With temperatures already starting to drop and winter just around the corner, ensuring your outdoor digital signage investment is protected from the elements is vital to its continued performance. Walking the streets of Boston during a wintery day, you will see digital signage that is still flawlessly engaging customers despite the freezing temperatures, snow and sleet. It’s absolutely possible provided that you plan ahead keeping Mother Nature in mind while doing so.
Weather Resistance
It used to be that outdoor digital signage required an extra casing to protect from elements—and there are still many cases where protective housing is necessary. However, there are more and more outdoor displays that can stand alone without a casing and be just fine in a snowstorm or freezing temperatures. The cost may be more, but with less maintenance and more convenience, the trade off may well be worth it.
Products such as Peerless AV’s Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays or Samsung’s OHF Series protect against below freezing temperatures as well as hot summer temperatures. And snow, rain and dust are no match for these toughies either as they are built to endure these weather snafus.
Enclosure
Despite the fact that you can buy standalone outdoor digital signage, a protective enclosure may still be something you should consider. In locations where temperatures can drop below the temperature that displays may be rated for or where they are accessible to the public and may be vandalized, enclosures make sense. They provide extra heat when extreme cold threatens and in the case of very windy conditions or vandalism, the enclosure would take most of the beating rather than the more costly display itself.
Software
Effective digital signage means equipment that not only works, but also stays up-to-date on content. Video and graphics that can be easily modified without having to brave the elements yourself is vital in keeping things current and engaging. Not to mention that if your digital signage is mounted up high, you won’t want to be climbing up and down a ladder to update it, no matter what the temperature.
Content management systems (CMS) that are accessible from anywhere offer extreme convenience and ensure that you will be able to update content no matter where or when you decide change it. Many also now offer templates and tools that make it simple for anyone to create dynamic content without needing to be a graphic designer. Add to this list that you can also collect data on user engagement and there’s no doubt that an effective CMS should be incorporated into your planning.
