LED Sign Authority - Electronic Messages - LED Displays

January is National Clean Up Your Computer Month

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 23:56:00 +0000

January is National Clean Up Your Computer month. With the flu bug raging, it's a good time to clean up your computer on the inside and out. There are several tasks I do to keep my computer humming along, so I thought I'd share those with you. I use a small vacuum cleaner for my keyboard, canned air for the inside of the case and microfiber cloths with a touch of soap and water to clean plastic parts and keyboards.

Some additional things you can do:
* For a Microsoft Windows based system, run a registry cleaner
* Install an anti-virus software
* Organize your documents; delete ones you no longer need.
* Install the latest updates for your software or drivers.
* Delete old log files.

Studies have shown that computer keyboards are 400X dirtier than average public toilets. This is easily explained by the fact that public toilets seat are generally cleaned once a day, and you probably only clean your keyboard once a year. Moreover, how many times do you clean your hands before using a keyboard ? How many people use your keyboard ? Regularly disinfecting and cleaning your office equipment helps prevent viruses from spreading and improves your equipment’s performance.

LED Signs Benefit Retailers

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:12:00 +0000

Traditional zip-change reader boards are being replaced with modern programmable LED display signs. The old reader boards are a maintenace nightmare. Burnt out light bulbs must be replaced, letters aren't visible at night or from a distance. Letters have to be manually changed everytime you want to display a new message, thats if the letters needed are even available and haven't fallen off or blown away. In the twenty-first century zip-change boards are going the way of the black and white TV.

Savy retailers wanting to ensure they present a professional image are turning to electronic LED display signs for their high visability, energy efficenty, carefree service and ease of use. LED signs provide great visibility from a varity of distances. Lettering can be resized, to provide optimal viewing based on traffiic speed and viewing time. Signs can be programmed to automatically adjust light intensity so that the best visibility of images is presented day or night.

Not only do LED signs help to make retailors more visible to the public, but they are also energy efficient, saving retailers money. Low maintenace costs and energy bills make for a win win situation. It’s easy to convince retailers that an LED sign can provide increased visibility with limited operating expenses, but they start to get suspicious about its benefits when it come to its operation and programming. Fortunately, todays LED sign use intuitive and easy to use software that can have most people able to update content in minutes with little or no training.

Historic District Approves LED Sign

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 04:25:00 +0000

Kent county News reports that the Chestertown Historic District Commission has approved a new LED sign for the Garfield Center for the Arts. If properly managed, which we think it will be, the sign will be a nice addition to the downtown theater.

The proposed LED display was supported Cherilyn Widdell, a historic preservation expert with the National Park Service. The benefit of the LED display is that it is easily programmable to appear just as an old letter board sign that a staff member would have to climb a ladder to reach. It is not uncommon to drive by one of those old-fashioned signs and see mismatched or broken letters, which do not look good.

Some citizens do have valid concerns about the sign being utilized in a proper manner, respectful of the Historic District's nature.Proponents testified that it would be used only for static images, rather than exploding and zooming colored images.

The matter next goes to the town's planning commission to review the outdated sign ordinance. This will be an opportunity for the town and the Garfield to work together to ensure questionable aesthetics are not allowed and the Garfield's marquee mirrors the old-fashioned letter boards.

Electronic LED Message Signs Boost Business

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Wed, 07 Mar 2012 22:28:00 +0000

Watch a short video on the value of adding an onsite LED sign to a business. Sponsored by the US Sign Council this video shows how one company found value in an monochrome LED message sign.

Window vs Indoor Scrolling LED Signs

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 22:26:00 +0000

Window LED signs are 10 times brighter than standard indoor LED sign. Also known as a "semi-outdoor" LED display, these brilliant window LED sign can be viewed through tinted windows and in bright sunlight. Despite the "semi-outdoor" classification, this does not mean they should be used outdoors. These signs are not weather proof. The "semi-outdoor" classification refers only to the brightness of the LED's used on the sign.

Semi-outdoor LED's are bright enough to be highly visible, even in bright sunlight, and therefore suitable for storefront windows. If you intend to use your LED sign or display in a window, be certain the model you select is clearly rated as "semi-outdoor" or suitable for "window display". Unless your business operates after dusk, ordinary indoor LED signs will not be visible, even in moderate sunlight.

Scrolling window LED displays communicate far more than the words upon them, they present a professional image. It has been said you never get a second chance to make a first impression. The manner in which you present your business to the public can be crucial to its success. Attractive, quality, legible semi-outdoor LED window signs say come in and do business - we're ready to serve you. You are making an investment in your storefront signage. Make sure that sign will be visible at all hours of the day.

Federal Grant Money for LED Signs and Trailers

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 23:09:00 +0000

Did you know that Federal Grant money is once again available for the purchase of a LED Sign, if it is used by a Fire Department? This includes the purchase of our Fire Edition AdsUp LED Trailer. Grants are available yearly to help Fire Departments meet their emergency response equipment needs. In 2010, FEMA awarded $380 million for new vehicle aquisitions and training. Other agencies offering grants for Fire Departments include the US Forest Service, Rural Housing Service, Bureau of Indian Affairs, as well as private groups like the First Responder Institute.

Fire Departments can and should apply for grants. Grant money is a great way to recoup some dollars you are spending that you don’t need to. If you would like more information on our AdsUp LED trailer, please contact an LED Sign Authority associate.

Small Town Business Owners Find Value in EMCs

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 21:21:00 +0000

A recent pilot study conducted by Professor Van Bulck of the University of South Carolina-Sumter found Outdoor LED Message Centers to be cost effective, easy to use and increased business regardless of the size of the sign or type of business.

Generally we think of EMCs being located in large metropolitan areas, but even the small town business owner can benefit from the installation of an EMC. More than 86% of small town business owners said the LED signs "help bring in more customers" and 83% said the signs "increased sales".

LED message signs are an effective outdoor advertising tool and 86% of small town business owners found "LED signs made people more aware of the location of their store" The more exposure your business receives through your sign, the more you can increase traffic and sales. Not surprisingly double sided signs where found to be more effective than single sided signs.

Part of surving in a small town is competing with the world. Small business owners don't have deep pockets to develop big advertising campaigns. Their advertising dollar must work hard and achieve top results. EMCs have been proven time and again to be an cost effective method of advertising no matter what your business or where it is located.

Don't be Left Out in the Cold

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 20:36:00 +0000

Before purchasing an LED sign, check with you local building department to make sure you will not break any city ordinance or zoning policies in your preferred location. Also consider your LED sign requirements and compare them to sign regulations set by your local government. Many communities set restrictions on the size and appearance of signs.You can find out how property is zoned by contacting your local building department, or use the state and local search engine to find if your city or county has zoning ordinances online. If you need any assistance, LED Sign Authority can help you select the right sign for your location. Here are a few questions you may want to ask your local building department:

How many square feet of signage is allowed?
Is there a minimum or maximum height restriction? What is it?
Are there set back requirements? Minimum distance from the roadway or sidewalk?
Are you allowed an LED Moving Message Sign? Can it move and scroll, or must it stay static?
Can anyone pull a permit or is a license necessary?
Can your organization install the sign themselves or is a Sign Specialist required?

If you need asssitance in for assistance in interpreting your local municipal sign codes and regulations please call or email LED Sign Authority. We are here to help.

On Site Certification

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 22:24:00 +0000

Don't end up pulling your hair out because your Outdoor LED Sign was not installed properly or you are not familiar with the sign software.

LED Sign Authority offers an optional On-site Certification Service and Customer Orientation that is hassle free and affordable. For businesses, it provides comforting reassurance that their installer has done the job correctly. As an added benefit, customers also receive orientation and software training saving valuable time and money by increasing the amount of hands-on personal learning.

LED Sign Authority's On-site Certification Service provides the following on site activities on our outdoor LED displays.

Unpack systems and components.

Verify receipt and condition of all boxes and components.

Verify the availability of customer-provided physical site and power.

Verify product serial numbers match packing list.

Check and make sure that the voltage setting is correct before powering up the system.

Test all accessories for correct operation

Install software and configure sign to work seamlessly within your network.

Subject to time availability, our consultant will provide you as much Customer Orientation in using your LED Sign and software as is possible within the 8-Hour onsite service.

At the conclusion of the Customer Orientation you should have gained an overall greater knowledge and appreciation of your new LED Sign. On-site Orientation is the perfect choice for companies that need to train groups of employees. You get a maximum number of employees trained in a minimal amount of time for one flat fee. They receive the same message at the same time, creating synergy to the learning experience that gets everyone “on the same page”. LED Sign Authority can ensure that the sign setup is tailored to your specific needs and make recommendations for improvement. Investing in the installation of your LED Sign is extremely important and LED Sign Authority understands that.

ROI Numbers are Tough to Ignore

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 17:26:00 +0000

The Big Question for any business owner thinking of investing in an LED Sign is "will a LED Sign really increase my buiness?" We know the answer is a resounding YES, but don't take our word for it. The Small Business Administraion has found the addition of a LED sign typically results in a 15 to 150% percent increase in business. What will be your expected return on investment (ROI) with the purchase of an outdoor LED sign? Lets take a typical LED display purchase and determine how long it would take to pay for itself using conservative numbers.

Proposed Sign Price: $8,000

Annual Gross Revenues: $150,000

Assumed Increase in Annual Gross Revenue: 15%

Take the annual gross revenues and multiply it by the assumed increase (in this case we will assume a minimal increase of 15%). Take the result of that calculation and divide it by the sign price. That gives you the number of times in a year the new sign would pay for itself. Then take the number of days in a year and divide it by the number of times it would pay for itself in a year. This gives the number of days it will take for the proposed sign to pay for itself in increased gross revenue.

$150,000 X 0.15 = $22,500 = estimated annual gross revenue increase from adding a LED Sign.

$22,500/$8,000 = 2.81 = the number of times the LED sign will pay for itself in one year.

365/2.81 = 130 days = the number of days it will take for the LED sign to pay for itself (in gross revenue).

So the new LED display pays for itself in 130 days. Less than 6 months after the LED sign is installed, the buisness would be in the black. Plug in your numbers to this simple formula and calculate your ROI. Can your busines afford to ignore the numbers?

LED Sign Viewing Distance

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 19:31:00 +0000

At what distance will your LED sign be viewed? And at what angle? This will help you determine the correct message display character height and minimum pitch required to produce an image that is crisp and lifelike. Longer distances require less resolution and shorter distances require more resolution. If you are traveling 55mph on a freeway and the LED message sign is 600 feet away at a truck stop, the LED message text letters must be at least 20 inches tall to be legible. If you are standing 60 feet away from a LED sign, the message letters need only be 2 inches tall to be legible.

Resolution is the most important factor affecting the cost of your LED sign. More resolution means more diodes and more circuits, which usually means higher cost. How do you determine the resolution of an LED sign? Pitch is the distance between one diode and another. The SMALLER the pitch the HIGHER the resolution. You are probably not a sign expert, but we can give you the knowledge you need on distance and angle to ensure your site and LED sign match up correctly.

Why do I need an Outdoor LED Sign

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Wed, 20 May 2009 02:43:00 +0000

You say "I already have a sign". An Outdoor LED sign or electronic message center offers a unique way to capture the attention of passers-by. A LED sign allows you to communicate more effectively with the typical person passing by at a particular time day by changing the message and graphic of your sign to match the profile on the street. Outdoor electronic LED moving message centers have proven to increase business 15%-150% (Small Business Administration) at 10% the cost of TV, Radio and Newspaper advertising.

You say "my customers already know where I am". Consider the public - your existing and potential customers - is on the move, both literally and figuratively, and sometimes catching their attention is like hitting a moving target. Approximately 85% of customers live within an 5 mile radius of most businesses and 18.6% of Americans move every year. Potentially that is a loss of 18.5% of your current customer base. Add to that the fact that 15-35% of the traffic on a given street is "just passing through" (vacation travelers and such), and you can see the great potential for stops by those unfamiliar with the area.

We no longer live in a 9-to-5 society, and people will drive past your business location 24 hours a day. With a lighted LED Electronic Message Center sign, you have an opportunity to communicate with your existing and potential customer, even when your business is closed and you are at home enjoying your family.

What is a pixel on a LED display?

noreply@blogger.com (LED Authority) — Wed, 13 May 2009 14:59:00 +0000

A light emitting diode (LED) is a semiconductor device that emits visible light when current passes through it. A pixel on a LED display can be composed of one or more LEDs. A pixel is the smallest individual component of an image. For example 16mm, 20mm, 25mm LED displays can utilize 1 LED per pixel for monochrome signs and 3 LED per pixel for full color LED displays (1-red, 1-green, 1-blue). Whereas a 32 mm LED signs can have have 4 LEDs per pixel for monochrome LED signs, and 5 LEDs per pixel for full color (2-red, 1-green, 1-blue). When determining the quality of the display, the number of LEDs per pixel is not as important as the overall brightness of the LEDs. High grade LEDs exceed 5000 NITs. Some LED display manufacturers try to overcome inferior LEDs by adding more LEDs of the same color to each pixel. This makes the pixel larger, which increases the viewing distance, but it also increases energy consumption.