Article

In digital signage it's 3 strikes you're out with consumer TVs

Display expert says consumer-grade displays feature three key weaknesses that can strike out your digital signage.

November 13, 2014

By Dale Feyereisen, Regional/Channel Sales Manager, Envision Peripherals Inc. for Philips Digital Signage North America

Whether you know it or not, when you buy a consumer TV screen for your retail digital signage, you've got three strikes against you even before you go to bat — and you are out. In most cases, you can actually be out of the ballgame as well, figuratively speaking.

Strike one

Strike one, the biggest strike, comes from the most wicked curveball that can be thrown your way. That strike is the simple fact consumer TVs cannot lock out infrared or IR. Today there are smartphone TV remote control apps that allow any person with this app to enter your retail place of business and, for whatever the reason, devious or otherwise, he or she can bring the signage screen down with just a tap or two on a smartphone.

Let's take quick-service restaurants as a case in point. You and I know there are always several of them in school neighborhoods catering to kids. Kids going to or coming from school like to get a snack and hang out with their pals at those fast food places. You can bet each and every one has the latest smartphone. Well, you know, kids are generally well intentioned, but some are always at the ready to "one up" their peers, a little bit of a showoff, so to speak. With a little bit of a mean streak coming over them or to impress girlfriends, they can easily alter the restaurant's consumer TV screen menu just for kicks. Or they can just bring it down to cause customer confusion. Those kids don't think and they don't mean any harm, honestly.

Strike two

Now, are you ready for strike two? Some consumer TV screens have a USB port that can also be a target for simple mischief or bigger attack problems. Those issues can cost the retail owner big dollars and major customer annoyance.  Take for example, a disgruntled employee: Using that USB port, he or she could easily replace regular content with some damaging content.

Strike three

Strike three and you're out is a combination of fastball/slider pitch. Here, consumer TV manufacturers void their warranties when their products are used in a commercial environment. Plus, a consumer TV screen isn't as bright as a commercial signage display. When it's placed underneath a light source an extremely high glare results, making it difficult to read your digital signage content — say your digital menu board.

So there, you've struck out with consumer TV screens.

Obviously, when making investments like digital signage, cost is a top concern. The thinking might go something like this: The less that's spent, the better from an initial bottom line perspective. However, very little thought is given in some cases to the consequences of taking the wrong approach to achieving the business objectives you expect to attain from digital signage.

Therefore, it's wise to consider commercial-grade digital signage from a total cost of ownership. Sure, you can initially save upwards of a few hundreds of dollars going to a consumer TV screen. But think about all the potential cost outlays inherent in that consumer-grade TV screen. Constant use of that screen can severely minimize its lifetime.

To avoid striking out, there are key benefits of commercial signage display solutions that will help you stay in the ball game, from locking IR controls to three-year warranties covering extended hours of use.

But remember, those key benefits aren't found in consumer TV displays. Once they malfunction, you have to fork over more dollars for a new consumer TV screen; you might not find the same unit that matches the rest of your display set, due to the short life span of consumer TV displays.

But with commercial signage displays you get added bonuses, such as the fact that they're better for the environment with fewer replacement parts, as well as higher brightness, lower power consumption, lower glare, remote controllability, landscape and portrait orientation, and professional appearance.

With all the advantages commercial displays bring to bat, the value of your money is maximized for your business and you are worry free. In addition, you can focus on the important things like generating more business and keeping your customers happy.

(Image courtesy of Cathy T.)

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