The ABCs of LEDs

 

 

A.

 

Learn about LED Signs. LED signs are called many different names in the industry. LED signs are sometimes referred to as message centers, electronic message boards, electronic message centers, LED displays, marquee signs, or digital signs. Bright N Ready offers several solutions to the sign industry. We want our customer’s to feel comfortable with their purchase and help them choose the right sign for their investment.

 

Bright N Ready offers three types of LED signs:

 

LED Message Centers- message centers refer to monochrome or color units that display text or video on the LED sign. These signs usually run with the assistance of a computer or controller card and they are configured with desktop software.

 

Gas Price Changers- gas price changers are LED signs that are used only for the purpose of displaying gas prices. These signs are configured by remote control and involve no use of a computer.

 

Tri-color LED signs- Tri-color refers to a more economical solution that displays text and animation. These signs are also configured by remote control and do not require the use of a computer.

 

B.

 

Learn Industry Terms. Buying the best LED sign can seem like an impossible task when comparing specifications. It is important to know which specifications are the most important. Pixel pitch, viewing angle, brightness and degradation are very important factors to consider when purchasing an LED sign.

 

What is an LED? What in the world is pixel pitch? What is the right viewing angle? Why is all this important?

 

LED

 

An LED lamp is a solid-state lamp that uses light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as the source of light. Since the light output of individual light-emitting diodes is small compared to incandescent and compact fluorescent lamps, multiple diodes are often used together. LEDs typically last for more than 11 years at 100% capacity.

 

Pixel Pitch

 

Choosing the right pixel pitch is very important. The pixel pitch is the distance between pixels on the LED sign. A pixel is a cluster of two, three, or even four LEDs. The closer the pixels, the sharper the image. The sharper the image the shorter the optimal viewing distance. For optimal viewing, a person should be approximately one meter away from the sign for every millimeter of pitch (16mm pitch a person should be 16 meters away for optimal viewing).

 

Viewing Angle

 

The viewing angle at which the audience can legibly view the message center is 140 degrees (70 degrees off-center). The wider the viewing angle the greater distance the message can be seen. Typical viewing angle ranges form 90 degrees to 140 degrees.

 

Brightness (Luminance)

 

Luminance is a photometric measure of the luminous intensity per unit area of light travelling in a given direction. It describes the amount of light that passes through or is emitted from a particular area, and falls within a given solid angle. The SI unit for luminance is candela per square metre (cd/m2). A non-SI term for the same unit is the “nit”. Nit has become the LED industry’s term for brightness. You will find that most companies will have varying numbers in regards to nits. The magic number is 6500 nits. Ambient sunlight is about 6500 nits. A True brightness of 14,000 nits may be too bright for a sign and may even cause images to look washed out. Beware of the Nit.

 

 

 

C.

 

Now that you are familiar with industry terms, you can ask the needed questions to pick the right sign. We will carefully assist you in selecting the correct product for your customer……Call Bright N Ready and speak to a representative and get started today.