DigitalSignage issue 9 by Alchemedia Publishing

$6.95 inc GST

9 771832 143005

Make Great Digital Signage Visit the Amber Technology stand at INTEGRATE EXPO (Hall 5, F22) to discover the latest Digital Signage Solutions from Gefen.

Distributed by Amber Technology | Unit 1, 2 Daydream St, Warriewood NSW 2102 FREE PHONE 1 800 251 367 www.ambertech.com.au display@ambertech.com.au

Editorial:

Wish You Were Here

Story: Christopher Holder

fter a few years of publishing DigitalSignage it’s interesting to observe where screen media has found an instant and natural home. Clearly, there’s a place for dynamic screen media where there was once static signboards: quick service restaurants is an easy fit; the front window of your local real estate agent is another; wayfinding kiosks in shopping malls are now all digital; the out-of-home space has been transformed; while conference venues are fairly universally throwing out their Letraset pegboards for digital signage as well. None of this is unexpected.

having a big portrait-oriented display in your change room can feel a little creepy… let alone a web cam

New applications for hi-def, thin-bezelled, high-brightness commercial displays are plentiful if not totally immediately imminent. At the recent InfoComm show in Orlando, screen manufacturers were whetting our appetite with new and exciting glimpses of the future. I’ll give you a few examples: there’s the LCD panel that can front a soft drink dispensing machines. Being a raw panel, it remains transparent while you make your selection, and then can slap you upside the head with an advertisement during the 20 seconds it takes to dispense the product. Perfect! There’s plenty of ‘what if ?’ uses of digital displays in the retail fashion space. Technology exists to virtually mix and match outfits, capture the image, share the image, and on it goes. The virtual clothing feature is still clunky. What’s more, having a big portrait-oriented display in your change room can feel a little creepy… let alone a web cam. What’s arguably more powerful is showing video of your clothing range in ‘action’ (on the catwalk or in a halfpipe) and using additional screens to itemise the apparel — “hey, I can wear the same bikini as Anastasia Ashley!” As a postscript, af-

fordable displays that allow for the life-size representation of models (in portrait mode) is quite a big deal for fashion. After all, mannequins have been a proven sales device for some time now!

Interactivity promises much — anything that gives consumers a reason to tarry is a good thing and ‘experiencing’ a product is the holy grail. This issue we profile Jockey’s clever Y Front interactive execution, which ably demonstrates how making your interaction fun and engaging will ensuring you’ve made a meaningful contact. Interactivity and augmented reality have a long way to play and the applications are as exciting as they are plentiful. But...

Isn’t it amazing how digital signage is at its most potent in more traditional settings? To illustrate what I’m saying, at one logical extreme, self-evidently, digital signage is of no use to an eBay retailer. There’s no shop front and it’s all about Google Adwords and ranking. Conversely, imagine what good signage could do for your local dry cleaner, or cobbler, or anywhere else that’s utterly dependent on a face-to-face transaction. This minor epiphany came to me while thinking about our Orient Express Travel cover story. ‘Mum and Dad’ high street travel agents are engaged in the fight of their lives to compete against the internet and the big shopping mall chains. There’s no shortage of expertise and customer service in these shops, but you need to entice people off the street to show them what you’ve got! And here’s where screen media comes into its own. Bon Voyage! 

Christopher Holder, Editorial Director chris@dsmag.com

ATTRACT, INTERACT, SHARE, INFORM, COLLABORATE, PRESENT, PLAY The JTT-42 Multi-Touch Table provides a unique Bezel Free Multi-Touch Table experience. The table is built tough for retail, hospitality and high-traffic applications, ensuring high reliability and high customer satisfaction.

FEATURES & BENEFITS • Elegant, bezel-free design • 10-point multi-touch • Reliable 42-inch FHD LCD • Highly durable 6mm thick toughened glass touchscreen • Touchscreen unaffected by high light levels, liquids, grease, etc. • Spillproof – suitable for use in pubs, clubs, dining areas. • 3 different table heights available

TOUCHTECH LIMA MULTI-TOUCH SOFTWARE Lima is a premium multi-touch software platform that turns pictures, videos and documents into fun, engaging interactive experiences, accessible in any social environment. Lima works on existing content straight out of the box, eliminating the need to resize or reformat the content.

sales@jeatech.com.au

03 9757 5060

www.jeatech.com.au

CONTENTS ISSUE 9 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 & Design: Dominic Carey (dominic@alchemedia.com.au) Additional 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)

Circulation Manager:

IN ACTION 10 Fasta Pasta, Adelaide 12 Blacktown Sportspark, Sydney

Mim Mulcahy (subscriptions@dsmag.com.au)

FEATURES 20 City Evolutions, Newcastle 22 Jockey Y Fronts Interactive 24 Orient Express Travel Group 26 BBQ Stopper Outdoor Screen

COLUMNS 14 Ron Graham, Media On The Go REFERENCE 30 Whoâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Who Company Profiles TECHNOLOGY 16 Spinetix Elementi COMMENT 34 Mug Punter: Walk the Talk

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. 12/8/13

The New Samsung Solution Displays Line –up with Smart Signage Platform

The new Samsung ME-C, MD-C,PE-C, UE-C and UD-C series LED*BLU offer great new features for digital signage applications, video wall set ups and information sharing. The Samsung Smart Signage Platform (SSSP) is designed to eliminate the need for external PC media players, helping to streamline display and content management. Combine with MagicInfo™ Premium S software, to create, schedule and deliver content to either a single display or multiple displays over a network. **^

The new Samsung Smart Signage Platform Enabling web based^ multi-display signage networks* without the need for external media players! Included with the latest ME-C, MD-C, PE-C, UE-C and UD-C series displays, the Samsung Smart Signage Platform (SSSP) eliminates the need for external PC media players, streamlining display and content management. Combine with MagicInfo™ Premium S software to create, schedule and deliver content to either a single display or multiple displays over a network.*^ Use MagicInfo™ Videowall S software to manage content across an array of displays in a video wall. (max 16 displays)**^

DP1.2 Ultra High Definition Loop Out for 2 x 2 Video Wall Configurations^^ The new Samsung ME-C, UE-C, PE-C and UD-C series displays utilises DP1.2 technology to help enable delivery of UHD content across 4 separate displays (each display sold separately) when set up in a 2 x 2 landscape video wall configuration. Simply loop out of the first display with a DP1.2 cable, daisy chain the displays and they are ready to accept Ultra High Definition (3820 x 2160) content.

The new SSSP, streamlining content and display management

Share Content to multiple displays with DP1.2 Loop Out daisy chain*

Easy content rotation

*HDCP up to 7 displays.

Create, collaborate, communicate

Images simulated for illustration purposes only.

* MagicInfo™ Premium S software is included with displays for stand-alone applications only. For network applications, server licenses are required at additional cost. **MagicInfo VideoWall requires one licence at additional cost per display in video wall plus console software at additional cost. ^ Internet connection required. Data and subscription charges may apply. Usage may be subject to third party service provider agreements

Take a closer look

www.samsung.com/au/business it.sales@samsung.com

Saucing the Right Tools Fasta Pasta is piloting digital menuboards.

In Action

Just Digital Signage: 1300 339 873 or www.JustDigitalSignage.com.au Hybrid Marketing: (08) 8113 0400 or www.hybridmarketing.com.au Mitsubishi: (02) 9684 7777 or www.mitsubishelectric.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Fasta Pasta has been eyeing off digital menuboards for some time now. When Rob Porcaro took on a food court franchise, the stars aligned — it was time to jump in. Why so? The Rundall Place site (downtown Adelaide) was the first food court outlet for Fasta Pasta, and without printed menus, the case for digital menuboards was much clearer; and for Rob, as director of Hybrid Marketing (Fasta Pasta’s national marketing agency), this was the perfect ‘suck it and see’ signage test site. “It was a case of putting my money where my mouth was,” confessed Rob Porcaro. “It was Fasta Pasta’s first food court outlet, and having done the marketing for some time I felt it was a great investment.” It also provided Fasta Pasta with the perfect digital signage guinea pig. “We’re up to v3.1 of the digital signage layout. We’ve tried every permutation of images and text and we’re learning all the time. The jury is in: large images and not much text. “We’re in a food court, so most of our trade is in the lunchtime period. We make all our food to order, and we have to turn those orders around in under five minutes. People are pushed for time. So we’ve found that of the seven screens we’ve installed, 90 percent of our orders come from the first three screens, after that it’s really the preserve

of day-tripping older customers who are happy to browse and are under no time constraints. “So that dictates some of what we push to our screens and how much we try to squeeze into those first three displays.” Specials are the obvious benefactor. Fasta Pasta HQ can release a special and it can be up on the digital menuboard the same day — no costly/ slow printing of materials. What’s more, as the integration with the restaurant’s POS continues to develop, those moves can be instantly tracked and measured against commensurate action at the tills. Just Digital Signage took care of the deployment, which features those aforementioned seven 46inch Mitsubishi commercial grade LCD digital menuboards, each with a networked Iadea XMP3250 media player. JDS provided a menuboard solution that is fully networked, allowing for remote updating of content and scheduling from the head office via a package called Signagelive. Signagelive is a cloud-based digital signage solution and is easily scaleable, as Fasta Pasta HQ rolls out more signage installations; yet it’s easily accessed by individual franchisees who can customise their signage to accommodate local promotions etc. In effect, each media player simply needs an internet connection and you’re right to go. 

Premium Public Displays

The Only Solution For Storefront Windows HIGH BRIGHTNESS PROFESSIONAL DISPLAYS DynaScan brings you the world’s brightest line of professional LCDs. With brightness levels as high as 5,000 nits, our premium public displays can easily be seen in direct sunlight applications such storefront windows and outdoor kiosks.

INCREDIBLE BRIGHTNESS

SUPERIOR COLOR QUALITY

FANLESS COOLING

www.dynascanusa.com

JEA Technologies PTY Ltd 44-48 Rocco Drive, Scoresby, Vic 3179

More Than Keeping Score Panasonic lights up Blacktown Sportspark

In Action

Panasonic: 132 600 or www.panasonic.com.au

Blacktown City Council has invested in a Panasonic LED Video Scoreboard at its flagship sports venue — Blacktown International Sportspark Sydney, which has been impressing spectators with stunningly sharp images of all the sporting action at the Sportspark’s AFL/Cricket Centre.

ity. The Scoreboard has added greatly to the all-round venue experience through its ability to run video, images and configurations for both requirements of AFL and Cricket score keeping,” said Chairman of Blacktown Venue Management, Len Robinson.

Blacktown International Sportspark Sydney, formerly Blacktown Olympic Park, was developed as a major playing and training venue for athletics, baseball and softball for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. AFL, cricket, football and the International Goalkeepers Academy have joined the venue since and the facilities now attract half a million visitors each year.

At 77.4sqm, the immense space afforded by this screen makes it possible for live action to be displayed at the same time as advertising, sponsorship information, scores and player statistics, without disrupting the viewer’s experience of the game.

Blacktown City Council selected Panasonic through an open tender process with the aim to provide a first class scoreboard and screen at the 10,000 capacity AFL/Cricket Stadium. Blacktown International Sportspark had previously used a scoreboard without any video capabilities. The screen is an affordable, reliable and accurate solution for stadium operators such as Blacktown to install, as it does not require a dedicated operator or technical staff on hand to reconfigure it for each sporting event. Panasonic and the system integrator have created a template for modes such as AFL, Cricket and Concert. Selection of this is a one-click process, allowing administration staff to simply switch the screen on and select the correct mode to operate in. Blacktown Venue Management Ltd, Council’s Managing Agent for the Sportspark, are very happy with the new scoreboard. “The most important feature of the LED Video Scoreboard to Blacktown International Sportspark, for us, is functional-

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Mark Wong, National Projects Manager — AV&IT, Panasonic Australia said: “The screen offers the same capabilities as international stadiums in terms of the level of scoring that can be displayed. All the scorer has to do on the day — for example, a cricket match — is to enter the scores into templates and the software ensures the information appears in the correct place on the screen. “The superior technology of these screens ensures excellent outdoor viewing, thanks to the bright LED display and the 140° viewing angle that allows every person in the stadium to have the ‘best seat in the house’.” The LED Screen is outdoor IP65-rated with an operating temperature of between -10 and 45°C and is perfect for bright, outdoor conditions and changeable weather. The screen employs LED technology with over 281 trillion colours and a 7680Hz refresh rate for a vivid, clear and flicker-free display of broadcast footage. 

30 DAY

FREE T DOWN

RIAL

LOAD F

ROM:

Digital Signage Software

Easy to use digital signage software from SpinetiX

SX410-073

Elementi

Elementi is the new simple but powerful digital signage software from Spinetix. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s designed to make it easier than ever to create dynamic and engaging digital signage displays. Combining Elementi with the award winning SpinetiX HD digital signage players makes a compelling solution for a broad range of digital signage installations.

Retail:

Measuring & Benchmarking Digital Signage Performance Ron Graham is a screen media expert with over 30 years experience in the out of home space. He’s company, Media On The Go, out of Singapore, works with professionals to assist in identifying and strategising the next opportunity in their OOH media activity.

Story: Ron Graham

igital signage is special for its ability to communicate rich content to large numbers of highly relevant audiences in engaging and interactive ways. Digital signage will speak to your customers, reinforce your brand, present product information, and behind the scenes will engage your employees and provide a training platform.

Once you’ve analysed your audience and truly understand who are in the locations, for how long, doing what activities and what would be of interest and value to them — well then, you’re well on your way to establishing a highly successful marketing and communications platform. But you want to know more about how your signage network is working, right? This is where measurement comes into play.

Measurement: The emergence of online as a major advertising medium is forcing all other media to improve their measurement metrics. The granular data which online and mobile gives to marketers, as well as proven interactivity, demands that other media have to compete harder to attract the marketing dollars of brands. This is leading to traditional media raising their game, giving more evidence of actual impacts of advertising being seen, rather than simple exposure. This is less of a threat and more of an asset to digital screen media as it has the potential for highly automated gathering of key metrics, such as proof of play, tracking interactions and generating audience data.

Research tells us that digital signage works — it improves sales — and people like it. That’s great. And depending on your sector, you’ll want to know more specific stats on dwell time in your quick service queue versus shopping time in a fashion outlet versus time spent on an escalator in your mall. These more specific stats are invaluable and far more relevant than simple footfall (how many people are in your screen’s vicinity) as it will inform the choice of content and the length of the loop duration. In other words: in most situations we can define the exposure numbers of those present in the vicinity of screens and then further refine and measure exposure in terms of dwell time, relative to the program loop duration, which creates a believable and valuable statement of actual impressions. This will give marketers a currency that can be compared with other communications options, and help to justify investment and ROI. Face Recognition: Thanks to the latest in face recognition and eye tracking technologies, digital screens can now measure actual attention, which few other media channels can offer. Face recognition — or anonymous view analytics — has been around for a while but is now finding its niche. Yes, the possibilities of pushing gender/age specific content to suit the audience are intoxicating;

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

and using the technology to road-test an installation’s effectiveness is also a great idea, but that’s not the main game, in my view. Now face recognition gives deep data and accountability of actual audience and attention, as good or better than clicks or page views online and much better than most other media channels. It is this precision of measurement which is compelling for digital signage deployments. And there are many providers, such as Intel’s AIM Suite, Quividi and 1-2-1 View.

In April, Amscreen announced its selection of Quividi for audience measurement and insights using face tracking technology across Amscreen’s digital signage networks in Europe, and its press release asserts that anonymous analytics are a prerequisite of every campaign. But not everyone is happy. The more precise analytics are akin to switching from ‘cost per thousand’ web stats to actual click throughs. Everyone knows that click through stats are tiny compared to potential exposure. And so it is with digital signage. But we mustn’t be afraid of the truth, so long as our metrics are properly benchmarked. Digital signage needs to establish a basis for comparing exposure, traditionally expressed as Opportunity To See, or OTS, with a new metric of actual viewing interaction. If the footfall at a property was 100,000 visits per day for an average of 90 minutes, these numbers would be stated as the potential exposure or OTS. Conversely AVI data might show 30,000 people looking at screens in multiple glances perhaps adding up to 20 seconds in total. These numbers are vastly different but nothing changed — it is still the same digital signage in the same place and same visitors. What we now have is factual viewing data (and demographics), but more than this we have insights about how to utilise digital signage as a marketing communication platform. Face recognition technology gives us much more than just audience metrics, it can provide much more data and insight about audience interaction. By analysing attention information we can determine the effectiveness of different content or different message formats. Rather than just digital signage as a marketing tool, based on audience, we can really leverage other aspects.

This points out the value and indeed necessity of benchmarking as we need to measure at the outset and then measure each step, to see what works and to assess value and ROI, at a micro level. Performance: Measurement, benchmarking and performance are all indelibly linked; without measurement how can we quantify performance and without benchmarking how can we compare performance? Once we have insights to the viewing habits for digital signage, it makes it vitally important to check and confirm performance. Continuous improvement to performance is assured when we test, adjust, optimise and repeat the process. 

Spinetix Elementi Spinetix’ launches some new intuitive digital signage construction and scheduling software.

Technology

Elementi is the latest, simplest and most powerful of the methods for programming the Spinetix family of digital signage media players.

disappears; the object’s transparency and a separate range of effects than can be applied to the object while it’s being displayed.

Where it differs most markedly from the Fusion platform, that’s already embedded in the Spinetix HMP players, is Elementi is an application that runs on an independent Windows (Vista and beyond) PC and communicates to one or more HMP players via TCP/IP. The Elementi application builds a screen Project on its host computer, from which it compiles an SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) project file and a set of associated resource files. These are then broadcast to the target HMP devices. This build-then-broadcast architecture uses all the power of the Elementi host’s computer to provide a sophisticated user interface while putting no load on the HMP players in the system. It’s also the only really practicable approach to creating multi-screen signs using the HMP players.

COLOURS & EFFECTS

SCREEN TEST

Madison Technologies: 1800 007 780 www.madisontech.com.au

Each signage display is contained within an Elementi Project, which holds all of the elements of the display including the main SVG file that stores the properties of all the screen objects including: images, video, schedules, SVG scripts for active objects like live video or streamed data, and any other scripted object you and a team of coders may later dream up and compile using SVG. Elementi also supports multi-screen signs ‘out of the box’, although the supplied SVG templates only support 16:9, 16:10 and 4:3 aspect ratios and their portrait equivalents. That’s not really a big deal, because it will take your local HTML5 graphics guru about five minutes to tweak the template file if you require anything more exotic. As a page composition system, Elementi most closely resembles Microsoft’s PowerPoint and Publisher in the way you place objects directly into the desired position on the screen. Each of the objects sits on its own layer in a manner similar to Photoshop and, like Photoshop and CAD systems, each layer/ object has a range of editable properties. The range of properties that can be edited on each layer is something to behold. Of course, you would expect to be able to select the position and size of a screen object, but Elementi also adds such niceties as when in the project timeline the object appears and how long it remains; the type of transition (fade, wipe or slide) it makes as it appears and also as it

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

Text objects have their own wide range of effects that include both horizontal and vertical scrolling (to reveal multi-line text larger than the display area), and a range of jiggling effects to catch the viewer’s attention (and potentially make them seasick). The formatting tools are very powerful allowing every character on the page to be independently defined for size, font, colour, bold and italics. Colour selection is nicely handled throughout Elementi. There’s an eyedropper tool that lets you select your colour from any object on the screen, including images, other objects, video clips or any other program that’s running. As Elementi was developed using the cross-platform GTK graphics toolkit, it uses the ‘gcolor2’ colour selector which has to be the most useful colour selector I’ve met in my 30-plus years of using software.

VIDEO Elementi can play a range of video formats directly and automatically transcodes Flash files. It also accepts live streams using the RealTime Streaming Protocol (RTSP) to control stream feeds and playback. It also comes with a powerful set of SVG scripts that allow for the importation and display of live data, such as news, weather, road conditions, stock prices, cocktail of the week or today’s lunchtime specials. The scripts can easily customised by that friendly HTML guru (or your 14-year-old nephew).

… MY DEAR WATSON In this review I’ve only looked at the free 30-day trial version of Elementi S, which is available for download. Elementi M, the multi-user version, and Elementi X, the enterprise version, have many more importing and management features I’ve only had hints about from Spinetix (possibly because those versions are still in development). Overall I’m impressed with the power and simplicity of Elementi as a system you really could pick up and use to produce quite sophisticated signage. 

Experience our range. Experience a world of opportunity.

NEC has a visual display solution to suit the needs of every application and user. NEC has the widest range of visual display products on offer - LCD desktop displays, large-screen LCD and LED public displays, mobile to high light output, digital cinema projectors, intuitive digital signage software and everything else you need to complete your display solutions. NEC visual display products deliver outstanding image quality, boasting leading-edge technology and advanced functionality. Enhance your visual experience with an NEC display solution today. Learn how NEC can create a solution for you

NEC. The Communications Systems Integrator

www.nec.com.au

BRING IT ON. [SCAN THE QR CODES WITH YOUR SMARTPHONE TO UNLOCK CONTENT OR VISIT WWW.INTEGRATE-EXPO.COM]

SEE IT FIRST IN AUSTRALASIA. HUNDREDS OF NEW PRODUCTS FROM THE WORLD’S BIGGEST BRANDS IN INTEGRATED AV IT AND ELECTRONIC SYSTEMS. CONNECT WITH INTEGRATE

NOW INCORPORATING CEDIA ASIA PACIFIC EXPO

CONNECT WITH INTEGRATE

SEE WHO’S EXHIBITING SEARCH FOR INNOVATION

VISIT THE NEW WEBSITE

PLAY

http://www. integrate-expo.com Enter promo code DSMAG

27 – 29 AUGUST 2013

SYDNEY CONVENTION & EXHIBITION CENTRE, DARLING HARBOUR

WWW.INTEGRATE-EXPO.COM Now offering a complete commercial and residential industry experience. BROUGHT TO YOU BY INTEGRATE IS A STRICTLY TRADE ONLY EVENT; entry is restricted to professionals in the AV, entertainment and IT industries. Children under the age of 15 will not be admitted. FR4172

NEWCASTLE’S LIGHTBULB MOMENT A hi-tech urban activation with an eye for the past. Story: Christopher Holder

ewcastle City Council had a bright idea. The buzz term is ‘urban activation’ — taking a part of town that’s a bit down at the mouth and give people a reason to stroll it, dine in it, and enjoy it.

Watt St. is Newcastle’s oldest. In fact, before it was a thoroughfare for coal to go from mine to wharf, it was an important track for the local indigenous people. In the 1950s and ’60s the area was buzzing. The Great Northern Hotel had a ballroom that was heaving on the weekends and it was a community hub. In more recent times it had less and less going for it. Newcastle was attracting funding from a variety of sources to draw tourism and bring more life into the city, and it took one bright spark to suggest the Council pool all the pots of cash to do something extra special.

And so it was: City Evolutions… a Vivid Festival of sorts where the neighbourhood’s history would be writ large on the walls and buildings of Watt St. with projectors. WRITING ON THE WALL

The project went out to tender with two organisations sharing the spoils — Esem Projects and University of Newcastle. Esem Projects had runs on the board. Michael Killalea and his creative partner Sarah Barns have been pivotal in Sydney’s Art & About public art experience for the last two years. Esem Projects’ forté is historically focussed public artworks — precisely what Newcastle City Council was after. But not in a staid, stodgy way — the council wanted something live, interactive, and contemporary as well as historically significant. The uni team put its mind to creating interactive works that would, again, focus on the history of the area, while Esem Projects created a number of archival pieces that were drawn from the National Film & Sound Archive, Film Australia etc. As well as moving collage pieces from photographic records.

spoke Esem Projects’ Michael Killalea about the technical challenges of pulling together a project like this. DigitalSignage

Michael Killalea: There are 10 installations — four from Esem Projects and six from the university. City Evolutions is tipped to be long running — two years is the outlook at the moment — and it’s running around four hours a night. We needed very robust technology solutions that didn’t require someone to check on it or turn it off and on every day. Personally, I don’t trust wifi controls, especially not for such a long stretch of street and over such a long period of time — it’s not the answer in my opinion. I did a lot of my own investigations and, based on previous experience, I wanted projectors that would turn themselves off and on without misfiring, and with timing that was rock solid. After a lot of research I ended up finding this great G Series range of Epson projector and I’ve specific Epson for the whole project. 20

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

RELIABLE & PRACTICAL

DigitalSignage: Epson is better known for its small- and medium-format projectors and not for ultra-high brightness outdoor projectors.

MK: And the Epson G Series maxes out at about 6000 lumen. But we didn’t need a Barco or Christie monster because the ambient lighting is low, in fact, the council turns off the street lamps during the period the projectors are on. What’s more, we couldn’t afford the upkeep of massive projectors over a long period. DigitalSignage: You mentioned not wanting to use wifi. How did you configure the hardware?

MK: It was a fairly intense installation process. We had to have high-quality, well-made cases that would keep the temperature stable, keep the bad guys out and keep the public safe. We also had all the DA hoops to jump through when fixing projects to the exterior of buildings, some of which were heritage listed. But I’ve always found these types of jobs bring out the best in a local community. I always seem to end up with a pocketful of keys to people’s houses or businesses, and everyone is very accommodating and trusting. It’s great working with a council and gaining an insight into the city. Whatever city it is. REAL TURN ON

DigitalSignage: So how did you program the content and ensure it’s working day in/day out?

(Above & Below): Two of Esem Projects’ City Evolutions installations, projected onto Watt Street’s historical buildings. (Left) The University of Newcastle’s interactive Laneway Dancefloor.

MK: Okay, I’ll fess up: I load the loop of my content onto a Brightsign media player, which talks to the Epson projector via HDMI. The media player is always on, looping 24/7. Then I simply program the projector to power up at 5.30pm and power down at 10pm. While the projector is on, it’s playing the content. I concede that it’s not the ‘smartest’ tech solution but my first priority is reliability. If I was relying on wifi to turn hardware on and then schedule content, I’d be worried that one night it’d drop out and fall over. It’s called risk mitigation! DigitalSignage: What happens in the event of a power cut?

MK: Both the media player and the projector would power up when the electricity returned and automatically start looping again. The solid state Brightsign player is awesome — it’s a great product. Anything that you can turn on and it just goes on — with no menu to toggle through — is good. If there’s a black out it can reset itself.

Meanwhile, you can treat these Epson projectors quite mean. I could shut the projector off without any cool down. I could turn it on and they’d go on directly. They have built-in scheduling on the bigger models. The new G series is awesome. They go up to about 6000 lumen and when they’re as bright as the Z series they’ll be even better. You can shoot on curved walls, shoot into corners and make them square... this project demonstrates only the tip of the iceberg as to what they’re capable of. Really good-looking projectors. ACTIVATION SUCCESSFUL

City Evolutions: cityevolutions.com Esem Projects: (02) 9698 8111 or www.esemprojects.com Epson: (02) 8899 3666 or www.epson.com.au IDT (Brightsign): 1300 666 099 or www.epson.com.au

June 21 saw the launch of City Evolutions and it was an instant hit. Council estimates 18,000 people flooded the Watt St. area. Locals have adopted the project as their own while City Evolutions is ticking tourism boxes as well. How will City Evolutions evolve? Already the council is asking for submissions from filmmakers and other content creators. The uni involvement means dozens of local students are already hard at work developing material. And, inevitably, Michael’s routines will make way for new artwork. And that’s okay, as the project finds its own rhythm and equilibrium, providing a stunning platform for emerging artists in a once no-go part of town. Perfect.  Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

MORE FRONT THAN MYER The ageless Y Front puts customers in the picture.

he Y Front has probably never been in fashion. There again, it’s never been out of fashion either.

To celebrate the launch of the original Y Front way back in 1934, Pacific Brands has signed off on a cheeky experiential campaign where consumers can place themselves in a picture with a Jockey model.

It’s for men and the ladies (blokes can pretend they’ve got the body of Mark Wahlberg, while ladies can have Y Front Man propose to them on bended knee) recognising the fact that male undies purchases can swing both ways. Y NOT

Working alongside Channel 5 and TestDrive, Interactivity delivered the campaign, which ran across two states throughout March and April as part of their 2013 re-birth of the Y Front underwear range.

The large (2.7m high) Y structure has appeared in shopping centres in Melbourne and Sydney and house an interactive screen. The idea is for punters to put themselves in a picture with a Jockey Y model. People can then share the photos online via social media. GUIDING HAND

Michael Cromer of Channel 5 says the execution is an excellent engagement tool to educate shoppers on the product as they make their way to purchase: “One of our main campaign objectives is to drive purchase consideration by guiding shoppers into their nearest department store. Adding a bit of fun in the mix will also help people get excited about this brand launch.”

Although this is an underwear brand for men, as mentioned, male and female content is available on screen to ensure we catch the shopper as well as the consumer: “Shopper insights tell us that the main grocery buyer for this product is 60% female who is purchasing underwear for him.” 

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

HOW IT WORKS: • Idle content is displayed. As a shopper approaches, a call-to-action, including a ‘Push to Start’ icon prompts shopper engagement. • The user is asked to select from one of four predetermined scenarios to place their photo into. • A five-second countdown begins allowing the consumer to align themselves with a silhouette on screen. An image will then be captured using a built-in web camera. • The final image with the user interacting with the Jockey talent will then be displayed on screen with a prompt to enter a mobile number to receive the image via link in a SMS message. • The user enters their mobile number and presses send to complete the interaction. They then have the photo to share (eg. via Facebook). The screen then returns to idle mode and awaits the next shopper.

Augmented Reality

Custom Builds Wayfinders Real Estate Solutions Video Walls

Interactive Solutions Digital Solutions Software Solutions Rental Solutions

Interactive Walls and more...

Interactive Floors

Visit our website now: www.interactivity.com.au Tel: 1300 797 199 sales@interactivity.com.au

AGENTS OF CHANGE A digital signage solution married to some smart back-end marketing software is keeping Australia’s largest change of travel independents right in the game. Story: Christopher Holder

ell the kids of today, and they simply don’t believe it:

Once upon a time there was a world without the internet. [Pause for dramatic effect.] And in those days if you wanted to organise a holiday or business trip, you rang a travel agent. Better still, you dropped into a travel agency. And in that shop you’d find some obliging ladies who sat behind a black and green VDU punching in codes, talking on the phone, while you browsed brochures (Bellissimo!: Tuscany in 1983). The shop window would have posters showing scenes from far flung destinations — Fly TAA to Daydream Island… you know the ones. MOVING WITH THE TIMES

Turns out, there are plenty of travel agents that haven’t moved on so much from this business model. Okay, perhaps minus the TAA poster (you’d hope!). But for every STA or Flight Centre there’s at least half a dozen old-school agents making a respectable living out of travel arrangements not yet completely gobbled up by ‘dotcom’ or squeezed out by those big Westfield-based chains. But even ‘mum and dad’ travel agents can’t get by with replacing their shopfront posters every couple of months — it’s just not cutting it in this fast-paced, need-it-now world. And one savvy group of independents has cottoned on to a way of maintaining their patch and tapping into some modern marketing tools.

The Select Travel Group and The Independent Travel Group combined comprise some 500 travel agencies around Australia — the largest group of ‘Independently owned’ travel agents in Australia.

The parent company Orient Express Travel Group (OETG) engaged marketing and creative agency, DesignStrategy!, to develop a software package called Express Marketing Tools which helps members to create, manage and distribute their travel offers through various mediums and assists 82 preferred airlines and 32 preferred wholesale suppliers promote their products to the market with greater speed and efficiency. And a big part of this strategy involves digital signage. 24

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

spoke to DesignStategy! Director Marcus Gibbs about how the rollout works:

DigitalSignage

DIGITAL ADVANTAGE

Marcus Gibbs: “We see a lot of potential. Using digital screens linking in with our innovative software we can create a package that hundreds of independent agents can use on a national grid. With traditional media, that would be impossible. The budgets of a rollout of A2 posters to 400 stores and distribution are huge — you can’t afford it. With digital we can. And with the screens it lifts the perception of these stores, which makes them more competitive with the big name travel agents.” DigitalSignage: How prescriptive is the package? Can members customise their own screen’s content for local conditions?

Marcus Gibbs: Each agent has its own specialities, so there was no point providing a cookie cutter package to fit everyone. With Express Marketing Tools we can put a travel offer into the system — a cruise, a package etc — and it can be distributed to everyone instantaneously. The agent can then elect to take the offer, push it to their website, print it out as an A4 flyer if they choose, or — as the more innovative guys are doing — export it to a digital screen. Once it’s in their media player they can schedule that offer. Alternatively, the agent can opt into a more managed approach. We can see which stores are enabled and remotely drop the offer into their scheduling if the store so chooses. The store can still load their own locally-generated content but can leave the day-to-day scheduling to us.” SUMO WEIGHS IN

The digital signage kit is supplied and installed by Sumo Visual Group. And depending on the position of the display (how much ambient light is involved) Sumo will spec a NEC Highbright X462HB or Sumo 46-inch LED, a Sumo Media Player (Intel Dual Core CPU, 2GB Memory, 16GB SSD) along with the Sumo Tools Content Management System. Once installed the Sumo rig will shake hands with the Express Marketing Tools.

STAYING UP TO SPEED

You don’t need to be travel industry veteran to see that this is a volume game. Margins are tight, and the market is moving faster than a Lear jet. Offers come and go. Cruise berths fill up, tours are announced and filled overnight… If you relax, then the caravan has moved on without you. Tools such as DesignStrategy!’s software teamed with Sumo’s digital signage kit push offers to passing foot traffic in a timely and dynamic manner, and are thankfully keeping high-street experts right in the game.  DesignStrategy!: (02) 9212 2765 or www.designstrategy.com.au Sumo Visual Group: (03) 8290 0500 or www.sumovisualgroup.com.au

Each agent has its own specialities, so there was no point in providing a cookie cutter package to fit everyone

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

BBQ STOPPER A backyard mega video wall for the millionaire with everything. Story: Christopher Holder

retend for a minute that you’re fabulously wealthy. Now, pretend you have more friends than Mark Zuckerberg. Naturally, you love staging elaborate dinner parties, where your mates drop by your modernist mansion for posh nosh and expensive booze. Your wine might be old-school but you most certainly aren’t. You like to surprise and delight — somewhat like the pleasure seeking Euro royalty from way back with their Rube Goldberg-style fountain contraptions that blew the minds of parasoled ladies and incredulous gentlemen. You’ve already got the gee-whiz pool and landscaping — [yawn] so does most of your buddies. You’ve already got the teppanyaki grill — which is a nice theatrical touch. But there’s something missing. Something that will blow minds.

In short, you want the ultimate backyard entertainment rig. BIG & DAYTIME VIEWABLE

Next step: ring your old mates Urban Intelligence. These guys have helped juice-up your gaff, such that everything talks to everything else: your fridge is ordering its own food and you can listen to your favourite podcast in the shower by just thinking about it.

You discuss your thoughts: “I want an outdoor screen. I don’t care about the technology, but I want it to be big and be clearly viewable anytime of day or night.” Urban Intelligence get to work. They audition a whole bunch of technologies. No off-theshelf TV is going to cut it — not bright enough to be any good during the day. They think about a big rear projection image combined with a motorised drop-down screen; they investigate the ‘cube’ technologies where you can build a big screen like Lego; but they finally come across a product from Dynascan. Here’s a 55-inch LCD LED-backlit display that is as bright as the sun (well, 5000 nits anyway), has a very narrow bezel (11mm),

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

and is full HD. The boys from Urban Intel drop by with a sample, you hop in the pool over lunch and have a look. It’s a winner. “I’ll take nine.”

500KG TELLY

Easier said than done. Money may be no object but over half a tonne of screenage most certainly is. Fortunately the Urban Intel boys are able to organise some heavy-duty custom mounts and brackets for your 3 x 3 behemoth. Weather is another problem — electronics and rain don’t mix. Again, Urban Intel are all over it, commissioning a glass panel that automatically rolls away when you spark up the big telly, then rolls back (protecting the video wall from the rain) when the party is over.

How do you feel? Cock-a-bloody-hoop. At 2100mm by 3700mm (or a whopping 5760 x 3240, if you’re thinking in pixels) you have the biggest backyard screen in Christendom. Most weekends it’s all you can do to drag your mates away from the Footy Channel. It’s a blazingly-bright thing of beauty, and everything from your family photos, to Foxtel, to your Blu-ray discs look absolutely gorgeous. Postscript: Although this story follows a domestic job, Dynascan is shaking up the digital signage market everywhere. Traditionally you either had hi-def images (using ‘TV ’ technologies such as plasma or LCD) or you had high brightness (using lo-res LED, scoreboard-style screens). Dynascan’s particular take on lighting a LCD panel with LED provides genuine advantages in terms of brightness, which means that outdoor displays in shopping centres, clubs/RSLs, banking and retail, out-of-home advertising can enjoy hi-def and high brightness.  Urban Intelligence: (03) 9514 6000 or www.urbanintel.com.au JEA Technologies (Dynascan): (03) 9757 5060 or www.jeatech.com.au

Money may be no object but over half a tonne of screenage most certainly is

Once the showâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s over, glass panels close, keeping the video wall weatherproof.

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

AN EYE FOR SIGNAGE

HARRIS TAKES OFF

Here’s a fun promo campaign for Despicable Me 2 that ran on 259 digital screens in 51 shopping malls across the UK, France, Spain, Norway and Finland. The interactive campaign ran on Clear Channel’s network of digital screens in shopping malls inviting consumers to control and personalise the on-screen creative (two minions) via their mobile phone. The interactive campaign was conceived by Clear Channel, planned and coordinated by TED@MediaCom and powered by an app designed and built by Grand Visual. The technology links input from SMS or a web app to prompt more than 30 animated sequences that make up the interactive experience. The execution features Minions tapping their feet impatiently with the call to action to text a command to see them dance, wrestle, play, build or dance. Users text any command along with their name to a shortcode and seconds later the Minions act out the instruction accordingly with an on-screen thanks to the named participant. You can get a feel for the campaign on: www.commandtheminions.com/UK.

ClearVision, the in-airport TV network developed by Clear Channel Airports, a division of Clear Channel Outdoor Holdings, and connectiVision Digital Networks, is using Harris Broadcast digital signage technology to deliver an out-of-home broadcast experience to travellers in four airports. Powered by Harris Broadcast InfoCaster hardware and software, ClearVision delivers an engaging mix of network entertainment, in-house produced content, regional news and local advertising on uniquely branded channels for each airport. connectiVision gathers content from major broadcast and cable networks, produces supplementary media and graphics, and builds dayparting strategies for each channel based on 18-hour broadcast days. Those dayparting strategies incorporate advertising purchased by local businesses, which InfoCaster generates as interstitials, lower thirds and banners. Mike Cavanaugh, president of Keycode Media, adds that InfoCaster allows ClearVision to clearly differentiate its services from other airport TV networks by creating and distributing unique content that is specific to each airport — as well as track any and all advertising placements across the entire network. “You can imagine how complex it is to track ad placements across multiple airports, all with their own unique broadcast channels,” said Cavanagh. “The InfoCaster software allows ClearVision to do it seamlessly and efficiently while creating an extremely attractive return on investment.”

Clear Channel: www.clearchanneloutdoor.com

Clear Channel Airports: www.clearchannelairports.com Harris: www.harrisbroadcast.com

79% of smartphone owners are ‘smartphone shoppers’ — Google 2013 (USA) TOUCHTECH LIMA LANDS: JEA Technologies has been appointed the exclusive Oceania distributor for Touchtech Lima, a new, highly intuitive multi-touch software solution that will enable anyone to create high-impact interactive presentations for touch tables and large format multi-touch displays. JEA Technologies will supply and support Touchtech Lima as a standalone package for third-party integrators and re-sellers, and also offer the software pre-installed on its recently launched JTT-42 bezel free multi-touch touch table. Touchtech Lima is a real software breakthrough that will encourage more businesses to actively consider using multi-touch displays and touch tables

NEWS:

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

for multiuser collaborative applications. Users can easily load existing images, videos and documents via a USB stick, local hard drives, network shared folders and Dropbox. Once the content is loaded, they can start the interactive experience with their fingertips. The software is compatible with Windows 7 and 8 and requires a touch screen that supports at least two simultaneous touch points. JEA Technologies: (03) 9757 5060 or www.jeatech.com.au HITACHI INTERACTIVE: The Hitachi HIT-FHD6500 is a display that allows running a lesson, meeting or presentation using an interactive LED backlit,

LCD display. The 65-inch display uses integrated infra red sensors to detect contact with the screen and gives users the ability to control a computer by touching the image. The display is available with an optional built-in PC (the HIT-FHD6500PC) to eliminate the need for connecting to any external sources. Up to four points of simultaneous input are possible, it uses driver-less interactive operation (depending on the Operating System of the connected computer) and the optional integrated OPS PC includes installed Windows 8. The front-facing stereo speakers are rated at 10W. Hitachi Australia: (02) 9888 4100 or www.hitachi.com.au

AUCKLAND MUSEUM WALL HIT

BOWLED OVER

The Auckland Museum, one of New Zealand’s most popular tourist attractions, was looking to modernise its entrance’s static information display with a multi-monitor backdrop that would instantly grab and hold visitors attention. The museum contracted Wallflower Advanced Digital Signage to deploy a captivating digital signage installation and they resourcefully combined two Matrox M9188 octal-monitor graphics cards to power 16 x 40-inch monitors at a total resolution of 7680 x 4320. The easy-to-use solution allows system operators to intuitively manage the high-resolution imagery and video to effectively engage, inform, and entertain visitors with crisp, clear, and dynamic content. The staff has fully embraced the new digital canvas while remarking the positive effect it’s had on museum visitors. “There’s no better way for visitors to begin a museum tour than to be wowed by our video wall immediately upon entry,” said Margi Mellsop, Marketing Manager, Auckland Museum. “This stunning visual platform gives us the proper communication channel to uniquely bring the past to the present, while enhancing our visitors’ overall museum experience for years to come.”

Bowlmor, one of the most successful bowling concepts in the US, has started to install an innovative platform in its venues that provides on-screen music and video entertainment. The project aims to create a more show-like and fun dance club atmosphere where the game is combined with visual effects and music, according to the audience’s taste. The rich media environment also makes the bowling centres a great place to host private parties and events. The innovative system, ScreenCast, developed by ScreenPlay Entertainment, is based on YCD’s content management solution (YCD|CMS) and YCD’s automated and fully synchronised audio and video player (YCD|Player). The first system was installed at Bowlmor’s bowling centre in Union Square, New York, a second in Bethesda, Maryland followed by Strike in Miami. Each location is equipped with numerous huge screens, creating a unique, unprecedented audio-visual wow experience. The ScreenCast system gives the bowling centre’s managers complete control through an intuitive touchscreen interface, enabling them to become “instant experts” on building custom programs, scheduling dayparts, and system administration. Bowling center managers can create their own playlists from ScreenPlay’s massive music video library, or use ScreenPlay’s programmers to deliver tailor-made playlists for general audiences, specific crowds or events.

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

Media Play (YCD Multimedia): 0408 804 814 or www.mediaplay.com.au

Global digital out-of-home media (DOOH) revenues increased 11.4% to $7.88b in 2012 — PQ Media. TOUCH TABLE GUIDE: MultiTouch has announced that it has released a ‘Migration Guide for SUR40/ Pixelsense Users to MultiTaction’. MultiTouch has featured live demonstrations of existing native SUR40 touch table applications that can run on MultiTaction Cell displays, as well as step-by-step guide for developers and integrators to optimise their applications for the new platform. The guide is a comprehensive documentation for software developers with applications already launched on SUR40 displays. Lightwell: (02) 9319 0311 or www.lightwell.com.au

DANCING SCREEN: Looking for something a little different to achieve maximum impact? Need an LED screen that you can stand on? Or even better, a product you can drive a car onto? The GLUX SEfl series has been designed with all of these uses in mind and more. SEfl is a fully functional digital video screen that can handle incredible punishment. Consisting of the standard GLUX alloy back structure, the surface LEDs are enclosed with a transparent polycarbonate material that provides maximum impact resistance. SEfl has been installed as a dancefloor in many nightclubs across Europe and Asia and been

used as a catwalk surface in both North America and Europe. Alchemy Screens: (07) 3137 8020 or www.alchemyscreens.com.au PHDCREATIVE REBRAND: Independently-owned retail marketing communications experts phdcreative have gone back to their roots in a rebrand that reflects the agency’s experience as well as their commitment to their core values. Speaking about the launch of GuihenJones, cofounder Trevor Jones (pictured) says: “The name doesn’t just represent the partnering of the agency’s founders, GuihenJones is a powerful expres-

sion of our heritage and expertise. But most of all it’s a mark of the thing that’s kept us in business so long – our commitment to exemplary client service.” A passionate advocate of the power of design, Jones’s 35-year career has included giants Wolff Olins in London and Sandgren-Murthar in New York. In 1989 he moved to Sydney with his partner, respected New York film editor Susan Guihen. “With 30 extremely successful years already under our belts, I’m looking forward to the next 30 as GuihenJones”, admits Jones. GuihenJones: (02) 9431 1400 or guihenjones.com.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 - Just Digital Signage (03) 9544 6902 www.justdigitalsignage.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.

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

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

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

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

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.

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

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

DAT MEDIA (07) 5575 7798 Ground Floor, 183 Varsity Parade Varsity Lakes Qld 4227 sales@datmedia.com.au www.datmedia.com.au 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 creating a visual media solution for current and future clients to harness the power of what was still back 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.

DYNAMIC VISUAL SOLUTIONS (02) 9431 6070 www.dynamicvisualsystems.com.au ESCENTIA 1300 729 866 www.escientia.com.au

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.

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 www.interactivecontrols.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 and media control software and embedded controllers along with Dataton Watchout and Medialon MIP HD Interactive Media Player. There is also the Medialon Scheduler application, which allows control of multiple venues and screens from a central server. Given Interactive Controls’ wide experience in installing innovative display systems it can help you choose the best way to deliver your vision and with Medialon’s strong history in show control systems, IC will no doubt have a neat trick or two to suggest for impressing your audience.

JEA customers are mainly systems integrators and re-sellers. JEA supplies these customers with high levels of technical support, pre-and post-sales, as well as warranty and non-warranty support and service from our Melbourne offices and workshop. JEA also stocks in depth allowing customers to source products at short notice.

ISIGNPAK (02) 9457 6945 www.isignpak.com

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

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

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

JEA Technologies Pty Ltd 03 9757 5060 44-48 Rocco Drive Scoresby, Vic 3179 sales@jeatech.com.au www.jeatech.com.au JEA Technologies has partnered with leading manufacturers of electronic peripherals and display products from around the globe and supplies these products to customers in Australia and New Zealand. Our customers can rely on JEA to work with them to carefully select and supply the most appropriate products for their needs, ensuring that these products meet our customer’s technical and commercial requirements, and to support these products over their life span. JEA’s Display products include Very High Brightness LCD’s, in sizes up to 72in and 5000cd/m² ( nits), Stretched LCD’s, Multi-Touch Tables and Multi-Touch application software, Touch screen sensors and touch screen monitors, with particular emphasis on Projected Capacitive Touch technologies, Panel PC’s, Digital Signage PC’s and Industrial Grade Wireless modems.

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

MADISON TECHNOLOGIES Specialist AV Division 1800 00 77 80 Australia wide avexperts@madisontech.com.au www.madisonthech.com.au Madison Technologies specialises in the supply 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 www.mitsubishielectric.com.au

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 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 740 www.panasonic.com.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.

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

SALIENT INFORMATION SYSTEMS (02) 93135111 www.salient.com.au

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

WHO’S WHO:

YOUR GO-TO GUIDE FOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE the latest digital technologies to solve problems, take advantage of opportunities and enhance enterprise workflow by improving efficiencies and productivity across a wide variety of market areas. Each solution follows a consistent workflow from conception to completion.

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

prehensive 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

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

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.

WILSON & GILKES (02) 9914 0900 www.gilkon.com.au SONY AUSTRALIA 33-39 Talavera Road North Ryde NSW 2113 1800 017 669 sales@sony.com.au Sony Professional Solutions meet an increasing demand from customers to provide a fully integrated solution. Sony understands your requirements and high standards. With an eye for the finest detail, we can deliver the latest digital technologies, professional consulting and a wealth of valuable experience. It’s this complete product and market understanding that has made the Sony brand a trusted and recognised force in today’s competitive environment. Sony’s range of solutions and technologies allow organisations to meet the challenges of both today and into the future. We help businesses leverage

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 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. Scala boasts an impressive list of clientele and is responsible for over 200,000 screens worldwide. Scala’s experience shows in its product; the com-

Visual technologies (03) 8692 6644 www.visualtechnologies.com.au

VIZI NEW MEDIA (02) 9357 3999 www.vizinewmedia.com.au

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

Brought to you by

AV magazine

Presented by

ALIA

Get Your Own Do you work in the digital signage sector and would you like to secure your own copy of DigitalSignage? It’s easy, log onto our website and register. It’s free.

$6.95 inc GST

9 771832 143005

www.dsmag.com.au

Comment:

Walk The Talk

Story: Mug Punter

e have a self-cleaning oven. It’s a marvel of modern technology and I don’t care how it works, I only care that it does. It’s a tough ask, cleaning our oven. My mother frequently visits, fills the oven with all kinds of vegetables and meat, she cooks it for hours until everything has turned a kind of defeated grey pallour and most of the food has mysteriously disappeared. I can only assume the missing carbohydrates and proteins have been somehow dealt with by the mysterious self-cleaning process. That’s Doctor Who-like stuff — fantastic.

Why should the digital signage community care about my oven? Because self-cleaning technology will become vital as the industry strives to place signage where we can’t avoid it — where the public has no choice except to view it. Frequently this will mean in locations fraught with... well dirt, for want of a better description.

Because I’ve had a stroke of genius. It’s winter, right? Everybody is stomping around the CBD, suffering some kind of influenza — the severity of which apparently depends on your gender — with their heads down, shoulders hunched and the brolly permanently up. More importantly, people walk with their eyes fixed steadfastly on the ground in front of them, watching for that slippery patch, deep puddle or a mistakenly-discarded Lotto ticket that will remove them from a wretched existence. Whatever the circumstances, winter is not a good time for signage. Nobody ever looks up, nobody sees it. Until someone invents the Digital Footpath. LOOKING DOWN

Can you imagine it? Digital displays actually set in the sidewalk where even the most miserable commuter can’t avoid seeing it. These could show advertising, of course, or community messages (It’s raining! Mind your step!) or directions like, “You are exactly 45 steps away from the next burger joint” with a little map. You could take the concept even further by deploying touch-surface, wifi Digital Footpaths and have people tap-dancing text messages to each other. What a happy town we might have. The entire CBD would soon resemble a chorus scene from Singin’ In The Rain and close approximations could quietly garner royalty payments for Gene Kelly via their mobile phones. All right — 34

Digital Place-Based Media & Technology

you. A few strategically-placed digital signage displays underwater would have made a huge difference and, crucially, had a much greater impact on my oxygen-starved brain. You believe things more readily, when you’re drowning. Harold Holt thought he was climbing into a Russian submarine.

How about advertisement breaks in your car’s GPS device? Not only would these be extremely effective in engaging your undivided attention, but they could be targeted to specific retail outlets in your immediate vicinity thanks to the GPS technology. The real deal-maker here could be that if you turn off or mute the GPS temporarily to dodge the commercial, you also erase the map you’re following and have to return to where you started to get it back — a bit like in Monopoly when you have to Return To Go without collecting 200 bucks. Given those circumstances anyone will gladly view the GPS advertisement. A guaranteed captive audience.

THE LONG VIEW

admittedly that’s a bit far-fetched... what about Tap Dogs? Okay, better still, let’s not encourage tap-dancing at all. It’s silly.

KEEP IT CLEAN

By now, critics of this brilliant idea will be pointing out that any Digital Footpath will quickly become unreadable due to the filth and debris that’s ever-present on our streets. Here’s where oven self-cleaning technology comes into the equation. Any cleansing process capable of removing my mother’s baked-on soot deposits (aka, Sunday roast) won’t have any problems with the occasional Prada stiletto smudge. The real issue being addressed here is locating digital signage where it must be seen. We’re already muting TV advertisements, blocking internet pop-ups and changing radio stations with preset buttons. How do you ensure people stop and absorb the digital signage message? Excellent placement is the solution. IN THE SWIM

Such as the bottom of swimming pools. When I was younger I’d daily swim 20 laps of an Olympic-sized swimming pool (then collapse comatose on a towel and listen to the little old lady with the kick-board paddle her way through to a lazy hundred or so).The bottom of that pool was pretty darn boring, I can tell

Scenic look-outs would be another ideal placement for digital signage. The secret here is that people’s brains are already geared for looking at something for an extended period. They’re hardly going to drive up the side of a mountain, climb a few thousand heart-attack inducing steps and finally reach the spectacular vantage — then not gaze out across the view because of a few well-placed display panels snuggled into the opposite hillside? Again, we’re back to that oven self-cleaning technology here to prevent the need for AV technicians to regularly machete a way through the rainforest with a bag of Chux Wipes and bottle of Windex. Bird droppings, landslides, lost backpackers with greasy fingers... those remote displays (powered by solar panels, of course – let’s not forget maintaining our pristine environment) will need all the self-cleaning technology we can provide. Need any more ideas? Just ask me, I’m full of ‘em. Creative digital signage is all about thinking outside the box and being inspired by events around us. There you go – I knew my mother’s cooking was useful for something other than challenging the food-disposal unit. 

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

Cloud-Based

Digital Signage Solutions

WebSuite

A Web-based Digital Signage Content Management Platform*

Enterprise Class Features: Server Publishing Content Playlists User Permission Levels Multiple User Access Database Integration Support

(EZ-Stream Add-on)

*Available in a cloud-based SaaS or on-premise server configuration

The next installer-inspired solution is landing soon

Installer-friendly features help you to align screens quickly and meet your â&#x20AC;&#x153;arrivalâ&#x20AC;? time with every project. Independent height and plumb micro-adjustments. Micro-height and levelling adjustment at all column intersection points.

2013 in association with

Infinite lateral screen positioning. Fusion video wall ceiling solutions are available in 2x2, 3x3, and 3x2 configurations. Visit us at Integrate 2013 (stand B48) to touch and feel the latest AV solutions from Chief.

For the latest promotions, news and product information contact our new telephone support team

1300 666 099

Or visit www.idt.com.au to find out more.

SYDNEY MELBOURNE BRISBANE PERTH AUCKLAND