hen considering upgrading signage you may be thinking of purchasing a digital display. There are so many benefits with having this modern technology outside of your business or organization. The versatility of displaying ever changing content, to a captive audience, is a great advantage in the marketplace.

The purpose of this article is to help explain the technology that goes into a digital sign as well as help you decide what specific product is right for you.

Size and Resolution

There are two main components that will dictate your cost & effectiveness. That is size and resolution. Similar to purchasing a television, the greater the resolution and size the greater the cost. But what size and resolution is right for you? Do you need the highest resolution, the largest display, or will something else accomplish what you are trying to do. This is dependent on how fast traffic is going past your business and how close the display will be viewed.

Here are common terms to help explain the technology that makes up the display.

What is a Pixel?

"Pixel" is short for "Picture Element". A Pixel is the smallest element in the display system that is individually controlled-turned off and on at various time intervals. Pixels illuminate to form letters, words, graphics, animations and video images. In a single pixel there are three colors (Red, Green and Blue). Each pixel is controlled by software and hardware to create any color combination.

What is resolution?

"Resolution" is the number of pixels in a display. To increase resolution, you can go to a smaller pixel pitch in the same physical size display or increase the display's physical size using the same pitch.

See the graph below for the most common resolution options and the minimum viewing distance at which the light from individual pixels blends together into a complete image. In other words the optimal distance to be able to clearly read the display.

Brightness and Contrast

Brightness & contrast play a pivotal roll as well. To display effective colors & graphics you need an equal amount of dark spaces between each pixel to create contrast. If you are looking to use your display to create great color depth and graphics, you will want to go to a higher resolution display. If you plan on primarily displaying text, a lower resolution will do the trick. Every situation is different, La Crosse Sign Group is well versed in giving expert advise. With over 1,000 displays operating in the marketplace to date you can trust our consultants to give you the correct recommendation.