Commercial AV · Digital Signage

Digital signage for Houston businesses: a beginner's guide.

2026-09-23 · Obsidian Audio Video · Houston

Digital signage is one of the most effective AV upgrades for a business — and one of the most commonly overcomplicated. A restaurant menu board, a corporate lobby display, a retail promotional screen — each has different requirements.

The three components

1. Display: Commercial-grade screen (not a consumer TV). Commercial displays run 16 hours/day without overheating.
2. Media player: A dedicated media player (BrightSign, IAdea), a Chromebox, or a built-in SoC display.
3. Content management system (CMS): The software that manages what's shown. Schedule content, create playlists, push updates remotely.

Choosing the right display

• Size: Match the display to the viewing distance.
• Brightness: 350 nits for indoor. 700+ nits for areas with windows. 1,500+ nits for outdoor.
• Duty cycle: Commercial displays are rated for 16/7 or 24/7 operation. Consumer TVs are not.

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