Televisions

Choosing a display for digital signage

When it comes to selecting a digital signage display, there are various factors to consider, from the display size and resolution to the specific features of consumer and commercial displays. Here's a guide to help you navigate your options and choose the display that best meets your needs.

Display Size

We generally recommend 55" or larger TVs for most applications, with the guideline that bigger is usually better. For exceptionally large displays, consider constructing a video wall.

Resolution

While TelemetryTV can adapt to any display size and aspect ratio, we advise using TVs with at least a 1080p (1920x1080) resolution. Older TVs with 720p resolution or lower may lack the visual appeal and detail crucial for impactful digital signage.

4K digital signage displays (3840x2160) deliver fantastic quality. However, be aware that some digital signage players might have difficulties rendering animations and video at this resolution. It's best to test your digital signage players carefully with 4K displays.

Explore our list of top 6 digital signage displays for 2022 for more insights.

Consumer vs Commercial Displays

Consumer Displays

Consumer displays are ordinary TVs available at most retailers. Their main advantages are wide availability and affordability. However, they have a number of shortcomings in comparison to commercial displays.

Commercial Displays

Commercial TVs are designed specifically for commercial environments. They generally cost about twice as much as consumer TVs of similar size but offer several advantages, such as:

Thin Bezels:

Commercial displays often feature very thin bezels around the edge, enabling a more seamless appearance, especially for video walls.

Removable IR Control

You can usually remove or disable the IR control on commercial digital signage displays, which is beneficial in public spaces where you don't want unauthorized interactions with your displays.

Daisy-Chained Display Ports

Many commercial displays include Display Port connectors, allowing you to connect up to four 1080p TVs to one display port on the device. This feature simplifies deployment without the need for specialized display splitters. Note that ChromeOS doesn't support Multi Stream Transport, which is necessary for daisy-chained display ports, so you'll need to use Windows 10.

Designed for 24x7 Operation

Unlike consumer TVs, commercial displays are engineered to run all day, every day, which positively affects both warranty and display lifespan.

To learn more about choosing the right digital signage display for your needs, check out our blog post.