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The Big Picture: Your Guide to Signage & Display Solutions [1:00:05]

Behind the times with your display knowledge?

If you're currently servicing or looking to service your clients' conference rooms, classrooms, waiting rooms, or storefronts, join Chris Phillips as he covers the latest in signage and display technologies that matter most to your business. Open your eyes to new and affordable signage and display possibilities for both you and your clients! In this webcast, Chris will...

  • Look inside consumer and commercial displays to explain the specs that don't show up on the box
  • Explain why an expensive laser projector can be the more economical choice
  • Introduce video managed switching while telling you who needs it, how it works, and its scalability to fit each customer's needs

What if my customer wants to use an OLED display for digital signage, would you recommend those and if so which ones?
No, at least not using retail OLEDs. OLED are more similar to plasma display then LED display. This means they both share the same drawbacks as well. OLED can be susceptible to burn-ins and can be easily damaged by water or moisture. They also have a short lifespan, with the blue diode dying out anywhere between 4,000 and 15,000 hours.

I have customers who don't want to invest in digital signage because of the added cost and can't see the ROI in it. How do I sell a signage solution to them?
Selling advertisement space with their signage for one. If your customer sells ad space anywhere in their or your business, digital signage we provide instant ROI as selling advertisement on digital signage should be at a premium, when compared to print or static ads. You can also use a leasing program to make signage affordable with a monthly fee for your customer. We work with Marlin Leasing and we have a quoting tool on our website on our credit resources page.

What are the key technical issues when start having 2x2 or larger matrices of displays, or positioning the display in portrait mode?
This is we have cover in the past, please take a look at our video shorts Digital Signage for Everyone: Building a Complete Signage Solution for me info on video walls.

What do you have to offer for exterior digital signage?
Yes, please email DigitalSignageSpecialist@dandh.com for more info

Can you provide an example of a low cost, non-complicated digital signage option for small companies like chiropractors, small offices, etc? I think you mentioned a commercial display with a Chromecast or Chromebox? That sounds pretty easy. Is that the easiest low cost option?
Yes, please watch our webcast Google: Getting Things Done In SMB and K-12 where Trevor goes over simple signage using a Chromebit.

Does the 10 gig switch need to be a separate segmented local network? Connecting this to the main router won’t provide any benefit, right?
No. Connecting it to the may network will make them easier to manage within your network.

Is the LG SuperSign the only one that does PIP Live TV display and signage on one screen?
No, Viewsonic and NEC as part of their media players.

What is an IPS display and why do they matter?
Terms like TN or IPS refer to the type of panel each display has with TN being the oldest and most common. IPS panels can overcome some of the biggest draw backs of TN panels, like color shifts due to viewing angles and overall poorer color reproduction. As for who should be looking for displays with IPS panels, anyone doing digital signage should look to see if the display that are recommending has a TN or IPS panel. Also, those who are using the display for graphic design where accurate color reproduction is required should be recommending IPS displays. For those looking for a display for gaming, you should stay away from IPS panels as they have a slower response time vs there TN counterparts.

How much does contrast ratio matter?
If contrast ratio specs could be compared 1 to 1 with each other, they would be one of the most important specs however they cannot. There is no standard as to how to measure contrast ratio. In other words, a TV manufacturer could measure the maximum light output of 1 pixel driven at some normally unobtainable maximum, then measure that same pixel with no signal going to it at all, doing all of this in a completely black room. This would give the display a contrast ratio that does not represent with the display is really capable of.

Why are the brightness of displays and projectors measured differently?
Science! Well it more that display and projectors do not emitted light the same way. Most displays have a large backlight whereas projectors have a single lamp. lumens measure the brightness of the lamp whereas cd/m2 measure the brightness put off by an area of the display, not the whole display.

What kind of network equipment do you need to run video over IP?
All the data sheets I've read on this say that a Gig network is needed for video over IP however in practice, we did not find that to be the case. We needed to use a 10G switch to do 1080p video.

What kind of displays do you recommend for a sports bar, restaurant, gym or similar space that has TV playing all day, and not just rotating content or menus?
Still looking at commercial displays because of how long his will be on each day. If the TV signal is coming in by way of a TV tuner, you can get commercial displays with TV tuners. Some models, like LG Supersign will let you have the TV tuner signal as an area on your signage, so you can have live TV mixed with your signage.

Feel free to contact the Solutions Lab team at solutionslab@dandh.com or contact Solutions Lab team members individually at their contact information below:

Bill Hersh
Bill Hersh, Solutions Coordinator

whersh@dandh.com
800.877.1200, Extension 7626

Trevor Schubert
Trevor Schubert, Solutions Specialist

tschubert@dandh.com
800.877.1200, Extension 7976

Chris Phillips
Chris Phillips, Solutions Specialist

cphillips@dandh.com
800.877.1200, Extension 7976

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