Reflective LCD Blog | Sun Vision Display

2025 Recap: How Listening, Integrity, and Innovation Shaped Sun Vision Display

Mon, 29 Dec 2025 21:30:45 GMT

In our quest to always keep looking forward, sometimes it is easy to lose track of just how far we have come. Our story at Sun Vision Display (SVD) is certainly a case in point, as, in the span of just a few years, we have gone from an ambitious vision – to change the way people see the world – to a brand defining the very standard for Color Reflective LCD technology .

But the truth is, none of it has happened in isolation. Every product, every update, and every refinement we have made has been a result of direct conversation with the people who matter the most: our customers.

From the very beginning, we have built not for the masses, but for the mindful ; ranging from those experiencing discomfort and seeking innovative display technology to find relief, to those who care deeply about their eyes, their craft, and their environment. And through this shared dialogue, something rare has occurred: a technology and display company has become a community-driven brand, grounded in trust.

Listening as the foundation

Although SVD had initially introduced RLCD technology for outdoor signage , we immediately began receiving inquiries from people who wanted to know if our technology could be repurposed and used for computer monitors. And while most display companies continue to fixate on bright backlights and the next “ultra-HD” feature, SVD listened to precisely those people who were most disadvantaged by the trends in backlit display technologies.

We worked on the possibilities, and after combining years of research and testing with established industry expertise, innovated a product the world had never seen before. On February 2, 2022, we launched the world’s first Color RLCD Monitor, a breakthrough that revolutionized how color reflective technology could be used . It wasn’t just a product release; it was a statement: we had created a backlight-free, sunlight-visible monitor which prioritized eye comfort above all.

Introducing The World's First C O L O R Reflective LCD Monitor

Our first wave of customers understood immediately. Many shared how this new type of monitor didn’t just make their work easier; it quite literally changed their lives:

Max, Web Designer

Max’s story captured the joy of finally being able to create as a web designer, without having to compromise his well-being.

Carly, Writer

Carly’s experience and written testimonial reminded us that technology can still feel deeply personal… because for her, our RLCD technology truly was life-changing.

Moni, Student

Moni’s testimonial echoed the same gratitude we were hearing from so many early adopters – that SVD’s monitor didn’t just “work;” it removed pain and restored ease and comfort to something as simple as looking at a screen.

Even industry reviewers took notice. In August 2022, Voja from My Deep Guide received his first SVD monitor, and his excitement was contagious. His unboxing video captured the kind of energy that signaled something truly new had arrived.

Listening to the enthusiastic feedback that followed that launch, one theme came through clearly: people loved what we had created, but they wanted even more flexibility. More ports. More intuitive design. Better mounting and control options.

MyDeepGuide Unboxing the RLCD Monitor

In November 2022, we answered with the rE Monitor , our second-generation model. It introduced VESA mounting, an improved stand, multiple HDMI inputs (based on Voja’s feedback), upgraded speakers, and a redesigned OSD interface. In short, it retained features people already loved and introduced new features which improved ease of use. This was not innovation for innovation’s sake. It was innovation in response to you, our audience.

A year of giving and growing

If 2022 was about invention, 2023 was about gratitude.

We knew that none of our progress would have been possible without the early adopters who believed in SVD from the start. So, we made a series of changes that reflected both appreciation and accessibility.

The most visible was permanent price reductions . The original Color RLCD Monitor dropped to $1,599 USD ($150 off MSRP), and the rE Monitor was priced at $1,749 USD ($200 off MSRP). This was a move made possible by scale, demand, and a shared trust between us and our customers.

We also introduced extended warranty options, providing peace of mind for long-term users who wanted to protect their investment ( see announcement ).

For our growing European audience, high shipping costs had become a barrier. We heard that loud and clear. In July 2023, we opened a dedicated UK fulfillment center , which helped in cutting both costs and delivery times for customers across the EU.

And by the end of that same year, we made another major adjustment: reducing prices for the rE Monitor yet again, bringing it to $1,499 USD, which more than doubled customer savings when compared to our earlier price reduction.

After all, reciprocity remained key to SVD’s philosophy. While our audience had originally taken a leap of faith and invested in us, we believed (and still do) in directly returning that investment back to them, too.

Evolution, not replacement

By the time 2024 arrived, SVD’s relationship with its community had matured into something rare: an open feedback loop that directly shaped our research and product roadmap. We didn’t just want to build what was possible; we wanted to build what our customers told us they needed.

That spring, Linus Tech Tips reviewed the rE Monitor , and our innovations in sunlight-readable technology reached over a million new eyes. It was truly a defining moment that sparked fresh curiosity and conversation in the display technology world.

Meanwhile, we were already working on the next big leap behind the scenes, guided entirely by your requests.

Linus Tech Tips reviews SVD's RLCD monitor

In November 2024, we launched the rE 2.0 32” Dawn and 24” Eve monitors: two models that represented the culmination of everything our community had asked for. The new features included:

A fully adjustable frontlight that made our displays usable indoors without sacrificing reflective clarity – a world-first in large-format RLCDs.
A new 24-inch size (Eve) with true 8-bit color , ideal for those sensitive to PWM flicker.
A tougher, 2mm cover lens with an enhanced anti-glare coating for improved clarity and durability.
A more intuitive OSD interface , more port options (HDMI, DisplayPort, USB-C, USB-A), and the return of the beloved kickstand design.

And because some users preferred the original, frontlight-free experience, we kept the rE Monitor in production, lowering its price to $1,199 USD, a massive $750 off its original MSRP.

The result was both a new generation of Color RLCD displays, and proof that when a company evolves with its customers, magic can be created.

Read the full Dawn and Eve announcement here.

Integrity in every decision

In 2025, SVD’s brand principles found themselves squarely in the limelight.

Global tariffs and logistical challenges impacted the launch and shipping of our first batches of the Dawn and Eve monitors. It would have been easy to pass those costs along or quietly adjust our pricing to reflect the burden of the tariffs.

Instead, we did what we have always done: we stayed true to our word and stood by our customers.

We honored all pre-order pricing, even at a loss. We compensated customers for delays with a $100 credit and a three-year extended warranty, clearly signaling that our customers’ trust is worth more to us than any tariff.

We also made sure to communicate every update transparently, keeping our customers informed and involved from start to finish.

After an initial review, we also proceeded to overhaul our entire customer service experience, ensuring faster responses, clearer communication, and a more personal touch for all inquiries.

As our latest monitors reached more hands, we collaborated with Voja at My Deep Guide again, for testing and feedback on the 24” Eve Monitor.

We also anticipate more reviews coming soon for the rE 2.0 Monitors, from Kit Betts-Masters .

MyDeepGuide reviews new Eve Monitor

What we stand for

As we stand on the cusp of wrapping 2025 up, SVD continues to believe that innovation means nothing without integrity . This is reflected in our company’s trajectory, in how we build not to chase trends or undercut competitors… but to solve real problems for real people, with technology that honors human comfort, vision and eye health, and creativity. Every stride we have made since 2022 – every model, every improvement, every price change – has been rooted in this same simple philosophy: listen first, then build.

Because when you trust us with your eyes, your comfort, and your work, you deserve more than just a product. You deserve to be on equal footing with a company that listens, learns, and works to keep delivering consistent improvements.

You asked.

SVD delivered.

And this is (still) just the beginning.

Lighting Guide for RLCD Monitors

Thu, 04 Dec 2025 16:26:52 GMT

RLCD Technology Works Differently - And That's a Good Thing

Reflective LCD (RLCD) monitors are a different breed of screen technology. Unlike most other types of displays, RLCDs do not emit their own light; they reflect ambient light. The brighter your surroundings, the better the screen looks.

This means that RLCDs don’t always thrive in the dim, lamp-lit setups that many of us are used to. They require a different approach to lighting, which can take some experimentation, a bit of patience, and sometimes a few workspace adjustments. But for those who stick with it, the payoff is significant: a screen that is far gentler on the eyes.

This guide will help you optimize your setup for the best possible RLCD viewing experience.

Helpful Tips for Setting Up Your RLCD Workspace

Every user’s space is different, but these tips provide a solid starting point:

Tip 1: Face your monitor toward a bright light source

Aim the light directly onto the front of your screen, not from behind or the side. Good options include:

A sunlit window
A bright lamp
Or a combination of both

Based on our own experiences (as well as the feedback and experiences of our customers), RLCDs perform best with a mix of natural and artificial light. For nighttime or darker environments, adding artificial lighting is usually necessary. While Sun Vision Display doesn’t endorse specific lighting products, we have compiled many customer-shared setups that may help point you in a good direction. Expect to experiment with lamp placement or multiple light sources to find out what works best in your space.

Many customers report that even with added third-party lighting, RLCDs feel much gentler than backlit monitors. This is a very valuable finding, considering that eye discomfort is a common reason our tech is sought out over others. It appears not to just be about light quantity, but about light quality as well!

Examples from our customers:

Tip 2: Aim for 500–700 LUX on the screen

User testing and feedback show that 500–700 LUX provides clear visibility without being overwhelming. Most smartphones can measure this using a free light-meter app.

Voja from My Deep Guide was one of the first to explore this approach in detail; you can see his full overview on his YouTube video here.

Tip 3: Tilt the screen around 30° for optimal reflectivity

Our RLCD panels are designed to reflect light most efficiently at roughly a 30° tilt angle . While using a monitor at this angle may feel unusual compared to a typical upright monitor, it is similar to what we naturally use for laptops, tablets, and books.

Your RLCD includes an adjustable stand and supports VESA mounts, so you can experiment with whatever angle works best for your space.

Important: Always handle the monitor from the back to avoid pressing on and potentially damaging the display.

“Once I angled my desk lamp correctly, the screen came to life. It's like a whole new monitor.”

– Reddit User

Tip 4: Use diffused lighting to reduce glare

If glare becomes an issue, soft, evenly distributed light can make a big difference. Many RLCD users find that adding a diffuser noticeably improves screen clarity and comfort.

Examples of diffused lighting include:

Lamps with shades or frosted bulbs
Light panels with diffusion sheets (like those used in photography)
LED lights with fabric diffusers
Lights bounced off walls or ceilings

Below are a couple of customer-shared setups for inspiration.

Example 1: Photography Lighting

Example 2: Translucent Curtain

See real RLCD setups in action

Sometimes the best inspiration comes from seeing real-world examples. To the right, we've provided links to some of the more comprehensive reviews created by our customers. These include photos, lighting tips, and detailed feedback

For deeper community insights, the Reflective LCD subreddit is full of user-submitted setups, creative lighting solutions, and long-term impressions. Some of the more detailed posts are also listed to the right. These threads are great for shortcutting your own trial-and-error process.

Customer Shared Setups:

Reddit Discussions on RLCD Lighting:

Not Sure if the rE Monitor is Right for You?

Revolutionary as they are, RLCD monitors may not be for everyone. Both the technology and the user experience are fundamentally different from what most people are used to, even those who suffer from eye discomfort. That’s why it’s important to consider the factors that matter most for your needs, vision, and overall health.

For some, a monitor with 1920×1080 resolution that isn’t specifically designed for gaming or professional color work may be a dealbreaker, and we understand that. While we make every effort to keep costs down, RLCD monitors remain a niche and premium product. Technology should serve the user, and if the features and benefits of RLCD technology don’t align with your specific needs, we encourage you to carefully consider your purchase.

What makes the rE Monitor truly revolutionary is that no product like it existed before 2022. Although RLCD concepts have been around for years, there was nothing available to the public that offered large-format, full-color displays with high refresh rates suitable for video and animation — until now. Our monitors are designed for people who are sensitive to, or concerned about the health effects of, emissive displays. For many of these users, RLCD technology can be genuinely life-changing.

Our frontlit monitors - Dawn and Eve

If you know you'll regularly use your monitor in dim or dark environments, or simply prefer a "plug-and-play" lighting solution, consider the rE 2.0 Dawn and Eve models with built-in frontlight.

Unlike a backlight, a frontlight illuminates the screen surface rather than shining through it, which many users find more comfortable. The frontlight on the new rE 2.0 Dawn & Eve monitors is fully adjustable, or can be turned off entirely; you control the light, not the other way around.

Additionally, our frontlights use DC Dimming to adjust brightness, making them flicker-free and easier on the eyes compared to PWM (Pulse Width Modulation). DC Dimming works by directly adjusting the voltage to control brightness, while PWM rapidly turns the frontlight on and off at high frequencies. Some users may experience eye strain from PWM flickering, especially at lower brightness levels, but DC Dimming eliminates this issue for a more comfortable viewing experience.

try before you buy

Not sure if the RLCD technology is right for you? Come try any model of our rE Monitors in person at one of our demo sites in Orlando, Florida; Elgin, IL; and Malvern, UK .

Email customerservice@sunvisiondisplay.com to set up an appointment.

your purchase is protected

If a demo visit isn’t possible, rest assured that your purchase is backed by:

Free shipping (US & UK)
30-day Return Policy (US & UK)
1-Year Standard Warranty (extendable up to 3 years)

FREE SHIPPING (US & UK)

30-DAY RETURN POLICY (US & UK)

EXTEND YOUR WARRANTY UP TO 3 YEARS

Sun Vision Display at FTO Expo 2025 – Las Vegas

Fri, 01 Aug 2025 18:37:32 GMT

Sun Vision Display at the FTO Expo July 15-16, 2025

In mid-July, Sun Vision Display headed to Las Vegas for the Food Truck Owners Expo (FTO Expo), the ONE and ONLY show dedicated to all aspects of mobile food vendors. It was an invaluable opportunity for us to demo our digital menu solutions, exchange expertise, and get inspired by the mobile food community.

Educational Seminar Given by SVD Sales Director

Our Sales Director, Dave Sexauer , gave an educational seminar on " Digital Signage For Your Food Truck: Is It Worth It? ". Watch the entire presentation below!

What is the Food Truck Owners Expo?

The Food Truck Owners (FTO) Expo is dedicated to all aspects of mobile food vendors, with seminars aimed at training owners to run successful businesses plus an exhibition facilitating in-person meetings between suppliers and food truck owners.

🚚 Batch #2 Has Arrived – Dawn/Eve Pre-Orders Now Shipping

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 19:47:47 GMT

Great news – the next batch of our Dawn and Eve RLCD monitors has arrived , and we’re back to fulfilling pre-orders!

If you’ve already placed your $250 refundable deposit , your place in line is secured. We’ll be reaching out shortly to collect the remaining balance and confirm your shipping details.

Last time we wrote, there was some uncertainty around the global economy and the potential impact of tariffs on our pricing. We assured you of our commitment to full transparency and to keeping prices as low as possible – and we’re happy to report that our pricing remains unchanged : The rE 2.0 Dawn remains priced at $1,949 and the rE 2.0 Eve remains priced at $1,699.

What happens next:

✅ You’ll receive an email with your final invoice (your $250 deposit will be applied towards the total)

�� Once payment is received, your monitor will ship . Or, if you’ve changed your mind, we’ll refund the $250 deposit, no questions asked.
�� A tracking number will follow once it’s on the way

Thanks again for your continued support – we’re excited to get these eye-friendly monitors into your hands!

��Still need to place your order?

If you haven’t reserved yours yet, what’s the wait?

Inventory is in stock and ready to ship quickly on a first-come, first-served basi s (while supplies last).

��P.S. Did you know?

The frontlight on the new rE 2.0 Dawn & Eve monitors is fully adjustable or can be turned off completely. You control the light, not the other way around.

For those of you who may want to skip the frontlight option, we still have plenty of inventory of the original rE monitor as well!

Update on Inventory & Pre-Orders

Wed, 21 May 2025 19:33:45 GMT

We’ve been hard at work getting shipments of the rE 2.0 Dawn and Eve out the door, and we’re thrilled to be able to get them into your hands. Thank you for your patience and support along the way!

We’ve officially fulfilled the first phase of our pre-orders and are currently well on our way with the next batch of Dawn and Eve, which is scheduled to arrive in July . If your pre-order is part of the second phase, we will notify you individually and update you when your unit ships out. For those of you who may want to skip the frontlight option, we still have plenty of inventory of the original rE monitor !

In the meantime, we recognize that there is a LOT of uncertainty with the impact of tariffs on consumers, and the global economy in general. Please rest assured that at SVD, we are doing everything possible to ensure stability in our pricing and practices to help mitigate additional costs to you – our supporters who have had our back since Day 1.

Therefore, we’ve changed things up a bit:

First, for pre-order options via our website, you can now reserve your place in line for only $250 USD (fully refundable), which will be applied towards the cost of the monitor. When your monitor becomes available, we’ll confirm the order with you and collect the balance prior to shipping. You have the assurance that your rE 2.0 Monitor is on its way, the flexibility to pay the difference when it’s ready, and if you happen to decide otherwise at the time, not a problem. You’ll get the $250 refund returned and we can still be friends!

Second, while the tariffs appear to be on hold currently, there is no predicting if or when they may return, or to what extent. In light of this, you have SVD’s commitment to full transparency. We will make every effort to keep our prices as low as possible, and if they are to increase (for any reason), we will be sure to keep you posted, prior to making any actual changes. Together, we will continue to support each other.

Needless to say – for us at SVD, our customers continue to remain at the forefront of all we do!

As always, don’t hesitate to reach out to us if you have any questions. We look forward to serving you.

With gratitude,

The SVD Team

Dawn & Eve Monitors Have Arrived!

Fri, 09 May 2025 19:27:09 GMT

We have exciting news to share — the very first batch of Dawn and Eve monitors has arrived at our Elgin office, and several are already headed out the door this week! If you’ve pre-ordered, your monitor is on its way soon. We couldn’t be more thrilled to finally get these into your hands.

It’s been a journey getting to this point, and we want to sincerely thank you for your patience and support along the way. There were a few bumps (and a few customs surprises) on the road, but we made it — and we truly couldn’t have done it without you.

In full transparency, there has been a lot of internal discussion around the implications of a 170% tariff , both for our products and for you, our loyal supporters. While we may need to revisit pricing for future Dawn and Eve orders, we’re not passing those costs on to our current pre-order customers. Your early belief in these new models means a great deal to us, and we’re honoring the price you locked in.

A few additional notes:

We still have plenty of stock of our original rE monitors in both our Elgin and UK offices, and pricing for that model remains unchanged .
While about 90% of our pre-order customers will receive their Dawn and Eve monitors over the next week, a few more recent orders will ship in our next batch, expected to arrive in July. We’ll keep you updated as that shipment gets closer.

Thank you again for being part of this exciting launch. We can’t wait for you to experience the next evolution of RLCD monitors!

With gratitude,

The SVD Team

Reflecting on 2024. Shining bright in 2025.

Fri, 14 Feb 2025 19:06:45 GMT

Reflecting on 2024. Shining bright in 2025.

Happy New Year from all of us at Sun Vision Display! �� This month marks 3 years since we launched the world’s first color RLCD monitor ! We’re so glad we took the risk, and your support has been incredible. Hearing how our monitors improve lives inspires us to keep innovating solutions for your comfort!

As we step into 2025, we’re excited to share highlights from the past year and give you a glimpse of what’s ahead.

Looking Back at 2024

�� April: Linus Tech Tips introduced our RLCD monitors to 1M+ viewers, sparking new conversations about sunlight-readable technology.
�� June: We launched the GO! Digital Menus for food trucks – a game-changer for outdoor dining.
�� November: Our RLCD new monitors, Dawn and Eve , were announced, featuring groundbreaking frontlight technology. ✨ Pre-orders exceeded expectations!
��December: We showcased RLCD technology at the DSE tradeshow , where our outdoor signage and eye-care monitors took the spotlight.

What’s New for 2025?

�� Marking 3 Years:
��Dawn and Eve Shipping Soon: The wait is almost over! �� Limited quantities are expected to start shipping in March. Pre-order yours now lock in your place in line!
�� New Video Just Dropped : Take a closer look at Dawn and Eve, plus get a sneak peek at something exciting coming later this year!

Your FAQs Answered:

Are the new monitors true 8-bit color? Eve (24” frontlit RLCD) is true 8-bit! Dawn is 6-bit + FRC, like our original rE Monitor.
Can the frontlight be turned off? Yep! It’s fully adjustable, so you can set it just how you like.
Will the frontlight help with eye strain? It’s a lot gentler than a backlight since it doesn’t shine straight at you, but everyone’s different. You see it for yourself at one of our demo sites in Elgin, Orlando, or Malvern—or just try it at home with our 30-day return policy .
Can you ship to my country? Probably! We currently ship to the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and most of Europe. If you're outside the U.S. or U.K., email us for a custom shipping quote.
Are smaller monitors coming? We can’t spill the details yet, but stay tuned—exciting things are coming!

Thank You for Your Support!

Thank you for being part of our journey. Here’s to a bright and reflective 2025! ��

If you have any questions about these updates or anything else on our site, please reach out to us via the contact form below, via email at sales@sunvisiondisplay.com , or by calling +1-224-268-3343 .

Warm Wishes,

David Sexauer

Director of Sun Vision Display

4 Ways Your Golf Course Benefits From Digital Signage

Tue, 11 Jul 2023 22:20:12 GMT

When the weather is right and the green has been freshly mowed, there are few activities more purely relaxing than an afternoon round of golf on the weekend. As the owner or manager of a golf course, you know you have an obvious appeal for the product you're selling — but it's always worthwhile to find ways to set yourself apart from the competition.

Using digital monitors for your golf course signs offers you an opportunity to create a unique, technology-enhanced experience. With cutting-edge digital signage from Sun Vision Display, you can simultaneously meet key customer needs and contribute to your business's bottom-line priorities.

Here's the lowdown on why digital monitors are ideally equipped to function as driving range signs and serve other major signage needs:

1. Enrich the customer experience across all 18 holes

Golf unfolds at a leisurely pace for many reasons. But one of the most notable of these is that anyone who takes the sport at all seriously will think carefully about their swing before teeing up and driving the ball. Numerous factors can affect this seemingly simple action (and its reaction), ranging from the angle of the sunlight to the air's humidity.

By using cutting-edge digital monitors as your course's golf tee signs, you can provide plenty of valuable information that any golfer will sorely appreciate. The display can feature course maps and key game metrics, such as the par number and the distance from the tee box to the putting green. You can also include details on environmental factors that might affect golfers' swings: wind speed and direction, temperature, barometric pressure and more. The signs can even show video replays of every swing. And thanks to Sun Vision Display's reflective liquid crystal display (RLCD) technology , rest assured that the monitor will always be visible even when the sun's glare is near-blinding.

2. Manage essential communications

Most golf courses aren't just locations where the sport is played, especially those that are part of much larger country clubs. Courses and their adjoining facilities — the clubhouse, restaurant, pro shop and more — can play host to gatherings for local community groups, autograph signings for visiting pros, business outings, birthday parties and even weddings.

Naturally, you want to keep your clientele in the loop about current and upcoming events, and using digital signage is one of the best ways to do just that. RLCD monitors can show static displays with event schedules or play out like a slideshow. Also, they're an effective way to remind customers of any policies or special circumstances that might affect gameplay. Last but not least, these digital golf course signs can play videos promoting your course's features or show other promotional content (such as videos from any social media outlets you might use).

3. Advertise with dynamic displays

If your golf course is sponsored by local businesses, why settle for traditional, unmoving signage when you can display sponsors' logos and billboard-style advertisements using RLCD digital monitors? For golf course owners who want to attract advertisers but haven't yet, being able to include digital advertising as part of your pitch can be a major selling point.

Using digital golf course sponsor signs, you're all but guaranteed to leave a much more distinct impression on anyone who sees them than if you opted for a banner or sign. With the latter, there's a strong chance that your customers will walk on by the advertisement without a second thought.

In addition to showcasing your sponsors, your digital golf signage can tell visitors everything they need to know about the course's other amenities. For example, monitors can display the restaurant's menu and you can easily adjust it when you have specials. You can also promote your pro shop and highlight the clubs, balls, tees, caddies and other accessories you have in stock.

(Worried about size? Don't be: Sun Vision Display's monitors can be set up as tiled 2x2 or 3x3 configurations to enlarge imagery so it's certain to catch the eye.)

4. Stoke interest in your charitable efforts

Golf courses are great venues for events intended to benefit any and all charities of your choice: Tournaments are usually a good draw, and you can also host dinners, raffles and other events at the restaurant or clubhouse. But you have to ensure your guests can readily find out about these charitable occasions.

Digital signage can help ensure customers know about the organizations being sponsored and dynamically communicate any other essential information: date and time, ticket cost (if applicable), tournament prizes, special menus for charity dinners and more.

Bold digital monitors are also a big help if your venue hosts a well-known annual charity drive with a different sponsor (or sponsors) every year. You don't have to discard old signs and buy new ones, but can simply change out the visuals streaming from your monitor's connected devices. That's a much more efficient (and less costly) solution.

Make your golf course a visual marvel with Sun Vision Display

Transform your golf course signage strategy by implementing Sun Vision Display's RLCD monitors. They are available as either 32" or 43" models — and, as noted, are easy to tile for your bigger display needs.

You need not worry about any surprises the weather might bring to your golf course thanks to the monitors' weatherized enclosures and temperature-resistant surfaces. Also, in places on the course where wiring isn't an option, you can still use our displays with the power of a 12V battery — and if you're concerned about efficiency, Sun Vision Display monitors consume 95% less power than other comparable technologies.

Want to learn more about Sun Vision Display's digital signage? Get in touch with us today.

Make your food truck menu stand out with digital signage

Fri, 23 Jun 2023 23:27:32 GMT

The clear appeal of food trucks can't be overstated, for reasons including easy access to diverse cuisine, aesthetic novelty, and reasonable prices for delicious food. They're major drivers behind a field that comprises more than 36,000 individual U.S. businesses , bringing in about $1.5 billion in annual revenue .

With a 6.4% compound annual growth rate (CAGR) projected through 2030, this unique culinary market is unlikely to slow down anytime soon. Yet that's a bit of a double-edged sword if you're a food truck business owner: It means the field's already-heavy competition will only get more intense.

Your food truck needs to make a strong impression in a crowded market, and visual appeal can go a long way. This could be a bold paint job, a new and compelling logo — or what about your menu? It's somewhere potential customers have to look no matter what to learn about your mobile restaurant's food. So why not make it as dynamic as possible with outdoor digital signage ? Let's dig into why and how using a high-quality monitor as your menu brings tangible advantages to your business and enables you to realize truly visually inventive food truck menu board ideas.

Why digital signage is ideal for a food truck menu

The "analog" menu options usually seen alongside food trucks — paper flyers, chalkboards, whiteboards, pamphlets — are not entirely without visual appeal. Menu gimmicks like illustrations that change daily or tie into trending pop-cultural topics are hardly uncommon and creatively drawn names and descriptions for food items are very prevalent.

But none of these come close to the immediacy and attention-grabbing potential of dynamic moving images on a digital monitor.

On the whole, digital signage has proven successful; about 75% of consumers have been motivated to visit a store strictly because of it. If you’re looking to become (or remain) a successful food truck owner, using a monitor as your digital menu board makes more sense than something like a neon sign.

A digital menu gives you immense creative freedom in terms of how you represent your cuisine. Because you can connect it to any image source with HDMI compatibility, cast to it from another device, or link it to a media player integrated across your marketing channels, your imagery possibilities are endless.

In additio n to serving the main purpose of any menu — drawing attention to your food — your monitor can alert regular patrons and potential new customers of current or upcoming promotions. Finally, if you feel inspired to make sudden menu changes, you can do that in real time from inside the truck and quickly substitute an edited menu.

Taking the plunge into digital menus

Changing any aspect of your business is always a little bit jarring, whether it's your menu or your marketing plan. But it also doesn't have to be difficult.

For example, you may worry that implementing one or more monitors might be unwieldy or time-consuming. But lightweight flatscreen monitors are readily available, and can be secured to any surface of the truck just like conventional signs. (To function as an effective menu, you'll want to place it as close to the truck's service window as possible.) It won't take very long to install these monitors, and then you can get right into making them work for you.

Changing any aspect of your business is always a little bit jarring, whether it's your menu or your marketing plan. But it also doesn't have to be difficult.

Alternatively, you may have concerns regarding the outdoor visibility of the monitors, and it's true that standard LCD screens are susceptible to glare and can become almost impossible to read in direct sunlight. However, Reflective LCD (RLCD) monitors don't share this problem, as they actually utilize the sunlight to illuminate the display, remaining visible (and legible) even on the brightest days.

Last but not least: If you have an existing menu gimmick that longtime customers love, going digital doesn't require you to change it. For instance, if you draw outrageous characters on a whiteboard, you can draw them on paper, scan the art onto your computer and transfer the files to any of your monitor's connected devices. Then they'll be part of your digital menu's image rotation. If you're known for funny menu item descriptions, you can display these on the monitor — in a wide variety of fonts and colors, and at dimensions easier for passersby to read.

The bottom line? Taking the plunge into digital menus is certainly a dive, especially if you've been using conventional menus for a long time — but you'll surface quickly and start seeing benefits soon.

How to make your digital menu stand out

Because your digital menu allows you to display any visual content that your connected devices can create, view or playback, there are few limitations on you. But that doesn't mean you should throw everything at the wall. Instead, develop a cohesive strategy for menu board imagery, keeping in mind fundamental concerns, your existing customers, target audiences and the competition.

Some considerations apply to all existing, new or possible customers. They need to know what you've got to eat, how much it costs and get an idea of the key ingredients, flavors and other important characteristics. (Plus any allergen- or ingredient-related disclaimers.) You can do all that with words — and you certainly shouldn't neglect them; make sure they're legible. But the directness of pictures makes them essential to your digital menu. You can show an accurate representation of any dish, be it birria tacos, shrimp etouffe or a burger, and give potential eaters a sense of the food's tactile dimensions before they buy.

Experiment with more dynamic visuals like animation or video. If your food truck draws self-proclaimed "foodies," videos that depict your cooking style or ingredient sourcing might be of interest. Testimonials from satisfied customers could also go a long way to impress your crowd.

Lastly, you can make your food truck an alternate conduit for your social media marketing with a digital menu. Displaying content from your Instagram, Facebook or YouTube (and prominently underlining your handle) can bring in new followers and increase engagement. A digital menu board can also display QR codes that link to your business website or social profiles, so customer s can learn more while they wait.

Sun Vision Display: Your ideal signage partner

One or more of your competitors may already be using digital menu boards, and if they aren't, it's likely they will be soon.

Partnering with Sun Vision Display is a surefire route to a stunning digital menu. Our food truck signage monitors are lightweight, wide enough to stand out but not too big to overwhelm (available in 32" or 43" models). The energy-efficient RCLD screens and HD resolution ensure your digital menu and other content are always visible in high quality, and can be AC-powered or run on a 12V battery. Last but not least, our monitors stand up to the elements due to their temperature resistance and weatherized enclosures.

Want to learn more about Sun Vision Display's digital signage? Get in touch with us today.

"This Monitor changed my life!"

Tue, 18 Apr 2023 20:26:54 GMT

Carly recounts her journey with Visual Snow Syndrome and how a Reflective LCD Monitor got her back to work.

On May 14, 2021, I woke up to find a hundred floaters scattered across my eyes; a pulsating vortex-like image superimposed on sunny blue skies; negative afterimages from brightly-lit objects that persisted in detail for up to several minutes; and faint static in low-light conditions.

Visual Snow Syndrome: more than just static

I had vaguely remembered my brother’s diagnosis of Visual Snow Syndrome in 2014 after a sudden onset of visual static. He was lucky: at that time, very few doctors knew about VSS. His doctor told him it was just like a migraine and sent him home with a long list of standard dietary restrictions that included processed carbohydrates, sugar, and dairy. As a college kid with a mandatory campus meal plan and a love of pizza, he promptly disregarded it, and slowly learned to forget that the static was there. I forgot, too.

When I dove into research last spring, I realized how much we as a global community have learned since then, and how far we have to go.

Visual Snow Syndrome is a neurological condition that results in abnormal processing of visual information. VSS normally manifests as static across the field of vision: seeing the entire world, 24 hours a day, through a buzzing haze like a cathode-ray TV between channels. Some sufferers are plagued with small floating objects, flashes of light, trailing images, persistent negative afterimages, or halos around light sources.

Non-visual symptoms include depersonalization (the sense of detachment from oneself); tinnitus; muscular pain and headaches; and anxiety and depression that result from the impediments to a fluid visual connection with the world around us. [1]

VSS is rooted in neural processing, not the eyes themselves. My barrage of retinal scans and optic nerve tests at Johns Hopkins’ Wilmer Eye Institute showed perfect results. The ophthalmologists there never mentioned VSS when I described my symptoms, and I was far from alone.

As the Visual Snow Initiative writes:

"Historically, Visual Snow Syndrome has been one of the most difficult conditions to diagnose. As of 5 years ago, based on the thousands of individuals who had Visual Snow Syndrome around the world and the scientific data collected by VSS researchers, it is estimated that Visual Snow Syndrome was misdiagnosed 85% of the time. And this only included cases that were recorded by physicians and researchers at academic institutions or through the [Visual Snow Initiative] database. Thankfully, as of today, that number has declined to roughly 56%.

…Of those 85%, half of patients were given a diagnosis of having nothing wrong with them or no diagnosis. The other half were misdiagnosed with another medical condition…" [2]

The search for solutions

Dr. Yasser Khan, an eye surgeon and professor in Toronto, says that some doctors address VSS with anticonvulsant and antihypertensive drugs. [6] I didn’t want to go that route; I turned my attention to what I could do here and now to continue my work and my life happily.

I thought back to my brother’s diet list. With a passion for natural medicine and healthy food, I had already previously reached my limit with cutting out inflammatory foods like refined sugar. Nutrition and stress reduction are foundational and transformative approaches to most health imbalances. But at that time, between a breakup, two moves across three states, and a marathon of 15-hour workdays all happening within that month, stress reduction was a lost cause. I did what I could to improve my posture, suspecting a link between my known cervical spine misalignment and pressure on tissues inside my head. [7] But it was difficult to fine-tune my workspace ergonomics in my transient housing situation. So I began a search for technological solutions for computer use.

Although my trouble with backlit screens was aggravated by the acute onset of VSS, it was not new. For years, I worked with databases, conducted online research, and did writing and basic graphic design on a 13” computer screen with the brightness on the minimum setting. I knew I could work more effectively and happily with a second monitor, but I had yet to find an external monitor whose brightness settings were low enough for me.

Then, on one last late-night burst of Googling, I came across something I had never seen before. A brilliant, thin, reflective screen used for outdoor signage, illuminated only by the sun. I was enchanted by the photos and videos of the screen. I immediately thought of hacking it to work with an HDMI cable, and sent a message to Sun Vision Display asking if that could work.

Sun Vision Display: a magical connection

Apparently I wasn’t the only backlight-allergic aspiring tinkerer in the world. Sun Vision Display had received several such inquiries, listened deeply to peoples’ needs, and innovated a product that the world had never seen. That November, SVD team member Caleb reached out to me asking if I was interested in trying out the world’s first-ever Reflective LCD monitor. I was over the moon. Within a month after our first phone call, the monitor arrived on my doorstep.

I’ll never forget the day I unboxed the monitor and turned it on. I had a video of an Indonesian rainforest, where I used to live, up on my computer. The 32-inch monitor glowed softly and radiantly, filling the room with the rich green hues of tropical leaves that kept pace with the subtly-changing sunlight streaming in through the windows of my house - just as the sunbeams had danced across the rainforest canopy in my former home. I was captivated.

The lighting reflected off the monitor just as it did every other object, adjusting with ambient lighting changes. I blinked normally while using it. I looked at it, looked away, looked back. My eyes were relaxed, and I didn’t experience tension headaches. I felt a sense of flow, ease, and creativity in my work. I didn’t stumble away bleary-eyed and burnt-out after unintended marathons of intense work as I was used to. With my Macbook and iPhone, the backlighting draws me in like a moth to a flame, dissociating me from my surroundings. This monitor, by contrast, felt like another part of my physical world.

And if that weren’t enough, it enabled me to work in my favorite office setting: outdoors on the deck. Not only does the monitor thrive in the sunlight of an outdoor work setting, unlike my laptop screen; it consumes such little power that it can run all day on a battery the size of a smartphone. As someone who is actively planning a transition to an off-grid home within the next few years, this monitor will enable me to continue my online work in the forest. And as someone who has worked in the sustainability and appropriate technology field my entire life, I love the product design: a robust, durable, beautiful metal housing; ultra-low power consumption; and a long lifespan, as backlight burnout is a main cause of external monitors becoming unusable.

But for me, that’s all just a bonus. Right now, I am simply grateful every day I use the monitor. As I continue to follow the rapidly-growing body of research on Visual Snow Syndrome and hope for a medical breakthrough for my eyes, I’m able to carry out my computer-based work happily and without headaches.

If you or anyone you know suffers from Visual Snow Syndrome, visual disturbances, or digital eye strain, I highly encourage you to learn more about this technology. Check out video testimonials from me and others, including a detailed review by MyDeepGuide, on the SVD website .

The RLCD monitor might just change your life, as it has mine.

Resources:

Visual Snow Initiative: https://www.visualsnowinitiative.org/
Eye on Vision Foundation https://www.eyeonvision.org/
Various support groups and forums on Facebook, Reddit, and Discord
What my world looks like now: a vortex in the sky , floaters , and low-light visual snow .

References:

[1] [2] [3] Visual Snow Initiative, Learn About Visual Snow Syndrome
[4] Caring Medical, Visual snow syndrome and neck instability
[5] Toronto Star, Visual Snow: seeing the world as if it is a static-filled, analog TV
[6] Dr M. Amir, Treatment approaches for visual snow ; Caring Medical, Visual snow syndrome and neck instability

3 Reasons Your Food Truck Needs an RLCD Digital Menu

Wed, 01 Mar 2023 22:14:55 GMT

To stay competitive, food trucks must have an effective marketing strategy.

Although food trucks have been around for decades, it wasn’t until 2008 that their popularity began to skyrocket. For many restaurant owners and independent chefs, starting a food truck business is very appealing. It's a more accessible way to bring their recipes to the public without all the overhead costs of a brick-and-mortar location. Today, food trucks have taken the culinary world by storm and are amongst some of the most popular food options. This is great news for food truck lovers, but it also means greater competition for food truck owners. To outshine the competition, food truck owners must be more strategic about their menu options and how they market themselves to their customers.

With more restricted storage space and output ability, food trucks can easily run out of certain supplies and need to communicate sold out menu options on-the-fly. Food truck owners may also want to cater their menu items to the locations/events they're serving. To keep up with all of these menu changes, many food truck owners are turning to a digital menu solution. However, the transition to digital isn’t as simple as you might think.

Selecting a digital menu board isn't as easy as it seems.

A whole new world of considerations opens up when food truck owners switch to a digital menu board:

Deciding which screen to purchase

Protection from weather and impact

Mounting and power options

Sunlight readability

That last bullet point is one of the biggest considerations of all, yet often gets overlooked.

After doing the work to research these options, it becomes very clear that not all digital signs are alike. There’s a good chance that whatever they're using was not designed for their specific application.

Many food truck owners who’ve gone digital find themselves feeling dissatisfied in the end. They wonder why their menu is so hard for customers to see. It just doesn’t look as bright and as vivid as it did in the department store or online retailer. They wonder if they’re doing something wrong. Some will even go so far as to buy a brand new unit, thinking the first unit they bought was defective - yet, they run into the same issue.

There actually are digital menu board options specifically designed for food trucks. And the technology is getting better at addressing the sunlight readability issue. Sun Vision Display's (SVD) Outdoor Digital Signage featuring Color Reflective LCD (RLCD) technology is a perfect example!

In this article, we’ll cover three reasons why RLCD technology is ideal for food truck digital menu boards .

1. RLCD technology matches the sun's brilliance.

Most brand name LCDs clash with sunlight, resulting in poor visibility. Glare makes it difficult, if not impossible, for people to read.

Poor sunlight visibility causes major problems for food trucks:

A customer who can’t get excited for your food
An owner who can’t advertise their business
And LOTS of money wasted trying to make something do what it can't

Just look at how this TV converted to a digital menu board appears with a glare of the sun in the sky behind it. For grins, take an even closer look at their display in the second picture. You can see it's actually powered on, but you would never know because of how washed out it is. This particular food truck business tried to remedy this problem with a canopy, but it wasn't very effective.

Unfortunately, this is an all-to-common occurrence and is likely to be the biggest problem faced when attempting to upgrade to digital. Harsh glare has always been difficult for digital technology, but it is even more so for food truck owners when it interferes with their digital menu boards.

Sun Vision Display's 32" RLCD vs. a 32" TV in full sunlight

Since you food truck business is outdoors, it's important to invest in a digital signage solution that’s designed for the outdoors, too!

Sun Vision Display's Outdoor Digital Signage, featuring RLCD technology, provides some of the best sunlight readability on the market. The difference is obvious in this quick video. In case you're curious why RLCD technology works so well in the sunlight, you can read more about it on our RLCD technology page .

For added visibility in dark or dim settings, such as in the evening, SVD's 32-inch and 43-inch RLCD signage can be equipped with additional front lighting.

RLCD screens can help you take the mental work out of constantly contemplating the position and location where your digital menu will be most visible.

2. RLCD technology is energy efficient.

As you well know, running a food truck can be a non-stop job, especially during peak meal times. The last thing you want to worry about is running out of power during operations.

Yet, as a mobile enterprise, a direct power source is almost never available. Which is why most food trucks rely on a generator to power their equipment. While a generator does the job for low-power devices, it can't handle much more.

Most outdoor digital signage relies on an ultra-bright backlight to combat the sun. It takes a lot of energy to power those backlights, so you'll need to carefully consider this before adding one to your food truck. If your power supply is limited, as it is for many food trucks, it may not be sufficient to power a high-bright display.

This isn’t a rally to “go-green” (although it could be) - it's just another illustration of the real problems food truck operators encounter when they choose to go digital.

The good news is that Sun Vision Display's RLCD digital signs use up to 95% less power than their high-brightness competitors, naturally!

Even more, they run on 12V DC, which allows them to run directly off a vehicle's power system, if needed. Alternatively, they can be powered by batteries or solar energy, so there's no need to tax your generator.

Best of all, these same features that make them low-power also make them longer-lasting. By the time you see other owners replacing their overheated, burnt-out screens, you’ll still be using yours for years to come!

In short, our RCLD screens create a unique low-power solution that cuts down on energy and doesn’t put your entire food truck operation at risk.

3. RLCD digital signs are lightweight and highly portable.

One of the best parts of operating a food truck is the ability to get up and go – wherever and whenever you want. However, if you are using LED displays, it could put a short leash on your operation. Most digital signage systems are heavy and hard to move around – especially if there are only one or two people in your operation.

Since they're not jam-packed with heavy wiring and internal thermal control mechanisms, our RLCD digital signs are far more portable than the myriad other options out there. In fact, they can often be easily handled by one person alone.

You can store them inside the truck during off hours and secure them to the side of the truck when you’re busy. Does it sound too good to be true? It’s not.

Need more? Here’s how SVD makes RLCD technology even better.

If you need more convincing, here are two other reasons why Sun Vision Display's RLCD digital signs are so ideal for food trucks:

Our weatherized enclosures provide excellent weather, shock, and impact resistance so you can stop worrying about the risks of extreme weather, vandalism, and everyday bumps and bangs.
RLCD signs can be designed to work easily with whatever data transfer setup you have. You can cast your screen from another device, run it directly through HDMI, or connect to a media player that seamlessly integrates across all your social media platforms.

However you go about it, our RLCD screens will ultimately allow you to better connect with your audience and build a more loyal customer base.

Give us a call to talk through your options!

Running a food truck may not be easy, but with the right technology and set up, you can make your life (and your business flow) run much smoother. Could our RLCD options be what you've been looking for? Check out our reflective color LCD technology signs today. That is, if you’re interested in smoother operations, increased energy independence in remote locations, ongoing readability (not hindered by the sun), less power draw on your poor generator, and better long-term durability. There aren’t too many other no-brainers like it.

If you run a food truck business, we would love the chance to talk to you and answer any questions you may have about our unique solutions. To reach one of our professionals, fill out the contact form below, shoot us an email at sales@sunvisiondisplay.com , or call +1-224-268-3343 . Our team would love to answer any questions you may have in your journey towards a digital future.

Exciting News for 2023

Fri, 30 Dec 2022 20:41:16 GMT

Reflecting on 2022. Looking forward to 2023.

On behalf of the entire team at Sun Vision Display, I would like to warmly wish you and your families a very safe and happy New Year!

While we look forward to 2023 with a lot of hope and excitement, our team also took some time to reflect on this past year and appreciate all that we are grateful for, including personally meeting many of you, launching two indoor monitor products , and even collaborating with Voja at My Deep Guide ! We were touched to hear from so many whose lives were improved by our monitors. We didn’t anticipate how much our team would be positively affected by you, and for that we say, "Thank you"!

We have been very pleased with the current success of our RLCD products, and we look forward to new opportunities to grow together and provide this amazing technology to more people who truly need a better solution. Inspired by all of you, our leadership team has committed to paying it forward and generously investing even more in the SVD brand than we anticipated. Therefore, I am pleased to announce today that SVD will be kicking off 2023 with several new initiatives:

All RLCD Monitors Now on Sale!

We are now able to offer our RLCD monitors at reduced prices: The NEW rE Monitor is now on sale for $1,749 ($200 off MSRP) and our Original RLCD Monitor is now on sale for $1,599 ($150 off MSRP). If you have been thinking about getting one, we encourage you to buy now while the deal lasts!

The NEW rE Monitor

our RLCD technology, now with more connectivity

Now $1,749

($200 off MSRP)

The Original RLCD Monitor

our RLCD technology, now with more connectivity

Now $1,599

($150 off MSRP)

Extended Warranties Now Available!

Additionally, you can now extend our 1-Year Standard Manufacturer's Warranty up to 3 years, even if you purchased your monitor up to 1 year ago.

STANDARD 1-YEAR

FREE

Warranties your RLCD monitor from manufacturer defects or damage for 1 year from the date of purchase.

Learn More

INCLUDED

EXTENDED 2-YEAR

$175 USD

Get an extra year of SVD's Manufacturer's Warranty for a total of two years from the date of purchase.

Learn More

Best Value!

EXTENDED 3-YEAR

$275 USD

Get an extra 2 years of SVD's Manufacturer's Warranty for a total of two years from the date of purchase.

Learn More

International Fulfillment Center Coming Soon!

To our international supporters, I want to acknowledge that there have been some issues with fulfillment to your respective countries and let you know I appreciate your patience and understanding. To help improve this, starting in early 2023, SVD will open a fulfillment center in the UK. This facility will greatly increase our capacity to deliver our monitor products to many, if not all of you!

Thank You for Your Support!

Thank you all for your enthusiasm, support, comments, and overall interest in the work we are doing within the Reflective LCD community. I extend my personal gratitude and appreciation of your efforts. I am very much looking forward to what this next year will bring!

Warm Wishes,

David Sexauer

Director of Sun Vision Display

What makes reflective displays more eye-friendly?

Wed, 17 Aug 2022 18:36:10 GMT

A common question that comes up in reflective display forums is: "Why are reflective displays easier on our eyes than backlit displays?"

It's an important question. As we've written about previously , our main inspiration for creating a backlight-free computer monitor was the stories we received from users struggling with health issues that were aggravated by backlit monitors. The more we heard about their issues — including eyestrain, migraines, and blurred vision — the more we felt driven to use our outdoor signage tech to create a solution.

So, what makes a backlight-free, reflective monitor more eye-friendly? We don't claim to be experts on the subject, and we're certainly not medical professionals, but we think the eye safety standards from the display industry can lead us to some reasonable conclusions.

To start, let's look at the relatively new category of eye-friendly backlit monitors, and the features they're touting to improve eye health.

4 common eye-care monitor standards for light-emitting displays:

If you've been on the market for a computer monitor recently you may have noticed a new category of display cropping up. Often branded as some combination of Eye/Vision + Care, these are backlit monitors aimed towards users suffering from eye health issues. Some of the major brands—Dell, Samsung, HP, Asus, Acer—now carry at least one such monitor.

So, what makes these monitors "eye safe", at least according to the big manufacturers?

1. Low blue light

The first feature you'll likely find advertised in eye care monitors is lower blue light emissions. Acer, for instance, explains how their VisionCare displays "emit at least 30% less high-energy blue light compared to the industry-standard LCDs...Research suggests this range of high-energy blue light has the greatest potential to cause damage to the eye."

International safety and product testing organizations agree that blue light can be a cause for concern when it comes to eye health. EyeSafe , a North American company, offers the EyeSafe Display Standard—" the most comprehensive set of requirements in low blue light management for the display industry "—based on leading research into the health effects of blue light exposure. That standard is now tested and certified by TÜV Rheinland, an international independent testing company. TÜV Rheinland is an important name in the eye-care monitor market, as they also maintain their own Eye Comfort Certification , a certification you'll find advertised on most product pages for eye-friendly monitors. That certification also lists "low blue light" as one of three criteria for eye comfort.

2. Flicker-free

Next in the list of eye-friendly features is one that hasn't received nearly as much attention as blue light: flicker-free dimming.

In a conventional backlit monitor, the brightness is at least partially controlled by flickering the backlight (a technique called Pulse Width Modulation , or PWM). As an oversimplified example, to create a brightness level of 50%, a conventional monitor can cycle the backlight on and off in equal intervals. If it happens quickly enough (i.e. 200 times per second), we can't perceive the flashing; the image looks stable albeit half as bright.

Unfortunately, this imperceptible flickering seems to cause health issues in sensitive individuals . According to ASUS , these issues can include "eye fatigue, irritation and strains." As a result, most eye care monitors dim the screen without relying on PWM. TÜV Rheinland's Eye Comfort Certification requires compliant monitors to exhibit a "flicker free quality" as well.

3. Ambient light matching

If you've bought a smartphone or tablet in the last decade you're likely familiar with a feature called Auto Brightness (and True Tone) on iOS, or Adaptive Brightness on Android. These features use an ambient light sensor (usually near the front-facing camera) to detect illumination levels in your environment, then adjust the screen's brightness (and color temperature, at least with True Tone) to best match it.

This is important for eye comfort, as our eyes adapt to the overall illumination levels of our environment and not just the screen we may be working on. If something we're looking at is excessively bright or dim compared to its surroundings, eye strain can result. (This is the same reason glare on computer monitors is problematic; the stark difference in brightness between it and other objects in our field of view causes discomfort.) This is especially relevant in windowed offices, as natural light levels vary greatly throughout the day; a monitor without auto-brightness can quickly become uncomfortably bright after the sun sets.

Despite their ubiquity in portable electronics, though, these features aren't yet standard on desktop monitors. Fortunately, eye care monitors are helping to change that. BenQ, the " first monitor manufacturer to prioritize eye health ", explains their approach to ambient light matching—which they call Brightness Intelligence Plus :

"The [Brightness Intelligence+] sensor detects screen content and environmental lighting, then adapts the display image accordingly. Headaches, eye strain, and fatigue become a thing of the past."

Samsung and Acer offer similar features in some of their products.

4. Low dimming

Ideally, in low-lit environments, monitors would be able to dim to very low brightness levels to prevent eye strain. Unfortunately, many sufferers of screen-related eye issues find even the lowest brightness settings on most monitors too high for comfort. The users on LEDStrain , for example, a forum dedicated "to help with the impact light-emitting devices have on our health - particularly eye health", list "Minimal brightness is too high" as one of 5 common problems in monitors .

Some manufacturers have taken notice. Acer, in particular, advertises "Low-dimming Technology" on its VisionCare page , a feature which promises "up to 15% darker brightness levels, all adjustable through the on-screen display to best fit your ambient environment".

Are reflective LCD monitors more eye-friendly than light-emitting monitors?

These features are no doubt welcome improvements to the eye safeness of our devices. But if we look closer, we'll notice they all target the same part of the display: the backlight. Whether it's emitting too much blue light, flickering, not matching ambient illumination, or not dimming enough, these features all implicate the backlight as a major culprit in screen-related eye complaints. So what about reflective displays - like SVD's RLCD monitors - that don't use a backlight? Wouldn't they sidestep most causes of vision complaints reported by the conventional display industry?

If we judge reflective displays by the same eye comfort criteria established by conventional monitor manufacturers, we'll notice some inherent advantages:

Reflective displays don't emit any blue light
Reflective displays don't introduce backlight-related flickering
Reflective displays perfectly—not approximately—match ambient illumination (brightness and color temperature)
And all of the above occurs even in the brightest or dimmest environments

In theory, then, reflective displays are as neutral for our eyes as paper, or just about everything else we look at (most of which is also reflective). In practice, of course, they aren't a cure-all. Glare and other harsh reflections, for instance, can still cause discomfort. Small font sizes, low resolution, and suboptimal monitor placement can as well. Current reflective technology also has room for improvement; it's still a ways off from the vividness and clarity of a high-quality print or magazine, for example. Yet despite all this, many early adopters of reflective monitors are already finding them to be a relieving alternative to backlit screens. The E Ink subreddit is full of such reviews for reflective E Ink-powered monitors, and our RLCD computer monitor has received similar reports:

"I have a very high sensitivity to backlit monitors, and it's created many challenges at work. As soon as I saw the [SVD] monitor in real life, I wondered how I had ever been able to work without it."

—Carly, writer

"It's extremely natural and comfortable to use over prolonged periods of time, and especially if you compare it to traditional displays, the difference is immediate and it is huge."

—Voja, MyDeepGuide video review

"[Reflective LCD technology] definitely helps me. It keeps my eyes relaxed while working vs an LCD."

—Reddit user occuparency in a comment on a video comparing SVD's monitor to other reflective LCDs

Of course, eye comfort isn't the only factor to consider when purchasing a computer monitor. But if you'd like to learn more about our reflective LCD display and how it compares to other reflective and non-reflective displays on the market, you can find more information on our product page .

If you'd like to hear more personal stories from users of our RLCD Monitors, we encourage you to visit our Reflective LCD subreddit and read one user's comprehensive review of our First RLCD Monitor at www.stopeyestrain.com . Please note that the views and opinions expressed in the subreddits and at www.stopeyestrain.com are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views or positions of Sun Vision Display.

Disclaimer: This article is intended for educational purposes only, and not intended to diagnose, treat, or cure any health condition.

Computer Vision Syndrome: What is it and what can you do about it?

Fri, 10 Jun 2022 19:48:41 GMT

Over the course of the pandemic the amount of time people spend in front of digital screens has grown exponentially. The average adult now spends between 6-10 hours per day on some type of digital display, and electronic device usage nearly doubled for children during the pandemic . According to a 2021 Census conducted by Common Sense Media, screen time for teens and tweens grew 4 times faster between 2019-2021 than previous four years (2015-2019).

While electronic devices have improved our lives in numerous ways, spending hours behind them can put a lot of strain on your eyes. In fact, many medical professionals are concerned about its effects on our long-term health.

Here, we’ll explore the symptoms and causes of Computer Vision Syndrome, and share some ways you can find relief.

What is Computer Vision Syndrome?

Computer Vision Syndrome (CVS), also known as digital eye strain, describes a group of visual and non-visual symptoms which can be linked to use of computers and other devices with digital displays . It can affect anyone, including children, and can significantly reduce a person's quality of life, career, and/or education.

CVS symptoms can range from mild to severe, including:

Blurry vision
Eye strain
Eye discomfort/irritation
Double vision
Dry, red eyes
Headaches and migraines
Neck or back pain

Unfortunately, many people mistake CVS symptoms for other conditions and don’t seek treatment. It’s been estimated that as many as 70% of computer users suffer from this condition globally. If you find yourself suffering from CVS symptoms, you’re not alone.

What Causes Computer Vision Syndrome?

CVS develops from cumulative, prolonged use of computer monitors, laptops, tablets, smart phones, TVs, and other digital displays we encounter in our daily lives. Most of the devices we use have screens that emit harsh blue light , which is one of the leading causes of eye strain.

CVS can also be caused by poor habits surrounding screen use. For example, many people unknowingly blink less often when using screens. This can lead to eye dryness and irritation. Also, poor posture and non-ergonomic viewing angles can put a strain on your neck and back, causing headaches and muscle pain.

Ways to Relieve or Prevent Computer Vision Syndrome

Luckily, there are several ways you can reduce the impact of Computer Vision Syndrome.

One of the key benefits of RLCDs is that they don't have a backlight - the eye-irritating, glowing component found in other LCDs. By harnessing the sunlight/ambient light in your environment, RLCDs don't produce any artificial blue light of their own and naturally adjust their brightness to your environment. In fact, many users report a decrease in eye strain after they’ve switched to this technology.

Would you like to work outside or nearby a bright window? If so, Reflective LCDs provide superior sunlight/bright light readability, making them an excellent solution for your bright office and even your patio! RLCDs are also highly portable. Without a backlight, they consume up to 95% less power than other display technologies and can provide long-lasting battery operation for days, weeks, months and even years!

Types of Reflective LCD Technologies

Not all reflective LCD technologies are the same, so it's important to do your research before you invest.

E Ink

A majority of the RLCD products on the market today uses E Ink technolog y, also known as "paper like" because it looks and acts similar to paper - it's pretty amazing!

E ink displays are used in many consumer applications: E-readers , smart watches, tablets , mobile phones , computer monitors , and more. The technology is low-power, eye-friendly, sunlight readable, and can display images in high resolution.

There are a couple of drawbacks to note. First, E ink displays typically only display images in black and white. However, their new Kaleido® Paper can display up to 4096 colors (still much less than the 16.7 million colors of other display technologies).

The second drawback for some is that E ink displays have a slow refresh rate. This makes them frustrating to use with video and animated content, due to a “ghosting” effect.

Other Paper-Like RLCD Technologies

Other paper-like display technologies have been developed, which are very similar in functionality to E ink displays, yet have their own set of benefits and limitations. These are:

Sharp Memory-in-Pixel (MIP) displays
Zenithal Bi-stable Displays (ZBDs) by New Vision Display

These technologies are cropping up in more and more applications, however E ink still dominates the market.

Sun Vision Display

One of the latest developments in eye-friendly consumer products is the Sun Vision Display 32" RLCD Computer Monitor . The SVD monitor shares many of the benefits of the above-mentioned RLCD technologies, plus a few extras:

Shared Features:

Ultra-low power consumption
No backlight (i.e. no extra blue light)
Excellent sunlight readability

Features Unique to the SVD Monitor:

Full-color (16.7 million addressable colors)
Full-HD resolution (1920x1080) - not as good as E ink displays
60Hz refresh rate for smooth viewing of most video and animated graphics

For people whose health limits them from using backlit electronics, the full color, blue-light-free SVD Monitor is a breath of fresh air. For some , the SVD monitor has been the key to getting back to work! Currently, the technology is available in a 32” monitor size , with other options in development.

This article was intended to offer you some insight into Computer Vision Syndrome and what you can do about it. The more you know, the more you can take back control of your health.

Since we're not medical professionals, we highly advise you to speak with your doctor if you suspect you have CVS, or are experiencing any other concerning symptoms. Only your doctor can give you an official diagnosis.

Universal VESA Mount Adapter Comparison for Sun Vision Display 32” RLCD Computer Monitor

Tue, 19 Apr 2022 16:06:00 GMT

We’ve heard from many customers and potential customers that the Sun Vision Display 32” RLCD Computer Monitor would greatly benefit from having a built-in VESA mount. We agree! It’s one of our greatest regrets with the first version of our monitor and we’re working to design it into our next version (aimed for release in 2023).

In the meantime, we did an experiment: We purchased three different VESA Mount Adapters off Amazon and trialed them out with our new monitor. This article will detail our experience with each one and make a recommendation for what we think is best. Hopefully, this will help many of you adapt our monitor to fit your needs!

IMPORTANT: Each VESA mount adapter brand strongly warns against over tightening the adapter brackets to your monitor. Some users have done this and have literally broken their LCD panel! So, please be gentle when trying any of these VESA mounts.

General Specs:

1. VIVO Universal Adapter VESA Mount Kit

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B083XH56DX/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What We Liked:

Includes a VESA bracket
Supports both 75x75mm and 100x100mm VESA brackets
All components feel sturdy and durable.
Fits perfectly with the VIVO desktop stand we purchased.
Components that touch the monitor are padded, decreasing the chance of scratching or scuffing the monitor.
Backed with a 3 Year Manufacturer Warranty
Excellent customer service available by phone, email, and live chat.
Though our kit was missing a set of screws, we had an excellent experience with VIVO’s customer service department. We were able to get a real person on the phone without any wait time. She was very professional and quickly resolved our issue without any questions. They shipped us an entire new set of all the screws, washers, etc. the same day we placed the call. Since their warehouse is in Illinois, it only took 2 days for the parts to be delivered. It’s so great to find a company that stands behind their product.

What We Didn't Like:

The instruction manual was a bit confusing. Some users may find it challenging to follow. VIVO does provide an installation video within the Amazon listing to help.
Our kit was missing the “M” screws, so we had to wait a couple of days for them to ship us new parts.

2. ErGear Universal VESA Mount Adapter

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08SJ823VJ/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o06_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What We Liked:

Quick set-up with easy-to-follow instruction manual.
Instruction manual comes in 5 languages (English, German, French, Spanish, Italian, Chinese).
Metal components feel sturdy.
Impossible to over tighten to the thickness of our monitor, reducing chance of damaging panel.
Components that touch the monitor are padded, reducing scratches from contact.

What We Didn't Like:

Does not include VESA bracket.
Not compatible with a 100x100mm VESA bracket.
The plastic components and foam padding seem to be of lower quality.
The monitor fits somewhat loosely in the adapter bracket. We were unable to tighten the bracket to match the depth of our monitor.
Unsightly screws stick out the back.
Customer service only available by email.

3. HumanCentric Universal VESA Mount Adapter

Product Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B08BGCVXH6/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o05_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

What We Liked:

Company based in Chicago.
Metal components feel sturdy.
Quick set-up with easy-to-follow pictorial instruction manual.
Impossible to over tighten to the thickness of our monitor, reducing chance of damaging panel.

What We Didn't Like:

Does not include VESA bracket.
Not compatible with a 100x100mm VESA bracket.
The monitor fits somewhat loosely in the adapter bracket. We were unable to tighten the bracket to match the depth of our monitor.
Components that touch the monitor are not padded, increasing chance of scratches from contact.
Top support bracket blocks a small portion of the display.
Customer service only available by email.

And the Winner Is...

Each of the Universal VESA Mount Adapters we tried would work sufficiently, but our top recommendation is for the VIVO brand . It seems to be the most well-engineered to fit a wide range of monitors, is backed by a 3-Year Warranty, and we have a good impression of the company after our experience with their customer service department. We feel you can’t go wrong with this option – just take care not to over tighten and you should be golden.

If you have any questions about our experience with these Universal VESA Mount Adapters, or need more guidance, don’t hesitate to reach out! Our friendly staff can be contacted by phone at +1 (224) 268-3343 or by email at sales@sunvisiondisplay.com . We look forward to hearing from you!

Are Digital Menu Boards Right for Your Restaurant?

Mon, 21 Mar 2022 16:09:06 GMT

Restaurant owners are facing increasingly competitive environments. To remain in the forefront of consumers’ minds, they must have more than just delicious food and drink offerings. To attract and sustain customers, a restaurant must have a strong marketing game both online and locally. In addition to a well-developed brand identity, a good website, social media engagement, and local advertising, restaurants should consider whether digital menu boards are right for them.

Digital menu boards are electronic displays, such as a monitor or a TV, which are used to display your menu, announcements, and promotions to customers. Conveniently mounted for everyone to see, they provide a user-friendly interface that’s an eco-friendly alternative to printed marketing materials. When used properly, they can significantly increase customer engagement and drive point of sale purchases.

If you’re wondering whether digital menu boards are right for your restaurant, read on! We’ve put together the following information to aid you in your decision.

9 Benefits of Digital Menu Boards

Digital menu boards have revolutionized the way restaurants interact with their customers. They’ve strengthened restaurant marketing efforts by boosting visibility while also lowering long-term operating costs. To better understand how your restaurant can benefit from digital menu boards, consider the following:

1. Attracting and retaining customers

In the past, many restaurants relied on lengthy wording and mission statements to reach their customers. Now, as we all know, pictures speak louder than words . And, with the modern day increase of social media, viral videos, and popular image sharing platforms, attention spans have shortened. People need more to stay focused than ever before. Digital menu boards can help. By showing tantalizing images and videos of your menu items, on-brand marketing messages, and all the menu information needed to make a decision, you can better entice customers into making a purchase. Furthermore, by simplifying the ordering process for your patrons, they’ll have a stronger impression of the restaurant, increasing your odds at earning their loyalty.

2. Growing sales

Digital menu boards have also been shown to increase point of purchase sales, thus improving your profits over time. Imagery tends to shorten the ordering process, which encourages higher spending. Restaurants have seen anywhere from a 2.5% to 50% increase in sales when they incorporate digital menu boards into their marketing strategy, so it’s worth considering the investment.

"Restaurants have seen anywhere from a 2.5% to 50% increase in sales when they incorporate digital menu boards into their marketing strategy..."

3. Convenience

4. Reduce your operating costs

Digital menu boards are a higher upfront investment, especially when compared to traditional advertising methods. However, the return that you’ll receive is well worth the initial costs. The benefits of this type of digitalization allows for fast recovery of costs without difficult long-term maintenance. Since digital menus don’t require as much manpower to operate, you’ll also reduce unnecessary labor when you need to change promotions. Taking action to get the most out of your outdoor digital sign is a great way to ensure you keep operating costs low and returns high.

5. Digital menu boards are easy to use

The technology that’s integrated into digital menu boards is easy to use and doesn’t require a harsh learning curve. If you can operate a computer, you can easily navigate the simplicity required to update and manage your promotional items and changing menus. Plus, thanks to remote capabilities, you can change out your signage from anywhere in the world, at any time of the day. If you want a more hands-off approach, you can pre-program changes so that different items are shown at various points throughout the day without having to manually change them.

6. Compliance with local regulations

There are now regulations implemented by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) that require restaurant owners to display caloric information on handheld menus and drive-through menu boards. This rule only applies to restaurants that have at least 20 locations, however not adhering to the rule can have serious financial implications. When you utilize a digital menu board, you can easily comply with these laws and future laws as they roll out. The ability to update this aspect alone can save restaurant owners thousands of dollars in printing costs.

7. Digital menu boards reduce wait times

Digital menu boards can help reduce wait times , as they can better inform customers of your menu choices. Since it’s easy to digest the menu, those in line can process potential items faster and with less effort. As an added bonus, you can use digital signage to entertain customers and decrease their perceived wait times by playing promotional videos and sharing trivia or fun facts.

8. Strengthen your brand

Your brand is an important part of your overall company culture and recognition. When you utilize digital menu boards, you take steps to strategically strengthen your brand and create consistent marketing material throughout the year. This can help improve customer loyalty, brand recognition, and more. Traditional menu boards require more commitment from designers, ongoing printing costs, and a variety of other expenses to stay up to date and properly branded.

As a restaurant owner, digital menu boards are one of the best investments you can make to strengthen your marketing strategy and get the most out of your efforts. Don’t fall behind the competition and throw money away on printing costs. Digital menu boards allow for seamless integration across social media platforms, marketing emails, and customer experience.

For outdoor applications, we recommend using a sunlight readable solution such Sun Vision Display’s reflective color LCD technolog y . In addition to its excellent readability in direct sunlight, SVD’s HD resolution displays can cut your energy costs by up to 95% compared to other types of digital signage. Their unique configuration allows for operation in wide temperature ranges (-20C to +70C). They can be further ruggedized to combat harsh weather situations. To learn more about how your business can benefit from reflective LCD technology, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display via the below form or by calling + 1-224-268-3343 .

You spoke, we listened. The story behind the SVD RLCD computer monitor.

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 22:51:09 GMT

OK, we admit it. Our original focus was on outdoor digital signage. And yes, that still is a major focus of ours. However, as we have pursued it, something unintended (but wonderful) happened. You spoke. And, we are so glad you did.

You told us about the problems you associate with backlit monitors, including eyestrain, migraines, and blurred vision. You told us about how limited the world has become due to these bright LCD signs now being everywhere. You told us about the hours spent researching other options and about how nothing you’ve tried has helped. Then, you told us you thought our displays might work well as computer monitors. Long story short, we listened.

Your collective voice and sheer determination have shown us a different need we can meet. One we hadn’t really anticipated, but one we also can’t ignore. That is why we’ve used the same tech in our outdoor signage to create an indoor computer monitor!

Introducin g the world’s first full-color RLCD computer monitor . We hope you like it, because you helped inspire it!

Thank you again for your thought, feedback, and persistence. We now eagerly wait to see how our RLCD Computer Monitor can improve your quality of life!

9 Applications for Outdoor Digital Signs

Fri, 31 Dec 2021 15:55:38 GMT

Outdoor digital signs have been increasing in popularity around the world – and for good reason. They’re far more practical than printed signs and offer a range of benefits across various applications. To help you better understand how to structure your marketing strategy with commercial signage, here we’ll discuss nine practical uses for outdoor digital signs .

How are outdoor digital signs different from printed marketing?

When considering the benefits of outdoor digital signs over printed signage, some of the most notable benefits include brighter and more engaging graphics, decreased printing and labor costs, and ease of updating. Outdoor digital signage graphics and messaging can be updated remotely and easily with the click of a few buttons, rather than needing to print and physically replace printed signage each time you want to update your messaging. They can also display more attractive graphics with video and movement, which is a great way to improve awareness of your company while engaging with pedestrians and nearby traffic.

Before you purchase outdoor digital signage, it’s important to understand the primary differences between LCD and LED displays . This will help you differentiate between the different types of display technologies on the market and learn what’s best for you. For now, let’s get down to the many applications for outdoor digital signs.

9 Applications for Outdoor Digital Signs

There are hundreds of ways you can utilize outdoor digital signs for your commercial business. While it’s important to be strategic about placement, messaging, and graphics , utilizing digital signs in the following ways can create a favorable return on investment.

1. School Directories and Signage

Many schools around the country are transitioning to a more digital atmosphere, especially in the case of digital signs. Utilizing digital signage within schools can help boost engagement with your students while providing useful data such as campus navigation, emergency alerts, announcements for special events, and more. You can alternate the messaging of digital signs throughout the day, for more versatile, customized content. This greatly increases convenience and communication throughout your school – just make sure that you’re strategic about location. For some great tips, read our other article on How to Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Business Signs .

2. Bus Stop and Transit Information

Public transportation is a great way for people to get around a city without having to deal with traffic jams, road construction, and parking. However, real-time arrival and departure times can vary from online timetables. Outdoor digital signs allow you to improve traveler experiences by providing real-time schedule updates, navigation, and more. It’s the perfect way to improve smart cities and keep residents happy and informed. It also provides a great revenue stream, as you can allow local businesses to advertise on your screens for a fee.

3. Retail Stores & Shopping Malls

Large shopping malls with hundreds of different retailers are great as they provide consumers with plenty of options. However, unless you’re in a prime location, your store may be overlooked. By utilizing strategically placed outdoor digital signs, you’ll be able to boost sales and better compete with other stores for valuable attention from pedestrians. Digital retail signage also allows you to easily update your promotions, introduce new items, and make other announcements in real-time with the click of a button saving you the costs and time associated with updating printed signage.

4. Parks and Public Spaces

Using outdoor digital signs within parks and other public spaces gives you the opportunity to provide helpful navigation information alongside local event details, community bulletins, news headlines, and weather alerts. Using multiple outdoor digital signs throughout a park allows you to create cohesive messaging that can be updated remotely to change during the day or week. With high traffic volumes, parks also make for great advertising space.

5. Amusement Parks

Theme parks and other attractions are benefiting from using digital signs in several different ways. They help give visitors information about certain exhibits, wait times for rides, and unique facts about the park in general. This boosts customer engagement and can provide visitors with a more satisfying overall experience. Rather than having guests wait in line for hours with nothing to look at, outdoor digital signs provide fun and exciting in-park media. This can include trivia questions, current news updates, weather, sports updates, games, and even music videos or popular movies.

6. Restaurant Drive-Thru Menu Boards

Digital drive-thru menu boards are an innovative way to cut costs, improve sales, and highlight different foods throughout the day. Digital menu boards help to grab the attention of customers and rotate multiple promotions within a single space. This is especially beneficial for restaurants serving breakfast, lunch, and dinner options which change throughout the day. Instead of having to manually change out the menu and deal with high printing costs, digital menus require little to no effort to manipulate and saves you money on traditional advertising methods.

7. Tourist Spots

Whether it’s a resort, cruise ship, go kart track or visitor center, outdoor digital signs can tremendously enhance your guests’ overall experience. You can share rich content about local events, offers, and other tips at hotels or resorts while updating content easily and efficiently across your entire property. By increasing visibility of your local event calendars, you can boost sales, improve customer satisfaction, and increase the likelihood of positive feedback and referrals. Tourism businesses are a great place to utilize outdoor digital signs.

8. Outdoor Sporting Venues

Utilizing outdoor digital signs in sporting and recreational environments such as golf courses, ski slopes, and race tracks is an effective way to boost advertising efforts while providing navigation, scores, replays and other information. There are hundreds of different sporting venues already using billboard signs, but adding smaller digital screens near bathrooms, entryways, and throughout the venue can help provide a wonderful experience to guests.

9. Product Advertisement

Regardless of the location of your business, advertising your products or services with outdoor digital signs is an excellent option. Digital signs increase engagement with viewers and are known to create a stronger response. If you want to run a successful marketing campaign, outdoor digital signs are key.

While the benefits of outdoor digital signs are great, they become even better when you opt for reflective LCD technology. Reflective LCD technology relies on reflection and ambient light rather than backlights to illuminate the display. Some advantages of reflective LCD technology include excellent sunlight visibility and improved efficiency with up to 95% less energy usage than competitive technologies. Since reflective LCD doesn’t require any backlight or LED, you’ll experience long lasting technology in full HD resolution for years. To learn more about how you can benefit from reflective LCD technology, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today at 224-268-3343 .

Protecting Your Health from Blue Light Emissions of Digital Displays

Wed, 08 Dec 2021 17:19:54 GMT

Every color in the visible spectrum gives off different wavelengths. Warmer colors like red, orange, and yellow give off longer, lower-energy wavelengths. Cooler colors such as green, blue, and violet give off shorter, higher-energy wavelengths.

The highest energy wavelengths, also called High Energy Visible (HEV) light, fall within the blue part of the visible spectrum between 380 to 455 nanometers. Increased exposure to these wavelengths has been associated with various health concerns including eye strain, circadian rhythm disruption, retinal damage, and possible other physical and mental health issues.

The digital displays we use on a daily basis (i.e. smartphones, tablets, TVs, digital signage, and computers) emit HEV blue light via their LED backlights or OLEDs . While the amount of HEV blue light may be negligible when compared to the total amount produced by the sun, researchers are concerned that our frequency, proximity, and duration of use is having long-term effects. Of greatest concern are the potential effects on children whose eyes absorb more blue light than adults , and who are using technology at earlier stages of development and for longer periods of time than ever before.

This article aims to explore the effects of blue light exposure from digital displays and provide a few practical recommendations on how we can protect ourselves.

Can Blue Light from Digital Displays Harm Our Health?

While research hasn’t yet been able to prove the cumulative effects of blue light exposure from digital displays, we can be certain of a few adverse effects:

1. Sleep Disruptions

One of the most well-documented effects of blue light exposure is its influence of our sleep-wake cycle, also called our circadian rhythm. This natural process occurs in harmony with the sun. Our bodies produce melatonin (a “sleep hormone”) in response to decreased blue light at night, causing us to feel sleepy. As the sun rises, the increased blue light exposure decreases our melatonin production causing us to feel more awake and alert during the day.

The use of digital displays in the evening increases blue light exposure and postpones our body’s melatonin production, disrupting our ability to sleep easily and deeply. And, poor sleep is linked to poor mental and physical health.

2. Eye Strain & Disease

Many people report eye strain after staring for long periods of time at screens. This is often referred to as “ computer vision syndrome ”, which includes symptoms such as eye discomfort and fatigue, blurry vision, dry eyes, and even headaches. Other symptoms include double vision, eye redness, itchy eyes, or watery eyes. The severity of these symptoms tends to correlate with the amount of time we’ve stared at a digital display.

Additionally, health professionals and researchers warn that a lifetime of blue light exposure from digital displays may be linked to an increased risk of macular degeneration and retinal damage. Though this hypothesis hasn’t been proven, many studies indicate that there’s good cause for concern.

Finally, sufferers of a rare eye disease, Visual Snow Syndrome , have reported increased symptoms after staring at backlit digital displays. For this reason, many have switched to only using reflective display technologies such as e-paper displays to reduce their exposure to the LED light emitted from common displays.

3. Psychological Effects

In some cases, use of digital displays has been linked to poor mental health in both children and adults . One reason is because its wavelengths interfere with the brain’s capability to regulate mood, emotions, and sleep. As we’ve discussed, blue light disrupts the circadian rhythm. It also affects hormone secretion, nerve signaling, and the brain’s plasticity, or its ability to adapt to different situations. In short, display usage can cause an imbalance in hormones, which subsequently puts us at higher risk of anxiety, stress, and depression.

How to Be Protected in a Digital World

It’s important to take care of both our physical and psychological health, which is why many health professionals recommend we limit exposure to the blue light emitted from digital displays. This is especially important during the last hours before bedtime to encourage the body’s melatonin production.

Thanks to increased awareness, loads of research, improved technologies, and the development of specialty products, there are many ways we can limit our exposure to high-energy wavelengths :

1. Take Breaks

One way to do this is to take breaks and/or limit the amount of time we spend in front of screens. Those of us who work in front of a computer can take 15-to-20-minute breaks every few hours and maintain good posture at our desks. This can reduce eye strain and computer vision syndrome. When we’re outside of work, we can limit the amount of time we spend sitting in front of more blue light emitting devices.

2. Eat A Healthy Diet

Remember your friend, B-carotene? Carrots contain a lot of it. It’s also used in retinol and Vitamin A treatments. Research has shown that carotenoids like B-carotene, plus other antioxidants found in fruits and vegetables, are vital in helping prevent early onset of acute macular degeneration (AMD). This is the case, even with increased blue light exposure. It’s just one more reason to eat a healthy diet full of fresh fruits and veggies.

3. Use Blue-Light Reduction Settings & Products

Using sunglasses during the day helps to block the UV and HEV blue light emissions from the sun, although they can make screen viewing difficult. We can try wearing blue light blocking glasses or applying blue light blocking filters to our device screens. Additionally, many of today’s computer monitors and electronic devices have blue-light reduction and/or “night mode” settings which can minimize blue light emissions.

The downside to these methods is that they can tint or skew color accuracy on the display. This is less than ideal for designers, but for most everyone else it’s not a bad tradeoff.

4. Use Reflective Color LCD Displays

Due to increasing awareness and symptoms related to prolonged screen use, more and more consumers are choosing tablets, monitors, and even smart phones with Reflective LCD technologies . Instead of using LEDs to illuminate the display, a reflective color LCD reflects ambient light back to the viewer. The resulting level of blue light exposure is likely equivalent to what is reflected off any other surface, and many users have even reported eye symptom relief from this switch.

In addition to its potential health benefits, there are many other advantages of reflective color LCD technologies including excellent sunlight visibility and ultra-low energy consumption - up to 95% less than competing LCD technologies. Until recently, however, the switch to Reflective LCD devices has come with some sacrifices in color performance, refresh rates, and cost. The newly released Sun Vision Display 32" RLCD Computer Monitors feature a patented Color RLCD Technology which is 100% reflective (no backlight) yet provides full-color, HD-resolution, 60 Hz refresh rate performance: The user experience is unlike any other Reflective LCD monitor on the market!

As time goes on and blue light awareness increases, Reflective LCD products will likely advance in capabilities, performance, and affordability.

These are just a few ways we can protect ourselves when using digital displays. Of course, we should still be mindful of any symptoms we notice and consult a physician if we are concerned. This may be the best way to determine the true source of our symptoms.

4 Reasons Why Your Food Truck Should Have a Digital Menu Board

Wed, 22 Sep 2021 18:46:06 GMT

Food trucks tend to face more challenges than traditional restaurants. They’re smaller, thus restricting storage space and output ability, and they have limited internal space for preparing food in the same way that a restaurant does. Food trucks must also deal with the unique challenges of life on the road—parking, mobile laws, and proximity to other food trucks or restaurants. Not only is this stressful, but it also makes updating a menu that much more difficult. If things sell out or you run out of certain ingredients, hungry customers will wait in line only to find out that what they wanted is no longer in stock. Luckily, there’s a solution for that. Here are 4 reasons why your food truck needs a digital menu board.

1. Grab the Attention of Your Audience

Adding a digital menu board to your food truck will allow you to grab the attention of your audience and draw in new business from people walking by your truck. By displaying eye-catching graphics , pictures of your food, or catchy marketing campaigns, you’ll be able to captivate your audience and draw them in. This is also a great way to stand out from your competition and increase your overall reach. Since bright, bold displays can be seen from further distances, you’ll be noticed sooner at events or parked along a busy street.

2. Promote Specific Menu Items

While some food trucks keep their menu the same each day, others rotate their specials daily. With a digital menu board, you’ll be able to promote specific items as they change. This gives you flexibility to make changes quickly and affordably. These changes could be due to the time of day, depending on whether it is breakfast, lunch, or dinner time. They could be due to special events in which you want to showcase certain items. Your location can also play a role in the type of items you want front and center. If you’re catering to a private party, they may request a specific menu. Whatever the case, your ability to switch out menus quickly will be very useful.

3. Easily Make Menu Updates

Due to the small storage space in food trucks, they may occasionally experience shortages. If patrons wait in line for long periods specifically for an item, they may be disappointed if they find that item is not available. They may simply turn around and leave, which can be bad for your food truck’s image.

A digital menu board would allow you to easily and quickly update your menu throughout the day. This means you’ll be able to increase communication with your customers and avoid costly printing prices. The vibrant, high-resolution designs will increase visibility so that even in a long line, customers will see real-time changes to the menu.

4. Increase Social Media Marketing Efforts

Social media marketing is a great way to spread the word about your food truck. It can be done internally, with minimal to no monetary investments. A digital menu board can increase your social media marketing efforts by allowing you to share QR codes, updating your location and inviting your customers to follow you across active platforms while they’re waiting in line. Engaging with your customers is a great way to show them that you care. You can offer promotions, giveaways, or loyalty cards to those who use hashtags, share your profile, or tag themselves at your food truck. All of this is a great way to improve exposure, get more followers, and ultimately, grow your revenue.

Sun Vision Display offers plenty of commercial digital signage options that are ideal for food truck owners and manufacturers.

If you want to get the most out of your sales efforts, consider reflective LCD technology from Sun Vision Display. It offers great sunlight visibility without requiring much power. At 12v DC, a reflective display can run directly off your vehicle’s system – no grid power or generators needed! To learn more about how your food truck can thrive with a digital menu board, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today at 224-268-3343.

Considering Digital Signage for Your school? Here's What You Need to Know...

Fri, 10 Sep 2021 17:46:08 GMT

Over the course of the past few decades, many schools have begun transitioning from printed to digital signage on their campuses. And, there are many other schools that are considering making this switch as well. In this article, we will talk about some of the big considerations in upgrading your school to digital signage, including design, content, and location of each of your signs. We will also talk about important things like ADA compliance and government funding. For now, let’s get into the reasons why most schools are choosing to make this transition.

Why are more and more schools and universities using digital signage ?

Increased engagement

Draw attention with colorful, moving graphics. Younger generations – the bulk of school attendees today – are especially inclined to engage with information in digital form.

Versatility

With printed signs, making edits means designing and reprinting new signs – and all the costs associated with it. With digital signage, you can make those changes quickly and remotely, making it that much easier to get your message out.

Data integration

Display real-time updates such as weather, alerts, navigation, events, and announcements across multiple platforms using a single data source. The information can be automated as well.

Customized content

With added software, digital signs can track user interactions. This data can then be analyzed to improve user experience. Implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) software can help to facilitate these changes in real time, such as moving popular searches near the top of a screen to make them more discoverable.

What to consider before upgrading to digital signage

1. ADA compliance

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) was established to ensure that public services, amenities, features, and information are accessible to all regardless of ability. ADA regulations apply to businesses that serve the public and have 15 or more employees. This certainly applies to schools.

ADA guidelines for digital signage involve their positioning, location, incorporation of touch, and other capabilities. Some specific examples of ADA regulations for digital signage include:

Non-glare finish
Less than 4-inch installed distance from wall (wall-mounted screens)
Specific heights for touchscreen controls
Voice response technology (in some systems)

To learn more about ADA compliance, visit the ADA website . It’s also an important conversation to have with your digital signage supplier and/or signage integrator. They can help provide expert guidance and ensure your signs are accessible to everyone. These resources are critical not only in maintaining compliance, but also to truly maximize the effectiveness of your signage investment across as many people possible, which is the whole reason for signage in the first place!

2. Funds and grants

There are numerous funds and grants available to schools at the state and federal level. And, the list is always being updated and added to. Take 2020 for example. Due to the economic fallout caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, former President Donald Trump signed into law a $2.2 trillion stimulus called the CARES Act (Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act).

A good portion of this grant was allocated to state and local governments. It gave many schools and universities additional funding to offset economic hardships brought on by the pandemic or to make necessary upgrades, such as upgrading signs to digital.

These resources exist because both private donors and the federal government believe in the value of education of future generations. To learn more and discover what might be available for your school, here’s a helpful grant search tool .

3. Location

It’s important to think about where you want your signs to be placed. Your goal is not to simply fill an empty space. Rather, you are trying to find the most logical placement possible with the greatest visibility. Location can greatly affect your sign’s daily number of views – potentially by the thousands.

When determining the best location for your signage, ask yourself these questions:

Where do people spend most of their time waiting?
Are there places that everybody must pass through on their way to other parts of the building?
Would it make sense to survey your building’s foot-traffic flow in order to find its most prime locations?
What content do you intend to display?
Where can you place your display so that it is within the field of vision for most people?
How far does your sign need to be from your intended viewers for it to be legible?
How large does the font need to be to be readable from that distance?

Most schools have certain common areas that get a lot of foot traffic: The entrance, the cafeteria, the lobby, the library, or the bookstore. These can be great places to install digital signage. Wherever you choose to install it, the key is to make it visible, accessible, and legible to all .

4. Content

Sign location and content go hand-in-hand. For example, you may want to share information about bookstore specials and sales on a display near the bookstore. Or, food prices and lunch specials on a cafeteria sign.

While some displays may be meant to run basic slideshows of images, others will probably be more interactive. A kiosk in an university parking lot, for example, should probably have higher functionality, such as the ability to search a directory or dial campus security.

As you decide what content to show at each location, set yourself up for success by asking these questions:

Who will design the content?
What software/program(s) is needed to run it?
Should certain sets of signs be networked together to display the same content?
Will you need multiple networks with different programming for multiple sets of signs?
Will you want the ability to flash important alerts on all signs simultaneously?

Your responses will help you determine the content and resources needed to make your signs successful.

5. Design

It may sound simple enough, but sign specifications vary depending on their location. For example, a wall-mounted sign above a library entrance will have different purposes and challenges than a waist-high welcome sign at a retail store, even though they are being used in similar ways.

Once you’ve identified all of the “functions” of your signage (i.e. touch integration, sound integration, screen size for viewing audience, power delivery, etc.), the actual “form” or shape of the display plays a large role in achieving your goals.

Wall-mounted or flush-mounted signage is relatively simple and can help anchor the display to a solid surface, preventing damage from the elements or other objects.
A kiosk-style design invites your audience for a closer viewing experience and many versions now are practically expected to have touch functionality, if you ask everyday consumers. Kiosks can be vertically mounted, back-to-back, or even in a podium-style and angled for multiple viewers to interact with at the same time.

Some designs are very aesthetically pleasing, but not very realistic when it comes to withstanding vandalism or the cost to realistically operate a functional display. Others may work well enough, but are limiting in their simplicity and your business would benefit from upgrading to a more user-friendly model.

Therefore, you’ll want to strategize what mounting system and enclosure is best for your sign and its location, as these options can vary significantly in design, functionality, and price. Again, your display manufacturer and/or integrator should be able to help you find the right solution for your needs and ensure everything meets ADA standards, no matter which option you choose.

Conclusion

Investing in digital signage for your school or university will provide many benefits both now and to come. As you navigate your upgrade, we hope these tips we shared will help make the process smooth sailing, so you can move on to the next upgrade!

Before you go...

Before you go, we’d love to share our unique type of digital signage that is perfect for schools and universities trying to lead by example in the push for eco-friendly practices.

Sun Vision Display signs overcome the common challenge of sunlight readability, while also being ultra-low power. Our secret? Reflective LCD technology . Rather than a high-power backlight, a reflective material illuminates the display using ambient light. The absence of a backlight also reduces power consumption by up to 95% compared to other backlit displays. In fact, Sun Vision Display signs can be powered for an entire day with a battery the size of your smartphone. It’s a win-win scenario – stunning sunlight readability that’s easy on your wallet and the environment.

SVD has already helped schools transition away from static to digital signs, and foresees many other schools following suit. To learn more about this unique energy-saving solution, visit www.sunvisiondisplay.com .

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What is a Sunlight Readable Display and How Can it Help Your Business?

michaela@sunvisiondisplay.com (Michaela .) — Wed, 28 Jul 2021 23:45:17 GMT

One of the best ways to grow your business and increase brand recognition is through digital marketing. While creating a strong online presence is increasingly important, physical advertising remains an essential part of driving sales. Digital signage seamlessly blends the benefits of dynamic digital content with actual physical advertising. However, the quality of your billboard advertisements, signage, flyers, and messaging can make or break your efforts. This is especially the case when choosing outdoor digital signage , where sunlight readability is critical. In this article, we’ll discuss how sunlight affects digital signage, what a sunlight readable display is, and how it can benefit your outdoor advertising strategy.

Understanding Sunlight Readable Display Technology

Sunlight readability simply means to what extent a viewer can read a display in high ambient light conditions, such as direct sunlight. When someone tries to view a traditional display in bright sunlight, the brightness of the sun overpowers the display brightness and it becomes unreadable. You’re probably familiar with this phenomenon if you’ve ever tried to read your phone while standing in direct sun – you can hardly see anything! The same goes for larger displays used in outdoor commercial digital signage . If you’re considering advertising outdoors with digital signage, sunlight readability is essential to the success of your efforts.

How Sunlight Readable LCDs Work

The liquid crystal layer of LCD displays are “non-emissive”, meaning they don’t produce their own light, but require an external light source to illuminate the display image. Think of an old school slide show or even better, a film strip. The images are located on a film which sits in front of a light. All of the color and content are located on the film (albeit statically) and the bright light shines through the film to show the view whatever family vacation Uncle Joe and Aunt Sally took their RV to that year. The liquid crystal layer is very similar to this, only the images and colors can change. Just as there are different projection methods for slide shows, LCD displays have three illumination methods which can be used to display their content. They are as follows:

1. Transmissive LCD displays use a powered backlight to illuminate the display. Their brightness is measured by candela per square meter (cd/m²), which is often referred to as a “nit.” This unit of measurement accounts for both the luminous intensity and the overall area of a given display. Indoor transmissive LCD panels usually measure between 250-450 nits, while outdoor transmissive LCD brightness must measure at least 2000 nits for sunlight readability with most of the best daylight readable displays measuring over 4,000 nits. The energy required to power a 2000-nit backlight is significant and consequently increases operational costs. The brighter backlight also produces a good amount heat, which then costs even more to cool the display and expedites burn out.

2. Reflective LCD displays rely on ambient light to illuminate the display. Instead of a backlight, a mirror-like layer is installed behind the liquid crystal layer. In this configuration, ambient light passes through the LCD cell from the front and reflects back to the viewer. Reflective LCD brightness is proportional to the sun — the brighter the sunlight shines, the more light is reflected to the viewer. Because of this, the light source of the display no longer competes with the sun (because it technically is one and the same) and this configuration allows for 100% sunlight readability. Furthermore, because reflective LCDs don’t use a backlight, reflective LCD displays are the only LCD technology that maximizes sunlight readability with minimal energy cost.

3. Transflective LCD displays use a combination of both transmissive and reflective LCD technologies – both a backlight and a reflective layer – hence, the name transflective ( trans missive + re flective ). The backlight provides enough luminance for visibility in low to medium ambient light, while the reflective layer boosts the display’s visibility in bright ambient light without increasing power consumption. This hybrid option offers the choice of both illumination options but can negatively impact the display’s color saturation, resolution, and/or contrast.

How Sunlight Readable LCD Displays Can Benefit Your Business

While the upfront costs are a little higher than traditional advertising methods, the benefits of using commercial digital signage is well worth the investment. Digital signage has helped many businesses save on printing costs that are associated with paper signs or menus while also eliminating the wasted time that comes with changing printed signs out. Digital signage offers businesses the convenience of manipulating advertisements remotely and with minimal effort. This can boost your advertising efforts to change quickly with the time of day, season, sales and promotions. Simply put, digital signage can maximize your overall visibility while decreasing your overall spending .

By utilizing sunlight readable LCD displays in your outdoor advertising efforts, you’ll create a stronger first impression with your target audience. The improved visibility of the display itself can boost your business sales and build customer loyalty.

One thing to understand is that not all sunlight readable digital signage is created equal. It can vary widely based on the technology used. T o make sure that you’re getting the most out of your sunlight readable monitor, contact Sun Vision Display. Our reflective LCD tec hnology operates in a wide range of temperatures, uses up to 95% less power than high-brightness LCDs, reduces blue-light emissions, and outlasts traditional LED or LCD displays. Without a backlight there’s no risk of burnout or overheating. This means that you’ll be able to utilize the same display monitor for years without needing repairs or replacement. They’re great for applications in public spaces , transportation , food and entertainment , tourism , sports and recreation , retail , and more. We turn sunlight into a solution. If you’re interested in adding commercial digital signage to your marketing efforts, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today.

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Challenges of Achieving Color Accuracy with Commercial Digital Signage

Thu, 22 Jul 2021 22:21:48 GMT

What color are the strawberries in this picture?

There are two common answers: Some say the strawberries are red, while others think they are grey. How can people look at the same image but see two completely different colors?

Variances in human eye structure – as well as many other factors – can help explain this phenomenon. These factors pose a significant challenge for the advertising industry where color accuracy is critical.

In this article we’ll discuss these challenges and how they affect different types of commercial signage .

What is color accuracy?

Color Accuracy is one of the many terms we use to describe image quality. It refers to how well colors can be reproduced as intended. Color accuracy is especially important for commercial advertising. Most companies have specific colors that are part of their unique brand identity. Some examples include Coca-Cola red [1] , Wal-Mart blue, and Amazon orange. For a Coca-Cola advertisement to best represent the Coca-Cola brand, it must use an exact shade of red. If the red is any more or less saturated, the advertisement loses its color accuracy.

Biological factors affecting color accuracy:

Human Eye Structure

One of the primary factors affecting color accuracy is the structure of our eyes. Within our retinas are three types of photoreceptor cells, called “cones” [2] . Our cones come in three sizes, each size receptive to a specific range of color within the visible spectrum: S cones help us see blue, M cones help us see green, and L cones help us see red. People can be born with fewer, smaller, or defective cones, which affects the way they see certain colors. For example, those who have smaller, defective, or fewer S cones will not be able to see blue as well as those who have more normal S cones [3] . Age plays a role in color accuracy, too. As we age, our eye lens becomes weaker and physically changes the way we see [4] . Human vision can vary quite dramatically depending on the distribution of cones and the age of our eyes. This helps to explain why color can be subjective.

Color Memory

Another factor that affects our color vision, or at least our interpretation of color, is our color memory. If you happen to see red in the above strawberry picture, your color memory is playing tricks on you! Those strawberries do not contain any red pixels, only grey. If you crop a section of the strawberries and look at it separately, you’ll be able to tell there’s no red. But, when we see the picture in its entirety, our memory of strawberries being red makes us perceive that they’re red [5] , when, in fact, they’re not.

To maintain color consistency, people developed color standards. The currently established color standards for print and digital media include Pantone, CMYK, and RGB. For video, the color standards are Rec. 709, sRGB, DCI-P3 and Rec. 2020 [6] . These standards regulate how much red, green, and blue should be included when reproducing a specific color and are very helpful in terms of reproducing accurate colors for brands’ logos and advertisements.

Now that we understand how some biological factors affect color accuracy, let’s explore how this plays out for commercial signage, both printed and digital.

Challenges of achieving color accuracy with printed commercial signage:

Printed si gnage is a marketing and advertising tool that’s been used for centuries. When it comes to achieving color accuracy, printed signage presents some unique challenges:

Printable Colors

To print colors accurately, designers must work within a pre-set color space, or range of colors a printer is able to capture or reproduce [7] . CMYK is one of the most popular color spaces used for printing [8] , but it does have one disadvantage: CMYK color options are limited to around 16k colors, compared to up to 16.7 million for displays – a factor of 100 times less. So, not all colors are possible to achieve on printed signage [9] .

Material Color

Furthermore, printed medium (i.e. paper, vinyl, etc.) itself has color. The material color can change the appearance of the printed color and cause color inaccuracy.

Ink Absorption

Paper and other materials absorb ink during printing. The more absorbent the material, the more difficult it can be to achieve color accuracy as more ink is required to achieve full color saturation. Paper with a glossy coating has low absorption [10] , and can be an effective way to achieve color accuracy without using excessive amounts of ink.

A benefit digital signage has over printed signage:

Digital signage has one significant advantage over printed signage when it comes to achieving color accuracy: wider color gamut.

Color gamut is defined by the range of colors in the spectrum that human eyes can identify [11] . Within display technologies, like those used in digital signage, color gamut refers to the total range of colors a display can produce. The wider the color gamut rating of a display, the more colors it can produce for viewers.

LED and LCD displays used in digital signage reproduce colors via an RGB color system. Red (R), green (G), and blue (B) pixels are arranged in rows and columns across the display panel. These pixels can be illuminated in numerous combinations to produce a wide color gamut (i.e. range of colors) – much wider than what’s available for printing in CMYK colors. This is one advantage digital signage has over printed signage.

Types of digital signage technologies:

There are three dominant display technologies used in commercial digital signage today:

Backlit LCD digital signage

Backlit LCD digital signage uses a backlight to illuminate the display. In front of the backlight are other layers which transform the light into dynamic, colorful images (Read “ How Do LCDs Work ” for more details). The liquid crystal materials, backlighting, and other features can be adjusted to improve the LCD’s image quality.

LED digital signage

LED digital signage operates very differently from LCD digital signage. LED digital signage generates colors through light emitting diodes (LEDs). These LEDs use materials to produce photons of varying wavelengths, which appear as distinct colors [12] . Manufacturers can mix specific colors within a single LED display to broaden the display’s color gamut and achieve an even better level of color accuracy.

Reflective LCD signage

Reflective LCD signage is a relatively new technology for digital signage applications. Reflective LCDs work similarly to other LCDs, except they have a mirror-like/reflective layer installed behind the rear polarizer instead of a backlight. This mirror-like layer illuminates the display using reflected ambient light.

Challenges of achieving color accuracy with commercial digital signage:

Now, let's get to the challenges of achieving color accuracy with commercial digital signage.

Though LED and backlit LCD digital signage can produce a wider color gamut and better color accuracy than printed signage, they have some major challenges when used outdoors.

Sunlight visibility

When used in direct sunlight or other bright ambient light, LED and LCD backlit display images can become washed out and difficult to read. To improve visibility and color accuracy in these conditions, a display brightness of between 4,000 to 8,000 nits is required [13] . That can be anywhere from about 5 to 30+ times the brightness of a standard TV, which can fall between 200-1000 nits depending on the addition of HDR.

Power consumption

Increasing the display brightness comes with some major tradeoffs. First and foremost, high-brightness displays consume a lot power. This translates to a greater impact on the environment and higher energy costs for the operator.

Heat Production

Moreover, for LED digital signage, there is a light output variation which means that increases in temperature adversely affect the color accuracy of emitted light. For example, as LED display temperature increases during extended use, the emitted light will have a red spectrum shift where the display images will have a reddish tone. Not only that, but the increasing temperatures can damage the display hardware. Temperature control solutions, such as cooling fans, can be added to prevent these effects from heat production. However, these mechanisms further increase the bulkiness and power consumption of the display.

Light Pollution

Another big issue for LED or a backlit LCD displays is the output of additional light pollution from the backlight or LEDs. This manufactured light mixes with the surrounding ambient light and impedes the display's color accuracy.

Color Calibration

When LED and LCD digital signage panels are mass produced in a factory, there are usually some irregularities across all panels in terms of brightness and color production. To create a large video wall application, multiple panels are tiled together. At this point, variances and irregularities become glaringly obvious and detrimental to the messaging on the screen. To achieve color uniformity across all the panels, these variances must be calibrated, sometimes on a regular basis. Most of this can be done easily using well-developed calibration software available through digital signage distributors and manufacturers.

Ways to improve the color accuracy of digital signage:

Besides technological improvements, what else can be done to improve color accuracy in commercial advertising? Here are some of our thoughts:

Image colors

One strategy could be using less blue in advertisements. Human eyes are less sensitive to blue wavelengths, so a lot of blue details might be difficult to distinguish. Also blue-on-red text is challenging for human eyes to read, so be sure to avoid it.

Calibration

If purchasing LED or backlit-LCD display signage, be sure to calibrate them – ideally in a dark room to minimize the amount of ambient light mixing with the display’s light output. Your digital signage manufacturer or distributor can recommend a good calibration software for your new display.

Surrounding environment

Avoid placing objects or pictures with highly saturated colors next to your commercial digital signage. When customers’ vision is saturated by a specific color on the side before they look at the advertisements, their perception of colors on the advertisements will be temporarily affected.

Use Reflective Color LCDs

Since reflective color LCDs are illuminated by reflected ambient light (such as the sunlight), they actually improve in image quality and color accuracy the brighter the sun shines – all while using very little power. Among the many other advantages of reflective color LCDs , the absence of a backlight significantly reduces or eliminates the output of additional light "noise", radiation, heat, and the risk of color shifts due to increasing temperatures. In this way, reflective color LCDs turn sunlight into a solution rather than a problem, making them an excellent option for outdoor applications.

To learn more about how Sun Vision Display can help you take your commercial signage to the next level, contact us today .

Citations

[1] Chris Chinnock, “What’s More Important: Color Accuracy and Contrast or Brightness in Conference Room Presentations?” Insight Media, January, 2015, file:///C:/Users/JessicaLiu/Downloads/Projector_Color_and_Contrast_vs_Brightness%20(1)%20(1).pdf.

[2] Elena Glassman et al. “Reading 15: Color,” User Interface Design and Implementation, http://web.mit.edu/6.813/www/sp18/classes/15-color/.

[3] Ibid.

[4] Ibid.

[5] Ibid.

[6] Bob Wudeck, “What Is Color Accuracy And Why Is It Important,” BenQ, July 6, 2020, https://www.benq.eu/en-eu/business/resource/trends/what-is-color-accuracy.html.

[7] “Color Accuracy In Commercial Printing,” Summit Printing, https://www.summitprintingpro.com/resources/color-accuracy.html.

[8] Ibid.

[9] Ibid.

[10] Ibid.

[11] Raymond M. Soneira, “Display Color Accuracy Shoot-Out&Six Flagship Smartphones and Tablets,” DisplayMate, https://www.displaymate.com/Color_Accuracy_ShootOut_1.htm.

[12] “All Color Kinetics lighting solutions are based on LED technology. Why?” Color Kinetics, https://www.colorkinetics.com/global/learn/what-is-an-led#:~:text=LEDs%20produce%20different%20colors%20by,as%20light%20of%20different%20colors.&text=Additionally%20combining%20red%2C%20green%2C%20and,equal%20amounts%20produces%20white%20ligh.

[13] Jiun-Haw Lee, “Liquid Crystal Display,” in Introduction To Flat Panel Display, 32.

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How Digital Signage Can Help Smart Cities

Thu, 24 Jun 2021 17:36:59 GMT

As technology continues to advance, we’re seeing more futuristic concepts brought to life. One of these concepts is that of a smart city. While smart cities have been around for a few years, they’re beginning to gain traction as city officials and residents start understanding their implications and benefits. Smart cities have the opportunity to increase overall quality of life, create safer environments, and communicate news or updates instantaneously. To adhere to growing needs within variable infrastructures, here’s how reflective LCD technology can help smart cities.

What Makes a Smart City?

At the most basic sense, a smart city is a city that utilizes different technology to help solve problems and provide unique services. Smart cities can improve efficiency of traffic and transportation, boost overall accessibility, promote safety and security in a community, and negate high carbon emissions.

To do this, cities utilize different digital technology that provides real-time responses so behavioral, industrial, and environmental patterns can be monitored. This is achieved through the integrated network of smartphones combined with unique sensors that are placed around a city. The data travels throughout the Internet of Things (IoT) using high-speed wireless networks. The further rollout of 5G networks can help to vastly increase connectivity, thus creating a more responsive smart city. Once this data is gathered, it’s translated into specific alerts or actions communicated to apps and providers, which are operated by individuals. This gives those who use third-party apps specific information that allows them to make more informed decisions throughout their day. It also provides information to the city on how certain operations could be improved.

As automation and artificial intelligence continue to gain traction, the future benefits of smart cities become even greater.

How Smart Cities Improve Urban Quality of Life

While some people are unsure as to how smart cities would affect their lives, many people are beginning to see their true implications. Smart cities can significantly improve the urban quality of life for residents and visitors alike. In a general sense, by initiating multiple smart city apps, residents could see marked improvements in safety, convenience, environmental quality, individual health, social life, civic presence, job availability, cost of living, and more.

These improvements stem from the ability to gather and analyze data so that more educated decisions are made by both government officials and residents alike. The more IoT technology that’s integrated, the more efficient an infrastructure can become. There are certain cities that are already implementing smart technology. Singapore —the world’s smartest city—has been working towards becoming a Smart Nation to help improve the lives of their citizens.

The Connection Between Smart Cities and Clean, Sustainable Environments

Some people argue that more technology leads to less sustainable environments, but that’s not necessarily the case. In fact, in the instance of smart cities, technology can substantially reduce the negative environmental impact that industrialization has caused. Certain smart city applications have the potential to reduce emissions by up to 10 to 15 percent .

There are also applications that allow residents to better see and assess their water waste, energy usage, and more. The simple act of awareness is surprisingly effective at creating more conservative behaviors that contribute to a more sustainable environment. Smart cities can alert residents and officials to leakages, which contribute to a high amount of water waste. Using simple sensors and data tracking, you can reduce unnecessary waste, improve recycling habits, and limit solid waste volume per household.

Smart cities can give cities insight as to the quality of their air. While the sensors themselves wouldn’t lead to a change in the pollution, they can help people better understand where it’s coming from so that strategic changes can be made. When the information is shared publicly, it can help individuals make informed decisions regarding their health and how to protect themselves from high levels of air pollution throughout the day.

Smart Cities and Their Effect on Social Connectedness

Now, more than ever, people are feeling a need to improve their social connectedness with their neighbors, government officials, friends, and family. Smart cities help to improve this social connectedness through integration on digital platforms and even encourage real-world interactions. This can be done within the public and with the local officials of a community, which goes on to improve communication, quality of life, and satisfaction with government action. Certain smart cities have already taken this type of initiative and give their participants the opportunity to weigh in on issues, take votes, and allocate funding.

How Digital Signage Improves Smart Cities

One aspect of a smart city is providing real-time information to residents and visitors. Rather than requiring a multitude of apps to be downloaded prior to engaging with this information, digital signage can be used strategically throughout the city to help inform and engage people on navigation, weather alerts, perceived wait times, and more. With content that can be updated in real-time across multiple locations, digital signs can help communicate essential messaging. This is beneficial for parks and public spaces such as forest preserves, museums, historical landmarks, city centers, playgrounds, and more.

Digital signs have become essential for public transportation services . They help to improve traveler experience by providing real-time schedule updates, navigation, and more. As a third-party, this is also an unbeatable opportunity for advertising.

How Reflective Color LCD Signs Can Improve Smart Cities

As digital signage gains popularity, new and improved technologies are being developed. One example is the use of reflective color LCD technology. Reflective color LCD displays have been around for decades but were only available in small sizes useful for smaller appliances and devices. Until recently, when LCD manufacturer, New Vision Display, announced availability of its new outdoor digital signage product line, Sun Vision Display.

Sun Vision Display signs are large-format reflective color LCD panels that are an excellent solution to two of the most common challenges encountered by digital signage operators: Sunlight readability and power consumption. Most types of digital signage available today try to achieve sunlight readability by cranking up the brightness – resulting in a hefty electric bill.

Sun Vision Display signs, equipped with reflective color LCD technology, are able to achieve both sunlight readability without using much power at all. They work about the same way as other smaller reflective LCD technologies – just in a larger format. Instead of a backlight, a mirrored layer is installed behind the liquid crystal layer. This mirrored layer reflects ambient light (or sunlight) back to the viewer, illuminating the display. Since the technology used doesn’t rely on a backlight, these digital signs utilize up to 95% less power than high-brightness LCDs. It’s a great money-saving technology that businesses and smart cities can use to greatly improve their energy efficiency.

Sun Vision Display offers high-quality reflective LCD technology to enhance public areas in smart cities and beyond. Our reflective LCD technology offers stunning visuals and operates in a wide range of temperatures. At Sun Vision Display, you no longer have to choose between sunlight readability and low power consumption—you can have both! To learn more about how reflective LCD technology can improve smart cities and marketing efforts, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today at 224-268-3343.

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5 Eco-Friendly Technologies That are Changing the Game

Fri, 11 Jun 2021 16:51:03 GMT

Are you interested in innovations that will make the world better, cleaner, and less dependent on fossil fuels? If so, then you’re not alone. With constant advancements in solar power, wind generation, and electric transportation on the rise, our world is more determined than ever to find new, alternative, and renewable energy sources. In this article, we will talk about five modern eco-friendly technologies that are changing the game! For starters, let’s begin with:

1. Rapid Roll Solar Mat

While there are many people who believe that solar power still has a ways to go, there’s no denying that it has come a long way. In 1883, the first solar panel was created by Charles Fritts. It was a simple design that used selenium and a thin layer of gold. Its energy conversion rate was roughly 1-2%. These days, it’s not uncommon for modern solar cells to achieve an energy conversion rate of 15-20%, which is about 1000-2000% more efficient than the earliest design. And, this same technology continues to improve year by year.

At the forefront of solar energy innovation is Renovagen – a company dedicated to making practical, cutting-edge solar energy solutions. One of their products, called the “Fast Fold Solar Mat,” is a large fold-up solar mat that is compact enough to fit into a car.

When rolled out, the mat expands to 7 feet by 19 feet. It connects to a power hub which stores the energy. It has ports on it that allow for connection to any machine or appliance that needs powering. This hub, when combined with the solar mat, make a totally off-grid power system is fairly portable and practical for the average consumer – especially those that heavily rely on electricity.

The unit provides 10kWh of energy storage and up to 3kVA AC output. Their product page boasts that “Just one of these systems could provide power for:

A deployable camp HQ – comms, lighting, computers, or;
3,000 liters of seawater purified for drinking, or;
800+ smartphone charges, or;
200+ cups of tea!”

That’s not all… Renovagen’s technology can be used as a portable EV charging point. Now, electric vehicle owners no longer have to be limited by their proximity to grid charging stations. They can recharge their vehicles anywhere the sun is shining!

While these capabilities are impressive, there is even more that the Rapid Roll can do. It can actually be combined with a small diesel generator to create a “hybrid” system, capable of providing power on a 24/7 year-round basis.

The solar mat and hub together weight about 260 pounds (the hub is about 200 lbs and the mat is about 60 lbs). Granted, this may mean that the solar mat is not a feasible solution for everybody, as that may be a little too much weight for some people to handle on their own. Storage space can also be a concern for smaller vehicles. However, there are plenty of people who can make it work and who are thrilled with what the system allows them to do.

If you’d like to see a product demonstration, here is a VIDEO that demonstrates how it works.

2. Bladeless Wind Turbine

Like solar, wind energy has come a long way as well. Circa 500 AD, the Persians used wind power for their water pumps and grain mills. The first windmill to generate electricity was invented in 1888 by Charles F. Brush in Cleveland, Ohio. This early model had blades made of cedar wood and was capable of generating 12 KW of power.

Over time, the practical usage of windmills was adopted by many farmers and ranchers. In the 1900s, small windmills started popping up on rural properties to generate electricity for distant or otherwise off-grid locations. Nowadays, it’s common to see large windmills peppering the distant fields when you’re driving down a country road.

So, why hasn’t wind technology spread more widely than it has? You’d think that free energy would be a little more popular, right? Especially when we are constantly searching for ways to replace fossil fuels. The truth is that wind technology, despite its proven usefulness, has always been associated with a fair amount of drawbacks, like:

Intermittence – Windmills are dependent on wind and can only provide energy during the right atmospheric conditions.
Intrusiveness – Common complaints of windmills are that they are noisy, unsightly, and have adverse environmental effects.
Costliness – Windmills typically have large upfront (and ongoing) costs. Many of the giant windmills you see (such as the ones pictured below) cost upwards of a million dollars each.
Transience – Battery life is often an issue. The batteries in these giants (above) have a lifespan of roughly ten years. By the time a windmill has generated enough electricity to pay for itself, a new battery is often needed, adding yet another financial setback.
Maintenance – Windmills also typically have many moving parts, such as gears and blades that are subject to corrosion, degradation, and wear from resistance. To keep them functioning, it requires continual lubrication and upkeep.

So, while wind technology has come a long way, there is plenty of room for further advancement.

Recently, a company called Vortex has been putting their focus on these advancements. They have made great strides in overcoming some of the mentioned disadvantages of traditional wind turbines. Their model is totally bladeless. It has a “vortex induced vibration resonant” generator which operates without gears or blades and is said to generate more power than a traditional electricity-generating windmill.

It is built using resins that are reinforced with carbon and glass fiber – virtually, the same materials used in traditional windmill blades. Shape wise, bladeless windmills are comparable to a mast, standing erect over a small surface area. Since they are constructed of lightweight materials, the need for deep anchoring is significantly reduced.

The Vortex Bladeless Turbine harnesses energy from the wind via a process called “vortex shedding.” Wind passes through the turbine’s body and is modified, generating a pattern of vortices. When the frequencies of those forces match the structure’s frequency, the body begins to resonate with the wind.

In most engineering, such resonation is avoided as it is considered a destructive force, producing excessive wear and tear. However, with the Vortex Bladeless Turbine, it is quite the opposite. Not only does it rely on aerodynamic instability to capture energy, it lacks components that can be damaged by the friction.

Does it sound expensive? Actually, it’s not. Because, once you eliminate the need for blades, blade maintenance, and giant support mechanisms, you are able to significantly reduce your associated costs. And, make a speedier ROI.

Consider also that traditional windmills require an orientation system to keep them in line with (and facing) the wind. But due to their unique design, Vortex Bladeless Wind Turbines do not need to face any particular direction. They work the same – no matter which way the wind is blowing.

Not only is this design more efficient at capturing wind energy, it is also quieter, more compact, and less intrusive to people and wildlife. It is also totally noiseless, opening new doors for its use in many locations where traditional windmills might not work.

No complex manufacturing process is required either. No lubricating. No super heavy-duty anchoring. No large, unsightly construction that occupies enormous volumes of space. Just wind power that is more efficient and more affordable. To us, it sounds like an innovation worth mentioning.

3. Whirlpool Turbine

Hydropower is another idea that is not necessarily new. Many cultures have recognized the potential for water movement to be harnessed and used for other purposes. In ancient times, cultures such as the Romans and the Chinese found ways to use hydropower in various mill machines and agricultural equipment. Since then, thousands have studied hydropower and attempted to improve upon its efficiency.

In 1849, an engineer named James Francis came up with the Francis Turbine – a basic model with concepts fundamental to most existing turbines today. About 30 years later, the world’s very first hydropower plant was constructed in Appleton, WI.

In the late 1800’s, Hydroelectric plants began popping up elsewhere. By the early nineteen hundreds, hydropower accounted for approximately 25% of electricity generation in the US. By 1980, that amount had nearly tripled. Now, it accounts for nearly 16% of the entire world’s electrical energy production. In the US, it supplies power to state grids in all states but two – Mississippi and Delaware.

Hydropower clearly has some appealing benefits. For one, it is a totally renewable energy source. While fortunes are commonly spent in the drilling and mining of combustible fuels, hydropower uses resources that are already there. Moving water is part of nature. It always has and always will be. And when you use it, it’s not spent in the process of creating energy. It simply returns to its source, unchanged and uncontaminated.

Hydropower can also work regardless of weather conditions. It can keep delivering energy when the wind isn’t blowing, the sun isn’t shining, and even when river levels are low. Thanks to the help of reservoirs that are capable of storing large amounts of water, many hydropower systems are able to keep plenty of water in reserve. This makes hydropower a far more stable source of energy than wind and solar, which are more intermittent and dependent on atmospheric conditions.

Hydropower is also considered to be a cleaner energy source. It doesn’t emit any harmful pollutants into the water or air. While there are some considerations as to the ways it can impact the environment at local levels, hydropower itself does not burn any fuel or release any toxins into the air.

There are, however, a few drawbacks to hydropower. One is that it can be quite costly to construct and maintain. Since water is always moving, there are always objects in the water that can impede their function. Components within the system can break due to normal wear and tear. Having the equipment and personnel to fix them can create some substantial overhead.

Hydroelectric systems can also have negative impacts on local environments. Consider the Hoover dam, for example, which made drastic changes in the geography of its surroundings. While it may have created many benefits for those near it, it has also created new threats for both people and wildlife alike.

Fortunately, some recent efforts have been made to overcome these drawbacks. Turbulent , a company from Belgium, has created a “whirlpool turbine” which is relatively easy to install on most rivers and canals. It is placed alongside waterways. An opening allows river water to enter into the basin, funneling it into a vortex that spins the turbine more efficiently.

The turbine within the system is its only moving part. Fewer moving parts means a longer operating life. And, with the help of a large grate (or screen) to filter out debris from entering the turbine, the system is given added protection.

Moreover, the blades of the turbine are rounded, allowing fish or other small creatures to easily pass through without being harmed. One video on Turbulent’s website demonstrates how fish can swim right through the basin and turbine without incurring any injury.

The system is small in comparison to most other hydroelectric systems, requiring only about five feet in height to properly function. It is also relatively inexpensive and offers a great amount of power output per unit. Turbulent boasts that just one small whirlpool turbine can produce enough electricity to power up to sixty homes – twenty-four hours a day! And, due to the efficiency of its design (and its special monitoring software), the system can provide a speedier ROI than most other hydropower systems.

This amazing innovation can make life better for many people and in many areas worldwide. It takes about a week to install and has a 100-year life expectancy. With fewer expenses, less adverse impacts on the environment, and more efficient hydropower created, we think that the Turbulent Whirlpool Turbine is another eco-friendly technology worth mentioning.

4. Carbon Engineering

Another cutting edge innovation that shows major promise in the global warming fight is a technology by a company called Carbon Engineering . It pulls carbon dioxide directly out of the atmosphere and converts it into useful carbon.

The process begins with a large structure called an air contactor – a component that has similarities to an industrial cooling tower. Air is pulled into it with the help of a large fan, moving it over thin plastic pieces along the way. Those plastic pieces have a layer of non-toxic potassium hydroxide solution on them, which binds with the CO2 molecules in the air. It removes those CO2 molecules and stores them as a carbonate salt in the liquid solution.

The CO2 is then purified, concentrated, and compressed through various chemical processes. After that, it becomes a form of gas that can either be stored or used. The salt from the solution is extracted as pellets and heated in a calciner, releasing the CO2 in gas form. In short, the process takes something harmful (carbon dioxide) out of the atmosphere and turns it into something useful (i.e., carbon). The benefits are manifold – far greater than those of wind power, hydro power, or solar power.

In addition to the benefits we’ve already mentioned, carbon capture and storage is capable of capturing between 50-98% of carbon dioxide. And, according to the IPCC, it could account for 10-55% of the total carbon mitigation effort.

One disadvantage is that there are some significant cost implications associated with carbon dioxide capturing. Approximately 25 tons of water are required for each ton of CO2 stored. And, there are concerns about potential leaking hazards associated with storing captured CO2. Some critics have also said that the solution is not enough to have a strong impact on climate change, as only 25% of all greenhouse gas is due to fossil fuels. Transportation and industrial (as well as agricultural) activities account for the majority of those emissions.

So, there is reason to say that carbon capture and storage may not be the complete pie-in-the-sky package some say it is. However, we also recognize the great mission Carbon Engineering is on and see its potential to have an impact. And, we believe it is another great innovation that is definitely worth sharing!

5. Reflective Color LCD Displays

LCDs (or liquid crystal displays) are a very interesting type of technology. As the name suggests, they use liquid crystals – a material that was first observed in 1888 by Friedrich Reinitzer, a botanist from Austria. He noted bizarre properties in the material that were characteristic of both liquids and crystals.

For many years, however, these liquid crystals did not seem of much relevance to researchers or scientists. In fact, it took about eighty years before they began being analyzed more closely. And, it wasn’t until the 1960s when institutions began recognizing their true capabilities. That’s when RCA introduced a brand-new type of display to the world – the liquid crystal display.

It was more lightweight than the displays anyone had previously seen. And, it was sleeker and slimmer than the boxier TVs that they watched the Honeymooners on. Not to mention, it consumed a whole lot less power, which was a very noteworthy perk to most people. Suddenly, the world began paying very close attention to liquid crystals.

From then on, LCD demand exploded. They began making their way into millions of homes across the world. We now see them nearly everywhere we go – in our phones, our cars, our watches, and everywhere else. And, because they have been in such high demand, manufacturers have found ways to keep making them better, brighter, and cheaper.

To some, it may seem as though liquid crystal displays have reached their peak. They had a great run, but now they’re phasing out. Not so. In recent years, new breakthroughs have occurred in this technology that are changing the game all over again.

Reflective LCDs are a type of liquid crystal display that operate without one of the primary components that all other LCDs rely on – a backlight. Rather than being illuminated by a layer of high-powered LED lights, they have a reflective layer that rebounds ambient light from the display’s environment.

Unlike standard LCDs, reflective LCDs are capable of self-sufficient operation. With a small battery the size of a phone, they can last an entire eight hours on a single charge! With a small solar panel added, they can keep their charge without ever having to stay connected to the grid. And, they work great in direct sunlight – a capability that all other LCDs have to work really hard to achieve.

Normally, to keep from appearing totally washed-out in the sun, most LCDs have to crank up their brightness. Sometimes, anywhere from 2000-5000 nits!

Only by consuming large amounts of power (far more than a standard LCD uses) are high-brightness displays able to maintain readability in sunlight. And often, they stay running around the clock. Why? Exactly. Perhaps, because many people still aren’t yet aware of what a reflective display can do!

Think about the new doors that this innovation opens up – not just for individual consumers, but for businesses , marketers, and advertisers alike. With significantly lower power bills, businesses can stop worrying about huge ongoing expenses that linger long after upfront costs have been paid. But, there is one other party that benefits from this innovation as well – the world itself. Because we are all looking for ways to better preserve this big spinning ball of ours.

Sun Vision Display believes that when great innovation successfully combines with an eco-friendly aim, the world wins. SVD is at the forefront of creating large-format reflective LCD panels that can replace most high-brightness displays. If you’d like to learn more, inquire at www.sunvisiondisplay.com . Sales and staff will be glad to tell you more about this game-changing innovation.

So, we hope you have enjoyed reading up on these 5 eco-friendly technologies. We will keep our eyes out on the horizon for new innovations that show promise. In the meantime, let’s keep our zest for finding methods of doing business that conserve and preserve the world we live in. Thanks for reading!

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IP Rating: What is it exactly and what does it mean?

Fri, 28 May 2021 20:49:20 GMT

If you’ve bought any kind of consumer electronics lately, you’ve probably seen or heard it has a certain IP Rating . You’re also likely aware that it has something to do with how durable the device is and if it can be dropped in a toilet or not without combusting. While you aren’t far off, there’s a little more that goes into IP Ratings and it’s important to take a closer look. Not all electronic devices need the highest IP Rating to be a good solution for you. We’ve done the dirty work of condensing down everything you need to know (including a full color chart!) so you can make the best decisions regarding your next purchase AND impress all your friends along the way.

What does IP stand for anyway?

First (and trust us, it’s best this way), let’s just get the Nerd Facts out of the way. IP stands for “Ingress Protection”. If you or a relative have ever preferred an “initials only” nickname, you understand why not too many people go around referencing the “level of ingress your device is protected against”. It’s simply not as smooth or cool sounding as “IP”. What is important to note though is that ingress refers to the act of going in or entering . It’s often paired with its opposite action of egress , or the act of leaving or exiting. While ingress and egress are not as commonplace as they once were, their cousins certainly are much more well known. For example, you certainly wouldn’t want your vocabulary to regress , or move into a worse or lessened state, simply because certain words aren’t used as often as others. And it’s much more difficult to discuss those occasions where we’ve transgressed , or went over or past a known limit. It’s easier to focus on progress , or the act of moving forward. Funny enough, tigress and ogress are not related in any way to these others, hold that their aggression , aka hostile behavior or actions towards someone else, is intimidating enough to keep them in the discussion. But before we digress , or temporarily move away from the main topic, there is one last idea to think about. If Pro is the opposite of Con, what is the opposite of progress ?

DOWNLOAD OUR IP RATING CHART:

OK, OK, back on track. Now that the idea of “ingress” has been covered, we can take a look at what it means for consumer electronics. For electronic devices, things that can get inside (ingress) and potentially damage the unit are broken down into two basic categories: Solids and Liquids. Solids are also referred to as Foreign Bodies and include dust, dirt, physical objects such as wires, and hands/fingers. Liquids almost exclusively refer to some type of interaction with water, whether through spray, immersion, rain, or humidity. Technically, any liquid that attempts to enter (or ingress, now that you’re a professional at this) the device falls into this category. For example, studies have shown that if you manage not to spill your fourth glass wine all over your cell phone, the probability is high that you will drop said phone in the toilet later in that same evening. This study shows just how often that occurs . Facts is facts folks, so please careful, especially those of you reading this article while in the bathroom. Meanwhile, because of the myriad of ways a solid or liquid could enter an electronic device, IP Ratings help us determine what level of protection the device has and how careful we need to be when operating it.

First IP Number: Solids

The first digit of the IP Rating is the Solids category and is broken down into six levels conveniently numbered 1-6. As the number increases, the size of the particle that is prevented from ingress decreases. In other words, the higher the number, the more protection from particles of ranging sizes. Ratings 1-4 are focused on more everyday items, such as fingers or wire, which all greater than 1mm in any single dimension. Ratings 5-6 take a slightly different approach, because it considers anything less than 1mm to be “dust”. However, dust can include things like hair or sand, which have very different effects on the electronic display. Hair may be soft, but it’s a great conductor of static electricity. Sand, on the other hand (you’re welcome for using a rhyming pun that works), is much harder and corrosive, yet it doesn’t bother with static because it’s an insulator. Time of exposure also comes into play here, because unlike an assault from a screwdriver, dust is considered to be an ever-present factor. This is why for an IP Rating of 5, some dust ingress is actually permissible after 2-8 hours of exposure while an IP Rating of 6 is equivalent to zero ingress of dust (or fully dust-proof) in that same amount of time. Most personal devices today carry an IP Rating of 6X (65,67, etc.), it’s become a widely achievable and accepted standard by most manufacturers.

Second IP Number: Liquids

The second digit of the IP Rating is the Liquids category . This the one that gets the most excitement from consumers, especially those members of the "Potty Droppers Party". This part of the rating is broken down into 8 different levels and once again, conveniently numbered 1-8. There are more nuanced differences between levels 1-7, in terms of how water can potentially enter the device and at which point some ingress is acceptable, but that distinction is for a different day. Instead this time, we’ll work backwards – and not just because we can. An IP Rating of X8 (48,58, etc.) would mean that the device is fully “waterproof”, or protected against all kinds of ingress from water, including immersion, when exposed for long periods of time. Only Level 8 offers such protection and more, it is a highly coveted rating for those devices that can achieve it. From there, a rating of X7 is considered water “resistant” and can withstand immersion of water for specific periods of time, but not indefinitely. Ratings 5 and 6 cover water that is forcefully sprayed at a device, while 1-4 focus on exposure to weather (rain) and incidental splashes. Ratings 1-7 have exceptions for some water to ingress, and will include conditions such as, “but not in harmful quantities.” This shows you just how difficult it is to prevent a liquid from ingress. These categories wouldn’t exist otherwise, and you would have either a YES or NO selection to answer the question, “Can it get wet”? It is important to acknowledge that depending on how you want to use your device or the level of protection you may add to it after purchase, it’s OK to own a device that isn’t technically “waterproof”. Besides, there are other challenges to achieving an IP 68 Rating that sometimes limit the internal technology. The IP Rating can have a direct influence on the overall product design of the electronics and it isn’t ice’s performance.

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Top 5 Money-Saving Technologies for Upgrading Your Business

Mon, 17 May 2021 15:45:40 GMT

Running a business requires a lot of upfront capital. You’ll need to cover supply cost, payroll, marketing strategies, innovative designs, and more. These expenses tend to grow as you define your business and line items add up quickly. It’s not uncommon for businesses to face short-term problems or distress, especially when they’re not taking advantage of every opportunity to save money and increase advertising efforts. As the market gets more and more competitive, it’s important to do everything you can to set yourself apart. With the advancement of technology, there have been many improvements in how business is conducted, managed, and advertised. If you’re not taking advantage of contemporary ideas and marketing strategies, you’re going to fall behind. Luckily, utilizing new technology allows you to integrate customizations without ongoing extensive overhead costs. Here are the top 5 money-saving technologies for upgrading your business.

1. Cloud Computing

Cloud computing allows businesses to manipulate their data and programs on a server that’s connected to the Internet rather than a physical hard drive. This increases storage and accessibility for the company, which helps to lower the cost of staffing and IT needs. Servers are not in-house, so repairs, upgrades, and technical support are all taken care of by an outside organization. Since many programs are pay-as-you-go, you won’t be billed for unnecessary usage.

2. Artificial Intelligence and Machine Learning

Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning have been around for a few years, but they are starting to become increasingly advanced. By combining the two, you can gather data based on your prospective clients and current customer base to create content that’s specifically targeted for your audience. AI and machine learning can also help you better understand how to make improvements in your business and avoid potential problems. To take this technology even further, automation can be integrated.

3. Automation

Automation is becoming used in several different aspects of business, all of which can help you save money by freeing up time. There are ways to implement automation in social media, backups, invoicing, payment processing and payroll, email marketing, and more . Many businesses are already utilizing it and report time savings of up to two-hours per day , which leaves more time for profitable actions. The more time your employees have available to work on things that matter, the more profitable your company will become.

4. Cybersecurity

As technology increases, so does the risk for malicious attacks. To avoid potential cyberattacks, investing in a strong cybersecurity plan is essential. Since many data breaches can cost up to $200,000 or more per incident, having preventative technology in place will inevitably save you money in the long run. Make sure your team is trained well, use two-factor authentication, and invest in cybersecurity programs.

5. Invest in or Upgrade Your Current Digital Signage Options

Upgrading to digital signage in general saves you money on printing costs. It allows you to change out your signage more quickly, frequently, and remotely, eliminating the cost and time it takes to print and manually change printed signs. In the restaurant industry, this alone has saved businesses up to $30,000 in printing costs per year.

The ability to change your advertising quickly and effortlessly is another great reason to upgrade your business with digital signs. It’s been shown that different advertisements can affect people differently depending on the time of the day. By creating a dynamic digital sign that changes as the day goes on, you’ll reach more of your target audience without submitting to costly changes in your signage.

If you already utilize digital signage, now is the perfect time to review how beneficial and costly your devices are for your bottom line and review newer technologies. For example, unlike certain variants of LED and LCD commercial digital signage that use backlights and LEDs to portray images, reflective LCD digital signs use reflective technology . By integrating a mirror that’s installed behind a layer of liquid crystal material, ambient light from sunshine or external light sources passes through the screen, onto the mirror, and is then reflected to the viewer. This improves efficiency and uses up to 95% less energy than other types of digital signage. Over the years, this can be equated to thousands of dollars in energy savings. What’s more, you won’t have to replace the technology as often as other types of digital signage: With reflective LCD technology there’s no LED decay because there’s no backlight. With excellent sunlight visibility and stunning graphics, making the switch is a no-brainer for your outdoor advertising needs. Reflective LCD digital signage is affordable, and over time, you’ll save money on replacement costs and repairs.

To get the most out of your reflective LCD digital signs , it’s important to be strategic with where you display them – ideally in a sunny location that’s visible to your intended audience. Similarly, take the time to choose the right size monitor, make sure that you optimize your message and images, and connect to a network that allows for seamless changes throughout the day, week, or month. Doing this will help you substantially cut down on labor costs so you can focus on achieving your short and long-term business goals.

If you want to upgrade your business, start by using some of these money-saving technologies. The benefits of each are unsurpassable and will only continue to increase. While there is a myriad of options available for your technology needs, always opt for high-quality products from trusted retailers.

For all your reflective LCD digital sign needs, Sun Vision Display is here to help. Our reflective LCD display panels are the perfect solution for many outdoor applications. We offer a variety of different sizes available for use in public spaces , transportation , food and entertainment , tourism , retail , sports, recreation , and more. With stunning visuals in full HD resolution and ultra slim designs, this is the perfect technology to make immediate visual upgrades in your business. Sun Vision Display’s reflective LCD technology operates in temperatures ranging from -20°C to +70°C so you can use them year-round. You no longer have to choose between sunlight readability and low power consumption—you can have both! To learn more about how your business can benefit by incorporating reflective LCD technology, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today at 224-268-3343.

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5 Features of Outdoor Commercial Digital Signage

Fri, 09 Apr 2021 17:43:30 GMT

As technology has advanced, consumer demands have changed. Instead of being enticed by simple paper billboards, static signage, or paper posters, our eyes crave more. That’s where commercial digital signage comes in. Commercial digital signage is a type of electronic signage that uses different display technologies to project dynamic, colorful, and captivating images that allow for dynamic user interactions. They’re beneficial in a multitude of settings and can be used to advertise, inform, entice, and engage customers near and far. The applications for commercial digital signage are endless thanks to the underlying mechanisms that allow them to function. Here, we’ll discuss 5 features that make it possible to use commercial digital signage effectively outdoors.

1. Weatherproofing

One of the key differences between indoor and outdoor commercial digital signage features are the weatherproofing components. Since outdoor signage is subject to whatever nature brings its way (temperature, wind, and humidity), it needs to be adequately protected. While it’s possible to weatherize indoor signage by adding weatherproofing enclosures, the best technology has built-in protection. This allows for optimal functioning without sacrificing sleekness or quality.

For more comprehensive outdoor coverage, you may want to consider adding some sort of security or vandalism protection such as a protective film or strengthened glass cover lens. These options can help reduce negative impacts from vandalism or especially harsh weather such as hail or heavy winds.

2. Temperature Control Systems

Beyond the rain, snow, and wind, it’s important to protect your signage from extreme temperatures (anything outside the manufacturer’s temperature ratings). Freezing or overheating both can cause permanent damage. Heat is an especially great challenge for signage with heat-producing components, such as high-brightness backlights. When run continuously, and especially in direct sunlight or high temperatures, these components can overheat and burnout. Manufacturers and integrators often add temperature control systems to prevent this. But these systems add bulk and cost to the signage all of which make it difficult to transport and install.

Sun Vision Display signs, using reflective LCD technology , are a unique solution for the outdoors. Instead of a backlight, a mirrored layer reflects ambient light to illuminate the display. The brighter the sun shines, the brighter the display image gets. This, in turn, also helps to keep power consumption at a minimum so you can reap the benefits for years. They have a wide operating temperature range (-20C to +70C) and no backlight or other heat-producing components, so they don’t require bulky temperature control systems for operation in most climates. They’re UV resistant and lightweight, and can be easily moved from one place to another.

3. Connectivity Options

Once your digital signage is installed, you’ll need to have a way to change the messaging. There are a few different ways in which commercial digital signage can be connected to your business for optimal functionality. You can utilize an Ethernet hard line, Wi-Fi, mobile technologies, or even a connected content management system. You can also incorporate a traditional media player, connect devices through HDMI or USB ports, and Bluetooth. The main thing is finding the best solution for your needs.

If you’re going to be setting up your commercial digital signage near your store or business, an Ethernet input may suffice. However, to better increase accessibility and overall convenience, we recommend finding technology that can be connected to a wireless network or transmitting platform. This allows for increased ease of use when changing the display image and reduces technical problems. By choosing outdoor digital signage with an easy-to-use content management system, you’ll help increase overall efficiency.

4. Mounting Options

To get the most out of your outdoor commercial digital signage, you need to have flexibility with mounting options. Most options for digital signage can be mounted in a number of ways, but the most popular tends to be securely attached to a wall. However, with a diverse range of options, your marketing strategies can get fairly creative. There are options for modular, flexible mounts, pop-out designs, display board mounts, mobile cart mounts, and even ceiling mounts. To determine which option is best for you, you want to think about your goals and what you want to accomplish with each display that you construct. An integrator can help you determine the best mounting solution for your needs.

5. Glass Treatments

For the best readability in outdoor environments, it’s important to consider whether or not you’ll want to add any glass treatments to your commercial digital signage. Glass treatments can include things such as anti-glare, anti-reflective, or anti-smudge technology.

An anti-glare treatment involves creating a rough surface on the cover lens using an etching process. This helps to scatter reflected light at different angles and therefore, reduce any bright glare from the light source. Anti-reflective technology adds a film or coating to help reduce reflections on the surface by canceling out specific wavelengths of light. This allows for a more vivid display without any mirroring effects. If you’re going to be using your digital signage as an interactive display, utilizing an anti-smudge technology is a good way to keep things clean and easy to read. This treatment helps reduce the ability of the cover lens from retaining the oils present in your fingers. While this treatment isn’t 100% perfect, it does make any trace oil less noticeable and easier to clean.

When choosing your outdoor digital signage, you have options between commercial LED digital signage, high brightness LCDs, reflective color LCDs, and electronic paper displays. To further understand the different types of commercial digital signage , make sure that you do your research.

While there are many different options, reflective color LCDs offer the largest benefits for your outdoor needs – especially in high-sun locations. Thanks to its ultra-low power consumption, wide operating temperature, low heat output, and stunning sunlight readability, reflective color LCDs work well in many outdoor environments. If you’re interested in learning more about how our commercial digital signage can help improve your marketing strategy and brand image, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today.

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The Cost of Digital Signage. How Much is it Really?

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 18:41:13 GMT

So, you’re interested in learning more about the costs of digital signage? Perhaps you have already made the decision to buy, but first want to learn more about it. Whatever the case, you are wise to do your due diligence – especially if this is a business expense, as your decisions will affect more than just you.

Buying digital signage can be both complex and expensive. If the dollar signs give you a sense of anxiety, try to think of this more as an investment than an expense. After all, the goal of digital signage is to yield an ROI in some way – either through sales revenue, paid advertising, or simply by building awareness of your brand & products.

Digital signage cost is not always easy to calculate – especially when there are so many variables that can alter it: Product type/brand, quantity, weatherproofing enclosures, temperature control systems, mounting, and any other additional hardware or services you may need.

The goal of this article is to give you an idea about the available options, processes, and costs, so you can avoid making some of the common mistakes. We’ll talk about the different types of digital signage, their applications, their costs (and hidden costs), and some of the things that buyers tend to overlook.

Initial Purchase Costs

While cost is a major consideration, it’s not so cut-and-dried. There are many factors to consider. The most obvious is the initial cost of the signage itself. But, this can vary greatly depending on technology, brand, size, quantity, and numerous other factors. Unit types may vary in backlight composition ( primarily LED or LCD ) and brightness (number of nits), too. Some displays have touch capacity, while others do not.

The cost of additional components will need to be factored in as well. These can include outdoor enclosures, media players (and internal hardware), mounting hardware, and external components such as brightness sensors. Even more, there are installation costs, licensing, provisioning, and operating costs.

Even though it’s hard to average it out, we’ll give it our best shot. To do so, we’ll have to make a few assumptions. First, we’ll assume you’re purchasing LCD signage (rather than LED). Second, we’ll assume you’re buying one of the two more common sizes – 32” and 55.” Third, we will also assume you are not including non-standard features such as touch capability, 4k, 8k, OLED, or QLED – all of which can drastically influence display price.

It’s advisable that you conduct more of your own research beyond this article, as you know more about your own needs and requirements than anyone. Also, keep in mind that prices do not always scale logically: There is no formula to use. You may find a display that’s twice the size but five times the cost, and it may leave you scratching your head. Fair warning: That’s just the nature of digital signage.

For now, let’s talk a little bit about brightness.

Brightness of Digital Display

A display’s brightness is a major factor in pricing. Brightness is measured in “nits”, which is 1 candela per square meter. A candela is basically the amount of light emitted from a common candle. The average TV is usually between 200 – 300 nits.

What is a nit?

A "nit” is how we measure the brightness of a display. One "nit" is equal to 1 candela per square meter. A candela is basically the amount of light emitted from a common candle.

This brightness level typically only works well indoors, at night, or in environments where there is not much competing light. If next to a window on a bright sunny day, you’ll probably notice the screen being “washed out”, making it hard to read. For this reason, most digital signage is brighter (i.e. more nits) than a common TV… and consequently, higher in price.

A standard 32” TV can cost anywhere from about $100 on the low-end to $600 on the high-end. Of course, they can be much more if they include those high-end features that we mentioned above. For general purposes, let’s meet somewhere in the middle and say that an average 32” TV is roughly $250.

Standard 55” TVs can cost anywhere from about $299 on the low end to $900 on the higher end, although you may come across bargains or pricier buys outside this range. Let's meet somewhere in the middle again and say that an average 55” TV is about $400.

Remember... we’re still talking about standard TVs which will not suffice for the purposes of digital signage. We only mention these costs to give you a basis for comparison. Now, we’ll establish a starting price for digital signage.

Purchase Costs of Digital Signage

To talk digital signage costs, we’ll again have to quickly touch on brightness. It’s a major part of why digital signage costs more. Digital signage brightness typically begins where TV brightness ends – at 400-nits and brighter. From there, it can go up to 2,500 nits or more. We'll assume 1,000 nits is about average.

32 INCH - On the low end, we’ve seen 1,000-nit 32” units listed for as low as $250. However, these “bargains” raise all sorts of questions. We cannot in good conscience recommend them. They’re often of questionable quality, have sketchy warranty information, and aren’t likely to meet your needs. In general, the adage applies: “You get what you pay for.” If you enjoy gambling and have a tree that grows money, then this may be an OK route for you. Everyone else: beware.

A more realistic low-end price for decent 32” digital signage is probably much closer to $900 (bare minimum). On the higher end, we’ve seen 32” digital signage panels listed at $3,000 plus. Once again, we could meet somewhere in the middle and say that an average starting price for 32” digital signage is roughly $1,500.

55 INCH – On the low end, we’ve found 55” units listed at $399 (again, buyer be very aware) and well over $5,000 on the high end. Generally, we could say an average starting price for 55” digital signage is about $2,800.

Keep in mind that these figures do not take quality into account. Nor do they necessarily include any of the additional components that we mentioned above (media players, mounting, enclosures, etc.).

Additional Component Costs

1. Media Player

A media player is the brain of your digital signage. You’ll need one to display your content.

Media players typically come in boxes, sticks, or all-in-one solutions. Of those options, media sticks are usually the least expensive choice. We’ve seen some on the extreme low end for about $35 each. Some of the pricier all-in-one solutions we’ve found were at $2,000 each.

Figuring out what you need will depend a few things, such as: the number of devices you’ll be deploying, where your signage will be placed, the type of content you’ll be playing, and existing infrastructure. Using the same ballpark method, you can probably expect that a media player will cost at least $150.

2. Mounting Hardware

Mounting hardware also varies a great deal in price. Not only do you have many different brands and service options, you also have many different types of mounts. You have flat wall, tilt wall, full-motion wall, ceiling mount, video wall mounting, and outdoor mounting.

Flat wall mounts are the simplest type of mount. They are your basic metal frame attaching to the back of your panel as well as to the wall.
Tilt wall mounts are similar but more flexible. They are made to be placed above the line of sight for viewers. These are often used in restaurant applications, such as menu boards, etc.
Full-motion wall mounts are systems that swing or pull open.
Ceiling mounts allow displays to be hung via harness on poles that attach to the ceiling.
Video wall mounts are systems that often hold many displays that are stacked or tiled. They are often customized by specialists.
Outdoor mounts (or enclosures) not only mount the screen, they also usually protect it from the elements. They are typically ruggedized to protect the display from vandalism and are often fixed to asphalt or concrete slabs via pedestals.

Flat wall mounts are often the least expensive option. On the low end, you can find flat wall mounts for as little as $11.99, such as this inexpensive model shown HERE . You can find full outdoor enclosures in the $5,000 range and beyond, such as this model shown HERE . You’ll find a wide range of solutions if you shop around.

Hopefully you can see how vastly prices can vary, making it hard to form any kind of an average – especially when the costs will be almost completely dependent on your exact needs. If you plan on placing your signage in an outdoor area, a simple wall mount won’t do. Your needs automatically bump you into a higher bracket of spending.

To stay consistent with the article’s aim so far, however, let’s meet near the middle again and assume a commercial mounting solution will cost you at least $1,000.

Other Costs

1. Installation

It’s highly probable that your entire configuration will have to be installed by a professional. In some cases, you may be able to have this done by whichever company you are buying the bulk of your products from. If that’s the case, installation will probably have its own charge, but it may be reduced if it’s bundled into a package price.

Provisioning may also be included in the cost of installation. This is basically the process of connecting and preparing all your equipment for use (accessories, media players, hardware, etc.). It’s a necessary step that must be done before you can stream your content. It can also be very complex, supporting the case for hiring professionals… and further impacting your bottom line.

According to TelemtryTV , a digital signage software/service provider, a simple one- or two-unit installation can cost between $200 and $300. If you’re looking at a more complex or large-scale digital signage integration, the price could range anywhere from $2,000 to more than $10,000.

Assuming that your setup requires it, let’s also assume that installation will cost you about $1,000.

2. Licensing

Your display requires software in order to do its job. Most of the available digital signage software options are cloud-based and supported by mainstream operating systems. They are easy to integrate and come with a large variety of features such as templates, apps, and 24/7 support. They typically come with a monthly subscription fee that you should factor into your costs as well.

While this is a real cost, it’s begins after all of the other initial purchases have been made. So, we won’t factor it into our total cost average. While free software versions do exist, they are often too limited in their functionality to be useful for most sign owners. For a good software that works well for your purposes, you can expect to spend anywhere from $10 to $100 per month. Keep in mind that these fees can vary depending on how many users you authorize and how many screens you plan to operate.

3. Operating Costs

Your signage uses energy and energy costs money. This can add up over time. It's not uncommon for a 1,000-nit 32” or 43” LCD to run at 200 watts. At 16 hours per day (and at a price of $0.12 per kilowatt hour), you’ll pay $140 a year just to keep your sign running. If your displays gets 10 straight years (or 90k hours) of use, it means you’ll have paid $2,160 to keep it running throughout that period of time. In some cases, that may be more than the price of the display itself. It’s something to keep in mind when your eye gets caught by those irresistible “bargains”.

We’ll also exclude operating costs from the grand total as they too begin after all other upfront purchases have been made.

Totaling It Up

So far, we have the digital signage costs (32” being $1,500 and 43” being $2,800). Add $150 for a media player, $1,000 for mounting hardware, $1,000 for installation, and you have a grand total of $2,650 for a 32” and $4,950 for a 43”. Does that sound like a fair ballpark estimate? Hopefully, it at least gives you an idea on costs before going further in the process.

Your next step may be to begin consulting professional s you trust. Talk to people who’ve been in the game for years. And, talk to more than one of them. Just as there are many different types and prices for products, there are many different types and prices for companies and their services.

Again, we strongly recommend that you continue to do more research as well. You may find prices that look nothing like what we’ve talked about here. If so, more power to you. Our goal was simply to tell you about what is common.

But before we leave you to your journey, we’d be remiss if we didn’t inform you about an interesting alternative type of LCD signage that may fit just fit your bill – figuratively and financially. It’s a solution called Reflective LCD Signage.

Reflective LCD Signage

A reflective display is unlike any other type of display because it lacks one thing that is crucial to all other displays – a backlight.

But don’t mistake this for an accident. Reflective displays rely on existing light (such as sunlight or ambient light) to achieve the same purpose of a backlight. They are sunlight readable, which is something that all other displays must work really hard to achieve. Remember? They sometimes have to crank up their brightness to 2,500 nits just to stay visible! Not only is that hard on the wallet, it’s hard on the eyes!

Excessive blue light does cumulative damage to our retinas. It creates what we call “light pollution” as well, affecting many things in nature, such as breeding, foraging, and orientation behaviors in animals. Reflective displays reduce that problem to a fraction, as they don’t actually create any light. They simply reflect the light that’s there!

The best thing of all, however, may be their low electricity bill. Reflective displays use up to 95% less power than many of their high brightness competitors. Operating on only 5 watts, running 16 hours per day (and at the same price of $0.12 per kilowatt hour), you would only pay $3.50 a year in operating costs. Compare that to the $140/year estimate we gave above. Similarly, if a reflective display got 10 straight years (or 90k hours) of use, you would have only paid $54 to keep it running throughout an entire decade! Compare that to the $2,160 figure mentioned above and you’ll see why reflective makes sense.

This opens all sorts of doors in the digital signage world. Not only do we have a low energy, sunlight readable, and low blue light solution, we also have the ability to make digital signage that is totally self-sufficient. It can be off-grid and in remote locations that don’t require long power cords running to them. A simple solar panel becomes enough to keep it powered without any other help.

To learn more about reflective displays and how they may be a solution for you, visit www.sunvisiondisplay.com . Someone on our team would be glad to talk to you more about this amazing, innovative product.

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Reflective LCD signs for restaurants, cafes & entertainment venues

Thu, 18 Mar 2021 16:22:12 GMT

Printed menus have been the restaurant standard for centuries, likely even dating back to the advents of pulped papyrus and thin-sliced bread. Serving as a guide for patrons to compare prices and food descriptions, many restaurants post their menu outside as a way of enticing passersby to choose their restaurant for their next meal. Menus have also been an effective advertising space for showcasing coupons, sales, or even services from local businesses. While printed menus have worked well for centuries, they are becoming somewhat outdated as restaurants try to satisfy consumers' ever-growing demands for technologies that offer more dynamic information.

Menu items change frequently with the seasons, as produce and local ingredients become available. Pricing or daily specials can also change with little notice. The last thing restaurant owners want to do is disappoint their customers who are anticipating a featured meal that is no longer available. Outdoor printed menus take a beating from the elements. Sunlight, moisture, and wind can quickly fade, discolor and batter printed paper menus risking a negative impression from the public. For all of these reasons, printed menus need to be re-printed, replaced, or printed with several versions. These simple changes can demand tremendous time, energy, and expense for restaurants relying on outdoor paper advertising.

Switching from paper signage to digital signage is becoming a common trend for many restaurants.

The emergence of digital signage offers restaurants a way to avoid some of the issues associated with traditional printed menus. Digital signage can dynamically display menu items, prices, and daily specials. They can be easily and quickly updated as often as necessary to reflect the most current information. Short animations can be included to highlight featured dishes, which adds more value to the user interface than static images. Video advertisements and updates can be incorporated periodically to reach more of the dining crowd without diverting attention from the menu selections. Some software solutions even allow for customers to login or interact with the displays without touching them directly. Here they can download menu items or play short videos to see more about the food item they wish to order, all of which is simply not possible with a printed paper display. All of these features create a more personal and engaging experience for patrons, increasing the likelihood they'll return and maybe even bring new customers into your business.

Outdoor digital signage becomes even more significant in the way that it assists restaurants expand their business. For example, many Dunkin Donuts locations have adopted outdoor digital displays for their drive thru pick-up service . In addition to the benefit of changeable featured content, these displays are designed to resist harsh weather and be capable of interacting with customers, both of which were previously not possible with printed menus. With the newest advancements in online ordering, customers can even connect their mobile device to the restaurant’s digital display and access the same menu items on their phones, including ordering and paying for their meal remotely. In another example, one of McDonalds challenges has been informing its customers about when the breakfast menu is finished and the traditional menu is offered. Different locations could have different times and the policies were often regionally enforced. By upgrading to digital signage, not only could individual menu items be updated, entire menus could be replaced in a fraction of a second. By using multiple screens, McDonalds and other fast food companies can showcase menu items, explain which menus are available, and even show the customer their current order in real time, all within a single, convenient experience.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE BENEFITS

Why are more and more restaurants and entertainment venues using digital signage ?

Sunlight is a major challenge for outdoor digital signage.

To be objective, there were some initial challenges for implementing digital signage, as there are with incorporating any new idea or technology. When it comes to viewing any digital images in an outdoor environment, bright sunlight can make it difficult to see the image on the display clearly. In addition, this same bright light can cause devices to heat up quickly and even fail if proper precautions are not followed. Obviously, this is undesirable for any user and a concern for business owners who don’t want to see their investments only be subject to risk and failure. For a long while, the only solution was to have the display “outshine” the sun, cranking up the brightness on the device in an effort to power through the ambient sunlight. In some ways, this can be effective, as the saying going, “The brightest stars are seen at night.” But this method also comes at a high cost. First, it takes a lot of energy to try to beat the sun when it comes to emitting light and even if capable, that energy comes with a price tag that is ever consuming, unless the sun were to stop shining. At that point, digital displays would become the lowest of anyone’s worry. Second, this energy output also creates heat of its own and is another amount of energy that needs to be dissipated before damaging the device. Additional Anti-Reflective coatings and AC fans or water-cooling systems need to be used to pull heat away, adding to the overall energy usage and cost of operating the display. Last, by using the High Brightness mode, the LCD and back lights themselves would degrade more quickly, reducing the overall lifespan of the display before it would need to be fully replaced. So while a display may be able show a brighter image in bright conditions, it is important to understand what it takes to achieve that result.

Sun Vision Display signs use reflective LCD technology to turn sunlight into a solution.

The best aspect of technology is how quickly it advances. Just as printed paper menus are being upgraded to digital displays, so is the digital signage industry constantly upgrading itself. For instance, Sun Vision Display approaches the issue of sunlight differently, turning what was considered a problem into a solution. By using reflective technology , the same sunlight that other display panels compete with now becomes the exact light that illuminates the LCD panel. In this way, there is no need to “outshine” the sun or consume extreme of energy to do so. In fact, the brighter the sunlight, the better the images appear to the viewer, resulting in true sunlight readability.

The key to this technology is to replace the back light with a mirror-like reflective layer, eliminating the high energy component and cleverly converting interfering light energy into a useful asset. Though the physical mechanics of how this works may require several advanced degrees, the concept is actually quite simple and is what makes reflective displays truly a brilliant solution to an otherwise universal difficulty. As a result of this “small” change, many other benefits also arise. The energy required to operate the display is reduced up to 95% and in addition to removing the back light, saves overall cost every time it is turned on. The display welcomes bright light and is not subject to the same high heat degradation of other displays, increasing its overall lifespan and again reducing energy costs to cool the unit. Each factor that previously worked against the user now each benefit from the reflective technology and create a solution that is much more than the sum of its parts. This is the brilliance behind the way in which reflective technology has advanced the idea of using digital displays instead of printed paper menus.

Digital signage is helping restaurants advertise more effectively.

While it is important to see how technology has advanced , it is just as important to see how it impacts everyday life. In order to do so, one must look at how that technology is being used and how well it works in each application. The use of digital signage by restaurants for drive-thru services or outdoor dining space has been trending rapidly upward. One interesting example is how food trucks have also been able to incorporate mobile displays into their always-moving vehicles. It makes logical sense that a food truck owner who can easily be making lunch items in the center of Time Square, NY, likes the idea that she can also move her truck to Boston for dinner and late-night options. Similarly, she would like the idea that the content of her menu and specials can change as often as she pleases. Digital signage simply makes sense in this case and offers many wonderful advantages over paper menus and displays.

Sun Vision Display reflective LCD signs can be a great option for your restaurant's outdoor digital signage needs.

In the above food truck example, reflective displays could work very well for a number of reasons. The low power requirements make it easy to operate in a setting with limited resources. Also, reflective displays are designed to handle nearly any weather-related conditions that may hit. For example, SVD displays have an operating temperature between -20C and 70C, making them suitable for many outdoor climates. They can also be sealed behind toughened glass and ruggedized to an IP65 rating which will help withstand weather and the jostling conditions of a moving vehicle.

If you are interested in learning more about outdoor displays, especially as they are being used by the Food and Entertainment industry, please feel free to reach out to one of our representatives today. SVD currently offers signage in a 32” diagonal size, with 43" and 55” options in development. These displays can also be tiled together in 2x2 or 3x3 arrangements to scale for larger needs. No matter what size you need, there is a good solution available to you that will help upgrade your business and increase your sales. Please contact us today with any questions!

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What are the Different Types of Commercial Digital Signage?

Fri, 26 Feb 2021 17:14:45 GMT

New ways to attract, convert, and process potential customers develop every day and if you want to stay relevant in today’s competitive market, you need to be dynamic with your marketing efforts. Commercial digital signage offers a unique opportunity to impact your audience. It’s fluid in nature, allowing you to change your display throughout the day, and has been proven to attract more attention from those walking or driving by. Digital signage has limitless possibilities and can help you improve your business through insightful analytics in more ways than one. However, finding the right type of digital signage for your business needs isn’t as straightforward as you’d think. There are a few different types of signage options on the market, each with unique features. To help you choose which option is best for you, we’re here to answer a common question: what are the different types of commercial digital signage?

What is Commercial Digital Signage?

Commercial digital signage utilizes displays that are specifically made for business marketing and operations. They’re electronic displays that range in sizes and are used to help attract customers, improve customer experience, and ultimately boost conversion rates. Commercial digital signage is different from consumer displays in that they are designed for business use, have more in-depth connectivity, are more reliable over time, and often come with post-sales support.

Choosing Between Consumer and Commercial Digital Signage

"Commercial digital signage is different from consumer displays in that they are designed for business use, have more in-depth connectivity, are more reliable over time, and often come with post-sales support. "

If you need digital signage for your business, the choice is fairly clear. Commercial digital signage offers more benefits than a consumer TV display. They’re made using minimal design features so they can seamlessly blend into the environment yet have the durability to run non-stop for long periods of time without burnout. Digital signage for commercial businesses also utilizes technology to improve readability under all conditions—especially when outside in direct sunlight. They have built-in media players, improved connectivity, and features that can be controlled without a remote.

Consumer displays, on the other hand, are essentially your standard family room TV. They’re meant to be used intermittingly as entertainment, not continuously for advertisement. To further your business’ marketing goals, commercial digital signage is a better option. However, there isn’t just one type of digital signage for commercial use, so it’s important to understand the differences to make the best choice for your business.

Different Types of Commercial Digital Signage

If you’re considering getting digital signage for your commercial business, you’ll want to research your options before making a purchase. While the different types of signage all use good technology, the application in which you’ll use them matters. Since they’re a larger upfront investment, choosing the right type of signage will help you avoid wasting money. Here are the primary types of commercial digital signage.

1. Commercial LED Digital Signage

Commercial LED digital signage uses a network of LED lights or "pixels" that, when viewed together, produce an image. The saturation of pixels in the display, also referred to as pixel pitch, influences the image resolution and clarity. Commercial LED displays can be made into different shapes using an interconnected network of panels. They can be constructed together for large-scale video since they aren’t limited by bezel lines, which create visible breaks in your image across screens. This provides a certain degree of flexibility as they can be wrapped around objects, curved, and configured into any size or shape. Some of the common challenges of LED digital signage include low resolution, high energy consumption, and light pollution.

2. Commercial LCD Digital Signage

LCD stands for " liquid crystal display ". LCDs are made of multiple layers which work together to produce an image. The base layer is comprised of the lighting technology, and the LCD cell sits atop. The LCD cell is made up of three layers: a bottom plate, liquid crystal, and a top plate. An additional layer of strengthened glass is added to provide protection and anti-glare/anti-reflective qualities. There are two primary types of commercial LCD signage: high-brightness LCDs and reflective LCDs. The primary difference between the two is within their lighting technology.

High-Brightness LCDs

Conventional LCDs are great for use indoors or in low-light environments, but become difficult to read when placed outdoors, especially in direct sunlight. To achieve sunlight readability, LCDs can be built using high-brightness backlights. This method provides good sunlight visibility, but causes some other challenges . High-brightness backlights require a lot of power (and cost) to operate. They also produce heat, which must be combatted with temperature control systems to prevent burnout. These temperature control systems increase the bulkiness of the display, making them less convenient for certain locations.

Reflective Color LCDs

Reflective color LCDs provide the same stunning imagery as other types of LCDs, but they utilize reflection to illuminate the display rather than a backlight. When ambient light passes through the LCD cell from the front, it’s reflected back to the viewer by the mirror-like layer and subsequent technology. This is incredibly beneficial in outdoor settings with lots of sunlight. The brighter the sun shines on the display, the brighter the display image gets. Furthermore, the absence of a backlight helps to drastically reduce power usage - less than 5 watts to be exact! In fact, Sun Vision Display's 32" reflective color LCD signs operate on 95% less power than similarly-sized high-brightness LCDs or LED signs. Other benefits of reflective color LCDs include reduced blue light radiation, low heat production, portability, and battery-operability.

Though reflective LCD technology has been around for several years, it has only recently become available in large enough sizes useful for digital advertising applications through brands like Sun Vision Display. If you’re interested in adding commercial digital signage to your outdoor marketing efforts, especially for areas with high sun exposure, contact Sun Vision Display to learn more.

3. Electronic Paper Displays

Another low-power, sunlight readable solution are electronic paper displays, also referred to as e-paper or electrophoretic displays. Epaper signage utilizes a bistable, reflective LCD technology that creates a black and white image that appears similar to ink on paper. They only require power to change the image, making them an excellent low-power solution for sunlight visibility There are a number of types of epaper display technologies including E-Ink , ZBD LCDs , and more. Not all of them are available in large-format sizes suitable for advertising. And, they can't produce the full spectrum of colors like other LCD technologies. But they are a great solution for many applications.

There are so many benefits to using commercial digital signage. While the initial upfront costs are going to be higher than traditional advertising methods, your return on investment is much higher. When choosing your signage, make sure that you weigh your options and find the best display for your needs. If you have any questions or would like to discuss options for your business, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display.

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Benefits of Reflective LCD Signage for the Tourism Industry

Thu, 11 Feb 2021 20:42:05 GMT

These days, it’s no surprise that digital signage is becoming more common in hotels, resorts, theme parks, and major attractions. Why? It may be because the landscape of technology has grown to the extent that people are now accustomed to having valuable content offered to them everywhere they go. Or, it may be because people closely associate the integration of digital signage with a more personal, high quality experience.

An LCD sign positioned in front of the giraffe exhibit, for example, telling you the animal’s name, its history, and its unique habits can make you feel like you’re more connected to the giraffe, rather than just a stranger staring at it from behind a fenced enclosure.

A beach-side café becomes just a little more enticing when you see a dessert special flashing across a nearby digital sign, informing you that the crème brulee is now half price. It gets you thinking, “Maybe I won’t go home just yet… maybe I’ll stick around to enjoy some sweet dishes to the sound of those wave swishes.” And there’s nothing wrong with that.

Digital signage entertains guests waiting in line

A great real life example of such LCD integration can be found at Cedar Fair’s theme parks. Cedar Fair , a regional amusement/resort operator in Sandusky, OH, owns over a dozen properties, consisting largely of amusement parks and water parks. And, they’ve developed a great new way to keep their guests engaged at all times. It’s called FunTV.

FunTV , an in-park TV network developed in partnership with Time Warner Media, delivers customizable TV content to park visitors. This content includes trivia questions, current news stories, weather updates, sports updates, games, and music videos. It also serves as a platform for advertisers to reach a captive target audience while giving park patrons a source of entertainment while they’re waiting in line for their next ride. It is a great way to deliver marketing messages, push out important updates, and display information to large numbers of people at once. Also, it is very easy for operators to update the content they want shown. Since the content is digital in nature, it can be updated quickly and remotely, allowing for a solution that is convenient and practical for the very active park personnel.

In order for Cedar Fair to broadcast FunTV, they have installed a large number of LCD signs throughout its various parks. These displays are strategically placed – not just in central locations, but in areas where people are likely to be giving their full attention. Many of these displays are outdoor and geared for handling all types of weather. Some of them are placed right in the open. This can present additional challenges – especially if the displays are facing the sun.

For sunlight readability, LCD signs require a high-brightness backlight (capable of anywhere from 500-3000 Nits). These get around the problem of direct sunlight, but can cost a lot to operate due to their high energy demand. It also makes them a difficult solution for remote areas where it can be difficult to run direct power lines.

Sun Vision Display signs love the sun!

Sun Vision Display signs are a new digital signage solution which uses sunlight to light up the display. Unlike high-brightness LCDs which use a high-brightness (and high-power consuming) backlight to improve visibility in direct sunlight, Sun Vision Display actually turn sunlight into a solution by reflecting it back through the display. Another significant benefit is that without the backlight, Sun Vision Display signs consume an average of 95% less power to operate than high-brightness LCD signs and LED signage . SVD currently offers digital signs in a 32” size, with 43" and 55” options in development. These displays can also be tiled together in 2x2 or 3x3 arrangements to scale for larger needs.

If you are interested in learning more about Sun Vision Display outdoor digital signage, especially as they are being used by the tourism industry, please feel free to reach out to one of our representatives today. You can complete the inquiry form below, email us at sales@sunvisiondisplay.com , or call +1 (224) 268-3343 . We look forward to hearing with you and discussing how we can help make your tourist business shine!

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AdSemble hosts Sun Vision Display on AdHero podcast

Sat, 06 Feb 2021 04:22:41 GMT

We were honored to be guests on the AdHero podcast, discussing Sun Vision Display technology, innovation, entrepreneurship, and a host of other fun topics. Watch or listen via the below links.

Watch or Listen Here:

YouTube: https://youtu.be/AqxlPdVAUlY

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/episode/5hPsER4L1RIGz5DFD0L7sb?si=hfMq4GHPTMmSE79yZeG0QQ

Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/capitalizing-on-innovation/id1499604800?i=1000507889476

About AdSemble

AdSemble makes it possible for small businesses to advertise on digital signage across the USA with the simple click of a button. It's a great resource for small businesses who are looking to boost sales and brand awareness. For more info, visit www.adsemble.com.

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7 Ways Digital Drive Thru Menu Boards Boost Restaurant Sales

Wed, 27 Jan 2021 17:48:20 GMT

Digital signage is transforming the way that businesses advertise and communicate with their patrons. With the heightened competition of restaurants across the country, you need to do everything you can to improve your visibility and customer experience. While investing in a good drive thru menu board requires higher than usual upfront costs, it’s estimated that restaurants will recoup this cost anywhere between 9 and 18 months. ¹ What’s more is that over time, this ROI will continue to increase, therefore resulting in higher restaurant sales and more profit. In fact, restaurants that switched to digital drive thru signs saw an 8% increase in sales consistently. ¹ How? Here’s 7 ways digital drive thru menu boards boost restaurant sales .

1. Strengthen Your First Impression

Your first impression matters. The way that you present yourself can make or break your business. When you have visually appealing digital signage throughout your drive thru, you’ll catch the attention of prospective customers and make a strong first impression that can improve customer loyalty.

2. Presales and Promotions

From the moment a customer enters the drive thru lane, you have an opportunity to presale them with new or popular menu items. By strategically placing drive thru signs, you can promote any menu item you want to help plant the seed for purchase at the window. This is extremely beneficial when introducing new menu items as it serves as both a presale advertisement and improves exposure for future visits.

3. Upselling an Order

A lot of people that visit the drive thru for a restaurant have some idea of what they want—especially if the restaurant only sells a certain type of food. However, digital menu boards can be used to highlight certain food items or specialties that can be added to an order easily and quickly. This increases the likelihood that customers will add sides, drinks, or dessert by roughly and helps to encourage upsizing of certain meals. It’s been found that drive thru lane menu boards can increase the average value of orders by 2.5% and boost drink sales by 5% to 7%.

High-quality energy efficient menu boards allow for more realistic and enhanced image representations of menu items, which makes the food more appealing to those ordering. To understand how this affects customers consider the results of Prime Burger’s changes. When Prime Burger, a popular UK-based hamburger place, installed digital menu boards and began using image enhancement to advertise their menu items, they saw a 50% increase in sales. ¹

4. Segmenting Popular Menu Items

While having a large drive thru menu board and lots of options is nice, it can be overwhelming to digest. Digital menu boards allow you to segment popular menu items and showcase your bestsellers. You can have these alternate depending on sales, time of day, or throughout the week without having to physically print and change a laminated sign. In the morning, you can advertise breakfast items, switching to lunch and dinner as the day moves on. You can also collect data to determine which items sell best at which hours and advertise those. Not only does this save you time, but it also increases convenience for your employees.

With the ability to quickly change your menu through digital technology, you save thousands of dollars on printing costs. According to a Forrester Total Economic Impact (TEI) study of outdoor menu board systems, quick-service restaurants can save up to $30,000 in printing costs per year in addition to labor expenses that are often required to change out signage.

5. Drive Thru Entertainment

There’s nothing more frustrating than waiting in a long drive thru lane when you’re hungry. However, it’s been shown that by strategically placing a few digital screens in your drive thru, the wait feels and actually is shorter. Digital menu boards can reduce wait times by up to 5.7%.

Consider putting a few signs up that have menu items and a few that focus on entertainment when your lines are long to help lighten the mood. As an added benefit, vibrant drive thru signs can help improve a customer’s impression of your business.

6. Improved Customer Experience

If you want to increase your profits, you need to focus on improving the customer experience. Digital menu boards allow you to do all of the above and more. However, you need to be strategic about it. To get the most out of your outdoor business signs , focus on placement, sizing, creating a strong message, using the right imagery, and adding movement. When things are easy to read, the drive thru lane is sped up and people are able to make decisions faster. This avoids problems with long lines and therefore, increases customer satisfaction. Increased satisfaction leads to loyal customers and more profits over time. Not convinced? 74% of quick-service restaurant customers value easily digestible content when they’re making a purchase. If you want to continue to get repeat business, digital menu boards are a great way to do so.

7. Innovative Technology

There are certain opportunities with digital signage to incorporate innovative technology. McDonald’s, for instance, has integrated weather tracking technology into their drive thru signs so that they can promote McFlurries when it’s hot and hot chocolate or coffee when it’s cold. This helps increase the customer experience and the point-of-purchase sales. You may also be able to integrate some sort of recognition technology to better understand your customer base. While it can be seen as controversial, recognition technology is used more commonly than you’d think. For example, some McDonald's in Sweden are starting to use recognition technology and AI in drive-thrus . By utilizing this, you can store customer’s previous orders so you can make more strategic recommendations when they come back.

When looking to boost your restaurant sales , investing in a high-quality digital menu board is essential . For the best results, opt for reflective color LCD technology from Sun Vision Display . Our technology allows for perfect readability in direct sunlight, uses ultra-low power consumption, and can operate in a large range of weather conditions . To learn more about how your restaurant requiring a drive thru menu board can benefit from reflective LCD technology digital menu boards , contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today at 224-268-3343 .

Reference:

¹ https://www.qsrweb.com/blogs/how-digital-drive-thru-menu-boards-can-boost-qsr-sales-up-to-8-percent/

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How to Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Business Signs

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 20:08:01 GMT

While society has been moving steadily towards a digital marketplace, brick-and-mortar businesses are still relevant and necessary in their local communities. To attract their target audiences, brick-and-mortar businesses must market themselves both digitally and physically in order to attract their target audiences. This includes both an optimized website with a strong digital marketing strategy, as well as strategically placed outdoor business signs. As a digital signage supplier, we’d like to share some tips on how to get the best ROI from your outdoor business signs.

Do Outdoor Business Signs Really Work?

To grab the attention of your target audience, you must find a way to stand out from your competition . People see hundreds of different advertisements a day while commuting, watching TV, and browsing their favorite playlists. It’s easy for your advertisement to get lost in the mix if not done effectively. When it comes to outdoor business signs, a recent study found that people really do notice signs while they’re driving. —especially signs with high contrast colors, bold text, and concise messaging. Even more notice comes when they’re manipulated and in motion, such as in the case with sign spinners. Digital signage has a similar effect because it can rotate images and play videos. Some have argued that outdoor business signage is as important as your website . It’s worth considering adding it to your marketing strategy if not already done. It can have a tremendous impact on increasing your business’ visibility, awareness, and foot traffic.

How to Get the Most Out of Your Outdoor Business Signs

Now that you have or are considering outdoor business signs, here are a few tips on how to get the most out of it.

1. Choose an Effective Location

Vicinity. When deciding where to place your outdoor business signs , think local. Keeping the signage near your business – such as on the outside wall or window of your brick-and-mortar shop – will help attract your closest audience. Another helpful location might be a billboard down the road. It’s been shown that most people live or work within 5 miles the businesses they patronize, so proximity is key. Just make sure that you pay attention to any local laws on sign placement, size, and content.

Sunlight. The next thing you’ll want to consider in regard to location is the orientation to the sun. Direct sunlight can severely limit your options for placement. While printed signs are perfectly visible in direct sunlight, many types of digital signage aren’t. They can also get too hot in direct sunlight, which can damage the display components and make them useless. If your prime advertising location is in direct sunlight for most of the day, Sun Vision Display outdoor business signs might be the best solution. Sun Vision Display signs are a unique digital signage that utilizes reflective LCD technology . They provide excellent sunlight readability while using very little power. Plus, with operating temperatures ranging from -20°C up to +70°C, Sun Vision Display signs aren’t restricted to seasonal use in most parts of the world.

Visibility. Another aspect of location involves visibility. Make sure that your signage is placed in a highly visible location to get the most out of your investment. It should be on the busiest streets and high enough to read above parked cars or other obstacles in high trafficked areas.

2. Choose the Right Size

Once you’ve chosen the perfect location for your outdoor business sings, you’ll want to determine the best size. Take the time to carefully measure and visualize your space so that you can find a size fits physically and visually within its surroundings. A proper fit will help your sign look most professional and have the biggest impact.

3. Optimize Your Message and Image

Keep it Short. In addition to location and size, it’s critical to develop a strong message with the right aesthetics. Take some time to determine your call to action, but make sure that you keep it simple. Signs with too much text are often ignored or overlooked. Choose bold, simple messaging and graphics that can be read and understood in an instant. Remember, you only have one, maybe two, seconds to convey your message to passersby. If you use small, complicated lettering or busy graphics, your message will be lost.

Use Contrast and Color. To draw attention to your sign, make sure that you use high contrast for both the text and the colors. Black and white signs don’t get nearly as much attention as color. Also, contrast helps make your message easy to read. Keep in mind that size matters too, so use large enough text so that it can be read from a distance.

Make it Move. For the biggest impact and audience engagement, use movement in your signage. Signs in motion have one of the best engagement rates as they help capture your audiences’ attention even if they’re preoccupied. Some options to incorporate movement into your outdoor business signs include flashing lights, having someone hold your sign on a street corner, or digital signage that can be programmed to play moving and rotating graphics and video.

While paying a sign spinner can have a big impact on audience engagement, it’s not always the best option. Instead, consider going digital. Digital signage gives you the ability to play rich color content that can be easily updated from remote areas. Though the up-front costs are more than a static sign, you’ll save money in the long run. It costs a lot to pay someone to hold your sign on the street corner, and you only benefit from this exposure while they’re outside. It’s also expensive to keep printing and mounting new signs—especially when your messaging changes. Digital signs are easily manipulated without the requirement of a sign spinner.

To learn more about how Sun Vision Display can help you take your outdoor business signs to the next level, contact us today at 224-268-3343 .

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Practicing Social Distancing: How to Take a Holiday Office Picture

Fri, 18 Dec 2020 08:14:46 GMT

Happy Holidays from our Sun Vision Display team!

We hope you are staying healthy and finding some time to rest and reflect on the past year. It was quite a rough year for most of us! We hope you're hanging in there, and that the new year brings good things.

We had a bit of fun this year with our Holiday office photo. If you can believe it, the below picture was done while social distancing. Want to find out how we did it? Keep reading...

Step 1: Be safe, so everyone can have fun.

If you work in an office environment for an extended period of time, observe social distancing guidelines. Wear a mask whenever possible, maintain a 6’ distance between you and your co-workers throughout the day, and utilize hand sanitizer or wash your hands regularly.

Step 2: “X” marks the spot.

Mark out locations and set up a camera in a fixed spot. Use easy-to-see floor markers that can also be hidden in the end pictures. Tape on the floor works great.

Step 3: Hold that pose.

Arrange for co-workers to stand in their spot long enough to take picture. Imagination is key. Use background landmarks to position people in way that will minimize overlapping in the final picture. Overlapping makes editing and splicing more difficult. TIP: Take all of the pictures at the same or as close as possible to reduce lighting condition differences.

Step 4: Put it all together.

Merge pictures using Photoshop, Paint, or any other photo editing software you may have. Depending on the complexity of the background and lighting, almost any program will be able cut and paste these all together. When you’re finished, show off your good work!

Step 5: And if all else fails, use SnapChat filters!

We hope this tutorial was helpful, or at least put a smile on your face. Either way, thanks for reading! We wish you all the best this Holiday season and in the New Year!

Sincerely,

The Sun Vision Display Team (Rudolph, Santa, Elf, and that other guy)

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4 Common Challenges of High-Brightness Displays

Wed, 16 Dec 2020 21:14:54 GMT

As the advertising world continues its transition from printed to digital signage, one thing is clear -- the displays only seem to be getting brighter and brighter. Why? Is it because advertisers are crazed with the idea of shattering old brightness records? Are we all somehow sold on the idea that “bigger and brighter is always better?” Or, can we attribute this trend to prices decreasing as tech production is made more efficient? No doubt, these factors aren’t irrelevant.

While such technology is indeed becoming cheaper, bigger, brighter, and better, perhaps it opens the door for advertisers to get what they’ve wanted all along -- the most brightness for their buck. Why? Because the brighter the display, the better it can be seen. The better it competes with the sun’s brightness (and the myriad other competing light sources). In the digital world, more brightness equals more visibility. In the advertising world, more visibility equals more dollar-earning potential.

No one wants to look at a dim sign, much less pay to advertise on one. The surest way to avoid disappointment among involved parties is to keep cranking up the brightness. But, what ramifications come from high-brightness displays being so commonplace and so intense? For starters, let’s talk about blue light.

1. Excessive Blue Light

We often hear about blue light being a problem, but what exactly is blue light? Unlike sunlight, which contains a combination of red, orange, yellow, green, and blue light (plus many variations of these), digital displays primarily emit blue light. Blue light can cause eye strain and other eye-related problems over time.

About ⅓ of all light that reaches our eyes is blue light (and high-energy light). Though the sun is what exposes us to the most blue light, a lot of man-made blue light sources subject us to exposure as well, such as digital displays. While the amount of blue light emitted by these displays is only a fraction of what we get from the sun, we do spend an awful lot of time in front of these devices. That frequent exposure has been known to cause damage to the retina and contribute to AMD (adult macular degeneration). So essentially, a display that boasts greater brightness is a display that boasts more of this problem.

Look at the comparison: A standard TV is roughly 200 nits in brightness, while many outdoor displays range anywhere from 5000 to 8000 nits. As the brightness of the display increases, so does the amount of high-energy blue light that it emits. When you combine these high amounts of blue light with the sunlight that we are already subject to on a daily basis, it’s not hard to see how we may be reaching concerning levels of exposure.

In addition to the damage that can be done to our own eyes, wildlife too is adversely affected by excessive blue light . In short, a lot of the bright displays we see, whether we’re talking about outdoor video walls or LED/LCD billboards, can be seen miles away from where they are located. All of this light pollution can affect many things in nature, such as breeding, foraging, and orientation behaviors in animals.

Another challenge is of high brightness display :

2. High Power Consumption (and Operating Costs)

A lot goes into determining the true ownership cost of high-brightness displays. It is certainly much more than just a one-time expense. One of the more apparent challenges of a display that produces more light is that it will use more power, and thus, cost more to operate. Brightness is a primary factor in a display’s operating costs, and some high-brightness displays consume more energy by default -- even when they are not operating at full brightness. It only makes sense that they’ll use even more energy when they are operating at full brightness. This adds to the many factors that should be considered in total cost of ownership.

3. High Heat Load (...and Operating Costs)

Most electronics work best in cool, dry conditions. This is why, if you’ve ever been inside a company’s data room, you’ve probably noticed that it was kept at a cooler temperature than the rest of the building. Many of these rooms are, in a sense, like giant refrigerators (which we know aren’t free to run).

Outdoor high-brightness displays, however, are usually not operated in cool rooms. So, in order for them to stay cool, they must have their own means of temperature control . These temperature control systems usually consist of grills, fans, air conditioning devices, closed-loop water/liquid cooling components, and even strategic positioning of their inner components as well as their physical locations within their surroundings to keep them at safe operating temperatures.

You can’t simply cut this cost out either, because you’d risk damaging the components inside the display, such as the liquid crystals that only function within a specific temperature range. If they ever extend above or below that range (even for a short period), they may convert to a non-liquid state, thus, permanently losing their ability to display images.

This creates the condition commonly referred to as “blackout,” which describes what you see on your display when its screen goes black. The power is on. The sound is playing, but there’s nothing to watch. If this happens on your TV while you’re watching Maury Povich, no big deal. There was nothing to watch anyway. But it happens during the super bowl, well then… start panicking!

Blackout isn’t just a bummer when it ruins your viewing experience… it also results in the need -- either for repair of parts within the display or replacement of the entire unit. And, as we would be correct in assuming, this is another thing that would require you to reach into your wallet. The next challenge is:

4. Decreased Portability

The above reasons sum up the overall dilemma which high-brightness displays entail. While high-brightness displays may be a whole lot brighter than standard displays, we see that we pay a price for that brightness -- not just financially, but in higher heat loads, less portability, more blue light, and more. It seems that the choice comes down to: either use a printed sign, or choose one of a hundred less-than-ideal digital high-brightness scenarios. But hold on… what if there is a third option?

A Different Solution

THIS VIDEO gives a general grasp on how reflective LCD technology works. The gist is this: reflective LCDs do not have a backlight. That backlight is taken out and replaced with a reflective layer. Any sunlight (or ambient light) that hits the screen is reflected back through the liquid crystals to light up the display. Sounds impossible, right? It’s not, although it may be something you have to see to believe. For that matter, here is another VIDEO that allows you to compare a reflective display to a standard display in normal daylight conditions.

Finally, consider the fact that reflective displays actually use sunlight ; they don’t compete with it. What does this mean in regards to the excessive blue light exposure problem we talked about earlier? It means that reflective displays aren’t contributing to the problem! Your eyes aren’t getting dosed by any additional blue light than they already are on a normal day. The light that you see coming from the sign is the same light that you see lighting up the world around you. Pretty cool, huh?

Sun Vision Display works to bring you the most advanced reflective LCD solutions. We aim to provide you with a unique and efficient alternative to high-brightness displays (and all of their associated challenges). Please feel free to contact us for more information. Our sales team would be glad to answer your questions and tell you more about how this great new technology can solve your signage needs!

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Reflective LCD Signs for Public Transportation

Wed, 09 Dec 2020 16:53:44 GMT

Outdoor digital signage is improving communication with travelers.

In the past, signs at a bus stop or train station were primarily how information was communicated. Passengers relied on multiple signs posted throughout to get an idea about routes or arrival/departure times. This method is somewhat inexpensive, but it also included several limitations. The most obvious is the fixed still image, which can only contain a set amount of information and therefore only keeps a viewer engaged for a limited amount of time. The next involves the lifespan of the individual signs. Though versatile, paper isn’t known to be the strongest of materials. Even when it is enclosed, it is damaged easily by moisture, UV light, and even vandalism. It requires somebody to be physically present and to manually update it as the need arises. This additional work costs time, money, and labor, but more importantly, it is never finished. Fortunately, transportation centers have found that most of these problems are remedied by incorporating large format digital displays.

Benefit #1: Messaging can be updated easily and remotely

Digital signage technology offers a number of possibilities. For example, scheduling changes and cancellation notices can now be updated in real time and even additional information, such as providing the reason for a delay or an alternative route that may be available. This brings value to viewers by changing an ordinary sign into a necessary focal point of the traveler’s experience. Many displays regularly show additional information such as weather forecasts, local news headlines, and community notices which allow people to feel more “tuned in” to their environment.

Benefit #2: Generate revenue through advertising

The transportation industry cares a lot about keeping its patrons safe and engaged. But, digital signage isn’t just beneficial for patrons. It also serves as a potential revenue generator for sign owners. Municipalities are provided a platform to advertise products and services directly to known consumers, and parcel out slots of advertising time to local retailers who can mutually benefit from the visibility. Customers have proven willing to maintain engagement if there is a mixture of entertainment and advertising, staying better occupied with digital displays than with other forms of communication. Currently, more than 2 out of 3 public transport users are likely to share an advertisement they see with others via social media. It’s catching on, and more brands are willing to advertise this way. In fact, a 13% increase in budgeting towards such advertising has been reported.

Benefit #3: Newer technologies have increased durability

Durability is also something to consider. Whether the damage is inflicted by a user or a harsh environment, defects create new problems. Not only can they affect visibility, they can leave a bad impression with viewers and sign owners alike. Even with the best of protection, extreme temperature variances, high UV exposure, high humidity, and wet conditions can reduce any display’s lifespan. Printed signs simply don’t stand a chance unless severely guarded and many backlit digital displays can fail easily if moisture and heat aren’t well controlled. The cost to repair or replace these displays adds up, whether it’s taking away from the bottom line or in softer costs like labor and downtime. Though not always ideal, these are some reasons why many transportation centers previously opted for simpler, paper-printed signage, hoping that this option would lead to less expenses.

Sunlight visibility: The greatest challenge for digital signage

To be fair, there are challenges with any product and with implementing new ideas. Sure, some extreme conditions threaten to reduce the lifespan of any display, but there is a single, universal challenge that plagues digital displays in particular. It is not as uncommon as torrential rains or bitter sub-zero temperatures. Instead, it is arguably the most useful resource we have and though it acts to interfere with many display technologies, it can be found in plenty every day: direct sunlight. Bright ambient light prevents viewers from seeing images on digital displays clearly. Perhaps you’ve noticed that the screen on your phone is hard to read on a sunny day or that your TV appears dimmer when all the lights are on. This is because light acts to block itself. The more light there is, the less ability we have to distinguish it. Just as printed signs can lose color over time due to UV radiation, digital displays as well are subject to degradation. High brightness units, for example, attempt to blast through direct sunlight in an effort to “outshine” the sun somehow. This works only if the display is capable of attaining brightness levels exceeding 2000 nits or more (on average). It also brings concerns as to how much energy is being used and how much radiation is hitting the viewers’ eyes. This “hot and heavy” approach does aim to improve sunlight readability, but it requires a high cost in terms of energy consumption and decreased lifespan. Besides, few advertisers want to pay for ads on signs that have poor visibility.

Reflective displays, such as those offered by Sun Vision Display , can convert this problem into a solution. They take that sunlight and use it as the display’s light source, making anything visible and readable -- even in the brightest of conditions! They do all this while consuming about 95% less power than normal LCDs. Consider the other doors that this low energy solution opens. Not only is the high-brightness barrier shattered, an opportunity arises for mobility, as these displays are capable of being battery-powered. Viewable in high brightness? Check. Portable and battery-powered? Check. It’s not that other types of LCDs are incapable of this… it’s just that you’d end up paying for that functionality in other ways, either in the form of higher energy bills, more frequent needs for charging, or paying a mad scientist your life savings to create a battery that will last long enough.

As LCD technology advances , the concept of smart cities is not just a dream of the future, but one that is being implemented in our current society, where an emphasis on creating convenience and engagement is key to success. Commercial brands, advertisers, and even public service officials are bound to increase their use of technology to connect with the people they serve with relevant and up-to-date information. Printed signage, which previously was useful, is no longer adequate to handle these needs. This is why digital sign usage in transportation settings, especially in urban areas, is trending upward. The global urban population is projected to reach 10 billion by the end of this century. Nearly 70% of the world’s population is estimated to be urban by 2050. That math is staggering, but simple: the number of opportunities for digital signage in transportation will continue to rise and transportation centers must evolve with the advancement of its passengers.

At SVD, our outdoor displays are designed to meet all of these challenges and help support the growing demand for digital signage. We invite you to contact us using the below form, or give us a call at +1 (224) 268-3343 to see how we can achieve just that!

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Benefits of Reflective LCD Signage For Retail Businesses

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 21:17:53 GMT

The retail space is no stranger to advertising.

Common challenges with outdoor digital signage.

Cost

While in-store digital signage is affordable and readily available, outdoor digital signage can be too cost-prohibitive for many businesses to consider. This is a shame, as storefronts and windows are arguably the most critical advertising areas for a retail business. Outdoor digital signage has a higher initial price point because it must be ruggedized to withstand extreme temperatures, moisture, wind and even impact. Specialized materials including heating and/or cooling mechanisms must be built into the displays for them to be operable in extreme temperature ranges. Sealed enclosures made from impact-resistant materials must also be added to protect delicate electrical components from moisture, wind and impact. Each of these enhancements increase the cost, however, also are shown to increase the conversion rates of passers-by into buying customers.

Sunlight

Another obstacle for outdoor displays is sunlight . Many businesses’ storefronts face the sun during most of the daytime. Have you ever noticed how your phone goes dark when you are trying to use it in direct sunlight? That’s because the backlight is not strong enough to counter the sun’s intense rays. With our phones, we can simply walk into a shaded area or shield the phone with our hand to view it more easily, but digital signage isn’t always as easily mobile. To achieve sunlight readability, many outdoor display manufacturers build high-brightness backlights into their displays. This creates acceptable sunlight readable display, but there is a major tradeoff: High-brightness backlights use a lot of electricity. This makes them costly to operate over time and not environmentally conscious, which can quickly outweigh the benefit of using such technology in the first place.

Sun Vision Display signs address these challenges.

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Reflective LCD Signage for Outdoor Sports and Recreation

Tue, 08 Dec 2020 20:20:00 GMT

Displays are Everywhere at Sporting Events

Perhaps you’ve noticed LCD panels popping up in sporting and recreational environments. In sports arenas, for example, it’s a common sight – not just large scoreboards, but also individual kiosks near concession stands and in lobby areas. They are nearly everywhere: on the walls, in hallways and situated between players and fans, each displaying game scores, instant replays, announcements, and advertising.

You may also see LCDs near course entrances or near tee boxes. Such displays are useful for displaying weather updates, flag location and distance, wind speed and direction, and even offering suggestions to golfers as to which club(s) they should use for a particular hole. You may even notice outdoor LCDs at beaches or public swimming areas, advising visitors about local rules or hazardous conditions. Or, providing advertisers a means to access specific target audiences.

Real-Life Sporting Venues Using Digital Signage

Arlington International Race Track (Arlington, IL)

Margaritaville Resort (Kissimmee, FL)

Red Rocks Amphitheatre (Morrison, CO)

Sun Vision Display Reflective Signage for Sporting Venues

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The 3 Most Common Challenges with LED Signs

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 21:15:24 GMT

Perhaps you’ve noticed digital signs popping up more and more over the years. As you drive down the highway, it’s common to see a large video wall where a printed billboard used to be. Or, a car wash sign displaying its daily deals, or simply saying, “Come on in. We’re open.” This once utopian-seeming concept (much like Marty McFly’s hoverboard) is now both practical and common in our everyday lives. A large portion of these signs are using LED technology (Light emitting diode).

What are LED Signs?

LED signs are not to be confused with LED TVs, which use liquid crystals in front of an LED backlight. LED signs do not rely on backlights or liquid crystals to function. Instead, the light they produce shines directly to the viewer’s eyes, using individual dots of various colors to form images. Those color dots are determined by appropriately mixed combinations of red, blue, and green lights. With these three base colors, nearly any color on the spectrum can be made.

While many business owners regularly choose LED signs as a solution, LED signs have certain challenges. In this article, we will focus on those challenges, as well as a newly-developed solution for overcoming them. For now, let’s talk about one of the biggest considerations of all.

Problem #1: Image Quality

A common complaint with LED signs is that their “color dots” are very noticeable to the human eye. The images they produce are far from what you would call “high def.” Instead, they look somewhat pixelated, creating a less-than-ideal experience for viewers. This problem is growing -- especially since nearly every other type of display technology is advancing along with the average consumer’s expectations. With each improvement, LED signs are only beginning to look more and more insufficient in comparison.

Problem #2: High Costs

LED signs have a higher upfront cost than other types of signage. A static sign is usually composed of basic materials, such as wood, metal, plastic, and rubber. Plus, there are often electrical components added to it, such as lights to make the sign visible at night. LED signs, on the other hand, are more complex in their composition, having a greater variety of electrical components -- circuitry, wires, computer chips, drives, lights, and much more.

Of course, there are other cost considerations than simply the one-time purchase price. LED systems are often very heavy and large, requiring rigging systems for installation. And, being that they are more complex and fragile, their installation is also a more complex process. This makes their installation more expensive -- not just in comparison to static signs, but in comparison to LCD signs as well.

You must also consider the ongoing costs of running an LED sign, which are a completely new consideration for most static sign owners. LED signs have often been criticized for their energy consumption. While these signs can greatly vary in size and hourly use, they tend to be on the high side of energy consumption. According to one source , the larger signs can range anywhere from 24,000 kwh to 160,000 kwh annually. On the high end, that is approximately fifteen times the amount of energy used to power an average home each year. You don’t have to be an environmentalist to see how this can be considered wasteful.

Problem #3: Light Pollution

In 2019, the International Dark Sky Association -- a recognized authority on light pollution, published an article that touched on the harmful effects of excessive light from LED billboards and signs. They surmised that LED billboards are capable of being up to ten times brighter than traditional billboards.

To put this into perspective, consider that a normal television ranges anywhere from 500 to 1000 nits (Candelas per square meter -- a unit of brightness measured over a square meter). This is a ballpark figure, of course. Some common TVs are less. Others are more. Now, consider that the average range for outdoor LED signs is somewhere between 5,000 to 8,000 nits. Again, this is a ballpark figure, and dependent on a number of factors. But even when you allow for some fluctuation in these estimations, LED signs are still hundreds of percentage points brighter than even your brightest of indoor home TVs, which we already know are not harmless.

Think about the implications of this light continually spilling out into the night sky and being visible to bystanders who are literally miles away. The IDA says that in nature, such light pollution can affect “breeding, foraging, and orientation behaviors in nocturnal wildlife.” While these are important considerations, we must also consider the impacts that can be had on our own physical health. Were our eyes meant to handle light at this frequency and capacity? The answer: no.

Let’s look at the basics. We all know that the sun is harmful to our eyes -- not just because of UV rays, but because of how bright it is. That’s why we’re told not to stare at the sun, or much worse, solar eclipses. It’s also why our cars have vizors above the windshields and why we wear sunglasses when we’re outside. We know that the excessive light can damage our retinas -- both acutely and over time. Now, consider that many of these signs are actually competing with the sun. Their brightness has to be cranked up relative to the sun’s brightness just so they can be seen in normal daylight conditions. You don’t have to be a scientist to see that we’re putting our eyes (and mother nature) to the test!

Most of us aren’t even aware of it while we’re outside on a bright, sunny day, that our eyes are now being subject to many sources of potentially harmful light, rather than just one. And, as our world progresses further on this digital course, all that bright light starts to feel more normal to us. An intensely bright LED billboard outside of a storefront no longer seems like much of a going concern. And, we no longer have to go all the way to Times Square just to see one. All we need to do is take a drive down any highway through nearly any moderate-sized city, and shazam! We’re blasted in the face by much of that exact same technology.

If you are interested, here are some articles on the harmful effects of excessive blue light:

A New Digital Signage Solution

Some propose that LCD signs are a better alternative than LED signs. And, there are many angles they come at this from. When you listen to their arguments, you have to take into account that not all LCD and LED signs are created equally. Some are more efficient in various ways than others, completely altering the entire lists of pros and cons associated with each. All in all, some good arguments can be made for either case, but both arguments leave you with more or less the same problems, which are: a product that still consumes too much energy and produces far too much harmful blue light. So then, outside of the common LCD and LED options, which other alternatives are out there? Great question.

A relatively new, innovative type of technology is growing in awareness among digital advertisers. A solution that consumes approximately 95% less power than its competitors. A solution that does not compete with sunlight, but rather, uses sunlight to its advantage. What is it? No, it’s not solar powered tech (although it is similar in some ways). It’s something called reflective LCD technology .

Reflective LCDs create a unique solution that no other LCD or LED can boast . They solve a problem that the alternatives only attempt to work around. Rather than increasing their brightness relative to the sun’s competing brightness, reflective LCDs automatically become MORE VISIBLE relative to the sun’s brightness. This is (or at least should be) groundbreaking news for any digital advertiser who cares about long-term energy consumption, reducing light pollution, and reducing the physical harm these factors can cause.

As you’ll see in our video on the left, a reflective LCD panel performs effortlessly to produce bright, crisp HD images with the ambient light that is freely available on a given normal day. Any of its competitors would have to boost up their brightness (possibly into the thousands of nits) in order to achieve this! And, this reflective panel is doing it all while utilizing only 5 watts of power. That power is coming from a tiny 12 volt battery attached to the display’s backside, which will give the display approximately 8 hours of use.

Please, take a moment to lift your jaw back up, and think for a minute about all the doors that this opens. Remember that golf outing last year that had LCD displays spaced in key spots to keep spectators informed on scores and wind speeds? And, do you remember the mess of cords that had to be run to power them, creating tripping hazards and unsightly distractions? And, try to think of the huge power bill that came from keeping all those displays powered and fully bright for that large chunk of time. You chalked all that up to being a “necessary evil.” But, maybe it wasn’t.

Reflective displays would have easily alleviated so much of that headache, as well as the many other headaches associated with typical high-brightness (and high-power) displays. Whether we’re talking about golf events , theme parks , recreational areas , outdoor menus , or pretty much any other high-brightness situation, reflective LCD tech is a revolutionary solution.

SVD (Sun Vision Display) is a company at the forefront of this emerging reflective LCD technology. SVD works to bring you the latest, most advanced, and most developed reflective LCD signs. If you’d like to learn more about how YOU can save, complete our form or contact us by phone at 224-268-3343 . SVD will be glad to provide you with more information and assist you with any question(s) you may have.

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Key Considerations When Buying and Launching Outdoor Digital Signage

Tue, 24 Nov 2020 20:38:08 GMT

Digital signage is a highly effective means of communication between businesses and their customers. While often used for in-store advertising, it can reach an even wider audience when used outdoors and can be a worthwhile addition to your business’ marketing strategy. Before you buy, it’s important to research your options. Not all digital signage is suitable for outdoor use. To get the most out of your efforts, here are a few key things to consider when buying and launching outdoor digital signage .

1. Sunlight Readability

2. Weather Concerns

3. Image Quality

Another important factor to consider when buying and launching outdoor digital signage is image quality. To best represent your brand, you should choose a signage solution with a high resolution and image quality. Traditional LED signs have a relatively low resolution and are only useful for simple text and graphics. MicroLED signs can produce stunning, high-resolution graphics nearing that of LCD displays, but their price point is roughly 10 times that of LCD signage, making them out of the question for many small businesses. Many e-paper display technologies are unable to play video. Sun Vision Display signs can play both images and video in full-HD resolution (1920x720) and 16.7 million colors. As mentioned previously, they also use sunlight to their advantage – getting brighter the more sunlight shines on them. As an added benefit, Sun Vision Display signs produce almost zero blue-light emissions, making them very easy on your eyes.

4. Operating Costs

5. Software/CMS

Regardless of if you’ll have the display be static or dynamic, it’s essential to have a good content management system (CMS) in place. Since most outdoor digital signage is hard to physically access once it’s set up, you’ll want something that can be done remotely on a mobile device or computer. Make sure that your CMS gives you access to multiple screens at once and allows you to change, manage and schedule your content for specific times throughout the day.

To learn more about how you can benefit from reflective LCD technology, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today at 224-268-3343 .

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Reflective LCD Signs for Parks and Public Spaces

Thu, 19 Nov 2020 19:19:00 GMT

Signs help inform and engage visitors.

A growing trend in many cities and towns is to use outdoor digital signage in parks and city centers. These displays are used to provide relevant information to visitors, such as time, maps, amber alerts, weather updates, event promotions, and current news for the area. Not only is this informative, it also offers a sense of personalized engagement to visitors with the place they are visiting. While the displays offer many benefits to end users, they also offer value to those who own them. One such benefit is the ability to update remotely (over cellular networks).

With digital signage, park messaging can be updated remotely.

If a town holds a parade and fireworks show, for example, the notification for that event needs to be taken down once the event ends and replaced with the next notification. A forest preserve may need to notify its visitors that a tree has fallen and is blocking Trail #7, or that repairs are being done to the park’s north entrance. Whatever the case, it’s quite easy to deploy such updates remotely in real time. It can be done from the office with a few keystrokes. This eliminates the need for somebody to physically drive down to each sign to manually change the lettering. As the saying goes, “Work smarter; not harder.”

Several parks have made the switch to digital signage.

A growing number of parks have already begun recognizing the value that outdoor displays can add. We have seen this trend implemented here in the US. In Cuba, New York, for example, a very unique LCD display has been integrated into one of the town’s public places to honor veterans . Genesee Park, close to the downtown area, includes a Veteran’s Memorial which provides a place for people to acknowledge those who’ve served in the armed forces. The LCD is mounted inside one of the large granite stones, allowing visitors to find specific information about veterans they are interested in researching while interacting directly with the memorial.

This trend is a global one as well. In Port Philip, Victoria, Australia, the St. Kilda Botanical Garden offers another great example. Their attraction provides a complete digital signage system for visitors to use as a means for wayfinding and receiving information. This system’s aim is to improve the quality of visitor experience via a singular, consistent platform. And, in Merseyside, England, Knowsley Safari is a zoological park dedicated to research and conservation. It also has a digital signage solution installed throughout its premises for providing wayfinding, as well as current, relevant information.

The examples don’t end there, of course, but they should give you an idea of how great attractions can find additional value by utilizing LCD technology. And, with growing awareness of this technology, its implementation into parks and recreational areas is expected to continue rising at a rapid pace. But, awareness and usage aren’t the only things growing – the technology itself also continues to grow and reinvent itself, creating advancements which pave the way for some very exciting new features. One of these targets the idea of reflectivity.

Sun Vision Display signs are paving the future of park digital signage with Color Reflective LCD Technology. Here's how it works.

Reflective LCDs are displays that do not require a backlight but instead rely on a reflective layer (like a mirror), using sunlight and ambient light to light up the display. This technology is gaining more attention, as consumers and companies alike continually search for larger digital signage options with lower operating costs. Reflective displays are available in multiple sizes. Sun Vision Display currently offers them in 32” and 43” , which can be tiled together with each other in various configurations to make larger sizes. A 55” size is currently in development and will be available in the near future. Also, since reflective displays use up to 95% less operating power, they offer enormous savings potential – particularly to park centers, which are always scanning the horizon for new ways to stay within budget.

Durability is always a question when it comes to any outdoor product, and it is an area where reflective technology excels as well. From the famously rainy Pacific Northwest through the snowy Rocky Mountains (and all the way to the ever-bright Sunshine State), each of these environments presents its own set of challenges – from solar load to high humidity (and even sub-zero temperatures). Traditional backlit displays can struggle to adapt to these climate conditions – especially if they stay in one place year-round. By nature, they generate their own heat. Not only does this translate into wasted energy, it means the display needs to be designed to dissipate heat while directly in the summer sun. It must also be able to conserve that thermal energy as well as possible on a cloudy, blustery day.

With a temperature range of -20°C to +70°C and an IP65 rating, reflective technology truly is a PERFECT FIT for nearly any outdoor condition. There are a few exceptions, of course. If you regularly experience volcanic eruptions accompanied by category 5+ hurricanes and tsunami sightings, then you simply won’t find a display that works well for you, and we suggest you move to a safer place. Simply put, reflective displays are at home in any environment because they were designed to use natural elements, rather than compete with them. Backlit LCDs, on the other hand, try to “outbright” the sun, which is a tough task – no matter how you try to go about it! It always requires a lot of power and equates to a shorter lifespan – both of which have their costs over time.

All in all, here is the bottom line. As long as there are cities and towns, there will be parks. Can we agree on that? Within those parks, some form of information usually needs to be on display, which will need to be updated periodically. Are we still good? Great. Bottom line, it costs money to update that information, whether you’re paying for it in the form of a maintenance person who earns a salary or in the form of an LCD display (along with any maintenance/repair costs that come with it). Reflective displays make a lot of sense, because their maintenance costs are minimal, they last longer, they cost less to operate, and they do not run up the bill by requiring additional personnel on the payroll.

LCD technology is the direction that large outdoor signage is headed, and Reflective LCDs from Sun Vision Display offer the best option for anyone who wants to stay moving in that trend.

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6 Advantages of Reflective Color LCD Technology

Wed, 04 Nov 2020 21:17:18 GMT

There are many different types of display technologies on the market today, which makes finding the right option a difficult endeavor. While you can go to a store and view different technologies, it’s hard to fully understand how the picture will be in different environments and as time passes. One of the most common display technologies is liquid crystal displays (LCDs). Due to their wide range of benefits, they can be found nearly everywhere: Schools, homes, cars, and even factories. In this article, we’ll discuss several advantages of one of the less well-known types of LCD technologies: Reflective color LCD technology.

Before diving into the benefits, it’s important that you understand the primary differences between LCD and LED displays . This will help you differentiate between the two major types of display technologies on the market and their unique benefits.

Some of the most notable advantages of reflective color LCD technology include excellent sunlight readability, high energy efficiency, wide operating temperatures, stunning visuals, a lightweight design, and increased longevity.

1. Excellent Sunlight Readability

Traditional LCDs use a backlight to illuminate the display. They provide excellent visibility indoors, but become difficult to read in direct sunlight. Their backlights are no match for the sun’s intensity. Manufacturers can increase sunlight visibility by using brighter backlights, but these require a lot of power to operate. Reflective color LCDs offer a unique alternative to the sunlight readability issue. Instead of a backlight, reflective color LCDs have a mirror-like layer that reflects sunlight back to the viewer. The brighter the sun shines, the brighter the reflective color LCD image becomes. Reflective color LCDs are an excellent solution for sunny locations!

2. High Energy Efficiency

Reflective color LCD technology is also incredibly energy efficient . Reflective color LCDs still require a power source, but they consume far less energy and power than other display technologies. Sun Vision Display’s 32” reflective color LCD panel uses less than 5 watts. That’s about 95% less power than comparably sized high-brightness LCDs! This lower power consumption equates to lower operating costs and reduced environmental impact.

3. Weather Resistance

Since reflective color LCDs use significantly less power than backlit-LCDs, they produce less heat as a byproduct. This is important because overheated electronics can malfunction. Prolonged exposure to heat, whether from internal or external sources, can cause internal damage. Without a backlight, reflective color LCDs are less likely to overheat and can withstand higher external temperatures than some other display types.

Sun Vision Display’s reflective color LCD panels can operate in temperatures ranging from -20°C to +70°C . This is a significant improvement compared to some other reflective LCD technologies, such as E-paper displays which have an operating temperature range of 0C to 50C. For a wide range of temperatures, Sun Vision Display panels will continue to function with optimized visuals and sharp picture quality.

4. Stunning Visuals

If you look closely at an LCD, you can see that the image is made up of tiny red, green and blue spots. These are called pixels. The greater the pixel count, the better the resolution on the display will be. LCDs can have incredibly high resolutions depending on how they are constructed. Our Sun Vision Display panels can play both images and video in full HD resolution (1920x1020 pixels) and 16.7 million colors . The visuals are quite stunning.

5. Lightweight Design

One thing that people love about reflective color LCDs is their lightweight design. No bulky backlighting systems are needed , which significantly reduces their weight and thickness. And, since reflective color LCDs don’t produce heat from a backlight, they don’t require a cooling system either. They are simple to install, can be easily moved whenever needed, and won’t take up valuable space in your home or business.

6. Longevity

Depending on the frequency of use, many LCDs can last 10-15 years before needing a replacement. Reflective color LCDs last even longer due to the absence of a backlight – which is often the earliest failing component – and won’t diminish in quality over time.

The advantages of reflective color LCD technology are significant. To learn more about how you can benefit from reflective color LCD technology, contact the professionals at Sun Vision Display today at 224-268-3343.

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What Are the Differences Between LCD and LED Displays?

Thu, 15 Oct 2020 16:22:37 GMT

A lot of confusion surrounds the terms “LED display” and “LCD display”. Many people aren’t sure what the differences between a LCD and LED are and trying a simple Google search brings back conflicting information. In this article, we’ll discuss the key differences between the two display technologies and their unique advantages in digital signage applications.

What do the acronyms LED and LCD stand for?

LED stands for “light-emitting diode ” and LCD stands for “liquid crystal display ” display. Both technologies are used in digital signage, however their mechanics are quite different, especially when it comes to their light source.

LED Displays

LCD Displays

LCD Illumination Methods: Transmissive, Transflective, and Reflective

LCD displays can be illuminated via three different methods:

Transmissive LCD display s are the most common type of LCD. A backlight is installed behind the liquid crystal layer to illuminate the display. Transmissive LCDs are excellent for indoor applications, but their backlights can be overpowered by sunlight outdoors making them dim and difficult to read. To compensate, transmissive LCDs can be fitted with high-brightness backlights to increase their sunlight visibility.
Transflective LCD displays use both a backlight and reflective layers to illuminate the display making them visible in both bright and dim lighting conditions. Their complex structure is more costly to build than a transmissive display, which is why they are not as commonly used.
Reflective LCD displays have no backlight. Instead, they have a mirrored layer installed behind the liquid crystal layer which reflects ambient light back to the viewer. The brighter the ambient light, the brighter the display appears. A front light can be added to make the reflective LCD readable in low lighting conditions such as in the evening or indoors. Because they don’t have a backlight, reflective LCDs are ultra-thin, lightweight, long lasting, and inexpensive to operate.

Which Option is Best for You?

The below table helps to simplify the key variables discussed above. It’s important to consider these factors so you are sure to get the best long-term solution for your business.

If you’re looking for an outdoor display solution, reflective LCD technology is a great choice. It offers great sunlight visibility while costing very little to operate. Because they don’t have a backlight, reflective LCDs use up to 95% less power than high-brightness LCDs. This significantly reduces your operating cost and energy consumption over time compared to other display technologies. Due to the absence of a backlight, reflective LCDs also emit very little blue light (a known body cycle disruptor) and last longer than other display technologies due to their lower electrical demand. This means you’ll end up spending less money over time and get better overall picture quality. Sun Vision Display offers reflective LCD panels for many outdoor applications in a 32” diagonal size, with 43" and 55” sizes coming soon.

If you’re interested in learning more about outdoor display solutions or the difference between a LCD and LED, Sun Vision Display is here to help. Give us a call at 224-268-3343 or request a quote today .

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The Lifespan of Digital Display Technologies

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 15:24:13 GMT

Perhaps you’ve wondered how long a digital display lasts. It’s a great question. One quick search on Google will tell you that an LCD panel has a lifespan of about 60,000 hours, which is equivalent to almost seven years.

Of course, LCDs aren’t the only kind of displays. You also have LED, OLED, QLED, ELD, PDP, and MicroLED, plus many other variations. Obviously, that 7-year estimation will not apply across the board. For the sake of ease, let’s just focus on some of the common types of displays that most of us are familiar with.

LCD Display Lifespa n

Here’s some LCD alphabet soup: There are LED LCD displays, CFFL LCD displays, LED displays, and more. With all these acronyms, it can get a bit confusing. What's important to note is whether or not the display uses an LCD panel, and how the LCD panel is illuminated. You can read more about the differences between types of LCD and LED signage , but these are the most common types:

LED displays have no LCD panel. Rather, they have a network of Light Emitting Diodes (LEDs) which work together to create an illuminated image.

LCD displays generate images and colors via a Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) panel, which is not self-emitting and requires an external light source to illuminate the image, typically an LED backlight. Their full name "LED-backlit LCD display" is commonly shortened to "LED displays", which is why they're often confused with the true LED displays we've identified above.

Unfortunately, LED backlights used in LCD displays burn out over time. If used at high or maximum brightness, which is necessary for outdoor applications, an LED backlight will last between 40,000 to 60,000 hours. Or, about 4.5 to 7 years.

OLED Display Lifespa n

OLED stands for Organic Light Emitting Diode. OLED displays differ from common LCD displays in that their pixels are self-illuminating. In other words, there is no LED backlight required to illuminate the the display image; everything occurs within the OLED pixels themselves. According to one article from the US Department of Energy , OLED screens have a life expectancy of about 40,000 hours at 25% brightness, and 10,000 hours at full brightness. That equates to about 1 to 4.5 years , which is a much shorter (albeit, brilliant) lifetime than an LCD display.

QLED Display Lifespa n

Perhaps you noticed that the acronym QLED closely resembles the acronym OLED. This is not accidental. QLED is basically Samsung’s original design built to compete with OLED technology. However, the two are not the same. QLED stands for Quantum Light Emitting Diode. While QLED is similar to a regular LED design, it in fact differs by using nanoparticles called “Quantum dots” to achieve its unique brightness and color. Samsung approximates that the lifespan of QLED panels are likely to last 7-10 years . After that, a user is likely to notice traces of degradation.

MicroLED Display Lifespa n

MicroLED is an emerging display technology, consisting of small LEDs in tiny arrays within each pixel. This technology goes beyond the offerings of the formerly frontrunning OLEDs, with much darker blacks and more radiant contrast levels. And, unlike OLEDs, MicroLEDs are not organic. They are not as subject to burn-in, and thus, have a longer lifespan than OLEDs. However, they are significantly more expensive - so much, in fact, that they aren’t considered a viable option for the majority of consumers. According to Samsung, the lifespan of its MicroLED panels should last about 100,000 hours, or, roughly 11 years.

Plasma Display (PDP) Lifespa n

PDP stands for Plasma Display Panel, and it refers to displays that use small cells full of plasma. The atoms within the plasma emit light upon being charged by electricity. While PDP is generally considered to offer better colors than LCDs, they consume a lot more power and usually cannot be battery-operated. The average lifespan of the newest generation of PDPs is approximated to be 100,000 hours, or 11 years of continual use.

Reflective LCD Lifespa n

In some ways, reflective LCD panels operate similarly to other LCDs, only they have one key difference - they do not require a backlight. Instead, they rely on ambient light (or sunlight) in order to produce images. This opens the door to some groundbreaking possibilities. The first (and most appreciable) is low power consumption. Reflective displays use up to 95% less energy. Not bad - especially in a world that is continually looking for new ways to go green. Take into consideration the financial implications of this. Lower power means less money spent on operating costs.

Being that reflective displays do not require a backlight (a component that is particularly subject to degradation), and since they do not generate as much heat, it is safe to say that the lifespan of these displays should far exceed that of backlit LCD panels (which was 7 years at the high end). However, being that this innovative technology is relatively new, its actual lifespan is therefore more difficult to estimate -- simply because it has yet to be reached.

Side-By-Side Comparison of Digital Display Lifespans

The below chart helps summarize the lifespans of common digital display technologies.

Challenges of Reflective LCDs

1. Low-light Readability

There are also a few challenges that can affect reflective displays. For one, they rely on ambient light. On a nice sunny day, these displays perform beautifully and can be easily seen in even the brightest of conditions. This performance wanes as the available ambient light decreases. And, since they do not generate light of their own, they are not designed to be viewed under nighttime or extremely low light conditions (without additional lighting features). In short, their images are visible to the degree that ambient light is present. However, in light of this, side light (and front light) options are being explored.

One company at the front lines of this research is Azumo . Azumo has created a light guide that laminates to the front of a display. It requires 90% less energy than the backlight of a traditional LCD display. This greatly improves the problem of low light visibility otherwise encountered, and keeps reflective displays in the same low energy consumption ballpark. One issue, however, is that Azumo currently only offers its light guides for smaller-sized units. If you happen to want this feature applied to a display that is over 10” diagonally, then you’re still on the search for a solution.

Other “pioneer companies” are at the frontier of this research as well, and many are already innovating new solutions to increase the viability of reflective technology - both in their low light visibility and in the screen sizes they are available in. Due to the huge potential offered by reflective technology, it is fair to assume that we will see even greater enhancements to it in the very near future.

2. Up-front cost

One other factor to consider regarding reflective technology is its cost. That reflective layer is more costly to manufacture than many of the backlights it replaces, creating a seemingly greater upfront cost for those who are interested in investing in energy-efficient signage. However, these initial price points are quickly justified as buyers will recognize the significantly lower operating costs and increased longevity (not even including replacement costs of other “expired” displays) that comes with their purchase of reflective display signage. If a backlit LCD panel only lasts 7 years, for example, you’ll have paid for that LCD twice in the period of ten years. A very valid question arises… is that “cheaper” backlight really cheaper? Probably not. It only feels that way at first.

Reflective LCD Digital Signage from Sun Vision Display

Sun Vision Display is working hard to create reflective display solutions for the digital signage world. We are currently offering them in 32" and 43" diagonal sizes, with a 55” size in development. These displays are built for many environments . We are thrilled to be bringing such innovative solutions to the market.

If you have any questions, or if you would like to talk to a representative about how our solutions might work for you, please don’t hesitate to contact us. Simply scroll down to the bottom of the page to our form, and we’ll get back to you in a timely manner. We look forward to the possibility of working with you !

New Vision Display Introduces Outdoor Digital Signage Product Line

Tue, 01 Sep 2020 20:53:40 GMT

PRESS RELEASE – FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

ROSEVILLE, CA – September 1, 2020 - New Vision Display (“NVD”) is pleased to announce its new outdoor digital signage product line, Sun Vision Display™. Sun Vision Display panels are built to address two of the most common challenges in outdoor LCDs: Poor sunlight readability (due to insufficient lighting) and high-power consumption (from high-brightness backlights). Sun Vision Display panels do not require a backlight. Instead, they utilize a reflective LCD structure which harnesses sunlight to illuminate the display.

Reflective LCD Technology

Within the Sun Vision Display reflective LCD panel structure, a mirror-like layer is installed behind the liquid crystal layer inside the LCD cell. Ambient light passes through the LCD cell from the front side and is reflected by the mirror back to the viewer. The brighter the sun shines light into the display, the more visible the display becomes for the viewer, all because of increased reflected light. Furthermore, the absence of a backlight reduces power consumption by approximately 95% over similarly sized high-brightness displays. This is a critical issue for more remote outdoor applications that may require battery or solar power supplies. For example, a Sun Vision Display panel can provide 5-8 hours of playback time on just a 12V lithium battery.

Specifications & Available Sizes

Sun Vision Display panels are currently available in a 32” diagonal size , with 43” and 55” diagonal sizes coming soon. All sizes offer full-HD resolution (1920(RGB) x 1080) and can be tiled together in 2x2 or 3x3 configurations for even larger digital signage areas. Sun Vision Display panels operate in temperatures ranging from -20°C to +70°C. They are an excellent low-power, sunlight readable solution for displaying key information and/or advertising in outdoor settings such as parks, public spaces, transportation hubs, restaurants, hotels, sporting venues, and retail spaces. For more information or to order, please visit www.sunvisiondisplay.com.

About New Vision Display

Sun Vision Display is a brand of New Vision Display (“NVD”). NVD is a key subsidiary of the publicly traded company Tianjin Jingwei Huikai Optoelectronic Co., Ltd. , with global headquarters in Shenzhen, China. NVD is a leading supplier of custom displays, touch panels, cover lenses, and integrated assemblies for OEMs worldwide. NVD offers a total solution approach, with a thorough understanding of the product development, life cycle, and end-user/environmental requirements. NVD has manufacturing facilities located in Shenzhen and Youngzhou, China and Malacca, Malaysia. Sales and technical support teams are located across the US, Europe and Asia. For more information, please visit www.newvisiondisplay.com .

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How do Liquid Crystal Displays (LCDs) Work?

Thu, 27 Aug 2020 17:55:32 GMT

Have you ever looked at your laptop screen and wondered how it worked? Have you ever wanted to break it open with a hammer and observe what’s going on inside? If so, I’m glad you never got that far. And, glad that you found this article. Let us do the work for you instead. Here, we’ll talk about how LCDs work and hopefully by the end, you’ll have a fair understanding of how this intriguing technology operates.

The Liquid Crystal Substance

LCD panels are one of the truly remarkable innovations we have created. The name liquid crystal comes from a family of substances that completely redefines 5th grade science class. These substances exist in liquid form but have properties distinctive of (solid) crystals. Fascinating right? In other words, because of the special properties of liquid crystals, we are able to use them to bend and manipulate light in ways that no other substances are capable of. This is what generates the images you on your display.

LCD Layers

The entire display itself has many layers, including the LCD panel, glass, and special films. Two pieces of glass are sandwiched together with the liquid crystal materials between them. The glass is coated and etched with a chemical circuitry that causes the crystals to align in different configurations (when hooked up to a voltage source). The circuit is laid down in a grid pattern, with the crossing lines creating pixels. Special films called polarizers are then laminated to the glass. These films, similar to prisms, can take in light from many directions and only let certain wavelengths through while filtering others. These are used to control the direction and color of light throughout the display at a very high degree. A light source can be placed behind these layers (called a backlight) and be used to illuminate the colored pixels. These types of LCDs which use a backlight are called Transmissive. Within another LCD technology, the backlight is replaced with a mirrored reflective layer. The mirrored layer reflects ambient light through the display’s layers to produce the images that you see. Units that work this way are called “reflective LCD panels", and this is the technology utilized in our Sun Vision Display panels.

LCD Pixels & Polarizers Harness Light

Unlike the old projection or tube televisions that were nowhere near as flat, LCD screens function in a totally different way. The pixels in the liquid crystal panel are tiny blocks that each display a portion of the overall image. Typically, the more pixels, the better the image quality. Each pixel can display a broad array of colors by controlling the combination of primary colors used -- red, green, and blue. In more expensive models, entire layers are dedicated to controlling the levels of single colors.

LCDs also work by blocking unwanted light. Some of the light that moves from the backlight could potentially interfere with the desired image because it is not traveling at the same angle or is a different color than what is needed. This is why polarizers work so well, as they also block this unwanted light in addition to allowing only certain amounts through. When several polarizers are stacked on top of each other (but rotated to various angles), the LCD has an even greater ability to filter and harness different colors of light.

Basically, if you want one pixel to display a certain color, you would regulate the electricity in such a way that only the desired color combinations would pass through to create that color. For example, if you wanted a certain pixel to display the color yellow, two things would happen. First, the liquid crystals behind the color blue would orient so as to not allow blue-colored through. And, the crystals behind the red and green layers would allow light to pass. The rules of color combinations for light are different than in art class, so red and green actually creates the desired shade of yellow. Based on these principles, any color can be displayed in each pixel. And, each pixel is like a piece in a mosaic, combining with other pieces to form the total image that you see on display.

One thing to consider is the pace at which all this is happening. In order to create the appearance of image movement, the liquid crystal orientations must change at an extremely rapid pace - fast enough to block all those colors that aren’t wanted while also allowing different colors through with each change. In a single minute, the entire process happens thousands of times behind each pixel. This is why you may have noticed a lag in your laptop screen after leaving it out in your car for a few hours in the winter. Being that the crystals are liquid, their properties change with the temperature, altering their ability to change orientation as quickly.

Advantages of Reflective LCD Technology

The advantage of having an internal light source is the ability to illuminate the display independently of any other source. But, this comes at a cost, as lighting the display requires a very high amount of energy. Reflective technology significantly reduces the amount of energy required to generate an image. And, although it does not involve emitting light, it is quickly improving how efficiently the displays can utilize what light is already available. This makes reflective displays much more cost-effective – especially when used for long periods of time.

Reflective LCD technology is constantly improving and consumers are becoming noticeably more aware of it. Between its outstanding ability to conserve power and its number of useful applications, its usage is expected to continue growing. It is perfect for outdoor use and purposed to withstand extreme weather. If you enjoyed what you’ve read so far and would like to learn more, please take a look at our website: www.Sunvisiondisplay.com . Also, if you’re interested in seeing a short clip about how Reflective LCD technology works, you can watch the video below.

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The Future of LCDs

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 20:51:26 GMT

The Past, Present, & Future of LCD Technology

There is no doubt that LCD technology has come a long way since 1970, when American inventor, James Fergason , designed the first functional LCD. It gave rise to the hope that LCDs could be useful in everyday life. Prior to that, LCDs had always consumed way too much energy, and we had typically only seen them in certain calculators and watches. But, once those floodgates had opened, LCD use indeed began spilling out into a myriad of applications. Now, most of us would have a hard time imagining life without them being, well… pretty much everywhere in sight. But, questions exist about the future of LCD technology . For example, how will it continue to change and evolve over time? Which new features can we expect to see in it, and how will those changes continue to impact our lives? Or, perhaps you’ve wondered… will LCDs even be around in the long haul? While no one can predict the future with absolute certainty, the existing data is there for anyone to see. And, there is enough of it to leave educated guessers with a bit of uncertainty.

Competition with OLEDs

As you may have heard, Samsung Display plans to stop producing LCDs by the end of 2020. LG has announced similar plans, intending to end their LCD production in South Korea. Why these major changes in direction? According to Samsung, it’s because they plan to increase their acceleration towards quantum dot displays, which will rely on OLED instead of LCD displays. Such stories are definitely worth paying attention to, but can we rely on them to tell us where the future of LCD technology is headed overall? Not necessarily. In fact, while some manufacturers seem to be moving away from producing LCD technology, others are focused on enhancing it and reinventing it. Here are some ways in which that is being done:

Demands for Flexibility

In addition to LCD displays becoming larger, lighter, and thinner over the past few decades, organic LCD tech has become more flexible as well. Literally. By using carbon-based transistors (instead of silicon) to replace the glass in the display, LCDs are now capable of having borderless screens, bending at the edges near the bezel to keep the bezel hidden. HERE is an example. Of course, the opportunities that come with flexibility do not end there.

It proves very useful in smaller screens on applications that do not have much flat surface space. Or, objects with surfaces where a typical flat glass screen would not work. This could include smart watches, car dashboards, or any of a thousand other applications. And, it’s usually not out of the question for manufacturers to begin producing them, as they usually already have the majority of the low-cost manufacturing resources established to make those upgrades viable.

It is not uncommon to see LCD displays that bend around the corner of an exhibit booth, or home TVs that have a concave curve. Samsung now even has created an LCD phone that flips shut. The screen folds as you close the phone to put it into your pocket. It’s very interesting to see this flexibility being incorporated into LCDs, and it causes the mind to wonder what else may be possible.

Reflective LCDs

Another amazing new type of technology emerging is the reflective LCD display . Unlike transmissive displays which rely on a backlight , reflective displays use ambient light (or sunlight) to light up the display. This offers some huge advantages – especially for consumers who plan to keep their signs running for long durations of time throughout the day.

Since no backlight is used, the display requires very little energy in order to operate. This means: a lot of money can be saved over time. Think about the costs of a drive thru menu that stays running all year for sixteen whole hours a day. Those costs add up. Can you imagine spending $20k a year – just to power your display? That would cut your profits in a very noticeable way. So, I bet you’d be pretty pleased to find such a low-energy alternative.

Reflective displays really are a unique thing. You don’t have to hide them from the sun. You don’t have to shield your screen with your hand in order to eliminate glare. You don’t have to tilt it at funny angles that cause your neck to throb in pain, just so that you can read what’s on the screen. Funny, because those are our natural reactions whenever LCD and sunlight combine. Not with a reflective display though.

You could almost compare a reflective display to a piece of paper in the way that it becomes more visible when light is shining directly on it. It’s really bizarre to see, and you almost have to witness it in order to wrap your head around it, because it’s totally unlike what you’re used to.

Here is a short video about SVD ’s reflective displays, and a brief explanation of how they work:

LCD Market Growing in China

One final development to add about LCDs is that the Chinese government is really backing the technology boom, and the Chinese economy is now manufacturing a much larger portion of all the LCD screens being made. It is estimated that the Chinese will be manufacturing 27 percent of all LCD screens this year, which is a significant step up from its former 16 percent.

In Conclusion

All in all, we can probably safely conclude that the future of LCDs still looks bright – despite the expanding development of OLEDs. However, it is also clear that ALL LCD manufacturers are entering into a more competitive market, and may have to adopt new strategies to remain successful in it.

Learn More

If you’re interested, check out our LCD screen cleaning article that explains the proper way to clean your LCD. If you’ve ever tried, you know that it can be frustrating. That’s why we want to offer you a few quick tips on how to get it done!

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How To Properly Clean an LCD Display

Fri, 03 Jul 2020 20:35:14 GMT

Perhaps you’ve noticed that cleaning a display screen is not always as easy you’d assume. You’ve tried damping a paper towel with tap water and brushing it across your screen, only to be left with smudges, smears, and a few stubborn globs. Don’t worry… you’re not alone. This seems to be a common experience for the ever-growing number of digital device owners.

We would like to go over the proper cleaning methods so that you understand what works (and what doesn’t), and so you can relay that information to whoever might find it useful – whether that be you, your customers, your employees, or your father-in-law who just discovered the brand new world of handheld digital devices. The processes discussed here are helpful for nearly all displays, including touch screens and those with cover lenses.

Materials Needed to Clean Your LCD Screen

L et’s go over the items you’ll need in order to clean your LCD screen. Be sure you have some kind of microfiber cloth and a cleaning solvent of some kind. As mentioned, you may already be well aware that the paper towel method isn’t effective, and that it can even cause scratches. This is why a soft cloth (or a microfiber cloth) will be a much better tool for cleaning. It is softer and does not leave particles behind that break away from the cloth, much like a paper towel does. If a dry cloth alone is not enough to get your screen up to standards, then you may want to apply the cleaning solvent.

Of course, not all solvents are created equal. Some of them work better than others for certain applications. Depending on the type of LCD display you have, you will want to do your due diligence. Many people will use distilled water as a solvent, as it has been known to be the least damaging to LCD screens. Granted, you can’t just poor it on there all willy-nilly. You don’t want to risk damaging any of the electrical components within the device.

You also should be cautious about using alcohol or ammonia based solvents, as they are capable of causing long-term damage to LCD screens, making the screen brittle and susceptible to cracking. They have also been known to cause discoloration issues. For best results, you should search for an LCD-safe solution. This, plus using the proper methods, will be the best for your LCD screen’s longevity. Here is a table that you can refer to in your search for an acceptable solvent:

Acceptable Methods

Make sure that your device’s power is in the off position before you begin to clean your display. Wipe the display with your dry, soft cloth to get rid of any dust or residue that can be easily brushed off. If after doing this you find that certain smudges or marks remain, then you can use a small amount of the solvent of your choice. Again, make sure to apply it properly (to the cloth; not the display) so that you do not risk damaging electrical components.

While there are a good number of recommendable LCD-safe solvents, it is recommended to try simply using diluted water first. Also be sure not to apply excessive pressure to your screen while cleaning it. This too can cause damage. You’ll want to be gentle, and to use vertical and horizontal motions to remove debris and residue. Circular motions may be used for those areas that have excessive marks and smudges.

If possible, try to clean the entire product – not just the screen. This is because you may undo your efforts by only cleaning part of the product. An example would be a laptop. If the display is squeaky clean, but the keyboard is still dirty, then you can imagine what will happen the next time you close your laptop up.

Using the Device After Cleaning

A s a final note, be sure to read any (and all) of your manufacturer’s warnings and recommendations for cleaning. Make sure you aren’t doing anything that is considered unsafe or unwise. And, make sure that any liquids or solvents you’ve used are completely dried before turning your device’s power back on.

Reflective LCD Blog | Sun Vision Display

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4 Ways Your Golf Course Benefits From Digital Signage

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What makes reflective displays more eye-friendly?

4 common eye-care monitor standards for light-emitting displays: