Halloween is upon is. That means ghosts, goblins, ghouls, and gravestones will decorate streets and sidewalks across the country for the remaining days of October. While these spooky spectacles may frighten both children and parents alike, we in the digital display industry are far more wary of hidden costs than haunted houses. We’ve long articulated how the durability and longevity of LED display technologies make them a more efficient long-term investment than rival technologies like LCD despite their pricier reputation, but it is a point worth (lightheartedly) readdressing in the context of Halloween. If the upfront cost of a particular display technology is all you’ve got your eye on, we have a gentle warning: buyer beware!
LED display technology is built differently than LCD display tech. This is pretty obvious. The various differences in design and manufacture between the two display types are primarily what contribute to the industry-wide discrepancy in both real and assumed initial price tags. LED displays are typically more expensive in that regard. That’s okay. If that were the end of the story, it would also be the end of this blog piece. But it isn’t. While LCD displays are less expensive to design and manufacture, they are not less expensive to own. Don’t just take it from us though.
Recently, NanoLumens conducted a survey among a large group of industry integration partners, designers, and customers to better understand their perspectives and assumptions. What we found was that these respondents, among all categorizations, were just as afraid of LCD hidden costs as we were. Among the AV integrators we surveyed, 62% expected LCD video walls to require service at least once a year. 49% of these integrators also expected unforeseen expenses regarding the LCD mounting process. These are the pros who work with LCD technology constantly and they too are on the lookout for troublesome costs that jump out when you least expect it.
Digital display customers saw these costs coming as well. 42% expected hidden costs in heat output from an LCD display, and 45% expected LCD display malfunctions to result in product replacement rather than repair at least a quarter of the time. These costs are scary because you may not know when they are going to pop up. All you can really be sure of is that they will pop up at some point, and you’ll be frustrated when that time comes. Much like a Jack-o-Lantern, an LCD display can seem inexpensive and pretty at first, but down the line it can turn into a mess. Hidden costs are something we’ve eliminated from our business here at NanoLumens. We’re transparent in the way we design, manufacture, and sell our products, and we back up our solutions with an industry-leading warranty. We eliminate the hidden costs lurking behind an LCD solution because we build our technology differently. And because hidden costs are scary! Halloween is scary enough as it is. To find out more about how NanoLumens protects you from unforeseen financial frights, give us a call today!