Digital display signage is one of the most compelling ways to advertise, deliver messages, and show off products. Buyers are frequently at a loss, however, to understand what they should look for in digital signage systems. Here are 5 things you should care about when thinking about buying this kind of sign.

Anti-Reflective Surfaces

Glare off the surface of the sign is bad news. You will want to see your signs subjected to conditions where a lot of glare occurs, such as late afternoon when the sun starts to get low. Even if the signs are going to be indoors and away from windows, it's a good idea to see how much they reflect nearby lights.

Cooling

Modern digital signage is highly computerized. That means there's a lot of electricity flowing through the signs, and electricity will create waste heat. There are two possible ways to dissipate that heat. First, you can set up the sign with an air conditioning system to cool it. Secondly, you can have a passive cooling system like a heat sink to direct the heat away. Active cooling tends to incur additional operation expenses, but it's also more likely to hold up under adverse conditions. Notably, low power computing systems are becoming more common. It's a good idea to ask about digital display signage that operates at a lower wattage because this will reduce the amount of waste heat you'll have to contend with.

Vandalism Protection

Solid build quality helps, but it's also a good idea to select signs that can easily be cleaned. If the signs are going to be placed where people can physically access them, you should also make sure there are anti-tampering measures to keep them out of the system.

Weight

Bigger, tougher, and thicker signs hold up better in many cases, but their weight will always be a factor. This is especially the case if you plan to use a sign in a high location. Fortunately, improvements in materials are allowing companies to create increasingly thinner and tougher signs. Still, you'll have to strike a balance between weight and durability.

Software

Particularly if you plan to regularly reprogram a sign that you will own outright, it will be important to know how to make changes. A good system should provide a secure WI-Fi connection that includes an administrative panel. This will allow you to change which messages are displayed and how they're timed.

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