How often have driven past an electronic display and can barely read the message? Electronic signs have numerous benefits over conventional signs but purchasing a display that does not meet your needs is money wasted. This section will give you the basic concepts in selecting the right electronic display.

The first step is to choose the viewing distance from where you want the majority of your audience to read your message. As a general rule of thumb, 1” character height is viewable from 50’ away. For example, a person standing 400’ away from an electronic sign can recognize an 8” or larger character on the display. In addition, the traffic pattern in front of the electronic sign needs to be taken into consideration. A driver in a 45 mph speed zone will have less time to read a message than a driver in a 35 mph zone. On average, the typical audience will need at least 3-4 seconds to read 6-8 groupings (frames) of text/graphics. For example, the phrase “VOLUNTEERS NEEDED. CALL 555-1212” would constitute four frames of text. Understanding viewing distance and time will help you determine the correct size of your electronic display. For more information on viewing distance and time, please refer to the following link on viewing distance and time for LED signs.

Certain applications do not need to display graphics such as financial information, community announcements, upcoming events, etc. To display graphics, you need to consider an LED display that has at least 16 pixels in height. We recommend a minimum of 32 pixels in height to display detailed graphics.

The next thing you should consider is how much content you want to display on your LED display at once. LED signs give you the flexibility of displaying multiple messages by cycling through the messages at a delayed interval. Therefore, think about how many lines of text and number of characters per line you want to display. Usually it is a good idea to have at least two lines of text and twelve characters per line.

Most manufacturers of LED signs carry standard models that are of a certain physical size. You can check our standard models by going to the menu above and selecting OUTDOOR>Outdoor LED Display. Unlike other companies, AD SYSTEMS is a full service company that can also manufacture custom size LED displays to suit your individual needs.

We have covered the basic factors you need to consider when selecting an electronic sign. There are other factors that you may need to take into consideration. Please feel free to contact us and we will be glad to explain it to you.
• Software – Functionality and ease of use
• Communication methods
• Installation methods
• Zoning and sign ordinance restrictions
• Financing options