to get the attention of the viewer coming and going and essentially double the amount of exposure for your messaging, branding, or other content. 6
New-Generation LCD Displays: BenQ s D Series Dual-Sided Signage BenQ s D Series of dual-sided signage panels include four 55-inch displays that combine round-the-clock reliability, aero-thin design, and the ability to provide engaging content from both sides of the panel. And importantly, you can show different content on each side if desired (not just the same content on each side). Providing both horizontal and vertical installation options, the versatile solutions can be wall- or ceiling-mounted, or housed in moveable stands in both indoor and outdoor settings making the series ideal for a wide range of locations including airports, train stations, transportation hubs, and retail stores. Featuring brightness levels between 450 and 700 nits, the lightweight displays enable extremely flexible content delivery with panels that are both aesthetically attractive and easy to install. BenQ s D Series of dual-sided signage panels: Landscape Wall Mount Portrait Wall Mount Standard Ceiling Mount Clamshell Ceiling Mount Floor Stand 55 Dual-Sided Digital Signage Solution from BenQ, with Landscape Wall Mount. Not only are there images displayed on both sides of the display but the unique Mount lets you protrude the display from a wall so it gets more attention by actually extending into the space. 7
Incredibly Thin and Lightweight: The BenQ Dual-Sided Digital Signage Solution features the DL550F panel, which is less than one inch wide. This means that the panel has an elegant slim design that fits into nearly any environment. Each panel is capable of displaying unique content on each side, perfect for directional messaging in high traffic areas. The panel itself weighs only 90 pounds, and the entire solution with the mount is 265 pounds and less than 2 inches thick, making the solution manageable enough for many mounting areas previously overlooked for digital signage placement. Unique Clamshell Ceiling Mount: BenQ s exclusive ceiling mounting system enables the panel to be hung via aircraft cables from any structure that will support a 265 pound load. The mount contains all the power hardware and both media players, and features a clamshell design that overlays the entire display for easy access to the power and media players that creates an area above the panel that can be used for static branding. The mount comes with a white finish and can be custom wrapped or painted for additional branding opportunities. 24/7 Commercial Grade Panels: The D-series has an amazing average life of 50,000 hours enough for several years of nonstop service. With reliable industrial-class performance and sturdy construction, the D-series displays are purpose built for demanding industrial and commercial heavy usage. 450 Nit Brightness: The BenQ dual-sided panel can display 450 nits brightness for normal indoor use. If you need additional brightness, you can upgrade to a brighter panel with 700 nits, bright enough for bright or sunlit areas. Optional Bundle - Two BrightSign HD222: The BrightSign HD222 delivers flawless Full HD 1080p60 single video decoding, HTML support, networked content playback as well as some interactive controls using GPIO and UDP controls. BrightSign HD222 is extremely versatile for a wide range of applications from stand-alone looping displays to menu boards and synchronized video walls. Remote snapshot can be used to view an image of what s playing on your signage via the BrightSign App and BrightSign Network. 55 Dual-Sided Digital Signage Solution with Floor Stand Digital Signage Content Creation Software: The BenQ 55 Dual-Sided Signage Solution also includes software to create and manage your digital signage. BrightAuthor is a PC software application for the BrightSign players that makes creating, publishing and managing signage simple and dependable. It is the central application f from building and distributing your presentations to managing remote signs. BrightAuthor is continually updated to keep up with market demands and future-proof your digital signage. 8
For information, contact: Steve Acquista CTS, DSCE, Sr. Business Development Manager, Digital Signage Office: +1-540-898-3767 steve.acquista@benq.com 9