The interiors of shopping malls, hotels, stadiums and large offices are getting smarter with LED screens that inform and advertise. The digital signage is competing with conventional print display formats, and could soon overtake the print market.
By Baishakhi Dutta
With marketing campaigns becoming increasingly sophisticated, many companies have been opting for large format printing to make an impact and get their message across. However, with the rapid development of digital media, digital signage or big size LED displays have become the new tool for advertising and marketing. Because digital signages have both high definition screens and acousto-optic effects, they can attract the attention of consumers quickly.
LED indoor displays today find significant application in big buildings like shopping malls, departmental and retail stores, gymnasiums, theatres and so on. They save time and increase operational flexibility, as advertising agencies can offer their clients and consumers real-time information updates and effective programming.
How indoor signages can help you
- These signages make a good impression on your visitors, while also making it easier for employees to simplify business operations at larger facilities.
- They instil a subtle sense of comfort and confidence in your employees, clients or guests when properly designed and located.
- They transform a plain corporate environment into a sophisticated, elegant, fun and welcoming place that staff members, clients and visitors look forward to walk into!
Application areas
Indoor signs are typically used for identification, direction and/or promotion. Indoor LED screens are today being widely used at airports, train stations, offices and hotels for advertising with characteristics of high brightness, large viewing angle, safety, long life span, light weight, fast installation and easy maintenance. Indoor LED displays come in two broad categories—mounted screen and pillared screen.
Advantages of indoor LED displays
- The brightness is greater than 2000mcd/square metre.
- These displays enjoy LED life of up to 100,000 hours (ten years) or more.
- Indoor angle of view can be greater than 160 degrees and outdoor visual angle can be greater than 120 degrees. The size of the view depends on the shape of the LED.
- The screen size can range from less than 1sqm to hundreds of thousands of square metres.
- Indoor LED displays interface easily with computers and offer rich support for software.
Expert view
John Yu, sales engineer, Shenzhen Yuchip Lighting Co. Ltd
India has a big market for LED displays. The country has a large population, and with the economic stability and development in recent years, the market is really growing with customer demand increasing to billions of dollars. Indoor screens are becoming more and more high definition, and are getting lighter and more stable.
LED screens can be used indoors everywhere and anywhere. These can be used to play videos and to run advertisements. They can be used in meeting rooms and in gymnasiums. The final beneficiary of the new technology is the public. Many Indians are visiting China to learn more about the LED display industry, and the future of this industry is bright.
Differences between indoor and outdoor LED displays
- A very important difference between indoor LED displays and outdoor LED displays is the brightness. Indoor LED displays are bright enough to be seen indoors, but are not bright enough to be seen in direct sunlight. Outdoor LED panel signs can be read even under mid-day sunlight.
- Another difference between indoor and outdoor LED displays relates to the screen resolutions. Because outdoor LED screens are normally intended to be viewed from further distances than their indoor counterparts, they can have lower resolutions and yet not compromise on clarity. Indoor LED screens are viewed from a short distance, so these need higher resolutions to maintain optimal picture quality.
- The most obvious difference between indoor and outdoor LED displays relates to their ability to withstand extreme weather conditions. Indoor LED displays do not require additional protection since they are not exposed to the harshness of the weather. However, it is mandatory for outdoor LED displays to have weather protection incorporated in their designs, especially in extreme weather geographies.
Considerations when deploying an indoor LED display
There a few things one must take into consideration when choosing a suitable LED screen for indoor display. Here is what you need to know.
- Size, pixel pitch and viewing distance: The location and viewing distance of the signs affects the size and pixel pitch of the display, and these are its most important specifications. To install an LED display for a viewing distance of 30.48m, you need to consider at least 5.08cm of text height. However, the ideal size for LED displays with video and animation features will be larger. Pixel pitch is another important specification that should be considered, factoring in the viewing distance. Installing an expensive small pitch pixel display for viewing from a long distance can be a waste of money, and choosing a higher pixel pitch to cut costs could ruin the impact your display has on viewers.
- Advertising media: As important as the technical capabilities of an LED display is the actual message displayed – this needs to appeal or resonate with the right viewers. So when installing indoor LED screens, we need to first decide what the contents of the message should be and then how best to display them. By first deciding on what your message ought to be, choosing whether the LED display will have an image or animation will be easier.
- After sales services: It is very important to select a company that offers you long term after sales services. It is equally important that the service covers not only the display hardware, but also involves software training, graphics design as well as media production. So make sure you get all these important services from your LED display provider.
Interesting facts about indoor displays
According to research, over 40 per cent of shoppers would prefer to visit stores with LED displays. Yes, just having an LED display can give your organisation an edge with roughly 42 per cent of visitors. LED displays are both informative and entertaining for your customers. Compared to flat, static conventional displays and advertising, dynamic and engaging LEDs attract more attention and you should install at least one for your business.
LED displays can increase brand awareness by as much as 86 per cent! A UK study found that almost 90 per cent of retailers considered an LED display essential for increasing brand awareness among customers. The message conveyed by LED displays can be updated effortlessly, which enables seamless message customisation. Unlike conventional displays, which customers tend to ‘tune out’ after repeated exposure, LEDs are quickly becoming the face of many businesses.
