Using flat screen TVs out of the home has become a common practice since the rise of the LCD and plasma. These are far easier to mount and use than the old CRT monitors (Cathode Ray Tube) and thanks to the rise of digital signage, LCD displays (and plasmas) are now a ubiquitous sight around shopping malls, concourses, airports and in retail stores.
But indoor locations are not the only places where screens are being installed. Increasingly, more and more outdoor locations are having screens installed, but for what purpose?
Outdoor Digital Signage
There are several reasons why screens are used outdoors and outdoor digital signage has driven much of the demand for outdoor TVs and external LCD enclosure solutions. There are many advantages to using digital signage in an outdoor location, particularly when you consider the potential audience numbers in outdoor locations.
However many people will view an indoor screen, the amount of views the same campaign can receive outdoors is many times greater. Furthermore, there is less digital signage competition outdoors ensuring the advertisements get more notice.
Outdoor digital signage is an effective form of marketing, advertising and branding able to reach similar audience numbers than broadcast media but for a fraction of the price.
In Comparison with static media such as billboards and posters, outdoor digital signage has many advantages. Not only is it flexible, allowing scheduled content and multiple adverts on a single advertising screen, but content can be uploaded remotely saving on the expensive of having new adverts manually pasted up.
Outdoor Information Screens
Another popular use of outdoor screens is to provide information. This can vary from maps and wayfinding, often allowing interactivity by using touch screen displays, to screens placed around bus stops to provide timetable information.
LCD screens are ideal for this because of the real time ability to display information; this means cancellations and important information can be relayed as soon as the information comes in.
As LCD and plasma type screens are flatter than CRTs it means providing this information is a lot easier than before as the screens are not as obtrusive as their CRT predecessors.
Outdoor TVs
Another common use of outdoor screens is exterior TV use. With smoking bans there has been a rise in pubs and bars installing TVs in beer gardens and outdoor areas to allow customers to watch sporting events outside.
And householders are also installing outdoor TVs in their backyards, patios and barbecue areas. The perfect luxury item, by installing outdoor TV families can spend more time outside, enjoying the summers without missing their favourite TV shows.
While many outdoor installations of screens use specific outdoor TVs this is often an expensive method of providing a screen outdoors. A far more cost effective method is to use regular LCD or plasma screens and house them in outdoor LCD enclosures.
LCD enclosures provide all the outdoor protection required for using standard screens outdoors but also provide extremely tough physical protection to deter vandalism and thieves.
By using LCD enclosures, outdoor digital signage, information screens and outdoor TV entertainment can be done on a budget enabling even those on a budget to get involved.
