Addressing Sunlight Visibility in Public Display
As LED technology advances, more organizations are seeking tailored display solutions for environments where lighting conditions challenge visibility. In this project, a regional visitor center within the leisure and tourism sector needed to install a digital signage screen to display wayfinding and informational content to tourists in an outdoor setting.
While the screen would not be directly exposed to rain or harsh weather, it would still face significant sunlight exposure, especially during peak hours. Traditional indoor LED screens could not meet the visibility requirements under these conditions, leading the client to seek a high-brightness solution with a small pixel pitch and limited installation space.
Client Needs & Site Challenges
Display information clearly during daytime, even under direct sunlight
Install the screen in a partially outdoor area under shade but exposed to ambient light
Ensure the structure was lightweight due to mounting limitations
Work within a tight schedule and restricted budget
Technical and Environmental Constraints:
Brightness Requirement: While typical fine pitch indoor screens operate at 600 nits, the client required a minimum of 3000 nits brightness to ensure visibility in daylight.
Pixel Pitch: To display high-resolution content such as maps, directions, and text, a 1.5mm pixel pitch was requested—unusual in outdoor environments but necessary here due to the viewing distance and content type.
Space Limitation: The structure had to be ultra-thin and lightweight, as the display would be mounted on a lightweight frame rather than integrated into a concrete wall or building.
Budget and Lead Time: The client could not accommodate R&D expenses or long production timelines and required a solution using existing proven designs to expedite delivery.
These combined factors made the project a perfect candidate for Durway’s high-brightness 1.5mm LED billboard, tailored specifically for semi-outdoor visibility.
High Brightness, Ultra-Thin 1.5mm LED Billboard System
To meet the client’s functional and technical needs, Durway proposed a custom high-brightness 1.5mm LED display system specifically engineered for semi-outdoor visibility. This was not a standard billboard—the design required the resolution of an indoor display with the durability and brightness of an outdoor screen, without the bulk typically associated with exterior displays.
Product Specification and Customization
The display was built around 400x300mm LED modules featuring a 1.5mm pixel pitch. These modules were chosen not only for their resolution but also for their ultra-lightweight structure, with each tile weighing only 1.5 kg. This allowed a single installer to handle and mount modules, critical given the client’s installation constraints.
Key performance parameters included:
Brightness: 3000 nits
Color Depth: 16-bit grayscale
Refresh Rate: 3840Hz
Surface Finish: Non-reflective matte black
Color Gamut: Enhanced via customized narrow-wavelength LEDs
System Components
The complete LED billboard system included the following components:
LED Modules (SMD, 400x300mm)
Engineered for high contrast and seamless alignment, with modular structure for fast installation and maintenance.
Control System
Compatible with Novastar, Colorlight, or Brompton—allowing integration into existing content playback workflows.
Power Supply (Mean Well)
Chosen for safety certifications and durability, Mean Well power supplies were used to ensure reliable voltage management in semi-outdoor environments.
Custom Power Cabling (DC + UL-grade AC lines)
Optimized for stable delivery, these cables reduced loss and ensured safe, compliant operation.
Signal Cabling (Shielded for Interference Protection)
Designed to prevent signal noise or EMI issues that may arise from nearby electronic systems.
Modular Housing (Custom Cabinets)
Based on site-specific dimensions, the cabinets were fabricated to secure the LED modules while maintaining minimal depth and weight.
Performance Without Compromise
Modular Lightweight Design
Each 400x300mm module was manufactured using a thin aluminum alloy housing, ensuring that the entire screen was significantly lighter than typical outdoor billboards. This modularity enabled quick on-site installation and future maintenance with minimal labor.
High Contrast for Maximum Daylight Visibility
The modules were coated in non-reflective matte black, reducing ambient light bounce and enhancing contrast. Even in direct sunlight, the screen delivered deep blacks and vibrant colors, maintaining clarity for viewers without shade.
Customized LED Diodes for Realistic Color
Durway specified narrow-wavelength RGB LEDs that expanded the system’s color gamut, delivering near-lifelike visuals. This was especially beneficial when displaying detailed directional maps or photographic content in an outdoor setting.
Centralized Power Architecture
To improve reliability and safety, Durway deployed a centralized power system. This layout offered:
Easier heat management
Simplified cable routing
Faster fault diagnosis and power maintenance
Increased system longevity
Because the display operated continuously throughout the day, minimizing power-related stress was key to maintaining uptime.
Why Not Use Traditional Outdoor LED Displays?
In many projects, a standard outdoor LED wall would have been the natural choice.
However, in this case:
Traditional outdoor displays are bulky, heavy, and often require deeper installation space
The location was protected from rain, eliminating the need for full waterproofing
The client needed high resolution, which traditional outdoor led screens typically do not support at this pixel pitch
Durway’s 1.5mm high brightness LED billboard provided a perfect middle ground: slim like an indoor screen, but bright enough for outdoor readability.
Efficient Deployment Under Tight Constraints
Mounting in Tight Spaces: Lightweight Construction is Key
The installation environment presented a clear constraint: limited structural support and narrow installation depth. The LED screen would be affixed to a lightweight outdoor frame—not a reinforced wall—so structural load had to be minimized.
Durway’s 1.5mm LED billboard system, with its ultra-slim profile and low module weight (1.5kg per tile), met this requirement with ease. The modular housing allowed for quick alignment and fastening using a screw-in bracket system, which securely attached the screen to the frame without needing heavy mounting plates or reinforcements.
Two-Day On-Site Execution
The entire installation process—including screen assembly, signal/power integration, testing, and calibration—was completed in just two days by a two-person technical team. Pre-fabrication of custom housing and the use of standardized module interfaces accelerated the timeline.
This rapid deployment was particularly important due to the project’s tight schedule and the client’s goal to have the system operational in time for a public tourism event.
System Calibration and Testing
Post-installation, Durway’s team performed:
Brightness and contrast calibration to ensure readability under direct sunlight
Color uniformity testing using standard grayscale and full-color test patterns
Signal integrity checks for EMI resistance and resolution accuracy
Playback validation to ensure compatibility with the client’s media content
Bright, Reliable, and Beyond Expectations
Performance in Natural Light Conditions
After commissioning, the screen was tested under midday sunlight conditions. While direct sunlight exposure often renders indoor-grade screens nearly invisible, Durway’s high-brightness 3000-nits display maintained clear legibility, even when viewed off-axis.
Informational content—including maps, event schedules, and directional signage—was displayed in vivid, high-contrast visuals that could be easily seen by tourists and park visitors.
Client Impressions
The client expressed strong satisfaction with the outcome, noting:
The visual performance exceeded expectations, particularly under sunlight
The installation was smoother and faster than expected
The final product delivered a premium visual experience on a constrained budget
Most importantly, the screen became a central part of the park’s visitor engagement strategy, offering both practical information and an upgraded visual identity.
Applications & Scalability: Beyond Visitor Centers
While this solution was tailored for a visitor center setting, its design makes it highly applicable in other scenarios where high brightness and slim structure are critical. Potential applications include:
Transit stations (bus stops, subway entrances)
Outdoor retail signage (mall directories, open-air displays)
Architectural installations on narrow columns or glass surfaces
Hotel or resort entrances requiring luxury-grade signage
Semi-outdoor restaurants or cafes needing digital menu boards under awnings
Moreover, Durway’s system architecture supports future upgrades—either to larger screen sizes, new content platforms, or alternative pixel pitches depending on visibility needs.
Conclusion: A New Standard for Semi-Outdoor Visibility
This project is a strong example of how Durway’s high brightness 1.5mm LED billboard technology bridges the gap between indoor resolution and outdoor readability. By carefully balancing performance, weight, size, and cost, the solution proved ideal for constrained semi-outdoor environments where traditional LED billboards are too heavy, bulky, or low-resolution.
What made the project a success?
A clear understanding of the client’s visual and environmental constraints
A product that delivers 3000 nits brightness in a lightweight, slim chassis
A fully modular system that simplified installation and ongoing maintenance
Outstanding color fidelity and black level control for sunlight readability
A collaborative delivery model that included structural design, on-site setup, and post-installation support
For clients operating in space-limited outdoor environments, where viewing clarity, speed of deployment, and long-term reliability are critical, Durway’s 1.5mm LED display system offers a compelling and proven solution.
If you’re planning a semi-outdoor signage installation and need slim, lightweight LED display panels with high brightness, Durway offers a range of customizable options ready for fast deployment.
👉 Visit www.durway.com to explore our LED billboard product lines, download spec sheets, or request a quote from one of our digital signage experts.
Let’s build a better visual future—together.
