A sign can do a lot to make an impression, but an electronic sign has the power to reach more people. In the past, neon was the most powerful way to get your sign seen in the dark, but with the invention of LED lighting, electronic signs have become more energy-efficient. As the technology got more sophisticated, LED with scrolling and animated digital displays grew popular. These LED message boards are commonly seen at businesses and other buildings because they are not only bright and eye-catching, but they allow you to change your message and animated graphics whenever you want.
In order to create state of the art, energy-efficient electronic signs with high-quality graphics, manufacturers have had to keep up with the latest advancement in LED technology. Here’s how LED message boards have changed over the years and the differences between old and new LED signs.
A brief history of LED technology
Before we take a look at digital signs, let’s take a step back and look at the history of LED technology. LED stands for light-emitting diode. When the technology was first invented in the 1960s, red was the only color available for LED, and the intensity of the light was low. LED became popular for digital displays on radios, clocks, and televisions. As LED technology grew to include a wider color range and more intense brightness, it became popular for advertising on billboards and signs.
Bulkier, lower-resolution LED signs of the past
While LED has now been around for a while, it has continued to evolve and improve along with other technologies. Just about 10 years ago, LED signs were bulkier with fewer colors available and lower quality resolution. The LED signs of the past were monochrome, displaying only scrolling red text. These simple signs still have their purpose for businesses that don’t care to use graphics in their advertising, but older monochrome LEDs have a lower density of LEDs per pixel, which results in lower resolution.
Here’s an example of a monochrome LED sign created by KC Sign & Awnings in 2006, shown on the left. In 2015, we replaced it with the brand new full-color sign on the right:
New LED signs: Brighter, clearer, and more energy efficient
Compared to other options for lighting and advertising, LED is more energy-efficient and “green,” but the newest LED signs take efficiency to the next level. That means if you replace your sign with a new LED board, your electric bills will go down. Newer LED technology also features lighter, smaller hardware for sleeker signage, and brighter, higher-resolution displays. Full-color LED signs have gone down in cost as the technology has improved, so there’s less reason to stick with monochrome if you’d rather do more with your graphics.
Is it time to upgrade your LED sign?
LED technology is constantly improving, but is your business getting left in the dust? It may be time to replace your LED sign. If you have a monochrome sign and feel limited by the red text, you may want to upgrade to color graphics. If you feel like the graphics on your sign just aren’t clear and bright, you may want to replace it with a new message board with a higher resolution, which will make your sign more readable. LED technology has advanced so digital signs have better images, sleeker hardware, and improved energy efficiency, and your business should take advantage of the possibilities.
