Cables are the unsung heroes - and frequent villains - of digital signage installations. From tripping hazards at trade shows to unsightly tangles behind high-end displays, poor cable management can undermine even the best designs. Why it’s time for the industry to rethink its relationship with cables and make tidy connections a top priority.
Opinion: Don’t Get Tangled – The Cable Conundrum in Digital Signage
Walking the stands of IAA Mobility in Munich last week, we quite literally stumbled over a “cable tree” sprouting from a digital signage installation. It was a sight that drew laughter and a few eye rolls. But before we get too smug, let’s pause: how many of us can honestly say our own projects are cable-free zones? In our travels, we’ve seen far too many beautifully designed screens marred by a tangle of cables peeking out from behind, undermining the meticulous planning that went into the installation. Sadly, this is more the rule than the exception.
Cables in Digital Signage: Lifeline and Pitfall
Why do cables so often become the Achilles’ heel of digital signage? The answer is simple: every system needs power, data, and video signals. Add in players, sensors, and IoT devices – each with their own connections – and suddenly you’re multiplying cables by two or three. While innovations like SoC displays, Power over Ethernet, and wireless data transfer have helped, the reality is that cables are still essential. And as anyone who’s tried to hide a thick HDMI or power cord behind a slim display knows, they’re not getting any smaller – unless you switch to optical fiber, which brings its own set of complications (and, ironically, more cables).
The industry’s relationship with cables is a classic love-hate affair. On the one hand, cables offer reliability and peace of mind – when you plug something in, it just works. Wireless solutions, despite their progress, still carry a reputation for being finicky, especially in high-stakes environments like trade shows. That’s why the golden rule for integrators remains: when in doubt, go with the cable. On the other hand, cables have a knack for being the wrong length, getting unplugged, or simply refusing to stay hidden, turning even the best installations into a visual mess.
Ultimately, proper cable management is an art – and one that’s too often overlooked in both design and installation training. But there’s hope: at IAA Mobility, the infamous cable tree vanished just two days after we snapped our photo. If only every digital signage project could follow suit. Let’s make cable management a priority, not an afterthought, and ensure our industry’s installations look as good as they perform.
