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Signage Insights
Airship lifts digital signage to the skies
May 12, 2006 12:29 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
 The content on the 30ft x 70ft screen of the Lightship Group’s A-170 Video Lightsign airship can be changed in real time. |
Whether it is control of content in the next room, building or state, vendors of all sizes marketing to prospects of all sizes are bringing to the market products that enable the substitution of content from a remote central location for quick adaptation of content to meet rapidly changing market dynamics at a specific location or set of locations. Now, the quest for remote control is getting more vertical.
The Lightship Group recently unveiled its new A-170 Video Lightsign airship that can be used to narrowcast live video, Internet sites, stock tickers, slide shows or other media on its full-color 30ft x 70ft LED screen. It can also be used in integrated marketing and promotional campaigns utilizing GPS tracking, two-way communication with customers, text messaging and phone tie-ins. In addition, newly developed materials make the airship less vulnerable to UV damage and helium leaks, making what has previously been a cost-prohibitive investment into a cost-effective way to reach a mass audience or select demographic.
The content for this ship can be changed in real time. It also allows outdoor ad agencies to sell the same real estate to more than one advertiser — generating more money for the agency, while lowering the cost per ad for individual advertisers.
The Lightship Group has recently completed testing and FAA approval for the new ship and already, and the company said it is seeing significant interest from a number of high-profile brands.
For more information, visit www.lightships.com.
Application Spotlight
Indoor Media TV deploys 40-store network for Ramstore
May 12, 2006 1:54 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
After a two-year evaluation period, Ramstore Retail Network is deploying a state-of- the-art digital signage network to approximately 40 store locations in major cities throughout the Russian Federation. The Ramstore chain comprises shopping centers, hypermarkets and supermarkets.
Indoor Media TV (IMTV) Russia is both the integrator and an investor in the Ramstore project. Ramstore stores with high sales and customer volumes were identified in Moscow and major regional centers including Saint Petersburg, Krasnoyarsk, Kazan, North Novgorod, Rostov, Podolsk and Zelenograd. The IMTV Network was deployed in high-traffic zones and provides product information, video clips, and corporate promotional messages. In addition, local content, including news, sports and weather, plays at each POS location. To maintain relevancy, content changes weekly and varies over the channel.
Tony Yammine, IMTV’s European board chairman, says that with 75 percent of purchase decisions made at the point-of-sale, the network is expected to provide a 30 percent sales lift.
For this first phase of the IMTV system rollout, 1000 Panasonic LCD Screens are powered by the Scala InfoChannel platform. All media is simultaneously transmitted to all screens using satellite or Internet connections.
For more information, visit www.scala.com and www.imtv.ru.
Narrowcasting News & Events
Four companies enter digital signage alliance
May 12, 2006 2:00 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Miller Zell has entered into an alliance with Digital Display & Communication, NEC and 3M as it launched its MZ In-Store Digital Media aimed at retailers and consumer products companies.
The four companies will deliver one-stop shopping for a range of turnkey, retail digital signage solutions. They include display equipment, digital integration, content production and digital ad sales. Miller Zell's retail merchandising strategy, design, graphics, fixture production and full-program implementation capabilities are part of this package.
The partnering companies are supporting retail-level digital programs, including a networked system in Future Shop (Best Buy) stores in Canada; a customer communication system in SunTrust Bank branches; a 26-channel interactive system in HSBC's flagship bank branch in New York; and a new showroom messaging system in Mohawk flooring dealers throughout the United States.
NEC provides LCD display screens and fully integrated digital signage display systems common in in-store digital communication and signage programs.
Toronto-based Digital Display & Communication will lead the development of digital programming and content management with its experience in digital merchandising systems and experience with digital signage network companies in North America.
For more information, visit www.millerzell.com, www.necdisplay.com or www.ddcgi.com.
VertigoXmedia sells broadcast division to Miranda but spins off signage business
May 12, 2006 2:02 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Miranda Technologies is acquiring privately held VertigoXmedia and its broadcast division. The total purchase price is approximately $11 million, payable in cash.
VertigoXmedia has been in the broadcast and digital signage businesses for nearly 10 years, operating predominantly in North America. Under the terms of the agreement, the 25 employees of VertigoXmedia’s broadcast division will join Miranda. The digital signage division, which is excluded from the transaction and which employs 10 people, will be spun-off in a new entity independent of Miranda, prior to the acquisition.
For more information, visit www.miranda.com and www.vertigoxmedia.com.
University of Arkansas to roll out new track and field display system
May 12, 2006 2:05 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
 The new display system at the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, will be located on the north end of the track, and will include a 20ft high x 36ft wide display. |
The University of Arkansas in Fayetteville is rolling out an integrated video display system for John McDonnell Field, home of Razorback outdoor track and field. It is one of only two IAAF Class 1 certified track and field complexes in the United States. As the first such facility on a collegiate campus, it will host the 2006 Southeastern Conference Outdoor Track and Field Championships May 11-14.
The new display system, to be located on the north end of the track, will include a 20ft high x 36ft wide display. Additional features of the scoreboard include an identification panel on the top, sponsor panels on the sides and bottom, and a traditional brick structure. Approximate overall dimensions of the scoreboard are 37ft x 75ft.
The Daktronics ProStar system will display track results, live video and instant replays and will be controlled by the Daktronics Venus 7000 controller and V-Link video processor.
For more information, visit www.daktronics.com.
Calendar
DSU Calendar
May 29, 2006 8:00 AM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
InfoComm 2006
June 3-9, Orlando
www.infocomm.org/Exhibitions/InfoComm.cfm
Society for Information Display (SID) 2006
June 4-9, San Francisco, CA
http://www.sid2006.org
BroadcastAsia 2006
Jun 20-23, Singapore
www.broadcast-asia.com
SCTE Cable-Tec Expo 2006
Jun 21-23, San Antonio, TX
www.scte.org/events/index.cfm?pID=733
Cinema Expo 2006
Jun 26-29, Amsterdam
www.cinemaexpo.com/filmgroup/cinemaexpo/index.jsp
AD:TECH Chicago 2006
Jul 24-25, 2006, Chicago
www.ad-tech.com
SIGGRAPH 2006 Conference & Expo
July 30-Aug 3, Boston
http://www.siggraph.org/s2006/
EMX (Entertainment Media Expo) 2006
Aug 30-31, Hollywood, CA
www.entertainmentmediaexpo.com/conference_program.shtml
Digital Signage Products
Leightronix to showcase AV servers at InfoComm in Orlando
May 12, 2006 2:16 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
 The Leightronix TCD/NX video player/recorder. |
Leightronix will showcase the new TCD/NX AV server and demonstrate other digital video playback and recording solutions at InfoComm 2006 in Orlando. The TCD/NX can be used for local TV operations, private communication networks, video display, and emergency messaging systems.
The TCD/NX is a multichannel video player/recorder with digital video messaging capabilities and is controlled by the Leightronix TCD/IP network managed video system controller. Up to 16 TCD/NX servers can be configured under one TCD/IP for automated control of up to 32 channels of digital video playback and 16 channels of recording. The TCD/NX utilizes external USB 2.0 hard drives expandable up to 1TB. Various drive configurations are possible and include support for select RAID protected storage.
For more information, visit www.leightronix.com.
GSD launches 32in and 46in color TFTs
May 12, 2006 2:19 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
 GDS 46in outdoor display |
Global Display Solutions (GDS) has introduced new 32in and 46in large-screen color TFT displays for outdoor installation.
The displays are readable in full sunlight and can operate 24-hours a day. They are targeted for use in railway stations, airports, bus stations, theme parks, shopping malls and other passenger information and advertising display functions.
The casing of the displays has been made to IP65 standard to protect them from dust and low-pressure water from all directions. Resolution is 1366 x 768. A diagnostic interface board monitors status of the display, power, vibration, front and back temperature and life lamp status.
For more information, visit www.gds.com.
USDTV shows plug-and-play MPEG-4 AVC transcoder at NAB2006
May 12, 2006 2:22 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Digital wireless provider U.S. Digital Television showed its MPEG-4 AVC transcoder at NAB2006. The transcoder is a plug-and-play dongle for existing set-top boxes and converts an MPEG-4 AVC video stream to MPEG-2 for display on either analog or HDTV sets.
USDTV recently announced its second-generation set-top box that will be shipped to new customers in two phases starting in the fall of 2006. The last phase will ship in the first quarter of 2007 and incorporate a 250GB hard drive, which will support a variety of storage-based content and networking services. Customers will have the choice of subscribing to these individual content service packages.
For more information, visit www.usdtv.com.
Matrox releases new widescreen display driver
May 12, 2006 2:28 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Matrox Graphics has released a new display driver for digital signage and public information display markets. The 2.02 SE display driver offers a new user interface and feature enhancements. The PowerRes feature supports various widescreen resolutions, including the ability to add custom resolutions.
The 2.02 SE display driver is available for the Matrox QID Series graphics cards and the new Matrox Extio F1400 Remote Graphics Unit. It is capable of supporting Microsoft Windows 2000, Windows Server 2003, Windows XP and Windows XP X64 (64-bit) operating systems.
The new driver release supports DDC2 EDID so that Windows can manage the resolutions that the display reports. The new driver also allows the user to select the source of the EDID read. In many extension cases, the EDID sent from the monitor is not received or is corrupted when sent over long distances. The new driver allows the user to override the EDID read functionality and customize the resolution and timings output so that it fits the displays without error.
The driver is available to download.
For more information, visit www.matrox.com/graphics.
Rorke Data collaborates with Fujitsu and Myricom for video storage
May 12, 2006 3:14 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Rorke Data, Fujitsu, and Myricom have collaborated on a 10 GigE NAS solution. Based on Rorke Data's Galaxy NAS, the new video storage solution leverages the Fujitsu XG700 10 GigE switch and Myricom's Myri-10G network interface cards. Optimized for digital video HD applications, the combined solutions feature ultra-low-latency switching and low-cost scalable rack density up to 12TB in a single, compact unit.
The Galaxy NAS series can be scaled to accommodate four- to 24 hard disk drives, and includes Intel server components plus an embedded NAS operating system. The turnkey NAS and SAN solution is integrated with the Fujitsu switch featuring low latency (450ns fall-through) and up to 240Gbp/s throughput in a compact form factor.
The Rorke solution also includes link aggregation and IGMP snooping and port security. Rorke Data resellers will sell the product throughout North America, and be authorized to provide a range of service and support options as well.
For more information, visit www.fcpa.fujitsu.com, www.myri.com, and www.rorke.com.
360 Systems debuts three-playback channel video server
May 12, 2006 3:19 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
 360 Systems’ Image Server Select |
360 Systems has introduced the Image Server Select three-playback channel video server. Image Server Select is equipped with composite video I/O, +4 balanced audio XLR I/O, and provides more than 100 hours of RAID-protected storage.
The server can import and playback DV files over GigE from nonlinear editing programs such as Final Cut Pro and Adobe Premiere. Advanced playlisting software and head/tail trimming functionality is also included. A built-in video frame synchronizer allows recording of "wild" analog video signals without using external synchronization equipment, which preserves the source material and generates substantial cost savings for customers.
For more information, visit www.360systems.com.
Nero supports Polar Frog Digital’s on-demand DVD kiosks
May 12, 2006 3:24 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Polar Frog Digital is using the Nero 7 Software Development Kit in its MediaIgloo line of freestanding on-demand DVD kiosks. Polar Frog and Nero demonstrated a kiosk last month at NAB2006.
The scalable freestanding MediaIgloo kiosk is designed for retail locations. Consumers choose content from various sources – such as movies, sports events and children's television, games, and books. Consumers then burn a custom DVD in five-to-seven minutes, and pay for it with cash, credit or loyalty cards. Polar Frog kiosks also provide real-time marketing data by tracking consumer browsing and purchasing habits.
For more information, visit www.nero.com and www.polarfrogdigital.com.
Chief offers upgraded custom and universal projector mounts
May 12, 2006 3:30 PM, Digital Signage Update e-newsletter
Chief Manufacturing has launched the RPA Elite series of custom and universal projector mounts. Existing features of the RPA Series are retained, including independent roll, pitch and yaw, integrated cable management, and security. New features include
MicroZone adjustments, allowing micro adjustment of roll, pitch, and yaw with the use of a No. 2 screwdriver as well as post-installation yaw adjustment of flush-mounted projectors up to 12 degrees.
Macro adjustment Centris technology uses the mounted projector’s center of gravity to make adjustments with the touch of a finger and lock them into place with three locking screws.
A locking lever allows quick detachment of the projector from the mount for regular maintenance and easy access to the lamp and filter, without losing registration. The locking system offers three key choices for protection against theft.
A new selection of Speed-Connect accessories includes ceiling plates, extension columns and suspended ceiling kits.
For more information, visit www.chiefmfg.com.
