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Volume 4, Issue 1 — January 19, 2012
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2011: Good, Bad and Fugly (Part 1)
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine I wasn’t going to do a 2011 look-back thing because frankly, I operate in a little bit of a bubble in my home office and live bait shop, and don’t get out to see enough that I could tell you what really was the best and worst. How do you see everything, or even a lot? Instead, I can only relate what I personally saw this year that impressed me, what made me shudder and what launched me into WTF??? mode. Today: The Good. The Cosmopolitan in Lost Wages. If you have been to Las Vegas and tried to get from A to B through a casino, you have seen endless carnival barker digital signs all but yelling at you to part with your money on a machine, at a table or in a restaurant or lounge. The content is always BIG and LOUD and as subtle as a hail storm. Except at this slick new resort hotel on the strip. There are two elements that caught my eye – one subtle, the other blowing me away. When you walk in off the strip, you start to notice how the digital screens over the slot banks and by the lounges are not visually yelling at you. The content is ambient and thoroughly unrelated to gaming or anything else to do with the Cosmo. It’s just interesting motion visuals that set a mood and tone. Preset partner Pat Hellberg and I stood one evening looking at this stuff, trying to sort out the strategy. As far as we could sort, it’s about differentiation. And on that count, it’s definitely a different approach. Then at the back, at the actual hotel lobby and guest check-in area, there is this truly awesome video wall installation that turns the support columns into ambient video art walls. There are silhouettes, tall libraries of leather-bound books, all kinds of intriguing visuals. Where other hotels are telling guests to check out the new smoothie place in the food court or flagging a Kenny Rogers-Dolly Parton reunion on Saturday night, this hotel is again just setting a mood and tone and telling people they are staying somewhere that’s unlike any of the competition. The content is all, I think, by Digital Kitchen. It’s the only digital sign content I know of to win the top awards at the Cannes International Festival of Creativity. Easily, easily, the most compelling thing I saw all year. That’s a special case, like the giant video wall of MicroTiles at the London Stock Exchange. These one-offs can inspire the industry, but they are not the sort of thing easily replicated because of the cost and circumstances. Uniqlo What’s still a big dollar initiative, but entirely repeatable, was what I saw a few weeks ago at a pair of Uniqlo stores in New York. The Japanese apparel retailer (kinda like a Pacific Rim version of H&M) had stores on 34th Street and on Fifth Avenue lined with displays, built right into the physical design of the shop and in no way there as add-ons or after-thoughts. The content, unlike the Cosmopolitan, is entirely direct. You can’t help but learn, wherever you look, what’s new or on sale, and how different clothing pieces fit together. You see screens as you walk in, walk through, and scale the escalators or stairs. With hundreds of thin bezel NEC LCDs positioned around the stores, the budget for this would have been substantial. But so are the budgets for flooring materials, lighting, fixtures, you name it, in a new megastore. The point is that Uniqlo represents a retailer that looked, right from the early stages of store concept and design, at how digital fit in and how it would be used. They had objectives and strategies and made digital as fundamental to the experience as how shoppers are greeted and how they navigate the store. That level of thinking and execution is still far too rare, and the suggestion that these are just flagships where normal budgets don’t apply doesn’t really hold. Panels aren’t really big ticket items anymore. Monterey Bay Aquarium At a more modest level I was impressed by the way the Monterey Bay Aquarium has built digital screens into the whole experience, from the time you walk in and see what amount to menu boards, and then throughout the facility. I was at several museums and public spaces this year, and it’s still unusual to see it all pulled together well. I was in a few big ticket, very famous places in New York where they haven’t even got the lighting right, never mind digital. QSR I was impressed, as well, by the way digital menu boards are taking over in the fast food sector and how the executions are getting better and better. My only real fast food vice now is coffee, so I see the inside of a lot of Tim Horton’s coffee shops up here. What I like about their approach is simplicity and clarity. They have tested all kinds of things – including whiz-bang sync’d screens where stuff zips around – and concluded what worked best was a “just the facts, ma’am” approach. There is a teeny bit of food porn running on the five screens of a typical store, but for the most part the shops that have gone all digital just show customers what they can buy, using clean crisp visuals and fonts that are large enough to read. The takeaway there is pretty simple. Just because you can run video and do all kinds of eye-popping things doesn’t make it the right thing to do. On the industry side, a few things struck me: DPAA The Digital Place-based Advertising Association seems to be making a genuine mark with the ad industry. The membership numbers are up (helped in part by a move away from country club pricing), but more to the point there were some 400 people at the DPAA media summit this fall and the majority were agency people. President Sue Danaher got some serious, serious players – who control millions and millions in ad spend – to catch cabs over to the Marriott in Times Square and spend time talking to the crowd specifically – and knowledgeably – about the sector. There was the odd crappy presentation, but on balance it was a really solid day that had to be encouraging for anyone involved in buying and selling Digital OOH. If you do that stuff, set aside budget and time for next October when this event no doubt comes back. One slightly depressing note is the liberal use of the term Digital Place-based at the event. I’d thought the sector had settled on Digital OOH and the what to call the medium debate was over. Apparently not. Sigh. Stratacache, FWi and SignageLive I have all kinds of conversations with senior people and get all kinds of back-channel chatter, so I know there are lots of software companies and media networks who’d happily sell or merge to recoup investments or simply keep themselves and their people employed. Few companies are truly rocking it, and it’s interesting that the ones who are probably doing best make the least marketplace noise. Stratacache won the massive McDonald’s U.S. job for menu boards, and has quietly won a lot of other business, particularly with banks. Several are 10,000-unit plus orders, and you can be assured many software companies in this space don’t have 10,000 TOTAL subscriptions/licenses out there. I don’t think CEO Chris Riegel sleeps. Four Winds Interactive has quietly built up a big book of business in casinos, campuses and hospitals, and had to move into much larger offices in Denver to accommodate all the new hires. They are north of 150 people now, and unlike some other software companies that built up big head-counts, that growth is based on revenues and not on the hopeful thinking of investors. Few people know who David Levin is, but he’s running a very hot company off of nothing but private money. Watch both those companies next year, as well as signagelive – which is waaaay more out there in the form of a Tweet-happy CEO Jason Cremins. Though based in the UK, he’s now hired a guy to build up North American business (to be announced soon) and he has a fully open platform and pricing model that resonates with the SMB crowd, and with larger networks whose CFOs turn white at the rolled-up monthly cost of most SaaS offers. DOOHgood Selfishly, I have to mention DOOHgood, which started as DOOH4Relief. The effort to use unallocated media time on networks in North America and Europe to promote relief efforts like the disaster in Japan was extremely heartening. Scores of companies pitched in and millions of ad impressions were served, and that’s why I consider it one of the best things that happened. Not because I was involved. The effort slipped into the shadows in the second half of the past year, but that’s a simple case of the people behind it all being really busy. The foundation is there, and the ability to react to the next unfortunately inevitable disaster is all in place.
To read Part 2 (The Bad), click here.
To read Part 3 (The Fugly), click here.
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Share Article Back to Top BrightSign And Signagelive Pair Up On Networked Offer
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine We’ve been talking a lot about consolidation in the digital signage sector because there are way too many solutions options out there. But not all that consolidation is going to be on the M&A side. Sometimes, it will be two companies choosing to work together instead of competing. Consider the news this week about a deal between BrightSign and signagelive that means the former’s nice little non-PC HD video players can run on networks using the latter’s cloud-based digital signage software. signagelive will have, says a release, a BrightSign Standard Edition with full screen media support and a BrightSign Pro Edition with multi-zone content capabilities. “We selected BrightSign players for their proven reliability, advanced features and ability to get the most out of our signagelive platform,” said Jason Cremins, CEO of signagelive. “For the first time, the BrightSign range of networked devices can be integrated with signagelive to provide a solution that rivals the technical capabilities and stability of more expensive PC-based solutions. It is my belief that our combined offering provides the best price/performance of any digital signage solution available today.” “We’re very pleased to have the opportunity to expand our worldwide presence with a leading software brand like signagelive,” said Jeff Hastings, BrightSign CEO. “BrightSign and signagelive are both strong, well-respected brands with loyal customer bases that continue to grow. We view the combination of our brands as a win-win situation that will accelerate business opportunities for everyone involved, including the distribution and reseller channels.” BrightSign has its own software solution for networked digital sign deployments, but the company at its core is about hardware players. The company spun out from Roku, one of the bigger players in the streaming video space. BrightSign was founded and still chaired by Roku’s CEO, so the access to R&D and low cost media decoder technology is terrific. BrightSign has very nice little low-cost boxes that play smooth video, are easy to use and manage, have no moving parts and consume very little energy. But the platform is more oriented to small and medium business than it is to mass-scaled networks — the arena signagelive comfortably plays in. The two companies working together means BrightSign and its resellers have options on which model best suits the requirements and scale of the job. Instead of losing a project that might be beyond the abilities of its free BrightAuthor software, they can now compete and win the hardware deal with signagelive as the software engine. For signagelive’s guys, they’re now integrated into a low-cost hardware platform specifically focused on digital signage and a business with a global distribution network. I have heard BrightSign moved more than 100K units in 2011, in an industry where most companies are popping champagne for 1,000-unit deals. I know signagelive’s Cremins has flat said his company is about software, and has put hardware efforts instead into partnerships with companies like Advantech, IAdea and now BrightSign. The combo service will be demo’d at ISE 2012 in Amsterdam later this month. This is a really interesting development in that the rap – fair or not – about non-PC media play-out solutions is that while they were lower cost and reliable, the software was pretty basic and not really built for scaled-up jobs. Meanwhile, software companies feel endless pressure to get their platform running on the lowest cost boxes possible. The single unit prices for BrightSign units in the company online store would be in line or possibly even more than lower-end PCs, but my guess is that comes down nicely with volume, as it does with most things in this space. Leave a Comment
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Selling Digital Signage in 2012
By Lyle Bunn
Strategy Architect, BUNN Co. The following is reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association (DSA). For more information, go to http://www.digitalscreenmedia.org.
Analysts project a 23 percent growth in digital signage spending this year… some providers will struggle while others exceed this industry average. Yet others will enjoy triple-digit growth building on a solid base of previous planning and contacts, or by hitting that "home run."
All who succeed in 2012 in digital signage supply or use will have several behaviors in common.
Winners in 2012 will have current knowledge of the medium. The "W5s" of digital signage will be always on their mind and their constant pursuit.
The W5s include knowing who can benefit, what different kinds of messages should be presented, where and when specific content should be delivered and why digital signage should be used to meet marketing and communications goals.
The way in which digital signage is used has been evolving quickly and its improved use of content, dayparting, audience targeting and analytics mean that professionals will and should, be constantly looking for best practices and innovation.
Successful professionals will attend major industry conferences and trade shows to get an update and capture the latest W5s, while publications, seminars and webinars will continually add to this critical knowledge base. Organizations that send representatives to education functions will expect briefings and summaries to be provided to other team members to more quickly integrate the best approaches.
The value provided by digital signage will continue to drive investment in it. Through illustrating how high return on investment (ROI) is provided and how digital signage serves as a more cost-effective communications alternative, projects will be funded, proceed, succeed and expand.
Structures for planning will guide the success of professionals and the advancement of projects. Ad-hoc approaches do not provide a suitable basis of planning, project communications and sustainable success.
A proven 1-2-3 approach includes first clarifying and refining communications and business objectives, then defining the "content" that will be required to achieve these goals, and finally, providing the technology infrastructure to support message delivery and the most efficient network operations.
Given the past investment in digital signage – about 1.4 million displays are currently operational in North America according to DisplaySearch, success in 2012 will be based on refining network operations to maximize benefits and ROI leading to further investment.
Digital signage has achieved a proven track record of value, critical mass of deployment and good supply approaches. It has achieved the approval of audiences and has found its way into the communications continuum.
2012 will be another successful year of industry growth, benefiting supply and end user professionals who use best practices, discipline and their energies well. Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Tranforming an Infographic Into Compelling Digital Signage Content
By Kara Tarantino What better way to get people to donate blood and create awareness of the importance of blood donation than via digital signage? Internal communications within the four walls of a hospital or clinic can encourage and inspire people to give the gift of life this January through volunteer blood donation. (This video on blood donor awareness month illustrates how an infographic can be transformed into compelling digital signage content. — Ed.)
Every three seconds someone in the United States needs a blood transfusion, and approximately 38,000 units of red blood cells are needed every day. Trauma victims, surgical patients, and people receiving treatment for leukemia, cancer, or sickle cell disease may need blood transfusions.
Via digital signage, hospitals can bring the issue of the importance of blood donation to the forefront by letting people know what to expect when they donate, explaining the criteria for donating blood, alleviating any anxiety viewers may have and driving people to participate by communicating dates and locations. Having access to a clinically credible digital signage content library is the key to making this happen in real time, as well as being able to ensure frequent content changes throughout the month to keep messages fresh and inviting.
Video testimonials from people who have donated blood or even messages with photos from laboratory directors, chiefs of surgery or blood bank managers can speak directly to your audiences about the critical importance for continual and voluntary blood donation. If you are a hospital or other healthcare facility, get the word out via digital signage and bring people in.
Kara Tarantino is the director of marketing for Vericom, whose communications solutions include ChannelCare healthcare digital signage, a comprehensive web-based system including LCD monitors, health content library, on-site technical survey, turnkey installation, dedicated client representative, and 24/7 support. Tarantino has served in 16 of the 23 years the company has served the healthcare industry. To contact Tarantino for information related to this article, email her at marketing@vericom.net. This was reprinted with permission from Digital Signage Connection and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top QR Codes Still A Mystery To Most, Even Those Who Do Scan
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine Marketing Charts has some useful insights up from a recent survey looking into how consumers actually perceive and use buzz-heavy QR code technology. As it turns out, only one in five people knew what they were and of those who did and have actually whipped out their smartphone and scanned, nearly three in five did nothing with what they got. Fifty-seven percent of consumers who have scanned a QR code say they did nothing with the information, compared to 21 percent who shared the information with someone and 18 percent who made a purchase, says a survey just released by market research firm Chadwick Martin Bailey. In fact, of those who have scanned a QR code, just 41 percent said that they found the information they received useful, while 42 percent had mixed feelings and 18 percent said the information was not useful. On a more encouraging note, though, 70 percent of these consumers found QR codes easy to scan, compared to just 7 percent who found them difficult. Overall, just 21 percent of the survey respondents said they had heard of QR codes, although 81 percent recalled seeing one when presented with an image. According to an October 2011 survey from strategic marketing firm Russell Herder, 72 percent of consumers said they had seen a QR code, but nearly 30 percent did not know what it was. Data from “Nine Things to Know About Consumer Behavior and QR Codes” suggests 43 percent of those asked would be interested in scanning to get discounts, coupons, and free items. About a quarter were interested in more information about a product or service, access to exclusive content or buying stuff. As logic suggests, the most passive medium gets the best action. Magazines and newspapers (35 percent) were the leading sources for those who have scanned a QR code, ahead of packages (18 percent) and websites (13 percent). Direct mailings (11 percent), billboards or signs (11 percent), and emails (4 percent) proved to be relatively less significant sources. It backs up what a lot of people are saying about the QR code/digital OOH thing, that the dynamics of the viewing situation aren’t terribly conducive to people whipping out their phones.
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Companies Serve Up Real-time Analytics For Corporate Communications
By Dave Haynes
Editor, Sixteen:Nine I don’t write a lot about corporate communications projects because they rarely seem to get discussed, perhaps because the jobs are smaller one-offs done by resellers and integrators with non-existent PR machines. However, there’s a lot of those jobs out there. Of course, one of the big challenges with corporate comms jobs is figuring out what on earth to put on the screens after the initial excitement about the project dies down. A UK company has coupled with Taiwan hardware company IAdea on a real-time business dashboard thing that has some possibilities. Geckoboard, says a release, is a real-time dashboard that allows businesses to see all of their Key Performance Indicators in one place. Geckoboard makes it easy for businesses of any size to integrate with critical data sources and display the key metrics in an easy to interpret way on large screens or mobile devices. The IAdea hook is that it has new digital signage player-appliances that have embedded HTML5 support that would make starting to use this service to drive big displays a snap. “With more businesses seeing the benefits of widely communicating real-time metrics, anything that makes that process easier is a welcome development,” says Paul Joyce, CEO of Geckoboard. So, the idea here is that a screen or screens around a corporate campus, or in production facilities, can query and display using widgets all kinds of visual and numeric data about what’s going with sales, manufacturing, up-time, web traffic and so on. My head immediately went to the Groupon main sales floor (seen on 60 Minutes this week) and running updates on all that things that make that business, and others like it, tick. Geckoboard is integrated with all kinds of web traffic, CRM, project management and analytics tools. Geckoboard and IAdea have a promo going offering a 90-day free trial period (valued up to $597) on its SaaS-based corporate business intelligence service. IAdea customers can claim the discount code at http://www.iadea.com/entry/win-90-day-free-trial-geckoboard. The offer expires on March 31, 2012. Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Digital Signage Content: It’s All About the Flow
By Vern Freedlander
Vice President of Production Services, X2O Media Too often, content is an afterthought in digital signage. A great deal of time and resources go into building the network’s technical infrastructure, but little thought goes into what will actually appear on the screens. In some ways this is understandable. While technical challenges can be engineered into a solution, editorial challenges require more finessing, research and an understanding of “soft” concepts such as audience demographics, viewing habits, design, branding and message retention. It is the content and its impact on audiences, however, that makes or breaks a network. Network operators need to make content a priority early in the planning stages and become familiar with the skill set required to program a successful network.
One strategy is to focus on the network’s overall content flow instead of the individual items that make up the content inventory. After all, it is the selection of items, their positioning, the pace, the identity package, screen design and other factors that all work together to create “the flow” and the network’s overall brand experience, and this will ultimately determine its success. Unfortunately, network operators often simply select content to avoid black on the screen without any consideration of how it all ties together. To help ensure a good content flow, there are three key factors to consider:
1. Have a clear understanding of the network’s business objectives and stick to them
Every network has a specific purpose — a brand promise that attempts to engage viewers and deliver a positive experience. In the case of an ad-based network, the purpose is to deliver an audience to advertising content. So network operators should make editorial content choices that work in partnership with the ad content. A great example of this would be a health club network running exciting extreme sports content that is adjacent to an ad for a sports drink brand. The editorial and advertising content work in tandem and create a complementary relationship that has a better chance of resonating with viewers.
2. Make smart, consistent thematic editorial choices
The content must be appropriate for the audience, so it is critical to know and understand who the audience is demographically. This can only be done through research, and using a third-party research firm is the best approach. This will give credibility to the network and the research will be better recognized by agencies and brands, which will influence their decision to buy ad time. Make content choices based on this information and be sure to revisit audience research periodically. It is an error to attempt to be all things to all audiences. Use the new-found knowledge of your audience to select content that is relevant. Relevance boils down to two criteria: Does it attract and retain attention, and does it give the audience a reason to watch?
3. Maintain consistent branding and presentation quality
The look and feel of the network must be consistently presented. That means maintaining technical quality, sound levels and a pace that matches the venue. A doctor’s waiting room may not be the appropriate venue for a fast-paced, highly graphic series of short items. However a health club whose brand is consistent with a high-energy experience would welcome a fast, vigorous presentation. The same thinking should be applied to the network’s branding. Branding elements should be designed to match the network’s objectives. The color palette, animation and music all work together to transmit a brand statement. By displaying a consistent identity, the network communicates its uniqueness and presents its distinct “voice” to audiences. Audiences will come to recognize the network, anticipate its content and therefore be more receptive to its messaging.
Audiences are incredibly sophisticated. They watch high-quality content at home on spectacular HD televisions, and they can’t be expected to lower their standards when they are exposed to a DOOH network. Network operators need to think of themselves as content programmers asking themselves, “How can I attract viewers and make sure the ad/messaging content being purchased on my network is being retained?” Examining the overall content flow and implementing a consistent, objective driven approach to content is a great strategy to move in the right direction.
Vern Freedlander is vice president of production services for Montréal-based X2O Media, a full-service provider of technology, network management and content services for professional digital signage applications. With more than 20 years of broadcast television experience as a producer, director and executive, Freedlander oversees all of X2O Media’s content initiatives. He can be reached at vern@x2omedia.com
Note: Vern Freedlander will be leading a Vertical Industry Discussion Group on the topic "Producing Your Network: Success is in the Flow, Not the Show" at DSE 2012. In addition, he will be leading a Vertical Industry Discussion Group titled “Just-in-Time Ads: Improving the Ad Creation Process with Improved Efficiency and More Targeted Ads.” Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top Will Panel Prices Increase in Q1’12?
By David Hsieh After falling every month since June, panel prices have finally stabilized. Notebook PC panel prices have been flat since October, TV panel prices have been flat since November, and monitor panel prices have stopped falling this month.
This stabilization in pricing is due to several factors. First, many panel prices are approaching the cash cost of manufacturing. Most panel makers have been losing money since Q3’10 and need to balance their desire to increase market share and fill their factories against profitability. Over the past quarter, panel makers have carefully controlled capacity utilization to limit inventory. At the same time, good sell-through in Q4’11 has reduced downstream inventory.
This combination of low utilization and low inventory is likely to keep prices flat over Q1’12, but whether panel prices will increase depends on demand. On the upside, Chinese TV companies are building inventory in preparation for the 2012 Chinese New Year, which falls in January. With panel prices flat, some feel that there is little risk to holding depreciating inventory, which also encourages demand. In addition, growing demand for tablet PC panels is leading to a shift in utilization, with TV fabs being repurposed to produce smaller tablet PC panels.
On the downside, notebook PC and monitor demand is currently limited by the hard disk drive shortage caused by the Thailand floods, and key European markets are heading into a recession. More fundamentally, there are debates about whether panel prices can increase based on a short-term growth in demand. Since the last cycle bottomed out in mid-2010, there have been two short-lived price increases, in Q4’10 and Q2’11. However, each time, weakness in demand cut short the price increases.
Will it be different this time?
Some expect panel price increases in January, especially since there is already a tight supply of some LCD TV panel sizes. Looking at the TFT LCD supply/demand history, it is very uncommon for panel prices to stay flat for long. For now, we have the four “low” phenomena: low panel prices, low capacity utilization, low channel inventory, and low confidence on demand.
Some believe the current tightness is due to Chinese New Year preparations and a few aggressive LCD TV brands, but worldwide TV demand in Q1’12 is still unclear. Therefore, even though many set makers are longing for a price increase, it is not clear whether panel prices will increase. With industry conditions at a standstill, panel prices are unlikely to fall, and the only question is whether demand will emerge to tilt the balance toward price increases.
David is vice president, greater China market for DisplaySearch and is a noted expert in TFT LCD and LCD TV research and analysis throughout Asia.
This article was reprinted with permission from DisplaySearch and originally appeared here. Leave a Comment
Share Article Back to Top LG to Debut 55" OLED In what will be the largest OLED flat panel to actually see the market, LG will launch a 55" OLED display next week at the CES show in Las Vegas. In addition to being big, it's expected to be less than 3.5 mm thick. Yes, that's right, that would be less than 2/10ths of an inch! It will apparently weigh in the 18-pound range.
With a contrast ratio of over 100,000:1, OLED is the closest in colorimetry to any CRT-based display — making the blacks the best we've seen in years for displays. However, since OLED is a new technology, it's not proven yet – so no one really knows the likely MTBF or what the life-cycle will be. However, OLED is widely considered a technology of the future in flat panel displays since they can be produced amorphously – meaning of many shapes and sizes.
Pricing? Well with any new technology, it's starting high. This display's expected to be in the $30,000 range, right in line with the first 55" Plasmas and LCDs – and both of those are in the $1,500 range now. So, expect pricing to fall over the next decade Leave a Comment Today Sharp introduced the new PN-E702, a 70” LED-backlit 1080p LCD that's specified at 450 cd/m2 brightness and 4000:1 contrast ratio. Integrated with an OPS slot for digital signage players and 7-watt speakers, Sharp is aiming this at two specific markets — as a replacement for front screen projectors in meeting rooms and as a large digital signage display. Like the rest of the PN-E line, the 70" is designed to maintain airflow and dissipate heat without the use of mechanical air-ventilation fans, which can attract dust and create noise. A built-in sensor detects when the temperature inside a monitor rises, and the backlight system automatically adjusts to keep the temperature within operational level. To reduce the load placed on the power supply when a number of monitors are turned on at the same time, the PN-E Series allows a time delay between the start-up of each monitor when configured in video walls and multi-monitor installations.
Designed for 24/7/365 use, the PN-E702 incorporates a commercial-grade LCD panel that's designed to be used for continuous operation and spec's out at over 90,000 MTBF. Inputs include HDMI, VGA, RGB and network ports. It offers network and RS232 control and it can be mounted horizontally or vertically.
Full specs can be found here: http://www.sharpusa.com/ForBusiness/PresentationProducts/ProfessionalLCDMonitors/ProDisplays_PNESeries.aspx Leave a Comment DynaScan just launched two new 55-inch narrow bezel LCDs in the form of the DS55LT4 and DS55LT6. The DS55LT4 features a brightness spec of 2,500 cd/m², while the DS55LT6 is spec'd out at 5,000 cd/m². Both are direct LED local dimming back-lit and have only an 11.5 mm bezel. With direct local dimming, darker areas of an image receive less backlighting than lighter areas, as opposed to CCFL and edge-lit LED backlights which illuminate an entire screen at all times causing blacks and dark areas to appear washed out.
The DS55LT4 and DS55LT6 feature a narrow 11.5 mm bezel for tiled video wall applications. With built-in video daisy chaining, a single 1080p source can be used on video walls up to 6×6 in size without the need for any additional external video wall controller.
The DS55LT4 also utilizes a fanless thermal management system where heat is radiated away from high temperature areas while a sensor continuously monitors the internal temperature to protect the system from overheating. All of this is done without the use of any fans, resulting in silent operation and greatly reducing the potential of mechanical failure.
All the specs are here: http://www.dynascanusa.com/ds2_products.html Leave a Comment <a target="blank" title="DynaScan Intros Two New 55" lcds"="" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6564&title=DynaScan%20Intros%20Two%20New%2055%22%20LCDs"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6564&title=DynaScan%20Intros%20Two%20New%2055%22%20LCDs"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0100" _cke_saved_name="t0100"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Shuttle Joins Skinny Digital PC Pack</strong></font><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><br>By Dave Haynes<br><em>Editor, Sixteen Nine</em></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> <a href="http://global.shuttle.com/"; _cke_saved_href="http://global.shuttle.com/"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/shuttle-slim-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/shuttle-slim-0112.jpg"; style="margin: 5px;" align="right">Shuttle</a> has been around for ages with smallish PCs that are about the size of toasters – good for tight spots in an equipment cabinet or up on a shelf, but still too big and bulky to attach to the back of a display panel.<br> <br> I see from the blizzard of press coming out of the CES show this week that Shuttle now has (and maybe has had for a while, but news to me) a super-slim PC that competes in form factor with the little units Apple, Advantech, Aopen, IAdea and Asus have been selling for years now. Shuttle specifically references them as digital signage boxes.<br> <br> The Taiwanese company says its Slim and All-in-One series units are designed for the sector. The <a href="http://global.shuttle.com/news/newsDetail?newsId=1258"; _cke_saved_href="http://global.shuttle.com/news/newsDetail?newsId=1258">release</a>; is pretty much empty of detail, but some digging around reveals the units are indeed skinny (38.5 mm) and fanless (good), run Intel chips and have an Nvidia Ion, which means the video playback will be quite good.<br> <br> No price, but thinking something $600 or so. Barebones units are $200ish online.</p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6581&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6581&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="Shuttle Joins Skinny Digital PC Pack" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6581&t=Shuttle%20Joins%20Skinny%20Digital%20PC%20Pack"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6581&t=Shuttle%20Joins%20Skinny%20Digital%20PC%20Pack"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Shuttle Joins Skinny Digital PC Pack" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Shuttle%20Joins%20Skinny%20Digital%20PC%20Pack:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6581"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Shuttle%20Joins%20Skinny%20Digital%20PC%20Pack:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6581"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Shuttle Joins Skinny Digital PC Pack" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6581&title=Shuttle%20Joins%20Skinny%20Digital%20PC%20Pack"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6581&title=Shuttle%20Joins%20Skinny%20Digital%20PC%20Pack"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0101" _cke_saved_name="t0101"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Scala Works Deal For Connected Digital Signage On A USB Stick</strong></font><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><br>By Dave Haynes<br><em>Editor, Sixteen Nine</em></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> <img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/mini-DS-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/mini-DS-0112.jpg"; style="margin: 5px;" align="right">Software maker Scala is continuing its push — and pretty much a solitary push — into the digital picture frame market.<br> <br> The company has announced a strategic partnership with Isabella Products to “develop sales, marketing, and technology initiatives for 2012 and beyond for the digital signage market.”<br> <br> Based outside of Boston, Isabella describes itself as “a leading mobile device company developing a family of connected wireless products that enrich and entertain your everyday life. Through its VizitMe content management service, Isabella effectively and securely delivers and manages real-time content experiences among a portfolio of innovative products including Vizit, Mini and Fable (the latter available in fall 2012).”<br> <br> In the context of digital signage, the agreement means Scala’s SignChannel picture frame-centric service will work with Isabella’s cellular-based devices to drive content to screens and manage networks.<br> <br> The Vizit-DS and Mini-DS products will provide Scala with integrated 2G/3G cellular solutions for reliably delivering digital signage content across multiple display environments throughout various locations. Utilizing Isabella’s existing relationships with world-class wireless carriers, Vizit-DS and Mini-DS will be marketed through Scala’s existing global sales and distribution channels.<br> <br> “Combining Scala’s global presence and expertise in the digital signage business with Isabella’s compelling, cost-effective product portfolio with mobile capabilities, we are excited to introduce these new products and services to a whole new market,” says Matthew I. Growney, founder and CEO of Isabella Products.<br> <br> The proposition is that plugging this gear into the SignChannel service allows the entry-level market to very easily get a network up with no training, and using simple cellular data connections.<br> <br> “The Mini-DS is a game changer,” says Jeff Porter, president of SignChannel. “Just plug the Mini-DS into any TV and you will have a SignChannel player. It couldn’t be easier. In addition, the Vizit-DS makes deploying a kiosk just as easy — simply add electricity, nothing more! With SignChannel’s ease of use and Isabella’s relationships in the cellular industry, deploying digital signage and kiosks just got a whole lot simpler.”<br> <br> I don’t know about game-changer, but it’s certainly not like Jeff to hype things (I’m smiling as I type that). However, the 3G-connected digital signage player on a USB stick is pretty interesting for bare-bones jobs that are never going to require much sophistication or be all that “mission-critical” for the operator.<br> <br> I’d imagine this will be on demo at ISE later this month and DSE in a a couple of months.</p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6582&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6582&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="Scala Works Deal For Connected Digital Signage On A USB Stick" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6582&t=Scala%20Works%20Deal%20For%20Connected%20Digital%20Signage%20On%20A%20USB%20Stick"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6582&t=Scala%20Works%20Deal%20For%20Connected%20Digital%20Signage%20On%20A%20USB%20Stick"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Scala Works Deal For Connected Digital Signage On A USB Stick" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Scala%20Works%20Deal%20For%20Connected%20Digital%20Signage%20On%20A%20USB%20Stick:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6582"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Scala%20Works%20Deal%20For%20Connected%20Digital%20Signage%20On%20A%20USB%20Stick:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6582"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Scala Works Deal For Connected Digital Signage On A USB Stick" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6582&title=Scala%20Works%20Deal%20For%20Connected%20Digital%20Signage%20On%20A%20USB%20Stick"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6582&title=Scala%20Works%20Deal%20For%20Connected%20Digital%20Signage%20On%20A%20USB%20Stick"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0102" _cke_saved_name="t0102"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Latest AR Virtual Dressing Room Takes the Cake</strong></font><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><br>By Dave Haynes<br><em>Editor, Sixteen Nine</em></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> <img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/debbie-harry-cut-out-dolls-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/debbie-harry-cut-out-dolls-0112.jpg"; style="margin: 5px;" align="right">The virtual dressing room-augmented reality thing has been around for a few years, and the first iterations by companies like <a href="http://youtu.be/ocVEvK9Sl34"; _cke_saved_href="http://youtu.be/ocVEvK9Sl34">Zugara</a>; were pretty interesting but well off from truly ready for the marketplace. As you might expect, the applications keep getting better (including Zugara’s), but a new one by a company called <a href="http://www.facecake.com/"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facecake.com/">FaceCake</a>; looks just about there.<br> <br> It definitely would work in private homes, and while it is still more gimmick than utility, what FaceCake has could have a fit in the right kind of retailer – particularly as a promotion as opposed to a standard part of the customer experience.<br> <br> What’s different with this software is the experience looks less like those paper cutouts that really old people like me remember as diversions for kids, and more like virtual clothes. The first iterations of AR were flat overlays, whereas this tech allows people to turn to the side and switch hands when holding things.<br> <br> The other difference is speed and utility. Things happen more quickly and the experience has the sort of navigation and feel of an App, except people are looking at themselves.<br> <br> The <a href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/virtual-dressing-room-takes-the-hassle-out-of-taking-off-your-clothes.html"; _cke_saved_href="http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/technology/2012/01/virtual-dressing-room-takes-the-hassle-out-of-taking-off-your-clothes.html">LA Times has a piece up</a> and <a href="http://www.latimes.com/videogallery/67284313/Technology/Swivel-allows-you-to-virtually-change-your-outfits-with-a-wave-of-your-hand"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.latimes.com/videogallery/67284313/Technology/Swivel-allows-you-to-virtually-change-your-outfits-with-a-wave-of-your-hand">video</a>; about FaceCake:<br> <br> <em>At the Consumer Electronics Show this week, a Calabasas company was giving demonstrations of Swivel, a real-time virtual dressing room that takes a lot of the hassle out of shopping — no more long waits in the fitting room line loaded down with an armful of clothes, or the tedious process of getting dressed and undressed several times during one trip to the mall.<br> <br> To use the Swivel system, which works by utilizing motion-sensing technology, stand a few feet in front of a webcam or Microsoft Kinect device. A live image of yourself will appear on a connected television or computer screen, along with a selection of categories like clothing, jewelry and handbags.<br> <br> Select a category — say, dresses — by waving your hand over it. A lineup of gowns will appear on the right-hand panel; another wave of the arm selects the dress you want to try on and digitally overlays it over the live image of yourself.<br> <br> Turn to the side and the dress will move with you; the product takes into account your unique body type, and items appear to be form-fitting. You can layer accessories onto the look by selecting necklaces and belts, or change the background image to a red carpet or city scene to put the look into context. The Swivel system also gives users outfit recommendations and enables them to send an image of the final look to their friends for approval.<br> <br> FaceCake Marketing Technologies, which created Swivel using proprietary software, hopes the system will be used by retailers, in malls and at home.<br> <br> FaceCake recently did a mall tour in Southern California to debut the system to shoppers. The average shopper tried on 66 percent of the items available, or about 45 products, far more than he or she would typically try on in a physical dressing room, said FaceCake Chief Executive Linda Smith.</em></p> <p> <br> <iframe allowfullscreen="" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/WwUa14mNNhY"; frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p> <p> <br> The company says an in-home version, using Kinect, will be available by year-end, and that some retailers are looking at the system. I could definitely envision young women using this as they hang out, and the loopy 17-year-old still in me can just see groups of boys falling off furniture laughing as their buddies try on virtual dresses.</p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6583&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6583&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="Latest AR Virtual Dressing Room Takes the Cake" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6583&t=Latest%20AR%20Virtual%20Dressing%20Room%20Takes%20the%20Cake"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6583&t=Latest%20AR%20Virtual%20Dressing%20Room%20Takes%20the%20Cake"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Latest AR Virtual Dressing Room Takes the Cake" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Latest%20AR%20Virtual%20Dressing%20Room%20Takes%20the%20Cake:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6583"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Latest%20AR%20Virtual%20Dressing%20Room%20Takes%20the%20Cake:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6583"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Latest AR Virtual Dressing Room Takes the Cake" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6583&title=Latest%20AR%20Virtual%20Dressing%20Room%20Takes%20the%20Cake"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6583&title=Latest%20AR%20Virtual%20Dressing%20Room%20Takes%20the%20Cake"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0104" _cke_saved_name="t0104"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>DV Signage Debuts Low-Cost GPS-Driven Media Player</strong></font><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><br>By Dave Haynes<br><em>Editor, Sixteen Nine</em></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> <a href="http://www.dvsignage.com/"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.dvsignage.com/"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/dvsignage-VS-300-GPS-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/dvsignage-VS-300-GPS-0112.jpg"; style="margin: 5px;" align="right">DV Signage</a>, aka Digital View, has come out with a nice little tweak to one of its workhorse products that introduces a low-cost solution for companies that want to tie messaging to GPS coordinates.<br> <br> Its ViewStream 300GPS, says a <a href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9097342.htm"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.prweb.com/releases/2012/1/prweb9097342.htm">release</a>, allows the automatic triggering of specific videos and images according to realtime GPS data, on a non-networked box with no moving parts.<br> <br> Google digital signage and GPS and you will get a healthy set of results, but the products tend to fall into two categories — networked and involving PCs (<a href="http://www.navaho.co.uk/hardware-options-gps.html"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.navaho.co.uk/hardware-options-gps.html">like UK-based Navaho</a>), or Asian companies you’ve never heard of and can’t be sure aren’t one guy, a web page and a cellphone.<br> <br> DV Signage (disclosure: way back, I worked for Digital View and sold my share of ViewStreams) describes this as an “easy-to-use, professional-grade media player [with] an integrated GPS receiver that updates its internal geographic coordinates as it moves from location to location. Longitude and latitude data is automatically retrieved and displayed on an LED readout. This information can then be used to pre-program specific videos or still images to play at any point during a journey.”<br> <br> Ideal for fixed route vehicles, from buses and trains to theme park rides and golf buggies. The specific coordinates of each section of the journey can simply pre-programmed with a relevant piece of information or revenue generating advertising.<br> <br> The media storage is just a Compact Flash card and the units are small and pretty much bulletproof. It comes with simple and free software, and media and firmware (I think) get updated by inserting a USB stick. No price supplied, but I am thinking less than $200/unit.<br> <br> The company will have the unit amidst its various pots and pans at ISE 2012 at the end of this month.<br> <br> Non-networked units have, of course, limitations on updating and also on reporting back their status. But there are all kinds of media companies and private operators out there doping things like screens on airport and rental car shuttles, and local rail systems, that don’t need or want steady updating. The benefits of these sorts of things is they take all the vibrations and thuds, but cost a fraction of proper industrial grade PCs.</p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6588&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6588&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="DV Signage Debuts Low-Cost GPS-Driven Media Player" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6588&t=DV%20Signage%20Debuts%20Low-Cost%20GPS-Driven%20Media%20Player"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6588&t=DV%20Signage%20Debuts%20Low-Cost%20GPS-Driven%20Media%20Player"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="DV Signage Debuts Low-Cost GPS-Driven Media Player" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=DV%20Signage%20Debuts%20Low-Cost%20GPS-Driven%20Media%20Player:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6588"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=DV%20Signage%20Debuts%20Low-Cost%20GPS-Driven%20Media%20Player:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6588"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="DV Signage Debuts Low-Cost GPS-Driven Media Player" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6588&title=DV%20Signage%20Debuts%20Low-Cost%20GPS-Driven%20Media%20Player"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6588&title=DV%20Signage%20Debuts%20Low-Cost%20GPS-Driven%20Media%20Player"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0105" _cke_saved_name="t0105"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Philips to Re-Enter DS Market at ISE 2012</strong></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> <img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/philips-ds-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/philips-ds-0112.jpg"; style="margin: 5px;" align="right">Philips' new E-Line series, aimed at the "upper entry level signage market," is Philips' first dedicated digital signage displays with optical IR multi-touch and OPS slots. The sizes range from 32”, 42”, 46” to 55” and are equipped with an OPS slot for the simple integration of an OPS module, the industry standard interface being adopted within the DS market for media players on a card. <br> <br> Specific specs are not available yet as ISE, the show the displays are being launched at, is still two weeks away, but the big news here is really that Philips is trying to break into the DS market again. We'll certainly cover it at ISE, and you can find all our live coverage here: <a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=239&Itemid=443"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=239&Itemid=443"; target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=239&Itemid=443"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=239&Itemid=443"; target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=239&Itemid=443"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=239&Itemid=443"; target="_blank">https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=239&Itemid=443</a></p>; <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6590&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6590&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="Philips to Re-Enter DS Market at ISE 2012" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6590&t=Philips%20to%20Re-Enter%20DS%20Market%20at%20ISE%202012"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6590&t=Philips%20to%20Re-Enter%20DS%20Market%20at%20ISE%202012"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Philips to Re-Enter DS Market at ISE 2012" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Philips%20to%20Re-Enter%20DS%20Market%20at%20ISE%202012:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6590"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Philips%20to%20Re-Enter%20DS%20Market%20at%20ISE%202012:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6590"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Philips to Re-Enter DS Market at ISE 2012" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6590&title=Philips%20to%20Re-Enter%20DS%20Market%20at%20ISE%202012"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6590&title=Philips%20to%20Re-Enter%20DS%20Market%20at%20ISE%202012"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0074" _cke_saved_name="t0074"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>Visix Seeking Entries for the Fifth Annual Visix Expression Awards!</strong></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> <img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/visix-expressionawards-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/visix-expressionawards-0112.jpg"; style="margin: 5px;" align="right">Well-planned digital signage campaigns support organizational culture and objectives, convey timely information, and inspire audiences to action. And, successful designs express excellence in both content and graphic arrangement. Winning entries can be from small or large organizations. They can be created by professional designers and communicators, or by students, administrators and HR assistants.<br> <br> A winning entry:</p> <ul> <li> Uses original, clever, and appealing design</li> <li> Communicates the message clearly</li> <li> Shows an understanding of the target audience</li> <li> Is optimized for the digital signage medium</li> <li> Includes a call to action</li> </ul> <p> <br> 2012 Expression Award winners will receive:</p> <ul> <li> An Apple iPad2</li> <li> A mounted, personalized Expression Award</li> <li> Recognition in Visix's e-newsletter and press release announcing winners</li> <li> Winning entry featured on Visix.com website, User Forum and Facebook page</li> <li> Use of the official 2012 Expression Award winner logo</li> </ul> <p> <strong>AWARD CATEGORIES</strong><br> <br> <strong>Best Still Design</strong><br> A still design is a flat, non-animated bulletin of any size or aspect ratio. Still bulletins should be submitted in their native aspect ratio in JPG or PNG formats.<br> <br> <strong>Best Motion Design</strong><br> A motion design is an animated graphic like videos or Flash animations. Motion entries should be submitted as AVI, MPEG 1 or 2, WMV or SWF files.<br> <br> <strong>Best Screen Design</strong><br> A screen design entry can be a combination of content elements on the display at one time (wallpaper, bulletin, motion content, data feed, weather, cable or streaming feed, etc.) or an interactive touchscreen design. Screen design entries should be submitted as a digital photo of a screen showing the entire layout. Minimum resolution for photos is 800×600.<br> <br> To enter, go here: <a href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html"; target="_blank">http://www.visix.com/expressionawards.html</a></p>; <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6552&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6552&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="Visix Seeking Entries for the Fifth Annual Visix Expression Awards!" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6552&t=Visix%20Seeking%20Entries%20for%20the%20Fifth%20Annual%20Visix%20Expression%20Awards%21"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6552&t=Visix%20Seeking%20Entries%20for%20the%20Fifth%20Annual%20Visix%20Expression%20Awards%21"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Visix Seeking Entries for the Fifth Annual Visix Expression Awards!" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Visix%20Seeking%20Entries%20for%20the%20Fifth%20Annual%20Visix%20Expression%20Awards%21:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6552"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=Visix%20Seeking%20Entries%20for%20the%20Fifth%20Annual%20Visix%20Expression%20Awards%21:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6552"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="Visix Seeking Entries for the Fifth Annual Visix Expression Awards!" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6552&title=Visix%20Seeking%20Entries%20for%20the%20Fifth%20Annual%20Visix%20Expression%20Awards%21"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6552&title=Visix%20Seeking%20Entries%20for%20the%20Fifth%20Annual%20Visix%20Expression%20Awards%21"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0106" _cke_saved_name="t0106"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>EPSON Intros New 7K-10K Lumen Projectors with Edge Blending</strong></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> <img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/epson-edgeblending-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/epson-edgeblending-0112.jpg"; style="margin: 5px;" align="right">Today Epson expanded its PowerLite Pro Z-series projector line with five new LCD models aimed at specific markets like education, HOW, rental and digital signage applications. All models come with edge blending, split screen capability, DICOM Simulation mode2, built-in alignment, plus two HDMI inputs, HD-SDI and VGA ports. Because they are stackable and side-by-side blockable, edge blending is fairly simple. This range of projectors is the first at this performance level for EPSON.<br> <br> The five models include:</p> <ul> <li> PowerLite Pro Z8450WUNL spec'd at 7,000 lumens and with a native WUXGA (1920×1200) resolution LCD in a white enclosure</li> <li> PowerLite Pro Z8455WUNL also spec'd at 7,000 lumens, WUXGA but in a black enclosure</li> <li> PowerLite Pro Z8350WNL spec'd at 8,500 lumens and WXGA (1280×768) resolution in a white enclosure</li> <li> PowerLite Pro Z8250NL spec'd at 10,000 lumens and XGA (1024×768) resolution in a white enclosure</li> <li> PowerLite Pro Z8255NL is also spec'd 10,000 lumens with XGA resolution in a black enclosure</li> </ul> <p> All five models have IP control, 10 memory blocks for set-up and display calibration, can be managed with EPSON's Easy Management network software (including copying set-up configuration for both install and rental/staging applications of many daisy-chained projectors) and are spec'd a a 5000:1 contrast ratio.<br> <br> You can see all the details here: <a href="http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/ProZ.do?iref=van_new-pro-z"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/ProZ.do?iref=van_new-pro-z"; target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/ProZ.do?iref=van_new-pro-z"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/ProZ.do?iref=van_new-pro-z"; target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/ProZ.do?iref=van_new-pro-z"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/ProZ.do?iref=van_new-pro-z"; target="_blank">http://www.epson.com/cgi-bin/Store/jsp/Landing/ProZ.do?iref=van_new-pro-z</a></p>; <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6591&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6591&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="EPSON Intros New 7K-10K Lumen Projectors with Edge Blending" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6591&t=EPSON%20Intros%20New%207K-10K%20Lumen%20Projectors%20with%20Edge%20Blending"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6591&t=EPSON%20Intros%20New%207K-10K%20Lumen%20Projectors%20with%20Edge%20Blending"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="EPSON Intros New 7K-10K Lumen Projectors with Edge Blending" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=EPSON%20Intros%20New%207K-10K%20Lumen%20Projectors%20with%20Edge%20Blending:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6591"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=EPSON%20Intros%20New%207K-10K%20Lumen%20Projectors%20with%20Edge%20Blending:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6591"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="EPSON Intros New 7K-10K Lumen Projectors with Edge Blending" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6591&title=EPSON%20Intros%20New%207K-10K%20Lumen%20Projectors%20with%20Edge%20Blending"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6591&title=EPSON%20Intros%20New%207K-10K%20Lumen%20Projectors%20with%20Edge%20Blending"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Catagory%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/ds_catheader_casestudy.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/ds_catheader_casestudy.jpg"; height="45" width="681"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="t0118" _cke_saved_name="t0118"> </a> <p><font style="font-size:18px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><strong>48-Screen “Social Tree” In Singapore</strong></font><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><br><br>By Dave Haynes<br><em>Editor, Sixteen:Nine</em></font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/169-Heineken-Social-Tree-0112.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/images/169-Heineken-Social-Tree-0112.jpg"; style="margin:5px;" align="right"> <p> This is a little after the fact – and I vaguely remember seeing a Tweet over the holidays about it – but nonetheless, here is word about a nice project in Singapore developed to promote the Heineken beer brand.</p> </font> <p><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> The Social Tree was an 11-meter tall faux Christmas tree erected under a canopy at Singapore’s Clarke Quay. There were 48 LCDs all synced together running content and what I assume were hand-selected posts from a dedicated Facebook page. The event ran for a little more than a week, shutting down Dec. 26.</font></p> <p><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">There is a photo gallery here: <a href="http://www.socialtree.sg"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.socialtree.sg"; target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.socialtree.sg"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.socialtree.sg"; target="_blank"></a><a href="http://www.socialtree.sg"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.socialtree.sg"; target="_blank">http://www.socialtree.sg</a></font><font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> </font></p> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <p> <iframe allowfullscreen="" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/4M0RxLGBvi4"; frameborder="0" height="315" width="560"></iframe></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6604&Itemid=187"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=6604&Itemid=187">Leave a Comment</a><p> <a target="blank" title="48-Screen “Social Tree” In Singapore" href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6604&t=48-Screen%20%E2%80%9CSocial%20Tree%E2%80%9D%20In%20Singapore"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.facebook.com/sharer.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6604&t=48-Screen%20%E2%80%9CSocial%20Tree%E2%80%9D%20In%20Singapore"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/fb-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="48-Screen “Social Tree” In Singapore" href="http://twitter.com/home?status=48-Screen%20%E2%80%9CSocial%20Tree%E2%80%9D%20In%20Singapore:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6604"; _cke_saved_href="http://twitter.com/home?status=48-Screen%20%E2%80%9CSocial%20Tree%E2%80%9D%20In%20Singapore:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6604"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/twit-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"></a> <a target="blank" title="48-Screen “Social Tree” In Singapore" href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6604&title=48-Screen%20%E2%80%9CSocial%20Tree%E2%80%9D%20In%20Singapore"; _cke_saved_href="http://www.linkedin.com/shareArticle?mini=true&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.ravepubs.com%2Frave2011%2Findex.php%3Foption%3Dcom_content%26view%3Darticle%26id%3D6604&title=48-Screen%20%E2%80%9CSocial%20Tree%E2%80%9D%20In%20Singapore"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/rave2011/images/in-small.png"; height="23" hspace="5" border="0" width="23"> </a> <br> <font style="font-size: 10px;" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif">Share Article</font> </p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Catagory%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/ds_catheader_thatsit.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/ds_catheader_headlinenews.jpg"; height="45" width="681"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="" _cke_saved_name=""> </a> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> So, that's rAVe DS [Digital Signage] for this month! Remember, we are here to HELP the AV market penetrate the DS market. Only 12 percent of the DS market is integrated by AV companies. The other 88 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.<br> <br> 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).<br> <br> Don't like us, then go away — unsubscribe! Just use the link below.<br> <br> To send me feedback, don't reply to this newsletter — instead, write directly to me at <a href="mailto:gary@ravepubs.com" _cke_saved_href="mailto:gary@ravepubs.com">gary@ravepubs.com</a> or for editorial ideas: Editor-in-Chief Sara Abrons at <a href="mailto:sara@ravepubs.com" _cke_saved_href="mailto:sara@ravepubs.com">sara@ravepubs.com</a><br> <br> 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.<br> <br> To read more about my background, our team, and what we do, go to <a href="https://www.ravepubs.com/"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com/"; target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com"; target="_blank"></a><a href="https://www.ravepubs.com"; _cke_saved_href="https://www.ravepubs.com"; target="_blank">https://www.ravepubs.com</a></p>; <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Link%20to%20Top%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="left"><font style="font-size:10px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"><a href="#top" _cke_saved_href="#top">Back to Top</a></font></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p align="center"><img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/div.jpg"; alt="" height="15" width="720"></p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Divider%20Image%20%2D%2D%3E–> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> <a name="" _cke_saved_name=""> </a> <font style="font-size:13px" face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif"> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20Start%20%2D%2D%3E–> <p> Copyright 2012 – rAVe [Publications] – All rights reserved – All rights reserved. For reprint policies, contact rAVe [Publications], 210 Old Barn Ln. – Chapel Hill, NC 27517 – (919) 969-7501. Email: <a href="mailto:sara@ravepubs.com" _cke_saved_href="mailto:sara@ravepubs.com">sara@ravepubs.com</a><br> <br> rAVe DS [Digital Signage] contains the opinions of the author only and does not necessarily reflect the opinions of other persons or companies or its sponsors.</p> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Text%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </font> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Article%20%2D%2D%3E–> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20Background%20End%20%2D%2D%3E–> </tr> <!–{cke_protected}{C}%3C!%2D%2D%20End%20of%20Main%20Body%20%2D%2D%3E–> </tbody></table> <table border="0" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" width="762"> <tbody><tr> <td> <img src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/bottom.jpg"; _cke_saved_src="https://www.ravepubs.com/utility/template/raveds/bottom.jpg"; height="32" width="762"> </td> </tr> </tbody></table> </td></tr></tbody></table><p></p> |
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