Common Questions About Watchfire Digital Outdoor
We've tried to address some of the most common questions our customers ask us when considering going digital. We encourage you to submit your own questions.
What is an LED?
How are our LED signs constructed?
What are the product options?
What is pixel pitch?
Is the cost of an LED billboard coming down?
Are LED signs susceptible to vandalism or severe weather damage?
How can I be sure my Digital Outdoor sign is operating properly 24 hours a day? What proof-of-performance is provided?
How long does an LED sign last?
Will the weight of an LED sign require structural changes to an existing billboard?
How is content sent to a sign?
Does Watchfire provide software training?
What kind of files will display on a Watchfire Digital Outdoor sign?
Is financing available?
What kind of warranties are available?
How about after I buy a sign? What kind of service, maintenance and technical support are available?
I'm ready to take the next step. What should I do?
What is an LED?
An LED (light emitting diode) is an efficient, effective and ultrabright alternative to incandescent light bulbs. The LEDs in a Watchfire sign typically last 12 – 15 years and require significantly less power to operate than many competitive LEDs (in most cases less than $10.00 a day).
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How is an LED sign constructed?
Broadly speaking, LED billboards have three main components – the LED modules, the internal controllers and power supplies, and the outer cabinet -- all of which are manufactured and assembled in our Danville, IL headquarters. We differ from many “distributors” who import components and handle some light assembly. Watchfire is a vertically integrated manufacturer. We engineer our own products, write and support the software that runs them, and we build our products from start to finish.
The LED module is also composed of three main pieces – a module tray, the circuit board (which holds the LEDs and driver chips), and a louver which snaps over the tray and circuit board to provide protection from impact and provide contrast for the LEDs. Each Watchfire LED module is encapsulated in a thick bed of silicone gel, sealing out moisture so thoroughly our boards can actually operate underwater for months on end. We know of no other product that can withstand such a rigorous test.
Some internal components are built at Watchfire’s Danville, IL headquarters. Others are sourced from the world’s premier Tier 1 vendors.
Watchfire Digital Outdoor signs are built to last. We use solid welds, not "pop" rivets. We design for high-inrush current and high-voltage protection. We use stronger, heavy-walled aluminum extrusions with monocoque construction instead of cheaper sheet metal or fabricated metal cabinets. Plus, our LED and component supply chain comprises the finest Tier 1 manufacturers the world has to offer.
Our LED signs have a clean design, both mechanically and electronically. Minimal parts count and connectors combined with simplified construction result in lower predicted failure rates and better overall operation.
Because of the advanced engineering and manufacturing of Watchfire LED signs, we're able to offer our 5-year warranty, the finest in the industry.
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What are the product options?
Watchfire Digital Outdoor signs built to fit all typical billboard sizes in both 19mm and 25mm RGB providing a variety of solutions to fit your existing structures.
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What is pixel pitch?
Pixel pitch is the distance, in millimeters, of center-to-center spacing between adjacent pixels. Watchfire makes a 19mm pitch model and a 25mm pitch model. The easiest way to put those numbers into perspective is to consider LEDs/square foot. Our 19mm boards have 768 LEDs/square foot and our 25mm boards have 432 LEDs/square foot.
The density of LEDs is the leading determinant of image clarity--the more LEDs per square foot, the crisper the image. The closer a viewer is to a digital billboard, the more the LED density comes into play.
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Is the cost of LED billboard coming down?
The cost of an LED billboard today is about half of what it was 5 years ago. This drop in price was primarily driven by the commercialization of LEDs in a tremendous number of consumer products. Today everything from mobile phone backlights to household lighting are utilizing LEDs because of their longevity and efficiency.
The resulting drop in the cost of LED signs has made it possible for billboard owners and operators to invest in digital billboards with the opportunity for exceptional returns. Most billboard operators report a 6 – 10x increase in revenue per board after converting from traditional to digital faces.
The cost of LED boards has leveled significantly. There have been moderately price reductions in recent years, but not at a rate that makes up for the opportunity cost associated with waiting to save a few thousand dollars. Billboard operators who have premium locations, which can be permitted for digital billboards, can earn far more in revenue by moving ahead quickly than they could hope to save in several years of price reductions. The opportunity cost greatly exceeds potential savings.
Why wait to save a few thousand when you could be earning tens of thousands?
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Are LED signs susceptible to vandalism or severe weather damage?
Watchfire message centers have been tested extensively, operating in extreme conditions: 180 days completely submerged underwater, 60 days of salt spray and temperatures as low as -40° F.
What's more, Watchfire is the only digital outdoor manufacturer to fully encapsulate the LED board in a thick bed of silicone gel. This unusual protection helps seal the components from the elements to improve the durability the board.
The tray and louver assemblies of each module are manufactured using a matte polycarbonate plastic, which is nearly unbreakable. The polycarbonate packaging protects the LEDs from most projectiles. There are occasions when a precise hit can cause damage, but those are rare. In the event that there is damage, it is typically limited to a single module. This means that the whole sign is rarely damaged and just a single module is usually replaced.
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How can I be sure my Digital Outdoor sign is operating properly 24 hours a day? What proof-of-performance is provided?
We offer three reliable means for you to track the operation of your Digital Outdoor sign: live web cam, automated diagnostics and proof of performance reports.
- Web Cam: The web cam provides you with a real time view of the sign 24-hours a day. You can see an example of a live web cam now.
- Automated Diagnostics: monitors the LED board’s “health” in real time to identify malfunctions and service issues. Problems can be identified down to the individual LED level.
- Proof of Performance Reports: The billboard operator can periodically generate custom reports that summarize play counts and date ranges. Reports can be customized for individual advertisers.
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How long does an LED sign last?
LEDs do not burn out. There is nothing inside them that fails. They simply dim uniformly over time. Our LEDs are rated to maintain acceptable brightness for at least 100,000 hours.
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Will the weight of an LED sign require structural changes to an existing billboard?
Each case is unique so you should seek the advice of a structural engineer. A Watchfire 14’ x 48’ board, for example, weighs about 7,000lbs. Due to our superior design and construction, Watchfire boards come in at the light-weight end of this scale and can weigh up to 6,000 pounds less than digital outdoor boards that require external cooling units.
As a rule of thumb, if the billboard structure is a contemporary, well engineered, professionally built and installed steel monopole a digital billboard can be added with minimal strengthening. However, every billboard must be inspected by a licensed engineer before making plans to add a digital face.
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How is content sent to a sign?
Using a PC with Watchfire’s Ignite® software, images are sent to the billboard via the internet. That means Watchfire Digital Outdoor signs are updated easily and remotely without sending out a posting crew. You can update and manage your digital billboard from anywhere in the world. Most of our billboard installations utilize broadband wireless connectivity (we also offer DSL connectivity).
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Does Watchfire provide software training?
Yes. Our Ignite® software has been built with the billboard operator in mind. With just an hour or two of training from a Watchfire software specialist, most people feel very comfortable using our intuitive software interface.
Ignite® is included in the purchase of the billboard. There are no license fees or annual fees, and Help Desk support is available at no charge for the lifetime of your sign.
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What kind of files will display on a Watchfire Digital Outdoor sign?
JPG files are the most common. GIF and BMP files work well too.
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Is financing available?
Our financing option is exclusively for Watchfire signs. It allows you to pay a manageable monthly payment for your sign. Watchfire buyers choose this option for the flexibility and freedom it allows.
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What kind of warranties are available?
Our 5-year warranty has been standard on every LED board we’ve built for years. There are no “upgrade” games and you don’t have to pay extra for the 5-year protection. It covers all electronics and LEDs on your Watchfire Digital Outdoor board. To the best of our knowledge, no one in the industry offers a better warranty.
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How about after I buy a sign? What kind of service, maintenance and technical support are available?
You’ll have complete support from Watchfire during and after installation. This support includes all of the following: training on your new sign's software and hardware, delivery of parts and quick repairs, customer support to answer your questions, and our gold-standard 5-year warranty.
You also have lifetime access to our technical Help Desk, at no charge.
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I’m ready to take the next step. What should I do?
We hope you’re feeling informed and ready to move forward to the next steps in selecting a Digital Outdoor sign. Call (866) 949-9282 for more information.
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