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News - New Focus
(updated 06 September 2010)
Cabletime has a new addition to its Evolution IP product range. The new Evolution 780 HD/SD digital media decoder is said to be powerful, ultra-reliable and designed to deliver TV, digital signage and digital media in HD and SD over the Internet.
Developed to suit multi-screen, multi-location installations as well as single screen systems, this new digital media decoder is an out of the box solution that operates standalone or networked under MediaStar control using Evolution administration software.
The decoder is flexible, playing out locally stored HD and SD video from its on-board memory. It also decodes SD and HD H.264 and MPEG-2 encoded network streams so users can programme combinations of live content and file based media. With its on-board rendering engine, the decoder displays SD TV inputs at HD output resolutions and deals easily with PowerPoint presentations, converted HTML, JPEG and PNG files and web pages delivered in real time via a Firefox browser.
"The Evolution digital media decoder is a solid state product that brings a broad palette of content delivery options to the user, and guarantees the best possible video and audio quality," says Nick Bradford, Cabletime’s MD. "This solution, combined with our intuitive Evolution Administration software, allows customers of all sizes to control and enhance delivery of HD/SD media, whether it is to one welcome screen in a reception area, or to thousands of desktops throughout an international corporate organisation."
www.cabletime.com
MultiSync V421 42in public displays from NEC join the company’s existing MultiSync V series range of 32 and 46in screens, boasting an S-IPS panel with full HD resolution as well as HDMI functionality and remote control via LAN or RS232. Combined with a low total cost of ownership, the model is said to deliver an excellent price/performance ratio.
MultiSync V421 is ideal for applications not requiring 24/7 operation, says NEC, including digital signage applications in stores, information systems for meeting rooms or video conferences. The display is configured locally using the intuitive on-screen display or remotely via a LAN or using RS232 codes. The menus and control functions are very similar to those of the NEC Multeos and P-Series making it easy to use displays from various series in the same installation.
As well as impressive performance, MultiSync V421 also provides sophisticated eco-features, says the company. An intelligent product design and high-quality components ensure low power consumption. User Controllable fans are automatically activated when the ambient temperature exceeds 40°C. Feet are only supplied as an option in order to optimise material use, since the majority of public displays are mounted directly onto the wall.
www.nec-display-solutions.com
PDS 5164 is an AMD Athlon 64 X2 Dual Core CPU powered digital signage player pre-loaded with PowerDigis digital signage software and targeted at advanced digital signage applications.
With Integrated AT1 Radeon HD3200 GPU, PDS 5164 can support single or dual display (independent or cloned content) and a variety file formats including MPEG1/2, AVI, VOB, VC-1, H.264, SWF, JPG, PNG as well as RSS news feed. In addition, the powerful software enables users to layout presentations into multiple zones, format, preview, schedule and play dynamic digital signage content. Features of the software include a multilingual management interface, presentation management/scheduling, system event log, play/pause/stop function and system reboot/firmware upgrade.
PDS 5164 is designed to support dual independent HD Display via HDMI outputs and has a number of other i/o interfaces including two audio line-out, four USB, eight GPIO terminals and an Ethernet connection for networking. In addition, wireless LAN connectivity and a TV tuner are available via a Mini-PCIe module. Storage is provided via a 2,5in SATA HDD.
www.nexcom.eu
With digital signage and screen media networks a stock in trade of retail and leisure, the revolutionary medium is fresh, different and fast moving, says Saturn. But keeping up with competitors often means there’s little time to think through the options before jumping on the bandwagon. And without expert guidance the planning and intricacies involved in installing and managing a system can indeed be a daunting prospect, not least the on-going onus to keep content updated.
So digital signage expert John Hamersley, CTO at Saturn, has collated his top ten considerations for those embarking on new projects. “Digital signage is a very different and cross-disciplinary technology,” he says. “It’s easy to dive headlong into a project, thinking it’s going to be the next best thing since sliced bread for your organisation. Sadly, there are plenty of failed projects littering the wayside on the road to success. But the hurdles that trip you up are easily avoided with some careful forethought.”
So the tips are:
* Set out a clear strategy - define clear objectives and ensure all internal stakeholders are consulted.
* Decide where the buck stops - establish a capable multi-disciplinary team and allocate adequate resources.
*Know who’s in charge - having a central point of contact to lead your project is essential - you should insist on this from your supplier, too.
*Know your place - the more you know about the footfall of your audience, the more you can place your signs carefully for maximum impact.
* Content is still king - there’s a real art involved in creating the right kind message for digital signage with a wide-ranging tool box of video, graphics, text and animation to choose from.
* Know who will update your content - you’ll need to consider who will update the content once deployment is complete and be clear of the necessary time investment from the outset.
*Watch out for hidden costs - failing to identify all the hidden costs associated with a digital signage installation is a common pitfall, especially with those that have little experience of the medium.
*Train your team - incorporate an on-going budget allocation for training.
* Measure return on investment - establishing the key performance indicators against which you will measure ROI is a vital starting point.
* Ensure a successful installation - digital signage relies on a mix of disciplines not just IT hardware, software, graphic design and copywriting. It’s also likely you’ll need tradesmen to make changes to the building infrastructure during the installation. Consider using an installer with the skills to serve as a general contractor.
John Hamersley is responsible for technical strategy at Saturn Communications which was established in 1998 and subsequently developed a reputation in digital messaging solutions for corporate, healthcare, hospitality, retail and cinema environments. With its flagship Connectvision and Cinema Solutions brands, Saturn’s solutions are used by numerous blue-chips, as well as major public sector organisations.
Always at the cutting-edge of digital signage software and hardware technology, says Saturn, its service focuses on its ability to deliver integrated digital messaging solutions using the most appropriate technologies whether for large screen, desktop PC or mobile device display. The company is Microsoft Certified and an IBM Business Partner. It also recently signed up to Apple’s Development programme to custom develop applications using SDK.
For more detailed tips and advice in digital signage, you can download Saturn’s independent new eGuide Digital Signage - Avoid the Pitfalls at its website.
www.digitalsignageexperts.co.uk
The Runnymede Hotel, with its 200 or so guests a day passing through, needed to reduce its print costs and communicate information to guests effectively. So it turned to digital signage to deliver its messages and provide guests with the impression of an up to the minute hotel with instant updating on the digital signage system.
So OneLan landed the contract and subsequently installed 25 Net-Top-Boxes complete with the ad-hoc capability for local changes and inputting messages, announcements, visual paging, table data, TV selection and layout changes.
Fifty inch screens in the hotel reception areas show live TV and advertising relating to activities within the hotel including hot offers for example for last minute beauty salon appointments. Content is changed regularly with the eventual aim of also showing videos of what’s on in the hotel. The digital signage also displays RSS feeds on up to date travel information and conditions around Heathrow and major road networks.
A 63in screen for special events is also integrated in the system, showing, for example, hot off the camera photographs of a wedding and reception taking place. In addition to the large screens in the reception areas, smaller 10in screens are sited outside each meeting room and updated for each new client using the rooms, showing relevant company information and videos.
“The OneLan digital signage solution is perfect for our needs,” says the Runnymede Hotel’s Andrew Duggan, “as it is user friendly, easy to use and easy to update quickly.”
OneLan develops network appliances for standalone and end to end digital signage network solutions. The Net-Top-Box is a multimedia, multi-zoned solution capable of touch interactivity and with a browser based user interface, the system is fully multi-lingual and capable of displaying stored and live media. OneLan NTBs are now installed in a wide variety of organisations such as retail, schools, hospitals, and government buildings, as well as some corporates such as Vodafone, Virgin Holidays and PricewaterhouseCoopers.
The San Diego Sports Arena provides premium entertainment to more than 600,000 people a year. It was rated by Pollstar and Billboard Magazines in 2009 one of the top ten facilities in the world. Managed by AEG Facilities, it turned to Allure Global Solutions for its new concept in digital signage as part of a larger renovation of the facility.
The digital signage solution includes 60, 42in Sharp thin bezelled LCDs, 28 of which are located at the four entrances and the remainder mounted throughout interior walkways and the club. The screens at the entrances face outwards so patrons coming into the arena can see a schedule of future events, special promotions, timely sponsor messaging and various third party advertising.
Allure Global provided its Allure 4.0 software, players, content development and all project management for the initiative which included an animated welcoming and sponsor messaging and programmable messaging whereby arena staff easily modify the event calendar showing future events with animated content.
For the welcome message and messaging promoting Club 3500, Allure used Interruptive Marketing, allowing a singular animated message display on multiple screens for greater visual impact.
“We are very excited about our new digital signage network,” states Ernie Hahn II, Senior VP & General Manager of the arena. “We view this network as our internal marketing communications system. By adding digital content from our sponsors, event promoters and advertisers as well as other relevant messaging for our patrons, we feel that this network, along with all our other improvements, has substantially modernised our facility and provided us with a marketing communications component. We view digital signage as a real game changer and are pleased to have this technology in the building.”
“The content management capabilities and improved features of our Allure 4.0 Digital Media Platform will make digital signage solutions, such as this one at the San Diego Sports Arena much more effective for our customers,” says Craig K Chapin, President & CEO of Allure Global Solutions. “Digital content brings proven advantages to the customer environment, and our platform makes it easier to develop that content and deliver great flexibility in managing it across an enterprise-scale deployment.”
www.allureglobal.com
Latest to roll out ZBD's electronic shelf labels is the Co-op Marked store in Jondal, Norway. Co-op Marked Jondal is part of Co-op Norge, Norway’s third largest retailer. The store implemented 3600 ZBD epop 50 displays, installed by Lindbak Retail Systems and ZBD’s Vision partner in Norway, Delfi Technologies, enabling it to automate price updates and engage in competitive pricing strategies and the project marks the first full store installation for ZBD.
Co-op Norge operates a co-operative business model and is the third largest retailer in Norway, with 165 societies and in excess of one million members operating 1000 stores. Nearly four thousand of ZBD’s smallest display, the epop 50, have been implemented within the Jondal store.
“We were looking for a system that would allow us to automate the process of updating prices and product information,” explains Reidar Hammer, Store Manager for the Co-op Marked store in Jondal. “Previously, we were using paper signage, but this proved to be labour-intensive, and was often prone to error, where prices on the labels weren’t always accurate. We are now confident that our prices are always correct and correspond exactly with our PoS system. Before installing the system, staff had to update prices manually, print new shelf labels and ensure that they were placed correctly in the store. However, this is no longer necessary, freeing resources that can be deployed elsewhere in the store. ”
The solution has now been up and running for several weeks. “The ZBD solution has already proved to be a success,” adds Reidar, “and has eliminated pricing errors and reduced queue times. We now have 100% accuracy and price integrity between the epops and our PoS system. The displays are also capable of displaying barcodes, which means that we can use our handheld terminals for inventory and purchases from the store shelves. We are very satisfied with the solution“
David Rogers, Sales & Marketing Director at ZBD concludes, “As always, one of the key advantages to retailers when rolling out our technology, is its simple, light touch infrastructure. The process of connecting a product to a display, using a hand-held terminal, made it possible to implement the solution storewide without closing the store, resulting in minimal disruption to daily operations. Unlike some ESL solutions, ZBD’s system does not require any cabling or other infrastructure to be installed within the store, and because it doesn’t need miles of cabling, the solution was up and running in just two days.”
www.zbdsolutions.com
