Outdoor Digital Signage – Choosing the right enclosure

Protection is vital for any enclosure that is to house an outside digital signage system. Ensuring the rain, wind and snow doesn’t penetrate into the screen is vital, as is ensuring the optimum operating temperature inside the enclosure. However, regardless of whether a digital sign is placed indoors or out, it still needs to look the part.

Enclosures for outdoor digital signage can all too often look industrial or boxy, and while the practicality of the enclosure is of paramount importance, digital signage is all about aesthetics.

Whatever you are trying to promote or sell via your digital signage campaign, the reason you are choosing dynamic and eye-catching content is to attract as many people as possible and make them take notice of it. However, if the content is being displayed in a drab, boxy enclosure, the effectiveness of the content will be restricted.

But outdoor digital signage doesn’t have to be drab. There are a wide range of exciting designs and innovations that not only protect LCD and plasma screens in outdoor locations but also look modern and sleek.

The types of digital signage enclosure can really be split into two categories: those that are wall or ceiling mounted and free standing enclosures.

Wall Mounted LCD Enclosure

Free standing digital signage enclosures have to be large to support the screen at eye level and are therefore normally portrait orientation with a sturdy base. They often contain enough space to contain a small PC or media player too.

Free Standing Outdoor Digital Signage

Ceiling or wall mounted LCD  enclosures are often smaller by design as there is no need for a base and are most commonly mounted in landscape orientation. Whether they are floor or ceiling mounted, the LCD enclosure should always, as near as possible, be mounted at eye level to prevent it from getting overlooked.

There is also enough space, usually, for a media playing device and both styles of enclosure contain circulation and filter systems to prevent overheating and protect from humidity.

Whilst ensuring your outdoor digital signage enclosure is attractive, there is always the possibility of overdoing it. Enclosures with emboldened liveries or that are brightly colored may actually cause consumers to be distracted away from the content which should be the primary focus of any digital signage campaign.

Getting the balance right can often be difficult but a good rule of thumb is to buy an attractive enclosure in a plain color such as black which can often help highlight and draw the eye toward the content.