Outdoor Digital Signage That Handles UK Weather

Putting a screen outside is a different job from putting one in a reception. It has to be bright enough to read in full sun, sealed against rain and dust, tough enough to survive a British winter and, ideally, still working in five years. Get any of those wrong and you have an expensive black rectangle on the side of a building.

MRG Systems has supplied and installed outdoor digital signage UK organisations rely on for many years, as part of more than four decades in visual communication and over 25,000 connected screens. This page explains what makes an outdoor screen different, in simple terms, and where outdoor digital display screens UK businesses install tend to pay for themselves.

What Makes a Screen Genuinely Outdoor Rated

Brightness. An indoor screen is designed for a lit room. High brightness outdoor screens UK suppliers specify are several times brighter, so the picture is still clear when the sun is directly on it. Sunlight-readable digital displays UK sites need in south facing positions are a particular specification, and choosing the wrong one is the most common mistake we see.

Protection. Weatherproof digital signage UK sites need is built to a sealed standard. IP65 digital signage UK installers refer to means the enclosure keeps out dust completely and resists water jets from any direction. Heating and cooling inside the enclosure keep the panel within its working temperature through frost and heatwave alike.

Toughness. Outdoor screens in public spaces need laminated or toughened glass, anti glare treatment and secure fixings. Outdoor LED display screens UK venues choose for very large formats use modular LED panels rather than a single glass screen, which is how large outdoor digital billboards UK roadsides carry are built.

Where Outdoor Screens Earn Their Place

• Advertising. Outdoor advertising digital screens UK landlords and media owners install can sell time to multiple advertisers, changing content by the hour and by audience.

• Retail and window facing. Window-facing digital screens UK shops mount behind the glass promote to passing footfall day and night, with brightness that competes with daylight.

• Wayfinding. Outdoor wayfinding digital signage UK campuses, business parks and town centres place at key junctions shows maps, directions and event information.

• Events. Outdoor screens for events UK organisers hire or install show schedules, sponsors, safety messages and live content for crowds.

• Public information. Outdoor public information screens UK councils place in squares and transport interchanges carry service notices, emergency messages and community news.

• Shopping centres. Outdoor digital screens for shopping centres promote tenants, events and offers at entrances and car parks.

Outdoor Digital Display Boards UK Sites Can Manage From Inside

The hardware is only half of it. Outdoor digital display boards UK organisations run through LiveSpace, our own platform, are managed from the same dashboard as indoor screens. Content can be scheduled, targeted to a single location or pushed to every site, and pulled automatically from feeds such as weather, transport or social media. The platform also monitors each screen, so we usually know a display has a problem before you do.

Outdoor digital signage UK owners often worry about maintenance. Our UK based engineers handle installation, including mounting, power and connectivity, and provide ongoing support and monitoring from our team in Gloucestershire.

Questions to Ask Before You Buy an Outdoor Screen

Q: Which direction does the screen face, and how much direct sun will it get?

A: This decides the brightness you need. Weatherproof digital signage UK suppliers should ask this before quoting.

Q: What is the temperature range on site?

A: Enclosures need heating and cooling to suit the location, not a generic specification.

Q: Who will manage the content?

A: A screen with nothing new to show is worse than no screen. Plan the content and the people who will maintain it alongside the hardware.

Q: What happens if it fails?

A: Ask who provides support, where they are based and how quickly they respond. Outdoor digital display screens UK customers buy from MRG are supported by our own team.

Choosing Between LED and LCD Outdoors

Two technologies cover most outdoor projects. Outdoor rated LCD screens, in sealed high brightness enclosures, are the usual choice for sizes up to around the size of a large domestic television, for example in totems, bus shelters, shop windows and building entrances. They give a sharp image at close range and are cost effective. Large format LED, built from modular panels, is the choice when the screen needs to be very big or viewed from a distance, such as on a building facade, a roadside or a stadium concourse. LED can be made to almost any shape and size, and modern fine pitch panels are readable at closer range than they once were.

The right answer depends on the viewing distance, the size of the space, the content you plan to show and the budget. High brightness outdoor screens UK sites need in either technology are specified for the actual light conditions on that site, which is why we visit before we quote.

Planning, Power and Permissions

Outdoor screens involve a few things indoor screens do not. Planning permission may be required, particularly for advertising content, for screens on listed buildings or in conservation areas, and for large formats visible from the highway. Power and data need to reach the location, sometimes across a car park or up a facade, and the route has to be planned and protected. Structural fixings must be designed for wind load as well as the weight of the screen. We help clients think through each of these early so that the project does not stall late.

Outdoor advertising digital screens UK media owners operate also need to consider content rules, brightness limits at night and the sightlines of drivers. We design with these in mind and can advise on the standards that typically apply.

Running Costs and Lifespan

A well specified outdoor screen should give many years of service. Running costs include electricity, which is higher than an indoor screen because of brightness and climate control, plus the platform subscription and support. Remote monitoring keeps maintenance visits to a minimum, and enclosures are designed so that components can be serviced without removing the whole unit. We present the whole life cost in full so that a client can compare an outdoor screen fairly with printed alternatives, which usually need replacing far more often than people expect.

For advertising operators the calculation is different again, because a screen that sells time to several advertisers can pay for itself faster than a static board that sells to one. We can help model that return for a specific location before any commitment is made.

For public bodies and campuses the return is measured differently, in fewer printed notices, faster updates and better use of the space, and we can help set that out too.

Talk to MRG About Your Outdoor Project

If you are considering an outdoor screen, a video wall behind a window or a large format display for a public space, we would be glad to visit the site and advise. Call +44 (0)1453 820 840 or send a message through the contact page to arrange a conversation.