komma,tec redaction warns of hardware failures in outdoor digital signage

The Hamburg-based systems house komma,tec redaction is warning against the ‘junkyard effect’ caused by the rapid expansion of outdoor digital signage. Many digital kiosks and information steles in city centers are becoming obsolete within two to three years due to faded colors, streaking, or complete display failure.

Fabian Scholz, founder and managing director of komma,tec redaction GmbH, notes that while many municipalities and companies purchase IP-certified weather-resistant hardware, they often overlook the impact of extreme physical forces. Direct sunlight can cause internal temperatures to exceed 70 degrees Celsius, leading to cooling system failures or ‘solar blackening,’ where cheap panels melt and turn the display black.

To combat this, the company advocates for a shift away from rigid, disposable, and welded monolithic housings toward a modular, maintainable outdoor infrastructure that can withstand long-term environmental stress.