Digital Signage Need to Know: System monitoring obstacles and options

-Deacon Wardlow

My first car was a 1981 Ford Escort. The car was far from new and I learned about auto maintenance the hard way (one car component and paycheck at a time). The saving grace was the warning light on the dash. When I saw something light up, it was time for another repair. For the longest time, I wished my DS (Digital Signage) systems had a similar simple warning/alert on the dash BEFORE something happened...

Diagnostics on DS solutions have gotten better over the years. Third party software has helped a lot with this. Many companies build diagnostics into their systems where the system will alert a client if something isn't playing and make sure there's a place-holder bit of content in the interim. Some systems even go so far as to report what the problem is and what's failed. Here are a few techniques people use for System monitoring:

Eyes on the Prize:
Many systems use a digital camera which is often on a network. This requires someone to physically be checking-in on the system periodically. So long as the camera and network connection are functioning, this is a fairly reliable way to check-in on systems, but they require someone to take a look. The person viewing the system may not be aware of what content is running and a system may be stuck on a single piece/frame of content when it's supposed to be running multiple frames/sequences. The system is only as good as the operator.

Third Party Applications:
On the IT (Information Technology End) there are loads of software to monitor networks and various systems running on the network itself (my favorite software is Nagios for this). On the localized-end of things (for single computers or simple networks) people have relied on LogMeIn, TeamViewer, AMMY Admin and other systems which allow you to put a host monitor on a computer/player which will tell you if the player is active or inactive and often has features which allow you to power-cycle a system remotely or remote-in to the system to find out what's going on. While this is great for general monitoring, these primarily only notify you when something has occured, they're not very pro-active and don't typically have options to dig deeper into secondary components for reporting (i.e. telling you if the display itself is on/off and if the network is mapped/running). Again, the system here is only as good as the operator as it requires someone to check the list of active players/systems and verify things are working as they should. Just because the player is running, doesn't mean the display is up and working...

Hardware/firmware Diagnostics:
These are reportables built into the system itself. Often this is available on the higher-end DS systems though many component manufacturers are stepping up and creating reportables for their systems which kick back to a main server or source to tell if everything is okay or not. This is the most ideal solution as these systems not only report on active status, but often keep a running log of performance so a person can get history on an issue; has power gone out repeatedly at a particular location? Is the issue with a single component periodically failing or several components? When did the system go down and how long has it been inactive? Newer systems are also giving pro-active reports which show when a critical component (i.e. an AC-to-DC converter/power supply is drawing too much or pushing too little power to the system which indicates the component requires a check or replacement BEFORE failure.

When you're checking with manufacturers of systems, see what they've put into the dash for a warning system. The dash warning system on my old car saved me from a lot of long walks to a garage or from being stranded in the badlands (before the days of cell phones). Similarly, a solid reporting/monitoring system can save end-users and your company A LOT of headaches and often avoid problems before they arise. Make sure the manufacturer you're dealing with has some sort of system monitoring to light the way when problems arise (or before they happen) so you're not left in the dark.

-DH

*I invite you to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically noted.

Digital Signage "Need to Know": Parts and Labor doesn't always equal warranted repairs...

-Deacon Wardlow

In the world of digital signage (DS), we need to use a lot of tools. Sometimes it's a resource for sales or perhaps the one tool you need is a simple explanation on how a complex solution will fit the need. The biggest tool we (manufacturers, resellers, integrators, and end-users) really rely on is the guarantee. The promise, verbal or (ideally) written, which states whatever goes wrong, someone will come along to ensure it's made right.

Technology makes people somewhat uneasy. When it's working properly, we're pleased and don't think about all the little +/- particles zipping around circuitry to make it work the way it's supposed to. When something goes wrong, it's rarely a simple fix. I recall seeing an owner's manual to an old Model T Ford my grandfather had on the ranch. in 10 pages the manual showed how any person could fix, repair and/or replace any part in the automobile using a small set of tools included with the car. Simple. These days, I can't even begin to guess where to start with some modern car repairs as a lot of it isn't a moving part, but rather the computer or some other piece of technology which nearly requires an engineering degree to really understand. Warranties are getting to be somewhat tricky these days as well...

Warranties shouldn't be complex. At their heart, they're simple. Something's broken? We'll fix it. Here's a basic breakdown of some warranty terms to watch for:

Limited:
There's a big word which is buried deep in most warranty statements. Make sure to find out what the limitation is. With LED Signs, this often means the 5 year parts warranty DOES NOT cover the radio or other third-party components which the manufacturer sold you as someone else made it.

Parts and Labor:
This could easily be misconstrued (and has been repeatedly) as meaning parts and on-site service. Parts and labor simply mean the manufacturer will replace the part or repair it (in the factory). Depending on availability of parts, this could mean your DS solution could be down/out for a lot longer than a few hours or days... Make sure the manufacturer you're dealing with has depot parts (parts available in their factory) to send out so the end-user can be up/running as quickly as possible.

On-Site Service Warranty:
It's great when these are available. Find out if the warranty is underwritten or not (a warranty is no good if the company who sold it to you goes out of business). What protections are in place to ensure the warranty will be covered for the lifetime of the agreement and what remuneration is available (do you have to use the manufacturer's certified repair people or can you/your company be listed as the main service company)? Service is a cornerstone for relationships with the DS end-user and you don't want to lose out on an opportunity to work with the client, especially when something is going wrong and they need someone to come in and make it right ASAP.

Quick Questions to dig deeper:

1. What parts and repairs are covered by the warranty?
2. Are any expenses excluded from coverage?
3. Is the warranty just a promise or is it backed by a bond or insurance?
4. How long does the warranty last?
5. What has to be done to get a repair completed? (Check to see if the process is simple and straightforward or convoluted with a lot of hoops to jump through.)
6. Are there conditions or limitations on the warranty?
*Take a look at Scott Hofheins Blog on Warranties as well!

*For sign companies or resellers/integrators who do service, check to see how the remuneration is handled. Do they have a flat national rate or is the rate determined by location?

So much work is done on the front-end to turn opportunities into sales, make sure the back-end is covered or that great referral could turn into a nightmare...

-DH

*I invite you to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically noted.

LED Sign Tech & Spec: Don't get screwed, modern module securing systems.

-Deacon Wardlow

Technology is constantly in a state of change. Not only are new technologies developed almost daily around the world, but innovative engineers and entrepreneurs envision new applications of existing technology. The driving factor behind the change is a need for something better than what's currently in place.

When I first started out learning about LED Signage, I started on the ground level (quite literally, on the ground with some of the oldest Digital display systems in the field). I enjoyed taking systems apart and, when putting them back together, seeing if there was a better way the system could work. When I noticed an improvement, I'd note it and try it out until it was 'just right.' One of my biggest pet peeves was dealing with the LED modules themselves.

Different methods have been used to achieve an "ideal" module design. I've seen fully encapsulated LED modules which snap in place like a giant Lego(tm) blocks. The encapsulated modules were great, but failure rate was somewhat high because of heat which wasn't removed from the system. The standard response was to put a rubber gasket around the back of the module and secure the module to the face with 8-10 screws.

The problem with the screws:
-If the factory workers didn't 100% tighten the screws, there's a small gap which allows for water intrusion.
-When factory workers tighten screws 100%, some of them have the threading stripped and they can't easily be removed for later service.
-When servicing an LED module with screws (often from a bucket or lift 30-80ft in the air), the screws can easily be dropped. If the tech is lucky, they drop in the sign and can (maybe) be retrieved but often they're as lost as a rogue sock in a commercial laundry dryer...

Companies have tried several different fixes, the more popular is screws which are inset in the module (so they can't be lost). The problem with screw tightening,stripping and a service tech not totally fastening all the screws still remains.

The best overall approach is a latch system with two locking/unlocking points. No screws to strip, a simple and quick lock/unlock mechanism to turn for easy service. The best solutions are often simple, but unfortunately this means retooling an assembly line which may not be receptive to change.

How flexible is the company you're working with? Can they affect change quickly in their manufacturing process to resolve an issue/flaw in the product? Does the company LISTEN to their partners and end-users and take action on reasonable requests? The module was a small example of how businesses get screwed frequently. At the end of the day, make sure everything is secure and the manufacturer you're dealing with listens and addresses issues quickly. If you're not careful, you may have bigger issues to deal with than a manufacturer with a few screws loose.

*I invite you to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

Quality in the components: How a single capacitor or process can make a HUGE difference.

-Deacon Wardlow

It’s the little things in life which can make a huge difference. Reaching into your pocket and finding a dime which makes for exact change at the coffee shop or being glad you paid that little extra to buy the nicer watch which has lasted for years when others have long been retired to the back of the catch-all drawer. Over time, electronic components have become more versatile, more reliable and cheaper. The difference between a high-end and a low-end capacitor can be a few pennies. It doesn't seem like much, but those pennies make a big difference to a manufacturer who buys hundreds of thousands of them.

if you’ve ever had to run a home DIY project, you’ve gone to the hardware store and picked out the bits and pieces you needed. Maybe you noticed a few different types of nails and you buy a bunch of the cheaper ones to save a few dollars on a project that is already going over budget. If you’ve been there, you’ve probably also noticed how those cheaper nails bent, wouldn’t go in easily, and (in many cases) just didn’t get the job done. You go back and spend a few dollars more and find the slightly more expensive nails really made a difference. The same thing occurs in manufacturing.

A manufacturer will look at the overall performance and the failure rate of a component. Component X costs 5 cents less than Component Y, but it’s prone to a 5% higher failure rate. The manufacturer looks at how many they’re buying, how important to the performance of the system that component is, and will decide whether it’s worth the cost savings to put the cheaper component in and put up with a few RMA replacements vs. the greater expense of the more reliable (and costly) unit.

How much attention to detail is paid by the manufacturer of choice? You have to ask them. How do they source their parts? How much of a failure tolerance does the manufacturer have? When they look at processes which could extend the lifetime optimal performance of the system (for example, conformal coating on power supplies), do they see the value added for the end-user or do they see an expense they don’t want to be burdened with?

When a manufacturer is pinching pennies, it doesn’t always mean those savings are passed along to you. They likely sell the same system at the same price (and often a higher cost) than the competition and you’re stuck playing a game of chance to see if the components will function for the projected lifetime of the system or if “Warranty Deadline” day comes and goes and things start falling apart well before their time.

Make sure you’re being told, up front, what really goes into the system you’re investing in. Make sure neither you, nor the manufacturer are saving a few pennies now which will cost a lot of dollars to fix later. Usually the axiom “penny saved is a penny earned,” is a good one. In this case, the manufacturer reaps rewards and the buyer ends up with the risk. You’re investing in them by choosing the manufacturer as a partner, make sure they’re making the right decisions to ensure your investment and trust are well placed.

*I invite you to comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), please check it out when you have a moment. Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

LED Signs 101: LED sign system components

-Deacon Wardlow

Driver board, LED Tile, Modules, Panels, Quads, etc. If one were to look at all the different titles, they’d be misled into thinking they were different things when they’re all component titles for the same thing; an LED “panel” made up of a matrix of either 8x16, 16x16, or even 32x32 pixels (LED groups) with connectors for power and communications meant for LED Signage. LED components can be confusing and even though the industry has been in existence for decades, the terms are not standardized across the board.

Many manufacturer’s don’t want you to understand the systems. The more complex it seems, the less likely they figure you are to dig deeper and get to understand what they’re really using to produce the product. Here’s a quick tutorial (which will be expanded and expounded upon later):

Power Supplies: Be wary of private-labeled systems. A sign shop doesn’t make it’s own ballasts and power supplies for signs. They reach out to the top manufacturer and get the best product at the best price. It’s possible to specify some particular component tweaks, but the reason they do this is reliability. A main manufacturer who specializes in power supplies builds millions of units (not thousands) and they work to ensure the clients get the best quality. It’s nice to have a private-label, but who stands behind that brand should something happen to the manufacturer of the LED Display?

PCB (Printed Circuit Boards) and LED Panels: A lot of companies are claiming to be “made in the USA” when in fact they buy off-the-shelf product from somewhere in Asia and put it in a cabinet. This is akin to me claiming a paint-by-numbers set I’ve done is my own masterpiece. If the company is not engineering their own solution, they’re handing control over to someone else and they have little/no control over quality and the ability to modify the product to meet consumer demand or to match changes in technology which may offer a better, cheaper alternative technology solution to those able to change with the times.

Controller: The controller is the engine which drives the LED Sign forward. There’s a reason auto manufacturers spend so much money and time on their engines, the engine makes a huge difference. While standard components are somewhat important (i.e. what type of power and connection cables are selected) the controller NEEDS to be something specified and engineered by the manufacturer. The controller is the heart of their Display and it’s important that heart get the maximum number of beats and performs optimally for the lifetime of your system. Make sure the manufacturer you’re dealing with can go over their controller and explain how they engineered a solution specifically for their systems. You can’t go online and find a great solution for LED signage. The solution has to be specifically engineered to the use and controllers (more than anything) need to be product-specific.

Control boards (logic board, receiver cards, etc.) and Control Chips: While this is digging deeper than most people prefer to go, it’s important (again) to make sure the company has sourced the product properly. A year ago, Thailand had some major floods and over 80% of the world’s market were getting hard drives from Thailand. When the source “dried up” from the flood, hard drive levels were at an all time global low and prices were driven up. Several companies ate the loss and others had to increase cost on their systems (causing dealers to lose a lot of sales)/ Without solid sourcing (including a backup source in a different country/location) it’s too easy for a localized event to suddenly cause issues with the ability for a manufacturer to meet market demand. When the 6-8 weeks you were expecting for production on an LED Sign turns into 12+ weeks, nobody will be happy. Proper sourcing avoids these kind of pitfalls.

Software: Is this a component? Most definitely! All too often I see the standard Chinese software on systems “made in the USA.” What the end-user gets is a sub-standard control system, software which is not simple and straightforward to use, and software which DOES NOT meet the market requirements. EVERY LED Signage manufacturer should have a unique solution for their clients. When an end-user comes back to the manufacturer with a special request (i.e. someone who’s display needs to be tied into a scoring system for a sports arena), you’ll find how important it is to have this component sourced through the manufacturer. A request to a “standardized” control system manufacturer in Asia will either never be answered or get the, “We will see” response. LED Sign Manufacturers need to be able to respond to market demand and customer requests and this means software which they can modify as needed.

Don’t accept a mediocre solution at a low price. Fight for the best combination of quality and price possible and always dig deeper. Make sure the system you’re getting is the best possible and unique to the manufacturer of your choice. You don’t always get what you pay for. Make sure what you’re getting is what you expect and the manufacturer can meet your needs.

*Please comment here and/or email me directly with requests at deacon@vantageled.com. Vantage LED has white paper resources and more educational material on the website (http://www.vantageled.com), check out the site periodically as we’re constantly adding new material.

**Note all posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.

What is the Best Service Access Design for LED Signs?

Virtually every piece of electronic equipment has to be serviced or the internal components accessed at one time or another. This could be as simple as removing the battery cover, or as complex as taking apart a laptop to replace major components. In either situation the manufacturer must design a way for the consumer to access and service the equipment.

LED signs are no different, but have the added factor of being installed outdoors on a structure not easily accessed without a bucket truck or large ladder. To minimize safety risks and long term services costs it is imperative that LED manufacturers have a well designed access to service internal parts.

Some do this well, while others see serviceability as an afterthought, focusing more on volume sales than long term operation. Some advertise that the product is so good it will never need service. This is a nice idea, but not realistic at all. All electronic devices will need to be serviced or maintained at some point during their lifetime; the key is to find a manufacture with the lowest failure rate and who provides the best access design to save time and money on service calls.


So what is the best access design? Well there are four general approaches that most manufacturers use. I've summarized them below, starting with my least favorite:



Front Access Faces
This is a relatively new approach where the entire sign face hinges open to reveal the components. This design has initially appealed to many customers and manufacturers trying to find an innovative solution for service and repair. There is a right way to do this, but there are common issues when done incorrectly including water entry and door size limitations. There are additional issues concerning safety in the design. Some overseas manufacturers have used sub-par materials for the hinges, causing the entire face to dismount during service calls, endangering the safety of the service crew. This type of system done correctly has its place but it must be well designed and engineered, typically adding a substantial cost to the overall price of the LED sign.

Front Access Doors

This solution is similar to the access face approach, but uses smaller doors over multiple sections of a sign. This is often done when the signs are built using pre-fabricated sections pieced together at the factory during production. This approach has worked well for some, but also has drawbacks including restricted air flow inside the sign from the isolation of the sections. In my opinion this option is better than the entire face access, but still falls short for a good overall solution.

 Rear Access Doors
This approach uses multiple doors on the back of each sign to access the internal components and is a common design for many digital billboards and large format signs. This approach should only be used in these specific types of situations, with enough space behind the sign for a service “catwalk”. Otherwise, service is next to impossible using a bucket truck between back to back installations.  

Front Access LED Panels
In my opinion, this is the best overall solution. This approach lets you remove individual led modules (panels) to access the components. Early designs used screws to remove each module, but a small number of major manufacturers (like Vantage LED) currently use a latch system allowing a quick half turn to release each module, saving time and avoiding dropped screws. I have personally experienced virtually all of the other approaches and feel this is the best overall solution for most sign applications.




I come from a service background and know the frustration of poor access design all to well. The hassle and associated costs to service these signs can make a once exciting addition to a business become a dreaded symbol of frustration and wasted time. Don't forget this important factor when looking for a quality LED sign supplier and make sure they are in it for the long run.


I hope this post has been informative and helpful. As usual, I welcome ALL constructive comments. Please feel free to comment and add anything I’ve missed, or additional tips you may have regarding this topic. Please visit www.vantageled.com for many other resources, white papers, and of course: Great looking LED Signs!

**All posts/thoughts/writings are strictly the viewpoint of me and me alone and do not reflect nor speak for Vantage LED’s beliefs, attitudes, thoughts, etc. unless specifically stated.