Protective LCD Enclosures Used For Digital Signage Hardware

Protective LCD enclosures for digital signage security.

Digital signage hardware can be a costly exercise, yet if the hardware is not protected using a protective LCD enclosure, the Return On Investment could be wasted, let us look at the digital signage applications and protection needed, reported LCD Enclosure Solutions Inc.

Indoor signage and protection.

Indoor electronic signage hardware includes many kinds of high end screens that can cost anywhere from $1500 to $7000 depending on the size chosen, then a media player is attached that can be either a networked solution or a non-networked solution. The advance of this type of electronic signage is that is can almost immediately yield a return on investment for the advertiser. The unique ways the displays can be mounted add to the interest. The commercial displays can be mounted either horizontal, or portrait or even at a set angle. As you can understand investing in this hardware can be a major part of the marketing department’s budget for a year, so the solution has to work. But think what would happen if the hardware was damaged, how would this impact on the company’s advertising campaign?

Protecting indoor digital signage is essential to maintain a return on investment, with the protection in place allows companies and advertising agencies to put electronic signage in locations and sites otherwise thought impossible. With this in mind, it then opens up the world to digital signage. You may have a location that has a high foot fall, that is open even after the offices or store are closed – such as a covered walk way or open foyer, normally you would not consider putting dynamic advertising here as it would be damaged or stolen, yet if you could somehow protect the advertising hardware, this would make an ideal location and this is when a secure digital signage housing is ideal.

LCD enclosures

Outdoor digital advertising hardware can be expensive if dedicated hardware is being used, but an affordable solution is to use commercial grade screens that are used for indoor advertising and put them into a protective housing. Dedicated hardware are used that provide weatherproof protection, so the screen and media player does is not effected with snow, rain, dust or direct sunlight. Direct sunlight causes what is called isotropic failure, this actually makes the screen blacken and is irreversible when the display is in direct sunlight. The best option is to put the screen in a location that is not in direct sunlight at any time of the day.

Secure LCD enclosures for outdoor sign protection.

Now with using commercial displays, businesses are deploying outdoor advertising using a range of secure LCD enclosures. There are many producers of these outdoor display housings, however when the displays are to be let outdoors or in public access areas unmanned they certainly need protecting. When selecting protective LCD enclosures you have to look at the locking system, as this is going to be 1 of the main issues in outdoor signage protection, if the locks are accessed by unauthorized people they can seriously damage the advertising solution. The easiest locks to open with very basic items we all have on our person are: compression locks, cam locks and barrel locks, the reason is they all reply on a barrel turning and moving a lever that is behind the door that secures on to the body of the housing. The most secure solution are outdoor LCD enclosures that is locked with high security locks, similar to safe locks that are virtually pick proof!

The second most import security feature is the viewing window, if this becomes damaged the display will be hard to see, so let us look at what is on offer. Most manufacturers of LCD enclosures offer a Lexan window around 1/16” thick, some offer 1/8” thick, yet the problem is Lexan can be damaged real easy, by running a key across the window, this will gouge out channels in the window and will certainly have to be replaced. The next solution is acrylic, similar to Lexan but less secure as this shatters when hit, so if anyone offers this, move on! The last solution that is provided by the best manufacturers of LCD enclosures is toughened glass and this is the best solution on the market, especially when it is offered with an AR coating, (AR stands for Anti Reflective). But not even anti reflective coatings can not reduce reflections 100%, so there will always be a small degree of reflections with outdoor signage. So you now know what to look for when picking outdoor, secure LCD enclosures.


Dynamic Advertising & LCD Enclosure Units

Dynamic advertising is a unique way for any business to market a brand, especially in this day and age of technology. Using a protective LCD enclosure now allows, almost anyone with a flat panel display such as plasma, LED or LCD to install them in outdoor and indoor spaces that have been previously deemed too risky.

Discover who uses a dynamic advertising LCD enclosure.

When someone is asked, if they have seen a flat panel protective housing, the question is usually answered with a questioning look. The reason is, we really do not notice them, for example if you go to a soccer stadium, or football stadium, the displays used to broadcast the game, highlights and future events are all in some form of protective housing, that are called LCD enclosures. The steel housings protect the hardware inside from hooligans and angry fans. So with the 2014 World Cup in Brazil just around the corner, many of these units have been supplied to locations, so that supporting fans can watch their team play and rally them on.

Another place that these protective boxes can be found is in transportation hubs, here the passenger information details are provided. This normally consists of a commercial grade flat panel display and a small computer to run the transit information and the advertisements, all connected up to form a network around the transit center, so that all the displays synchronize at the same time to provide information in real time. With transit locations being an open area most of the day, the hardware is under possible threat of damage every day, so protecting the hardware is one way to ensure the longevity of the display is at its maximum.

Bars and restaurants have also used these units to protect their outdoor digital signage solutions. Especially at the beach or near harbors, as the salt air can harm the displays in weeks, calcifying the internal circuit boards so much the digital signs no longer work. So, the best option is to put the display into a weatherproof LCD enclosure, this makes certain no matter if the weather is snowing, raining or bright sun shine the hardware is protected. But in this high sea salt application, the only solution that will last is a stainless steel digital signage enclosure; these are manufactured from 316 grade stainless steel. That has a much higher quantity of Chromium in its composition to prevent rusting.

Why bother with protecting the hardware?

LCD enclosure

You may ask the question above, but the truth is, if you have invested in a dynamic advertising project you want it to succeed. If any of the components in the system fail, due to the weather or theft, the project is stopped in its tracks and is not making a return on the investment. This is a frightening thought, imagine if you have invested you own hard earned money to develop your brand and the display gets damaged with a hooligan, you have no option but to replace the display, yet, if the display was in a protective LCD enclosure the hardware would be kept safe and away from harm.