Pillar 1 – The Digital Signage Hardware

by | May 19, 2016

This is part of a series of articles that started with The Four Pillars of Digital SignageHardware, Software, Content, and Philosophy. This article will cover more detailed things to think about from the first pillar – hardware.

The Basics

Before we get started it is interesting to know that digital signage is a term that can mean many things. Digital Signage can be a single TV with content playing from an SD card in a deli. It can also mean a large network of 100 digital menus at Fenway Park, all being hosted remotely and controlled locally. It can also be manufacturing displays deployed all over the country with many users and administrators displaying live data from an SQL database.

So, when choosing a digital signage system, people tend to look at the hardware first. This is understandable.  It’s the physical part of the network. It’s important to understand that there is more to the hardware then meets the eye. The correct hardware will help optimize your network  and prime your ability to communicate with your target audience.

The Display

The typical set up for digital signage is an LCD mounted on a wall or from the ceiling with a media player either on the LCD, near the LCD. The media player is connected to the TV via a video cable and the player is connected to a network via a network cable or by WiFi. This is the same if you have a small network of just one networked display or if you have dozens of displays on a large network.

When it comes to displays, we are often asked which is better, Consumer TV or Commercial LCD?  I recommend Commercial LCD. Watch this great video that shows the differences.  Also you will need to determine how many displays you will need.

Mounting Solutions

Do not forget to think about the mounting solution. There are tons of different options out there from indoor to outdoor, secure with lock and vandal protection, and ceiling and wall mounts that can tilt or swivel. This is often overlooked but it is very important to the functionality and look of your network.

Environment

You will need to consider the environment when deciding on the type of equipment. Will it be inside or outside? Sunshine? Wet? How close will your audience be to the screen? The type of content that you need to display is important, too. Also the size and weather proofing options needed  will be determined by the environment. If you are working with a digital signage company, make sure that they know about all these factors.

Media Players

The fourth main part of the physical part of a digital signage network is the player. The player can be that smart TV with the SD card, it can be a PC connected to a TV running digital signage software or it can be a digital signage appliance connected to a network and display. Your content needs and size of deployment will determine which type of player is best for you.

For example, that smart TV will be good for a small deli with a single TV. It’s cheap and easy to work with.  Using a PC is also kind of easy to work with when setting up a network.  Most people are familiar with PCs and there are a lot of digital signage software companies that make software for them.  The issue with PCs in large deployments is maintenance and licensing cost.  The PC appliance is easy to set up and easy to maintain. The player appliance is often optimized to do just one job. In this case, it’s to play digital signage.

Here is a link to more articles on digital signage hardware.

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So that covers the hardware for the network. What about the software? How does the content appear on the display? That will be covered in the next article Pillar 2 – The Digital Signage Software.

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