Click above for more information Digital Signage – Gold or Dynamite?
Scott Hickle and Steve Gurley
Symon Communications Audiovisual integrators are increasingly turning toward digital signage (DS) as a means to address customer demand, achieve competitive differentiation and augment their revenue streams. After all, the DS/Out-Of-Home (DS/OOH) market is growing at 19 percent per year off of a $2.4 billion 2008 base. But though there may appear to be “gold in those hills,” pursuit of the DS/OOH market can be like “playing with dynamite” unless the AV integrator is prepared to address a range of issues that DS creates. This paper looks at ways the AV integrator can find that gold without being “blown up.”
Digital Signage: An Introduction Digital Signage, as it is broadly defined, is the systems, processes and methods for collecting, managing and delivering digital content (pictures, videos, graphics, etc.) to LCD or Plasma displays in a fashion that is engaging and compelling for the purpose of entertaining, informing and/or influencing the viewer’s behavior. To understand the value of DS, one must first understand the market dynamics that make DS relevant.
Current trends clearly demonstrate that we are undergoing a revolution in the way people get information and interact with one another. It is clear that people have been abandoning traditional print media (newspapers, magazines and TV) in favor of information delivered via mobile technologies and the Internet. Text messaging, instant messaging and multimedia messaging have been replacing traditional voice communications as a primary means of rapid, distance-based personal interactions. Business professionals and consumers alike are increasingly presenting and taking-in concepts/ information via video, as witnessed by the rise of YouTube and similar video sharing sites and technologies. So what does this revolution mean? It means that employees and consumers are immersed in technologies and media that are out of reach of employers or businesses. It means that employers and businesses must do something different to capture employee/consumer attention in order to influence their behavior. It means that employers and businesses must communicate with employees and consumers in a way that is fast, visible, highly graphical, up-to-date and to the point. Digital signage is the medium that companies are rapidly embracing to achieve these goals.
The AV Integrator: A Little History AV integrators within the United States have historically been small businesses serving local business communities. In many cases these businesses were focused on selling and servicing televisions and radios. Most of these eventually evolved and expanded into the design, installation and integration of video components, home theater systems, security systems, multimedia presentation control systems and the like. So how does the traditional AV integrator deal with the systems, methods and processes for managing the collection, design, scheduling and delivery of digital content to electronic displays? A logical first step is to look at the components of a digital signage solution for which an AV integrator would be responsible. There are five key components: - Software: The system used for managing the collection, presentation, scheduling and delivery of the digital content to the electronic displays,
- Hardware: The server technology for hosting the digital signage software, the media players for presenting the content to screens, and the screens for showing the content,
- Content: The videos, pictures, graphics, data, etc. that will be collected, arranged, “repurposed” and scheduled for display on the screens,
- Installation/Integration: The installation of the hardware, software, cabling, electrical drops and screens that will go on a digital signage network,
- Support: The process of updating content, refining content designs and the support and help desk functions necessary to support customer requests.
Clearly digital signage is a big departure from typical technologies that AV integrators have been accustomed to dealing. So how does the AV integrator capitalize on this new market opportunity without having to spend the time evaluating software packages, learning about IT equipment, acquiring and designing content, and supporting complex systems? The answer is to team with a DS provider that will do those things for you and leave the installation to you. How To Select A Digital Signage Provider Over the past five years, hundreds of companies have been making a foray into digital signage. They range from single person “garage manufacturers” to global, multinational conglomerates whose core business is decidedly not in digital signage. The great majority of these companies however lack the full breadth of experience, services and technologies to truly help you bring a solution to market without exposing you, the AV integrator, to financial risk and embarrassment. You want to partner with a DS provider that possesses the following characteristics: - An extensive history of installing and operating DS networks
- A strong financial background with a demonstrated history of profitability
- A fully integrated suite of software and hardware products that work seamlessly together
- A full complement of support services, which includes help desks to answer questions, technical support to help address issues, professional services to provide installation support, and creative staffs for supporting your customer’s content requirements.
Mary Hood, President of Digital Roads, Inc., a Wheat Ridge, Colorado AV integrator, takes the above a step further by saying: “Trust, clarity of purpose, and commitment to the relationship between the customer and the integrator are vital. DS providers must know their strengths and weaknesses and be able to consult with the various business stakeholders within the enterprise to ensure a healthy delivery of the solution. Another way to think of this is the best DS providers live by the principle that their purpose is to consult, facilitate and assist the AV integrator and the customer throughout the process. The companies that are in business solely to sell boxes or software are to be avoided as they are not in the market for the long term. As Mary succinctly puts it, “…appreciation for the process is vital.”
One of the most important things to understand is that when aligning with a DS provider, the AV integrator is neither solely a partner nor a customer. A successful relationship would be somewhere in between. The best DS providers know that their AV integrator partners require a high degree of relationship management. If this is handled well the results are clearly in the favor of the AV integrator and their customer. End users who purchase DS solutions through the DS provider’s community of AV integrators do not make the distinction between the provider and the partner. In effect, the partner becomes the provider and the provider is the client contact point in the mind of the end user. Joe Holowicki, Product Development Director at ProMotion in Wixom, Michigan puts it rather well when he states, “You live and die with your customers just like you live and die with your DS provider.” Summary
In conclusion, it is clear that digital signage represents a growing opportunity to increase your revenues and provide value to your customers. It is clear too that there are many components to a digital signage solution that you may not be prepared to address. It is therefore clear that you must partner with a digital signage provider to create a total solution for your customer. When selecting that partner, be sure that they have a long history in DS, are profitable, possess an integrated hardware/software platform, possess the full breath of services to backfill those areas where you may be weak and have a strong track record in supporting AV resellers. If you can do these things, the chances that you will discover gold are pretty good. But be careful, your business is too critical to play with dynamite!
Scott and Steve are both with Symon Communications, a DS content management company and media player manufacturer at: http://www.symon.com/
Back to Top Click above for more information VIA Technologies Debuts Nano-based Tiny Shuttle PC Hiding DS players is always a battle. Although this new Shuttle product from VIA Technologies isn’t the smallest PC you’ve ever seen, it now has a fan, no heat-sink and virtually no power – so it’s noiseless. Expect to see this OEM’ed quickly by media player manufacturers.
To watch VIA’s demo, go to: http://www.viavideolibrary.com/index.php?option=com_seyret&Itemid=2&task=videodirectlink&id=121
Back to Top NEC Launches High-Brightness 46" LCD for DS Market NEC Display last week launched a new 46-inch MultiSync LCD called the X461HB, which they are categorizing as a “high-bright” professional display. It is very bright with a spec measurement of 1500 cd/m2 and a remarkable contrast ratio spec of 3500:1. In addition, the MultiSync X461HB boasts 110 percent higher brightness than NEC’s previous-generation displays so it’s aimed at environments heavy with ambient light, such as corporate lobbies, atriums and restaurants.
The 1360×768 native resolution MultiSync X461HB includes ambient light sensor technology, which automatically adjusts the backlight depending on the ambient lighting brightness and maximizes the power management feature. Its advanced thermal protection begins with an extra thermal layer on the display panel to diffuse heat and follows with a fan-based technology specifically designed to work in both landscape and portrait modes. Internal temperature sensors control self-protective circuits, while special self-diagnostics communicate the status of thermal characteristics. The thermal protection can be monitored and controlled both locally and remotely.
To see all the specs, go to: http://www.necdisplay.com/Products/Product/?product=163d988a-9da4-4334-aa68-90e7eea83261
Back to Top Black Box Aims to Increase Adoption of DS in Small Businesses Earlier this month, Black Box Corporation launched a new DS initiative that includes a new version of their iCompel players. It’s aimed at getting more small businesses into the DS market with templated “designer looks.”
iCompel, a browser-based network appliance for the DS market is said to offer high-end features for low-end systems including 1080p video, flash, HTML, RSS and liveTV connectivity through the media appliance and managed via iCompel. It supports single-screen or multi-screen applications.
If you’re interested in learning more, you can check out iCompel at: http://www.blackbox.com/Store/Results.aspx/Digital-Signage-Multimedia/Digital-Media-Digital-Signage-Players/iCompel/n-4294957319/p-0
Back to Top Scala Reaches 100K With the sale of its 100,000th software player this month, digital signage content management provider Scala has reached a milestone that is certainly unmatched by any other digital signage software company. A recent purchase from pharmaceutical company Novartis, to expand its internal digital signage network, marks the sale of more than 15,000 players since the beginning of 2009 – not bad for a down year. Scala says their content players are currently running and updating content on more than 300,000 screens in 7,500 networks in upwards of 100 countries.
The first Scala media player was shipped in 1987. To read more about Scala, go to their site here: http://www.scala.com/
Back to Top .advancedMethod's Booth at InfoComm To Be TOTALLY Digital Signage (No People Required) Digital signage company .advancedMethod decided to approach June’s InfoComm, held this year in Orlando, Florida, a little differently than all the rest. Instead of flying a large Seattle-based team and booth materials across the country creating a massive carbon footprint (not to mention – saving them hundreds of thousands of dollars), .advancedMethod has decided not to attend InfoComm at all; at least not in the traditional sense – they will be virtually there, however.
Their booth in Orlando will be made from local recyclable resources. The booth will be designed to look like a giant express box that guests can interact with (via Digital Signage) in order to learn more about the express digital signage system. Following InfoComm, the box will be disassembled and all materials will be donated to Habitat for Humanity.
Very creative, we must say. Although we think that cost was clearly a factor in their decision-making process, you have to admit that this is a creative InfoComm booth – and if you do DS why not do your booth via DS?!?
Finally, they tell rAVe that they will even offer guests a very special interactive kiosk/video conferencing experience that will put them directly in touch with the team back in Seattle. Check them out at: http://www.advancedmethod.com/express/
Back to Top VISIX Expression Award Deadline Set for June 26 Dynamic visual communications is meant to motivate and persuade audiences to move beyond the message to consideration and action. Well-planned and creatively-crafted visual communication via digital signage are great at supporting corporate culture and objectives, conveying timely updates, and improving understanding of goals and processes at every level. Successful communications express excellence in both graphic and strategic design.
Last year, VISIX launched these awards to overwhelming positive response from their customers – over 100 entries showcased their clients' work. For 2009, they’ve added new categories (and dropped some that weren’t so popular) to make the awards better match your efforts.
If you’re interested in entering an example of your work, go to: http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.htm
Back to Top Mountain Empire Community College While the town of Big Stone Gap, tucked into the western tip of Virginia, has just under 6,000 people, nearby Mountain Empire Community College (MECC) serves over 100,000 people in the entire region.
The Goal
Lana Kennedy, Public Relations in the Community Relations Department at the College, started using VISIX’s AxisTV to drive their digital communications in the spring of 2008, and they are extending their capabilities out into the community at large – not just to the school.
How’d They Do It?
One of the two Visix channel players on campus drives content to six LCD displays, while the second delivers content to all cable-ready households in the region on Comcast local cable channel 60. The displays at the college range from 37- to 42-inch screens and are placed in high traffic areas and entrances to buildings. Messages might be date reminders for enrollment and student clubs, cafe hours and food specials, special events, or pictures from the student barbeque.
The cable channel attracts participants for specialty and recertification classes in various fields, as well as advertising the college itself. MECC also runs videos of the graduation ceremony and other special events via their channel players. “We use three content windows on the displays – two smaller ones showing slides and the other half showing video, with a local radio station playing as background audio. We also use tickers across the bottom of the screen for various announcements," Kennedy tells us.
In addition to the two channel players used at the college itself, they are adding three more in local high schools to display content on 47-inch LCDs. Using the split screen layout that works so well for the cable channel, one half will display relevant information for the high school – menus, announcements, even the occasional PowerPoint or video. The other half will show advertising for the college, including details of their dual enrollment plan in which high school students can take classes at Mountain Empire for college credit while they attend high school.
Back to Top So, that's rAVe DS [Digital Signage] for this month! Remember, we are here to HELP the AV market penetrate the DS market. Less than 5 percent of the DS market is integrated by AV companies. The other 95 percent is IT-based. Now, there are AV publications and even an association that would like to draw those IT people in to AV (it would increase readers, right? – and more readers means they can charge more for ads). That is NOT what we are doing. rAVe DS is specifically designed to pull AV into the DS market and teach AV companies how to take business away from the currently dominated by IT market.
For those of you NEW to rAVe, you just read a 100% opinionated ePublication that's designed to help AV integrators. We not only report the news and new product stories of the digital signage industry, but we stuff the articles full of our opinions. That may include (but is not limited to) whether or not the product is even worth looking at, challenging the manufacturers on their specifications, calling a marketing-spec bluff and suggesting ways integrators market their products better. But, one thing is for sure, we are NOT a trade publication that gets paid for running editorial or product stories. Traditional trade publications get paid to run product stories — that's why you see what you see in most of the pubs out there. We are different: we run what we want to run and NO ONE is going to pay us to write anything good (or bad).
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rAVe [Publications] has been around since 2003, when we launched our original newsletter rAVe ProAV Edition. rAVe HomeAV Edition, co-published with CEDIA, launched in February, 2004. rAVe Rental [and Staging] launched in November 2007. rAVe ED [Education] launched in May 2008. rAVe DS [Digital Signage] was launched in January 2009.
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