Glossary A–ZLetter C
Countdown
A countdown is a display that counts down the time remaining until a set moment.
It is calculated on the device from the current time and the target time, so it keeps running without a new file.
Typical occasions are the start of an event, the end of a promotion, a shop opening, the turn of the year or a bus departure. A countdown attracts attention because the number visibly changes. It is a simple example of dynamic content.
A countdown is only as accurate as the player's clock. If the clock is wrong or the time zone is set incorrectly, each screen shows a different remaining time. Operators should therefore make sure automatic time synchronisation is in place. Equally important is what happens once the time is up: a counter that shows “0:00” for days or runs into negative figures looks careless. The countdown should therefore have a validity period that ends with the target time.