Use E-paper Alongside Your Digital Signage Content!

Electronic paper, more commonly known in our industry as e-paper, mimics the appearance of ordinary ink on paper rather than a high-tech digital display. Primarily recognized as the tech used by most e-readers meant to replace traditional books, the use of e-paper is expanding! As it uses less power than standard displays, and possesses several other benefits which we’ll cover below, e-paper has become a common sight in the realm of Out-of-Home advertising. Here are a few reasons why you should consider adopting it in your own business, even if you already run content through standard digital signage technology.

Less reliance on power

E-paper holds content even when it’s unplugged, making it less reliant on a direct power supply. Of course it has its own power supply in the form of a battery but this lasts for a very long time and isn’t connected to an external source. As such, e-paper is an ideal backup in case of power outages. It will continue running your content, be it standard content you wish to show, as well as emergency signage if there is a need for it.

Content which is intended to operate for very long periods of time fits well with e-paper displays. For example, menu boards, banners, or content in your storefront running during off-hours.

Great portability!

As it’s not physically attached to a power supply or a stand, e-paper is highly portable. Consider using e-paper in place of regular price labels or smaller signs which change or move from time to time. If you work in pop-up shops, exhibitions, or any other contexts where mobility is a plus, setting up e-paper displays will be a lot simpler and safer than dragging around heavy and expensive digital tech.

The best part comes with your ability to update the content as you would on a standard digital display. Use software such as OnSign to deploy it quickly, play fresh content which still has a paper-esque appearance.

Paper-like aesthetic

E-paper offers a more natural appearance for your content, especially when choosing specific backgrounds. In businesses where a digital display might look like it doesn’t belong, e-paper will fit right in. Consider boutiques, eco-friendly stores, spas, galleries, flower shops, etc. Its ability to truly mimic ink and paper visuals makes it a great asset to deliver data but also be pleasing to the eye. For example, it may appear as a hand-written bulletin board, showing a static image, changing for new data every few minutes or just hours or days.

It’s important to consider this feature of e-paper and use it to your benefit. Given its appearance, it’s best suited for cases where it enhances the surrounding space rather than aggressively drawing on the attention of the viewer.

Visibility in bright spaces

E-paper relies on ambient lighting for visibility. Some models use front lighting for additional visibility. As such, e-paper remains clear and visible outdoors, especially when faced with sunlight.

It is important, however, to be mindful of the damage direct sunlight can cause. According to some sources, while they visually thrive under direct sunlight, certain e-paper models face hardware troubles due to exposure to heat and UV exposure more than others. If possible, avoid placing them in direct sunlight or provide additional protection. As a last resort, research and reach out to the hardware provider for more input.

A complement to digital signage

In case digital signage is extensively used throughout your business, e-paper is a clever way to dim the overload of tech and still deliver information. Digital signage excels at being eye-catching, while static e-paper displays can act as a platform for long-term or secondary content. In itself this creates a visual hierarchy of content and its importance. The user’s eyes will go for the main content first, and then come across the secondary afterwards.

A good balance is to reserve digital signage for dimmer areas without glare, letting e-paper step into the ambient spotlight. Some businesses like using traditional signage as a complement to the digital variant. In this case, e-paper can preserve the traditional aesthetic while retaining the ability of quick and easy content updates and management.

E-paper management through OnSign

During this year’s InfoComm, OnSign had the pleasure to announce full support for the Samsung E-Paper EMDX. We are very grateful for the support from Samsung to run this technology. If you’re a user of OnSign, you are aware of the wide spectrum of features and apps provided to digital signage users. Combined with the ultra-low power consumption and readability of e-paper technology, you now have another path to deliver content to your customers. Try it out!