Digital Signage: Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)


What is Digital Signage?

Digital signage refers to using media players to stream "live" digital media, content, custom advertising, messages, & other information in place of traditional signage (like posters). Digital signage allows you to change content on one or multiple monitors easily, as well as using videos, animation, & up to date information on current weather, news, & time. You can use digital signage to target specific audiences that are viewing the screen(s). Preconfigured "live" content/feeds/channels are available from content publishers. These feeds display information including current weather, stock updates, live news headlines, daily trivia, & much more. There are 1000's of these "live" channels available that can be added to digital signage to keep customers interested & viewing content.

We currently offer several solutions for digital signage. We offer full screen slide show displays, & state-of-the-art split screen display. Our more advanced digital signage solutions include a web based content management interface. From this interface, you control what content is displayed on your monitors, & when it is scheduled to play. Because managing content is completed online, you can change or edit all your presentations instantly, 24/7. We offer everything needed to get digital signage running, including media players, display monitors, stands, brackets, accessories, & technical support. Mangaging presentations on your digital signage display is simple & easy with this web interface. Change one, or all of you monitors instantly from any location with internet.

Two types of signage we offer include "framed" or "split screen" signage, & full screen signage. "Framed" signage is completely customizable and allows you to zone screens into different sections to display more than one form of media at once. For example you may stream a video from one frame, display an image gallery from another frame, display current weather conditions from another frame, display stock updates from another frame, & display your favorite RSS feed or news headlines with a scrolling text marquee. Complete customization allows for versatility & enables any business to use digital signage to keep customers or waiting patrons entertained & informed. The full screen digital signage is a slide show that rotates different slides in each presentation. These slides can include images, custom informational slides, assigned "live" channels (like BBC headlines, CNN headlines, daily trivia, & much more), weather updates, RSS feeds, & more! A simple fomr of digital advertising, but because the content is current & "live" - it is still an effective way to increase your advertising & marketing messaging in an entertaining way.

What do I need to set up Digital Signage?

Digital signage requires a monitor & a media player. Several of our solutions require an internet connection, & a free web based content management system. Additional hardware, described below, can also be added to increase the kinds of content that media players can support & how many monitors content can be displayed on. Please read below for details on hardware.

Digital signage is commonly found in a number of settings, including bars, restaurants, offices, hotel lobbies, & airports. You can use it to show menu specials, promote upcoming events, show movie posters, show employees valuable information or the latest information on interest rates at the bank. With 100's of "live" channels to choose from, options are limitless. Plus, you can add your own favorite RSS feeds to the displays, & your RSS headlines will become part of your presentation. Digital Signage is used in all industries because it is a fast & entertaining way to communicate messages & content immediately. The "live" content keeps customers, patrons, & viewers up informed of breaking headlines & updated information, while image galleries, advertisements, video clips, daily tirvia, fun facts, & others keep viewers entertained. One example of how digital signage can be used in in restaurants & bars. With our "framed" digital signage solution, dinner specials can be rotated in one frame, drink specials can be rotated in another frame, a sporting event can be displayed in another frame, & the days headlines can be presented with a scrolling text marquee at the bottom of the screen. So while patrons are watching the game, you are also advertising your specials to them in a unique way.

What makes Digital Signage from Displays2go different from other systems &/or providors?

Digital signage provides the benefit of not having to print new graphics every time you do a promo change. Up to the date information on weather, time, & news feeds gives patrons something to look at while they are waiting in line that will keep them interested. Your own custom graphics advertise to them in a more visually stimulating fashion than a traditional static poster. The biggest difference is that with our service, we've taken the guesswork out of designed & setting up a presentation. We've created all-in-one bundles & kits to help our shoppers find the right TV stand & monitors for their individual needs. Want to set up a wall-mounted display? Please feel free to browse through our entire selection of digital poster frames, which pairs wall mounts with commercial-grade monitors & digital signage players. All you will have to provide is your personalized graphics, templates & artwork. Digital signage from Displays2go is also in stock & ready to ship. Unlike many of our competitors, we understand that time is an important factor when planning a new marketing campaign or presentation. We keep a live inventory of products so that they are instantly ready for shipment upon receiving an order. There is no need to set up an installation appointment or to look for professional installers. These digital signage bundles are incredibly easy to set up & use.

How does Digital Signage work?

At Displays2go, we are offering three types of digital signage services: one plug-n-play system & two networked devices. Once you decide which of these three is right for you, there are a number of avenues you can take. Displays2go offers digital media players, monitors to display your content, & the stands to hold these monitors. Depending on what you need, you can purchase a combination of the above to suit your needs.

More information on the three services:

Where can Digital Signage be used?

Digital Signage can be used by businesses in all industries. Digital Signage is commonly found at trade shows, in retail environments, in show rooms, office lobbies, welcome centers, hotels, in entertainment, at sporting events, & much much more. Digital signage is a form of marketing & advertising that is entertaining, & can be extremely targeted. Any business that needs to advertise, promote, & market themselves, can use digital signage. The best feature about these types of signs is that they allow promotion of several services, or product types at the same time, and also stream up to date current information like weather updates, news headlines, daily trivia, or any other "live" content feed desired. Digital Signage can be used anywhere, and with our supply of monitor stands and mounting brackets, we have everything to make sure those monitors are placed where you need them!

How do I pick a Digital Sign?

Picking a display for digital signage can be tricky, but here are a few things to think about before making that purchase decision. First, you will need a monitor. Choosing the right monitor and size is purely personal taste, just ensure that it has the right video/audio inputs, to connect with the media box you plan to use. We also offer several stands for monitors that can display digital media. These stands can be used in businesses, trade shows, and even at home. Please remember to check the guidlines of the stands to make sure your monitor will fit correctly. We also carry a large selection of wall brackets that enable you to mount your monitor on any wall. So, pick the right monitor, pick a stand or bracket that will fit, and choose your media box. If you are looking to run simple slide shows or image galleries much like a Powerpoint Presentation, a flash card media player will work just fine. If you are looking for the same kind of thing, but would like to add "live" content or RSS feeds to your presentation, a Sign Channel subscription is the solution. If you are looking for a fully customizable display with split screens and "live" content, then our advanced option is your solution.

I already have a TV/monitor, how do I know if it will work with this service?

Residential monitors do work with our digital signage, however we recommend using commercial monitors because they are designed to be "on" for longer hours during the day. View each of our solutions to find out specifically how the media player connects to the montitor, but typically it is either a HDMI, DVI, and/or VGA connections.

As for our stands, almost all our offered stands are VESA compatible, and are divided into sections corresponding with the size monitor that will work. To see if your television will work with our stands, you need to ensure that there are mounting holes on the back of the display, and then measure the spacing between the holes to see which bracket will fit for it. For images showing this and additional information about VESA, please click here.

What is "live" content, and where does it come from?

What we call "live" content is media, news, headlines, and or information that is released in a feed or "channel" that users can subscribe to. Many popular networks have published these "channels" that are constantly updated (much like RSS feeds), and as soon as a channel that you are subscribed to is updated, it updates in your presentation. This makes is easy to stream up-to-date news headlines, sports scores, weather updates, and more! The "live" aspect makes the presentation dated, and keeps viewers interested because the content is changing - much different than static slide show type presentations that just loop the same content over and over. Some popular networks that have published these types of channels include CNN, The BBC, Time Magazine, People Magazine, and much more! Additional channels include stock updates, daily trivia, "word of the day" channels, health related channels, entertainment channels, and more!

Do I need an Internet connection?

Yes and No. If you use a flash card media player, no you do not need an internet connection. If you choose one of our more advanced options with networked management, yes you need an Internet connection. The content is automatically updated via the web, and managing your displays and presentations is completed through a web-based interface/account. When you edit a presentation, it updates instantly and changes are seen immediately.

What other types of content can be displayed?

Many types of content can be displayed with the three types of digital services we offer. Flash card media players can typically run slide shows, image galleries, and static types of content. Flash card media players are limited, but make a perfect solution if a slide show is all that is needed. They are easy to manage, easy to install, and simple to use. Sign Channel can display much of the same as a flash card media player, like custom slide shows and image galleries, but also allows the user to subscribe to "live" media feeds that stream much like a slide show. Some of the available channels include weather updates, news headlines, daily trivia, sports headlines, stock tickers, and more! With Sign Channel, users can add this "live" content into their own slide show, to add an up-to-date, and "current" touch to a presentation. This helps to keep attention, and makes it easy for any office or business to have dyanamically changing content in their displays. RSS feeds can also be streamed with Sign Channel. The more advanced media player & software combo takes it a step further. This option offers a platform that allows users to stream all the same kinds of content and media as the flash card media player & as Sign Channel, but also allows users to "split" their monitor screen into sections that can feature different media's and/or feeds. Additionally, this device & digital signage software allows scrolling text marquees (much like news tickers that scroll the bottom of the screen) that can be run with any RSS feed - or custom text. Finally, the advanced option gives users the ability to incorporate live TV feeds into a presentation with the addition of a USB TV tuner.

Can I set up Digital Signage that is completely wireless?

Yes. With the advanced option media box, digital signage can be set up, completely wireless. Having wireless digital signage is pleasing to the eye, and saves from having to hide wires or re-arrange to accomodate wires. With the subscription, one monitor can be set up, or a network of monitors, can be set up completely wireless.

How long will it take to set up?

Determining how long it will take to set up your digital signage depends on the type of signage you are installing, how many monitors you are using, and how many different presentations you plan to run. If you plan on using one monitor, and a flash card device to display your presentation - set-up requires minimal time, and can easily be completed in an hour or two. If you plan to have a network of monitors running several customized presentations, located in many different rooms - setup can take much longer because the displays have to be set-up - networked together and activated by the content provider.

Another part ot the set up is creating the content, or picking the already existing content, that the displays will present. Sign Channel offers hundreds of "live" channels that can be streamed much like a slide show. The advanced option offers a split-screen style that allows users to display more than one piece of content at the same time.

How soon can I receive my order?

We ship thousands of products daily - and most of our in-stock products ship same day if we receive the order before 1PM EST (Monday - Friday). We have partnered with content providors as part of our digital signage packages - some shipping time will depend on them. But, we strive to get our customers the products and services they order as quickly and safely as possible. If we have everything in-stock on an order, it is not uncommon that the customer receives their order the next day. Our fast shipping is one factor that separates us from our competition.

What are the shipping costs?

We offer fast shipping on all of our products, including digital signage equipment, stands, brackets, and accessories. Shipping costs vary depending on the size of the order, and where the order is being shipped too. For ground shipping, we use FedEx and UPS, including next day service. We carry over 1.5 million products in-stock - and most of them ship same day if the order is submitted before 1PM EST (Monday - Friday). For a shipping quote, please call our customer service team at 1-800-572-2194, and one of our representatives will be happy to send you an estimate.

Warranty Information:

All of our products are warranted for quality craftsmanship and defective materials. This, however, excludes breakage from mishandling by the customer.