DigitalSignage Issue 8 by Alchemedia Publishing

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— Robert Hazan, CFO Guzman y Gomez

“It’s great to change the menu board artwork when we need to — I’m not downplaying the importance of that — but I think we really want to take our digital signage to a whole other level.”

issue #8

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THE ‘WHY-BOTHER’ SIGN PHENOMENON

Editorial:

Story: Christopher Holder

with a USB key stuck into the back. Well, strictly speaking, it is digital signage, but it’s an abject apology for digital signage. Digital signage really only comes into its own when you can ‘schedule’ content remotely. Do this with some signage software from one of a dozen or so reputable providers, a network cable, and a suitably equipped commercial display, or a display with a ‘media player’ nearby (the media player is a little PC that stores your files and plays them on the screen when it’s told to by the scheduling software).

Just like any computer network, you can run network cable to additional screens which can then play the same content or different content, as you wish.

f you’re still sticking a USB key into the back of a screen, then we need to talk. If your ‘digital signage’ looks like a dodgy Powerpoint display… or worse, then it’s time we had words.

If you’ve got blocky text and crappy jpeg compression on your images, then please, let’s put our heads together and fix things.

There’s no excuse for shoddy, half-arsed digital signage. The technology is comparatively cheap, the skills are available… everything is in place to produce stunning commercial communication. The parallel I often use is that of website design. For anyone old enough to recall the early days of the internet you’ll remember just how rubbish most websites looked back in the ’90s. Remember how your mate had a brother who knew someone who ‘could put together a website’?

Do you also recall that after you’d sent this mysterious geezer your letterhead and 100 words on what your business sold (no doubt on a double-sided, double-density 3.5-inch floppy disk), you’d get an HTML web page that was uglier than sin and served no discernible purpose? There was no discussion with your web ‘guru’ about design or page hierarchy; no talk about a site map (whatever that is/was!); while SEO was still a term waiting for Google to arrive.

So here’s a question for you: would you now, in 2013, really trust a ‘friend of a friend’, without any consultation, to take care of your web presence? No, of course not, no one would be that stupid. And if you were relying on web-based sales, would you have a crack at banging together your site’s ecommerce functionality because, I mean, ‘how hard can it be?’. No. Don’t be daft, too much is at stake. So why then, do you think it’s a good idea to trust your business’s digital signage to amateurs? Why risk the corporate identity you’ve spent years nuturing with something half-baked? So for those who haven’t been paying attention, here’s a quick recap:

Digital signage is not a screen at the front of your premises

None of this is ‘rocket surgery’. But you will need a technical person to assist, preferably someone with digital signage experience. From there, someone needs to care about what’s being displayed on the screens. In the same way that you don’t launch a new website and then check in on it next month to see how it’s going, your digital signage requires love. Which describes the second person you’ll need: a digital signage ‘champion’ — someone (preferably within your business) who cares about the display content and understands the DNA of your business.

The signage champion will then need assistance from a third individual — a creative type. In the first instance that may be a graphic designer.

Ever been presented with a business card that you just know has been ‘designed’ by the rank amateur handing it to you? And, worse, printed on his bubblejet on some perforated card? Most people can see bad graphic design a mile away. Don’t risk it. Get some help to build a few templates that have your logo and the colours you’re happy with. Ask the graphic designer to pick out a couple of fonts — stick to them. Good graphic design is affordable and relatively plentiful — in other words, there’s no excuse. The graphic designer can assist you with some basic animations as well. So there you have it: Digital Signage 101 in 500 words. Here’s the summary again: There’s no excuse for a halfbaked approach to signage. Once you’ve decided that signage matters, engage a technical person to help you with the equipment and installation; identify someone within your business who’s excited by the possibilities and is in touch with what your enterprise stands for (the ‘champion’ I was referring to); and talk to a ‘creative’ — which could be a big ad agency if you’re loaded, or a talented new-grad graphic designer if you’re not. Where to begin? Try our industry directory for starters. And/or drop me a line and let me know how you’re progressing. I’d love to hear from you.  Christopher Holder, Editorial Director chris@dsmag.com

CONTENTS ISSUE 8 2013 Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Advertising Office: (02) 9986 1188 PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086

Editorial Office: (03) 5331 4949 PO Box 295, Ballarat, VIC 3353

Publication Director: Stewart Woodhill (stewart@dsmag.com.au) Editorial Director: Christopher Holder (chris@dsmag.com.au) Publisher:

Philip Spencer (philip@dsmag.com.au) Art Direction: Dominic Carey (dominic@alchemedia.com.au) Graphic Design: Leigh Ericksen (leigh@alchemedia.com.au) Contributing Editor: Graeme Hague (news@dsmag.com.au) Technical Editor Andy Ciddor (andy@av.net.au) Accounts: Jaedd Asthana (jaedd@alchemedia.com.au)

IN ACTION 10 Opera Kitchen, Sydney 12 Nissan HQ, Melbourne 13 Bridgestone HQ, Ohio COLUMNS 14 Trevor Jones, PHD Creative 16 Stuart Armstrong, ComQi NEWS 28 News & Product Info

Circulation Manager:

Mim Mulcahy (subscriptions@dsmag.com.au)

FEATURES 18 Scoreboard Pressure: Parramatta Stadium 20 South of the Border: Guzman y Gomez 24 Leave those Kids Alone: QUT Cube REFERENCE 30 Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who Company Profiles COMMENT 34 Mug Punter: When Signage is in a Class of its Own

alchemedia publishing pty ltd (ABN: 34 074 431 628) PO Box 6216, Frenchs Forest, NSW 2086 info@alchemedia.com.au All material in this magazine is copyright ÂŠ 2013 Alchemedia Publishing Pty Ltd. The title AV is a registered Trademark. Apart from any fair dealing permitted under the Copyright Act, no part may be reproduced by any process without written permission. The publishers believe all information supplied in this magazine to be correct at the time of publication. They are not in a position to make a guarantee to this effect and accept no liability in the event of any information proving inaccurate. After investigation and to the best of our knowledge and belief, prices, addresses and phone numbers were up to date at the time of publication. It is not possible for the publishers to ensure that advertisements appearing in this publication comply with the Trade Practices Act, 1974. The responsibility is on the person, company or advertising agency submitting or directing the advertisement for publication. The publishers cannot be held responsible for any errors or omissions, although every endeavour has been made to ensure complete accuracy. 30/4/13

From inside the box... The new suite of Samsung MagicInfo™ Digital Signage Solutions Samsung is recognised as a world leader in digital signage solutions. Expanding on its comprehensive range of commercial large format LCD displays, Samsung now has four signage solution offerings in the MagicInfo™ suite designed to meet your digital signage needs. From a simple single screen deployment in a retail environment through to remote managed national or worldwide digital signage networks, Samsung has the solution.

MagicInfo™ Lite – High Impact with Simplicity An “out of the box” signage solution included with the ME, MD, UE and DE/PE series LED* BLU Commercial Displays. Intuitive and easy to use, the MagicInfo™ Lite scheduler / player (included with the displays) enables simple scheduling and delivery of your important content via the display’s internal media player, without the need of complex digital signage systems. With just a simple set up you can start scheduling and delivering content from the built in player to the display using the display’s remote control. The player is compatible with an array of file formats including .jpeg, .ppt, .mp4, .avi, .wmv and .mkv.

MagicInfo™ Premium-S - An Integrated Signage Platform for Easy Audience Engagement Compatible with the latest PE-C, UE-C and UD-C series LED* BLU displays, employing system on chip (SoC) technology, SSSP eliminates the need for an external PC module to streamline display and content management. This technology, combined with MagicInfo Premium-S software, allows for creation, scheduling and delivery of content to either a single display or multiple displays over a network**. MagicInfo Premium –S is included with the latest PE-C, UE-C and UD-C series for stand-alone applications only. For network applications, server licenses are required at additional cost. MagicInfo Premium-S offers over 60 design templates to help with content creation as well as web based content** and device management.

MagicInfo™ Premium-i – Customise, Create and Control with Ease MagicInfo Premium-i** lets you display the right content to the right people, at the right time—from virtually anywhere in the world. Samsung MagicInfo™ Premium-i is a web-based solution that is optimized for the near-seamless management of your digital signage network. A complete content management and Samsung display and PC media player control system, MagicInfo™-i Premium helps deliver messages with impact. Through a web based centralised control, multiple users can access remotely to create immersive content using MagicInfo Premiumi Author (included) and schedule playback as well as monitor and control display devices using MagicInfo Premium-i Server (included). Displays and media players sold separately.

MagicInfo™ Videowall 2 – Captivate your Audience MagicInfo-i™ VideoWall 2 software provides the tools to publish vibrant content on a video wall. Content can be displayed across as many as 250 compatible displays which are capable of delivering UHD picture quality based on the number of displays used and the content format. Samsung displays, media players, applications and content are managed through one intuitive, remote interface**. The MagicInfo-i™ VideoWall 2 application consists of four major software components, including MagicInfo-i™ Author for creating video wall content; VideoWall 2 Console for managing schedules and playlists; VideoWall 2 Live Caster for broadcasting up-to-the minute action and live streams; and VideoWall 2 Video Wall Client for synchronizing devices and playback. Displays and media players sold separately.

*Samsung LED BLU Commercial Displays use LCD display panels with LED back or edge lighting. **Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply, subject to third party service provider agreement Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

â&#x20AC;Ś to outside the square !

www.samsung.com/au/business 9 it.sales@samsung.com Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Harbour Master Opera Kitchen whets appetite with signage

In Action

Media Play: 0408 804 814 or www.mediaplay.com.au YCD Multimedia: www.ycdmultimedia.com 10

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

YCD Multimedia, a global leading provider of smart digital media solutions, today announced that the company’s products have been selected to drive promotional displays at the Opera Kitchen restaurant in Sydney, Australia. Media Play, an Australian multimedia company, was the project integrator.  Opera Kitchen restaurant is an open air venue located on the lower concourse of the Sydney Opera House, offering the best views of Sydney Harbour, the Harbour Bridge and the city skyline. The screens are located at points-of-sale at the restaurant’s Misschu Vietnamese food and Bécasse Bakery departments and were originally designed to promote special products and offers through the quieter winter period.   YCD Impulse, the company’s solution for merchandising and promotion at the point-of- sale, displays promotional information about the restaurant’s offerings, including some of Sydney’s most sought after dishes and seasonal food specials, as well as information about Opera House events. The screens are connected to the in-house wireless network, and receive content updates via the YCD platform, managed by Media Play. Opera

Kitchen has local control to change daily specials.  The new screens join a music channel that has been installed by Media Play, with customised playlists featuring soul, reggae and roots to suit the outdoor sunny vibe.  “We had great success with the screens’ impact on sales and awareness of items, such as mulled wine, which customers previously would not have known were offered,” said Pete Boyce, Business Operations Analyst, Opera Kitchen restaurant. “We plan to install the YCD Ramp management system and YCD’s Menu Board solution, which will further help us drive sales of new products.”  “The project demonstrates the importance of digital media as a promotional and selling tool in restaurants, attracting diners’ attention and assisting them in their decision making process.” said Arik Roztal, General Manager of International Operation, YCD Multimedia. “The ability to create and change promotions easily and quickly at the points-of-sale, according to season, time of the day and stock levels increases sales and enables effective suggestive selling.” 

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New Communications Vehicle Nissan Australia’s corporate communications network

In Action

Nissan Australia: www.nissan.com.au NEC Australia: 131 632 or www.nec.com.au Crystal Clear: 1300 769 655 or www.crystalclear.net.au

Nissan Australia has kicked its in-house corporate communications into a much higher gear. A completely new and dynamic communications platform has ensured high visibility for relevant information and department metrics. Crystal Clear Business Services worked with Nissan to create a unified, digital messaging platform that delivers business-critical information to employees in a clear and concise manner. At the heart of the solution is the NEC Live Windows-based software and digital signage scheduler. Dynamic video, images and text content is delivered directly to a network of NEC 55-inch LED displays and NEC media players. The NEC solution got the nod in large part because of its ability to integrate with and interrogate Nissan Australia’s databases to provide accurate, real-time financial and customer metrics. That way department stats, sales targets and trends; individual and corporate achievements; company and CEO messaging; brand information, new product launches and promotions; new dealerships; HR updates;

along with health and safety messages can all be displayed easily. And the impact of the new network? David Montgomery, Marketing Communication Manager, picks up the story: “There is so much information about what is happening within our organisation that is better delivered by the new display system; information that is crucial to team building and promoting pride in our positive initiatives. “Staff are receiving information pertinent to their jobs and performance. And importantly, with everyone engaging with the company’s overall value propositions, we can all pull in the same direction.” 

Rubber Hits the Road Big screen, tricky audio

Akron, Ohio, has a long and storied history as the heart of the US tyre business. In April of 2012 the city celebrated that proud heritage with the grand opening of Bridgestone America’s 24,000sqm worldwide technical centre. The US$100m research and development facility was designed by architects Harris/Day to exceed Gold LEED standards, and it shows. The building features wide, open spaces, a ‘living roof’ with gardens and lounge areas, and plenty of natural light thanks to an abundance of glass throughout. The showcase structure’s east and west wings intersect at a massive three-storey atrium area that serves as the building’s social nexus. The common space is outfitted with a large video wall, and serves as the hub of the technical centre’s communications with the outside world, and with the company’s headquarters in Tennessee. Of course, three stories of glass, while visually stunning, tends to create a less than optimal acoustical setting. As Gary Matthews of Audio Video Interiors (AVI) explains, even with a fair amount of acoustical treatment, the environment was a challenging one. “It’s a big, open, reverberant space,” he says. “They did a great job in treating the back wall, which helps a lot,

but it’s still a large, glassed-in space, with a high level of ambient noise, and intelligibility inevitably suffers.”

In Action

The architect’s vision included a desire for low-profile audio and video components, but the design was at odds with that goal. “Their original proposal was for 34 individual loudspeakers hung on walls and on ceilings throughout the area,” says Matthews. “They came to us and asked if there was anything they could do differently, because they didn’t want to see so many speakers.” AVI’s recommendation was for three Renkus-Heinz Iconyx steered steered arrays to cover the entire area. “So we got it down from 34 speakers, to three Iconyx ICX7 units built into the video wall, with zero visibility. And the sound coverage is far superior, with no distribution issues and no dead spots.” “The Iconyx system was perfect for aiming the sound only at the areas we wanted to cover, and away from the walls and windows,” Matthews concludes. 

Hills SVL (Renkus Heinz): (02) 9647 1411 or www.hillssvl.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Creative:

The Leap to Digital Menu Boards Trevor Jones is principal of phdcreative, a retail marketing agency, based in Sydney. He works across the creative and digital teams to help brands take advantage of the opportunities offered by integrating traditional with digital communication. phdcreative was an early advocate of the power of digital placed based media to engage consumers in the retail environment. You can learn more by visiting www.phdcreative.com.au

Story: Trevor Jones

tatic menu boards used to be favoured because of their cost-effectiveness. But the maintenance and human capital required to keep the board up to date and accurate has lead many operators to consider digital menu boards.

The benefits of digital menu boards are numerous and include: • The ability to use automatic day parting

• The ability to remotely update menus and make instant, preprogrammed changes

• Make changes and update prices for single or multiple locations, from anywhere in the world • Centralised control of marketing, promotions and menu board content • The ability to link inventory levels and point of sale (POS) to change marketing and pricing instantly

Think about the customer experience when developing your digital menu board communication strategy. Consider creating compelling digital content with combos to drive margin, and promotions to engage, up-sell and cross-sell to queuing customers. Use day part menus. Carefully structured content can boost impulse sales. All the while giving a contemporary look to the in-store environment.

In addition to displaying prices, digital menu boards can help an operator: • Promote products that are in high inventory • Add new items to the menu • Run special promotions

• Cut costs, including printing and shipping menu board inserts

Digital menu boards allow messages to be dynamic, clear and interactive, as well as integrating static or full-motion content into menu display. This then allows the operator to incorporate cross promotions with vendors, partners and suppliers.

• Maintain brand consistency throughout multiple restaurants

IT departments traditionally initiate digital projects. The focus is on hardware and the ROI is measured by operational cost savings. However this is only part of the equation.

• Streamline deployment, integration and activation

CURRENT INDUSTRY VIEWS

Digital menu boards provide a range of operational benefits including:

• Online management to update a single store or a national network, all from a centrally located web browser with a few clicks • Reduction in print and distribution costs

• Speed of distribution of content to quickly and easily update menu text, pricing or product images instantly

• Low cost response of deployment and activation of any menu board changes

Unfortunately, digital menu board content is often an afterthought. Content development is often added to the current advertising agency brief where they treat digital menu board material as repurposing of the existing assets. Existing material is not optimised for the in-store environment and doesn’t take into account the customer need state. RETHINKING DIGITAL MENU BOARDS

Digital menu boards communicate directly with customers: video and animation effects; flexible playlists to highlight product offerings; time of day scheduling to customise menus; and instant menu updates in response to changing circumstances are just some of the features that allow businesses to use digital menus to increase sales.

Moreover, digital menu boards provide great picture quality, high reliability, low power use, and marked savings over time.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

• Display required nutritional information

• Communicate corporate messaging and training materials • Share information and entertainment with customers INFLUENCING BEHAVIOUR

In-store communications’ ROI can be measured by customer engagement, brand equity, preference and liking. The main ROI for the digital menu board is influencing customer behaviour. Content can be delivered in an exciting and engaging way with measurable and actionable results, becoming a long-term tool of your integrated marketing communications.

An agency with specialist digital expertise can provide invaluable experience, insights and in-house capabilities. It is of paramount importance to partner with key suppliers who provide expertise and add value to your business.

By following these simple rules you’ll be in good shape to develop an effective digital menu board strategy — by utilising the full capabilities of what digital media is ideally suited to, namely, responding to audience needs and optimising commercial returns. Benefits and advantages:

• Take full control over your screen’s content • Provide a better experience for customers

• Deliver effective engaging content and useful information to customers • Increase customer satisfaction and sales. 

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Retail:

Smart Signage, Smart Phones & Smart Retailing Stuart is ComQi’s President of North America. His career is marked by an early recognition of the potential of digital media solutions to drive companies’ productivity and performance. Stuart is the immediate past president of the US Digital Screenmedia Association where he served two consecutive terms.

Story: Stuart Armstrong

n a retrospective moment I decided to pull out an article I wrote in early 2008, ‘Merchandising 2.0’. In this article I predicted the following: “If the remote control has spelt the death of advertising on television, then the mobile phone ushers in the rebirth of advertising — as information — at retail. The mobile phone is the new remote control of marketing, and this time it’s our best friend.” I go on to point out that (now-called) smartphones will serve as a just-in-time information resource and support transactions anywhere, anytime for the shopper. As much as I was directionally correct in the influence of this technology on retailing, my predictions fell short of what today’s technology is capable of and how retailers are already reinventing the in-venue shopping experience.

Smartphones are a game changer, particularly in the retail industry. However, applications can be either a friend or foe to the retail store. Pricing and consumer report apps can turn a retailer into a physical showroom for the shopper as they touch and feel products that they will ultimately buy elsewhere. We need to know how to best utilise the smartphone so it’s no longer a foe. How can this ubiquitous device help you drive conversion, transaction size and loyalty? First we must understand how smartphones are currently being used amongst shoppers and where our greatest opportunity lies. According to research done by both comScore and Forrester, four out of five consumers use smartphones to shop and an average of 22% of smartphone owners have used a shopping application in the past three months. Add to that, a fact uncovered by the CMO Council: 54% of North American consumers would consider ending their loyalty relationships if they were not given tailor-made, relevant content and offers.

These statistics show that smartphones have a significant presence with shoppers yet phone apps need to be more targeted and offer greater incentives to encourage engagement. Retailers should look for ways to interact with shoppers through web-generated applications that come up instantly versus downloadable apps that create a barrier in adoption. Also, don’t rely too heavily on information or the novelty factor to earn high adoption amongst shoppers. The incentive or the entertainment factor needs to be significant enough to prompt shoppers to take out their mobile devices and engage. If done correctly, smartphones can be an important and valuable point of in-store engagement between the shopper and the retail brand. To get there, let’s look at the potential interplay between the smart sign and the smartphone.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

‘Demand shopping’ is something many retailers are talking about it and I believe it is a good example of what is possible in retailing. We are all familiar with the model. We have seen it used successfully in some of the biggest shopping brands such as QCV and Groupon. At its most basic level, it is the promotion of an item where there is a finite inventory that gets counted down both in units and time. When implemented in a store, the promotional price can be driven down based on the number of shoppers opting in. Imagine a designer handbag is displayed on a smart sign with the starting price of $80 for the next 40 minutes. The shopper is instructed to scan the QR code, triggering a web-based app to appear on his/her mobile phone. The app prompts the shopper to sign in directly on a mobile webpage or they can link in through Facebook or Twitter. Once signed in, the shopper can tag the handbag, which in turn drives down the price and sends a redemption code to their phone. Further, her friends can view the purchase and inspire a wave of similar purchases. As the number of shoppers who opt-in increase, the cost of the bag will decrease. Of course, the shoppers need to buy the item before the inventory or time runs out. Items can be selected to be displayed on the smart sign based on a planned promotional calendar, end of season items or by flagging over-inventoried items. Other brand reinforcing experiences can be voting, trivia quizes, and games.

The last idea I want to touch on is taking a standard fixture in fashion retailing — the mirror — and changing it to create a more efficient and interactive experience with the customer. By way of a plug, ComQi has launched a product called DelayMirror that ‘reflects’ an image back to the shopper with a three-second delay. In reality it is a digital screen with a mirror-like feel and a digital video camera mounted in the bezel; a media player controls the images. The shopper steps out of the dressing room in a new outfit, walks up to the DelayMirror, spins around and sees him/ herself in that outfit from the front, sides and back. Meanwhile, the ‘mirror’ can then display accessory ideas such as handbags, shoes, and jewellery alongside the shopper. The shopper can then capture the image on her smartphone and share with her friends on Facebook, or any other social media site, to get their opinions and feedback on the outfit. Good things happen when smart signs, smart phones and social media come together in retail. The technology enables retailers to create experiences for shoppers that foster a dialogue between the retail brand and its customers, a dialogue that promotes loyalty, increased conversion and increase transaction size. 

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

SCOREBOARD PRESSURE Parramattaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new big hi-def screen is the envy of the West. Story: Christopher Holder

Photography by Image One 18

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

hat a year it’s been for the Western Sydney Wanderers. The A-League’s newest team made the grand final in its first season and has attracted a large and loyal following of alreadyrusted-on supporters.

A new team needs a home. And that home is Parramatta Stadium.

Parramatta Stadium is, of course, also home to the Eels and being the most populous hub of the West seems like a natural fit. But the Wanderers could just have easily wandered off to other pastures, such as Skoda Stadium in Olympic Park. The point being, there’s plenty of competition in this sector, and a good long term tenant like the Wanderers doesn’t come along every year. Part of the infrastructure that’s now expected in any professional stadium is a big screen, and Parramatta Stadium can now boast one of Australia’s finest.

“Previously, we hired in a screen for events,” noted Parramatta Stadium Director, Luke Coleman. “But to maintain market position for events, we started looking for an opportunity to install a permanent screen.”

From there came a scoping document in preparation for a tender document… but the funding tap was never turned on. Not to be thwarted, Luke Coleman persisted and struck a deal with one of the leading players in the scoping process, Mitsubishi. 100SQM DREAM

The result is the installation of a state-of-the art LED screen that measures 12.8 metres wide by 7.68 metres high, for a total screen area of 98.3sqm. Mitsubishi Electric Diamond Vision X-Type technology powers the LED screen system, providing high brightness with low power consumption and wide viewing angles. Coupled with the Mitsubishi Electric proprietary LED controller/processor, each individual LED element is controlled to provide exceptional colour and brightness uniformity.

It’s a cracking piece of display hardware but only really half of the equation. Behind the scenes, plenty of work is required to design the hardware and software to display gameday content, or indeed advertising, scoreboard-style content… the list goes on. Mitsubishi Electric engaged TechMedia to provide the new SportLive Digital Production platform for the control room. SportLive is something TechMedia has designed from the ground up to address the unique demands of a multi-purpose sports venue, and is itself based on Scala, one of the world’s foremost digital signage content management systems. TechMedia has designed the clock and scoreboard template within SportLive, which provides the clock for the stadium’s timekeepers. And although, up to this point, SportLive has only needed to show a glimpse of what it’s capable of (largely being used to schedule live broadcast feeds and/or the scoreboard) it’s powerful and flexible enough to incorporate all manner of twitter-style crowd interaction, assign square meterage for permanent or scheduled naming rights sponsorship advertising, etc — in other words, it’s ready for anything the hirer of the venue wants to throw at it. From a back-end hardware perspective, the Newtek Tricaster acts as the audiovisual hub, allowing the screen to be addressed by multiple live HD cameras and digital sources. A central switching desk means the screen is capable of delivering high impact visual effects to rival those offered by class-leading free-to-air and Pay TV Sports Broadcast trucks. With the ability to coordinate multiple screen layouts with unlimited live data feeds and digital media playback, productions can be taken to new heights for fans, sports bodies and corporate customers alike.

“There’s a level of technical infrastructure naturally expected by national code hirer of a professional stadium like ours — certain facilities are expected. We need to provide those,” said Luke Coleman. “The fact that we now have a package that exceeds expectations is a real bonus. The Mitsubishi screen really brings us right into this century.” 

“There’s a level of technical infrastructure naturally expected by national code hirer of a professional stadium like ours”

TechMedia designed the clock and scoreboard template, which provides the clock for the stadium’s timekeepers.

Parramatta Stadium: www.parramattastadium.com.au Mitsubishi Electric: (02) 9684 7777 or sales@mitsubishielectric.com.au TechMedia (Scala): (02) 9526 7880 or www.connectedsignage.com.au

SOUTH OF THE BORDER Guzman y Gomez leads the QSR field with a long-view approach to dynamic signage. Story: Christopher Holder

ou should meet the co-founder of Guzman y Gomez, Steven Marks. He’s a loud-mouthed, fast-talking New Yorker… and, I hasten to add, instantly charming.

Steven Marks and Robert Hazan scouted Australia about 10 years ago, and discovered something any Aussie over the age of 20 already understood instinctively: Mexican food in Australia is all about packet mixes, refried gloop rolled into different shapes, syrupy daiquiris, and cornball ‘holy frijoles’ Mexican cliches. Guzman y Gomez filled the void with simple, authentic Mexican cuisine that fairly leaps off the plate with freshness. The Australian public has responded enthusiastically, allowing GYG (as the restaurant is affectionately known) to expand at a Speedy Gonzales rate — 24 locations at last count. (In fact, as you read this, GYG will have its flagship World Square restaurant opened in Sydney.) STRONG FLAVOUR

GYG’s brand is strong. The eponymous (and fictional) Messrs Guzman and Gomez have characters all their own, and the sassy attitude flows freely throughout the organisation — from the CEO down to the tomato chopper in a franchised outlet. Little wonder then that head office is committed to keeping its brand fresh and exciting. Technology

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

plays a significant role, having recently installed a sophisticated digital signage network, designed by Daraco IT.

DigitalSignage had a chat to Guzman y Gomez CFO Robert Hazan about the grand plans for the network, and how he came to make the investment: “It’s great to change the menu board artwork when we need to — I’m not downplaying the importance of that — but I think we really want to take our digital signage to a whole other level.” GETTING THE TECH RIGHT

Sounds intriguing! I thought we’d find out some more about the technical back-end goodness that promises so much, from Daraco IT Services’ David Cox. David Cox: Back when there were only five GYG outlets we identified that technology was going to be central to the rollout of the restaurants. We had conversations about the internet connection, which led to the request to play in-store music, and the capacity to centralise the data and deliver it out to the other outlets — which we did. That then evolved into an exploration of what we could do with the digital signage — namely, a central repository to update the stores in a dynamic way. Robert Hazan: I love technology and I wanted to resource our restaurants to be ahead of the curve. By which I mean, when we have the ideas,

“ I WANTED TO RESOURCE OUR RESTAURANTS TO BE AHEAD OF THE CURVE … WHEN WE HAVE THE IDEAS, IT’S A SIMPLE CASE OF HITTING THE ‘GO’ BUTTON ”

it’s a simple case of hitting the ‘go’ button — the technology wouldn’t let us down. And believe me, those ideas are happening, so I just wanted to build the restaurants in a way such that when the ideas arrived we’d be ready to roll, remembering that once you’ve fit out a restaurant, then re-cabling it is not an easy task. UNCONVENTIONAL

As at the time of going to press, Robert was tight lipped about the exact nature of his big ideas — “let’s just say, the results will be unconventional”. The network as it stands, with its gorgeous army of hi-def commercial Samsung large-format panels, looks fabulous but isn’t breaking any ‘rules’. Robert Hazan: At the moment I could be using a $90 Western Digital media player for what we’re doing. But that’s soon going to change. Sending people around restaurant to restaurant to change media is expensive, or putting SD cards in the mail, that’s a thing of the past. The Spinetix media players afford us full networkability and we’ll be able to tailor our message restaurant-to-restaurant, screen-to-screen and hour-to-hour if we want to. They’re not cheap, but I think in technology you get what you pay for. THE POSSIBILITIES

So what’s so special about the Spinetix HMP200? It’s compact (easily mounting to the screen if needs be), it’s non-PC based, has no moving parts and requires zero maintenance. It’s been designed to display full HD video combined with multiple live news feeds and animations. After Robert explained what the network was packing, he found the eyes of his ‘creatives’ lighting up.

‘GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR’ David Cox, Daraco IT Services: When it came to light what Robert and GYG had hoped to achieve we began looking at technology options. We’d worked with Spinetix media players on another project, and were impressed with their performance. Their ability to control and change content on a screen by screen basis made them ideal. We can cue up individual restaurants with unique content then return to global setting afterwards. We can synchronise multiple screens easily. They’re robust and reliable. Robert Hazan, GYG: It’s a great thing to spend money ahead of the idea, that way the idea won’t be slowed down by the technology, which is really important, because you never know when you’re going to come up with a really amazing idea. Years ago David and Daraco set us up with the ability to stream music to all the restaurants from a central point. That’s great. But it was even more useful when someone had the idea to stream live Mexican radio. We had the technology in place, so it was easy to make that idea happen. To know the possibilities are wide open, that’s what gets creative people excited. David Cox: GYG uses Samsung commercial LCD panels — which are excellent. Commercial screens have come down in price, almost to the point of parity with domestic ‘equivalents’. A 46-inch commercial screen might be 1100 bucks, which is good value. So, as a client, there’s really no point trying to save money by sourcing your own screens — you may as well get the commercial displays. You’ll find the performance is far better — better image, brightness, durability, viewing angle etc — and you’ll get a good warranty. Simple, stable, robust, easily managed, warranty — that’s what I need out of any technology purchase.

Robert Hazan: We work with some really talented creatives. When I told them what these players are capable of you could immediately see the cogs turning. For example, we have a Head of Food Innovation, who’s based in California and going on a ‘taco tour’ of Mexico. It’s not hard to imagine how we could be streaming his experiences on one of

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

GETTING CREATIVE

Tony Ibbotson from The Creative Method is one of those “highly creative types” Robert Hazan refers to. Well versed in traditional methods of conveying a message I asked him about what digital signage brings to the table. Tony Ibbotson: The obvious stuff? Today’s screens bring great images to life with their resolution and luminosity. There have been times where we’ve been asked for extra Duratrans (static backlit display ads). But when we run out the same file, the colour consistency in the printer can be different. Which can be a total disaster. You don’t have that problem with good commercial panels. So I can’t speak highly enough of digital signage.

the restaurant screens during the day. You can see the ideas going on their heads when you tell them the functionality available. TAKING THE LEAD

If you’re thinking Robert will be taking his lead from looking at what quick service restaurants (QSRs) are doing in his native New York, then think again:

Robert Hazan: New York is well ahead of the game in so many regards. But QSR hasn’t adopted digital signage in the US with any degree of sophistication. There aren’t a lot of exciting brands out there. Take Chipotle, for instance. Chipotle is the best and the biggest in our field but from a menu board perspective they keep it really, really simple. I find inspiration in areas outside the QSR market. I’m looking at the creative use of digital signage and thinking about how to apply it in GYG.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

You have a small opportunity to grab attention. And with digital signage you have to communicate something quickly. The medium enables us to animate and flip the signs over much easier, to grab attention. This area is still in its infancy, and it’s wise to stick to the accepted basics of communication. So don’t go overboard with the animations — do enough to attract attention and communicate the message. If everything has bells and whistles on, then nothing stands out — so it’s a balancing act. We’re really excited about what’s possible with the GYG network. We’re talking about one-off area-based promos — single restaurant packages — which this network can do very easily.

HOT RIGHT NOW

QSR is clearly a huge market where good digital signage can truly shine. The focus has always been on menu boards, and fair enough too, as digital menu boards provide an easy answer to flipping from a brekky menu to a lunch menu, and with the ability to change pricing on a cyclical basis or a day part ‘happy hour’ basis, digital signage is a no-brainer.

It’s exciting to anticipate what GYG has in store. I’ve no doubt the strategy will be a world-leader in this sector. But remember, none of this is ‘look at me’ vanity, it’s all rooted in sound commercial practice, namely, making money. Or as Robert Hazan put it: “Everything is about driving sales. It might be a great-looking creative campaign, but it’s still all about sales.” 

Guzman y Gomez: www.gyg.com.au Daraco IT Services: 1300 327 226 or www.daraco.com.au The Creative Method: (02) 8231 9977 or www.thecreativemethod.com Madison Technologies (Spinetix): 1800 007 780 or www.madisontech.com.au/spinetix Samsung: www.samsunglfd.com

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Teachers: Leave Those Kids Alone Queensland University of Technology squares off with a unique feat of audiovisual engineering. Story: Derek Powell Job: QUT Cube Purpose: To educate and attract student groups to the QUT Science and Engineering Centre The Team: QUT www.thecube.qut.edu.au ProAV Solutions Queensland (07) 3367 3300 or www.proavsolutions.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

s I walked up to the two-storey high screen, a life-sized whale appeared to eye me curiously. With a lazy flip of his enormous fluke, he disappeared into the distance, leaving the sonorous notes of his mysterious song resonating throughout the atrium.

The Cube hits you right in the face when you first walk into the brand new Science and Engineering Centre at Queensland University of Technology. It’s meant to, of course. But what exactly is it? I asked Gavin Winter, QUT’s Cube project manager. “The best explanation is that it is a multi-node interactive display wall…” he began enthusiastically, sounding like a typical Windows error message — totally accurate but also completely incomprehensible. Sensing my confusion, he

switched down a gear or two: “…but perhaps the best way of thinking about it is as a giant, $3.5m multiplayer video game that’s capable of absorbing busloads of school students at a time and switching them on to science and engineering”. First, let’s get some facts and figures out of the way. The Cube is actually six separate display zones totalling 145 megapixels, the largest of which is a spectacular 14 metres long by nine metres high. Several of these zones are split between edge-blended projected images on top, and dozens of interactive multi-touch monitors lower down which allow visitors to interact with and control the single giant image that spreads seamlessly across the monitors and projectors. The images are real-time animations, created by a metric tonne of custom-built servers housed two floors above. Despite The Cube consuming a staggering 45kW of power when operating, the whole building is eco-friendly, powered by

rooftop solar cells and recovered heat using state of the art ‘trigeneration’ power systems. JEWEL IN THE CROWN

The Centre’s project director Anthony Perrau explained that the vice chancellor’s vision for the new structure was “to be a building that could reach out and showcase science and technology to the broader Brisbane and perhaps the world community”. The question was how to create a feature exciting enough to draw in the students — and their teachers. Perrau knew the answer lay in some form of high impact audiovisual so he called in Professors Ian McKinnon (QUT Institute for Future Environments) and Jeff Jones (Interaction Design); together they sketched out a daring brief for an interactive attraction that would fit the bill. Time was of the essence as the building was already underway, so Jones set about organising a team to convert the dream to reality.

it is a giant, $3.5m multiplayer video game that’s capable of absorbing busloads of school students at a time and switching them on to science and engineering

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING TAKING SHAPE

The 55-inch touchscreens are made by Multitouch from Finland and they really are unlike anything seen before. “Their product is unique in that it is a ‘computer vision through screen’ touchscreen, which is essentially cameras seeing through the panel not only your hand, but yourself. So the touch panel knows you are there,” Winter explained.

“The unique characteristic of this technology is that it can be strung together in lengths. Typically a touch panel will have very large edges and you can’t do that.” Each touchscreen, with its internal PC, becomes a “game controller” that several people can manipulate at once, all linked back to the servers. There are currently five different programs, all developed in-house by a team of programmers and visual artists. Though the computer and display systems are all integrated, different programs can run at once using different faces of The Cube. ‘The Virtual Reef ’ is a majestic, life-size animation of a real part of the Great Barrier Reef that allows viewers to manipulate and interact with a scientifically accurate cross section of aqualife. As students explore, they learn about specific marine animal behaviours and relationships. WOW

So does it all work? Can a bunch of projectors and monitors actually get people in and inspire them? If the visitors I saw are anything to judge, then the answer is a resounding yes. The most common comment heard from visitors was simply, “Wow!” Winter is well pleased with the response from his visitors. “Kids know exactly what to do when they get here,” he noted. “It’s just that gravitational pull that the walls have, and straight away they go — ‘well I understand what this is; now how can I play with it?’” 

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

To make it all work, QUT contracted integrator ProAV Solutions Queensland (formerly AVI) for the supply and installation of equipment and more than 8km of mostly Cat6a wiring. Five AMX Enova routers handling trunking and the interconnection between the graphics outputs from the servers, and the projectors and monitors. For the edge-blended projectors, the router outputs feed TV One CorioMaster videowall processors which provide ultimate flexibility to send any image to any combination of screens. Audio has certainly not been forgotten. A 96 x 80 Biamp Tesira DSP system provides mixing and processing with outputs transported and routed via the AMX DGX down to the main displays. MultiTouch: www.multitaction.com Panasonic Projection: panasonic.net/avc/projector/products BiAmp: www.biamp.com AMX: www.amxaustralia.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

NAVORI ANDROID PLAYER

BOWRAL RETREAT

Navori has introduced their new Android-based digital signage media player, QL STiX 2400, a plug-and-play device with the power of a PC at a fraction of the cost and size. The new media players are a highly cost-effective digital signage solution. They are based on Rockchip ARM processors similar to those used in mobile devices. The Rockchip components provide roughly the same quality and power of a PC with no limitations when compared to the Windows-based platforms. The STiX 2400 can be used with either the self-hosted server or the Navori SAAS solution. When used with SAAS, the STiX is a true plug and play device.

Guest television services are an everyday part of life in any hotel, they are quite literally a part of the furniture, but when the technology doesn’t work properly, the problems can begin to turn a passive part of hotel life into a burden for its staff and guests. Gibraltar Hotel Bowral, NSW, is a privately owned upscale hotel venue, with 21 acres of land, golf course, restaurants, bars and a luxury spa. For a time, however, the TV services far from matched the high standard set by the rest of the venue, owner and founder Liz Uliana knew something had to be done.

Navori President and CEO Jérôme Moeri says, “The intent is to move digital signage towards the mass market and to enable people without a technical background to plug and play a solution that will work. And it’s going to get better. This product comes with a dual-core CPU, but within the next five months Navori will be rolling out a quad-core player, exactly the same as mobile technologies, so this new generation ... will be more powerful than a computer.” The player measures 90mm x 40mm x 10mm and is compliant with Windows-based networks. The new player can run beside the Windows players and supports 10 video formats up to 1080p, images, flash, html, streaming and IPTV. The Navori multi-layer and multi-zone templates are supported along with RSS XML feeds. The Android device maintains Navori’s real-time monitoring with alerts, events and notifications through either the manager dashboard or email and continues to provide detailed playback reporting. Available from June.

Command Digital Signage: 1300 780 204 or sales@commandaustralia.com.au

“We chose a reputable brand for our IPTV, digital signage and video on demand installation and had confidence that it would fit our venue perfectly, however, it soon became obvious that the solution wasn’t working the way it should and something needed to change.” In fact, their existing system was cause for real concern, averaging between eight to 15 complaints per day. This resulted in staff being distracted from important customer care duties whilst they tried to resolve problems with technology that they did not fully understand. “We decided that enough was enough and looked into the market for an alternative. Our AV supplier recommended we spoke with Tripleplay and we’re absolutely delighted that we did.” Tripleplay and its partner Computers Now specified a system that would suit Gibraltar Hotel’s requirements, fully integrating IPTV, video on demand and digital signage through a single server, while also creating a stylish and customised Guest User Portal. It took just one day to swap out the existing solution and instantly reduced guest TV related complaints to zero overnight.

Computers Now: www.compnow.com.au Tripleplay Services: www.tripleplay-services.com

Four out of five consumers use smartphones to shop. SAMSUNG HAS YOU COVERED: Samsung has announced its new range of pro commercial displays: the MEC, UEC, UDC, PEC series of digital signage products. The MEC series of slim, eco-friendly LED large format displays reduce costs for businesses and are ideal for commercial, public, corporate and information digital signage solutions that require crisp images with accurate colour representation. The UEC Series of large format displays for video wall solutions sport a narrow bezel that keeps the viewer’s focus on the image — not the monitor — making a business’s message stand out in an array of environments, including retail stores, corporate offices, hotels,

NEWS:

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

and restaurants. The premium UDC Series of video wall displays feature an ultra-slim bezel, 700nit high brightness, 8GB of memory, ACM (Advanced Color Management), and an easy installation kit for a cost-effective solution that can be used in airports, restaurants and 24-hour commercial locations. Finally, the PEC series features an ultra-slim, lightweight design that allows users to enjoy an expansive, enhanced visual experience in environments such as airports, restaurants and 24-hour retail shops, always on video walls. Samsung: www.samsunglfd.com MANTARAY GUN: Haivision has a powerful and low-cost approach to

digital signage — the Mantaray player for CoolSign. Mantaray is an integrated player appliance combining the powerful CoolSign ad player technology with a cost-effective and reliable Androidbased operating system. Designed for networks that scale, CoolSign and Mantaray offer stadiums, universities, and global corporations sophisticated content management, dynamic data, and scheduling. Mantaray incorporates CoolSign’s DataWatcher technology for real-time and automated information updates and supports player-level scheduling, multiple regions, smooth tickers, full-motion 1080p60 video playout, and wired or wireless network connections. Using Mantaray, CoolSign

READY TO ROCK

I’LL TAKE TWO

i-Display and i-Touch products allow brands and retailers to transform the customer retail experience. The hardware and software have been designed for commercial use and include important features such as auto-play content, auto-copy, auto detect and password protection functions. A VESA mounting system on the back of the devices enable various mounting solutions to fit perfectly into any retail or hospitality environment. Embedded Wi-Fi and 3G options allow for easy integration to web-based remote content management systems. The Android OS provides users the ability to utilise a wide variety of retail applications to promote products, run campaigns, collect data, entertain customers and communicate with them in-store. Australia’s i-Touch Digital will show you how to build and create your own digital signage. Select the right hardware and software to develop the right strategy to map out and create your high impact, multi-touch, interactive and motion graphics content for your new digital signage platform easily, inexpensively and fast. Without trouble, maintain and update your digital content in real time using Flypaper software.

Matrox Mura MPX Series controller boards were selected to power a corporate jet showroom’s 32-monitor video wall to display available aircraft to clients. The Jet Business had the visually stunning video wall designed by system integrator Candeo Vision. Built in collaboration with PSCo Technical Distribution, the 8x4 wall of NEC displays is driven by a Matroxvalidated HP controller system and provides clients with an unparalleled shopping experience.

iTouch Digital: (02) 8060 2190 or www.i-touchdigital.com.au

Key data such as fuel economy and speed are accessed on the wall in The Jet Business showroom via a custom Apple iPad app. Commands from the iPad make their way to a custom, local Mura MPX controller app, built by Candeo Vision with the easy-to-use Mura Network API. The app enables easy navigation between different models and can even overlay full-sized cross-sections on the video wall to compare walking room and overall size. “The API interface was used to create layouts dynamically, manage the capture process, and control window visibility,” said Candeo Vision director Alan Betts.

New Magic: (03) 9722 9700 or www.newmagic.com.au

22% of smartphone owners have used a shopping application in the past three months (US). network administrators get realtime playout feedback, playlogs, and can manage and upgrade players remotely. IDT: 1300 666 099 or sales@idt.com.au AAVARA SIMPLY CABLING: Aavara has a new digital signage product designed to simplify cabling of digital signage and commercial installation. The PD3000 HD Video Tree Chain Cat5e Broadcaster sends ultra-high quality HDMI video and CD quality audio broadcasts to multiple TVs/displays/projectors up to 100m by a single Cat5e connection. When used in a tree topology, each repeater will send the HDMI

and audio signal to two different screens. The PD3000 also supports a 10 layer ‘daisy-chain’ for up to 1000m or even longer of signal distribution. This means that up to 100 TVs, displays or projectors can be supported. The Aavara PD3000, when combined with the Aavara PB5000 HDMI-Over-IP, is ideal for complex digital signage installations at locations such as airports, shopping malls, department stores, transit/bus/metro stations, hotel, healthcare and education institutions. Madison Audio Visual: 1800 007 780 or www.madisontech.com.au

SHARP’S GRAND STATEMENT: Sharp has taken ‘eye grabbing’ to a whole new level with the release of the new PN-R903 90-inch Professional LCD monitor, the ‘largest commercial LCD Monitor available in Australia’. With multiple image enhancing technologies and the option to mount the screen in portrait or landscape, the new monitor provides the perfect platform for highly engaging installations. Ideal for 24-hour use, the PN-R903 boasts a monitor large enough to exhibit realistic life-size images — making this colossus screen a great addition to a range of indoor and semi-indoor environments

such as retail stores, airports, hospitality venues, educational institutes, and conference rooms. RRP: $36,995. Sharp: 1300 135 530 or www.sharp.net.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

WHO’S WHO:

YOUR GO-TO GUIDE FOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE

3M AUSTRALIA 136 136 www.3M.com/touch AERIS SOLUTIONS (03) 9544 6902 www.aerissolutions.com.au

COMMAND DIGITAL SIGNAGE Unit 2, 30 Park Road Mulgrave, NSW, 2756 Level 2, 22 Township Drive Burleigh Heads, QLD, 4213 1300 780 204 sales@commandaustralia.com.au www.commandaustralia.com.au

ADVANTECH AUSTRALIA (03) 9797 0100 www.advantech.com

AMBER TECHNOLOGY (02) 9452 8600 www.ambertech.com.au

AMX Australia (07) 5531 3103 5 Commercial Drive Southport, Qld 4215 info@amxaustralia.com.au www.amxaustralia.com.au AMX is synonymous with networking and control systems. Not surprisingly AMX has entered the digital signage industry in its own right (after all, AMX supply a huge amount of gear for everyone else’s DOOH) and have on offer two products. Inspired Xpress is for smaller or simpler installations with a ‘tiny’ media player called the Is-Xpress-1000. The integrated software is comprehensive, yet straightforward and intuitive enough to cater to clients to get their screens up and running quickly with a minimum of servicing the message afterwards. Inspired Xpert is – as you might guess – a more serious DOOH product with better options like HD broadcasting that, among many other extras, takes advantage of those system command and control devices that AMX has in other corners of the warehouse to provide fully-blown large networks. Plus with Inspired XPert customers have access to custom content development and content management services from AMX.

CISCO SYSTEMS (02) 8446 5000 www.cisco.com/go/dms

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

COMMUNITECH (07) 3205 6188 www.communitech.com.au

29/11/12

DYNAMIC VISUAL SOLUTIONS (02) 9431 6070 www.dynamicvisualsystems.com.au ESCENTIA 1300 729 866 www.escientia.com.au FUJITSU DIGITAL MEDIA SOLUTIONS (03) 9924 3468 www.fujitsu.com.au

GENCOM (AUSTRALIA) (02) 9888 8208 www.gencom.com

HARRIS CORPORATION (02) 9975 9700 www.harris.com HERMA TECHNOLOGIES (03) 9480 6233 www.herma.com.au HEWLETT-PACKARD 1300 305 017 www.hp.com.au

DAT MEDIA (07) 5575 7798 Ground Floor, 183 Varsity Parade Varsity Lakes Qld 4227 sales@datmedia.com.au www.datmedia.com.au

AVICO (02) 9624 7977 www.avico.com.au

FINAL_v2w_dsm ad SECOND EDITION.pdf

Command is a specialist digital signage and wayfinding supplier, installer and technology partner. Command is the distributor of the successful Navori digital signage software, a multi-user, multi-site management and screen display software, now including the low cost Android hardware player. Navori is a technically advanced solution suitable for all types of installations from Small Business to Enterprise as either a self-hosted or SAAS system. As a technical partner, Command can provide full supply, project management and installation for the deployment of digital signage systems for corporate, government, hospital, education, small business, retail, stadium and specialist requirements. Command’s product range includes Wayfinding, GlassVu projection films, RoomManager software, kiosks, video extenders, LED displays, media players and a range of mini computers. With 11 years specialising in digital signage, Command’s experience is guaranteed to leave their customers satisfied and productive. In summary, Command is your one stop shop for digital signage solutions and interactive displays.

then a developing media. The strategy resulted in DAT Media creating a complete digital media network for BIG W that now includes in-store radio, digital signage, register Point Of Sale (POS) and a customer queuing solution that reduces the frustration of being caught in a long – or even wrong – queue. DAT Media expanded rapidly as they claimed some serious scalps for clients – among them Coles, Target and ABC Shops. DAT Media offer a comprehensive Content Management System and can assist new clients in broadcasting material across existing networks such as those mentioned above or will help you create a complete digital signage network from the ground up. They also have a Creative Services department that can take the hassle out of putting everything together.

DAT Media was established in 2003 to manage BIG W’s national in-store radio network. With over 15 years experience within the in-store media industry, Managing Director Andrew Becker was quick to notice the emergence of digital signage advertising within the retail sector. He began focusing on creat10:49 ing AM a visual media solution for current and future clients to harness the power of what was still back

Medialon’s strong history in show control systems, IC will no doubt have a neat trick or two to suggest for impressing your audience.

IMAGE DESIGN TECHNOLOGY (IDT) 1300 666 099 Unit 2, 33-35 Alleyne Street, Chatswood Nsw 2057 Sales@idt.com.au www.idt.com.au Image Design Technology (IDT) is based in Chatswood, NSW and operates primarily as a wholesale supplier of signal distribution equipment and commercial video displays including, of course, digital signage devices. Among a long list of products IDT is the distributor of Brightsign solid state digital signage devices and Magenta signal distribution solutions. Displays include NEC and Samsung screens. IDT doesn’t have any one particular digital signage service or software application to which they align themselves to – it doesn’t have its ‘own’ complete digital signage solution aside from the Brightsign products – instead, IDT’s specialty is in providing from its catalogue of preferred manufacturers of display and monitor screens, media players, streaming video over IP, matrix and signal distribution boxes – you name it, to get the job done. Have a look at the credits for any major project undertaken in Australia during the last few years and you’ll probably find IDT has been involved somewhere along the line.

In 2004 Interactivity was set up as a result of a partnership between F1 Software to develop the Interactivity foil which enables any window to become fully interactive ‘through the glass’ by allowing anyone, using their finger, to interact with a rear projected image or screen behind the glass. Interactivity is now embedded in this emerging popular industry of Interactive and Digital Signage and associated products. Its products and services are known for reliability, functionality and most importantly our ability to future proof the technology we deliver.

ISIGNPAK (02) 9457 6945 or www.isignpak.com

INNOVATEQ (03) 9465 5055 www.innovateq.com.au INSTOREVISION 0412 960182 www.instorevision.com.au/digital-signage/

interactive controls

pty ltd

INTERACTIVE CONTROLS (02) 9436 3022 or www.interactivecontrols.com.au

INTERACTIVITY 1300 797 199 Level 1, 1268 - 1270 High Street Armadale, VIC, 3143 sales@interactivity.com.au www.interactivity.com.au

KVM AUSTRALIA (08) 9411 6333 www.kvm.com.au

LED-SIGNS 1300 553 555 or www.led-signs.com.su

of communications infrastructure products for the Professional Broadcast, Audio Visual, Building Services and Telecommunications Industries. With more than 16 years of market experience, an extensive product range and a national team of over 100 staff, Madison Technologies is a company providing complete communications solutions. Madison’s main expertise lies in its massive catalogue of electronic goods, from enormous rolls of cabling to the smallest bits and pieces. Madison is the Australian agent for a wide range of products that are used in the digital signage business; names such as SpinetiX and 3M to mention just a few. Australian owned and operated, recently Madison Technologies was awarded a $1 million contract to provide custom manufactured low voltage copper cable and fibre optic cable for Airport Link in Queensland, the second largest infrastructure project the city of Brisbane has seen. It doesn’t mean they won’t help you out finding a 0.99 cent fuse though.

MITSUBISHI ELECTRIC (02) 9684 7777 348 Victoria Rd Rydalmere, NSW, 2116 sales@mitsubishi.com.au www.mitsubishielectric.com.au Similar to some of the other, large electronics companies listed here, Mitsubishi Electric can put its hand up as a digital signage provider courtesy of a range of public LCD display models. Sizes range from 32- to 46-inch models in designs that can stand alone, or there are the ‘Slim-line’ models from 42- to 65-inch – ‘slim’ being the size of the bezes, not the depth of the unit – and finally there are two specialty displays of 46-inch and 56-inch that can be employed in a video wall configuration. However, taking things a little further than just having fancy LCD tellies, the Mitsubishi Electric LCDs have inbuilt Cat5 receivers and an accompanying transmitter box which makes them ready-to-go for hooking up to any digital signage content source. Up to five of the displays can be daisy-chained together via the Cat5.

LG ELECTRONICS (02) 8805 4409 or www.lg.com.au

Interactive Controls (IC) offers a variety of services to customers from consultation to sales, hire and installation of display and control system equipment and software. They also design and develop media and hardware control systems for specific events, installations, film and commercial shoots, exhibitions, museums... okay, you get the picture. Medialon and Dataton hardware and software products get the nod from Interactive Controls and for digital signage in particular IC offers the Medialon show MADISON TECHNOLOGIES and media control software and embedded controlSpecialist AV Division lers along with Dataton Watchout and Medialon MIP 1800 00 77 80 HD Interactive Media Player. There is also the MediAustralia wide alon Scheduler application, which allows control of multiple venues and screens from a central server. 10:49 avexperts@madisontech.com.au FINAL_v2w_dsm ad SECOND EDITION.pdf 1 29/11/12 AM www.madisonthech.com.au Given Interactive Controls’ wide experience in installing innovative display systems it can help you Madison Technologies specialises in the supply choose the best way to deliver your vision and with

MOOD MEDIA AUSTRALIA 1800 808 368 www.moodmedia.com.au

NEC AUSTRALIA 131 632 Level 14, 141 Walker Street North Sydney, NSW 2060 displays@nec.com.au www.nec.com.au

WHO’S WHO:

YOUR GO-TO GUIDE FOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE

NEC Live is NEC’s leading digital signage solution that lets you distribute dynamic video, images, text and more to display screens anywhere, anytime. With NEC Live you are empowered to dynamically display digital content across your network on NEC Commercial LCD panels based upon the individual schedules for each panel. The NEC Live user interface is easy to use, yet with the power and flexibility that is only limited by your imagination to achieve your communication objectives with your target audience. The NEC Live solution includes a range of commercial grade LCD panels offering full high definition performance and many supporting technologies to address the most demanding digital signage applications. Whether it be reliability over an operating cycle of 24 hours x 7 days, or an ultra narrow bezel for a video wall or ensuring that content is visible when an LCD panel is in an location heavy with sunlight, NEC has the LCD commercial panel to ensure you maximise your communications to your target audience.

PANASONIC AUSTRALIA 02 9491 7400 1 Innovation Road Macquarie Park, NSW 2113 sales@au.panasonic.com www.panasonic.com.au It shouldn’t come as a surprise that Panasonic, which already has a huge manufacturing base for televisions and monitors, should jump on the digital signage bandwagon. It’s fronted by the Commercial Plasma Display series of products that come in two configurations. One is a selection of Optional Terminal Boards that will convert your Panasonic plasma screen of choice to accept data signals to suit your needs ranging from digital PC inputs to the humble RCA video component. Alternatively there is an Embedded Solution with a small PC installed into the plasma that can operate as a stand-alone display without a network. Panasonic can provide DOOH authoring and network control software in the form of its digital signage application, NDS 3.1, which can apparently feed both analogue and digital screens in a variety of formats suggesting that your digital signage network doesn’t necessarily need to be confined to Panasonic’s plasma range. As long as it’s a Panasonic display of some kind, I’m sure they’ll figure out a way to hook it up to your DOOH display.

QUINTO COMMUNICATIONS (02) 9894 4244 or www.quinto.com.au

SALIENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (02) 93135111 or www.salient.com.au TECHMEDIA DIGITAL SYSTEMS (SCALA) (02) 9526 7880 Unit 7 / 65 Captain Cook Drive Taren Point NSW 2229 info@techmedia.com.au www.connectedsignage.com.au SAMSUNG 1300 362603 8 Parkview Drive Homebush, NSW 2127 sales@samsung.com www.samsung.com Samsung’s digital signage is centred on its Large Format Display (LFD) range, a screen with chameleon characteristics in its role as the basis for all Samsung’s DOOH products. There is a straightforward model that can be used either stand-alone in portrait or landscape mode or as a part of a limited multi-screen display. A slightly different UD model can be linked with up to 250 units for a wall of vision. There is a Touchscreen version including an outdoor type with features to withstand the elements and a specialised uVending model for installing in the front of vending machines. MagicInfo is Samsung’s proprietary software for content control and creations. Samsung’s PROM system is already taking DOOH solutions along the fast-developing path of providing audience statistics to tailor the signage content. A wide dynamic range (WDR) camera embedded discreetly somewhere in the installation captures and recognises faces to determine who is actually watching the screen. PROM can either just collate the information for market analysis or actively change the display according to who is viewing it. It’s both clever and almost scary ‘big brother’ stuff. We’re assured these systems are completely anonymous. Still, maybe keep one hand on your wallet.

THE SCREENMEDIA GROUP (02) 8090 6565 www.thescreenmediagroup.com SHARP AUSTRALIA 1300 13 55 30 www.sharp.net.au RVISION (02) 8188 0882 www.rvision.net.au

PLAYCOM (02) 8815 6600 22/89 Jones Street, Ultimo info@playcom.com.au www.playcom.com.au Today Playcom operates throughout Australia and beyond with hundreds of commercial sites connected to its services. Playcom has moved beyond just music but the vision is unchanged: to provide top quality digital media entertainment solutions to businesses. In achieving this vision, Playcom has developed enormous content libraries, unique customisation techniques, unrivalled delivery technology and super-reliable hardware.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Scala boasts an impressive list of clientele and is responsible for over 200,000 screens worldwide. Scala’s experience shows in its product; the comprehensive content creation and distribution software goes one step further with Scala Ad Manager, an accounting add-on that handles the financial side of your DOOH business such as generating invoices. In the hardware department, Scala has its own Scala Player for linking with the Content Manager software. From there Techmedia will source display screens and networks best suited to the job.

TECHTEL (02) 9906 1488 www.techtel.tv

TELSTRA 1300 835 782 www.telstraenterprise.com

VISION2WATCH (02) 9502 4800 www.vision2watch.com.au sales@vision2watch.com.au As part of Vision2Watch global, Vision2Watch Australia is locally owned and operated. We deliver a range of out-of-home (OOH) Interactive and Digital Solutions to transform ordinary spaces and surfaces into touch and motion-activated displays. We’re also excited to be involved with Augmented Reality (AR) technology — specialising in the development of customised AR applications to help our clients achieve a cutting-edge promotional campaign.

SONY AUSTRALIA 1800 017669 www.sony.com.au STREAMING MEDIA (02) 9460 0877 www.streamingmedia.net.au

STREAMVISION PTY LTD 1300 300 407 www.streamvision.com.au

SUMO VISUAL SOLUTIONS (03) 9429 4552 info@sumovisual.com.au

TechMedia is one of Australia’s premier digital visual communications companies. TechMedia’s expertise is centered around the digital platforms, content and services driving the growth in Connected Signage and DOOH. With over 17 years of experience with Scala-based network deployment and management as well as customised hardware and data integration development, there is an abundance of local knowledge to tap into.

WILSON & GILKES (02) 9914 0900 www.gilkon.com.au

Should your business be included in our Who’s Who section? Listing is free. Contact Chris Holder at chris@dsmag.com.au

9 771832 143005

— Robert Hazan, CFO Guzman y Gomez

“It’s great to change the menu board artwork when we need to — I’m not downplaying the importance of that — but I think we really want to take our digital signage to a whole other level.”

issue #8

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Comment:

When signage is in a class of its own

Story: Mug Punter

got bitten by a crocodile once. Well — okay, I thought I’d been bitten by a crocodile, which is just as bad. Upon closer inspection it seemed more likely I’d stepped on a broken bottle in the middle of the river. There was a lot of blood — a lot of blood — of the kind that attracts crocodiles I might add. We were on a school excursion, the annual getaway for the kids and teachers alike and my school decided the ideal exercise was to take the entire class for a swim in a crocodile-infested river. To be fair, no one knew it was teeming with nasty critters at the time. The current thinking was maybe one croc per mile of river, so safe odds, and besides, the classroom was getting a little crowded. A survey a few years later revealed something like 300 crocodiles per mile. That’s a lot of handbags. It might explain why Timmy never came back that day, too. I was rescued by our physical education teacher, who was also the region’s Miss Australia contestant. In an old Holden ute she drove me one-handed 50km to a hospital, chain-smoking with the other hand. I guessed she was actually quite glad to be escaping the maddened horde back at the riverside, although the kid bleeding to death beside her must have spoiled the mood somewhat. Ah, fond memories. The education system just ain’t what it used to be… SWIMMING AGAINST THE STREAM

Most of my school excursions involved water. Several grades earlier and about 2000km to the south, our annual school picnic was at a local weir. The kind where your feet sink into an stygian sludge at the water’s edge and there’s bound to be a dead cow stuck under a log somewhere upstream. Swimming was compulsory to ensure you enjoyed yourself. Teacher supervision involved a headcount when we got off the bus, then another headcount when we were getting back on to leave. The hours in-between these, it was fend for yourselves. The sludge took its toll. The point is that in our present-day, enlightened education system the students enjoy their annual excursion in… oh, Paris or London; maybe Japan — certainly nowhere near crocodile-infested unless they go to New York and even then you have to nip down into the sewers. Everything has changed enormously in just a few decades. Has it done any good? BOARD SENSELESS

The modern classroom is a wonderland of technology — of network communications, digital signage and high-definition projection. It’s amazing to think that some kids today don’t even know what a whiteboard is, let alone a blackboard. Recently, there was a minor bun-fight over trying to standardise exactly what kind of personal computer students should (not could, mind you) bring to school. Laptop or tablet — or just a phone? Mac or Android? Back in the 1970s there was outrage that students were finally allowed

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to bring ‘scientific’ calculators to school for dealing with all those cosine/tangent mindbenders vital to a good education — putting slide-rule manufacturers out of a job.

At least we had some AV at school — actually, it was TV. There was a television room and everybody filed inside in time to watch a program on the ABC — ‘Frogs of the Upper Derwent’ or something (ABC funding wasn’t huge… nothing’s changed there). Our school’s TV broke down on July 20th 1969. I was home with a bad cold. My mother invited my whole class over to watch the moon landing and I got caught in my pyjamas. Scarred for life, it’s incredible I can work in the AV business at all. $1000 A THROW?

Back to the present, it’s not surprising many teachers are leaving the education sector. Some are disillusioned with becoming little more than custodians of the classroom’s remote control. Some hate the idea they’re not allowed to deliver the swift kick up the arse so many students richly deserve. My personal theory is that teachers are disappointed they can no longer chuck stuff — at students obviously. It isn’t so much they’re not allowed to (although pinging students may be verboten in certain nanny-state jurisdictions), the problem is that the modern IT-rich classroom is utterly devoid of chuckable items. Yes, you have the aforementioned remote control, but after that? There’s no chalk, no blackboard duster, no pens or pencils… how on earth are teachers expected to snap back the attention of a day-dreaming student nowadays? Send them a text? Post an acerbic comment on the kid’s Facebook page?

When you look at the outstanding work QUT has done with The Cube space [see page 24] you have to ask yourself, what are bad students made to do these days? Stay behind after class and microfibre the LCDs? Clean the filter on the spare projector? It’s plainly an impossible situation. The answer is to give back teachers something to chuck. Mete out the discipline on the spot with a well-aimed missile. Potential ammunition could be spare AAA batteries. Surely they wouldn’t inflict any lasting injury? Any thumb-drives under 2GB capacity are cost effective, don’t have sharp edges and are aerodynamic, too. Under extreme provocation a teacher could hurl an iPad. I regularly throw mine across the room and it still works. Students couldn’t possibly complain. Their biggest problem is jet lag, mostly. Copping a AAA in the eye’s no big deal. Hell, back in my day we were often bitten by crocodiles, if we didn’t keep paying attention — not sure if I mentioned that. 

DigitalSignage magazine wants to know what you’re up to. Share your plans and opinions with Chris Holder on chris@dsmag.com.au