Signage Insights
Signage proliferating at all levels
Sep 28, 2005 11:41 AM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
The proliferation of deals both large and small indicates a long-awaited tipping point in the digital signage industry, said Brad Gleeson, president and COO of ActiveLight. In the first of a two-part interview with Digital Signage Update, Gleeson offers an industry veteran’s vantage point on recent developments — as well as the challenge measuring digital signage’s impact in the increasingly diverse industry segments that use it.
Digital Signage Update: Digital signage deals are making big news lately. Is the industry really taking off?
Brad Gleeson: It’s a pretty exciting time. The 3M purchase of Mercury Online Solutions, the Kroger deal, Focus Media’s IPO — there’s global activity taking place with large multinational companies waking up either as participants or investors in digital signage. We’re all hoping it’s the great bow wave that will lubricate a lot of the deals that are on the table. I’m encouraged that the stuff happening now will create more opportunity for everyone and a great deal of attraction to the industry. I am hearing about companies being created, and companies spinning off new names I can’t even keep track of. The industry in general is proliferating, and that’s a good sign because it’s attracting so many startups and seasoned veterans who want to get involved. We’ve been waiting for this for years.
DSU: What’s different about current trends as compared to previous growth spurts?
BG: Signage is proliferating on both large and small levels — but also proliferating horizontally within industry segments. Real estate seems active, financial markets have always been active. We’re going to the Government Video Expo with a digital signage pavilion. I recently got a call from the folks at management consulting firm Bain & Co., who were interested in learning about signage in corporate communications. We don’t get a lot of play and publicity for the corporate digital signage marketplace, so that’s really interesting — the bubble-up of activity that’s happening in some of the less-well-known vertical markets. Health clubs, bars and night clubs are now back on the front burner. I see all these as signs that we’re approaching the tipping point — when signage will be seen not as unique, but as a standard part of business.
DSU: Can signage seriously compete with other advertising media?
BG: Arbitron is proposing a standard to measure out-of-home TV. If digital signage is incorporated, and Arbitron is creating a people-meter, then media planners and buyers can incorporate signage into their planning. It becomes real when it’s a line item on the spreadsheet for media planners. It isn’t there yet but we’re coming close.
DSU: Is measurement the critical challenge?
BG: There are so many conflicting viewpoints. How do you measure digital signage when its goal is to increase sales lift? OK, that’s fairly easy — but what about in the pharmacy, where you’re reducing perceived wait time? There are several business models for digital signage where it’s not easy to calculate ROI. But in every case, it’s not suddenly creating a brand new media, but it’s complementing something that’s already out there or replacing it — such as point-of-purchase displays. There’s an ultimate challenge in figuring out not only measurement, but also, what is the ultimate goal of that digital signage application?
DSU: It does seem like a lot of businesses are forging ahead with signage, despite challenges. Is this a good thing?
BG: We struggle to get customers to say, not “I want digital signage,” but “this is the result I want to achieve with digital signage.” There is a gimmicky part of the business where people are asking for plasmas because others have plasmas and they’re not thinking about what their objectives are. Right now we have this amorphous cloud of applications and opportunities and business models that revolve around this category of digital signage. Eventually they will congeal into multiple segments. Each will have its own way of measuring success. What Arbitron is doing at retail will not be the same as what the TSA is trying to do at airports.
Display Tech Notes
Rivals unable to agree on unified DVD format standard for HD
Sep 28, 2005 11:55 AM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
The two sides in the competition for an HD-DVD standard have given up hope they can forge an agreement for a single unified format. Now, both sides are proceeding with plans for competing product launches in 2006.
Frank Simonis, a spokesman for the Blu-ray standard, told Reuters last week Blu-ray is preparing for a 2006 product launch. Now, the same launch window appears likely for the rival HD-DVD format.
HD-DVD’s chief backer, Toshiba said that it may delay the planned year-end 2005 launch of its next-generation HD-DVD players, potentially undermining its presumed advantage as the first supplier to put such machines on the market. Toshiba added, however, that any change in its launch schedule would be intended to maximize potential demand for the new products. The manufacturer said it remains committed to the HD-DVD format as the next-generation DVD technology.
Just yesterday, Microsoft and Intel announced they will support the HD-DVD format. Having the two leading manufacturers of computer technology pledging to support the HD-DVD format is a key boost to the Toshiba-backed technology. While Microsoft voiced support for the HD-DVD standard, the company said it would not preclude its systems from playing Blu-ray DVDs with third-party software.
Toshiba and Sony, leading rival camps, have waged a three-year battle to have their incompatible standards adopted for the new DVDs, which promise much greater capacity for HD movies. Toshiba, along with NEC and Sanyo Electric, have been promoting HD-DVD, while Sony and Matsushita Electric Industrial, the maker of Panasonic brand products, have been developing Blu-ray.
Failure to reach agreement on a common unified HD format for DVD is a major set-back for the Hollywood studios and home video industry, which want to avoid consumer resistance to incompatible formats and equipment. Business users may balk as well, opting with consumers to stick with current standard definition DVD technology for many years into the future.
Narrowcasting News & Events
Mainstream Data forms MDI Technologies
Sep 28, 2005 12:02 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
 Mainstream Data's new services unit will manage IT resources such as this satellite teleport. Photo courtesy World Teleport Association. |
Mainstream Data has created a new services group, MDI Technologies.
The new group will provide its digital media and enterprise communication customers with a means to outsource the IT components of their digital media distribution networks.
The group will provide services such as project management, phone and field support, installation and maintenance of satellite equipment, PCs, multimedia servers and video displays.
For more information, visit www.mainstreamdata.com.
New scoreboard and video display to light up Indiana Hoosiers basketball
Sep 28, 2005 12:11 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
 A Daktronics scoreboard |
Indiana University is giving Branch McCracken Court at Assembly Hall a facelift with a new integrated scoring and video display system that will be designed, built and installed in time for the Hoosiers’ first home basketball game this fall.
IU Sports Properties, a division of Learfield Communications, negotiated the agreement to provide funding for the new $2 million Daktronics system.
The center-hung display will measure about 28ft x 20ft wide. Each of the four sides will incorporate high-resolution ProStar VideoPlus technology. Five additional full-color LED displays will be incorporated into the center-hung structure to present additional video, graphics, scoring, statistics and sponsor related messages.
ProStar VideoPlus technology relies on RGB LED technology to present live and recorded video images, animation and graphics with wide-angle visibility. Assembly Hall will use the Daktronics ProTable technology courtside. Five sections of digital scorers tables, each measuring nearly 10ft wide, can be controlled individually or positioned together as one large continuous courtside display.
The deal also includes four auxiliary portal scoreboards, three-sided shot clocks and digital game clocks — all using programmable LED technology.
For more information, visit www.daktronics.com.
Calendar
DSU Calendar
Feb 10, 2006 8:00 AM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
National Religious Broadcasters Convention & Expo
Feb. 17-22, Dallas-Ft. Worth
http://content.nrb.org/convention-files/NRB2005/home.htm
Digital Signage for Venues & Public Spaces
Feb. 28 - March 1, Washington, DC
www.strategyinstitute.com
NSCA Systems Integration Expo
March 16-18, Las Vegas
www.nsca.org
DisplaySearch US FPD Conference
March 21-23, San Diego, CA
www.displaysearch.com
GlobalShop 2006
March 26-28, Orlando
www.globalshop.org
Second Annual World Digital Signage Summit
April 4-5, New York City
www.strategyinstitute.com/040406_digisign_ny/dsp_digisign_world.php
KioskCom 2006
April 10-12, Las Vegas
www.kioskcom.com
NAB
April 22-27, Las Vegas
www.nabshow.com
AD:Tech San Francisco
April 26-28, 2006, San Francisco
www.ad-tech.com/sf.asp
Digital Signage Products
Digital View releases new version of network video player technology
Sep 28, 2005 12:52 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Digital View has upgraded the firmware used in its solid-state video players.
Version 2.5 of the firmware supports split screen functionality, enabling programs mixing video, JPG and news-style subtitles on the same screen, while an RSS capability allows news subtitles to be added either on top of a split-screen layout or on top of full-screen video.
Other features include reporting of temperature and available memory, a facility to update non-connected players via USB memory keys, support for GPRS and edge cards, and enhanced video quality for players connected via the video interface (composite, S-video).
For more information, visit www.digitalview.com.
Advantech offers stand-alone and networked media players
Sep 28, 2005 1:01 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Advantech’s DSA-2000 digital signage player is a stand-alone digital media playback device that plays video/audio, graphics and text from a USB flash drive to drive HD display devices. The DSA-2100 digital signage player is a network-ready digital media playback device with a 40GB onboard hard drive.
Both players support MPEG-2 and MPEG-4 as well as JPEG and BMP file types. Both come with a utility program for stand-alone support or integration into a larger system.
Advantech's fanless, RISC-based digital signage players offer reduced power consumption and a compact design for attaching to the monitor back. Based on the Linux operating system, the units are equipped with auto-start after power-on and a watchdog function that restarts the system automatically.
For more information, visit http://advantech.com/ePlatform/DSig.
Pacific Digital provides remote management of signage scheduling
Sep 28, 2005 1:07 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Pacific Digital’s signage scheduling system is a Web-based remote management system designed to work with Digi-Sign DS-104 digital displays units and DS-SC control units.
The scheduling system can create and schedule campaigns, generate reports, and manage Digi-Signs from any Web-connected computer. Changes can be applied to individual units or groups, or the entire network at once.
For more information, visit www.pacificdigital.com.
Dotronix offers 60in HDTV plasma display
Sep 28, 2005 1:10 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
The Dotronix Dot-X 60in HDTV plasma display provides 1280x720p resolution, a 550:1 contrast ratio and aspect ratio correction. Other features include intelligent image scaling and RS-232 controls.
The display accepts NTSC, HD, VGA, SVGA, XGA and SXGA inputs.
For more information, visit www.dotronix.com.
Adaptive’s LED outdoor displays replace incandescent reader board technology
Sep 28, 2005 1:22 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Adaptive’s AlphaEclipse RoadStar series of LED messaging centers is designed to replace older highway incandescent and flip-disk reader board technology in interstate highway applications and other long-range viewing environments. The company offers a choice of four large-character models, ranging in size from 17.5- to 56in.
Models with characters as large 112in are in the works as well to provide visibility at greater distances.
All RoadStar Series models feature wired or wireless control and are fully compatible with Adaptive’s indoor LED messaging solutions.
For more information, visit www.adaptivedisplays.com.
CTX introduces bundled digital signage systems
Sep 28, 2005 1:11 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
CTX Technology has launched three new bundled digital signage systems.
MediaView is a stand-alone system integrating a digital media player and an LCD display monitor. The player features a compact, dual-slot design compatible with compact flash.
SmartView is an embedded digital media network system integrated with an LCD display monitor. IntelliView is an embedded digital media network system with built-in touch screen capability integrated with the LCD display monitor.
Each system is available both in open frame and chassis versions.
For more information, visit www.ctxtec.com.
Resources
Techland Group offers digital signage white paper
Sep 28, 2005 1:19 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Techland Group is offering a white paper titled “Digital Signage – Choosing the Best Video Distribution Technology.”
Whether displaying purely data, video or audio/video information, each has its own problems and appropriate solutions.
This white paper discusses each and helps anyone in an information provider role to decide which signal distribution technology will suit his application best. Example system diagrams are also provided for clarity.
Topics explored include:
- Components, benefits and uses of digital signage
- Data network platforms
- Fiber-optic extenders
- CAT5 distribution systems
- Combinations of data networks, fiber optics and CAT5
To download the white paper, visit www.techland.co.uk/index/digital_signage_whitepapers.
MagicBox releases training DVD
Sep 28, 2005 1:25 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
MagicBox has released a training DVD for the Aavelin video messaging system.
The DVD covers all aspects of the Aavelin system, from content creation to set up of the Aavelin player unit.
Separate sections explain each option, including MPEG playback, weather, emergency blast remote access software and VCR/DVD control.
The DVD is designed to help both dealers and end users.
For more information, e-mail sales@magicboxinc.com or visit www.magicboxinc.com.
