Digital Signage—Do You Really Need A Commercial Grade Screen?
So, you have finally decided to take down your company’s centrally located cork bulletin board and replace it with a flat screen. Congratulations! But, before you run to Target or Best Buy to purchase that cool TV you saw last week, make sure you consider these key points…
Realistic Usage: Most people do not leave their television on for eight hours straight, five or seven days a week. However, the flat screens you see in waiting rooms, hospital lobbies, retail stores, hotels, airports, etc. are on for a minimum of eight hours a day, if not 24! Commercial flat screens are designed for 24/7 use; consumer flat screens are not. Be sure to check the product you are considering to see if that applies; which brings me to my next point…
Warranties: Commercial-grade screens are built to last, and their warranties support the superior production quality of this type of hardware. Top manufacturers offer better warranty programs for their commercial lines versus their consumer lines (the screens in Target and Best Buy). Generally speaking, consumer products have a standard one-year warranty, and often specify that use over and beyond six hours a day will void the warranty if used in commercial, digital signage applications.
Controls: Most digital signage applications require more controls than a simple TV remote can provide. That’s why commercial-grade monitors are equipped with an RS232 external control/connector, PC, and video loop-through connector capability regarding multiple display configurations from a signal PC or video source, and industrial BNC locking connectors. This enables a business to select/create the content shown, determine how many screen images should be displayed at once, play content in a loop, and more.
Bottom line is to be sure you have an idea of exactly how you plan to use your digital audio/visual system prior to making a purchase. For some businesses, a consumer model may work for basic, limited TV usage. However, companies looking for a long lasting, more robust piece of equipment, may need to investigate a commercial-grade solution.
About Trinity Video Communications
Trinity Video Communications provides state-of-the-art audio/visual and video communications solutions to large corporations, healthcare organizations, and the federal government to transform the way they communicate and collaborate. The company specializes in custom room design and systems integration, as well as unified communications, telemedicine, secure videoconferencing, digital signage, video walls, pro audio, and streaming video.
Trinity Video Communications is headquartered in Louisville, Kentucky, with additional sales and engineering support located across the U.S. For more information, contact a Trinity Video representative at 1-800-261-9008 or visit www.trinityvideo.net.
