Signage Solutions
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
September/October 2010
magazine
What’s Your Digital Signage Strategy? Getting Technical : Getting the most out of HD Digital Displays p26
FIELD OF SCREENS Digital signage at new home of the Minnesota Twins p16 Digital Signage Products & Solutions
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Signage Essentials
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Georgia Dome Impacts Visitors with New Digital Menu Boards p 8
Industr y News
Publisher’s Perspective SignageSolutions
Calling All Billboards! Do you find that when you work within a particular industry, you notice everything that has to do with that industry wherever you go? I do, and of course I like to share my self-proclaimed wisdom with my wife and kids about the stuff I see. I think my wife’s glazed over, “please shoot me” look is supposed to tell me something, but I haven’t figure it out yet. This summer, I received quite a few of those looks from my wife as I took a whirlwind of trips across the good ol’ United States. Some were for work, others for pleasure. I flew and drove to places I had never visited before. One recurring visual was the number of outdoor digital billboards that are popping up all over America’s landscape. It didn’t matter if I was driving a winding road in the mountains of North Carolina, the tree lined highways around Cincinnati or on the white beaches of Gulf Coast Florida. Digital billboards were there to tell me where to eat, where to stay, what insurance to buy, where to shop and more. Of course, as I see each glowing billboard, I proceed to tell my wife how they work, how the data is transmitted, who sells the advertising, how many ads they can sell per board, etc. She could usually care less. But then, during one of my boring monologues, she has an interesting question: “How much more revenue can a sign company generate using digital signs versus a traditional sign, and what are the cost differences?” I looked at her and said, “I don’t know,” which seemed to make her happy for a while. Apparently, hearing me say those words is a rarity. That’s why I’m asking any billboard company that knows anyone with some studies or personal experiences that they’re willing to share— to write me. I’ll give you a page or two for you to give us your thoughts. As for this issue, please enjoy reading about what others are doing to apply digital signage into their work environments. I think you’ll be pleased to see where it’s going and the success companies are experiencing. Thanks,
Ben Skidmore Publisher E-mail me at ben@signagesolutionsmag.com Find us on Twitter at www.twitter.com/SignageSolMag
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
magazine
September/October 2010
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Volume One
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Issue Two
Publisher/Editorial Director Ben Skidmore (972)587-9064 ben@signagesolutionsmag.com Design/Production OFFTHELEASHDesign
Cynthia Pater Off The Leash Design 469-222-9168 otldesign@gmail.com Advertising
Partners Publishers’ Representatives (972)782-2490 info@partnerspr.com Web Site Colby Nate Visual Agility (888)284-8334 cnate@visualagility.com Home Office Partners Publishing 306 South Tennessee Street McKinney, TX 75069 (972)782-2490 phone (972)692-8138 fax
Signage Solutions Magazine is published bi- monthly by Partners Publishing. To subscribe to our print edition visit www.signagemag.com. Qualified subscribers receive Signage Solutions at no cost. Others may subscribe at the cost of $60 for six issues. Individuals copies sold for $15, per issue. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to Partners Publishing, 306 South Tennessee Street, McKinney, TX 75069. Printed in the United States of America
Author’s Guidelines: Signage Solutions will consider manuscripts that are not offered to other publications. Preferred length is 700-900 words (case studies) or 2,000-2,500 words (Features). Please submit manuscripts to Editorial Director at the mailing address above or send via email to: editor@signagesolutionsmag.com
September/October 2010
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Signage Solutions
magazine
Contents
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
4
Technology @ Work
A brief look at company/industry news within the digital signage industry.
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Vertical Views
Food Services Game On Georgia Dome Impacts Visitors, Bottom Line with New Digital Menu Boards By Robert Lawrence
Stadiums Field of Screens Digital signage takes to the field at the new home of the Minnesota Twins By Gregory A. DeTogne Education Academic Success Enhancing Campus Wide Communication with Digital Signage By Bob Jones
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Digital signage products and solutions, along with the technology which runs them, make the industry what it is today. Every issue of Signage Solutions Magazine will feature new products and solutions contributed by their respective companies.
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36
Signage Essentials
Going Places The endless possibilities of digital place-based media By Kim Sarubbi
Digital Dialogue
www.signagesolutionsmagazine.com
By The Way
Easier Said Than Done: Making the most of the network strategy You’re ready to start a digital signage network but do you have a strategy? By Paul Flanigan
feature
26
The market for digital signage networks is definitely growing but some issues may slow its growth. SSM talks with Ken Goldberg, CEO of Real Digital Media, about his opinions of the “Industry” and what he feels it needs to reach the next level.
2
Signage Solutions & Products
September/October 2010
Front Page
Getting Technical Leverage cutting-edge technology to get the most out of HD digital displays By Jumbi Edulbehram
Innovation #5,938
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Updates
Industry&News
Technology @ Work
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Texas Digital Completes Digital Menu Board Project at Alamodome College Station, Texas – Earlier this year, ARAMARK and the city of San Antonio embarked on a joint project at the Alamodome in San Antonio, Texas to renovate their concessions areas with new food concepts, graphics and signage, including digital menu boards. Texas Digital Systems Inc., headquartered in College Station, Texas, was chosen to provide the hardware and software for the digital signage portion of the project. The Alamodome is a 65,000-seat multi-purpose facility and is home to concerts, conventions and professional sporting events throughout the year, including Dallas Cowboys Training Camp, the Alamo Bowl and the University of Texas at San Antonio football team beginning in the fall of 2011. They host an average of 900,000 visitors each year. There are 24 permanent concession stands in the Alamodome, featuring traditional favorites for sporting and entertainment events, such as burgers, hot dogs and pizza as well
as additional options such as barbecue and Tex-Mex. Portable concession carts also sell popular items including sandwiches, nachos, peanuts, sodas and beer. Texas Digital’s VitalCAST digital signage solution was deployed to run 80 42-inch screens at both the permanent and portable concessions areas. VitalCAST is a turn-key digital signage solution that lets users control a series of digital menu boards from one central location. Regular menu items, limited-time offers, high-impact graphics, videos and more can easily and quickly be combined to deliver
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an eye-catching menu to customers. Price changes and product offerings can be changed with a few clicks of the mouse and delivered instantly to any number of screens. In the case of the Alamodome, eight different restaurant concepts are being managed by VitalCAST. www.txdigital.com
Sleek Icon Set Brings Elegance to Weather Forecasting Applications With Realistic Graphics for Any Weather Condition WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — Aug. 23, 2010 — Guifx, an interface design studio specializing in touchscreen interfaces for home automation and embedded systems, today announced the availability of its new weather icons. Designed by Guifx’s world-class artists, the set of 32 realistic icons adds a touch of elegance to any weather forecasting application, and can be mixed and matched to represent any weather condition. Guifx’s new weather icons allow integrators to differentiate themselves from the competition by providing the end user with unique, easily recognizable graphics for their touchpanel’s weather forecasting applications. For high-resolution touchpanels, the icons are offered in a 512 x 512 size to accent the graphics’ sleek design, and can be quickly batch-resized using Guifx’s CoPilot software for lower-resolution devices. Utilizing weather icons from Guifx offers significant advantages to installers and manufacturers over outsourcing or creating art inhouse. In addition to receiving design quality that is second to none, Guifx’s customers can see what they are getting before they make a purchase, they know exactly how much it will cost, and the weather icons are available for
Technology @ Work immediate download 24/7. A cost-effective solution, once the icon set is licensed for inclusion in a product or software, its use is unlimited. www.guifx.com
Ticketing Booth Goes Digital with MRI Displays Atlanta based MRI (Manufacturing Resources International) recently installed dual 70” High-Bright LED backlit Digital Displays in an outdoor Ticketing Booth on the strip in Las Vegas, Nevada. Offering sameday discounted tickets for shows and events,
the 70” displays allow customers to view the available shows/events and prices. Reflecting back on that first deployment, Peter Kaszycki - VP of Business Development said, “Las Vegas was a great initial location for MRI. With its varied climate extremes, the Strip was an ideal place to test out our new cooling system and LED backlit sunlight readable displays. Our current CoolVu™ TMS (Thermal Management System) came from the knowledge we gained having that first unit in Las Vegas.” In early 2010, MRI was approached by Creative Realities Inc (CRI) to once again provide 70” High Bright displays in Las Vegas, this time for the leading Las Vegas travel/entertainment company, Vegas.com. The reader boards are located in one of Vegas.com’s five kiosk locations operating under their VegasTix4Less Brand. The static to digital conversion set forth by Vegas.com was chosen according to Project Lead, Renea Davis, because “Going digital has a ton of benefits. For a business like ours, where inventory is always changing – the ability to automate creative rotations and reader board schedule listings based on inventory fluctuations makes the job of advertising these shows to potential customers painless.” Several months after the deployment both companies had positive remarks about the products’ performance. Renea said, “The Big Ticket location was our first digital
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
kiosk….So far we’re satisfied with the technology, so examining the possibility of adding MRI products as we expand is certainly something we’ll be doing.” CRI’s Hughes said it was an “excellent product” and “the support provided [by MRI] to CRI was excellent.” And, as a growing force to reckon with in outdoor digital signage, MRI would be happy to continue their legacy on the Las Vegas Strip. www.mri-inc.net
Lamar University Selects Daktronics to Revamp Football Stadium BROOKINGS, S.D. – Daktronics Inc. (Nasdaq – DAKT) of Brookings, S.D., announced today that Lamar University has contracted with the company to design, manufacture and install an integrated scoring and video display system overlooking the school’s home field in Provost Umphrey Stadium on its campus in Beaumont, Texas. The focal point of the Lamar Cardinals’ new system will be the Daktronics light emitting diode (LED) video display to be installed in the north end zone. This high-resolution display will deliver replays, game information and sponsor messages to the fans cheering on the Cardinals in Beaumont. The video board, measuring approximately 26 feet high by 51 feet wide, is part of the larger scoreboard configuration that will measure 48 feet high and span nearly 88 feet across. It also incorporates a custom numeric scoreboard, speaker cabinets with logo artwork, advertising panels, aunique Lamar University identification display, and camera platform.
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“Daktronics was very helpful throughout the entire process and helped us work through all the details of the installations,” said Jason Henderson, Associate Athletic Director at Lamar University. “The Daktronics equipment will enhance our football operations, enhance our game day experience, and put us up there with top universities when it comes to our facilities. We’re very
July/August 2010
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Technology @ Work Digital Signage Expo’s Q2 2010 Business Barometer Reports DS Spending, Business Projections Holding Up in Spite of Slowing Economic Recovery Atlanta – Digital Signage Expo (DSE) has announced the results of its Quarterly Business Barometer Survey for Q2 2010. After a difficult second quarter, during which the economic recovery slowed in the United States and other countries, 97% of all survey participants in North America still remained positive about the future of the Digital Out-of-Home Industry – representing no significant overall change from Q1 2010. For Q2, 59% or respondents indicated they felt “Very Positive” and 38% “Somewhat Positive” about the industry’s future. As in past quarters, those most positive about the DOOH Industry varied across each of the three main groups of respondents, which included Technology/Content Providers (53% “very positive”), Advertising/Marketing Professionals (65% “very positive”), and End Users/OOH Network Operators (70% “very positive”).
DOOH Business Continues to Improve In Q2 2010, 51% of End-User/Network Operators reported that their actual DOOH advertising revenues were “Higher” than in Q1 2010 -- up 6%. Additionally, the trend line remains positive, as 2% more projected that their advertising revenues in Q3 2010 will be “higher” or “about the same” than the percentage who forecast an increase for Q2 2010.
Hottest Growth Categories Technology/Content Provider respondents predicted that the hottest growth categories for DOOH in the next 12 months would include Retail (54%), Restaurant (38%), Education (35%), Transportation (31%) and Healthcare (30%). In addition, the number of new installations reported during the first two quarters remained nearly the same, with 45% of respondents indicating their installs were higher in Q1 and 46% in Q2.
End-User Dollars are Committed to DOOH The commitment to install for the first time, add to, replace or upgrade current DS systems during the next 12 months is relatively unchanged from the previous quarter’s report, with 13% of end-user respondents indicating they’re installing DS for the first time and 68% adding to or replacing/upgrading their current systems, compared to 14% and 70% in Q1. The average planned installation size reported in Q2 was slightly more than in Q1, with 45% planning to install more than 100 screens and 51% planning to deploy fewer than 100 screens, versus 42% and 53% respectively in Q1. According to the sampling of end-users and network operators planning deployments, their projected investments during the next 12 months remained about the same from quarter to quarter, with 15% in Q1 planning to spend $1 million or more on digital signage products and services versus 14% in Q2. “Despite a difficult second quarter, respondents to the DSE Q2 2010 Business Barometer remained upbeat about the future of the industry,” said Richard Lebovitz, Editorial Director for digitalsignageexpo.net. “The general outlook for the economy took a dive, but not the prospects for the industry, as the positive forecasts from each stakeholder group — end users/network operators, ad agencies/brand marketers and technology/content providers — represented in the survey indicate.” To see the complete report, go to www.digitalsignageexpo.net
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excited about our product.” To keep their fans entertained, Lamar University has enlisted the help of Keyframe® creative services, a division of Daktronics. The Keyframe® team will create engaging content for the Cardinals’ new video display and ensure the patrons at Provost Umphrey Stadium never experience a dull timeout or quarter break. www.daktronics.com
Denmark Business School Keeps Students and Visitors Informed with School-Wide Digital Display Network NÆSTVED, Denmark – At Handelskolen Sjælland Syd, a business school that provides courses for young students, adults and companies, administrators realized a growing need to communicate information and activities more quickly to visitors and its diverse student body. Because the school wanted to be perceived as modern and innovative, it decided to install a school-wide digital display network at its locations in Næstved and Vodingbord, Denmark. To help Handelskolen Sjælland Syd communicate more effectively to varying audiences, Scala Certified Partner Calamus installed a network of 25 digital displays to welcome guests and broadcast important school information, news and current events. Administrators can use Scala Designer and Content Manager to create and program what kind of information the displays show. They can schedule general information to be broadcast to several screens at once, and they can program content and send it to specific screens. For example, Scala ensures daily information is always displayed on screens in the school’s entrances, stairwells and hallways; however, it can send different information to the digital menuboard in the cafeteria, which changes day to day. Calamus developed a script for Handelskolen Sjælland Syd that automatically gets data from an existing computer-based activity calendar. This content is shown on four screens in the entrance area so that visitors get relevant information the minute they walk through the door. Automating content has given the school several benefits. Handelskolen Sjælland Syd is saving time, and now they are able to trust the system and be sure that it’s showing the updated information, according to Morten Jørgensen, IT Administrator at Handelskolen Sjælland Syd. www.scala.com SSM
Vertical View
Food Services
Game On Georgia Dome Impacts Visitors, Bottom Line with New Digital Menu Boards By Robert Lawrence
H
osting the newest college football program in the State of Georgia isn’t the only change happening at the Georgia Dome in Atlanta. The world’s largest cable-supported domed stadium recently revitalized all 55 of its concession and food service outlets with a digital menu board solution. Not only does the new digital menu board technology attract and influence customers, it also offers a dynamic and flexible option for the Dome’s food service operations, managed by Levy Restaurants, a leader in premium sports and entertainment dining concessions.
A Captive Audience The Georgia Dome, located in the heart of Atlanta, is owned by the State of Georgia and operated by the Georgia World Congress Center Authority. The facility is the home venue for the NFL’s Atlanta Falcons and, beginning this fall, the Georgia State University football program. A variety of concerts, conventions and consumer trade shows are held there each year as well. With a capacity of 70,500 for football and up to 80,000 for other events, the Dome hosts an impressive number of people each year.
The Technology Test With a drive to improve concession sales and streamline operations, last summer Levy Restaurants initiated a pilot to test the digital menu board technology developed by Atlanta-based Allure Global Solutions,
a software development company that provides dynamic digital media products and enterprise point-of-sale software to the entertainment marketplace. Together with Allure Global, Levy selected three test concession sites—a low-performing, medium and high volume—and outlined success factors to measure the pilot, including: • Amount of sales lift generated for selected products digitally animated and promoted on the digital menu boards. • Amount of sales lift generated for special promotion items, e.g., large souvenir cups. • Amount of Miller Lite sales lift since the beverage company became a new signage sponsor at the Dome. • Level of flexibility and speed achieved during menu board changes. The digital menu board pilot program was implemented just prior to the 2009 Atlanta Falcons season, with Allure Global managing installation of the 42-inch LCD screens and digital media players and developing all the creative content featured on the menu boards. After six months, Levy Restaurants compared the results from the three digital menu board test sites against same-site sales with static menu board signage from the previous year. The pilot program window included all Falcons’ games, the Chick-fil-A Classic, Chick-fil-A Bowl, SEC Championship Game, a U2 concert, a motocross event and Monster Truck Jam.
Hard Evidence
Georgia Dome Digital menu board photo courtesy of Allure Global Solutions, Inc.
The Beer Store
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The pilot results were indisputable. Not only did the new digital menu board concession sites produce higher sales, they also influenced consumers to purchase higher profit/higher volume products with the use of eye-catching graphics and full motion video. From an operations standpoint, digital media made it faster and easier for Levy to change prices, menu items, menu themes and even entire concession stands. For example, one concession site was changed from a food service stand for sporting events to a
Vertical View Food
limited bar for a concert without the hassle of swapping the static menu signage. With a successful pilot program completed, Levy, the Georgia Dome and its parent company, the Georgia World Congress Center, moved forward with an RFP process to select a digital media provider for full conversion of all its concession sites. Allure Global Solutions was awarded the contract in May 2010 and completed the 216-screen digital menu board implementation across all 55 of the Dome’s concession sites in August, in time for the 2010 Falcons’ football season. Allure Global’s internal team of graphics designers and animators created all animated content and managed the content for all screens.
Services
Photos of similar menu boards used by Spotlight Theatres courtesy of Allure Global Solutions, Inc.
Scotiabank
Customizable, Engaging Displays With a higher impact over static signage, digital media helps influence customer purchasing behavior at the point of consumption. It also can help maximize efficiency, promote consistency and improve revenues. The Dome’s new digital menu boards attract and engage customers with motion graphics and appealing digital imagery. They can be controlled from a single management interface—pushing menu changes to several concession sites or rolling them out across all 55 sites quickly and easily.
The menu boards offer tremendous flexibility for a world-class stadium like the Georgia Dome. Sophisticated digital media players can spread multiple images across multiple screens to maximize the value of the solution. Allure Global has a marketing technique called Interruption Marketing™ that allows the operator to take over all the screens in the digital menu board array and use them for a singular, multiple screen message—thus amplifying its effectiveness. The menu boards also can
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September/October 2010
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Vertical View Food
Services
Allure Global to develop a Falcons’ theme, a concert theme and a Georgia State football theme to enhance the event experience for sports fans and concert goers, and help drive concession revenues. The 216 42-inch LCD screens in place at the Dome’s concession sites also have audio capability. Levy now uses digital menu boards as a concession training tool before events. Training videos and other important messages are loaded onto the digital menu boards and presented to team members. Then, content is swapped out to feature menu items and special promotions before each event begins. Levy also uses the new menu boards to display sanctioned alcohol policies to customers, which vary by event, thus maximizing the alcoholic beverage revenue potential prior to cut-off.
Photos of similar menu boards used by Spotlight Theatres courtesy of Allure Global Solutions, Inc.
Getting Noticed According to point of purchase industry market research, digital content is noticed up to 10 times more than static—and consumers are up to five times more likely to recall digital content. Levy Restaurants and the Georgia Dome are tapping into this technology to raise sales of specifically targeted products and total per-cap revenue at concessions. Simultaneously, they are reducing total signage costs while gaining the flexibility to customize menu
boards for different events. The new digital menu board solution gives the Georgia Dome a competitive edge when it comes to enhancing the customer experience and driving concession revenues. SSM Robert Lawrence, EVP Stadiums and Arenas Allure Global Solutions, Inc., and can be reached at rlawrence@allureglobal.com
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Digital Dialogue
Q & A With Ken Goldberg
Do We Need Standards for the Digital Signage “Industry”? The market for digital signage networks is definitely growing but some issues may slow its growth. SSM talks with Ken Goldberg, CEO of Real Digital Media, about his opinions of the “Industry” and what he feels it needs to reach the next level.
I have seen the question asked a lot lately, so I want to pose the question to you, do you think digital signage can be classified as its own industry. Why or why not? Most of the arguments over digital signage as an industry focus on whether it is an extension of traditional OOH media, differentiated only by the delivery mechanism, or if the delivery mechanism itself has spawned something very new and different. I tend to lean toward the “this is an industry” side for several reasons. While there is little doubt that digital signage has grown out of and leans heavily upon the legacy of traditional OOH media, it has established itself as something more than “indoor billboards”. There is a distinct set of vendors serving digital signage networks that has little if any overlap with other OOH channels. There are digital signagefocused conferences, trade shows, seminars, products and associations. There is a definable market. There is capital earmarked for digital signage projects in the venture and private equity communities, as well as in the corporate community. While on the topic of community, there is clearly a digital signage community: it manifests itself on the Internet, in the blogosphere, in social media, at trade shows and in print. The fact that agencies don’t know where we belong is probably as good an indicator that we can’t be “lumped in” very easily because there are so many distinct differences in what we do and how we do it as opposed to traditional media.
bigger, but you can’t be all things to all people. We’ve seen companies try that and fail. Focus prevails.
If you had to pinpoint something that is holding back the digital signage industry from growth, what is it, and why? I could give you a couple of pages on that question, but since you asked for a pinpoint answer, I’ll try to speak to one big factor that has inhibited growth in digital signage. To me, that factor is education. In a rapidly growing industry with hundreds of vendors in the hardware, software and services space screaming for attention, there tends to be a lot of worthless noise and different versions of the truth out there. You have to have sympathy for the person in an organization assigned to “get smart” on digital signage. How do they figure
Where do you see the largest area for growth in the digital signage industry? We have always had primary focus upon Retail, Healthcare and Hospitality, and have done some work on corporate campuses. The Q2 DSE Business barometer, which was just published, seems to bear out that we have our eye on the right segments, based upon trends and responses from our peers. Clearly, to the extent that there is corporate money to launch networks and advertiser money to support those networks that seek it, that capital exists in the greatest quantity in those segments. Transportation, higher education, casinos and stadiums are other areas of opportunity and potential growth for digital signage, each for different reasons. The market is big and growing
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out where to start, and what to believe? How do they know what questions to ask? How do they even arrive at a glossary of terms that have meaning to them? There are so many publications, web sites, associations, bloggers, talking heads, consultants and other “experts” out there, a digital signage neophyte has a low chance of getting really good, unbiased information. Until we can agree that we are an industry, that we have a
Digital Dialogue
name for what we do, that we understand the models for doing it, and that we have true independent leadership, it will be hard to make it easy for new players to enter the industry and help it grow. In the shameless plug department, I am very proud that the new Digital Signage Federation has devoted significant resources toward varied, unbiased educational programs for members and non-members alike. It is the right way to advance the industry.
Recently you were appointed as the Committee Chair for the Digital Signage Federation’s new Standards Committee. What is the goal of the committee and what do you hope to accomplish while in this role? I’ve written a lot about the real need for Standards in our industry. It is probably second to education on the list of factors that hold us back. So I wasn’t
Ken Goldberg is CEO for Real Digital Media (RDM) and you can find Ken at www.RealDigitalMedia,com, follow him via Blog and Twitter or reach him at k.goldberg@realdigitalmedia.com.
surprised to be asked to serve on the committee. The nice part is that we have assembled an initial team of seven people, and the other six folks are seriously bright lights who I am excited to work with. Our goal is to be a force in establishing unified standards across a number of different facets of digital signage. In some cases we may endorse an existing standard created by another group. In others, we may work cooperatively to enhance work that has been started, and in other cases, we may start from scratch and carry the ball from the outset.
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Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
September/October 2010
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Digital Dialogue
We’ve listed a few areas of possible research on the DSF web site, including Semantics, Measurement, Integration and messaging, Reporting, Privacy, and Content. There will be others as well. Our initial effort will be very focused, and we’ll go public with it as we get closer to some deliverables. I’ve already learned that it is a real process. But I am sure it will be worth the effort.
Tell our readers why you feel a set of industry standards will improve the industry and move it forward? Our industry is characterized by a huge number of vendors offering products and services across every aspect of the digital signage cycle. If you were able to take a satellite view of all the deployed hardware, software and content out there and color-coded each different permutation, it would be an amazing rainbow. Unfortunately that diversity of approaches creates some very real challenges. Here are just a few that come to mind: Software and hardware providers must support a huge number of media types, resolutions and encoding methods. This drives development and support costs higher Advertisers trying to deploy content across multiple networks must account for differing capabilities and functions as it relates to business rules, playout, data capture, reporting and more. This makes buying DOOH harder than other media vehicles, and it impedes growth. We have hundreds of people using terms of art to mean different things. Going back to the education comments, this causes confusion, frustration and even bad decision making. For digital signage to become a part of corporate application portfolios, it will have to integrate with other corporate systems. Having standard methods for data exchange, standard field descriptions, etc. will accelerate that process We must address issues related to privacy to prevent this from becoming an impediment to acceptance. While in reality very few networks collect any private data, as peripheral devices such as cameras become more pervasive, and integration with other systems accelerates, we have to act proactively to assure people that our industry behaves properly. Adopting solid privacy practices will go a long way toward that.
Is their one particular technology that you feel needs to have standards before anything else? I am not sure there is a specific technology that comes first, because they are all inter-related. I may be a bit biased, but pretty much all roads lead to Rome, and in our case Rome means the software solutions behind the networks. Content, data and connections all flow through these systems. As an example, you can develop a standard for con-
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tent, and while it impacts the content developers first, it flows through software and hardware providers as well.
As CEO of Real Digital Media, how will these standards affect your current business model? We have always tried to encourage our customers to make their networks as homogenous as possible. By this we mean minimizing the variety of media player models, operating systems, content types and display models as much as possible. Doing so reduces the complexity of management, and reduces the cost of development and support. Having standards across the many aspects of digital signage will work to make networks that are NOT homogenous (which is actually the norm) LOOK more homogenous from a software perspective. We would be very supportive of that. I don’t think it would change our model, but it would make the way we advise and support our customers more efficient.
How does RDM currently position itself in the market? What makes RDM unique to the industry? Our message from the very beginning has been that we are focused on being able to take on a customer at its own launch and support it as it scales to significant size. We are very serious about being a partner with our customers, and not a vendor. That means that we end up doing a lot of things that aren’t in the job description, if you know what I mean. I know our customer partners appreciate that. We have believed in the value and economics of a multi-tenant SaaS environment from the very outset. We have created an architecture that optimizes that value for our customers. At the same time, we always knew that as networks grew, many customers would outgrow the SaaS model and want to take the software inside the firewall on their own servers. So we had the plan, the agility and the ability to migrate customers to an enterprise model, while being able to offer that option to larger prospects from the beginning. I don’t think many competitors can do that well. It is hard to be unique in this business, because the core functions of digital signage solutions are fairly well known. Certainly there are opportunities to do things first, uniquely or particularly well, and we pride ourselves on things like OnDemand, SpotSwap and SmartGroups. Virtually everything we introduce is the result of listening to customers, whether it is through formal user group meetings, or ad hoc whiteboard sessions. These are the people who know what is really needed. We rarely develop something because we “think” it is needed, and we try to avoid adding features that can’t be abstracted to serve the majority of customers and prospects. SSM
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7. The location and environments of digital signage. 8. Digital signage hardware and software and how to select vendors. 9. Digital signage content. 10. Fees and service models. 11. Digital signage RPO/TCO/ROO 12. Selling value in digital signage. 13. Networks tutorial. 14. On-line test.
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Vertical View
Stadiums
Field of Screens Chief hangs tough at the new home of the Minnesota Twins By Gregory A. DeTogne
S
ince first opening its turnstiles to baseball fans in April 2010, Target Field has been providing the Minnesota Twins with a new open-air home right in the center of downtown Minneapolis. Given a decidedly modern look by architectural firm Populous (formerly HOK Sport), the stadium was the beneficiary of an estimated $522 million budget that provided for the AV integration of more than 600 Insignia and SunBrite LCD monitors, all hung with the help of Chief mounting systems. Spread throughout the facility in seating areas, concourses, mezzanines, lobby areas, suites, and offices, the 1080p, highdefinition displays were deployed in sizes ranging from 32, 42, and 46-inch models on up to 60-inch units. Serving as visual reinforcement of the action on the field, as well as a source of digital messaging and advertising, the screens are part of an IPTV system managed by Cisco’s StadiumVision, an end-to-end video and digital content distribution network. Occupying approximately one million square feet (a footprint smaller than most of today’s generation of new stadiums), Target Field nonetheless houses internal spaces similar in size to those found at larger facilities. Various twists and turns within the Populous design help make such a feat possible, but not without a price for AV integration.
“We didn’t always have walls aligning within 90 degrees of each other,” notes Paul Johnson, the man hired by the Twins front office as project manager for the systems build. “There are a lot of variations within the architecture of the stadium from place-to-place. When first giving consideration to how we were going to hang our video screens, it was apparent that we really needed to work with a manufacturer that had the flexibility to provide different mounting solutions for our many diverse applications.” Operating from its headquarters in Savage, Minnesota, located in the southern Twin Cities metro area, Chief proved to be a hometown entity up to the task. Serving as the company’s point man on the project, regional sales manager Seth Baker worked with Johnson and a team including Target Field’s lead architect, general contractor Mortenson Construction, and Parsons Electric, a firm which counted AV systems integration among its duties. “Walk-through meetings were a regular part of our schedule,” Baker recalls, “as were plan reviews, and the development of demo locations. When all was All photos are courtesy of Chief Manufacturing. said and done, we had examined each
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Vertical View Stadiums
of the 600+ display screen sites either up close in person or via the blueprints. Mount locations, drop distances, and wind and weatherrelated factors were all given careful review and consideration.” Effectively dealing with the necessity of installing a Cisco digital media player (DMP) at each screen location received mindful attention as well. “Hiding the DMP units wasn’t the hardest part,” Johnson recounts. “Insuring that we still had access to them for maintenance purposes once the screens were installed was. Using the Chief mounts, we could adapt to the needs of each individual screen’s location. We used pull-out mounts in some places, tilting swing arm mounts in others, and fixed mounts where they made sense. Whatever the situation called for, with Chief we were adequately prepared to provide an immediate solution.” Designed with just such needs in mind, the Chief products brought to the Target Field project included FUSION™ Series model LTAU and MTAU universal tilting wall mounts, JWD Series dualswing arm wall mounts, MWR Series swing arm wall mounts, KWG Series height-adjustable, dual-arm wall mounts, and MCS Series ceiling mounts. In 46 locations where wind was a factor, display screens hanging 22 feet above seating areas were installed using Chief CMA340 stabilization kits. Cable systems that attach to 1.5-inch extension columns, each kit includes a pole clamp, four 10-foot cables, and four turnbuckles that combine to deliver a weight capacity of 500 lbs. plus the added strength Target Field required to withstand the stiff, biting breezes that can blow through from time to time. To lessen the possibilities of experiencing other weather-related woes, climate-controlled, stainless steel and glass enclosures also supplied by Chief were utilized to protect some displays located outdoors from the extremes of summer’s heat as well as early and late season cold. “On all levels, Target Field was built to survive under conditions of high use and hard abuse,” Johnson adds, summing up the philosophy that lent guidance to every aspect of the construction
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
All photos are courtesy of Chief Manufacturing.
project. “We wanted to specify products everywhere that could withstand the test of time. I feel we got just that with Chief, plus the willingness of a manufacturer to step up and give us the support we needed.” Heralded by many as one of the most advanced stadiums with a LEED Silver certification, Target Field wants to remain a place where the user friendliness of its confines is the best that can be offered to both fans and the teams that play there. To this end, heated seats are a distinct possibility in the future, as is an antenna system that will create a cell repeater network capable of covering the entire stadium. As for the distributed AV end of things, if Paul Johnson proves to be right, it will be many years—if not at least another 30-40—before anyone has to consider finding new ways to mount a flat-panel display screen. SSM Gregory A. DeTogne is a freelance writer and publicist who has worked within the pro AV marketplace since 1981. He can be reached at greg@detogne.net.
September/October 2010
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Vertical View
Education
Academic Success Enhancing Campus Wide Communication with Digital Signage By Bob Jones
The Challenge:
Ashland University in Ashland, Ohio, is a unique and outstanding institution of higher education. AU has buildings spread over 120 acres, with a full-time student population of 2,100. The challenge faced at AU and at universities around the country is to be able to communicate effectively with students on many levels, and in a way they find inviting.
The Solution:
Like many institutions, Ashland University is turning to electronic methods of information transfer to communicate with its staff and students. This process is more effective, saves time and money, and is more environmentally friendly than posters and bulletins.
F
or a while, the university used monitors at multiple locations, running several different versions of PowerPoint. The solution was less than satisfactory, mainly because the messages being broadcast were not unified. To make matters worse, the messages were not vetted by the university’s Marketing Department before they were released to the students. A new, unified approach was needed. Curtis White, the vice president of Information Technology at AU,
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knew that a better digital signage system had to exist that was both affordable and easy to use. Officials at AU wanted to cover all the colleges numerous buildings, with differing needs, so they needed a system that could span the campus yet seem small to the operators. “The system must allow individualized and building specific content to be displayed, as well as institution-wide information for events and coordinated emergency alerts,� White said.
Vertical View Education
“I didn’t want to worry about maintaining servers or software licenses,” he said. “I wanted to simply be able to install a system into an open port on the network and have it work outside of my campus intranet. The system had to be as user friendly as posting a PowerPoint, be able to be managed remotely by several different users, and be attractive and customizable for our institution.” Thomas Kemp, director of instructional technology and support, was brought in as the university’s technical expert. “I didn’t want to worry about maintaining servers or software licenses,” he said. “I wanted to simply be able to install a system into an open port on the network and have it work outside of my campus intranet. The system had to be as user friendly as posting a PowerPoint, be able to be managed remotely by several different
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
users, and be attractive and customizable for our institution.” To meet these needs, AU officials chose the Retriever Digital Signage System from DRM Productions. But the decision process at AU did not stop there. The IT department brought together college heads and building managers, along with Dr. Fred Finks, president of AU, and a team from DRM Productions to be sure the system would fulfill the need.
September/October 2010
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Vertical View Education
The team from DRM laid out the possibilities that the Retriever could bring to the university and listened to each college’s varying requirements. It became clear that AU had to satisfy the diverse needs of the different colleges while still keeping the signage connected across the campus. AU decided to roll out the Retriever Digital Signage System at six locations to see how it would work. “In 2008 the university received several displays as part of a major donation,” White said. “These systems were placed in key academic and administrative buildings for the initial phase of the digital signage project.”
COASTAL CAROLINA UNIVERSITY:
NOT TAKING SECURITY FOR GRANTED
Just a few minutes away from Myrtle Beach, Coastal Carolina University is home to over 8,000 students pursuing degrees in 42 fields of study. In addition to a rich academic program, Coastal Carolina University boasts over 100 clubs and organizations on campus, making for a busy extracurricular scene. While investigating the possibilities of digital signage for keeping students up to date on all the news from academic departments and student organizations, tragic events at another university highlighted an added dimension of urgency for deploying a digital signage system. Coastal Carolina University’s search for digital signage was in progress when the Virginia Tech massacre, which took the lives of 22 students and left many other wounded, took place, and that event brought home the fact that no university is completely safe in today’s dangerous world. “The tragedy that happened at Virginia Tech really raised everyone’s awareness in terms of the role digital signage could play in emergency messaging on a university campus,” explained Marvin Marozas, former chief information officer and special IT projects coordinator at Coastal Carolina University. One of the things that sold the university’s committee charged with looking into digital signage on AxisTV was the fact that the system could tie into the school’s unified mass emergency notification system. “That had an appeal even before the Virginia Tech tragedy, but after that, key administrators realized the campus needed to have some major messaging capability in the event of an emergency,” said Marozas. The committee looked at around a half dozen vendors, and in addition to the capability of integrating with the school’s emergency notification system, AxisTV’s ability to combine distributed capabilities with central management set it apart from competitors. “As head of the IT group, what impressed me about AxisTV over other vendors was that they offered a network-based system which provided centralized management
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capabilities, but also distributed capabilities as well,” said Marozas, adding that this was key for a campus environment with multiple departments. Today, Coastal Carolina University has deployed 17 channel players tied to 42inch and 52-inch LG LCD screens across campus. The screens are organized in a two-playlist format, with the left hand side of the screen featuring university-wide content, while the right-hand side shows department-specific information. A newsfeed appears at the bottom of the screens, with content specific to each college; for example, stock news runs in the business college, while cultural arts news appears in the college of humanities along with world news in three different languages. The system has been a big hit, drawing a high level of participation in terms of participants supplying content, according to Marozas. There are now 26 content coordinators for the 17 channel players who are responsible for keeping content for their specific areas updated. “Faculty, staff and students have seen the potential and recognize this is a great way to get their messages out,” said Marozas. “It’s really gotten their creative juices flowing.” For Marozas, the AxisTV system has more than met the challenges and goals envisaged at the outset. “It has an appeal to the young, it’s a green technology, and it’s a multimedia format,” he said. “The real key, though, is that it can get your message out much more quickly and effectively than a piece of paper on the wall.” That’s important when it comes to day-to-day information. In today’s more dangerous world, however, it could mean saving lives as well. Debbie Dewitt, Marketing Communications Manager at Visix, Inc.
Brand Marketer
International Airport Technical Director
University Technology Manager
Hospital Administrator
Advertising Agency
Museum Administrator
Movie Theater Operator
Hotel Chain Operator
Restaurant Chain Operator
Bar/Nightclub Owner
House of Worship Administrator
National Chain Retailer
Stadium Operator
Systems Integrator
Digital Out-of-Home Network Owner
Casino Operator
Vertical View Education
The Results Time has shown that the Retriever was a good fit for the university’s needs. The university controls some of the signage across the campus, while each college or building has content providers who are responsible for the remainder of the sign input and creation at specific locations. The new system gives all users a detailed and growing list of animated backgrounds to place behind images or typed messages. This feature is engaged using simple drop-down menus from a website where all content is created. Each user is assigned his or her own set of screens that other system users, other than key administrators, cannot access. System-wide or building specific users also can place weather radar, RSS feeds and holiday or special event information; place photos and advertise upcoming events; or notify students of class changes throughout the day. Student organizations keep members informed while building membership using the system. Each Retriever queries the Web every 10 minutes to retrieve any new content, which is then integrated into the next round of screens displayed at each location. These changes can be made from any computer with Internet access or using a smart phone. Users schedule content through the built-in scheduling software. In addition, animated screen backgrounds, built custom for AU, highlight key elements of the university. One slide displays the university clock with the correct time. In the future, students and employees also could build still or flash images to place on the Retriever. University President Finks was particularly interested in the emergency alert capabilities of the new system. From the start, he recognized that the ability to alert students to an
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Vertical View Education
emergency situation was critical. The Retriever is now one part of the emergency alert notification system that AU employs. “From an administrative perspective, Retriever’s hosted system is the perfect solution,” Kemp said. “I couldn’t be more pleased with the level of service and attention to detail that the DRM people have given us.” White agreed that the new system has been a success.“The Retriever interface makes updating and developing content much easier for the colleges, resulting in improved content,” he said. “The ease of use, innovative features and willingness of DRM to work with us to expand the features to accommodate university needs has us expanding the system from the initial six buildings to 15.” In addition, officials at the new football stadium and athletic complex are exploring ways to use the Retriever. The new system’s flexibility and user friendliness is helping AU entertain and inform its students and staff like never before. The goal was to develop a product that would give every user the ability to create professional looking signage, which remains at the center of all Retriever development. SSM
Bob Jones, Co-Owner of DRM can be reached at bob.j@drminc.com.
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GETTING
TECHNICAL
One
of the biggest enablers of the growth of digital signage overall is the availability of high-definition LCD, LED and plasma screens. Driven by increased demand and technological innovations in the consumer market, these display monitors are advancing rapidly. Today’s state-of-the-art display monitors and televisions feature an eye-grabbing 1080p (1920x1080 pixels) of resolution, making them ideal for a variety of digital signage applications. However, many of these display monitors are not being used to their full potential. The most common digital signage use-case for these monitors is the playback of stored video content for advertising purposes. With the emergence of advanced, networked HD media decoders, the full power of digital signage as an application can be unleashed.
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Leverage cutting-edge technology to get the most out of HD digital displays
With a networked HD media decoder, networking, video storage, video decoding and display management are all combined into a single device that enables customers to get the most out of their digital displays. Key features and benefits include: • HD quality. The decoders are capable of displaying multiple streams of HD quality video to a single monitor. They offer the flexibility of displaying HD quality video in
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
•
By Jumbi Edulbehram
a variety of different formats (H.264, MPEG-4, etc.) Networking. The decoders can be easily connected to the local network or even the Internet. This enables users to quickly and easily send new content to monitors. The content can either be stored on the decoders and played on a schedule or streamed directly to the display in real-time. By networking the decoders, they also
September/October 2010
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photo courtesy of Daktronics
In the wake of the current economic downturn, businesses of all kinds need to do more with less. Products used by multiple departments can pull from multiple budgets. Some retailers and financial institutions are looking to combine public view monitors, which serve as crime deterrents, with advertising messages for customers to view as they enter a location or wait in line.
•
•
• •
•
can be programmed to manage media delivery for a large number of screens, e.g. a video wall application. In security-related applications, video from network cameras can be displayed directly on the monitors, enabling security personnel to be more effective in preventing crime. Storage. Having storage directly on the decoders allows users to store multimedia content for programmed playback on the screens. Many different media files can reside in storage and can be played back at will. View customization. High levels of customization and control make HD decoders an ideal solution for the media market. Users can easily display stored content such as promotional or advertising videos or digital posters alongside available online, stored content or live camera footage. These views can be combined into various view layouts such as 1x1, 1x2 or 2x2. Users also can set up sequences to cycle through customized view layouts at a specified speed. Audio. Some decoders support high-quality audio to provide a superb multimedia experience. Integration. The decoders can be used in stand-alone mode, or they can be completely integrated into a media management system. For ease of integration, the decoders have open application programming interfaces that enable advanced customization and integration with other media delivery systems. Ease of use. While providing advanced functionality, this new generation of decoders is extremely easy to install, configure and use. Users simply plug-in the decoder to a monitor through an HDMI cable, pull up the interface on a Web browser and, with a few mouse clicks, they can set up, configure and operate the decoder. Some decoders even come with a TV-style remote control, so users can easily manage the content being displayed and even select the different types of views.
frequently changing signage. Large restaurant chains whose menus update constantly or transportation departments with ever-changing schedules are ideal for this application. Leveraging the power of the network, these customers can push new content from a central location to the display monitor over the Internet. Mixed Media In the wake of the current economic downturn, businesses of all kinds need to do more with less. Products used by multiple departments can pull from multiple budgets. Some retailers and financial institutions are looking to combine public view monitors, which serve as crime deterrents, with advertising messages for customers to view as they enter a location or wait in line. Hence, public view monitors can be used for loss prevention and security, as well as for advertising and merchandizing.
photo courtesy of NEC Display
Video Walls From advertising to security, video walls are commonly used by multiple departments. Security operators have long used video walls to display as many camera views as possible, while the marketing and media sector leverages these displays to send eye-catching messages to consumers.
Multi-purpose Messaging Users that speak to a diverse group of people will find greater flexibility and ROI in digital signs that serve multiple purposes. Large campuses, such as colleges or business parks, have many types of foot traffic. A sign that can display advertising content, breaking news, weather alerts, public service announcements and emergency messages through a series of sequences and views is an incredibly effective avenue to deliver messages to a large number of people quickly.
Ticker Tape The financial industry has long employed digital signage to stream live stock prices across large monitors. This technology is now used to display news, business headlines and customer messages. Users can stream ticker tapes or other “widgets” from the Internet directly to the monitors. Display of current, contextual information is a cutting-edge approach to information management. In closing, HD media decoders bring to life advanced digital signage capabilities and enable users to display media anywhere and anytime. These groundbreaking products deliver unprecedented picture quality, smooth video, accurate color and precise image scaling that helps deliver effective and clear messaging to displays. A strategic messaging campaign with digital video media allows businesses to simply and cost-effectively showcase their marketing campaigns. By leveraging the power of today’s advanced HD media decoders, companies can deliver consistent strategic messages to their target audience. SSM
Rotating Signage HD digital screens also are ideally suited to customers who need
Jumbi Edulbehram is the vice president of business development for Next Level Security Systems, a physical security company focused on developing a new breed of networked security solutions.
With these features, capabilities and the ability to display any content in brilliant HD picture clarity, the possibilities are endless:
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Signage Solutions
Products Signage Solutions & Products Digital signage products and solutions for today’s applications
Digital signage products and solutions, along with the technology which operates them, make the industry what it is today. Every issue of Signage Solutions Magazine will feature new products and solutions contributed by their respective companies. Please take time to review the products and see the full descriptions on our web site at www.signagesolutionsmag.com
46-inch All Weather Outdoor Digital Signage LCD Display This Outdoor Digital Signage Display (Model: H460AL) is a sunlight proof LCD display that allows you to view the displaying contents under the direct sunlight (all weather proof). This breakthrough product is ready for your outdoor digital signage application. The H460AL is equipped with state-of-theart technologies, including IP55-IP65 (Water, Dust proof) Housing, cooling and heating system, anti-vandal protection, all weather proof, Touch solution(optional), sunlight proof(optical bonding), high-brightness (2500cd/m2) LED BLU backlight and auto brightness sensor with native resolution of 1366 x 768. www.hyundaiit.com
AdderLink Line Powered Extender (LPV) The AdderLink LPV has been designed to deliver stunning results at a really attractive price, making it the perfect introduction to digital signage. The AdderLink LPV Extender is possibly the easiest to install point to point extender available today. To help reduce cable clutter, the AdderLink LPV has been designed to be powered by a USB port on your computer and this power is also transmitted alongside the video over CATx cable, in turn powering your receiver unit. In addition to its simplicity the LPV Extender also delivers fantastic quality video, with full HD 1080p, 1080i and 720p with distance up to 500 feet away. www.adder.com
Award-Winning Digital Signage Since 1983, DSI has provided a low-cost, high-performance solution for digital signage and video messaging systems. Some features include live weather, sports, stocks, news, airline arrivals/departures, crawls and more. DSI has free phone support and award-winning customer service. DSI also has an inexpensive and completely customizable scrolling TV guide or our high-quality programming data for your interactive guide needs. www.displaysystemsintl.com
Outdoor High Bright LCD Displays The new high bright products are ideal for Digital Signage and Public Information Display applications. The new GDS Ultra High Bright technology is the result of a perfect integration between LED backlight, cooling system and G-BOND Optical Enhancements. The LED backlight, designed by GDS, can reach 4000 nit by using high efficiency White power LEDs. The use of LED backlight allows also a power saving of nearly 40% if compared with displays with CCFL backlight. www.gds.com
Industrial-strength Panoramic Display NEC’s 43” X431BT is a professional-grade LCD display in a unique bar-type shape that allows businesses to utilize digital signage in even the most atypical spaces. Featuring thermal protection and a sealed panel design, the X431BT is designed for 24/7 usage in areas such as transportation facilities, quick-service restaurants and retail outlets. Its built-in expansion slot allows for seamless integration of NEC accessories or third-party components, while its multitude of video wall capabilities enhances multi-display configurations. Take advantage of the real-time clock to schedule on/off times and the RS-232 Control and Communication to monitor the unit from a remote location. www.necdisplay.com
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The Starting Point for Digital Signage
Targeted Content Mapping ™ Saddle Ranch Productions has introduced Targeted Content Mapping™ (TCM) to assist in developing a dynamic content strategy for digital signage. This proprietary process includes a 4-step “needs analysis” audit to map out a Customized Content Solution. A comprehensive TCM Audit helps identify opportunities to enhance your brand’s relationship with consumers by driving relevance, value, and truly connected messaging. This very simple but invaluable process starts with completion of the TCM Audit form. www.saddleranchproductions.com
Xpresenter Xe is a professional digital signage system designed for users who want to quickly be up and running with a professional digital signage network without the complexity. Xpresenter Xe allows users to choose a configuration that works bests for their specific application, saving money and eliminating unnecessary features. Completely scalable, each configuration is available as a turnkey package, including all necessary player hardware and software, as well as access to the X2O Web Portal for managing content on any screen from anywhere. www.x2omedia.com
HDMI Portable Video Pattern Generator New HDMI Portable Video Pattern Generator for testing HDTV displays and projectors for color and resolutions. It has 34 test patterns including SMPTE, 48 timings from 640x350 to 1920x1200 to HDTV’s 1080p, built-in audio, & HDCP signal tester. Features easy-to-use OSD, up to 8-hours rechargeable battery, and universal power adaptor. www.qvs.com. In-Window Transparent Interactive Touch Screen
SignMate
Enhance your storefront window or glass partition with the world’s first direct sunlight capable holographic touchscreen. A single interior install without adhesives will allow your customers to interact with your content 24/7 by simply touching through glass. Achieve that “Floating on Glass” effect as seen in Minority Report, Iron Man, CSI, etc. Available in a variety of sizes and allows any mouse driven content such as a website, flash, powerpoint, etc. to be interacted with via touch. Opaque alternatives also available. www.vislogix.com
The MagicBox SignMate provides the functionality, ease of use and reliability of the current Aavelin offering in a compact design – perfect for mounting behind displays. Use text, graphics, Flash, Divx, h.264, crawl lines, logo graphics and live video in a window to make your digital signs as dynamic and attention-grabbing as possible. Available options include RSS data feeds, weather forecasts, serial monitor control, interface to 3rd party emergency alert systems and database integration to virtually any relational database. Outputs VGA and DVI. Physical dimensions: 8.7”x 5.3”x 1.7”. www.magicboxinc.com
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
September/October 2010
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Signage Solutions
Products
Signage Solutions & Products
3G/4G Cellular Digital Signage MediaTile’s award-winning 3G/4G Cellular Digital Signage solutions offer a true innovation and breakthrough for corporate communicators, brand, product and merchandising managers. The all-in-one 32” Digital Sign in a Box system significantly reduces the effort and expense of deploying and operating an OOH network while maximizing viewer impact. MediaTile’s unique cellular approach eliminates the need for on-site networking, and our web-based SaaS (software as a service) media delivery and management system, the MediaCast system, dramatically simplifies network operation and content programming. This is the way digital signage was meant to be: relevant, simple, robust, secure and flexible. www.mediatile.com
Digital Signage Enclosure The e4100 Digital Signage Enclosure is the newest addition to CCS-Inc.’s Envirosealed® Enclosure line. Designed to fit most 42” - 46” flat panel displays, the patent-pending e4100 protects against dust, theft, vandalism, and even hose-directed water. Its durable cold-rolled steel body and polycarbonate window allow customers to deploy large screen displays in tough indoor and outdoor environments – including transportation platforms, manufacturing facilities, retail and tourist attractions, and campuses. For maintenance, simply unlock the front door and let the gas-assisted lifting arms hold it open. Then use the swing-out or quick release mounting features to access cables or remove the monitor. www.ccs-inc.com
CATx-based DisplayPort™ extension system CATx-based DisplayPort™ extension system with flexible, daisychaining options for HDMI and DVI port connectivity. The DisplayPort 1.1a compatible MediaCento XD Transmitter can be plugged into a DisplayPort HD electronics device and, using ordinary CAT5e or CAT6 cabling, extend signals up to 600 feet (182.8 m) to a MediaCento XD DisplayPort Receiver or MediaCento XD HDMI/DVI Receiver attached at a screen. The transmitter can also be ordered with HDMI/DVI input for use with existing digital AV players and other source equipment. www.blackbox.com
Integrated Storage Server Harris is introducing the NEXIO Volt integrated storage server— a small form-factor, highperformance baseband video server equipped with its own media storage. The NEXIO Volt integrated storage server offers support for up to four mixed SD/HD or SD-only baseband channels in a spacesaving 1RU package. Built on the same platform as the award-winning NEXIO AMP(r) server, the NEXIO Volt integrated storage server provides 1 TB of RAID-3 protected internal media storage. The NEXIO Volt integrated storage server also comes standard with the NEXIO Playlist event sequencing application for playing out content and the NEXIO Remote application for ingest, playout and media management. The NEXIO FTP Server also is provided to support file-based workflows. A simple software upgrade enables the NEXIO Volt integrated storage server to attach to the NEXIO shared storage system. http://digitalsignage.harris.com
Digital Room Agendas from Outlook Calendars Create digital room agendas outside each of your conference rooms – right from your Outlook Calendar. Set the format - background, fonts, colors, and styles - for each room. Agendas are automatically updated whenever Outlook Calendar changes occur. ScheduleIt! is compatible with SMIL media players, most web browsers, and a wireless 10-inch LCD screen from ViewSonic. ScheduleIt! works with personal and Exchange Server Outlook calendars. www.bestwave.com
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Signage Solutions
Products
Environmental Cost of Operation Calculator New online Environmental Cost of Operation (ECO) calculator, analyzing the total energy consumption of major display technologies compared to Prysm’s Laser Phosphor Display (LPD) panels. The new calculator assesses both the environmental impact of various large format displays and the amount of savings that can be achieved with LPDs, to assist consumers in purchasing the lowest environmental and financial cost display technologies. Prysm’s new online tool clearly demonstrates that LPDs can achieve over 75 percent in cost savings compared to conventional display technologies. www.prysm.com
Digital Signage Solution
Apple iPad™ Mounting Frame New mounting frames designed for the Apple iPad™. The frames, designed to securely hold the iPad™, complement the mobile digital device’s stylish look. These frames provide flexibility and security for the optimal hands-free experience and secure installation. The IPM-100 frame encloses the iPad™ but leaves the display fully visible and the home button available, perfect for the home where guests or children should not adjust power controls or personally connect to the iPad™ using the dock connector port. The IPM-200 frame was designed to allow full access to the dock connector port, volume control, rotation lock and power button by only attaching to each corner of the iPad™. www.mounts.com
WEGENER introduces a new Digital Signage solution optimized to generate and control compelling, professional messages. Simultaneously support multiple clients, marketing zones and applications. New tools to control screen layouts and localize video, graphics and text elements. Benefit from WEGENER’s experience deploying 100,000+ media devices for digital signage, video and radio environments. The introduction reinforces WEGENER’s commitment to clients within Advertising Agencies, Banking, Corporate Communications, Digital Out-of-Home Networks, Healthcare, Houses of Worship, Retail and Systems Integration to support multiple clients, marketing zones and applications simultaneously. www.wegener.com
Professional LCD Monitors
Digital Signage System
Sharp’s PN-“E” Series of Professional LCD Displays offers large-format monitors in 60-inch, 52-inch, 47-inch and 42-inch models that feature full 1920 x 1080 (1080p) resolution from most any analog or digital RGB source, as well as HD video for outstanding image quality and 10-watts per channel of stereo audio with built-in speakers. The 60” class, 52” class, and 42” class models are compatible for use in both landscape and portrait modes. All models are certified for 24/7 operation, offer an optional input/output interface expansion board along with an optional Signage Controller and are ENERGY STAR ® qualified. www.sharpusa.com
Create, schedule, manage and monitor your marketing messages from any Web browser with STRATACACHE’s ActiVia for Media software. Centrally deliver real-time, targeted messages to specific locations based on customer demographics and promotional campaigns. Whether you have ten locations or tens of thousands, ActiVia is robust enough to power your entire digital signage network. www.stratacache.com
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
September/October 2010
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Signage Solutions
Products
Signage Solutions & Products Drive-Thru Kiosk Proven to deliver a 15% increase in sales, the MRI BoldVu® W2O (Way2Order® Drive-Thru Kiosk) is an innovative, direct self-ordering interactive device for outdoor use at the ordering position of a typical QSR Drive-Thru. Orders are placed directly by the customer using the interactive touchscreen on the 32” high-bright portrait style display. The 2000 nit display allows for comfortable direct sun-light use while the robust touchscreen supports customer interaction with bare or gloved hands in dry or wet conditions. www.mri-inc.net
Digital Signage Software Omnivex, a leading provider of digital signage software, has advanced the functionality of their Moxie software with its latest release, 6.05. Omnivex Moxie 6.05 has the functionality to manage video walls driven by any number of PC’s to form single or multiple images through the Video Wall Synchronization feature. A video can span multiple PC’s, be displayed on multiple screens and remain in frame synchronization, even in the event of one or more Player PC’s restarting. The end result is one perfectly unified, visually stunning video wall capable of managing the most elaborate content imaginable. www.omnivex.com Heavy Duty Digital Signage Cart
Scalable Digital Signage Player The signage system comes built in with the AMD 780E-based MI952 Mini-ITX motherboard and offers superb performance, stability and excellent power efficiency. The compact CMI200952F signage solution is integrated with ATI Radeon™ HD 3200 graphics with ATI Avivo HD technology and 128MB DDR3 sideport memory to provide excellent graphics performance to present the dynamic visual experience intended to the viewers. It supports dual independent displays combinations of HDMI with DVI-I and dual DVI-D interfaces. Compatibility with a range of AMD embedded processors including low power AMD Athlon X2 dual-core and AMD Athlon X4 quad-core processors and very low power AMD Athlon single-core processors enables CMI200-952F to support a wide range of performance as required by different digital signage software. www.ibase-usa.com
OmniMount’s PROHDCART is a heavy-duty flat panel cart offering convenient mobility and functionality. It fits most flat panels up to 55-inches and can support a total weight of 125 pounds (including shelves and components). Knowing that versatility is key, the PROHDCART has a telescoping post with locking pin that allows for height adjustment from 52- to 72-inches (in 1-inch increments) and allows the display to be positioned as portrait or landscape. A caster base with four locking wheels provides safe and easy movement over any surface and the rubberized bumpers don’t scuff walls or doors. www.omnimount.com
Satellite Content Delivery Offering for Digital Signage VELOCITY MICROBURST allows VELOCITY data users to acquire occasional “bursts” of additional bandwidth. Many content delivery requirements for digital signage call for a weekly or possibly a monthly update of new content to supplement their regularly scheduled delivery. This type of “bursty” content update is best served by a technology that allows users to increase the data rate of their fixed rate Microspace channel for short, medium or longer periods of time. Users not only pick the amount of time but also select the data rate to be utilized during that period of “bursty” traffic. Customers get high bandwidth satellite delivery and pay for it only when needed. www.microspace.com
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Signage Solutions
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World’s Thinnest Bezel Display
All-Weather Full-Motion Mount for Indoor/Outdoor Use An all-weather mount for 42”-75” flatpanel TVs weighing up to 175 lbs. The VisionMount® VXF220 All-Weather Full-Motion Mount is manufactured with a special rust-resistant coating and stainless steel hardware and has been rated to withstand rain, snow and salt, making it an ideal choice for indoor/outdoor use. The mount offers robust, dual extension arms that support even the largest TVs and allow the user to extend the TV up to 20” from the wall, tilt, swivel and pan it in any direction. www.sanus.com
Stretched 38 inch display for outdoor
Sharp introduced the PN-V601 professional LCD monitor with LED backlighting, designed specifically for video wall applications. The new 60-inch monitor offers the world’s slimmest bezel available in a professional LCD display and can be used in a variety of signage and commercial display applications, in both landscape and portrait mode. The bezel measures just over 1/8th of an inch (4.1mm) at the top and 1/11th of an inch (2.4mm) at the bottom of the panel. The monitor enables a 13’ x 7’ video wall with the use of just nine monitors, while it would require sixteen 46-inch competitive monitors to produce the same 100 square foot video wall. www.sharpusa.com
Designed to provide a fully integrated, digital signage solution in applications including transportation, public information and leisure, the 38 inch stretched MIDAS display is readable in direct sunlight and is suitable for continuous use in challenging environments. The new LCD display gives highly contrasted content as well as excellent image quality. The advanced 1000 cd/sqm LED backlighting technology enhances readability and offers excellent uniformity of light whilst consuming less power and offering longer life than commonly used conventional CCFL lamps. An ambient light sensor continually samples the light and adjusts screen brightness levels to ensure comfortable viewing at all times. Displays are housed in rugged IP65 rated enclosures that provide both physical protection and resistance to moisture and dust ingress. The new displays are fully thermally managed with the correct internal operating temperature maintained automatically (heating and cooling). This means no additional enclosures or ancillary cooling systems are required. www.gds.com
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
Remote Display Management with Proof-Of-Performance New solution platform which allows advanced media distribution, as well as network based control and monitoring capabilities of multiple remote displays. DS Vision™ Digital is a powerful solution that distributes real-time digital non-compressed full HD content to multiple terminals and enables remote management with Proof-of-Performance technology. www.minicomdigitalsignage.com
Wallplate Active Extender Kit with IR Control HDMI CAT5e Wallplate Active Extender Kit with IR Control that transmits audio and video with HDCP up to 60 meters (196ft) at 1080i and 30 meters (131ft) at 1080p 60Hz. Built in Infra-Red allows you to control the device remotely, auto-skew for optimal signal boost and interference reduction, and single end power provides installation flexibility. It offers simple and inexpensive solution for extending audio and video signal over long distance. It is ideal for digital signage. Kit includes transmitter & receiver, IR transmitter & receiver, and power adaptor. www.qvs.com
September/October 2010
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Signage Essentials Understanding the Basics Going Places The endless possibilities of digital place-based media
By Kim Sarubbi
I
nitial television content consisted of little more than radio programming distributed on a different media. Sure, it was a way to entertain the American family, but producers and advertisers lacked vision— no pun intended. Now, with the ability to assault the visual sense as well as the audio sense, television can have a much greater impact. As time has passed and the television has advanced, it has become part of nearly 100 percent of American households. Programming improved to feature commercials. Then, just when producers and marketing executives seemed to catch up, technology jumped ahead again. Cable and satellite television have brought a variety of movies and sporting events into the American home. The unveiling of new networks and new programming once again left content providers at a loss. As a placeholder, traditional television programming was shifted to the new medium. Once networks such as ESPN, MTV and HBO figured out the formula, content providers and advertisers were able to distribute specifically targeted programming and related advertising to their market.
Thinking Outside the Box Eventually, viewers learned that they had choices in programming and were not necessarily captive to television, radio or even their homes. It became necessary to think outside the “idiot box.” In order to continue to captivate the masses, place-based media was born. As we had seen with other media, content must be designed and produced specifically for the medium it is to be distributed on. By developing networks in specific locations, place-based media offers the ability to reach an audience, but not necessarily to grab its attention. With the loss of the captive audience, it is out of necessity that the content speaks directly to the audience and connects with it immediately. Methods that had once worked in Ameri-
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An airport terminal is a perfect example of the ample opportunities that can be taken advantage of in the world of placed-based media.
can homes, where the audience is sitting on a couch, are rendered useless on the active passerby in a busy marketplace. Traditional programming and advertising needed to be updated to the specific type of medium it was delivered on, as well as the specific location it was housed.
if you are delivering your content into an obstetrics office, you can rest assured that your audience is women aged 20 to 40. However, you are limited to an average wait time and are thus limited to the kind of content you are delivering.
The Digital Age
To appeal to each specific audience, content must be educational and entertaining. Simply airing reruns of sitcoms will not capture the attention of a mother who is concerned about her baby. However, if you can appeal to the emotions of those issues, you can make a lasting impression. It is imperative that the content be formulated by an experienced company. Knowing the audience, products, client and pertinent information is a must. The company must have the experience and know how to deliver to a variety of locations through a variety of media. The wrong content in the right arena is a waste of everyone’s time and money. Several years ago, a major broadcasting network tried its hand at digital place-based
Over the past 10 or more years, we have seen the conversion of content go from videotape to DVD and then to digital—the former being an obvious choice to most, but the latter being a bigger change. Of course, the quality of DVD is far superior to videotape, but the flexibility of digital content is much more advantageous when it comes to delivery methods. Taking advantage of digital delivery has been the one of the greatest challenges of a digital content company. For every medium, there is a preferred content formulation. The opportunity for the advertiser is a catch 22. On the one hand, it is easier to pinpoint your target audience. For example,
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Get Personal
As we had seen with other media, content must be designed and produced specifically for the medium it is to be distributed on. By developing networks in specific locations, place-based media offers the ability to reach an audience, but not necessarily to grab its attention. With the loss of the captive audience, it is out of necessity that the content speaks directly to the audience and connects with it immediately. media and failed miserably. They spent approximately $70 million on rolling out a huge network. Complete with state-of-the-art flatpanel TVs, the fastest digital uploads available and an expansive network, the network was poised for huge returns on investment. That’s when things went south. Being inexperienced in the new and advanced delivery methods, they chose to run the same content on the digital network that had worked beautifully on broadcast television.
A captive audience, no matter what the venue, is key to digital success.
One mistake—one huge mistake—saw the company pull the plug and cut their losses. The digital forum allows for great success, but only if it is done exactly right. The first step is to learn your client and their products. The venue plays a huge part in the specific medium that is to be chosen. The location and products will dictate the audience you will reach with your content. From there, the content must be formulated just right. It takes enough educational and entertaining content to captivate the
target market. Once you have their attention, hit them with enough information to educate them on why they need the product. This must all be delivered over a specific length of time based on the dwell time of the specific venue. If all is done properly, the possibilities are endless. But, one small hiccup could leave you gasping for air. SSM Kim Sarubbi is the president and CEO of Saddle Ranch Productions and can be reached at kim@saddleranchproductions.com
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September/October 2010
37
By The Way Easier Said Than Done
Making the most of the network strategy
By Paul Flanigan
S
top me if you’ve heard this one: You’re ready to start a network. You have a marketing department fantasizing about customer engagement with digital signage, and a venue just perfect for an extravaganza of digital engagement. You get your marketing team together and hop on a plane to the nearest digital signage tradeshow. But when you get there, you’re bombarded with a show floor full of technology, noise and people who talk really fast and say things like “ROO” and “ROI.” You attend a few educational seminars that seem to have a bunch of great insight, but they’re not answering the one question you have: “Where do I start?” You ask the question. And you hear the industry catch-all, knee-jerk reflex answer that all of us are trained to say: “You need a strategy.” Well, there you go. Have fun with your new network. Thanks for reading.
A Broader Plan It would be easy to end the article like that, as easy as giving that answer. You know you need a strategy. Everything you do with your business has a strategy. I hardly believe any of you started your business with, “Let’s see what this button does.” Here’s the catch: You don’t need a strategy. You need strategies. Plural. More than one. Like all good business and project plans, rarely does one plan cover the whole project. A blueprint will show you how to build a house, but it won’t show you how to install the hook up the home theater system. The right approach is several plans, each with their own purpose within the larger project.
The Two-pronged Approach The two plans that will dictate your network are a technology plan and a content plan. The technology plan will encompass the physical infrastructure of the network, while the content plan will focus on the message. The plans are meant for two separate teams with two separate outcomes. The technical plan is a finite approach. You’re going to invest a lot of capital into computers, servers and screens, and you’re going to pay people who drink and lot of soda and don’t sleep much to run these computers. These people are going to do everything they can to get a message from you to your customer in an efficient manner. The content plan, however, is not so restricted. It includes marketing, budgeting, advertising, branding, measurement and media planning. And at the end of the year, you need to figure out how
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All photos courtesy of NEC
to do it all over again, because outside companies that are now aware of your network are going to start talking to you in ways that may sound like Klingon for a while. We can all agree that Klingon is an elegant language, but only if you can speak it fluently.
Reaching Out Digital signage is such a unique approach to customer engagement that it requires a unique plan—one you’re not likely to develop within your own ranks because many have not really done this before. It’s easy to hang a screen and turn it on, but how do you get people to watch it? And to engage with it? So the first real question you need to ask is, “Where do I get the right strategies?” Your strategies will come from two sources: An expert. Talk to someone who has been there and done that: someone who has built networks and run them, has built business plans for networks and can help you map out the next 24-36 months of your life with digital signage. You and this person will walk through your environment and talk about digital signage, and discover what it will take to make digital signage a reality. This person will become intimate with your business and your plans so you can get solid plans for your network.
Your company. Here, you’re not looking for a strategy, but perspective on your plans. You ask your executive leadership what they think about a network, and you ask the employees what they think. This is that all-important opportunity to get employee feedback and buy-in. One of the unique traits of a digital signage network is how much it affects so many departments in any given organization, from venue operations to IT to marketing to accounting—many of whom will have a role in the success of the network. Making them part of the team goes a long way to network success. But, I understand how easy it is to write this, and how potentially difficult it is to execute. Regardless of whether you’re a Fortune 100 or a no-fortune-at-all company, my experience has seen plans succeed, lose focus, fall apart, restart and drag out for months. It is never easy. So here are a few things to consider before moving down the path of network success. Below each consideration is a “strategic implication,” a way to think about this affects your plans.
Don’t do it. How’s that for a strategy? Seems a little counterproductive to start with this, but too often marketing departments see a screen and think that its native purpose is to easily get customers to a cash register. That couldn’t be farther from the truth. TV screens are everywhere. Customers can sit in their home and choose from 200 different channels of noise any time they want. You are competing not just with other stores to get products in hands of your customers, but with media outlets to get their attention as well. Oh, and you have to make selling the product and sending a message work together to succeed. Strategy implication: How will a network benefit our customer in ways he or she cannot already access on his/her time and his/ her own network (mobile or online)? No two networks are the same. Networks are like snowflakes, thumb prints and Roger Clemens’ testimony—no two are the same. When you walk through other venues, you’ll hear executives say, “I want ours to look like that.” “Because my competitor is doing it” is not a reason. Yours will not resemble theirs. You do it because you want to do it, not because it’s in vogue. Strategy implication: How can we make a network unique to our venue and/or our brand? Impact is endemic and relevant. While working in retail, a key tenet is “Win the last 10 feet.” That meant making sure you’re able to seal the deal and get the product in the customer’s hands. Digital signage is one of the closest points of engagement to that transaction. If the message is relevant to customer when he or she is making a decision about a product, then the message will have a positive impact on the customer’s behavior. Strategy implication: Where are going to put your screen(s), and what are you going to put on them?
Digital Technology for Today’s Applications
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success of the network will result in a successful engagement. Strategic implication: What role does each department have in the planning and execution of our network? All photos courtesy of NEC
Departments are a function, not a reason. When trying to deliver a message, you’re asking customers or viewers for their time, often considered the most valuable thing they own. Each department has a role in the success of the network, but is not the reason you’re doing it. You’re doing this because of the viewer. That’s the only reason. Knowing what role each and every department plays in the
So, after reading all this, you should be asking yourself, “How do I build a plan that enables me to effectively and successfully integrate a digital signage network into my venue?” Now, that’s a great question. SSM Paul Flanigan is a founder of The Preset Group, a digital signage consultancy. Formerly from Best Buy, he is a frequent speaker and hosts seminars on digital signage. He writes about digital signage at www.experiate.net.
Advertiser Index AVALAN WIRELESS www.avalanwireless.com ....................................................................................................Back Cover BLACK BOX NETWORK SERVICES www.blackbox.com .................................................................................................. 15 CET WORLD www.cetworld.com ....................................................................................................................................... 25 DIGITAL SIGNAGE EXPO www.digitalsignageexpo.net ...................................................................................................... 21 FLYPAPER www.flypaper.com ............................................................................................................................................. 13 MITSUBISHI ELECTRONICS www.mitsubishi-presentations.com ........................................................................................ 7 NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS www.necdisplay.com .................................................................................... Inside Front Cover PEERLESS www.peerlessmounts.com ................................................................................................................................ 11 RESPARIO www.digitaladgroup.com .................................................................................................................................. 37 SADDLE RANCH PRODUCTIONS www.saddleranchproductions.com ............................................................................... 5 SAMSUNG www.samsung.com/business ............................................................................................................................. 3 SYMON www.symon.com ................................................................................................................................................... 23 X2O MEDIA www.x2omedia.com .......................................................................................................................................... 9
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