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Digital Information Sign Advice

  • 28-02-2012 8:11pm
    #1
    moleary20
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 316 ✭✭


    Hi,
    I'm thinking of installing a digital information sign in my workplace in order to cut down on constantly printing out new documents for display when I have altered the information. Instead, I would like to install a 15" television screen linked to a laptop so the information can be changed instantly.
    Is this something that could be done in a do-it-yourself way, (I have a few tech-savvy colleagues) or would it be better to employ a company??
    Any advice would be much appreciated please!


Comments

  • #2
    Torqay
    Closed Accounts Posts: 5,835 ✭✭✭Torqay


    moleary20 wrote: »
    in order to cut down on constantly printing out new documents

    That you, Aengus? ;)
    moleary20 wrote: »
    Instead, I would like to install a 15" television screen linked to a laptop so the information can be changed instantly.

    Is it worth the savings? Running a laptop/computer plus an external monitor/television (which you may have to purchase, unless you're talking about spares) for 8 hrs a day, makes the ESB happy.


  • #3
    ressem
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,426 ✭✭✭ressem


    Does it need to be a television? Would a small second hand monitor bought on Ebay for 60 quid do instead?
    Then you connect it the same way you would a projector to a cheap second hand laptop. You just need to check what output the laptop provides (VGA / DVI / HDMI) and match this to the inputs of the LCD before you buy.

    Old TVs can be low resolution and not good for reading text. Especially when a VGA to composite converter is added.

    1. What information you need to display and how flashy it needs to be.
    If you're currently only updating daily or so then a basic HTML page / Excel / Word / Libreoffice document might do.

    2. What viewing angles will this screen be browsed from? This determines the type of screen bought. Some are hard to read at high / low/ extreme left and right.

    3. How far does the laptop have to be from the screen?



    If you, like Torqay, were concerned about power (25 W laptop + 16 W LCD)...

    There are tiny computers like the raspberry pi or trim slice, which could display a web browser on a HDMI television.

    A tech savvy colleague that's comfortable working on linux could have this set up in a couple of hours.
    Then you or they (with a little HTML knowledge) can use SSH / sftp from another computer to update the display in a few minutes.

    Probably not worth the added complexity to you.


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