Tip for Today #8: Roadblocks to Integrating Digital Signage
There’s quite a bit that goes into digital signage that most people don’t think about or take into account. They want something nice and flashy that looks great. But the behind the scenes of what needs to be done to get to that end goal is fairly in depth. We have to look at things like HVAC units. Is it robust enough to support how much heat you’re gonna be adding to a space? What’s the electrical requirements? Can the building support what they’re trying to do? Can the structure, the wall, the pylon, the building that it’s going on, support what we’re about to do to it? In most cases, it doesn’t make sense to mount directly on the wall, unless it’s a smaller asset. Most of them require some kind of a fabricated structure or some kind of a unique mounting surface.
So when determining what kind of asset or what will be the best fit for a customer, we are primarily looking at three things, pixel pitch, overall size, and the viewing distance. Understanding the viewing distance, how high up on the wall an asset is going, will help dictate the pixel pitch. And once you have that established, then the overall size will also help adjust that pixel pitch as well.
The closer you get to the screen the tighter, the pixel pitch you need. So the further the pixels are away, the lower the resolution. There’s a lot of situations where you don’t need a super tight pixel pitch sign if it’s 20 feet wide by 40 feet high and you’re viewing distance is 50 feet away. So it’s really having that understanding of what is the goal of the customer, what they want, their budget and what kind of value we can deliver.
Ambient lighting is one of those powerful things that a lot of people don’t always consider. So if you put up a nice exterior asset that doesn’t have the brightness capabilities, the sun will wash it out. You won’t get to see anything. You’ve just spent a lot of money, that a few hours during the day, you don’t get to see your messaging on them. Same thing with the interior. Is this in a lobby with a bunch of windows, a bunch of doors? Understanding the ambient light in this space can help you overcome it.
One of the most important things about digital signage that maybe most people don’t take into account are the stakeholders. So you’re looking at construction, IT departments, marketing departments, and bringing all those people together harmoniously, making sure that everybody’s aware of what’s happening, what everybody’s goals are. Do you have the right people involved with the project that are going to make that project successful?