When thousands of skiers converge on the slopes of Bormio each winter, they bring high expectations: perfect snow conditions, impeccable runs, and above all, clear and timely information. At one of Italy’s most prestigious ski resorts, Macropix and Sitour have brought to life a project that redefines the very concept of Digital Out-of-Home in the mountain sector. Installing a state-of-the-art LED screen in this environment isn’t simply a technology choice, it’s a concrete response to needs around safety, information, and territorial enhancement. In an environment where conditions change rapidly and where every communication can make the difference between a memorable experience and an avoidable risk, the partnership between Macropix and Sitour has created something more than an advertising screen: a true information hub in constant dialogue with skiers and operators.
The result is a DOOH communication system that seamlessly integrates critical weather alerts, slope condition updates, avalanche risk information, and promotion of local services, all through dynamic content that adapts to the alpine context intelligently and respectfully. For the ski resort industry, this technology represents an extraordinary competitive advantage: enhanced safety for users, more effective communication for operators, and new monetization opportunities through contextual advertising. In Bormio, digital innovation has found its most natural dimension, proving that technology and mountains can coexist in perfect harmony.
Installation details
At the heart of Bormio’s ski resort, Sitour and Macropix have installed a Signum-FS series LED screen that serves as the technological landmark for the entire area. They chose a solution capable of withstanding the most extreme weather conditions typical of alpine environments while delivering exceptional visual performance at any time of day. The screen, with its 280 x 200 cm surface area and extraordinary brightness of 5,500 nits, remains perfectly visible even under direct sunlight reflected off snow, one of the biggest challenges for outdoor displays in mountain settings. The 4.8mm pixel pitch ensures optimal definition for typical viewing distances in ski transit areas, making both informational text and complex graphics easily readable. Here are the technical specifications of the installation:
- Location: Bormio ski resort
- Partner: Sitour (company specializing in Out-Of-Home advertising for ski areas)
- Product: Outdoor LED advertising screen
- Series: Signum-FS
- Pixel pitch: 4.8mm
- Display area: 280 x 200 cm
- Brightness: 5,500 nits
- Application: Information, safety, and DOOH advertising
This configuration perfectly meets the needs of ski resort environments, where operational reliability isn’t optional but an absolute necessity, especially when conveying safety-related messages to skiers.
Product used: Signum-FS
The Signum-FS series represents Macropix’s answer to the most demanding outdoor DOOH challenges, and is particularly suited for extreme environments like ski resorts. This isn’t just a display, it’s a tool designed to last and operate flawlessly even under the most critical conditions.
Superior visual experience
What makes the Signum-FS unique is its ability to maintain exceptional image quality under any circumstances. The LED components deliver high brightness and elevated contrast, managing brightness across 256 levels without any quality loss. This means every piece of content, from text information to complex images, is reproduced with crystal-clear sharpness. A particularly relevant feature is the common cathode technology, which optimizes energy consumption with up to 40% savings compared to traditional systems, a crucial element in ski resort contexts where energy efficiency is increasingly important. The ultra-high refresh rate (3,840 Hz) eliminates any flickering, keeping images perfectly stable even when captured with smartphones or video cameras.
Built to last
In mountain environments, where freezing temperatures, humidity, snow, and wind are the norm, structural resilience becomes fundamental. The Signum-FS is built entirely from aluminum, a material that guarantees optimal thermal conductivity, maximum mechanical strength, and excellent heat dissipation. Protection is ensured on multiple levels: the die-cast power supply and data box with IP66 certification provides maximum safety even in adverse weather conditions, while the front LED module is sealed with IP68 protection, resisting even immersion and the most extreme weather conditions. The system operates flawlessly in a temperature range from –30°C to +65°C, without requiring heating or forced ventilation, an essential characteristic for high-altitude installations.
Guaranteed Protection and Reliability:
- Full-aluminum structure for maximum durability
- IP66 protection for electronics and power supply
- IP68 protection for front LED module
- Operating range from –30°C to +65°C
- Passed environmental tests (Salt Fog, thermal shock, HALT)
- TUV certifications for extended lifecycle
Simple maintenance, amart investment
Another strength of the Signum-FS is ease of maintenance. The system allows quick access from both front and rear, without requiring screws or magnets, drastically reducing intervention time and costs. Modules are interchangeable and compatible even with different pixel pitches, allowing for future upgrades without replacing the entire structure. The versatile construction supports linear, curved, and angular configurations, adapting perfectly to creative projects and complex installations. Thanks to its highly recyclable aluminum frame and optimized energy consumption, the Signum-FS significantly reduces long-term operating costs, maximizing return on investment. Rounding out the picture is an extended warranty of up to 5 years, testament to Macropix’s confidence in their product quality.
Digital signage software: Omnibus
Even the best LED display needs software to match if it’s going to reach its full potential. Omnibus, developed entirely by Macropix through over 15 years of R&D, is the professional solution that transforms LED screens into truly intelligent communication tools capable of managing complex content and integrating seamlessly with ski resort operational needs.
Designed for the mountains
For the ski resort industry, Omnibus isn’t simply content management software, it’s a true strategic partner. The platform enables real-time dynamic scheduling, integrating data from external sources to instantly display crucial information like lift status, updated weather forecasts, and safety messages related to avalanche risk. The multi-zone layout functionality is particularly valuable: the screen can be divided into independent areas, dedicating one section to weather alerts, another to lift schedules, and a third to commercial advertising, for example. Everything synchronized and coordinated, guaranteeing skiers a complete and always up-to-date information experience.
Key features for ski resorts:
- Real-time integration of weather data and lift status
- Safety messages and priority alerts
- Coordination between institutional and commercial content
- Screen division into independent zones
Technology that withstands the impossible
Managing an LED display at high altitude, where temperatures can drop well below zero and environmental conditions are extreme, requires hardware and software certified to operate in these contexts. Omnibus uses industrial-grade players designed specifically for these situations, guaranteeing absolute operational stability even in the most challenging outdoor installations. A distinctive feature is the proprietary EKOLED system, which analyzes every single content frame to automatically adjust the display’s energy consumption based on the brightness and complexity of the image being shown. This not only optimizes operating costs but also helps comply with increasingly stringent light pollution regulations, particularly relevant in protected mountain areas. Remote mapped management allows visualization and control of all installations on an interactive geographic map, monitoring parameters like resolution, brightness, operating temperature, and hardware diagnostics from a single intuitive dashboard. For those managing multiple facilities distributed across territory, this means total control and rapid intervention when needed.
Smart monetization
Beyond the informational aspect, Omnibus offers advanced tools for maximizing the economic value of advertising space. Programmatic advertising support enables real-time ad reception from external platforms via VAST protocol, opening doors to dynamic and contextualized advertising campaigns. Ad scheduling is extremely flexible: you can assign a precise number of hourly plays for each commercial spot and receive detailed reporting on actual airtime, valuable data for demonstrating ROI to advertising clients. Playlist creation is intuitive and supports various media, links, HTML content, and video, with the ability to set specific times, daily or weekly recurrence, and priority levels. With Omnibus, the LED display installed in Bormio becomes a complete strategic asset: it informs, protects, and generates value, all managed from a single powerful and reliable platform designed to excel precisely where conditions are most demanding.
