Signage Solutions July/August 2012
The Technology and Solutions Magazine for Digital Signage, DOOH, Mobile and Place-based Digital Media
A OF A
MEDIUM
Orlando-based Monster Media is taking interactive to the masses p24
Pedro Andres Sanchez Senior Vice President, Creative Technology Monster Media
THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Using superior outdoor digital signage practices to your advantage p18
TO THE MARKET, WE GO Supermarkets turn to digital signage to create a positive, unique experience to attract, keep customers p20
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TIME WELL SPENT Sony HD monitors, help educate, entertain patients, staff p14
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Publisher’s Perspective
Something New If you have been reading Signage Solutions since we launched in 2010, you’ll notice we’re doing something new: This is the first time we’ve featured a professional on our front cover. We thought it was time to shine the spotlight on the visionary people behind the digital signage products and solutions we write about each month. Their stories are unique and inspiring, and we can’t wait to share them with you over the next few months. Our first featured professional is Pedro Sanchez, senior vice president of creative technology at Monster Media, an innovative media company that specializes in DOOH advertising. Their impressive portfolio captivates consumers in airports, malls, sports/entertainment venues, hotels and other largescale platforms. On your travels, you have probably noticed their big interactive video walls at major U.S. airports, such as LAX or MIA. Over the past few years, I have seen these video walls popping up around the nation. Adults, as well as children, seem to enjoy interacting with the large screens. You can see a bit of delight in their eyes as they manipulate the screens with their hands and gestures—evidence that the screens are successfully attracting and engaging an audience. Sanchez is the first of many professionals we will feature in Signage Solutions. Our goal is to create a more peer-to-peer experience for our readers. As you read about who they are, what they do and how they do it, we hope you will be inspired by their stories and maybe even pick up a few takeaways you can apply to your own career. Digital signage is creeping into every industry, and there are countless applications for its use. Please continue to keep us informed about your upcoming projects and, now, those notable people within your company who deserve to be recognized in our magazine. Enjoy the issue and, as always, let me hear from you. Until next issue,
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July/August 2012 • Volume Three • Issue Four Publisher/Editorial Director
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Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
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 JULY/AUGUST 2012
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Signage Solutions
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Contents
July/August 2012
The Technology and Solutions Magazine for Digital Signage, DOOH, Mobile and Place-based Digital Media
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Technology @ Work
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A brief look at company/industry news within the digital signage industry.
Vertical Views - Education Schooled by Screens
Colorado high school uses digital signage to engage students.
features
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Vertical Views Retail
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The Great Outdoors Using superior outdoor digital signage practices to your advantage.
Information for All
Bicultural pharmacy chain combines digital signage players with place-based media service.
Vertical Views - Transportation
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10 Behind the World’s
To the Market, We Go
Supermarkets turn to digital signage to create a positive, unique experience to attract, keep customers.
A Monster of a Medium Orlando-based Monster Media is taking interactive to the masses.
Busiest Airport
How Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport leverages digital signage to facilitate travel and operations.
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14 Vertical Views - Healthcare Time Well Spent
Sony HD monitors help educate, entertain patients, staff.
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Signage Solutions & Products
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Digital signage products and solutions, along with the technology which runs them, make the industry what it is today. Every issue of Signage Solutions magazine features new products and solutions.
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By The Way Mobile Marketing vs. Digital Signage
Industry experts weigh in about the impact of mobile marketing on digital signage.
sports bar to SPORTS ARENA
Ingram Micro’s ProAV/Digital Signage business unit gets any size job done in one stop. Quickly. Conveniently. Competitively. Big jobs or smaller ones, they have things in common: a lot of expertise, planning and different components. You don’t have time to research and source products from a bunch of different places. That’s why Ingram Micro’s ProAV/Digital Signage business unit offers a unified line card that features the most comprehensive portfolio of in-demand and emerging ProAV and digital signage products and solutions. You’ll find specialized support and business enablement resources, as well as access to a dedicated team of seasoned market, sales, business development and technology professionals you need to grow your business. Visit www.ingrammicro.com/proavinfo or call (800) 456-8000, ext. 77607 to learn more about the benefits, tools and resources available from Ingram Micro’s ProAV/Digital Signage business unit.
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EDITORIAL ADVISORY BOARD Stephen Nesbit has been in the digital advertising and merchandising industry since the late 1990s. He began with Next Generation Network, Inc., and served as the EVP of Operations, International and Business Development. Nesbit also served as the Chief Operating Officer and President of Reflect Systems, Inc. in Dallas. Reflect provides software, managed network services and consultative services for digital media networks to many of the largest retail in-store digital advertising and merchandising networks in North America. Stephen Nesbit He is regarded as a thought leader in digital Managing Director media, as well as the in-store digital advertising/ Prestonwood Trail Holdings, LLC merchandising industry.
Lyle Bunn Principal & Strategy Architect BUNN Company
Jason Carey Vice President, Retail Digital Signage Network Director Wells Fargo
Andreas Claus Director, Production Services Vanderbilt University
Linda Hofflander Chief Strategy Officer The Handa Group
Garry McGuire
LINDA HOFFLANDER Chief Strategy Officer The Handa Group
Linda Hofflander adds more than 20 years experience in the consulting, business development, technology and communication industries. She specializes in strategic planning as it relates to digital screen media content; the digital media business case, design, deployment and maintenance of integrated digital media networks. A noted public speaker, Linda is a recognized expert in digital screen media: digital signage, digital menu boards, and interactive touch screens. Hofflander is an active member on the Education Board of the Digital Signage Expo (DSE), a member of the Digital Signage Federation (DSF) and on the National Board of Directors for the University of Minnesota Alumni Association (UMAA).
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
Hugh Sinnock Director, Customer Experience
Hugh Sinnock Director of Customer Experience Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority
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Hugh Sinnock joined the LVCVA in October of 2006 as Director of Customer Experience. He is responsible for overseeing the public service offerings of the building, including oversight of three in-house partners: Aramark, FedEx Office and Smart City Networks. Prior to joining the LVCVA, Sinnock served as Regional Operations Director for Reed Exhibitions and Director of Facilities for GES Exposition Services. In May of 2005, Tradeshow Week named him as one of “20 People You Need to Know in Vegas." He has also served as a Board Member of Opportunity Village since 2006.
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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
Updates
Go to www.signagesolutionsmag.com to read full version of articles found in the Industry News & Updates section of Signage Solutions Magazine.
Industry&News
Technology @ Work
More than 34,000 Attend InfoComm 2012 InfoComm 2012, the annual conference and exhibition for professional audiovisual buyers and sellers worldwide, held June 13 -15 in Las Vegas, was visited by 34,268 AV professionals attending from more than 90 countries. This represents a four percent increase in attendance over InfoComm 2011. "InfoComm continues to be the one trade show where most professional AV service providers make their important buying decisions for the year," said Randal A. Lemke, Ph.D., Executive Director & CEO, InfoComm International. "The AV marketplace has enthusiastically embraced InfoComm as the place to make their purchasing choices, network with product and service providers, and enhance skills through our robust educational program." Registrations for InfoComm University educational courses totaled 6,940, up 15.6 percent over last year. Super Tuesday, a full-day of advanced instruction for AV pros, attracted 850 registrants in 2012, up 32 percent from 2011. PreComm attracted 501 registrants, up six percent from 2011. More than 5,561 attended seminars and workshops, nearly 1,000 more than last year. Tours attracted 268 participants. Attendees come to InfoComm for the diversity of courses on topics ranging from acoustics to videoconferencing.
Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
Popular courses were Future Trends and CTS Prep. Other popular classes included Service Level Agreements, Space, Time and Technology: The Future of AV, and AV Signals Gone Wireless. With two-thirds of all of the education sessions being new, participants flocked to classes on smart building technology, networked AV and conferencing.
Adaptive Video Walls and Displays Create Massive Video Wall Adaptive Video Walls and Displays, a division of Adaptive Technologies Group and the premier provider of innovative wall mountable, floor standing, interlocking and flyable video wall frames for multiple LCD, LED and plasma monitors, has teamed up with Sharp Electronics and WorldStage to create
JULY/AUGUST 2012
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Technology @ Work what may be the world’s largest flown LCD video wall display. The companies built the display for Surf the Musical, a new musical production in Las Vegas featuring the 1960s Songs of the Beach Boys, and it has been submitted to the Guinness Book of World Records. For Surf the Musical, the rigged visuals will take up the entire stage backdrop of the show. Crew members will hoist and lower them with powerful winches up to 41 times over the course of the nearly two-hour show. Adaptive Video Walls and Displays engineered an incredibly precise and load-rated flyable frame for the Sharp PN-V601 60-inch monitors, which make up the massive display. The Adaptive Video wall LCD frame interlocks into eight-deep columns, in the landscape orientation. Overhead rigging beams accommodate one huge five-wide by eight-deep video wall comprised of 60-inch monitors that are flanked by two (four)-wide by eight-deep video walls, which are surrounded in turn by an additional two (two)–wide by eight-deep video walls, for a total of 136 pcs. monitors. The visual experience is extraordinary and the combined crisp and clear displays, along with the use of some external elements, bring the audience onto the stage and into the show, perhaps more than ever before.
provide flight, baggage and gate information, wayfinding, directories and airline branding to many of the 41 million travelers who pass through the airport each year. The 1.9-million sq.-ft., 14-gate facility is the largest modern public works project in Nevada history and will be home to nearly two dozen international and domestic airline carriers that fly to Las Vegas. “Employing 1,800 people at its peak, the McCarran Terminal 3 project positions Las Vegas for the demanding growth in international and domestic travel, and our region as the premier tourism destination,” said David Bourgon, Manager, Airport IT Services at McCarran Airport. “NEC’s digital signage will be instrumental in guiding our visitors through the new facility and creating lasting, positive experiences and memories.”
Mitsubishi Electric Completes Installation of Japan's Largest Digital Signage Systems at Narita International Airport
Nanobar Brings Live Twitter Feed to Ben & Jerry's
Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport Deploys NEC Digital Signage NEC Display Solutions of America, a leading provider of commercial LCD display and projector solutions, announced that Las Vegas-McCarran International Airport selected and will be deploying more than 900 NEC large-screen displays and 800 single-board computers (SBCs) for the city’s new $2.4-billion Terminal No. 3, slated to open June 27. The dynamic digital signage will be used to
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any application. “With our flexible and non-flexible displays that can be built to any size and shape, all a company needs to do is imagine a use for digital signage, and our team can make it a reality. By showcasing their live Twitter feed in the store on a vibrant full color ticker-type of display, Ben & Jerry’s has taken customer interaction to a whole new level, and NanoLumens is proud to provide the exact technology they need to do so.”
Ben & Jerry’s has a long tradition of breaking ground with inventive new flavors and monikers for their world-famous ice cream, so when the company decided to open its very first retail location in Japan, it had to be an innovative store, complete with the company’s first digital menu boards and a live Twitter feed display. With such a unique and specific purpose, the Twitter feed couldn’t be displayed on just any digital display or boring fourcolor LED ticker, it needed to really pop. That’s why they contacted NanoLumens to build them an 8-foot wide, 4.5-inch tall, full color 6mm pixel pitch LED display, unofficially dubbed the ‘NanoBar’. According to Josh Byrd, NanoLumens Director of Marketing, “The ‘NanoBar’ LED display that we built for Ben & Jerry’s is a prime example of how NanoLumens can design and build an eye-catching, energy efficient LED display for literally
Mitsubishi Electric Corporation announced that it has completed installation of Japan's largest digital signage system at Narita International Airport, comprising a total of 100 display units made up of a total of 336 display panels, including Panorama Vision, an organic lightemitting display (OLED) screen. The system, which covers all passenger terminal areas, displays airport news, entertainment programs and advertisements as well as relaxing imagey, including "Living Japan", which depicts the beautiful natural scenery of Japan, and "Aquarium Japan," which shows enchanting marine life. Following the opening ceremony on June 26, 2012, the system began full-scale operations. Narita International Airport has undertaken a fundamental review of airport information presentation and has introduced this digital signage system to deliver appropriate and timely information to its customers. In addition to manufacturing the large display systems and the video streaming system, Mitsubishi Electric contributed to the overall concept design, including unit placement, design of the large display systems and LCDs, and video content creation, which includes choosing the clearest and most visually appealing fonts and progression speeds for each location and how to most effectively arrange displays to provide information and entertainment to waiting travelers.
Technology @ Work Astral Out-of-Home deploys a Digital Column network in Montréal
MSSI and AOpen give Best Buy Theater a digital upgrade Working with the one of Best Buy’s architects, MSSI helped design, spec and implement the digital deployments now residing in the Best Buy Theater. The original build out for this deployment took only two months, with the full deployment taking an additional nine months to develop the patent pending SoftSync syncing technology now used for the video wall. MSSI chose the AOpen DE67 and DE7000 media players because the deployment required media player hardware that could handle high uptimes with low failure rates as well high end computing specifications to run the syncing technology and high definition video. Walking into the lobby, patrons are greeted by a large 6 by 3 video wall. The wall is 20 ft. across and displays High Definition content powered by an AOpen DE67. This wall provides a wow factor that captivates users and draws them in to look at the brand building HD content on the screen. The downstairs Best Buy lounge area features five interactive touch screen displays. Each display is powered by an AOpen DE7000 and offers users a unique experience in advertising. One of the largest challenges in interactive advertising is the loss of the branding message when users are interacting with the system. But in this case, each display has the ability to play an interactive video, without losing the background branding, utilizing a proprietary transparent flash and video layering system. This allows content such as Best Buy products to be browsed while the branding is clearly visible in the background.
Astral Out-of-Home, a division of Astral Media Inc. unveiled a brand new network of 30 urban Digital Columns to be gradually installed as of mid-August in the heart of downtown Montréal. The roll out will make Montréal the first Canadian city to feature such an innovative network like other worldclass cities such as London and San Francisco. Each column will be equipped with a 72-inch HD LCD screen and a geographical map of downtown on the opposite face. The columns will be installed in key locations throughout downtown's major commercial streets, including Sherbrooke and Ste-Catherine, as well as near busy areas like the Quartier des spectacles. The Digital Column network will reach nearly one million consumers per day. The numerous technological features of the new Digital Column network will promote creativity and redefine ways of interacting with consumers. RSS feeds, QR Codes (Quick Response) as well as the integration of NFC (Near Field Communication) technology will enable advertisers to immediately deliver content and create the opportunity for real
Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
time exchange between advertisers and consumers. For example, a campaign can be adapted to the time of day or to coincide with a specific event. "The roll out of this highly innovative network once again demonstrates the creative and avantgarde nature of Astral Out-of-Home's team and offer," said Luc Sabbatini, President of Astral Outof-Home. "We are particularly proud that the first Digital Column network in Canada is launched in Montréal, enabling our advertisers to target a highly active and mobile population segment where they work, shop and play."
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Vertical View Retail
Information for All
Bicultural pharmacy chain combines digital signage players with place-based media service services in their bilingual/bicultural community. MdM wanted to stand apart from larger chains by providing communities with much-needed health-related information that also entertains. Management also wanted to deliver timely messages about the stores’ extensive product and service offerings so customers would be able to make well-informed decisions.
Small Fish, Big Pond
When you think about your neighborhood pharmacy, your first thought probably isn’t of high-definition screens that play informative and engaging health-related video messaging and branding. That is, unless you happen to live near a Milagros de Mexico (MdM) Pharmacy. As a completely bilingual and bicultural retail pharmacy chain with a small-town feel, MdM provides health and wellness products to the established Hispanic neighborhoods of San Francisco, San Jose, Oakland and Redwood City, Calif. In addition to offering a broad selection of U.S. and Latino brand medicines, supplements and homeopathic remedies, it also offers a wide range of affordable medical services.
Time to Grow MdM has four locations in Oakland, Redwood City, San Francisco and San Jose. With growth in mind, the company sought a budget-friendly, easy-to-manage, energy-efficient, turnkey signage solution that would differentiate the company as a trusted resource for health-related information and
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According to the U.S. Small Business Administration, an appropriate marketing budget for business-to-consumer retail and pharmaceutical stores can exceed 20 percent during the peak brand-building years. This can be an intimidating prospect for localized chains that compete against the seemingly bottomless pockets of a national chain. The key is to work smarter and compete wisely, with a tailored marketing plan directed at the specific needs of the community served, while simultaneously fulfilling the company’s goals. Not only did MdM want a solution that would help them improve their brand loyalty within the bilingual/bicultural community they served, they also wanted to promote the various products and services offered by the pharmacy as well as provide valuable health and wellness information to their customers in a friendly and engaging format. The real challenge, however, was to achieve their marketing goals without exceeding their budget. In addition, because the pharmacies serve bilingual/bicultural communities, messaging needed to be delivered in both Spanish and English while taking up as little valuable real estate within the store as possible.
A Fitting Solution For MdM, the clear, practical answer was digital signage; but the challenge remained to keep costs down. To achieve their goals of being able to display affordable, HD-quality video content without exceeding their budget, MdM selected Wovenmedia’s cloud-based video service driven by BrightSign networkenabled HD210 digital signage players. Using Wovenmedia’s straightforward dragand-drop software interface, Milagros de Mexico
now has the ability to create its own in-house TV network programming on a secured cloud-based platform. Subscribing to Wovenmedia’s vast pool of rights-cleared video content, MdM is able to blend their own branding and promotional content with relevant live broadcasts, social media streams and even licensed programming. Once the content programming is set in their cloudbased account, the BrightSign HD210 digital players at each of the four Milagros locations can access the content and ensure each location provides prompt, synchronized, glitch-free onsite broadcast in full HD quality to the screens on site. The licensed pool of third-party content providers includes NBC Universal, Access Hollywood, PBS, The Weather Channel, PGA Tour, Big 10 Networks and CNET. Hispanic language content from V-me and Qubo, two of the fastest growing Hispanic TV networks in the US, is also available. “It can be economically challenging for smaller chain businesses to compete with national chains for their share of the neighborhood market and define what’s unique about their offering,” said Susie Opare-Abetia, cofounder and CEO of Wovenmedia. “But with BrightSign’s line of HD video controllers, we can keep the Wovenmedia service affordable without compromising video quality or network reliability. For Milagros de Mexico, this solution has removed the cost barrier and enabled them to broadcast professional-quality, brand-building and call-to-action video messaging to their customers, just like the big chain stores.” Included with the digital players, BrightSign’s BrightAuthor PC-based software features templates, wizards and customization tools that enable even inexperienced users to create, schedule and manage their own presentations. The intuitive interface makes it easy to build full-screen and multi-zone playlists for looping displays without manually configuring coordinates and image sizes. In MdM’s case, BrightAuthor’s open platform also enables direct links to Wovenmedia’s video service. Each pharmacy now has one or two BrightSign HD210 digital signage players driving Wovenmedia’s cloud-based video service on up to three commercial-grade monitors.
Vertical View Retail The solution greatly benefits MdM is a variety of ways. The low initial cost of BrightSign players and low-power consumption made the expense relatively budget-friendly. The all-in-one digital signage solution includes the player, management software and networking capabilities, which simplifies deployment and eliminates compatibility problems. Also, the solid-state, non-PC platform ensures the highest standard in reliability and worry-free maintenance, while BrightSign's HD210 controllers deliver dynamic looping content and full HD video quality. To simplify the system even more, BrightSign’s open-platform BrightAuthor software links to Wovenmedia’s video service, and the BrightSign network-enabled players make content updates easy via Wovenmedia’s cloud-based service portal.
Implementation and Outcome All four Milagros de Mexico locations are utilizing BrightSign HD210 digital signage players and Wovenmedia’s video service to engage customers with timely product promotions and Hispanic-language entertainment content chosen by MdM specifically for their instore audience. Sales of items promoted on the
network have seen a noticeable increase, and customers have been enjoying the entertaining content. Eventually, Milagros hopes to reach customers on-the-go with similar content sent to their smartphones and other mobile devices. The complete, turnkey HD signage solution includes software and networking capabilities built-in for easy deployment. And, because the BrightSign players are based on solid-state technology, rather than a traditional PC platform, they cost substantially less, deliver higher reliability and require only a fraction of the power. As part of Wovenmedia’s services, Milagros de Mexico management receives email alerts as new content partners are added, enabling the pharmacy’s network administrator to log onto the cloud-based portal and select programming from the newly available content that will be published on the web-connected screens in each of the four pharmacy storefronts. In the field, the network-connected BrightSign units receive and play the revised content according to the newly created programming list. To keep brand messaging and call-to-action content fresh, MdM performs video playlist updates monthly.
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"When it came down to making a digital signage decision, what I really liked about the Wovenmedia/BrightSign solution was the fact that it would allow us to manage our own content without requiring us to make a large investment in an infrastructure or contract an IT person,” said Ben Singer, marketing manager for Milagros de Mexico. “This solution has allowed us to do a great deal of branding at a very low cost, while still allowing each of our pharmacy locations to address the needs of their specific neighborhood." SSM
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Vertical View Transportation
Behind the World’s Busiest Airport
How Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport leverages digital signage to facilitate travel and operations By Frank Steele After seeing more than 92 million passengers in 2011, Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport is the world’s busiest airport. With two terminals, six concourses, two different train systems, a consolidated rental car facility and more than 200 gates, travelers have a lot of ground to cover. When the airport’s new expansion opened on May 16, the airport grew to seven concourses, three main passenger entrances and three baggage-claim areas. The airport predicts 15 million travelers will pass through by 2015, due in part to the expanded capacity of the new $1.4 billion Maynard H. Jackson International Terminal. At such a massive facility, a smart digital signage solution goes a long way toward helping passengers find their way. For more than 30 years, the primary dynamic signage provider for Hartsfield-Jackson has been Atlanta-based Infax Inc. Infax has deployed more than 500 displays at the aiport for flight information, baggage directories, carousel displays, Customs and Border Protection queue management, public information, wait times near security checkpoints, TSA waiting area displays and roadside signage.
All in the Family Infax was founded in 1970 by David W. Davis, an electrical engineer who pioneered the display of text on traditional cathode-ray tube (CRT) displays. The company became a leading maker of CRT and LED displays for use in airports and other public spaces. With the rise of off-the-shelf plasma and LCD displays, the company closed down manufacturing and became a systems integrator, packaging computers, displays and specialty systems with its WinFIDS software for managing and displaying flight information. Today, Davis is retired, but his son Mike is the company’s CEO, and his grandson Bryan is a senior software engineer. “We’re a true family business,” Mike
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Davis said. “Most of our competitors have been swallowed up by larger companies and lost some of their focus on the special needs of airports. We’ve thrived by continuing to work closely with our customers to deliver products that are customized to their particular environment and dependable enough for constant use.” The aviation industry is full of proprietary reservation systems, partial data feeds and legacy systems. Infax has developed database systems that interface with these disparate systems, which range from older serial data connections to Web-enabled XML data feeds.
Systems for All A recent airport trend is common-use systems, such as check-in kiosks, ticketing and gate computers, and displays for use by a variety of airlines.
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The airport assigns gates and check-in positions dynamically, and signage automatically updates to display appropriate back-wall logos, listings of carrier flights and flight-status information at the gate. Airports save money by eliminating hard signage, and digital signage offers the flexibility to quickly modify airline assignments as conditions change. One common-use system at Hartsfield-Jackson is WinFIDS, which exchanges information with the airport’s resource management system to assign gates and counter positions. WinFIDS combines information collected from centralized airline systems with data input by local airlines and airport personnel, the Federal Aviation Administration, third-party feeds and surface management systems. The technology provides a single face to the data flowing in from many different sources.
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Vertical View Transportion Through WinFIDS, airport personnel can update flight and baggage information, display visual messages throughout their facility, manage ticket-counter assignments, customize page designs and manage user access to flight data. WinFIDS, in turn, can share arrival and departure information with aviation billing systems, the airport website, external services such as FlightStats.com, SQL reporting tools such as Crystal Reports, audio public address and other systems specified by the airport.
New Challenges and Opportunities Hartsfield-Jackson’s new international terminal, also known as Concourse F, is the largest construction project at the airport in more than 15 years. The new terminal added 12 new gates and centralized international flights. The new facility separates arrivals and departures on different levels to streamline traffic and features a new Customs and Border Protection facility and two parking decks with more than 3,500 spaces. Infax worked closely with airport staff
A recent airport trend is common-use systems, such as check-in kiosks, ticketing and gate computers, and displays for use by a variety of airlines.
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to ensure the new concourse met or exceeded the high expectations set by the flight information systems throughout the airport. The primary passenger-facing display is a Sony FWDS42E1, a 42-inch LCD that offers low power consumption, 1,920x1,080 resolution, and terrific display life and reliability. A variety of specialty displays take on airport-specific roles, including Daktronics LEDs at ramps and baggage-handling facilities and in an outbound bag facility, which are also driven by the WinFIDS system. These displays are invisible to passengers but are absolutely essential to managing the flow of baggage, fuel, catering vehicles and maintenance workers. Infax’s custom baggage claim input controllers were installed at the baggage drops for each carousel. The system combines a rugged industrial touchscreen computer running Windows embedded with Infax software that presents a list of arrival flights. With a touch of a button, baggage handlers can find a flight and activate baggage directories and the displays mounted at each carousel. After they’ve placed the last bag on the carousel, the baggage handler touches another button, triggering a “Last Bag” message that helps travelers know whether their bag missed their flight. At the Customs and Border Protection checkpoint, CBP personnel can manage traffic flow through overhead Samsung LCDs that direct particular groups of arriving passengers to the appropriate line. One line might be dedicated to diplomats and another to students, with CBP personnel updating assignments through a central workstation.
An Elegant Solution The WinFIDS software runs through two primary file servers that employ Microsoft’s Windows Server operating system and SQL Server relational database. Databases on the servers are replicated throughout the day, and the servers are set up with automatic failover in case of a server component failure. Infax also provides round-the-clock tech support. Airports can not wait until the next business day when a server or key display breaks down. Infax techs can remotely access any computer in the WinFIDS system. The new facility is expected to handle nearly 3 million new international passengers a year by the year 2015, and eliminates a major headache that has dogged Atlanta-bound international travelers: The required re-check of bags after clearing customs. International arrivals in Atlanta will now be able to retrieve their bags after clearing customs and depart directly from the new Concourse F. One expansion triggered by the new concourse will be installed everywhere else: 55-inch Samsung displays with embedded controllers and multilingual messages will help route passengers arriving on international flights in other concourses to Concourse F’s unified international baggage claim. Travelers who pass through the new concourse will encounter full-color outdoor LED signs that display short video snippets welcoming them and promoting the airport or local events. Curbside at the concourse, color LEDs will display airline logos at the drop-off point for each airline’s ticket counter. Digital signage has made the world’s busiest airport easy to navigate and manage. SSM Frank Steele is a software product engineer at Infax Inc., and can be reached at fsteele@infax.com
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Vertical View Healthcare
Time Well Spent
Sony HD monitors help educate, entertain patients, staff The University of South Florida Diabetes Center, located in Tampa, Fla., has implemented a pioneering communication concept for patients. Sony digital signage throughout the facility serves to educate and entertain patients and inform staff. Now, time that would otherwise be spent waiting is put to good use by educating patients about preventive medicine and wellness. As a result, the time each patient spends at the Diabetes Center is more productive. “The basic idea was to make sure that every moment our patients spend here at the center is a productive one, and Sony digital signage now plays an important role in
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"Patients that make better-informed choices regarding their diet and exercise habits have a far better chance of realizing positive outcomes. Now, we can take every opportunity to communicate the information they need.�
Vertical View Healthcare making that happen,” said Dr. Henry Rodriguez, clinical director of USF Diabetes Center. “Lifestyle modification education is a critical component of diabetes management, particularly in patients with type 2 diabetes. Patients that make better-informed choices regarding their diet and exercise habits have a far better chance of realizing positive outcomes. Now, we can take every opportunity to communicate the information they need.”
Working Toward a Goal LMG Inc., a Tampa-based A/V design and integration firm, began the installation in the new facility in June 2011, taking up half a floor in the campus’ Frank and Carol Morsani building. The solution uses an assortment of Sony digital signage HD equipment, including: • 19 KDL-40EX400/H 40-inch HD displays • 7 KDL-46EX400/H 46-inch displays • A KDL-55EX500/H 55-inch display • An FWD-S42E1 42-inch display with HD/SDI input card • A VPL-FH500L multimedia projector “The facility had several goals in mind,” said Bob Allen, general manager of LMG. “They wanted digital signage capable of informing the patients and staff of schedules and programs, and other information necessary to the center’s operations.”
“The Sony professional displays are an investment that we expect will pay us back year after year,” said Thomas Banea, USF Health’s director of digital media and communications. “We expect the total cost of operation for the Sony displays will be lower than purchasing consumer units that require higher operational costs and or have shorter lifecycles." The Sony digital signage solution distributes content through a simple user interface that assigns different server-based programs for specific areas. Patients can review materials privately, or groups can watch presentations together with the use of larger displays or the Sony projector.
To Implement or Not to Implement The decision to implement this concept
with Sony professional displays followed a comprehensive review of both professional and consumer HD flat-panel displays. “The Sony professional displays are an investment that we expect will pay us back year after year,” said Thomas Banea, USF Health’s director of digital media and communications. “We expect the total cost of operation for the Sony displays will be lower than purchasing consumer units that require higher operational costs and or have shorter lifecycles. More importantly, these displays have the advanced I/ Os we need to truly achieve the power of digital signage to deliver bidirectional communication. Through the RS-232 ports, we are able to control and manage the units remotely as well as gather individual data and metrics of what is being programmed to the USF patient community.”
A Growing Trend Banea added that what is now in operation at the USF Diabetes Center is also being evaluated at other venues. “By using enhanced methods of digital signage, we are able to provide a new model of disseminating information to patients while improving their experience here at the Diabetes Center,” Banea said. “Other departments at USF Health that have seen the center’s capabilities were very impressed and are now looking for similar ways to improve their patient’s experience through digital signage.” SSM
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8 0 0 . 3 6 8 . 9 7 0 0 | w w w. m o u n t s . c o m Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
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Vertical View Education
Schooled by Screens
Colorado high school uses digital signage to engage students
Keeping the attention of the typical teenager for more than a few seconds is a challenge. Just ask any teacher or parent. But for Heritage High School in Littleton, Colo., catching and keeping the attention of 1,600 students for several minutes in order to provide them with important information has become a daily routine. So what’s the magic bullet that keeps students at Heritage High tuning in instead of tuning out? Digital communications, of course. For a generation whose eyes seem permanently glued to the screens of their phones, computers and televisions for entertainment, that same technology can also capture their attention and help them take notice of school announcements and useful information. But how did Heritage know to try something like installing digital screens throughout the campus? It was the students’ own idea, said Kathy Smith, Heritage High School's office manager. In 2009, a graduating senior class raised money to purchase the first screen (Heritage now boasts five) which they hoped would help engage their fellow classmates. “They brought the idea to the principal at the time and he said, ‘You purchase the screen, but we’ll control the content,'" Smith said. To give themselves an edge in managing content, Heritage High School officials reached out to Four Winds Interactive to help set up five large display screens in various parts of the school. Three displays were installed in the student center/cafeteria, one is by the main entrance and the other is in the "senior pit," a gathering area for senior students. These displays had the immediate benefit of answering frequently asked questions from students and visitors who came to the school, without interfering with the flow of the main office’s operations. One specific example is the answer to the perennial question, “What’s the bell schedule?” Heritage’s relatively large student population operates under a variable bell schedule that has students following a schedule on Monday and Thursday that is different from Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday. There also is the possibility of a late-start schedule for
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Wednesday. In the past, the different bell schedules could be confusing to students, and they would visit the main office to inquire about the day’s schedule. Now, the schedule is continuously displayed during passing periods, greatly reducing the interruptions in the office, a situation that increases office productivity. Another advantage of the screens that school officials recognized: marketing. Heritage operates under a Colorado state law that allows for open enrollment in school districts. Students may attend a school by choice through application, rather than attending a school based on residency within district boundaries. This means that every year Heritage must vie with other area high schools for new students. The new digital signs are a way for Heritage to stand out and impress prospective students. For a generation of kids who grew up with the Internet as a fact of life and not a technological revolution, digital screens around school just seem to make sense. Each display can be programmed to show different information and multimedia presentations. The content on display can be characterized as a cross between television and the Internet. Live
TV can be shown or customizable content can be shared in multiple modules displayed on a single screen. As a result, those bell schedules for the different days of the week can be viewed readily alongside a map of the entire school, as well as information about the various events that might be happening that afternoon and evening. In addition, Heritage includes RSS feeds from media, such as CNN and ESPN. As the students wait to see the information scroll by from the RSS feeds, they also are able to observe school announcements; watch highlight reels from recent student activities; see information about possible classes to take next term; or which college recruiters will be visiting in the coming weeks. The screens also make sense to Smith. She is in charge of updating the screens, and says she enjoys the new aspect of her work. She says the system is “…very simple, very user friendly. It is very easy for me to go in and update things.” Budget cuts have everyone in the office performing additional tasks, and she is delighted to spend only one hour per week updating content for the displays. Smith highlights the eco-friendly benefits Heritage has realized via the digital screens,
too. She says the school no longer prints, copies or distributes the large amounts of information different school-related groups and organizations wanted to share. Instead, Smith says they use a combination of e-mail blasts and the digital signage throughout the school to send messages more quickly, using significantly less paper and taking advantage of a medium that is easy for students – and their parents -- to consume. She adds that the digital screens also prompted Heritage to develop new coursework, including a video production class that teaches students non-traditional skills and lets their work be displayed throughout the school. Smith says there is even talk of implementing a student-run daily news program. As part of its marketing appeal, Heritage High School has an open campus for lunch. This means students can leave the premises and eat wherever they would like. More often than not, and especially when national or global news events were taking place, students would go to their friends' houses to watch television. To give them an incentive to stay, Heritage allows its screens to display television broadcasts of certain special events. Smith says that she can recall the excitement in the school when the Colorado Rockies baseball team was in the 2007 World Series, as well as how interested the students were in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China. She adds that, for both events, the prevailing thought was that since students will seek out a screen to watch regardless, the option should be given to them to stay at Heritage to view the programs. Smith says the decision to show these events has been very popular with students. She adds the willingness of the principal to show the broadcasts has led to a process whereby students can make a presentation to administration to request particular programming. Heritage has enjoyed success by using the screens to support large events hosted at the school. For example, each year student athletes from six states come to a large cross-country event at the school. With such a large volume of guests and countless races to coordinate, the screens have helped bring order to chaos. Just as passengers at airports refer to large digital signs to find out what time their flight leaves and from which gate, visitors to Heritage can refer to the screens to find out the start times of races and where they are taking place. The screens have made it much easier for event staff to quickly answer common questions posed by visitors, making navigating the large event more efficient for all. Smith says the screens are
impressive to guests. Heritage High School and all other schools in the Littleton Public Schools district have won awards for their use of technology in the classroom. Now, that focus can be seen by visitors, as well. Smith says the screens bring the students together in ways that few things can. She notes that all students, from the most active in the school to the least, stand together to view the screens. She sees this scene as a hallmark of the current generation, their affinity with technology and a living expression of the school’s philosophy and culture. SSM dynascan_signagesolutions_halfpg_island_2.pdf 1 6/29/2012 9:28:02 AM
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Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
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THE
GREAT
By Ryan Moodley
OUTDOORS
Using superior outdoor digital signage practices to your advantage It’s summertime. Bar and restaurant patios are filled to capacity for a Friday Happy Hour. Golf course fairways are once again green and being carved up by high and low handicappers. Friends gather. The weekend has arrived. Now, besides great deals on food and drink or afternoon greens fees, how do you best keep your customers entertained and informed out in the great wide open? Modern indoor digital signage is relatively easy to understand and install. All that is required is finding the right-sized flat panel and the appropriate mount and figuring out if the video signal will be coming from another location or directly from a computer or media player mounted nearby. Then, run the cable (if necessary), and go. Installs can, of course,
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become a little more complex when you start getting into video walls and similar projects. Semi-outdoor installs, such as those that reside in the aforementioned restaurant open-air bar patios, usually utilize run-of-the-mill indoorspecific flat panels and mounting accessories. They already benefit from the protection of the building’s structure itself and most likely have immediate access to power and cable runs. So, when the weather gets bad or it’s time to close, it’s just a matter of closing a security screen to keep Mother Nature and thieves and vandals out. Glare is usually the one natural element that has to be considered here. But, how about outdoor flat-panel digital signage with no constructed cover protection whatsoever? Where do you get started? What
are the best practices to make sure you are getting the most for your money, completing a legal code installation and making sure your customers are reaping the benefits of your message?
Patios vs. the Great Wide Open Installing a flat panel underneath an overhang versus 20 to 200 yards out into the unprotected world is a huge difference in what natural elements can do to the unprotected flat panel, as well as in the required installation techniques. It obviously gets a little more complicated when Mother Nature, as unpredictable as she can be, comes into play. Simply installing a flat panel underneath a building’s eave or dropping it into a self-made cabinet may void the warranty on the unit, and can even create fire hazards and
security risks. Even if you are lucky enough for the unit to survive the elements and the security risks for any amount of time, your customer may not be getting the full use of the outdoor digital signage that they were expecting. There are many considerations to think about when deciding how and where to install outdoor flat panels. In most cases, outdoor digital signage flat panels utilized for messaging and/or entertainment must endure all different weather conditions for extended periods of time, such as rain, snow, humidity, dust/dirt and even insects, especially if they are not installed underneath a patio or overhang. Also, will the unit be placed in direct sunlight where there is constant glare and, ultimately, UV damage to the screen may occur? Will the unit have to endure extreme cold or hot temperatures?
Power and Signal Now, you’ve weighed the pros and cons and the cost versus ROI, and you’ve decided that digital signage away from home base and into the open air will benefit your business. First, consider whether you already have power and cable at your locations. Most likely you do not, especially for the necessary cable that will carry your AV signal. If you need to run power and/or cable, installers should be 100-percent sure and have documented proof from the authorities that all live wires are trenched according to local and state codes. If this can’t be done, stop the project. Remember: Safety first. The required current to power outdoor digital signage is no different than everyday, “normal” LCD flat panels installed indoors. You must be prepared for the investment of running electrical power to those points on your property where you want your message seen, if you don’t already have distributed power at specific locations. Also, depending on location and need, some outdoor digital signage utilizes Bluetooth technology to wirelessly bring the information to the sign. But, just like any other technology, hardwired trumps wireless when it comes to the cleanest and purest possible signal from point A to B.
Install Accessories One of the greatest things about flat panels designed exclusively for the outdoors is their simplicity of installation once power and signal are present. They can be installed virtually anywhere. Of course you aren’t going to nail the flat panel to a tree, so outdoor-specific mounting and installation accessories are a must. Besides non-corrosion metal accessories, some companies build outdoor housings for
Installing a flat panel underneath an overhang versus 20 to 200 yards out into the unprotected world is a huge difference in what natural elements can do to the unprotected flat panel, as well as in the required installation techniques. flat panels. But be aware if you use a nonoutdoor-specific flat panel in one of these boxes, you may void all warranties. This is just another reason to consider outdoorspecific flat panels for these installations as they are designed specifically for outdoor use. In fact, their weather-tight cover protects all input connections from the elements, while internal temperature thermostats automatically self-control heat and air-cooled operation.
Lighting Considerations Day after day, the sun continually moves from the northern to the southern sky, and vice versa, depending on the time of year. A fixed outdoor flat panel that is in direct sunlight in May won’t be in October. Sometimes it’s a clear day, sometimes it’s overcast. All of these variables have to be taken into consideration when positioning an outdoor flat panel. Shade is always better, but sometimes it simply isn’t an option. Again, Mother Nature, as beautiful as she can be, can also be a beast. Selecting a flat panel designed specifically for the outdoors is a key consideration in this situation. Look for a flat panel with specially purposed anti-reflective material screens to hamper sun glare and UV damage. You will also want a unit that utilizes a photocell that brightens the LCD when the sun hits the flat panel from virtually any direction and dims the LCD when it is dark. For example, at Toshinaer, the digital displays combine high brightness with the ability to be put in direct sunlight. Ideally, build a small overhang to protect the unit. Remember to calculate the additional cost into your plan prior to execution. Not taking all variables into consideration can run up the initial estimate quickly.
Utilizing Audio with your Display Audio is an interesting element when it comes to outdoor digital signage. Its
Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
necessity depends on the situation. Audio utilized in a commercial install is unlike residential outdoor entertaining applications, in which customers install speaker systems throughout their backyards to complement video. For a commercial install, audio should be, in most cases, either relegated to the flat panel’s built-in speakers if the music or message does not need to be broadcast over large distances, or tied in with satellite speakers installed throughout the viewing area. Either way, stick with mono. Stereo and surround sound rarely work as intended outside. If the application does warrant audio to be broadcast over a larger area, rock speakers are very popular complements to outdoor flat panels when traditional speakers mounted underneath the roof overhand are not an option. Rock speakers blend in very well to the landscape; even if the flat panel is placed well away from a covered patio, the rock speakers can be placed close by and throughout the facility for equal audio coverage. Stereo or surround sound speakers can be very tempting for the “cool” factor alone. But more times than not, they are a waste of time, effort and money. Stereo and surround sound outdoors are quite ineffective. In order for these two audio signals to work as intended, they depend on a stationary listener who is in the one prime position equidistant from both speakers in a stereo application, or all five to seven speakers in a surround application. Otherwise, the listener would pick up the audio signals out of sequence and at lower or higher volume than intended. Also, the lack of reflective material (i.e., walls, ceiling, tile floors, etc.) that helps “contain” varying audio signals in stereo and surround applications indoors renders these signals basically useless in outdoor applications. Therefore, mono is the way to go in outdoor applications because, generally, the listener is on the move and it enables the audio to be consistent. It may not be as “sexy,” but it works as intended.
Purpose-Designed Flat Panels You want a flat-panel display specifically designed for the outdoors to protect against brightness/glare from the sun, temperature and moisture control, and insect and dust repellent. They’ve been designed specifically with these obstacles and potential issues in mind. Of course, these units are more expensive than an “indoor” flat panel, but in the long run they last longer and withstand the elements in order to enable your business to broadcast your message and, ultimately, grow your bottom line well beyond the initial investment. SSM Ryan Moodley is president of Toshinaer Outdoor Electronics and can be reached at ryan@toshinaer.com.
JULY/AUGUST 2012
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To the
Market, We Go Supermarkets turn to digital signage to create a positive, unique experience to attract, keep customers By Paul Flanigan
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Perhaps the most basic institution of any community is the market. It has been a mainstay through generations of human culture. Over the years, they have reflected the changes in how humans eat and behave. The last 50 years witnessed the growth of supermarkets filling the needs of a culture moving to the suburbs and the dominance of warehouse grocers to fill big carts with low prices. In recent years, however, customers have realized the benefits of eating food from local markets. Coupled with the economic trend of the late 2000s, people have moved back to the city, and the local market has surged in popularity once again. The Food Marketing Institute recognizes 13 different store formats where a consumer can buy food. The growth in competition has driven many companies to invest in new ways to attract customers. In “The Times They Are A-Changin’: 12 Trends for 2012,” author Jon Hauptman notes that, “While these retailers have historically established advantage through low prices, some are now beginning to invest in providing an appealing store experience.” According to a study conducted in June 2011, mass-merchandise retailers, such as Target and Walmart, are preferred by “millennials” (aged 16-34) almost as much as traditional grocery stores such as Kroger and Safeway: 32 percent to 34 percent respectively. Combining the popularity of new store formats with the leading demographic in digital consumption, for the 16- to 34-year-old, a better store experience becomes paramount. And whether they're shopping for oranges, steaks, magazines or clothing, an improved shopping experience that differentiates from the competition means a better bottom line.
The Digital Shopper The evolution of technology has brought forward a new kind of consumer: the digital shopper who uses screens and engagement to make better decisions about spending money. An integrated digital network can foster and encourage that relationship and influence a shopper’s behavior. Done well, the result benefits both the shopper and the store. Customers still shop at the brick-and-mortar locations for one reason: because
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they can’t get fresh produce and quality meat online. So the store is still the focus. The store is the hub of the shopping experience, where companies will spend the money to create a better experience to attract and keep clientele.
Six Feet of Competition There are more than 36,000 supermarkets (with $2 million or more in annual sales) in the United States. Each has an average store size of 46,000 square feet. That’s 6 feet of grocery for every single person in the country. The supermarket industry is a $562 billion industry, yet the average profit margin is less than 2 cents on the dollar. Calling the industry competitive would be an understatement.
Advertising to the Masses Supermarkets succeed by volume sales, not price. So advertising’s goal is reach. But, consumers have moved away from the traditional channels of broadcast television, radio and newspapers; they are now online and in the digital world. So, supermarkets have followed. In-store advertising has matured, and product promotion has evolved into engaging communication. Now, shoppers can enjoy a 60- to 90-second video about a product, sometimes labeled “edutainment” as a source for information as well as promotion. Considering that 50 to 70 percent of purchase decisions are made in the store, a fact that is supported by end-caps as highly visual locations for promotion, it’s evident that content at the point of decision or purchase is more effective.
Supermarkets succeed by volume sales, not price. So advertising’s goal is reach. But, consumers have moved away from the traditional channels of broadcast television, radio and newspapers; they are now online and in the digital world. So, supermarkets have followed. 22
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Technology and Shopping The cutthroat nature of supermarket competition forces every organization to stay one step ahead. Supermarkets are similar to Google and Facebook. Using shopper loyalty cards to track customer purchases helps supermarkets better serve customer needs. For example, if shoppers buy a lot of potatoes, the store will stock potatoes at a competitive price. Mobile technology allows customers to control the buying process. From barcode scanner applications to QR code readers, customers can physically be in one store while shopping in another. QR codes have presented a new medium for supermarkets to offer specials to their shoppers. Placing a QR code at the point of purchase offers tremendous opportunity. A 2011 survey found that 53 percent of respondents use QR codes to get a coupon, discount or deal. The technology provides beneficial performance metrics. Using both mobile applications and interactive digital signage, the store can gather tremendous amounts of data on how shoppers navigate through the space, plus what is or is not selling, and leverage that data to create a better experience. The better store experience will result in higher volume sales, which is the key performance indicator for a positive return on the investment of an integrated digital media network.
A Return on the Investment The goal with any marketing effort is to maximize the return on investment. Empty shelves are a wonderful problem to have. The empty shelf is by design; the right marketing mix of promotion
and digital channels results in high product sales. Signage is designed to drive higher sales, but factors such as time of day, day of week, promoted item, season, campaign, content and location of the sign in the store affect the ability to sell the product. Static signage requires tremendous work to ensure the right sign is up at the right place at the right time, which can change by the hour. In contrast, digital signage allows stores to put all these factors into the content programming schedule so the display is automated, targeted and effective.
Who Is Doing The Shopping? The recession in 2009 drove many men from the workplace to assume household duties, including grocery shopping. One report from GfK MRI and ESPN showed that 31 percent of men were the primary household shoppers in 2011, up from 14 percent in 1985. Another report from research firm DB5 said that 50 percent of shoppers were men. While numbers vary, it’s clear that the role of gender in shopping impacts how a supermarket caters to its clientele. Instead of markets built for the female shopper, both genders are likely to be in the store. This opens up opportunity for supermarkets to build new marketing and shopping experiences to a broader, tech-savvy audience. Proctor and Gamble has created “man aisles,” grouping men’s products into single locations that include TV screens to guide men through the products. When you combine more men doing the shopping with the number of channels available for information, it can be daunting to plan how to market to the shopper in the store. In 2011,
an IBM survey that included more than 30,000 participants revealed that they use technology to start and stop their shopping experience, and nearly half the respondents reported they used two more technologies during the shopping event. Digital signage, as a medium, offers stores this opportunity. Shoppers enter the environment already armed with a wealth of knowledge about products. At this point, the shopper may want more information about a particular product or information on where it is located.
The Point of Decision One of the defining measures of supermarkets is that they are a mission-driven destination. Most people don’t go to supermarkets because they want to; they go because they have to, because that’s where the food is. Because of the nature of supermarkets, a tremendous amount of signage is ineffective; the shopper’s attention is focused on the mission, not the environment. In 2007, POPAI conducted research about marketing at retail. After performing their study in two convenience stores, a grocery store and a pharmacy, they discovered that shoppers are exposed to 1.5 pieces of marketing material every second, while engaging with only one piece every 4.3 seconds. The results showed that an astounding 84 percent of marketing material is ignored or filtered out. Further, it was discovered that temporary wall displays earned the lowest amount of exposure, at 1 percent. At the point of decision in a store, interactive digital media is an appealing opportunity for stores because it works to cut through the clutter and the challenge of choice by offering information available on-demand to the shopper. Other benefits include: • The customer makes a better decision based on facts at the point of decision. • The store understands what shoppers want to know about products in categories as a way to offer a better experience. • Stores see what products move compared to products that don’t have digital signage or don’t have a lot of appeal. This affects what products stores are willing to carry to meet the demands of the shopper.
Check Out the Programming From the time a shopper walks into the store until he leaves with bags in tow, the entire experience has the potential for digital engagement. An area of critical importance is the checkout line. One of the key reasons is wait time. Enter digital signage. In times of high traffic, when checkouts get clogged, digital signage can reduce the perceived waiting time by drawing attention away from the fact that the shopper is
waiting and putting that attention on to a screen. This benefits the store in two ways. First, the store can leverage this opportunity to share information with the customer, potentially having a positive impression on the customer after he has left the store. Secondly, it reduces the perceived wait time, and the shopper maintains a positive opinion of the store, securing in his mind that it’s a great place to shop. This satisfies the goal to get and keep customers in the highly competitive race for the shopper’s dollar.
Grow Locally. Buy Locally. Recently, many stores have moved toward the trend of providing locally grown produce. Shoppers and grocers are making a conscientious effort to cut down on the amount of time and distance it takes for a product to hit the shelves. Digital media’s ability to change as often as the produce gives it a significant advantage over static signage, especially when market and environmental forces change a supermarket’s product offering. The result is advantageous for the grocer, in that costs may be reduced and greater profits are realized.
Best If Used By... Digital media can also play a big role in inventory. When products are diminished or out of stock, a network integrated with the store and chain POS system can respond instantaneously. The digital signage is updated, and the promotion for out-of-stock products is removed. The highly competitive $500-billion supermarket industry thrives on getting the right product in the right hands at the right moment. Supermarket chains around the world, from small regional chains to monster supercenters, are doing everything they can do find and keep loyal shoppers. The small profit margins demand that supermarkets stay as far ahead of the consumer and each other as possible, finding new ways to draw in the shopper. From new and unique foods, to non-food products, stores are evolving. An integrated digital media network complements this model by providing the right content to the right consumer at the right time. Digital media networks play an integral role in three ways:
1. OFFERING PRODUCT INFORMATION. The shopper is smarter and has more channels of information available than ever before. Smart supermarkets respect the time and effort shoppers put into product knowledge by leveraging digital media to complement that knowledge base, from prices to nutrition facts.
Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
Mobile technology allows customers to control the buying process. From barcode scanner applications to QR code readers, customers can physically be in one store while shopping in another. 2. BEING RELEVANT. Food, in particular perishable food, must move. Quickly. Or the store loses money. Instead of static signage that may only change after a few days, digital signage is relevant down to the hour of the day, when particular audiences are looking for particular items.
3. DRIVE UP REVENUE WHILE DRIVING DOWN COSTS. The supermarket industry sees some of the thinnest profit margins of any retail industry. Therefore, supermarkets must find every opportunity to reduce costs and drive revenue. Digital signage can eliminate costs found in traditional signage while steadily generating revenue due to the ability to offer multiple messages from a single and relevant location. By including digital signage in supermarkets, grocers can create a store that caters to a wider audience with high demands. SSM Paul Flanigan is a seasoned veteran of digital media and regular contributor to Signage Solutions. You can find him at www.experiate.net or on Twitter at twitter.com/paulflanigan.
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A OF A
MEDIUM
Orlando-based Monster Media is taking interactive to the masses By Megan Weadock
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It's hard to imagine that just a few years ago, the average consumer wasn't familiar with interactive, touchscreen technology—so much so, that he probably wouldn't have recognized it if he saw it. Now, with the proliferation of iPads, smartphones and other touchscreen gadgets, consumers not only recognize the technology: they gravitate toward it. And, as Monster Media has discovered, that's making interactive advertising a very interesting field indeed.
Considering the company's current status, Monster Media's relatively humble beginnings are a testament to the hard work and incredible vision of its team. Pedro Andres Sanchez, the Senior Vice President of Creative Technology at Monster Media, has witnessed first-hand as the company grew from start-up to industry-leader.
Ahead of the Game Monster Media was founded in Orlando in 2004. The international, full-service media company provides distinctive digital media installations throughout their global network, specializing in digital out-of-home (DOOH) advertising. The company is especially wellknown for its work with interactive technology. Monster Media's campaigns can be found across an impressive array of platforms, including in airports, hotels and malls; at events and sports/entertainment venues; and on mobile tours, college campuses, bus shelters, newsstands, storefronts and mass transit. Their client list reads like a who's who of forward-thinking advertisers: The Academy Awards, Blackberry, Chevrolet, Coca-Cola, Dell, ESPN, Estée Lauder, Ford, General Electric, HBO, IBM, JetBlue, Katy Perry, MTV,
Reebok, Siemens, Target, Universal Studios, VH1, Walt Disney, Xerox and more. If you've ever experienced an interactive installation, there's a chance it was Monster Media's. The company does it all: indoor and outdoor installations, semi-permanent structures and fullycustomizable portable units, and more. They provide 3-D mapping technologies, mobile phone control, gestural, touch and augmented reality installations. Really, if a client wants something, anything, made interactive, Monster can make it happen. In that spirit of support, Monster Media spent six years developing a unique 24/7 back-end monitoring and maintenance program that allows them to proactively respond to technology
Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
and display issues. Also, each touchenabled unit comes equipped with a proprietary analytics program that analyzes the success of each installation and provides a tangible ROI to clients.
Everyone Starts Somewhere Considering the company's current status, Monster Media's relatively humble beginnings are a testament to the hard work and incredible vision of its team. Pedro Andres Sanchez, the senior vice president of Creative Technology at Monster Media, has witnessed first-hand as the company grew from start-up to industry-leader. He joined the firm in 2006, just as its owners were tweaking their focus from non-traditional, out-of-home advertising to interactive. “Back then, we were dealing with a lot of JULY/AUGUST 2012
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projector technology,” he said. “People would walk by, and they could interact with it. We had a network that featured a lot of entertainment venues, arenas, etc. We also started that year with an installation in the [Las Vegas] McCarran Airport with a projection system. We did several projection installations before we started our push with the current screen systems that we have. “When we moved from the projection systems to active walls with interactive technologies, that's when it really took off. We started doing projects at airports, interactive storefronts throughout New York, Chicago, San Francisco. And that really became the focus of the company, and it has been ever since.” Sanchez is no stranger to out-of-the-box thinking. He's been in the digital media world for 11 years, working on projects that included motion graphics, corporate branding, interaction design, e-commerce, Web development and, yes, even print marketing. At Monster Media, Sanchez leads all technology and creative efforts, a role that greatly appeals to his passion for immersive multimedia. “[Interactive] kind of leaves a mark on people,” he said. “They actually engage and take the time. And they care enough about the experience that they're going to post it on their Facebook wall to actually share it with their friends. That's something that other media can't necessarily achieve.”
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Interactive Goes Big When Monster Media formed in 2004, the release of the first iPhone was nearly three years away. The concept of “touchscreen technology” was still relegated to sci-fi movies, modern slot machines and the occasional video game. Interactive digital media was just a twinkle in the industry's eye. Today, Sanchez is happy to report, the technology is everywhere. “They're more ubiquitous, and people are starting to be more familiar with interactive installations,” he said. “That was definitely a challenge early on, when we started doing interactive screens; a lot of people didn't realize they were interactive: they thought they were just a video. So, we had to kind of break that barrier.” Sanchez said the interactive media industry was transformed after gadgets like the iPhone and the iPad went mainstream. “Those are getting people familiar with touch interaction or an interactive screen,” he said. “The other thing is there's more of the screens around. So people now see one of the screens, with some type of interface, and they start to assume it's interactive. You don't have to be so obvious as we had to be, let's say, three years ago, when we really had to drive the point that it was an interactive screen.”
As anyone in marketing knows, the Holy Grail in any campaign is the ability to keep the audience engaged— at least long enough to get your message across. Interactive signage accomplishes that and more, drawing in consumers for significant periods of time and leaving them feeling entertained and satisfied.
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A Win-Win Situation As anyone in marketing knows, the Holy Grail in any campaign is the ability to keep the audience engaged—at least long enough to get your message across. Interactive signage accomplishes that and more, drawing in consumers for significant periods of time and leaving them feeling entertained and satisfied. “In a lot of places where we have these screens, for example our photo booth-type installations, it kind of breaks up a person's day,” Sanchez said. “It's like a little break from the routine, from window shopping; it's something new to do for a couple of minutes, and they get satisfaction from it.” This is especially true in places where people are often waiting for long periods of time, such as airports. When you're stranded or waiting for a flight, any distraction can be a welcomed one. And with an interactive display, it's a win-win situation: The advertiser gets their point across, while the consumer passes a little time and has some fun.
Considering the company's current status, Monster Media's relatively humble beginnings are a testament to the hard work and incredible vision of its team.
“I think interactive digital advertising could provide actual services to people, and they could find them very useful,” Sanchez said. “That way, it's not just a type of web banner, on the street. It's something that you would actually want to approach and spend some time with it.” Not that interactive technology is without its challenges. As the installations grow in popularity, there continue to be obstacles to overcome, Sanchez is quick to point out. First and foremost, you have to consider your audience and environment. “A lot of times, whether it's the client or the creative agency, they like to think of all the systems equally, on the same network,” he explained. “But you would definitely want to treat differently a screen that is located on street level in Times Square and one that is in theater lobbies or one that is in an airport. They have much different environments and audiences—you have to consider the types of people that are walking in front of them. All of that is very unique to each installation. And your technology can shine—or not—depending on the environment. You would not want to use the same type of screen in an outdoor environment as you would use inside of a mall or theater.” For example, Monster Media created a mobile advertising campaign for the Monterey Bay Aquarium that ran throughout the summer. In this case, a portable storefront was ideal: The truck brought a unique underwater experience to thousands of people in the San Francisco area to promote the aquarium's sea life. The truck's network doubled as a Wi-Fi hotspot, enabling consumers log in and create their own scuba diver via a mobile Web application. Using their touchscreen devices, consumers guided their diver to sharks, penguins, jellies, sea turtles and sardines to collect badges. Divers
could even post their deep-sea encounters on Facebook to share with family and friends. Sanchez said the Monterey Bay campaign was a hit, with many users spending significant time at the truck and then sharing their experiences through social media. “I think what's really special about those executions is that participants leave that experience with a take-away on their phone, and they feel comfortable interacting with their device and then joining this social space where other people are playing,” he said. “I think these types of installations are a really interesting way to merge the out-of-home advertising space with the mobile space, which is something that a lot of people are trying to get to eventually.”
On the Horizon As interactive technology continues to grow in popularity, Sanchez believes its use in advertising will only increase. “In the past few years, they've been located in very high-traffic areas like airports and transit, or really big markets: New York, Chicago, San Francisco,” he said. “I think you're going to start seeing them in a lot more places that you would expect. I think retail is one of them: You're going to start seeing stores with their own interactive displays inside.” Sanchez also bets that we'll begin seeing interactive engagement in more theaters; in fact, Monster Media did a pilot program with NCM last year to test the waters. More than anything, he says, fun, engaging campaigns are going to become the gold standard— especially when they're tied in to mobile. This is good news for advertisers and the digital signage industry. After all, this technology has the potential to engage consumers like never before. “I think interactive is more successful [as an advertising medium],” he said. “We get a lot of data, where you wouldn't normally get data when you just have regular static advertising. With that, you may have estimates of impressions, but with a lot of our executions, people are actually engaging [the interactive technology], and we can tell that they spent some time with it.” Interactive campaigns are only as good as their creative content and the success of every campaign depends heavily on this. Monster continues to transition into a contentdriven company, focused on providing the right content for the right networks, to engage intended target audiences and deliver resultsbased analytical data to clients. SSM Megan Weadock is a freelance writer for Signage Solutions.
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Signage Solutions
&Products
Digital signage products and solutions for today’s applications
Interactive Wayfinding Software Off-the-shelf Interactive Wayfinding and Digital Signage software for touchscreen kiosks and mobile phones incorporate simple to deploy, multi-building/multi-floor, turn-by-turn directions, route animation, street map integration, directory lookup, ad-scheduling, on-map hotspot integration with multimedia, event calendar & many plug-ins with easy smartphone wayfinding support. The standard package includes CMS for Local or Cloud and supports most third-party digital signage systems. OEM available for industry partners. 22 Miles www.signagemag.com/6513
Visix revamps flagship digital signage software application Visix’s browser-based digital signage content management application, AxisTV version 8.0, is a redesign of the user interface for a significantly improved user experience. With an intuitive icon-based navigation, workflows are improved for more efficient content management processes and importing image, video, and PowerPoint files is easily achieved through a single import tool. Visix www.signagemag.com/6485
Network DVI Extender The ADDERLink INFINITY dual from the Digital KVM Matrix range delivers lossless dual link DVI (2560x1600 pixels) or dual head DVI (up to two 1920x1200 resolution displays) together with USB 2.0, Digital Audio and RS232 carried across a standard IP network infrastructure. Ideal for digital signage, digital KVM matrix solutions, command and control rooms, global KVM over IP solutions and professional extension solutions. Adder www.signagemag.com/6482
55" Ultra Slim Bezel 1080p LCD Multi-touch Video Wall The Zoom Digital Signage 55" Ultra Slim Bezel (5.7mm) with full 1080p HD, 700nit and a 3,000:1 contrast, produces virtually seamless video walls. Customized turnkey Indoor and Outdoor solutions can accommodate a variety of applications from way finding, coupon/ticketing printing, movie previews, and informational promotions Zoom Digital Signage www.signagemag.com/6521
iPad Alternative for Commercial Touch Displays The NIMble 7 HMI open frame touch computer is an easy-tointegrate module with an intuitive touch screen interface that supports several I/O devices. The open frame form-factor allows simple mounting into almost any enclosure, making it easy to successfully deploy in a secure manner. Includes standard open source Linux and Android development environments. Touch Revolution www.signagemag.com/6490
Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
Wireless HDMI Digital Signage System Product Description: The Intelix SKYPLAY-HD transmits high-definition HDMI audio-video wirelessly up to 100 feet, both point-to-point and in digital signage configurations up to 20 destinations. WHDI technology allows signals to pass through barriers and walls, and AES 128bit encryption ensures the integrity of all signals. Plus, less than 3 ms of latency ensures real-time processing and synchronized signals. Intelix www.signagemag.com/6500 JULY/AUGUST 2012
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Signage Solutions Products
Carts and Stands Chief’s FUSION® Series carts and stands have been redesigned to incorporate rounded edges and features to give the cart a softer, professional feel that fits well in various environments. A turn knob allows a single user to raise and lower the screen to any height between 50 and 70 inches either by hand or by drill. Flexible cable covers allow lay in access anywhere along the column. Accessories include redesigned shelves and equipment storage.Chief Manufacturing www.signagemag.com/6536
Flight Information Display System Using a familiar web browser-based user interface, airport and airline staff can easily add, delete or modify any aspect of any flight, from anywhere in your facility. The WinFIDS® Suite also includes support programs like FIDS Builder, our screen design program that allows you to design your airport's FIDS screens any way you like. Just point, click, and change to create a screen display that best meets the needs of your facility. Additionally, WinFIDS® 7 includes other useful applications such as ADA visual paging, free-form text, and support for up to 15 languages. Infax www.signagemag.com/6492
LED Wrap Display The new NanoFlex Wrap brings columns to life, using a display solution to literally wrap around a circular column up to 29 inches diameter. The NanoFlex Wrap provides more opportunities for branding and advertising by wrapping static columns in convention centers, stadiums, shopping centers, and more with seamless, brilliant imagery. NanoLumens www.signagemag.com/6484
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Digital Signage Media Player The MW-2060, the latest addition to Mediawave PC’s media player product line, is powered by Intel’s second generation i3/i5/i7 processors and QM67 chipset. The MW-2060 supports DDR3 RAM and choice of 2.5” SATA HDD or SSD. Video is outputted via HDMI, DP, or DVI-I Ports. Other standard features include CF Slot, 4x USB 2.0 , USB 3.0, Dual LAN, Serial Port , SIM Slot and HD Audio. All of this in a 7.8-inch W x 1.4-inch H x 6inch D chassis. The unit comes standard with a VESA mounting kit for easy installation behind large screens and on flat surfaces. Mediawave www.signagemag.com/6499
HDMI over LAN Extender Solution with Broadcast The HDE-K by QVS allows users to c onnect hundreds of displays from a single source using single CAT5e/RJ45 cable. Starts point-to-point, extends HDMI up to 100 meters and expands as needed. The HDE-K has daisy chain capability and extends HDMI reach up to 400-meters. It uses standard Ethernet switch and expansion receiver module (HDE-R) to expand and connect more displays. Embedded IR control or included optional IR receiver enables the user to control the source remotely. Supports 1080p. HDCP compliant. QVS www.signagemag.com/6497
Large-format, Zero-bezel LCD Displays for Digital Signage The Planar® UltraLux™ Series is the industry’s first family of 60”, 70” and 80” LCD displays that feature a unique industrial design and forward-thinking engineering which brings current consumer electronics styling to the commercial digital signage market. With a range of display sizes, Planar UltraLux Series is available in wall-mount or free-standing models, providing customers a wide range of display options for their digital signage applications. Planar www.signagemag.com/6533
Super Slim HD1.3 Media Player Exclusive from Seneca, the HD1.3 small form factor media player was designed to stand only 1.3" tall and supports dual independent displays. This chassis is equipped with a custom heat sink thermally optimized for the Intel® Core™ i5 processor, Intel® Core™ i3 processor, and Intel® Pentium® Processor. The HD1.3 is ideal for solutions that require an ultra small form factor with high performance capabilities such as quick serve restaurants or ad networks. Seneca Data www.signagemag.com/6493
LED LCD Video Wall Display Panasonic’s LFV50 video wall display features an ultra-narrow bezel for a near seamless video wall installation. The 55” display delivers stunning picture quality with 800 cd/m2 brightness, even in well-lit areas, making it ideal for a multitude of digital signage, public information and command & control applications. Content can be displayed on the individual screens or shown across multiple displays. When mounted bezel-to-bezel, the displays’ screen-to-screen distance measures only 5.3 mm. Panasonic www.signagemag.com/6534 Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
it’s guaranteed to overheat your display. we guarantee it won’t.
Your LCD not only needs to look cool, it needs to stay cool. With over 27 years of experience, ITSENCLOSURES has the proven track record to guarantee LCDs will withstand any environment. Our line of ViewStation LCD enclosures protect against rain, snow, extreme heat, frigid temperatures, theft and even the teenage vandal. From stadium to transportation terminal to drive-thru, ViewStation offers customized solutions for any display—large or small, inside or out. And each unit is installed by trained experts, made in the USA and comes with unparalleled customer support. To learn how we can help you, call 1.800.423.9911 or visit ViewStation.com.
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Signage Solutions Products LCD Tiles Primeview's ultra-narrow 21.6” Slim Tile with built-in processing and daisy-chaining capabilities provide for a wide range of applications including retail, gaming, signage, and broadcasting. Like a building-block, the Slim Tiles configure to any shape and size to create a digital canvas for all commercial and public spaces. With a narrow bezel 5.9mm gap pixel to pixel, a virtually seamless image is produced. Primeview www.signagemag.com/6504
Fanless Dual Core Slim Computer The ultra thin 24.3cm x 12.4cm x 3.0cm VIA ARTiGO A1200 is powered by a 1.0GHz VIA Eden X2 dual core processor for a fanless power efficient system with support for up to 4GB of DDR3 RAM. Combined with the highly integrated all-in-one VIA VX900 media system processor (MSP), the VIA ARTiGO A1200 provides playback of the most demanding HD video formats, including MPEG-2, DivX, WMV9, VC1 and H.264 for a viewing experience at screen resolutions up to 1080p. Via Embedded www.signagemag.com/6502 112" Portrait Display The NanoSlim™ 112” Portrait display is designed to provide a sleek digital signage solution. Less than 3-inches thick and ultra-lightweight, the NanoSlim™ 112” Portrait can be hung simply and easily with standard integrated mounting brackets. Ideal for retail centers, brand showcases and advertising networks, the display is available in 4-8mm pixel pitch. Nanolumens www.signagemag.com/6508
Touch-enabled Commercial Displays Available in 42”, 46” and 65” sizes, the CDP4235T, CDP4635T and CDP6530T all feature Intel’s Open Pluggable Specification slot for easy media player integration and traditional HDMI/DVI/VGA/ YPbPr/S video CVBS inputs. They offer full HD 1920x1080p panel resolution, 20,000:1 dynamic contrast ratio (4,000:1 static contrast on CDP4235T and CDP4635T) and 8ms response time. Paired with additional control features and video wall support, these displays are ideal for way-finding, retail, transportation and other public display areas. ViewSonic www.signagemag.com/6535
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Four-Screen Signage Solution SureVueD4 is a compact Player PC that can drive fullfeatured digital signage content to four simultaneous video outputs each running at 1080p. The four video outputs can operate as independent channels or they can be combined to create a single desktop and single channel up to 7,680 pixels wide without the use of any external video signal splitters or scalers. MediaVue Systems www.signagemag.com/6505
Signage Solutions Digital Signage Player w/ Wi-Fi and Enhanced HTML5 Performance Gefen’s two new Digital Signage Players with Wi-Fi employ html5 coding to simplify and improve the user experience. Upload playlists and create schedules for convenient content management. Both models come with ten built-in templates for various vertical markets with "drag and drop" action to create content. The players include 4GB internal storage, USB for keyboard, touchscreen or contact closure interactivity, high resolution 1080p full HD support with HDMI and analog video connections using H.264 hardware encoding and decoding technology. Gefen www.signagemag.com/6498 Lamp-Free Projector Casio’s Pro XJ-H2650 projector provides Lamp-Free, eco-friendly data projection with LASER & LED HYBRID Light Source technology. It incorporates a wide range of connection options including computer, video and HDMI, as well as high brightness up to 3500 lumens. The XJH2650 is DLP™ 3D Ready and can display 3D content from a 3D capable computer and Interactive Whiteboard ready which enables users to transform any surface into an interactive workspace. Casio www.signagemag.com/6495
Products
Mobile Retail Framework Mobile by Stella Nova provides retailers with a fast, secure and flexible Point of Sale solution to omni-channel, multi-geography transacting. Seamless operability between register, mobile, kiosk and dot com, Mobile gives the flexibility of embedded or cloud hosting all within a WCF 4.0 framework . Mobile Retail Framework (MRF) offers straightforward integration with other Stella Nova and third-party applications as well. Stella Nova www.signagemag.com/6501
46” Interactive Outdoor Digital Display TouchSystems now offers an interactive outdoor digital display. The display, an NEC model, has been integrated with Dispersive Signal Technology (DST) and can be integrated with PulseIR, an infrared touch technology. The display measures 46” and can be mounted in either a portrait or landscape orientation. The display features high contrast and high brightness ratios and utilizes quarter-lambda film, which allows the display to be seen even when a person is wearing polarized sunglasses. TouchSystems www.signagemag.com/6494
Multi-platform Media Player X2O Media's OpenSplash™ Player now fully integrates with the X2O Portal cloud-based content management platform. OpenSplash is a free, multiplatform, open-source media player designed to be driven by any network-based content management system. With the X2O Portal, OpenSplash users now have access to a comprehensive user management system that allows digital signage network administrators to manage content from a browserbased interface, define user roles and permissions, and limit access to specific portal features, player locations, and content. X20 Media www.signagemag.com/6523
Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
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Signage Solutions Products 46-Inch Digital Signage Display Mitsubishi's 46-inch LCD flat panel display is designed for digital signage, corporate conference rooms and other robust applications. Built to international energy efficiency standards, the Energy Star®qualified monitor consumes only 126 watts of power through optimized power circuits, which contributes to cost and energy savings over extended periods of use. As a Crestron-Connected display; it can be easily connected to any enterprise network using standard Ethernet cable and Crestron software. Mitsubishi www.signagemag.com/6503 Media Player The WEGENER iPump 526 IP Media Player includes a 2nd audio channel for associated live or file-based music. Supports serial data delivery and relays to control external devices such as television monitors and power amps. Control iPump 526 media players with CompelConnect.com™ SaaS network management tools. Standard management tools include content ingest, digital signage & playlist creation, targeted content distribution, scheduling, media player commands and support for live video, web and file-based content. Wegener www.signagemag.com/6506
Compact Digital Signage Player “Signature Book™” SI-38 is an ultra-compact, professional grade digital signage player powered by the new AMD Embedded R-Series™ APU. Measuring 1” x 10.6” x 7”, the SI-38 disappears into tight spaces behind a wall mounted display and delivers graphics with its 384-Core AMD Radeon™ HD 7660 graphics engine. The unit supports up to 3 displays with dual Hybrid DVI outputs. It also features Gigabit Ethernet, dual USB 3.0 ports, analog audio, RS-232 serial interface and optional WiFi / TV Tuner connections. The SI-38 may be configured with up to 16GB of DDR3-1600 memory, along with an externally removable 2.5” HDD or SSD. iBase Technology www.signagemag.com/6511
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HDMI Extension over Cat-x The UH1-BT from Hall Research extends HDMI 1.4 or single link DVI video signal to 230 ft (70M) using a single inexpensive Cat5E or Cat6 cable. Video and embedded audio signals are transmitted without any compression to the remote for 100% identical reproduction. The device features Full-HD (1080p), deep-color, 3D, passthru EDID and HDCP support. Hall Research www.signagemag.com/6512
Glasses-Free 3D Glasses-free 3D digital signage displays are a recent addition to the JANUS Displays product line. Glasses-free 3D video content creation services, 2D to 3D content conversion services, and glassesfree 3D displays are now available. The displays offer 28 views to ensure smooth picture quality, while the 150 degree viewing angle gives viewers the freedom to see the 3D content from any viewpoint. Morrow Technologies www.signagemag.com/6519
Full-HD Digital Signage Player with Wi-Fi The SIIG Full-HD Wi-Fi Digital Signage Media Player supports Full-HD 1080p media playback and includes built-in software pre-loaded with 20 customizable layouts/ templates. These allow users to easily upload, play, manage and integrate different types of media content including live weather, calendar and RSS feeds from search engines and social media sites via HTML5 widgets. It comes with 4GB onboard flash local memory (upgradable to 32GB) and features versatile open-standard SMIL programmability, integrated digital audio and video output via HDMI and analog VGA and A/V output. SIIG, Inc. www.signagemag.com/6510
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Signage Solutions Products Digital Signage w/ Kiosk Convenience The Versatile Seneca™ is a blend of interactive digital signage and kiosk convenience. A floor-standing steel enclosure with a black powder coat finish, the Seneca™ includes: a 22-inch LCD touch screen, a Versatile Smart Sign™ Player, integrated speakers, thermal printer and is Ethernet or wifi compatible. Easily manage and create your own content with Versatile SmartSign Studio, a cloud-based operating system. The Seneca is a great addition to any organization that wants to engage customers, promote services and build revenue. Versatile www.signagemag.com/6522 Hospitality In-Room Tv Technology The LV555H Pro:Centric™ enabled HDTV allows hoteliers to streamline information delivery into the guestroom, providing uniform services and features across radio frequency (RF) and Internet protocol (IP) networks. With the right applications in place, guests can access a variety of services from the comfort of their room. The LV555H also features a dual tuner, which allows dynamic updating of application data, such as an Electronic Program Guide, while still providing access to live TV. It also supports embedded b-LAN for Pay-Per-View and Video-On-Demand services. LG www.signagemag.com/6517
Digital Signage Player and Server in One The SP400 Player/Server Appliance from DT Research performs as both a digital signage player and server, featuring powerful Intel® Core™ i processing. By incorporating pre-installed player software and WebDT Content Manager server software in one package, the SP400 is ready to perform out-of-thebox with no separate server needed. With multiple video outputs, the SP400 is capable of driving dynamic content on up to four screens and can also be used as a server for up to ten signage appliance players, ready to create a network for targeted communications. DT Research www.signagemag.com/6520
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1-9 Display Ceiling Mounts Chief ceiling mounts can scale from single to three-by-three configurations. Continuous tilt ranges, four set locking points and QuickConnect™ allow for ease of installation and service. Includes optimization for display sizes of 40 to 55 inches and independent height, plumb and lateral shift adjustment knobs. New models are available this fall. Chief Manufacturing www.signagemag.com/6527
Small Form Factor with 4 Expansion Slots The IBASE eFlex, a compact yet expandable fanless platform for embedded computing bridges the gap between full sized computing solutions and micronized systems with a compact design packing four (4) expansion slots. eFlex is comprised of standardized mainboards, interchangeable enclosures and non-proprietary expansion options (mPCIe, mSATA and Expresscard). Two eFlex solutions will be offered by iBASE for 2012 – the FB800 featuring an Intel® Atom™ D2550 processor and the FB900 packing an Intel® Core™ i7-3517UE CPU. iBase Technology www.signagemag.com/6526
Signage Solutions
Digital Signage Content Management System Four Winds Interactive Content Manager has a drag and drop interface, built-in layout editor and multiple deployment methods, Content Manager is an intuitive system that allows users to leverage the content they currently have to quickly get digital signs up and running. Advanced data integration capabilities make it easy to connect to data and display it in any preferred method. Four Winds Interactive www.signagemag.com/6507
Products
OPS Single Board Computer The NEC OPS-PCIA-WH device is an integrated and removable PC that is compliant with the Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) standard for digital signage. It offers a 1.8 GHz Dual Core Intel Atom processor, 250GB Hard Drive Disk and Windows 7 Standard Embedded operating system for full 1080p playback. The stainless steel chassis and integrated cooling fans protect it during installation, operation and service. With full networking capabilities, DisplayPort and four USB ports, the OPS-PCIA-WH adds full PC functionality to select NEC large-screen displays. NEC Display www.signagemag.com/6514
Full HD Digital Signage Player The NDiS 165 is a solution for multi-screen display deployment. Powered by the latest AMD Embedded R-series APU integrated with Radeon™ HD 7000 Graphics engine, NDiS 165 supports DirectX® 11 and provides accelerated, yet power-efficient graphics processing performance and video encoding features. Together with AMD Eyefinity technology, NDiS 165 is capable of stretching high definition content across three HDMI displays. Nexcom www.signagemag.com/6516
Customizable Twitter Feed Aerva's new Twitter application, AerTweet, offers brands and display network operators a highly customizable streaming Twitter feed to easily integrate with any type of digital display. The technology behind AerTweet is designed to support high profile campaigns. Aerva has implemented the ability to moderate tweets, detect fraud, rank retweets, report metrics and display tweets through a number of custom parameters, allowing for many animation and style options. Avera www.signagemag.com/6518
All-Weather LCD Digital Signage Display SunBriteTV Model DS-4707EST-L Marquee Series 47” Digital Signage Display combines allweather design with Enhanced Solar Tolerance technologies that allows the unit to be placed in direct sunlight applications without experiencing isotropic blackout effects. The unit features a bright 700 NIT LCD panel, a protective front panel and powder-coated aluminum casing. SunBrite TV www.signagemag.com/6509
IP Audio Encoder The Barix Instreamer delivers improvements at a lower cost and offers constant bit-rate monitoring, which improves MP3 streaming quality and buffering times on server-based media players. With improved signal-to-noise ratio, its suitable for real-time IP encoding for low-latency video walls and digital signage systems. Network alarms delivered via SNMP traps generate notifications to ensure audio quality issues are addressed quickly. Barix www.signagemag.com/6515 Digital Signage Technology for Today’s Applications
July/August 2012
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By The Way
Mobile Marketing vs. Digital Signage
Industry experts weigh in about the impact of mobile marketing on digital signage By Judy Hoffman We hear a lot about mobile marketing and the impact it may have on digital signage. As digital signage providers, we can’t help but wonder what this will mean for digital signage advertising networks or the DOOH industry. Will mobile marketing complement or compete with digital signage? Since I was curious about what others thought, I posted a question on LinkedIn to members of various digital signage groups. The questions posed were: Will mobile marketing overshadow digital signage? Should we expect [the mobile] marketing venue to outpace digital signage, or will the two merge? The questions were directed to digital signage groups, in LinkedIn, such as The Digital Signage Expo, Digital Signage Experts, and Screen Media Expo, Digital Signage Advertising, and Digital Signage Industry Connection. In general, the respondents were from a variety of industries, including marketing and advertising and communications from around the globe. Overall, respondents expressed how mobile marketing and digital signage are very different and appeal to different audiences. But it was the overall opinion that was intriguing. Let’s take a look at what the industry experts had to say.
“Depends On How the Technologies are Used” Many times digital signage creates visions of an advertising network. Mobile
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marketing, on the other hand, brings to mind pesky digital ads. But both are used for one basic reason: to convey a message. The owner of Tigris in Brazil, Thom Shen, defined the likenesses and the differences by saying, "Both are technologies to communicate with people out of home. Digital signage is place-based, and cellphones follow you wherever you go.” According to Shen, it’s all in how we use them. “Still, the success of them will depend on how the technologies are used to impact people out of home and to understand how they manage their time,” he said. “There will be
many opportunities for the two technologies to work together to achieve better results."
“It All Depends On Your Perspective” Chris Heap from Imperative Group, a DOOH development and communications agency based in London, said, "Depends on your perspective. Both digital signage and mobile developers see a convergence between the two as it is to an extent an inevitability." Heap mentions, though, that the technologies are not symbiotic just yet, but, “…research proves the sum of the two
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media, dollar for dollar, makes it worthwhile converging for retailers and advertisers."
“They're Independent But Complementary” James Henry, CEO of Digital View Group Screen Holdings in Hong Kong, sees an either/or situation developing. He says, "…the two work well independently and also as complementary media. So some brands will develop a preference for one over the other. Other brands may choose to work them as complementary.” Henry then shares his personal opinion by saying,“I see them remaining as part of the mix rather than one overshadowing the other." Steven Morahan a DOOH recruiter and digital media, Internet and technology business developer from the Netherlands, accentuates the differences when he states that both are "two different ‘animals', really. They can benefit from each other." But he makes it clear that he sees DOOH coming out ahead and benefiting the most from mobile marketing. Just as with any new technology, it takes time for digital innovations to settle in and find their place. Justin Stark, national sales director at atmAd in London, agrees. He thinks that the rapid growth of smartphone use means "the next few years will see an exciting sea [of] change in this channel." But, Stark points out, "digital signage formats deliver highly valuable brand benefits mobile just can't touch." So Stark sees mobile as the platform where people will go for information or to “conduct business,” such as "seek opinions, buy, sell and interact." Whereas digital signage will "continue to play an important role in driving people to interact with brands, be it online or mobile," he said.
"Depends on your perspective. Both digital signage and mobile developers see a convergence between the two as it is to an extent an inevitability." — Chris Heap 40
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Mobile Growth is Likely To Outpace Digital Signage Mobile marketing could outpace digital signage and then what? "As always, the really clever bit will be around integration—there is [a] big opportunity to deliver greater results through innovative planning," Heap said. Graham Thomas from The Radical Company confidently states, "Yes, mobile marketing will overshadow digital signage, not wholly replacing it, but it will mean that digital signage will be at the bottom of the foodchain and a low-cost medium for advertisers.” Interestingly, Thomas argues, "Digital signage will have its presence in places, such as venues and transport, providing background noise. There might be some interactivity through QR, etc., but not many consumers will want to go through an intermediary channel when they can connect directly to brands through their mobile and in a highly relevant and personalized way." Now he’s got a point. And when that happens, the digital signage industry may find itself redefining how digital signage can be best deployed. Alan Brawn, of Brawn Consulting in San Diego, is in agreement. “By the shear number of mobile smart platforms out there, mobile will ultimately dwarf location-based digital signage,” he said. “The two mediums will live in harmony to some extent and the mobile platforms will ‘feed' off of location-based networks." "The big question is how they feed off each other and how will relative value be assigned," said Chuck Billings, senior vice president of GasStationTV. "[The] digital signage capital intensive business model can hardly stand the flight of value to its mobile partner,” he said. However, I can't help but conclude that is exactly what will happen." How true. Yet the concept is somewhat scary since digital signage advertising networks are, overall, still struggling to survive. This could be the tipping point for many DOOH networks.
Can’t We All Just Get Along? Pascal Cubb, founder of Cubb, sees the need to create an amalgam of all the technologies (digital, interactive and
mobile) "to create a link between them." He reminds us, though, that if this phenomenon of convergence happens there is still the holy grail of all media: the need to find the right media for the right target at the right time. Also sure of this convergence is Darius Bruner, from Logic Wireless. "All of my executive summaries, patents, business plans, financials and meetings are based around the future of this convergence,” he said. “I would say yes, that this will change the way we communicate around the world during the next years and beyond." So, will mobile marketing overshadow digital signage and find itself at the bottom of the food chain? "Apple and Google both believe so," said Bobby Weiter, owner of High Tech Solutions LLC. So, as digital signage providers, are we ready for the impact of mobile marketing? Are we taking steps to integrate both platforms and seeing the value of both in a concise advertising campaign? Keeping up with the changes we face may mean survival of the fittest. SSM Judy Hoffman manages communications and is a press representative for Noventri and can be reached at judyh@noventri.com.
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