The Watson Family's
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The Watson Family's
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(214) 339-2227 (817) 861-1234 (972) 239-4448
(800) 333-7137 toll-free
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Guide to Electronic Message Centers Electronic message centers help your business many ways:
Even the Federal Government has determined that signs containing electronic message centers are safety enhancing devices, not traffic hazards! This is why they are used on federal roadways to communicate with drivers. Read what the U. S. Small Business Administration (SBA) has to say about the effectiveness of electronic message centers at http://www.sba.gov/smallbusinessplanner/index and type "emc" in the "search" window.
Modern electronic message centers are
illuminated using LED’s. This lowers their operating
cost by No single manufacturer manufactures products which are the best for use in every circumstance. That is why you need the information in our "Guide to Electronic Message Centers," which you can download by clicking on the link above, and expert assistance. In almost all instances an electronic message center is built into or attached to additional signage that contains your name and other permanent information. You need to work with a sign manufacturer, not just an electronic message center salesman. Light Emitting Diode (LED) Technology Many companies manufacture the actual LED’s. There are over 5,000 varied LED’s available, and they vary greatly as to brightness, light-dispersal (viewing) angle, useful lifetime, and lifetime. Some are very cheap, some are quite expensive.
Signs Manufacturing only represents
electronic message center manufacturers who use LED’s that
are rated to retain 80% of their brightness for 50,000+
hours. These are the most expensive, but highest
value, LED’s. We insist on military specification coatings on the circuit boards the LED’s are attached to, preventing corrosion and electrical problems. LED’s are also affected by voltage. For instance, an LED will burn nearly 100% brighter if you double the power feeding it. The LED will last about 1/6 as long, however, making this alternative quite expensive in total cost. We insure that manufacturers we represent power their electronic message centers properly, and offer a 5 year warranty on the LED’s in their displays. Color Selection Monochrome (one color) displays are available in “Red” or “Amber (Yellow).” Color displays are either RGB (Red, Green, Blue) or RGBW (Red, Green, Blue, White.) The more colors, the more LED lights in each pixel, the larger each pixel, the further back from the sign you must be so that the sign is not “grainy.” Display Capability - Palette Because the intensity of a LED light can be changed by increasing or decreasing the voltage to it, the better monochrome displays can feature over 4000 shades of Red or Amber. Good color displays (RGB) can display over 260,000 color variations; exceptional units 6 million. Pixels An electronic message center is in many ways a large computer screen. The screen is illuminated by turning many individual lights, or pixels, on/off (or varying the voltage to them.) Tighter spacing between pixels allows more data to be displayed and makes the sign look better but increases cost. Pitch How far the pixels are from one another is called “pitch” and is usually expressed in millimeters (mm.)
The pitch must be small for a display
not to appear grainy up close. Color displays, because each pixel is actually 3 or more different colored LED’s, cannot have as small a pitch as a monochrome display. Therefore they must be viewed from a greater distance to have a quality appearance. Monochrome displays are available in 9mm, 19mm, 35mm and larger, some very larger pitches. The tightest pitch for a quality RGB color display is 17mm. Pixel Size - Clusters Some electronic message center manufacturers try to overcome inferior LED’s (which are greatly less expensive) by adding more than one LED of the same color to each pixel. This makes the pixel larger, which makes the pitch larger, which increases the minimum viewing distance. It also uses more electricity. Viewing Angles
As a driver drives toward an electronic message center installed on the side of a road his horizontal viewing angle increases from near 0° to 90° as he passes beside the sign. As the viewing angle increases the intensity of the display decreases in this direction also. The horizontal viewing angle of the LED’s used in the display also plays an important role in the usefulness of the display. It is important to understand the vertical and the horizontal angle that the display will be viewed from. LED lights are directional. High quality LED’s can be viewed by as much as 140° horizontally and 40° vertically and still observe over 70% of the lumen potential. Some LED’s lose all of their light at angles over 45° Less-expensive signs must be viewed nearly straight-on to be legible. Glare Shields Glare shields keep the sun from illuminating the display, making your message unreadable. Viewing Distances The minimum viewing distance is the point at which the display loses its graininess. This can vary depending on the message being displayed. The maximum viewing distance is the point at which the smallest character which the display can generate becomes unreadable. A potential solution is to generate larger characters; this may increase the minimum viewing distance. Minimum Character Size Seven (7) pixels high for the alphabet in most letter styles. A 19mm display can display a 5” minimum character. Matrix How many pixels wide and high the display is, which determines how many of what size letters can be displayed at one time. Most matrix dimensions are in multiples of 8 pixels. Ventilation Heat is the enemy of LED’s. All quality electronic message centers have ventilation fans. Larger units incorporate air conditioners into their design. Excessive heat can shorten LED life by up to 80%. Decreasing pitch, increasing the size of pixels, or over-driving LED’s with higher-than-required voltage to increase their brightness, increases heat, shortening the life of the unit. Electrical Service 120 volt single phase service is normally required because these displays do not consume a great deal of energy. Remember, however, that other parts of the sign will have electrical requirements also. Energy Consumption This varies by the message displayed, and how long the electronic message center is on. That said it is uncommon for ANY electronic (LED) message center to use over $1.00 in electricity in a day. Energy Caveat Some electronic message center manufacturers, more interested in the sale than the needs of the customer, overdrive their LED’s to make them brighter (usually because they are using inferior LED’s.) Besides shortening the lifetime of the display to 1/6 of a properly manufactured display it wastes energy. Temperature Sensor A thermometer installs on the sign cabinet and plugs into the sign computer in systems set-up for this feature. Time and Temperature Display Options With this option, and a temperature sensor, the controlling computer can have the display flash, scroll, or constantly display time and temperature. The best systems display “atomic” time and self-adjust for daylight savings time. Software The system should have easy to use control software with built in features such as scrolling and blinking messages and a time and temperature display. It should also allow you to preview both individual messages and your whole display queue without forcing you to show the world your half-finished ads by running them on the display. The message should be able to be changed from inside your business, or the system should be configured so that “headquarters” can change the message at each store. Software Training Learning how to program an electronic message center is not hard. Most good manufacturers have teaching CD’s in addition to Technical Assistance. Many have telephone training included as part of their package. Signs Manufacturing is particularly adept at these systems, and helps our customers until they no longer need us. Then we come back when they find they were premature. Text, Graphics, or Both Some units can only display text, some must display text as a graphic (drawing), some can display both. Animated Text and Graphics Some units can only display fixed messages; some can “scroll” a message or display. Some units can show a display, such as a cartoon, with character movement, for instance. Twenty frames per second is common but some systems support 60 frames per second. Fifteen per second is the minimum acceptable for animation. Slideshow Playback The more sophisticated electronic message centers can display pre-programmed messages and pictures in a slideshow format, much like a screensaver slideshow. Video - Prerecorded Clips The more sophisticated units can display varying length videos. Computer Link Types Optical Fiber. Run underground from the sign to the controlling computer, usually inside the building. This fiber must be run in separate conduit, but it can be buried in the same trench as the electrical supply. Phone Control. The unit can have a cell phone number and a modem. Simply call the sign from the controlling computer and tells it what to do. The internal memory of the electronic message center repeats these instructions until they are changed. RF Wireless Modem Communications. An antenna is placed on the sign, and on the building, which is hooked to the controlling computer. Group Links It is possible to have one computer control multiple electronic message centers (all Long John Silver’s are, for example.) Minimum Computer Requirements Most up-to-date computers, purchased within 2 years, have enough memory to create control programs. It is usually NOT necessary to buy a separate/additional computer to control an electronic message center. Product and Technical Support Most important in an investment of this size is product support. The electronic message center manufacturer must be large and dedicated enough that they will continue to support their products with parts. Technical support must be easily available and there must be no limit to your access to it. Even after you have become an expert, and years later, you might have difficulty programming a new-look message. Make certain your electronic message center manufacturer and installer will be there to help you 24 hours a day. Manufacturing Lead-Times The quality manufacturers get their product to us in 4-8 weeks. Since most electronic message centers are built into or installed as part of additional signage we need time to fit the parts together. Additional Pylon and/or Cabinet Signs Read about our Pole/Pylon and Cabinet/Wall Signs to discover how we build the rest of the sign – the part that contains the electronic message center or the electronic message center is attached to. Our signs are built to last and to continue to look good. We do many things to make this happen; applying all of the latest technological advances, all of which are detailed in the Guide. As detailed there, everything will be done to make your sign look better, and last longer, guaranteed. Warranty The good electronic message center manufacturers warrant their parts for 5 years. Signs Manufacturing warrants our parts for one year, we have a lifetime warranty on service. Free Demonstrations Arrange an on-site demonstration today! View the importance of what we discuss in this brochure. Call us at 214-339-2227, 817-861-1234, 972-239-4448, or 800-333-7137. FAX us at 214-339-9987. E-mail us at sales@SignsManufacturing.com.
"Our electronic-message-centers were nightmares. Even though they were only 2 years old the manufacturer refused to service them. Your service has been exceptional." Major Vincent, Salvation Army
Signs Manufacturing is a recognized leader in the installation and maintenance of EMC signage. Our electrical, electronic, computer programming, and IT backgrounds often prove invaluable to our customers. Other Components of an Electronic Message Center Electronic Message Center Check List Select the tab "Electronic Message Center Check List". This is a tool for your use to insure that quotations you receive are for the same sign! Insist that your bidders fill-in each line, then sign the document when they give you their quote.
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Signs Manufacturing & Maintenance Corp.
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