January/February 2013 by Signage Solutions Magazine

Signage Solutions

January/February 2013 The Technology and Solutions Magazine for Digital Signage, DOOH, Mobile and Place-based Digital Media

Bright Lights

BIG Signage FROM RETAIL LOCATIONS TO TIMES SQUARE, DIGITAL SIGNAGE IS A NATURAL FIT FOR AMERICAN EAGLE

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Dave Taylor

Audio/Visual Engineer For American Eagle

The State of

Placed-Based Media (in the "paid-owned-earned" model)

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SELECTING MEDIA PLAYERS 9 ways for enterprise clients to boost deployments and ROI

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Publisher’s Perspective

Ready for 2013 As we bring in the New Year, let’s look back on last year and see what has been accomplished. The digital signage industry continues its slow but upward growth, and 2012 brought us many great innovations and technologies that will push it closer to becoming a mainstream solution. In 2012, we saw digital signage solutions being applied in high-profile installations, such as New York’s Time Square and Las Vegas, to local supermarkets and everything in between. We brought you compelling stories about the St. Louis Rams, Phoenix Suns and Diamondbacks, and the New York Rangers and the Texas Rangers installing impressive high-tech digital signage solutions. Other memorable stories included the Colorado Transit System installing a digital signage solution that keeps riders informed of news, traffic and weather, and Fortune 500 companies such as JetBlue and Wells Fargo also adopting digital signage products. Of course, we didn’t forget about important small businesses and organizations. We brought you stories about neighborhood pharmacy Milagros de Mexico in California, the Montérégie Tourism Center in Montreal, Canada, and the Diabetes Center at the University of South Florida. Other interesting installations included airports, museums, hotels, retailers, schools, restaurants, courts and medical centers. As digital signage adoption continues to expand in 2013 and beyond, the staff at Signage Solutions will continue to bring those stories to you. I’m particularly excited about the developments in design and manufacturing. In this issue, you’ll see the winners of the 2012 Signage Solutions Product of the Year Awards. Companies from all over the world submitted their products and solutions to be judged by independent judges. These new products and solutions are a testament to companies investing their time and resources to pushing this industry forward. As we put last year behind us, we are excited to see what will surprise us in 2013. I am excited about attending the 2013 Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas. Many companies are planning exciting announcements of new technologies and solutions that will help you better perform your job. I look forward to attending the educational sessions as well. I encourage you to attend this year’s Digital Signage Expo (www.dsenow.com). The knowledge and expertise you will gain is extremely valuable to yourself, your professional career and your employer. It’s also an opportunity to meet some of your peers and learn from their experiences. If you do plan to attend, please be sure to come by our booth and say hello. We are always excited to meet our readers and learn how you feel about our product. Until next issue,

Ben Skidmore Publisher ben@signagesolutionsmag.com Find us on Twitter @SignageSolMag Follow Signage Solutions Magazine on Facebook

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

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January/February 2013 • Volume Four • Issue One Publisher/Editorial Director

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Signage Solutions Magazine (ISSN 2159-0060) is published bi-monthly (Jan/Feb, Mar/Apr, May/Jun, Jul/Aug, Sep/Oct, Nov/Dec) by Partners Publishing, 6401 W. Eldorado Parkway, Suite 307, McKinney, TX 75070. Application to Mail at Periodicals Postage Prices Pending at McKinney TX 75070 and at additional mailing offices. Basic subscriptions rates: one year (6 issues) free to qualified subscribers. Others may subscribe at a cost of $60 for 6 issues. Individuals copies sold for $15, per issue. POSTMASTER: Send address changes to: Signage Solutions Magazine c/o Partners Publishing, 6401 W. Eldorado Parkway, Suite 307, McKinney, TX 75070

Author’s Guidelines: Signage Solutions will consider manuscripts that are not offered to other publications. Preferred length is 700 words (case studies) or 1200 -1,500 words (Features). Please submit manuscripts to Editorial Director at the mailing address above or send via e-mail to: editor@signagesolutionsmag.com JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

Signage Solutions

magazine

Contents

January/February 2013

The Technology and Solutions Magazine for Digital Signage, DOOH, Mobile and Place-based Digital Media

Technology @ Work A brief look at company/industry news within the digital signage industry.

features

The Writing on the Wall

The True Cost of Content

Tips for successful video walls.

Early planning leads to cost control.

Vertical Views Public Spaces A Storied History

A Dynamic Duo

At more than 150 years old, Bunting Graphics continues to be an innovator.

Signage and kiosks come together in retail stores.

18 22

Vertical Views - Hospitality

Selecting Media Players

9 ways for enterprise clients to boost deployments and ROI.

COVER Story Bright Lights Big Signage

From retail locations to Times Square, digital signage is a natural fit for American Eagle.

30 Signage Solutions & Products

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 features new products and solutions.

A Ripple Effect

Eye-catching digital signage content shines throughout new hotel casino.

By The Way The Media Mix

A look at dynamic place-based media in the â&#x20AC;&#x153;paid-owned-earnedâ&#x20AC;? model. By Lyle Bunn

www.signagesolutionsmag.com

Your Creative Vision. Delivered.

NanoLumens Design Specific Series. Large-format LED video displays built to your unique specifications. No two installations are alike. So why are there so many one-sizefits-all LED solutions? The new NanoSlim DS and NanoFlex DS series from NanoLumens are designed to give you the ultimate flexibility to bring your digital creative vision to life in spectacular fashion. For more information on NanoLumens Design Specific displays, see us at Digital Signage Expo in booth #1042, visit nanolumens.com or give us a call at 888-771-6266.

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Technology @ Work

EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Lyle Bunn

Updates

Industry&News

Principal & Strategy Architect

BUNN Company

Go to www.signagesolutionsmag.com to read full version of articles found in the Industry News & Updates section of Signage Solutions Magazine.

Jason Carey Vice President, Retail Digital Signage Network Director Wells Fargo

Andreas Claus Director, Production Services

Vanderbilt University

Business groups, non-profit organizations and community groups joined with outdoor sign companies announced the launch of Sign Up L.A., a coalition to support the development of common sense policies designed to encourage the reasonable use and location of digital billboards in Los Angeles – and, by doing so, to bring critical community benefits to the city, including enhanced public safety initiatives and increased economic development. Sign Up L.A. supports policies similar to those successfully used in forty-three states and more than 450 localities across the country, including such California cities as Sacramento and Oakland.

Digital Signage Reinvents the Duty Free Stores in Paris Airport BrightSign, LLC®, a market leader in digital signage players, announced its recent collaboration with TMM Communication to provide digital signage to Buy Paris Duty Free shops in Charles de Gaulle International Airport. The Société de Distribution Aéroportuaire (SDA), a joint venture between Aéroports de Paris and Aelia (Lagardère Services), chose BrightSign and TMM Communication to implement its strategy for digital communication at Buy Paris Duty Free, the retail brand created by SDA. The flagship store at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris opened March 27, 2012 and is equipped with seven double-horizontal, ceiling-mounted screens, and a wall of screens spanning nine square meters.

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Linda Hofflander Director Vertical Marketing Samsung Electronics

Garry McGuire Chief Executive Officer RMG Networks

Stephen Nesbit Managing Director Prestonwood Trail Holdings

Judd Norris General Manager, Legends Entertainment District, Phoenix Suns / Arizona Diamondbacks

Patrick Quinn President & CEO PQ Media

Pedro Andres Sanchez

Senior Vice President, Creative Technology Monster Media

Hugh Sinnock Director, Customer Experience Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority

Dave Taylor Audio Visual Engineer American Eagle Outfitters

Daniel Trigub Vice President, Business Development Chief Financial Officer Blue Bite

Donald Van Buren Director, Interactive Media Torrance Memorial Medical Center

Brian Gorg Executive Director Digital Signage Federation

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Technology @ Work New Research Shows No Connection Between Digital Traffic Signs and Accidents The installation of on-premise electronic message centers does not result in an increase in traffic accidents, according to a new study conducted at Texas A&M University on behalf of the Signage Foundation, Inc. The study covered 135 signs in four states over the span of four years, and used crash/accident data from the Federal Highway Administration’s (FHWA) Highway Safety Information System (HSIS) database. The study, “Statistical Analysis of the Relationship between On-Premise Digital Signage and Traffic Safety,” included on-premise signs installed in 2006 and 2007 in California, North Carolina, Ohio and Washington. By including only those signs erected during that time frame, researchers had a significant amount of data in the period before and after the signs’ installations. The four states were chosen because they contribute to the HSIS database.

PNC Arena deploys NCR Vitalcast™ Digital Signage NCR Corporation announced that PNC Arena, located in Raleigh, North Carolina, has deployed a turnkey NCR Vitalcast™ digital signage solution encompassing 160 LCD displays and professional design services. PNC Arena will leverage the state-of-the-art digital signage solution to deliver and rapidly update professional advertising targeted to the 1.5 million guests who visit its facility annually for more than 150 events including concerts, family shows, Carolina Hurricanes hockey games and NC State University men’s basketball games. Previously, PNC Arena used static signage to provide advertising, event and concession information. Not only was static signage difficult and costly to update, but it didn’t address changing business requirements. The NCR solution, which can be managed from a central work station, provides PNC Arena with greater flexibility and control.

Daktronics Releases the Latest Edition of the 4K Digital LED Billboard Designed with energy efficiency and reliability in mind, the latest generation of Daktronics digital billboards gives outdoor advertisers greater ability to maximize profitability. From its intelligent, energy-efficient design to its catalog of money-saving features, this is the ideal LED billboard solution for outdoor advertising companies of any size. Features of the 4200 Series product include: Reduced Power Consumption, Remote Power Control, Embedded Controller, Maximized Display Uptime, and Remote Diagnostics.

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YCD Multimedia Helps LACOSTE Enhance Its Brand YCD Multimedia, a global leader in providing smart digital media solutions to the retail business world, announced that global fashion icon LACOSTE has selected YCD's digital signage platformto manage and control video walls at three stores in the United States, including the LACOSTE 5th Avenue Flagship in New York City. The stores comprise various video walls (including a ceiling display in Miami), adding a modern flavor and communication tool to the classic and traditional brand, created in 1933 by the French tennis legend René Lacoste. The video walls tell the LACOSTE story, while promoting merchandise through the evolution of the product.

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Vertical View Public

Spaces

A Storied History

At more than 150 years old, Bunting Graphics continues to be an innovator reason we have a strategy to incorporate digital into our product offering mix is because the market is demanding it. If we want to continue to be relevant, we must have this competency inside our organization, to continue to be a true turnkey supplier of architectural signage. The client does not want to buy the shroud separate from the touchscreen or the LCD screen. They want to make sure that everything works together.”

A Custom Installation As home to 11 professional arts institutions, Lincoln Center is a vital component of New York City’s cultural life. When Lincoln Center began a six-year, $1.2 billion redevelopment that touched virtually every aspect of its campus, Bunting Graphics was referred to the project team to help create an exciting streetscape along the Upper West Side.

Bunting Graphics can trace its foundation back to 1869 as part of Bunting Inc., a rubber stamp and engraving company. In 1980, Jody Bunting purchased an ASI franchise and started Bunting Graphics Inc. The company, based in Verona, Pa., with facilities in Indianapolis, Ind., and Pageland, S.C., now has about 200 employees. For a company with such a deep history in both its origins and its latest incarnation, Bunting Graphics spends its time looking forward. It has become a leader in the sign industry's adoption of digital signage projects. Two of its most recent digital projects—Lincoln Center in New York City and Orlando’s Orange County Convention Center—are high profile. “Inward-facing signs have started to incorporate a lot of digital technologies, whether it be a kiosk or directory,” said Joshua Bunting, the company’s chief operating officer. “Today, those are touch-screen applications, like interactive directories in hotels or museums. The

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Vertical View Public Lincoln Center commissioned a team to install dynamic digital displays to convey information about the center. Bunting retained Mitsubishi to develop an LED specifically for this application, and then engineered and fabricated LED display panels and cabinets. On the opposite side of the stainless-steel sign cabinet, Bunting developed an LED light box for static changeable messages. Now, a total of 13 networked displays create the equivalent of a 700-foot feature billboard in front of the Performing Arts Center. Bunting Graphics partnered with an audio-visual integration company to complete the project. Bunting’s role included the creation of the exterior signs, which included fabrication of stainless-steel frames. Bunting worked with Mitsubishi to develop a proprietary LED that would work in the stainless-steel frame. The displays are slightly tapered, from 13 inches to 11 over the 52-inch-wide span. Creating a compact frame that could house both the screen and the static box and withstand the elements required working with an engineer to integrate the many components into the cabinet. Unlike many smaller projects, the Lincoln Center displays do not include standard LCD screens; Bunting and their partners essentially developed their own display. “By and large, when you see a digital application, someone has bought a TV and put a sign surround over it,” Bunting said. “This was unique.” It also was the right approach for such an unusual and high-profile display. “Regardless of whether it’s digital signage or a regular LED module, the lighting output responds differently in different circumstances,” he said. “It’s our job to do our due diligence to make sure the right LED gets put in the right application. Every LED functions differently.” Understanding what’s available on the market, and working with manufacturers to make alterations when necessary, is a required step of unique projects like Lincoln Center.

Ease of Use for the Client Orange County Convention Center, located in Orlando, is one of the nation’s busiest convention centers. With two main exhibit areas—one of which is 22 acres—the center often hosts more than one event at any given time. Its new dynamic displays will provide opportunities for wayfinding information as well as advertising specific to the event. Bunting, which landed the project in response to a request for proposal, is providing the LCDs and media players and integrating hardware into the signage. An audio-visual integration partner is

Spaces

responsible for developing content and tying the system into the center’s database so information can be pushed out to the signs in real time. The project is scheduled to be completed in April 2013. “Rather than changing out signs every time there’s a new convention, they can push out more information, perhaps even to mobile devices via apps,” Bunting said. “It’s not as simple as saying, ‘It’s part of the sign.’ What they’re doing really is an overall communication strategy to have all these things integrated.”

Power in Partnerships On both projects, Bunting Graphics has brought in appropriate partners to assist where needed. Building relationships, whether with suppliers, manufacturers or technical partners, is a key to the success of some of those larger projects. “Sign companies really have to figure out how this fits into their business models,” Bunting said. “These are hard questions sometimes to answer. Trend leaders can fail, and you don’t want to be the first in or the last in. We’re excited about embracing the technology and making sure that our people have the skills necessary to execute it.” If there is a current gap in digital signage among sign companies, bridging it is the role of suppliers and distributors, Bunting believes. They will play a key role in reaching smaller sign companies. “Their customers, local businesses, are going to rely more heavily on their sign company to come to the table with a content solution,” he said. “They need a more robust understanding of all of the elements that go into digital signage. They typically rely on relationships with sign suppliers to provide that education and training.” From his view at the forefront of digital signage, Bunting sees the next questions as whether digital signage is still relevant and what role it will play with near-field technology and mobile devices. “Every sign that goes digital is market erosion for someone,” he said. “The sign industry is never going away, but what does it look like next year, the year after? The budget isn’t going to increase by $15 billion in corporate America. It’s going to come out of something; what budget is being cut to allow digital to grow?” Regardless of where the budget comes from, Bunting Graphics intends to be on the cutting edge of digital signage. SSM

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Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

Vertical View Hospitality

A Ripple Effect

Eye-catching digital signage content shines throughout new hotel casino By Jerry L. Gale

After opening on September 1, 2012, the L’Auberge Baton Rouge Casino Hotel is the newest casino in Louisiana. The property includes a 74,000-square-foot casino, nearly 1,500 slot machines, 50 table games, a poker room, a high-limit salon, a 12-story hotel with 205 guest rooms, a rooftop pool, four restaurants and a casino bar overlooking the Mississippi River. L’Auberge Baton Rouge is the fourth casino opened by Pinnacle Entertainment in Louisiana. As anyone who works at a casino can tell you, opening a new casino can be a gamble because of the competition from existing casinos that don’t want to give up their guests and patrons. To be successful, a new casino hotel needs to have the amenities and facilities to make it a destination resort.

Planning for Greatness During the planning for L’Auberge Baton Rouge, Kim Ginn, vice president of marketing, wanted to make sure that the hotel would be known for being as innovative and guest-friendly as possible. Part of her responsibilities in reaching this goal included planning for digital signage; Ginn wanted something that was more eye-catching and dynamic than is typically seen in other casinos. Acting on a tip from Lynn Mayes, Pinnacle Entertainment's director of brand marketing, Ginn contacted Josh Hoffert, director of Alpha Video Creative, a digital signage content creation company known internationally for its work in the hospitality industry. The initial discussion revolved around designing digital slot toppers for the resort’s signature slot machines. To help establish the casino’s brand, Ginn wanted a unique bank of slot machines that capture some of Louisiana’s culture. After much discussion, the name Lagniappe Bonus Slots was selected. For those living outside of Louisiana, a lagniappe is a small gift given to a customer by a merchant at the time of purchase. The classic example is the 13th doughnut in a baker’s dozen or, as would be the case in Louisiana, the 13th beignet in a baker’s dozen. Alpha Video Creative designed a dynamic

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90-second animation that conveyed the definition of Lagniappe by presenting guests with a visual image of what they could earn as they play the Louisiana Lagniappe slot machines.

Raising the Bar Once the content for the Lagniappe slot machine was approved, the planning team for the casino’s digital signage realized that the bar had been set high for the other digital signage on the property. “It was like dropping a stone in a pond and seeing the ripples growing out from the middle of the pond,” said Megan Tanner, advertising specialist and member of the digital signage planning team. “We knew that we needed to have the rest of the digital signage be just as eye-catching and professional. We wanted all of the digital signage to be a level above anything else you might see at another property.” And, in a casino and hotel, there is a lot of digital signage content that needs to be created. Working with Alpha Video Creative, the

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digital signage planning team developed a long list of digital signage content to be created before the grand opening. In the gaming area where the Lagniappe slots are located, animated videos or templates were also developed that provide a summary of the gaming offered, announce new games on the property, and promote progressive slots, the poker room and featured games. To create excitement in the gaming area, content was designed to announce big jackpot winners, the big table winners and the building up of progressive jackpots. Another important area for digital signage is related to the four restaurants: Bon Temp Buffet, Stadium Sports Bar & Grill, 18 Steak and PJ’s Cafe. A menu board template was designed for each of the restaurants and promotion animations were developed to attract guests to visit the restaurants. Digital signage content was also developed for the other retail operations on the property, including the Sundries Shop in the hotel.

The Friendliness Factor An increasingly important digital signage application for hotels and casinos is wayfind kiosks. Alpha Video Creative designed the graphics and maps for the way-find kiosks and then turned the content over to Bally’s, which used CoolSign digital signage software to program the kiosks. To meet the goal of a guest-friendly hotel and casino, a great deal of content was developed, including a welcome video for the hotel lobby, a promotion video to promote grand opening events, and an hours-of-operations video and template to be used for promoting future events. Finally, content was developed to promote mychoice, the casino’s preferred members club. The club has five tier levels: Choice, Advantage, Preferred, Elite and The Owner’s Club. Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

98 102 99 100

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“There are eight screens installed in the Sky Bridge, four screens by the valet entrance and four by the main hotel entrance,” said Megan Tanner, advertising specialist and member of the digital signage planning team.

The View from Outside

The promotional content explained the benefits for each of the five levels. Alpha Video Creative also developed open and closed animated signage that is used to inform guests if a station is open at the mychoice centers or at the Cashier Cages.

Given the wide variety of content developed, it’s not surprising to learn that digital signage is installed throughout the property. But, it might be a surprise to learn that some of the most effective digital signs are located outside of the casino. According to Tanner, the most impactful digital signs are located by the entrances to the hotel, in the elevators and in the Sky Bridge that connect the hotel to the casino. “There are eight screens installed in the Sky Bridge, four screens by the valet entrance and four by the main hotel entrance,” she said. “In these locations, there is nothing else going on, unlike the casino which is sometimes a sensory overload. In these vestibules, our guests are looking for something to see so this is where they learn the most about what is happening on our property. This is where we put information about major promotions, slot messages, events or anything that is time sensitive.” Tanner added, “During the grand opening, we had people visit our hotel from several other Pinnacle properties, and we heard a number of positive comments about the eye-catching content on our digital signs. The digital signs really helped to establish our brand as the casino and hotel where legendary moments await our guests.” SSM Jerry L. Gale is a professional services marketer for Alpha Video & Audio. Jerry can be reached at jerryg@alphavideo.com

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THE WRITING ON

THE WALL

Tips for successful video walls

By Michael Ferrer

Video walls inspire the imagination of retailers, which is why more and more are integrating them into their retail outlets. They punch up the “wow” factor, whether a company is looking to convey an image of cutting-edge technology or a retailer is elevating its brand. Video walls lend themselves to creativity. A perfect example of this is in the Diesel Store in Manhattan, where “digital mannequins” are on display, featuring products in a cutting-edge way. But that’s not the only place in New York where you can see them. Broadway is casting them as well. These digital mannequins can be found “interacting” with actors or forming bold backdrops, as in the Broadway production of “Sondheim on Sondheim” or the Plaza Theatre’s “Fabulous Palm Spring Follies,” respectively. That’s just one of the many examples of how these digital walls

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can be adjusted for the needs of the clients, no matter who those clients are. Bezels are continually shrinking yet continue to offer refined picture quality and higher resolutions. An 8x7 video wall in New York’s Viacom lobby is a perfect illustration. Here are some ways you can get the most from your video wall deployments: 1. Content First. Before you do anything else, determine the number of images for display at one time. Content is critical. You must determine the types of content before the hardware is installed. You don’t want to be tweaking content on-the-fly minutes before a grand opening. Also, in what resolutions and formats will the content be designed? It’s imperative to have this conversation with the content creators up-front.

2. Figure Out Your Needs and Goals. What are the goals for your video wall? What are its purpose, size and considerations? Will the video wall be used for branding, advertising, wayfinding or something else? Will it be interactive? If these questions can’t be answered with specifics, then a highly functioning video wall system will be difficult to design. And executives will not be happy after they have spent a lot of money on it. 3. Go Native. Content needs to match the screens with native resolutions. All the hardware components should match so you don’t have bandwidth restrictions. Some graphics cards can’t handle full HD. You need experts involved to stretch Flash content with native resolutions, for example. 4. Choose Professional-grade Products. Industrial-strength monitors can handle the most rugged of applications, while those sold at big-box retailers don’t run 24x7 and can’t handle commercial demands. Go with high-end products for their reliability, inputs and color calibration capabilities, and use displays that can be color calibrated to achieve brightness and color uniformity from screen to screen. 5. Keep it Cool. Video walls can create a lot of heat. Cooling and ventilation need to be part of the overall project and budget, so purchasing displays that offer integrated cooling fans will ensure unfailing operation. 6. Choose Appropriate Mounting Systems. Is the existing

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

wall structure sound? Get a structural engineer involved to make sure that it can support a video wall. For the maintenance portion, ensure that you use pull-out mounts to service the video walls correctly and safely. 7. Perform Color Calibration as Part of System Maintenance. Make sure you budget maintenance and cleaning of your video wall to ensure functionality and a great look for the long term. If you don’t vacuum vents, for example, the ensuing heat accumulation can destroy the monitors. Maintenance contracts should be discussed up front. 8. Determine Electrical Requirements. Make sure you have thought through all the necessary components for the video wall system. If you’re deploying 15 screens, you can’t power them off of one outlet. You need dedicated power. In a hotel, you don’t want a microwave to shut down a video wall. Discuss power conditioners and surge protection with your systems integrator. 9. Use Trained Professionals for Your Video Wall Installation. Do yourself a favor and connect with an experienced partner for the installation. That partner will help you locate power sources and data jacks and make sure you do the job correctly the first time. SSM Michael Ferrer is a national manager of solutions sales and operations for NEC Display Solutions and a former systems integrator. He can be reached at mferrer@necdisplay.com.

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

COST

THE

True Content OF

Early planning leads to cost control By Vern Freedlander The success of any digital signage network rests solely on how effective it is at attracting an audience and communicating its message. Content that is on message, well presented and part of an overall brand experience will both deliver viewers and help ensure that information is successfully communicated. The problem is that engaging, effective content is expensive to create, manage and distribute. Without adequate planning early in the network’s development, these costs can easily spiral out of control, leading to the network’s failure. By making content planning a priority, network operators can realize cost savings while providing their audiences and advertisers with a superior network experience.

Key Considerations Successful network planning demands that network operators become familiar with key “soft” skills, such as design, branding and message retention, and with things like research, audience demographics and viewing habits. This may be difficult for some operators who are focused more on the technical aspects of running a network; however, these skills are vital in order to identify which content works and which does not. An effective strategy for beginning this process is to step back and look at the overall content flow, instead of focusing on the individual content elements. When employing this strategy, there are three main considerations to take into account. The first is to identify the network’s purpose. Though that may sound simplistic, it is important for all stakeholders to be on the same page. For example, the purpose of an ad-based network is to ultimately deliver advertising content to as large an audience as possible. To realize this, the network operator would make editorial content choices designed to complement the venue and the advertising.

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A network in a health club, for example, may display jogging-related content and feature athletic footwear ads. To bring audiences the appropriate ad content, network operators must continuously ask themselves if the editorial content is working. The second consideration is to understand the audience demographic. This can best be accomplished by using a third-party research firm that is experienced and respected by the advertising community. Knowing the audience allows operators to make the most effective editorial decisions, approximate run times, determine refresh rates and engage advertisers. Third, the look and feel of the network must be consistently presented. This applies to everything from picture quality to sound levels and branding. Branding communicates to viewers that they are watching a unique channel with a unique purpose. To achieve this, on-screen elements must consistently conform to a brand bible, which dictates precisely how logos, tag lines, images and color schemes can be used.

Content is King When selecting content for a network, network operators should keep in mind that screens don’t only need to be populated with initial content; content needs to be continually refreshed. Operators need to fully understand the workflows to accomplish this, and the resources that will be required. Video content can be the most difficult to manage. While it certainly provides the greatest impact with audiences, the video production process can be timeconsuming and expensive. One valuable way of tackling this is through the use of production templates. The entire video production process can be sped up with a template-based approach, where certain aspects of a video clip may never change—such as opening and closing graphics, layout and color schemes—but

editorial content does change. Changes or updates are only made to certain portions of the clip, creating brand new content. Multiple templates can be created to keep the look fresh. Likewise, for networks where ad content needs to be created on an ongoing basis, ad templates can be repurposed quickly and effectively to focus content for specific marketing objectives, such as targeting a particular venue, reaching important demographic groups or promoting a special offer. As an alternative to video content, text and images can be easily updated in real time by using readily available RSS feeds and databases. By combining text and imagery, network operators can create a variety of timely content that is attractive and relatively inexpensive. However, while there is a common belief that any data feed found on the Internet can be used freely in a digital signage application, this is most often not the case. Before this type of content is redistributed, it is vitally important that the signage operator looks into the particular licensing issues involved. Using content without the required permissions can lead to problems, including copyright infringement. What may appear free might actually lead to a host of expenses down the road. Illegitimate data feeds are also subject to change without warning, suddenly leaving the network without content or content that appears jumbled and illegible. To avoid these problems, operators can obtain content through a digital signage provider that has developed relationships with content sources, as well as advice on how to best approach a specific type of content.

Content for All Making content available on a variety of screen types and devices will allow network operators to reach more viewers, customize messaging and amortize content-related costs. By repurposing existing content for tablets and smartphones, network operators get a bigger bang for their content buck while reaching audiences that may have never been exposed to a place-based sign. For example, sales personnel on the road can receive updates on sales figures, important product announcements and other vital information right on their tablet. Telecommuters can stay in the loop with the latest compete strategies and corporate objectives. Network management tools need to allow network administrators to create new channels of content quickly and easily and, in turn, distribute those channels anywhere. Fully leveraging in-house content is an important cost savings strategy. By taking advantage of data

An effective strategy for beginning this process is to step back and look at the overall content flow, instead of focusing on the individual content elements. directly from internal databases or sources such as SharePoint or even Excel documents, operators can present vital information to key stakeholders through an entire organization. This content could include such things as sales statistics, key targets, productivity stats or inventory levels. Distributing content to many different screens not only saves costs, but targeting the right content to the right devices can dramatically increase the effectiveness of the network. There are several costs involved in creating content and keeping screens populated—from third-party research firms to content production costs and licensing fees for RSS feeds. However, if budgets are a concern, many opportunities exist to save money by focusing on internal content and repurposing existing assets. In either case, by thinking of themselves as content programmers and examining the overall content flow, network operators are well positioned to engage viewers and avoid the ultimate cost: an ineffective network. SSM Vern Freedlander is vice president of production services for Montréal-based X2O Media [www.x2omedia.com], a fullservice provider of technology, network management and content services for professional digital signage applications. With more than 20 years of broadcast television experience as a producer, director and executive, Freedlander oversees all of X2O Media’s content initiatives. He can be reached at vern@x2omedia.com.

To learn more, attend the 2013 Digital Signage Expo, Seminar 12, which is more broadly titled: "The Cost of Content". Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

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MEDIA

9 ways for enterprise clients to boost deployments and ROI

by Scott T. Reese Does it really matter which PC/media player (PC/ MP) you choose for your digital signage project? Aren't they just commodity products, easily procured from Best Buy, Amazon or a distributor? I learned this is not true from working closely with PC engineers and designers, with enterprise client teams responsible for PC/MP selection, and from enterprise projects in digital signage, customer engagement and self-service. By working on their projects, clients have taught me how to address their needs, preferences and decisionmaking process. I observed nine factors for making PC/MP decisions. These factors can be summarized into three categories: market, finance and technology.

Market Factors #1. Content is king. The first requirement for PC/MP selection is content target. How will the content be generated, distributed and updated? Will you use Flash, streaming

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video, HTML or another format? Will the content target, methodologies and tools change in three to five years? To future-proof their investment, enterprise clients often plan their content for up to five years. When effectively planned, marketing teams have the freedom to create successful campaigns. ROI is improved the longer the hardware can go without a refresh or update. The best decisions are made when both software and content teams are involved with limit testing on multiple PC/MP platforms. For deployment cycles of three to five years, the best way to future proof they system is to limit the use of hardware to 30 to 40 percent. For example, in 2011, I worked with a top 10 global brand project that limit tested seven platforms. The client invested the time to analyze various content types and distribution/play software components. Measuring resource utilization results across platforms and software/content enabled the client to make a wise and confident decision for a balanced PC/MP selection to support their content needs over time. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is the single most significant and consistent

problem we encounter with respect to hardware selection,” said a professional with 20 years of IT hardware experience. Half of his experience was spent as a senior hardware specialist for a top 10 content management software firm. Confident decisions come from a solid understanding and agreement of target content, combined with PC/MP technology features and options, for today and tomorrow. #2. Location, location, location. Make definitive decisions about the strategic locations of your screens. Screen placement is primarily a function of advertising/content delivery effectiveness. PC/MP placement, however, is a function of total cost of ownership. PC/MPs can be placed with, near or far from screens. • If placed with a screen, place it directly behind the screen/video wall with a video cable. • If placed near a screen, place it in cabinetry or wall mounted in an adjoining room/office with a video cable • If placed far from a screen, rack mount it in an IT closet with signal distribution equipment.

Investigate suitability and costs factors (Capex/Opex) for PC/

MP location such as content, distance, mounting,

Your project should be built to last, and you need partners to see it through with you. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone makes right on their mistakes. environment, service access, regulatory, etc. These factors should shape your PC configuration, design, costs and serviceability. For example, for an eye-level wall screen to be ADA compliant, the screens must be less than four inches from the wall. #3. Consider the environment. One size PC/MP doesn’t fit all environments.

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

Placement must consider the environment for air flow, heat sources, power quality, air quality, temperature, insulating materials, vibration, shock and more. Answers to these questions should drive PC/MP component selection, thermal system design, power, etc.

Finance Factors #4. Decide how much can be spent now and later. Understand the corporate goal results, including revenue growth, market share and brand recognition. In general: • T he CMO and team want the coolest and sexiest customer experience and brand presentation. • T he CTO and team want bulletproof hardware that will be easy to support and be virtually problem-free. • The CFO and team and shareholders want a real, tangible ROI. The CFO’s ROI drives many decisions and tradeoffs for content, software, hardware, installation and service. Every client wants the most efficient price point for any given PC/MP performance and feature set. At the same time, those who save the most time from concept to deployment have set clear targets on project and component costs and investments early in the

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project. They know how to make quick and wise decisions on tradeoffs to enable swift content and software progress for field trials and deployments. A clear understanding of the total solution, including each project stage, saves time and money.

Network

Technology Factors

Other Considerations

#5. Connectivity matters. Understanding connectivity needs and desires is a critical component for successful planning for today and potential future options. Start with your needs and desires, not with a PC/MP spec sheet. “[This is] priceless! I wish more in our industry got that. It’s no longer about the fastest or the quietest or the cheapest. A solution is all about fit and balance,” said a 20-year IT hardware professional with experience with a top retail brand, managing in-store technology deployments. Consider a project that began with a single screen with PC/MP that was deployed in a national roll-out. Midway through the first deployment it was discovered a second ad screen was needed 40 feet away. The software was more than sufficient to run the distant screen, but the hardware wasn’t. Supporting the additional screen would have been a reasonable Capex cost upfront but became an unreasonable Capex/Opex cost later. To best avoid surprise pitfalls, review numerous connectivity options/questions:

- Is a remote power/reset switch desired? - What is the physical distance PC/MP to screen? - Are amplified audio/speakers/headphones needed? - Consider graphics: on board, add-on GPU, both? - What about a multi-screen video wall/ menu board (single large surface multiscreen)? - For security, must ports be locked down or physically controlled? - Are TV tuner cards or HD capture cards required? - Does the project require audience analytics? Figure out your needs and get a PC/MP provider who will meet those needs now and tomorrow.

Video - How many displays? - What type of signals (analog, digital)? - Do video cables need to be physically secured in place/tied down? - Will you add displays later? - Which model(s) of video panel/ display have been selected or are under evaluation? - When will the panel need to be upgraded (and how long is it available)? - What video connections are supported? (VGA, HDMI, DP, WiDi, etc.?) - What native resolution is desired for the panel and the content?

Serial Ports/RS 232 - How many are needed? - Purpose and function? - What power is required?

USB Ports - How many are needed? - Does speed matter? (Is USB 3.0 required?) - Will high power be needed (12V)?

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- What type and impact? (LAN, WiFi, 3G? Cost, simplicity, reliability?) - Will remote connection be supported? - What security protocols are necessary (PCI compliance)?

#6. Know your road map. Begin with the end in mind. Enterprise projects that pass prototyping/beta stages can quickly go to scale. Minimizing PC/ MP configurations and transitions during scale roll-outs and service improves ROI. Clients have described routine PC/MP changes as “a big obstacle” for deployment and field support teams. Many models increase complexity and require hours for software/hardware validation, cabinetry/bracket changes, disk image/IT security validation and field support for many combinations of PC/MPs, drivers, software, etc. Discuss where the PC design and component road maps are going, and when and what future changes are expected. #7. Know what you’re getting today and tomorrow. Field failures and onsite replacement of PC/MPs: - Interrupt content delivery. - Is costly to ROI, Capex and Opex. - Disrupts the working environment. - Consumes labor for coordination, management and follow up. Commercial versus consumer-grade design and components directly impact performance, longevity and price. To keep Opex in line with ROI assumptions, clients plan out remote manageability tools (e.g., Intel vPro/AMT), investigate engineering design and component quality/

survivability, and confirm their supplier can both stand behind the solution and affect engineering/ fixes for the unexpected challenges that arise. Your project should be built to last, and you need partners to see it through with you. Everyone makes mistakes, but not everyone makes right on their mistakes. Bottom line: Know your product and trust your supplier. #8. Plan your delivery and support model. Short- and long-term service plans are important to effectively deal with equipment deployments and possible failures. The concerns before deployment include: - Disk image for out-of-box installation - Packaging to fit process (bulk/individual/ labeling/part and service numbers) - Factory shipment matching deployment schedule - What to expect and what to do when failure happens - Spare equipment inventory location/ management support plan - Contact details for all relevant participants #9. Ensure the regulatory compliance fits industry and installation parameters. Once deployed and installed, does regulatory compliance still apply for your PC/MP (UL, CSA, FCC, etc.)? I’ve seen a PC/MP that was compliant when flat on a desktop but not when mounted otherwise. The side and top vent holes on the PC were too big for the UL fire safety requirement. This deployment was in a highly regulated market, and the client had invested 14 months of engineering and field-testing prior to realizing that he was out of compliance in certain configurations. He was frustrated over the lost time, added cost and lost revenue that come with a delayed deployment schedule. Your PC/MP partner should provide regulatory compliance for deployment reality. There are a lot of decisions that need to be made when investing in a PC/MP system. Testing is essential if you want to ensure you are getting the right hardware for your needs. The larger the project, the more planning is required, and the earlier the better. SSM Scott the PC Guy (Scott T. Reese) is vice president of sales and marketing for Actineon, a company that engineers and manufactures custom PC/MPs for enterprise brands and projects in digital signage and kiosk/ self-service. Scott can be reached at scott.reese@actineon.com.

BRIGHT LIGHTS

BIG SIGNAGE

FROM RETAIL LOCATIONS TO TIMES SQUARE, DIGITAL SIGNAGE IS A NATURAL FIT FOR AMERICAN EAGLE

By Megan Weadock

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New York City's Times Square is a mecca of advertising. On any given day, hundreds of thousands of people from around the world visit the site, and countless news and entertainment broadcasts take place on its busy sidewalks. And considering the number of movie scenes filmed in Times Square, it's safe to say that it receives its fair amount of exposure. Through it all, an eye-dazzling number of billboards and digital displays jockey for attention, advertising everything from M&Ms to Broadway plays. And these days, American Eagle Outfitters is doing its part to add to the excitement of Times Square—while helping to advance the use of digital signage.

Humble Beginnings American Eagle Outfitters, a popular clothing and accessories retailer that was founded in 1977, is on the cutting edge of digital signage advertising. To promote both its American Eagle and Aerie brands, it uses digital signage in its stores and in

outdoor displays. But the company didn't always use this type of technology for advertising. As Dave Taylor, audio/visual engineer at American Eagle, explains, the company's first foray into digital signage was at its Home Office in Pittsburgh. There, they installed two video walls: one to welcome guests, and another to communicate with employees. “One was to give visitors a 360-degree look into our brand; the other recognized employee efforts and shared them with the company,” Taylor said. “While guests are waiting, they get to experience the fun of our brand, with different messaging, our social media for both brands and more. And as employees walk in in the morning, they get to see things that other people worked on and the goals that they've reached.” After the success of the Home Office installations, the idea of digital signage was embraced, and the company expanded video communication to its distribution center as a video bulletin board for employees.

Dave Taylor and the technology that makes American Eagle's Times Square billboard possible.

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2013

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“Our distribution center is open 24 hours a day, so it's good to have a digital way to bring messages to everybody,” Taylor said.

Thinking Bigger The video walls and bulletin boards were very well-received by American Eagle's employees and guests, so the forward-thinking company decided to think bigger. “These projects progressed to an idea to reach out to our consumers via video platform,” Taylor said. “Our psychographic of passionate, youngminded individuals live in the digital age. Technology is a constant in their lives, and not only is it our future but it is our 'now'. We constantly need to progress to satisfy and surprise our consumers.” The company just needed to find the right outlet to communicate with its fans—and to attract new ones. “Our company is about optimism, individuality and iconic American style,” Taylor explained. “We want to be able to express that in a way that resonates clearly with our fans. Everything is going to digital. Our goal is to embrace that, like we do in our home lives, and have it be part of our retail environment. And, thus, the Times Square billboard was born.” The American Eagle Times Square display is a massive 15,000-square-foot Barco LED billboard—one of the largest in the city of New York, according to Taylor. The display features American Eagle advertising and other video content, plus the occasional ad from the company's advertising partners. American Eagle chose Barco monitors for Times Square, and uses Sedna Presenter software to manage the system. “We chose Barco because of their durability, and Sedna because it gives us the ability to playback content synchronously across multiple surfaces and screens and a live HD input into the system, if we're doing concerts and events,” Taylor said. “The software is very easy to work with—which keeps us agile and streamlined. Surprisingly, we're just a team of three [that manages the network]. You would think this kind of technology would take a larger team to manage but due to the program that we use, it makes it very easy for us to manage with such a small team.” The impressive billboard helps attract a steady stream of customers to American Eagle's flagship store, which is conveniently situated in the heart of Times Square. There, a 21-monitor video wall greets visits, while a video projector shows off the Aerie brand on the store's third floor. Not surprisingly, the store—and the billboard— has been a huge success. “It's great to do advertising in Times Square,” Taylor said. “Up to 400,000 people walk through here every day. It's a perfect opportunity to have a crowd for a product launch or concert,

The impressive billboard helps attract a steady stream of customers to American Eagle's flagship store, which is conveniently situated in the heart of Times Square.

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

even for global brand awareness because you have people from all over the world here, pretty much 365 days a year. A lot of news and entertainment programs are out here all the time; they also do a lot of movie filming and TV shows. It's just constant.” And Taylor is in the middle of it all, managing the display's content and working with other American Eagle departments to implement exciting new technology enterprises. Fittingly, his office is actually in Times Square, so he has a front-row view of the billboard, the store and their day-to-day successes. Thanks to the popularity of the Times Square billboard and store, the company has expanded the audio/visual platform to its other domestic flagships. Soon enough, their international flagships will feature the technology as well.

The Social Side As American Eagle continues to grow its digital signage efforts, Taylor and his team are excited

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to continually innovate. One of his favorite recent projects involved making use of social media on the Times Square billboard, during the area's biggest night of the year—New Year's Eve. Facebook users who were in Times Square for the New Year's festivities could opt in to American Eagle's program, which drew information from each user's Facebook page and displayed it, for all the world to see, on the company's enormous billboard. Fans from all over the country were able to see their favorite Facebook photos and fun facts about themselves, beautifully broadcast on the Barco LED screen, with thousands of other viewers looking on. “On New Year's Eve, our billboard took center stage,” Taylor said. “It brought the audience for that night into American Eagle's world. It was very successful. We also had a live Twitter feed linked to the billboard. Doing that, in more of a global sense, in more than just our Times Square location, we think is key to engaging customers.” Taylor and his team take advantage of the versatility of the Sedna Presenter software when working with social media. They tailor their approach depending on the application, or the advertiser. “We have a server that we essentially use as a toolbox in which we can house different files,” he said. “Sedna can call these through HTML and Flash. We also work with HTML pages directly off the Internet that are formatted to our billboard template, or we just run a Flash file directly in Sedna that pulls either from a local server, a network server in our datacenter or an external source. We've learned there are many different ways to do something, and using Sedna has helped us be successful every time.”

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Lessons Learned Taylor said he and his team learned a lot through the deployments of their current digital technology. And they look forward to applying those lessons as they expand American Eagle's digital signage network. For example, when implementing digital signage in the company's Soho location, the team learned a hard lesson as they realized they couldn't install cabling—which could have derailed the entire project. “Instead, we came up with a wireless solution [using Cisco technology] that gave us another avenue to use in future digital signage installations, making our installations more flexible,” he explained. “We made it so that our player and any equipment that went with it would just need power, and we would have a wireless network right at the equipment. So we can have displays moved around the store without having to re-cable.” Another challenge has been keeping up with the rapidly evolving technology landscape. Luckily, Taylor's team is dedicated to staying abreast of new innovations. “Technology progresses faster than hardware, so we constantly have to overhaul our systems; it’s a large capital investment,” he said. “However, because we have such a small team, it also makes us incredibly efficient. We’re able to pull across teams from marketing, IT and store visuals to quickly come up with solutions each time technology evolves. The conversations are quick; it's not a drawn-out process to come up with new things and because of the technology we use, it makes it really easy for us to innovate and keep up with the latest trends.”

The Future Looking ahead, Taylor sees a bright future for digital signage at American Eagle. And

he and his team are excited to see where the technology takes them. “As it was in Times Square for New Year's, the future is a way for customers to contribute to our story,” he said. “We want to create a living social environment in which content, in a way, is both contributed and controlled by our fans and customers. [We want to let] our consumers own a piece of it.” In the company's latest ad campaign, customers can enter contests to be featured as an American Eagle model—if only for a little while. The project has highlighted customers who are artists, DJs, skateboarders and more, giving other customers a look into their own unique worlds. “This brings normal customers, and not just models, into our advertising and engages them,” Taylor said. “And we’re constantly looking at different products and keeping an eye out for the next upcoming thing. We invest in technology to always be on the progressive front of the audio/visual industry.” Taylor is excited at the promise of implementing even more interaction into American Eagle's digital displays, even in individual stores. And, he promises plenty of innovation from the company in 2013 and beyond—something he attributes to his forward-thinking team.” “Having a company that backs technological progression is key,” he said. “We have a lot of great people, from the top all the way down, who are really into technology and have a lot of experience with it, so they understand what we're trying to do, and they want to see it go there also. Everyone can have a vision and have a conversation, and it works out perfectly.” SSM Megan Weadock is an associate editor of Signage Solutions Magazine.

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DYNAMIC DUO Signage and kiosks come together in retail stores By Sarah Colson

Digital signage in retail is rapidly evolving, and the number of choices, from hardware to software, can be overwhelming. With rapid innovation, emerging technologies expand the possibilities for digital signage strategies in many different markets. So Where Do You Begin? In this highly competitive environment, retail stores and chains are looking at ways to influence shopping behavior, create customer loyalty and develop metrics to measure success. Kiosks provide an ideal platform to enhance the customer’s shopping experience, provide the shopper an opportunity to interact on their terms and augment traditional in-store digital signage. Kiosks help retailers and retail brands increase sales through three key principles: attract, inform and engage. Attract. The biggest struggle retailers face is the ability to capture

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an interested audience and, more importantly, the right audience. Most consumers know exactly what they want and shop at specific stores based on their preference, the available product brands and the value that store brings. Using interactive kiosks, along with digital signage, retailers are able to draw the attention of consumers with stimulating, rich media content and visuals. The retailer’s main objective is to influence the consumer to make a purchase. However, brands found in retail stores can work with retailers and use kiosks to gain momentum over competing brands by generating awareness, engagement and incentive to purchase that brand. Let’s face it, while signage can provide a brand experience, consumers like to interact and engage when they are ready to buy. Kiosks make it easy to attract a consumer’s attention, encourage interaction and help guide a buying decision.

Inform. Capturing consumer attention is only the first step. It is much more difficult to encourage action, such as a purchase decision. Kiosks have many capabilities to do just that. Through interaction with a kiosk, consumers are able to get targeted information on select products. Retail brands can use this information to guide, inform and influence a consumer to purchase their brand over a competing brand. This method delivers value for the retailer as well as the consumer. Many retailers are taking advantage of product promotion through demonstrations. For example, kiosks strategically installed adjacent to a product can stream a product video, encouraging consumers to stop and learn more. These types of informative videos are shorter in length and deliver a concise value proposition to capture consumer interest and encourage purchases. Engage. Kiosks enhance the customer experience, which can be attributed to increased sales. As discussed, the overall objective for kiosks is to help drive sales through relevant product information or guided

purchase through a series of questions tailored to create a product selection based on the responses. Providing a valuable resource for the retailer, kiosks can also display up-sell or cross-sell advertisements and promotions for the selected product to help increase the average transaction value and sales conversions. An added benefit that kiosks offer retailers and brands is the opportunity to capture a consumerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s contact information for future engagement through newsletters or future promotions. Although different solutions may have different strategies, it is important to understand how to best transform the data captured into valuable insight and actionable permission-based information for future marketing campaigns. Tying analytics to kiosks helps to deliver valuable insight on consumer behaviors and shopping habits. Insights gleaned from analytics allow retailers to deliver tailored messaging to a target demographic or even a specific individual based on a profile of information. Interactive kiosks are able to determine the context and texture of the audience and provide relevant information

Digital Signage Technology for Todayâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Applications

based on demographics, pre-determined buyer personas and even permission-based individual profiles. Whatâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Next Today kiosks can provide everything from basic product information, to guided selling and incentives to make a purchase like instant savings or other tangible benefits. Forward-thinking organizations are starting to look at how location based or proximity marketing, social media and near field communications (NFC) technologies will be augmented into both signage and kiosks. In 2013 and beyond, expect to see NFC emerge as a standard feature in nearly all smart phones, allowing consumers an even deeper and more personal experience with store and product brands. These trends will further open mobile platforms for consumers who wish to engage and to retailers and brands to drive an even more personal conversation. SSM Sarah Colson handles marketing for Seneca and can be reached at sarahc@senecadata.com.

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WINNERS Signage Solutions

2012 Product of the Year Winners

Cabling/Connectivity Audio Panphonics Frame Zones 160

The new Panphonics FZ160 series produces perfectly even audio only in the desired frame where you want it and nowhere else. The new models come in 2x2 ft size for drop ceiling mounting and 8 inch by 2 or 4 foot rectangles for audio patterning of digital signage, kiosks or aisle coverage. There is also a weather resistant 4 foot model for outdoor installation providing 60+ foot coverage at gas pumps, under eaves, and for theme parks and exhibits. Panphonics. www.panphonics.com.

GefenTV Wireless for HDMI Extender

The ability to deliver uncompressed 1080p full HD with no cables makes this ideal for digital signage applications. HDMI is delivered to any display located within a 100-foot radius of the sender. It works with all laptops, settop boxes and sources using HDMI. It can transmit A/V through walls, further expanding its applicability. It supports HDCP compliance and 3DTV passthrough. Audio features include Dolby TrueHD, DTS-HD Master Audio and PCM digital audio up to 7.1 channels. Three sender units can be connected simultaneously so three sources can be switched to the remote display using an IR remote control. Gefen. www.gefen.com

Display Screens – Indoor Displays/Screens – Large-format LED NanoSlim

NanoSlim displays are the thinnest, lightest large format LED displays of their kind, giving you unmatched ability to utilize display technology in ways only limited by your imagination. With a profile of about 3 inches, the NanoSlim can be installed on virtually any surface without being obtrusive. NanoLumens’ displays are also designed to be a green alternative. One standard sized display draws about as much power as a household appliance and can be plugged directly into a normal 110 volt wall socket. Additionally, NanoLumens displays are made from up to 50% reclaimed material and can be completely recycled. NanoLumens. www.nanolumens.com.

Display Screens – Interactive LFT30 Professional LCD Display

With 1,500 cd/m2 brightness, the TH–47LFT30W offers an interactive signage solution that is brighter than nearly any comparable display on the market and is clearly visible even in intense, direct sunlight. The 47” display features an integrated touchscreen capability and is a perfect digital signage solution for applications, such as interactive kiosks, wayfinding and interactive advertising, which require a fast, accurate, reliable touch response. With its built-in cooling system, the LFT30 can withstand temperatures ranging from 32 degrees to 113 degrees Fahrenheit. Additionally, the display is certified IP54, allowing it considerable resistance to both dust and liquids in most indoor and outdoor applications. Panasonic. www.panasonic.com

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Planar UltraLux Series

The Planar UltraLux Series is a family of large format 70" and 80" LCD displays for digital signage, featuring a zero bezel design, infinity edge-to-edge glass design and is available in multiple configurations (free-standing and wall-mount). With best-inclass display performance, Planar UltraLux Series incorporates the design style and aesthetics of today's consumer electronics, bringing that on-trend styling to commercial digital signage. Planar Systems Inc. www.planar.com.

Display Screens – Outdoor Sun-brave

LG Display has developed the world's first LCD panel that can display clear images even when the surface temperature exceeds 110 celsius. When conventional LCD panels are exposed to direct sunlight for an extended period of time, part of the display turns black.LG Display's 47-inch panel for outdoor use employs a proprietary liquid crystal structure technology, and a special polarizer (100℃) that enables the screen to continue showing images even when the temperature rises above 75 ℃ and exceeds 110℃. This product also employs Direct LED with local dimming technology that saves power consumption and cost of electricity. Furthermore, it employs IPS technology, realizing the highest level of brightness 2000nit currently possible. LG Display. www.lgdisplay.com

WINNERS

Digital signage products and solutions for today’s applications

Mounts/Enclosures PLAY40

Media Players Audience for Android

Powered by the android operating system, the new Audience for Android media player and software bundle provides a high performance, low cost alternative to traditional PC based digital signage deployments. Due to the ease of implementation and low cost of the Audience for Android solution, we believe those new to digital signage will be less hesitant to enter the market, while existing users will enjoy the ability to expand current deployments much more economically. Features include real-time scheduling, automated data feed ingestion, as run logs for content verification and command and control capability for emergency messaging. Capital Networks Ltd. www.capitalnetworks.com.

As interactive touch screen technology gets incorporated into more business, education and healthcare settings, the demand for suitable accessories has increased. OmniMount recognized the trend and developed a line of wall mount solutions that addresses the interactive needs of such technology. The PLAY40 wall mount offers full motion omni-directional display movement (up to 20 inches) and unmatched light-touch adjustability without the need for knobs, levers or motors. Patented Constant Force technology allows displays up to 60 inches (or 40 pounds) to be repositioned to the appropriate height for the user or application, making it a great solution for public spaces. OmniMount, a brand of Ergotron. www.omnimount.com.

Networks/Delivery

Social Media Integration

EPD Signage updated via Broadcast Whitespace

X2O Social Interactivity Suite

Electronic Paper Display Signage utilizing E Ink technology consumes only 6W for a 72" Black & White display. Still images (384x240 pixels) are updated every 15 seconds via IPDC (IP Data Cast) data embedded in Broadcast Whitespace -- no conventional TCP/IP network is used. The total system, including client PC etc., consumes only 32W, enabling 3 days of operation using a UPS. This means up-to-date information can be shown even when power and conventional networks are unavailable after a disaster such as an earthquake. The experiment is a joint effort by Mainichi Broadcasting System, NEXTWAVE, DX ANTENNA and TOPPAN. TOPPAN Printing Co., Ltd. www.toppan.co.jp/english

X2O Media’s Social Interactivity Suite of next-generation, social-media-based interactive applications includes the X2O Social Hub and Twitter™ Shuffle. Powered by the new X2O visual communications platform, these applications enable users to customize their experience and display graphics in an eyepopping 3D format. Featuring real-time content from popular sites including Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube, the X2O Social Hub allows users to define the application’s social media sources. The Twitter Shuffle boasts a number of unique features including real-time display of Tweets™ in a dynamic shuffle where Tweets dynamically animate in 3D, and fly on and off the screen. X2O Media. www.x2omedia.com

Digital Signage Software PADS4 digital signage software

PADS4 is an effective digital signage solution for deploying professional and profitable installations of any size. PADS4 is a feature-rich digital signage solution that enables you to inform, entertain and entice your audience anytime, anyplace with any type of content. To increase productivity and reduce the learning curve for using PADS4, the applications have been restyled to the latest Microsoft® Office type of user interface. The addition of new data sources is a key feature of PADS4. By integrating with existing databases, the software saves network operators the time and expense of duplicating content for their digital signage system. Net Display Systems. www.nds.eu

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

Video Walls Planar Mosaic

Planar Mosaic is an architectural video wall solution that delivers a compelling display of art and information. With three different LCD tile sizes and shapes, Planar Mosaic video walls brings a space to life, generating a desired emotional reaction or brand experience. Planar Mosaic tile can also be rotated at virtually any angle and mounted in any position, encouraging designers to experiment with negative space. Planar Systems Inc. www.planar.com.

January/February 2013

Signage Solutions 2012

Product of the Year Entries

Software Cabling/Connectivity Active Optical Cable

The TruLink ® HDMI® Active Optical Cable (AOC) from C2G’s portfolio of connectivity solutions distributes high definition A/V from source to display in classrooms, conference rooms, healthcare facilities, and houses of worship. The AOC technology delivers several advantages making it a smart choice in select installations. The diameter is smaller than copper and more flexible, making it easier to install in tight in-wall spaces. Constructed from fiber strands, it reduces the risk of EMI/RFI so performance is stable when used in typically high interference environments such as data centers, surgical theaters or manufacturing facilities where high resolution and consistent display are critical. C2G. www.c2g.com.

APPOINT Digital Signage Software

APPOINT leverages the PowerPoint platform to provide extremely affordable digital signage for markets such as small businesses, churches and K-12 schools. It makes it easy to create and schedule presentations, is easy to deploy, runs as a tab within PowerPoint, and doesn’t require special training. No separate content server is required, nor are PowerPoint licenses for media players, which can be smaller, less expensive PCs. • Userfriendly desktop application • Convert existing presentations or create new content • Animated themes, backgrounds and multi-zone layouts • Weaves multiple presentations into a single layout • Message creation, scheduling, management and player control. Visix, Inc. www.visix.com.

Displays/Screens – Large-format LED Video Walls FUSION™ Micro-Adjustable Large Ceiling Mounted Video Walls

55" Super Narrow Bezel Solution

LG Display has developed a next generation public display product: a Super Narrow bezel, 55-inch multi-vision panel with FPR 3D. The Super Narrow bezel features an incredibly narrow 5.3mm gap between the individual panels, resulting in seamless, life-like images. Incorporating LG Display's widely acclaimed FPR 3D technology, viewers of the 5-5inch multi-vision public display panel will enjoy an incredible 3D experience watching screens from 3D movie previews and sports games while out in public. This product also posses IPS technology that make viewers to watch the panel from wide viewing angle. It also employs Direct LED with local dimming technology, which helps panel to lower the power consumption and electricity costs. LG Display. www.lgdisplay.com

Media Players All-in-One SignEdge Media Player

The all-in-one SignEdge media player is the most powerful digital signage player in the world, carrying a built-in content creation engine, playlists, and both player and software in one dynamic device. The SignEdge provides many different features, such as ad scheduling, mobile marketing capabilities, and access to free online content store tools. This versatile system allows for you to play any type of media on your network, such as videos, live TV, images, Flash, web pages, RSS feeds and more. The SignEdge has a fully functional web-based user interface and innovative touch screen functionality for optimal communication with your audience. UCView Media. www.ucview.com.

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Chief’s new FUSION® Series multidisplay ceiling mounts provide an easy solution for constructing video wall displays in prominent locations were walls are not easily available. These ceiling mounts can be constructed in several configurations to hold arrangements up to three displays high and three displays wide. Features of the multidisplay ceiling mounts include independent height, plumb and lateral shift adjustment knobs to help easily align displays, no tools required. Optimal for display sizes of 40 to 55 inches. Chief. www.chiefmfg.com

Displays/Screens – Indoor

Mystik!

Stewart Filmscreen’s Mystik! is a self-adhesive projection material designed for use in digital signage applications. It allows for the immersive viewing experience of a two-piece projection solution to be easily deployed in venues such as retail outlets, trade shows, restaurants, family rooms and more. What sets Mystik! apart from the commodity self-adhesive screens is that it is specially formulated for this application and is easy to apply. It offers a very wide viewing angle in a contrast enhanced material and can perform well when paired with short throw projectors. Designed to be used in even the most demanding applications, Mystik! is 4k+ ready and optimized for enhanced resolution projectors and content. Stewart Filmscreen www.stewartfilmscreen.com

Signage Solutions 2012

Product of the Year Entries

Mounts/Enclosures Social Media Applications Aerva AerTweet

The technology behind AerTweet is designed to support high-profile Twitter campaigns flawlessly. AerTweet allows marketers to stream the latest tweets, moderate with approval or rejection, detect fraud, rank retweets, report metrics and display tweets through a number of custom parameters allowing for many animation and style options. AerTweet is the enterprise solution for streaming Twitter to digital signage networks or digital out-of-home. Aerva Inc. www.aerva.com

Displays/Screens – Indoor SureVueD6 MultiScreen Digital Signage Player PC

SureVueD6 is a true sixchannel, industrial-grade Digital Signage Player PC engineered to meet the rigors of professional DS applications. SureVueD6 features 6 x 1080p outputs that can operate individually or be integrated into a single large surface display of up to 5760 x 2400px. Its CPU and GPU each have a distinct cooling zone actively protected by a PHALANX Thermal Defense array. Using less than 100w in a typical deployment scenario, SureVueD6 has superior performance and a lower cost-per-screen than comparable multi-screen solutions, making it an ideal choice for real world applications such as menu boards and video walls. MediaVue Systems. www.mediavuesystems.com

PMC-MM-502

With the PMC-MM-502, a 103” display installation is easy and secure. Precision design accommodates the display and supports the weight of the heavy screen, with completed installation in 30 minutes or less. With a weight capacity of up to 500 lb. and industrial grade casters with reinforced design, the PMC-MM-502 sustains the weight of the display and provides swift maneuvering along any surface, allowing for precise placement in the desired location. 360 degree rotation allows orientation in portrait, landscape, or any other arbitrarily angled view. Other adjustment features include positive and negative tilt to account for involuntary display tilt. Premier Mounts. www.mounts.com

Display Screens – Outdoor LG 47WX50MF Outdoor Display

LG Electronics’ 47-inch WX50MF Outdoor display is designed to bring picture quality, durability and versatility to business owners with signage needs in public spaces. LG’s In Plane Switching (IPS) panel technology ensures color saturation and contrast for off-angle viewing, provides a temperature tolerance of up to 230° Fahrenheit and features LG’s Shine Out technology, a film that deflects ambient light, helping to avoid color wash out. The display also has Direct LED backlighting technology, ensuring content is relayed crisply and accurately. Additionally, the display’s open frame allows for customization and easy installation in a variety of different settings and environments. LG Electronics USA. www.lg.com

Software Smart Antenna

Displays/Screens – Interactive

ComQi Passport

The Digital Signage market is an advertising channel for merchants to engage with consumers, second to the Internet based on its rapid growth. ComQi’s new Passport product provides a unique URL for every content piece displayed on the digital signage screen, allowing consumers to connect with brands through their Smartphones. This transforms the screen from a one-to-many medium to a one-to-one channel. The Passport platform offers a wide variety of experiences: product information, coupons, loyalty program, or interactive gaming. The technology provides brick and mortar retailers the tools to compete, bridging the virtual and the physical business environment. ComQi Inc. www.comqi.com

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

The Smart Antenna sends out unsolicited messages to mobile devices within 300ft of the device via Bluetooth and Wifi. Can work stand alone or with digital engines. All user interactions are collected privately through the mobile device's MAC address and stored in our back office, available for analysis. This is all free to the user. iSIGN Media Corp. www.isignmedi.com

Media Players BrightSign XD1230 Networked Interactive Player with Live HDTV

The BrightSign XD1230’s powerful video engine is capable of dual Full HD 1080p60 decoding and simultaneous playback of content from local, networked and streaming sources. The player supports HTML5 as well as 3D content, plus UDP network control for messaging between the BrightSign player and third-party devices. The player features S/PDIF output for pure digital and surround-sound audio, as well as a diverse range of interactive controls such as GPIO, serial, USB, UDP and mobile devices for engaging interactive displays. The XD1230 supports Live HDTV playback from any broadcast channel (even HDCP-protected content) via the HDMI input or the ATSC/ Clear QAM tuner. BrightSign. www.brightsign.biz

January/February 2013

Signage Solutions 2012

Product of the Year Entries Displays/Screens –Outdoor

Displays/Screens –Outdoor Marquee Series 5507ESTL

Available in 47- and 55-inches, the SunBriteTV Marquee Series offers all-weather durability, extra bright 700nit LCD panels and Extended Solar Tolerance (EST) technology to cool the LCD panel. The result is a high performance HD display that delivers incredibly bright images even in direct sunlight without isotropic blackout, and without the need for external housings or cooling systems. The Marquee Series resists moisture, dust, insects and temperature extremes. A comprehensive array of AV connections allows use with multiple signal sources, while a tempered antireflective glass front window provides protection to the screen and a sealed wiring compartment keeps moisture out. SunBriteTV. www.sunbritetv.com

Panasonic LFP30 Professional LCD Display

The Panasonic LFP30 Series of professional LCD plasma displays, with its IP66 rating, is the perfect digital signage solution for outdoor applications. Built with a corrosion-resistant aluminum casing, the displays are primed for harsh environmental conditions including excessive heat, extreme cold, particulate dust and water damage without requiring any additional enclosure, unlike nearly all comparable displays. The LFP30 Series is designed with trans-reflective liquid crystal technology to ensure excellent visibility (1,000cd/m2) in bright, outdoor locations. The LFP30Series is available as the 42-inch TH-42LFP30W and the 47-inch TH-47LFP30W. Panasonic. www.panasonic.com

Media Players Green Digital Show Case/Video Wall Appliance-PC | Wiisper 7-1U

Media Players Industrial Standard Signage Player module Based on 3rd Gen Intel ® Core™- OPS870

Axiomtek’s OPS870 is the industry-leading Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) compliant signage module that carries the latest 3rd generation Intel® Core™ i7/i5/i3 processors and QM77 chipset to give outstanding performance and superb graphics capability. This compact industrial standard player module can easily be installed and plugged into any OPS compliant display and run without the need for mounting or any additional cables ;allowing signage integrators and users simple installation, quick maintenance, and an overall cost efficient operation. Featuring a socket type processor design that enables flexible configurations, the OPS870 can meet various signage application needs. AXIOMTEK. www.axiomtek.com

Displays/Screens – Indoor

Panasonic LF30 Series Professional LCD Displays

The new Panasonic LF30 Series Professional LCD Displays offer exceptional brightness (700-cd/m2 brightness) that accurately conveys information (9-ms response), even in high-levels of ambient light. Available in 42-inch and 47inch models, the series is ideal for open spaces like shopping malls, hotels and restaurants. The SLOT2.0 function slot on the LF30 Series greatly expands the display's range of applications. It lets you mount an optional function board to suit your application. It also features a variety of input terminals, including DVI-D In/Out and RS-232C In/Out, for connection of up to 100 displays in a daisy chain configuration for greater operating efficiency. Panasonic. www.panasonic.com

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Rack or wall mountable PC-Appliance driving 1-12 displays, w/incredibly low power consumption. Clients using in several ways: 1. Wall mount, driving 5-6 digital menu boards. 2. Under counter/cabinetry, driving 4-12 displays in-store retail signage. 3. Rack Mount in secure IT closet, only single 1U (1.75”) slot, driving 1-8 video streams to various displays. 4. Direct mount behind video wall, driving 4-12 displays. AMD’s Eyefinity Technology turns 2-12 displays into a Single Large Surface, or a single display /video channel. Suddenly content flexibility skyrockets, and PC hardware cost falls. Designed for the largest names in business. Actineon. www.actineon.com

Displays/Screens – Indoor

DS55LT6 - 5000 nit Ultra-High Brightness 55" Professional LCD

The DS55LT6 is a 55 inch ultra-bright professional LCD with IPS technology. With a brightness rating of 5,000 cd/m² this display features a local dimming LED back light technique for incredible, high contrast picture quality and low power consumption. The DS55LT6 features a high temperature resistant LCD panel which is capable of preventing blackening defect in temperatures up to 230°F. With a narrow 11.5 mm bezel, the DS55LT6 is an ideal solution for tiled video wall applications in direct sunlight environments. DynaScan Technology, Inc. www.dynascanusa.com

Signage Solutions 2012

Product of the Year Entries

Displays/Screens – Interactive VuIT VIP Series Digital Signage IP Camera Displays

Media Players High Definition HD1.3 Media Player

The HD1.3 is an exclusive high definition media player designed by Seneca. This ultra small form factor player boasts one of the smallest footprints on the market today standing only 1.3 inches tall and supports dual independent displays. To fully maximize performance the HD1.3 is thermally optimized for the 2nd generation Intel Core Processor family. This media player is ideal for solutions that demand high performance capabilities in a confided area such as menu boards and kiosks. The HD1.3 is the latest addition to Seneca’s all start HD media player line up. Seneca. www.senacadata.com.

Software

VuIT’s new VIP Series Displays integrate a high quality IP Camera with Enterprise Digital Signage to serve multiple functions. Sell more, lose less and reduce cost by combining Advertising, Loss Prevention and Emergency Notification capabilities into a single display. The unit can operate in a stand-alone or enterprise environment. VuIT’s unique design allows for the scheduling of media content and IP camera streams to one or to thousands of locations through a single portal. Our unique approach also opens up a variety of options for analytics and other capabilities. VuIT Communications, LLC. www.vuitcommunications.com

Displays/Screens – Large-format LED

AxisTV v.8.0 Digital Signage Software

AxisTV enterprise digital signage software offers powerful creation and scheduling tools delivering multi-window displays of messages, tickers, media, and a host of news and weather options. The software’s user interface runs in a web browser, and the latest update – version 8.0 – has a completely new interface design and background library, as well as 64-bit support for Microsoft Server 2008. Both navigation and workflows have been improved in the new version: • Intuitive tab design and icon-based navigation • Multi-page workflows collapsed into single pages • Faster page refreshes • Enlarged content thumbnails • Six new matching layout/message background sets. Visix, Inc. www.visix.com.

LG LED EzSign TV (Model 32LT560E/37LT560E/42LT560E/47LT560E)

LG’S LED LT560E EzSign TV is a digital signage and broadcast TV hybrid that can simultaneously show branded advertisements and live TV or recorded video, providing entertainment for customers while allowing business owners to deliver specific messaging without the need for additional hardware. Content creation is simple; owners use their own computers to access more than 50 attractive templates and add their own images and text, which can then be transferred directly to the display wirelessly with an optional Wi-Fi dongle. LED backlighting allows for deeper blacks and richer colors for better contrast and overall picture quality. LG Electronics USA. www.lg.com

Mounts/Enclosures

Media Players Panasonic PLUGTHA54 Plug-In PC

The new PLUGTHA54 Plug-In PC for Panasonic’s professional LCD and plasma displays and SLOT 2.0 architecture features an Intel® Core™ i5 processor-powered PC and supports all major digital signage software platforms. It was designed to create an “all-in-one” digital signage solution, while providing the flexibility for servicing the PC without dismounting the display from the wall. The new Plug-In PC to offer the highest performance available in graphics while supporting additional features for content management such as Windows 7 OS, built-in Wi-Fi, a 3G/4G option and a 320GB hard drive. The PLUGTHA54 is simple to configure, install and maintain. Panasonic. www.panasonic.com.

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

AM500

Providing innovative design to support displays 65 in. to 103 in. and above and up to 500 lb., the AM500 is a great option for digital signage, residential, or corporate installations. The low profile mount features full forward extension to 15 in., allowing displays to be pulled away for service or alignment, or recessed into the wall for a perfectly flush appearance. Positive and negative tilt and a 90º rotating mounting head provide full range of motion, allowing for multiple orientation options. Different mounting brackets are available to support specific display size ranges, each configuration featuring its own model number. Premier Mounts. www.mounts.com

January/February 2013

Signage Solutions 2012

Product of the Year Entries

Displays/Screens – Interactive Media Players Black Box® iCOMPEL™ P Series 2U Publisher with HD Video Capture

The iCOMPEL™ P Series 2U Publisher with HD Video Capture features a video card for pure HDMI® input, enabling the connection of a modern set-top box to a digital signage system. You can even display video from a set-top source as an inset within a sign with other promotional content. The appliance features Intel® Core™ i3 processing for intense content (>20 fps Flash/>30 fps video) and supports four video zones. The hardware/software platform provides the flexibility to create impressive signage without a lot of creative or technical know-how, plus all software updates are free and there are no SaaS fees. Black Box. www.blackbox.com

Displays/Screens – Indoor

NEC V651-TM

NEC’s 65” V651-TM commercial-grade display offers digital signage users touchscreen capabilities with full-HD resolution at a cost-conscious price. Within the V651 bezel is an integrated, low-profile, 4-camera opticalimaging technology that allows for up to six simultaneous touches. Its doublesided anti-reflective glass coating protects the panel, prevents mirrored imaging and allows for higher brightness transmittance. The V651-TM features built-in 10W speakers, a public display-grade panel that protects against permanent image retention and a full selection of inputs including an expansion slot compatible with OPS devices (adapter required). The V651TM is ideal for extended use in corporate, retail, restaurant and wayfinding applications. NEC DISPLAY SOLUTIONS. www.necdisplay.com

Media Players S1-38

Philips Q Series + Flypaper Express All-in-One Solution

The new Philips Q Series is a simple all-in-one digital signage solution, empowering anyone to easily play back digital signage content via USB Drive. An Edge-lit LED display for natural color and thin design, coupled with a 30-day free trial of Flypaper™ Express content creation software, delivers eye-catching content to your audience. Efficiently and affordably create, manage and maintain full-fledged digital signage applications with ease and simplicity with the new Philips Q Series. The Q Series display is available in 32, 42, and 46-inch sizes. Philips Commercial Signage. www.usa.philips.com

The SI-38 is an ultra slim embedded system designed specifically for digital signage applications. Packing a fusion processor with discrete class graphics and multiple display outputs, its 25mm thick chassis is nevertheless slender enough to disappear into the tightest spaces behind displays. The system is built around a diecast aluminum thermal frame that serves simultaneously as the entire system’s structural backbone, thermal conduit, airflow divider, HDD rail, EMI shield and mounting bracket. To ensure long term reliability with a minimum acoustic footprint, the cooling airflow is segregated from the electronics to keep contaminants out. IBASE Technology(USA), Inc. www.ibase-usa.com.

Mounts/Enclosures LMV

Premier Mounts' LMV video wall mount makes installation easier and more reliable than ever. The mount's new single latch design simplifies the release technique and ensures a reliable opening and closing of the mount. Scissor design and compact mounting arms allow for extension in one smooth motion. Supporting displays 37 in. to 63 in. or up to 160 lb., the LMV includes laser cut, precision design spacers customized for specific displays to ensure a seamlessly aligned video wall. The open design provides ample accessibility for display adjustment and maintenance. Customizations for any special projects are available upon request. Premier Mounts. www.mounts.com

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Video Walls Hiperwall 3.0

Hiperwall makes it simple to build high performance, scalable video walls from ordinary computers, ordinary monitors and on an ordinary LAN. Hiperwall allows you to resize and relocate each content object on the video wall, within a single monitor or across multiple monitors. Advanced capabilities include zoom, rotation, shrinking and transparency, enabling users to examine content with increased flexibility and effectiveness. Hiperwall 3.0’s animation capabilities is a significant extension to the version 2.0 platform which provides customers worldwide with a unique ability to deliver content to single monitors, video walls and distributed displays. Hiperwall. www.hiperwall.com

Signage Solutions 2012

Media Players

Full Performance Digital Signage Appliance / Wiisper 7 VLP

Clients are meeting several needs with this solution: 1. Fit PC neatly behind displays, wherever mounted. 2. Operate at higher temperatures. 3. Flexible video connection options. 4. Reduce onsite service / last longer. 5. Provide full performance CPUs. 6. Improve ROI upfront and long term. 7. Reduce Cost. Our clients get a 1.5” thick appliance/PC with full performance CPU, higher temperature range usability, a long life disk drive w/5y warranty, and fewer moving parts. Clients demanded, and in <6 months received, this custom engineered chassis/feature/price combination, as articulated by key enterprise deployers, field installation/service teams, and display manufacturers. Actineon. www.actineon.com

Mounts/Enclosures

Product of the Year Entries

Video Walls

Panasonic LFV50 Professional LED Video Wall Display

Panasonic’s first LED video wall display features an ultra-narrow bezel for near seamless video wall installation. The 55” LFV50 display delivers stunning picture quality with 800 cd/m2 brightness, making it ideal for multiple digital signage and command & control applications for use in transportation hubs, retail centers, corporate lobbies and more. When mounted bezel-to-bezel, the displays’ screen-to-screen distance measures 5.3 mm, which is smaller than available competitive displays in the same category. The displays are designed to work in both portrait and landscape orientations. Users can daisy-chain the displays via DVI-D for easy digital loop-through of the video signal for up to a 5x5 video wall, and features RS232C I/O control. Panasonic. www.panasonic.com.

Social Media Applications

FUSION™ Flat Panel Ceiling Mounts

Chief’s new FUSION® Series singledisplay ceiling mounts provide a fresh solution for showcasing displays in prominent locations where walls are not easily available. For digital signage spaces, the LCM1U and MCM1U are great mounting options to provide installers flexibility. Features of the single ceiling mounts include Centris fingertip tilt and 360 degrees of swivel to help achieve optimum viewing angles, continuous tilt ranges with four set locking points, simple connection for ease of installation, tool-free screen engagement and a full set of accessories. This mount is available in black or silver for a sleek look that blends into any environment. Chief. www.chiefmfg.com

Cabling/Connectivity

Roqbot

Roqbot is a social music & display solution for bars, stores, events, and other venues that lets customers engage with the music playing on-site right from their phones, while onpremise digital screens highlight the music playing, custom promotions, and rich media advertising. Roqbot was named Best Music Tech Company at SXSW 2011 while in beta and officially launched with Gap last November. In 2012, Roqbot debuted in Austin with MillerCoors, crowdsourced music for Mötley Crüe in Las Vegas, and partnered with Samsung at SXSW 2012. Roqbot runs on BrightSign players and Cisco’s iServices platform. Roqbot. www.roqbot.com

Displays/Screens – Large-format LED

TruLink® A/V Over Cat5

The A/V over Cat5 transmitters and receivers allow you to extend an A/V signal over a Cat5/Cat5e/Cat6 cable up to 300 or 500 ft without signal degradation at 1920x1080 or 1920x1200 resolutions. It is compatible with any operating system and is truly plug and play with no drivers or software required. The transmitter and receiver come in either wall plate or box form factors and are interoperable, allowing you to choose the factors that are best suited for the application. This solution utilizes TruChoice™ Power, providing you the flexibility to power at either the transmitter or receiver end. The AOC technology delivers several advantages, making it a smart choice in select installations. The diameter is smaller than copper and more flexible making it easier to install in tight in-wall spaces. Constructed from fiber strands, it reduces the risk of EMI/RFI so performance is stable when used in typically high interference environments such as data centers, surgical theaters or manufacturing facilities where high resolution and consistent display are critical. C2G. www.c2g.com.

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

Panasonic LF50 Professional LED Displays

At 70” and 80”, the LF50 Series is the largest LED LCD Panasonic has ever offered. The 700 cd/m2 t displays are ideal for customers looking for a bright, digital signage solution with that “wow” factor. With SLOT 2.0 architecture, the LF50 offers the expandability to run even the most robust software to meet diverse customer needs in such applications as showrooms, retail, transportation terminals and auditoriums. The LF50 Series can be used in portrait and landscape orientations, and also features a space-saving design with a thinner depth than previous LF Series models and is ADA compliant. Panasonic. www.panasonic.com

January/February 2013

Signage Solutions 2012

Product of the Year Entries

Video Walls LG 55WV70 Direct LED Super Narrow Bezel Video Wall

LG’s 55” WV70 Direct LED display is designed for Video Wall solutions, with up to 225 displays arranged in a 15x15 matrix. Each monitor’s 5.3mm super narrow bezel allows it to be connected almost seamlessly with other displays to create a powerful and impactful video wall. Direct LED technology delivers a crisp, clear picture, while Local Dimming offers superior lighting control by allowing sections of the LED array located behind the screen to dim or turn off entirely. IPS panel technology, “Shine Out Film” and High Temperature fluid also aid in helping to ensure great picture quality in any environment. LG Electronics USA. www.lg.com

Mounts/Enclosures PMC-MM-502

Mounts/Enclosures MVWC-3X3

Premier Mounts' 3x3 mobile video wall cart provides a mobile platform to support digital content in virtually any space. The cart breaks down into two separate parts for easy shipping, handling, and setup at any event or trade show. Industrial grade casters maneuver the cart effortlessly along any terrain, and support the 9-screen video wall with a weight capacity of 900 lb. Fine-tune adjustment brackets ensure a seamless display alignment, with full adjustability for leveling and locking screws to secure in place. The cart features a solid bottom skirt and tray to store and protect AV or IT equipment. Premier Mounts. www.mounts.com

Media Players Digital Menu Board PC Wiisper 7LPW

QSR/Retail Operators are using this solution to put Desired Content up on (4) four Digital Menu Boards (video displays) from a single PC, starting at <$200/ display. Historically done w/one PC/display, operators hit real limits with content flexibility and twice (or more) hard costs per monitor in deploying hardware and software/advertising licensing. AMD’s Eyefinity Technology option turns (4) displays into a Single Large Surface, or a single display /video channel. Suddenly content flexibility skyrockets, impacting years to come with installed equipment. PC fits behind displays, removes high-fail components, and is certified to higher operating temperatures than ‘normal’ PCs. Actineon, Inc. www.actineon.com

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By The Way

The Media Mix

A look at dynamic place-based media in the “paid-owned-earned” model

By Lyle Bunn Dynamic place-based media, broadly named dynamic signage, The State of has enjoyed double-digit growth Placed-Based Med every year for more than a decade. ia More than 2 million networked out-of(in the "paid-owned-e arned" model) home displays across North America present marketing and information messages in out-of-home locations where people shop, browse, travel, gather, wait, work and study. As it has become one of the sharpest Digital Signage and Owned Media tools in the communicator’s tool chest with Owned media is a dominant communications an estimated $7 billion in annual revenues, force in customer, patron, staff and student including third-party advertising, sponsored engagement. End users in food services, retail, messaging, content creation and technologies, banking, entertainment and other patron-based dynamic place-based media has found its organizations have moved to establish dynamic place in the communications continuum and signage networks as part of their owned in the paid-owned-earned media model as media and communications infrastructure. a proven contributor to brand, conversion, Dynamic place-based media serves three communications and engagement goals. major goals as paid or owned media, including: Paid media is the mainstay of the marketing Omni-channel, 360-degree industrial complex as brands and their agencies marketing, which seeks to reach a target buy audiences (i.e., eyeballs and exposures) audience at multiple points during their day. The to generate awareness of products, services 400-plus ad-based, digital place-based networks and brands, and point-of-purchase traffic. operating in North America provide advertisers According to the 2010 Arbitron Digital Video with messaging to attract an audience of many, Display Study, 70 percent of teen and adult specifically consumers in out-of-home locations U.S. residents, an estimated 181 million as they go about their day. Seventy percent of people, view digital video displays monthly. Americans shop multi-channel, including in-store, Operating within the communications online and mobile. Retailers and brands are continuum, many marketers are increasingly responding with a shift from transactional to using their owned communications experiential marketing, while assuring maximum devices—such as their website, newsletters, fidelity-consistent brand messaging. The on-premises and building signage, mobile paradigm shift is occurring from multi-channel app and dynamic signage—to achieve their to omni-channel engagement, which reflects branding, merchandising and re-visit goals. the melding of the engagement experience Owned media builds loyalty and activates between the retailer/brand and the consumer. conversion while fueling earned media such Transmedia, the re-use and re-purposing as opt-in, referrals, positive word of mouth, of brand assets across many messaging “likes” and other social media benefits. approaches, is driven by the economies of

Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications

digital, which enables messages to be easily reconfigured, transformed and transcoded. Brand integrity (i.e., fidelity) is achieved through consistent imagery, composition and story-telling as similar messages are delivered using various media types. Video and message animation ensure that digital signage messages are noticed. Digital signage links to and leverages other media types and delivers value by “moving the needle” on revenues as well as brand and message awareness, while reducing communications costs. Engagement. By presenting messages that are relevant at the viewing location, intended outcomes are better achieved while maximizing messaging investment. This includes retail conversion, generating action and the motivation for “audience of one” engagement on mobile devices through opt-in, downloads, QR code capture, accessing applications, mobile browsing and mobile commerce. Analytics and consumer insights are achieved in numerous ways including anonymous viewer analytics, links to unique URL, QR codes, near field communications and opt-in through dynamic media messages.

A Growing Presence Dynamic signage as owned media is undergoing a surge in application driven by declining technology costs and complexity, and its proven use as a branding, promotion, merchandising and information device that can easily accommodate message changes based on daypart, audience, external factors such as weather and internal factors such as inventory levels and demand. Digital displays owned by retailers are used on premises to achieve branding, merchandising, upsell and cross-sell while

January/February 2013

Signage Solutions

By The Way

improving the location visit experience and motivating earned media. In recognition that the medium works well when properly applied, end-user executives are increasingly charging their staff and advertising agencies with integrating dynamic place-based media into their plans, campaigns and their services. Retailers that are operating or planning showcase locations are tapping into a wide range of digital display technologies to benefit from a wow factor, increase destination traffic and generate public relations profile, while also experimenting and generating shopper insights on approaches that could be broadly applied for higher return on communications investment. Digital place-based media supports marketing and communications goals at each point in the paid-owned-earned media model providing high return and high leverage on marketing communications investment.

Make it Meaningful According to a Deloitte retail industry survey, 71 percent of retail executives say

Paid media is the mainstay of the marketing industrial complex as brands and their agencies buy audiences (i.e., eyeballs and exposures) to generate awareness of products, services and brands, and point-ofpurchase traffic. shoppers want a meaningful experience with the sales associate as brand ambassador with strong product knowledge and the ability to upsell and cross-sell for greater customer satisfaction and loyalty. Many retailers speak of the need to

improve their advertising plans to shift media buying investment away from “renting eyeballs” and into owning audiences. In keynote addresses at the National Retail Federation annual conference executives from Ralph Lauren as well as Bonnie Brooks, CEO of The Bay, reinforce the priority of shifting to brand demand messaging from brand awareness involving more experiential and social media. Digital in-store media bridges bricks— the physical environment, “clicks”—online information and commerce, and picks— consumer selection and its influencers. It also turns presence into engagement. SSM

Lyle Bunn is an analyst, advisor and educator in North America’s Dynamic Media sector. He has assisted many hundreds of networks, published more than 250 papers and serves on numerous advisory, event and award panel, including the Signage Solutions Editorial Advisory Board. He can be reached at Lyle@LyleBunn.com.

To learn more from Lyle Bunn, attend the 2013 Digital Signage Expo, special session on February 26th "SPEED ON…Network Optimization Strategies".

Advertiser Index

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