Volume 5, Issue 11 — November 21, 2013

Panasonic, the world’s largest manufacturer of plasma displays, will cease production because the consumer group just can’t sell enough plasma to make it price competitive (or profitable enough) against LCD-based LCD and traditional CFL-based LCD HDTVs. This is despite the fact that the professional division of Plasma has differentiated itself from the LCD market with large-format plasma as large as 103″ diagonal as well as one that’s touch-screen — the 85″ ProPlasma. And, they’re selling.

But with the volume of the consumer market driving most HDTV and monitor production lines, it’s clear that LCD (for now) is winning the TV war and, for the most part, the Korean manufacturers are winning in consumer TV markets with nearly a 45 percent market share, according to Reuters.

Here’s Panasonic’s entire professional Plasma portfolio.

(Side note: When I told some of the other press guys, who mostly only covered the MPS industry, that I was just there for digital signage and that I covered AV, they said, “Oh, so you are only here for the sexy stuff.” I thought they were kidding – and told them they needed to get out more — but they weren’t really. So yes, if you’re in the business of managed print services, AV is sexy. I digress.)

Toshiba’s digital signage software comes in the form of the Virtuoso, which is a touch display (available in various sizes), stand, integrated PC and customized Windows-based software geared to specific verticals such as hospitality, retail, medical and education. I demo’d this software at the conference, where it was set up for a Tesla car dealership retail setting, in which you could build your own Tesla, as well as in a hospitality application with wayfinding. I only had a few minutes to play with it, but the software was nice – intuitive GUI, attractive layout and design, no technical hiccups that I found.

The Virtuoso comes in several display sizes, starting with a 22” tabletop version and going up to a 70” display with a floor stand. To give you an idea of pricing, the 70” model with 15 hours of customization on the content is priced at about $32,000, with an extremely healthy dealer margin of 30 – 38 percent on that. The pricing is scaled if the end user wants to order multiple displays with the same software on it. There are additional revenue opportunities through maintenance contracts (for both hardware and software), plus additional content developments — billed per hour — and updates. Toshiba did say that the dealer is responsible for “installation,” but there will be third parties available to help if any resellers are “uncomfortable with that.” See a typical sale below:

This package is basically a single-screen system and clearly couldn’t meet the need for complex digital signage deployments on its own, but Toshiba says it has a solution for that called Experience Manager (powered by ComQi). Since I was unfortunately unable to stick around for the entire conference, I didn’t get to hear more about this would exactly work, but will report back when I know more.

So what does this mean for you, the AV integrator? There are multiple industries eyeing the digital signage market, which they all see as a big, juicy fruit ripe with possibilities – new customers, higher margins, recurring revenue, and just well, untapped money. That includes not just AV dealers and IT firms, but also MPS dealers, everyone in the print sign industry (all print-related trade shows have digital signage now) and in some cases, even the manufacturers themselves. You have a leg up over the print industries because you understand technical challenges and that solving them is the real value-add of a dealer, which manufacturers can’t really replace. You know you can learn the IT and networking side of the technology (though that won’t happen on its own — go get Cisco certified!). So what you really need to learn is how to sell services and not hardware.

The MPS guys DO know how to sell services and contracts. Toshiba said as much, and it felt confident its existing dealers, who really don’t know much about the technology behind digital signage, can SELL this system if Toshiba does the technical heavy lifting. (And I know firsthand what good salesmen they are — our company somehow ended up with a lengthy and apparently ironclad contract for a mediocre Canon printer and the only “services” the dealer offers is mailing us toner cartridges and surly technical support.)

In any case, if you’re an AV dealer, you may want to sign up with Toshiba, which wants to expand its network of dealers for digital signage, and will be happy to have you (I asked). And as for getting into the digital signage market, it looks like it’s only going to get more crowded. Better jump on it now.

Unfortunately there’s significant trepidation about 4K, so we face the challenge of demystifying the possibilities – explaining the opportunities surrounding an investment in a digital signage deployment that will fully harness the power of 4K in 2014 and beyond.

In much the same way the broadcast industry struggled with HD until 1080p content became commonplace, the digital signage industry will face a similar challenge as 4K begins to hit its stride. For this reason, it is critical that we help our customers future-proof their digital signage investment.

As an example, we had the pleasure of working with Seiki Digital at the IFA tradeshow in Berlin this fall. We partnered to deliver beautiful 1080p up-converted content to their 4K screens and the Seiki displays looked stunning. It was a simple yet powerful demonstration of the same 1080p content delivered to a Full HD display and a new 4K/UHD display side-by-side. The superior picture quality delivered by BrightSign to the 4K UHD screen was quite evident.

In the coming year, signage installations should include screens that are capable of displaying 4K content. The improvement in picture quality is nothing short of outstanding. And even though 4K content may initially be scarce, the screens paired with a media player capable of the highest quality video up-scaling can do a fantastic job of displaying existing Full HD content at 4K resolution.

There will be a lot of excitement around 4K in the coming year. This presents us with an opportunity to prove our worth to our customers – to counsel them on the possibilities for upgrading to 4K signage, and to deliver solutions that will scale seamlessly as they make the migration forward.

This column was reprinted with permission from the Digital Screenmedia Association and originally appeared here.

Let’s look at the first consideration — Why introduce advertising into the network? If the answer is revenue generation for no other reason than to make money, and that was the entire purpose of the network, then obviously a large proportion of advertising in the loop makes sense. Most likely this would be a commuter or elevator style network that is largely comprised of a newsfeed, a few network-focused spots and a lot of advertising.

In this case, the screen may be split and advertising could dominate the playlist. The only thing dictating frequency of play, etc., would be what was promised to the advertisers for their ad buy.

Keep in mind, while these forms of networks can work in high traffic areas, people will tune out an overload of advertising. So try and space the ads out with some content of a different nature — perhaps every third spot.

Another scenario is one in which a network was created by a retailer or institution for self-promotion and communication purposes. Sometimes owners of these networks turn to outside advertisers in order to offset the cost of network implementation and operation. The thing to remember in this instance is that advertising needs to be balanced with the host’s content. Too little advertising and you won’t generate enough revenue to offset the costs. Too much advertising and you won’t achieve your network objectives in terms of audience communication.

Figure out what your minimum required amount of advertising content is, and go from there. Try to achieve a balance where the ads are sprinkled throughout your playlist of host content, not the other way around. A good rule of thumb would be one minute of ad content for every three minutes of non-ad content.

In terms of the content itself – here are a few rules to remember:

• Make sure the advertising content has been created for a digital signage environment. For example, most networks do not have audio so simply running a broadcast ad will do little more than frustrate the audience.
• When creating or setting guidelines for the creation of ad content, stipulate that all assets used in the creation are of high resolution or high definition quality. Networks are comprised of high definition screens, and utilizing content of a lower definition quality will have terrible results.
• Spots should not be of a length longer than the host content. Very few networks have a captive audience parked in front of their screens for a significant amount of time, as such content needs to be developed in a way that can tell a story in a few glances. Between 10 and 30 seconds is a good standard, but it is really dictated by how well the message can be delivered visually. There shouldn’t be separate rules for ad content and host content. It’s all content on the network; it should be consistent.
• Though it certainly isn’t an easy ask, try to find advertisers that will resonate with the audience of the network. Try to ensure that the ad content they are viewing is of some relevance to their demographic or to their mindset when they are in the network environment.

Dave Dolejsi is senior digital content strategist at St. Joseph Content. With more than 13 years of communications and marketing experience, beginning as a national award-winning writer/photographer for Thomson Newspapers, Dolejsi has spent the past nine years developing the Alchemy brand for St. Joseph Content, a division of St. Joseph Communications, Canada’s largest privately held communications company. His specialty is strategic development, helping clients like Labatt, Bell, TD and Sears identify and develop digital ecosystems where individual campaigns become parts of a greater whole, where consumer audiences are engaged on many levels across a variety of media that ultimately ties them to brands beyond the Zero Moment of Truth — to a lifetime of brand loyalty.

This column was reprinted with permission from the Digital Signage Connection and originally appeared here.

The focus of this series “Power of Content” is to help people with content strategies and how they relate to digital screen media.

The gamification framework starts with the business and marketing objectives. These could range from attracting new customers to increasing basket size or simply promoting the brand. Next, what shopper behaviors will the game change and what metrics need to be collected to measure the results? For example, the business objective may be to increase sales but the behavior change may be to encourage return visits.

The most complex step is defining the personas of the desired players. Who are the shoppers who will be participating in the gamified activity and what is their relationship to the brand? This information is then used to design the game’s structure and determine what feedback will best motivate the players to engage in further actions. This includes rewards and other reinforcements the players could receive such as custom offers. But the most important element is offering a game that is fun. Ensuring that the gamified system is fun remains as important as the game design.

The final step is to determine how the player will engage with the game. Will it be on a mobile device or some other platform such as a large interactive screen at the Point of Purchase? The games used in a gaming digital destination can also be downloaded to the shopper’s smartphone to continue the connection once they leave the store.

The overall goal is to create compelling interactive applications using gamification to drive emotional connections across all screens. These include in-store touch-points, tablets, smartphones and online at home.

What shoppers remember about a Gaming Digital Destination experience is determined by the intensity of emotions created in specific moments – not the overall experience. For a digital experience to address the emotional equation, it must trigger one or more of the 8 psychological drivers. To do this for busy shopper’s in-store — one that encourages brand loyalty and advocacy — it’s essential to have a deep understanding of what triggers theses emotions and motivations that drive their brand preference and behavior. These rich media experiences serve to educate the consumer about products and services that are potentially not on their current shopping list. And gamification makes every customer visit an opportunity to create loyalty, add value and tell the brand story.

• SELF-CREATION is an emotion that reveals itself through creating, enhancing and expressing one’s identity by stimulating self-reflection, status, bragging rights and values.
• MASTERY is evoked by learning, performance and sharing. For example, consumer electronics is a category where knowledge transfer creates a feeling that the shopper has mastered a complex product.
• DREAMING is hope, inspiration, ambition and looking at the possibilities. To evoke this emotion one must create content that is relevant to these aspirations. Department stores that carry kitchen products and bedding and home improvement stores are great examples of locations where Digital Destinations can be created to inspire shoppers and encourage them to buy products that lead to their dream home, patio or deck.
• PLAYTIME is engaging in child like fun, expression and amusement.  The engagement that triggers this emotion needs to be entertaining and include aspects of creativity and stimulation. Although this can apply to many different types of products, certain ones are very good fits – like amusement parks and cruise lines.
• SPORT Similar to playtime is sport, which drives the emotion of adventure, being on the hunt, competitive contests and strategic. Sport is pursuing a goal with enthusiasm and then completing that goal with a sense of personal achievement.
• CONNECTION develops, maintains and deepens relationships that help the customer feel like they have bonded with the brand and belong to a special group. Deepening the relationship with the members is best done by offering free samples, coupons and free downloads of music for example.
• SANCTUARY represents a safe, calming escape and relaxed emotions.  When a shopper is rushing around, the location can create this emotion which helps slow down the shopper’s pace and provides an opportunity to introduce the brand message.
• SECURITY Preparedness, replenishment and nesting are key factors that evoke the emotion of security.
  Creating content that is relevant to these emotions will be helpful to the shopper, engage them in the right type of game and ultimately create a conversation with the brand and the shopper while driving more
  
  sales.

Author and speaker Keith Kelsen, chief visionary at 5th Screen, is considered one of the leading experts on digital media. More information about his book, Unleashing the Power of Digital Signage – Content Strategies for the 5th Screen, published by Focal Press, can be found on the book’s companion website here. Reach him at keith.kelsen@5thscreen.com or on Twitter.

So it is important to provide the viewer something for their attention, but the entire reason you have digital screens in place is to deliver your message. To the point that entertainment content helps deliver your message, it should be used.

As to the percentage, let’s take a look at other media: Television provides roughly 75 percent content and 25 percent advertising. Radio varies but averages about 65 percent content and 35 percent advertising. Magazines, when they can do so, fill 60 percent of their pages with ads and 40 percent with editorial content.

Before settling on how digital out-of-home should compare, we need to identify one big difference. The audiences of the above mediums choose to watch, listen or read. In our case, we are often broadcasting at them and looking to grab their attention.

I contend that the balance of advertising versus the editorial/entertainment content should follow closer to magazines and a 50/50 split. We can’t boast the quality of content experience of broadcast, and radio’s ratio is simply not enough to meet our objectives.

Once you have your percentage set, the other major factor is how you program your loop to ensure you grab attention AND deliver your message. If you have someone in front of your screen for two minutes, you can’t play a 2:30 entertainment spot and believe you are meeting your objectives.

Like other mediums, we also don’t know how long we’ll have them. Television has some likelihood that it can expect a certain number of its viewers will watch a complete show. Radio may have an understanding of the average time of a commute to work and magazine publishers, well, they just tell their advertisers everyone looks at every page, cross their fingers and hope they believe it.

With digital out-of-home, we need to understand the dwell time (the time we have someone in the vicinity of the screen with an opportunity to watch) and plan accordingly.

If you have someone at a gas pump, you can assume you’ve got the time it takes to fill up the gas tank. You should select media that is short and sweet so that they are entertained by a short clip and also are delivered two or three advertisements during the same time.

So create that value-exchange with your viewer. Give them short segments of interesting information or entertainment, but only toward the goal of ensuring your messages are delivered as well.

This article was reprinted with permission from the Digital Signage Connection and originally appeared here.

As founder and head content chef of Screenfeed, Mr. Gavin is passionate about making high-quality, licensed content accessible as a tool for those implementing digital signage. His company Screenfeed provides custom-produced news, infotainment, weather, traffic, sports stats and video shorts delivered over the cloud for plug-n-play usage in digital signage software.

A member of the DSE advisory board content council, Jeremy Gavin offered this tip in his response to Ask the Board on Sept. 30, 2013: “If a digital signage network is used for advertising or promotion, what would you recommend as the best ratio of ad spots to relevant interstitial content, the maximum length for individual ad spots and the frequency of ad spots in the playloop?” Find more content tips from DSE’s advisory board here.

This innovation will further unlock the potential of LED integration into surfaces and definitely adds an exciting dimension to interior design and space planning. Very, very cool!

It will start in the EMEA market and make its way across the world to all markets by the end of 2014. In addition to this, a joint development agreement has been signed focusing on a seamless integration of this solution

The applications for this are endless. Think: Emergency lighting in a fire or building evacuation scenario; digital signage advertising in a convention center, mall or airport; wayfinding in a building, airport or college campus building. Think advertising!

Philips is here and Desso can be found here.

The (1920×1080 resolution) 1080p native X 46 features LED-backlighting (spec’d at 500cd/m2 brightness), which decreases energy consumption and total cost of ownership, and comes with built-in speakers, a carbon footprint meter, a scheduler and internal temperature sensors with self-diagnosis tools and fans. Another notable feature is the Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) slot; it simplifies the installation process and makes the maintenance of digital signage content much easier.

Here are all the specs.

The categories for the content awards were Point of Sale, which is all about content on screens in store catering to the shopper; Point of Transit, which is all about reaching people are on the go, such as at airports and with digital billboards; and Point of Wait, for places where people have dwell time such as banks, elevators, and doctor’s offices. Within each of the three main categories are sub-categories for budget: over $10,000 and under $10,000 (content cost only).

The winners are:

Category – Point of Sale (content budget of $10,000 or more)

• Gold: Mercedes-Benz USA AMG Performance Center Digital Display, submitted by All Things Media
• Silver: Palacio De Hierro Design Screen Environment, submitted by SSL Digita
• Bronze: Avatar Virtual Banca Digital Banamex, submitted by SSL Digital

Category – Point of Sale (content budget less than $10,000)

• Gold: Dee Daa Restaurants, submitted by Arsenal Media
• Silver: Texas/Church’s Chicken, submitted by WAND Corporation

Category – Point of Transit ($10,000 or more)

• Gold: DTE Energy, submitted by EWI Worldwide
• Silver: Mont-Tremblant Informational Kiosk, submitted by Groupe Viva

Category – Point of Transit (less than $10,000)

• Gold: Taco Bell Interactive DOOH Campaign, submitted by Aerva

Category – Point of Wait ($10,000 or more)

• Gold: Christie Headquarters Lobby, submitted by Arsenal Media
• Silver: Gensler Multi-Surface Experience, submitted by The Hive
• Bronze: Adobe Executive Motion Experience, submitted by Array Interactive

Category – Point of Wait (less than $10,000)

• Gold: Sprint Mobile Controls LCD Screen Product Video, submitted by Two West
• Silver: Sprint MOGA Pocket Controller Product Video, submitted by Two West
• Bronze: FWi Corporate Communications Network, submitted by Four Winds Interactive

Judges for the DSA Crown Awards included Manolo Almagro of TPN, Michael Chase of St. Joseph Content, Paul Flanigan of DSA, Pat Hellberg of The Preset Group, Keith Kelsen of 5th Screen, and Anne White of HypeHouse.

The 3M MT7.14.0 driver for 32-bit and 64-bit versions of Microsoft Windows 7 is available now as a free download driver from the 3M website.

The following 3M Multi-Touch Display products are supported:

• 3M Multi-Touch Display C4667PW (46″)
• 3M Multi-Touch Display C3266PW (32″)
• 3M Multi-Touch Display C2167PW (21.5″)
• 3M Multi-Touch Display C2256PW (22″)
• 3M Multi-Touch Display M2767PW (27″)
• 3M Multi-Touch Display M2467PW (24″)
• 3M Multi-Touch Display M2167PW (21.5″)
• 3M Multi-Touch Display M1866PW (18.5″)

The following Matrox multi-display products are supported:

• Matrox DualHead2Go external multi-monitor adapters
• Matrox TripleHead2Go external multi-monitor adapters
• Matrox M-Series add-in graphics cards
• Matrox Mura MPX video wall controller boards
• Matrox Extio KVM extenders

In addition to its multi-stage surge protection technology, the MultiPak includes COUVS (Catastrophic Over/Under Voltage Shutdown) to insures multi-panel displays will not sustain catastrophic damage from having too little or too much power voltage coming from the AC line and SurgeX ICE (Inrush Current Elimination) technology with zero cross turn-on removes the need for time delay circuit breakers or startup sequencing.

The MultiPak is designed to be concealed within the mounting system as it’s thin and low-profile and it’s rated to handle 15 Amp loads.

For complete specs, click here.

The first product in a series of planned products is ISIS 3D (as in Illuminated Suspended Image System 3D), a transparent, 3D look coupled with a light-emanating design. This sign allows for glowing brand names, logos and art to shine in a slim, low voltage, lightweight profile.

The ISIS Sign System comes in 15 standard fluorescent Colors (Optical White, Canary Yellow, Orange, Rocket Red, Purple Haze, Deep Blue, Invisible Blue, Turquoise and Candy to name a few). The company has a full color compounding laboratory at our disposal for custom color formulations. It offers six different sizes in rectangle and 4-inch square. And the signs weigh in the range from 6 to 12 pounds.

The ISIS signs are not designed to be placed in direct sunlight. The maker says in an indoor application the Fluorescent colors of ISIS should “easily” last 20 years.

The ISIS Sign System brightness is in most environments very similar (only in strong or direct sunlight is Neon is brighter). Neon is a bent glass tube, so almost all Neon looks similar. Isis Sign can be molded in any shape desired with energy consumption 80-85 percent less than Neon. The Isis Sign System operates on 12 volts and only draws 10-20 watts, much less than Neon.

While most manufacturers of LED lights claim their product last 100,000 hours (more than 11 years running 24 hours a day) We feel our LED lights will last a minimum of 5 to 7 years (24 hours a day) before needing to be easily and inexpensively replaced. The amount of UV light (375 nanometers UV-A) emanating within the sign is between 12-20 watts depending on the required sign size. That is equivalent to a 15 watt BLB fluorescent tube. Please keep in mind that this small amount of UV light stays within the confines of the sign structure.

The company has been designing UV Lighting for more than 25 years and manufactures in California, in an ISO 9001-2008 certified UL registered facility.

Here are all the details.

New for 2014, DSE has added a Professional & Personal Services category to differentiate services provided by banks, insurance companies, accounting firms, brokerages, and salons from the general retail category. The definition of the “Interactive Self-Service” category has also been broadened to include submissions from the burgeoning automated retail sector

To qualify, nominees must have a new or current digital signage or interactive technology program installed between Nov. 1, 2012, and Nov. 1, 2013. Submissions deadline is Fri., Oct. 4, 2013, and forms are available here.

Nominations will be evaluated by a panel of independent judges on the basis of:

• Challenge – The size, scope or unique requirements of the deployment and what problems had to be solved or overcome to ensure successful implementation.
• Solution – The degree to which the solution was “cutting edge” (new, unique, or innovative).
• Result – The quantitative extent to which the digital signage or interactive technology deployment benefited the viewer and achieved the installation’s goals.

Nominees remain the venue where the installation was deployed. The nominating companies can be the venues themselves, the technology providers that provided the installation hardware and software, the architects and design firms who conceived the project, as well as the system integrators who did the installation.

The 5th Annual Apex & Content Awards Dinner will be held on Wed., Feb. 12th from 7:00-9:00 p.m.

Other features include:

• A turn knob to allow a single user to easily adjust the screen height 48-65” (122-165 centimeters)
• Flexible cable covers for lay-in access anywhere along the column
• Room for internal storage of AV components, including hardware to vertically mount 2 RUs of AV gear
• Black or silver finish

Here are all the details.

Tuesday, February 11th – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Digital Signage Certified Expert (DSCE)
Designed for anyone whose professional involvement requires a full understanding of all the elements of digital signage and the interconnected technologies that produce the images on-screen.

Programa de Certificacion Senalizacion Digital en Espanol (DSCE)
Designed to provide US and visiting Spanish-speaking attendees with the same opportunity to achieve a full understanding of all the elements of digital signage and the interconnected technologies that produce the images on-screen.

Friday, February 14th – 9 a.m. – 5 p.m.

Digital Signage Content & Media Expert Program (DCME)
Designed for content creators and managers, this program addresses how content fits into a digital signage or DOOH system, what makes content most effective in this medium, the cost of content, and how to measure it.

Digital Signage Display Expert Program (DSDE)
Designed for those who are responsible for video outputs and need a better understanding of each calibration technology and the key elements that can be adjusted with one another and within the environment in which they exist.

Courses eligible for certification renewal credits at DSE 2014 include these and all 28 approved seminars on the DSE general conference program.

DSEG certification information is available here. Registration for the pre- or post-show certifications programs, or any of the educational programs at DSE, which are eligible for certification renewal credits, is available here.

The latest innovation enables glass emitters to produce sound and is being developed for applications in tablets, personal computers, mobile devices, televisions and commercial video displays. HyperSound has been installed in numerous commercial applications worldwide and has pilots underway for new commercial applications.
The audio systems reproduce standard audio content through patented and patent-pending processing and control electronics that reproduce audio in the air along an ultrasonic beam. The beam is generated by custom patented and patent-pending emitters, analogous to speakers in conventional audio systems.

The company’s technology is being marketed in three sectors: consumer markets (for PCs, gaming, TVs, home theater and handhelds), commercial markets (for digital signage, kiosks and retail stores) and health care (for an out-of-ear solution being developed for the hearing impaired.) It has also filed 15 additional provisional patent applications with the USPTO this month.

Parametric Sound Corporation’s website is here.

Specified at 700 cd/m2, and a high contrast ratio of 3000:1, the DSD-5028 consumes 40 watts of power while LCD displays with similar sizes usually require at least 200 watts, saving more than 50 percent on power consumption. Inputs include VGA and DVI for video and RS232 for control.

Here are all the specs.

The 5″ wide x 3″ deep player is designed to be mounted behind an HD display or mounting system and full specs are here.

The G Two active two-way loudspeaker has a rounded form (like the rest of the G Series) and uses the Genelec Directivity Control Waveguide (DCW) formed around the high-frequency driver is designed to match the frequency response and directivity characteristics of the two drivers.

G Two Specifications:

• Maximum sound pressure: 96 dB per loudspeaker at 1 meter
• Frequency response: 65 – 21000 Hz (-3 dB)
• Drivers: Bass 4″ + Treble 0.75″ metal dome + DCW
• Amplifier power: Bass 20W + Treble 20W
• Dimensions: H x W x D: 9.53″ x 5.94″ x 5.59″ with Iso-Pod (242 x 151 x 142 millimeters)
• Weight: 8.16″ (3.7 kg)

Here are rest of the specs on the G Two.

NEC’s V652-TM display offers digital signage users interactive capabilities with full-HD resolution at a cost-conscious price. Within the Touch-Integrated V Series bezel is an integrated, low-profile, four-camera optical-imaging technology that allows for up to six simultaneous touches. Its anti-reflective glass coating protects the panel and allows for higher brightness transmittance.

The new touch-Integrated V Series model includes the following features:

• Commercial-grade LCD panel and components
• 1920×1080 native resolution, 16:9 aspect ratio, 430 cd/m2 (maximum brightness), and 4000:1 contrast ratio
• 4-camera optical-imaging technology, which supports up to six simultaneous touches
• Integrated, double-sided anti-reflective glass protects the LCD panel, while minimizing reflectivity
• DisplayPort, HDMI and DVI-D
• Networking capabilities through RS232C, RJ45, IR Remote and DDC/CI inputs
• Built-in expansion slot for Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) devices
• Built-in, low-profile 10-watt speakers
• Optional accessories, which include stands, 3G/HD/SD-SDI card, DVI daisy chain, OPS devices, OPS adapter (required for use with OPS adapters) and external PCs

The V652-TM will list for $7,499 and ship later this month. Here are the details.

The V 46 and V 55 are LED-backlit include internal temperature sensors and fans to keep the screens cool and to extend their lifespan and include the digital signage standard Open Pluggable Specification (OPS)-compliant slots for easy installation and management of digital signage content. The displays also are offered with Dispersive Signal Technology (DST), a single-touch technology suited to wayfinding applications.

More details are here.

The Digital Signage Fundamentals Seminar Program, to be held at the Sands Expo & Convention Center in Las Vegas, Feb. 12-13, 2014, is part of DSE’s seven-track Educational Conference and is designed specifically for those DOOH network operators of both revenue- and non-revenue generating systems, digital signage (DS) end-users, and systems integrators and installers who are relatively new to the industry. This educational track is intended to provide an introduction to the DS industry with emphasis on the conference theme, Achieving Digital Signage ROI Success.

Topics to be covered include:

• What You’re Afraid to Ask…but Need to Know!
• Articulating Objectives & Realizing Tangible ROI: Point/Counterpoint
• Fundamentals of Digital Signage Content
• How to Navigate a Successful RFI/RFP Process…in 100 Steps or Less

Instruction will consist of “how to” and “need to know” presentations and interactive discussions that are easy to understand and immediately applicable. Each session will be led by professionals who will be sharing hard-earned experience and come from a variety of disciplines within DOOH networks, as well as end-users from the retail and advertising agency fields, along with knowledgeable industry consultants and technology providers.

Richard Lebovitz, educational director for Exponation, LLC, which produces DSE, said, “The DS Fundamentals Track is targeted primarily at attendees who come to DSE to learn how to get started,” but he acknowledged that, “it is a track that also remains popular with repeat attendees who want to revisit some of the basics from time to time.”

For industry newcomers who want to fully immerse themselves in digital signage, DSE 2014 offers the full day Digital Signage Certified Expert (DSCE) course in both English and Spanish.

Registration for the Digital Signage Fundamentals Seminar Program, or any of DSE 2014 educational conference seminars, which are eligible for certification renewal credits, is available online here.

P Series are commercial-grade displays aimed at harsh install environments, including quick-service restaurants, airports, public information areas, healthcare facilities and retail stores. Integrated with internal temperature sensors with self-diagnostics and fan-based technology to prevent overheating. These 1920×1090 displays are spec’d at 700 cd/m2 brightness and are the first with a built-in NFC sensor. A human sensor accessory can be both an energy saver and enabler of creativity.

The displays also support two expansion slots — one with Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) technology and a second slot for additional connectivity.  The OPS slot adheres to the Intel specification for standardizing and simplifying slot-oriented digital signage installations.  The second slot allows for customizable input options.

Inputs include DisplayPort, VGA, HDMI and LAN ports. The displays offer PiP capability, IR lock and can be daisy chained. The P403, P463, P553 and P703 are priced at $1,449, $1,829, $2,699 and $8,399, respectively.

Here are all the specs.

It’s actually capable of extending two HD video outputs, or one 2K/4K video, plus keyboard, mouse, stereo analog audio and USB 2.0 devices over a single duplex LC-LC fiber-optic cable up to 400 meters in multimode and 4 kilometers in single mode. Extension of 4K video at 30Hz is ideal for preview and playback of Ultra-HD video content.

Here are the product specs.

In his address titled, “Digital Signage Futurecasting: Insights & Predictions,” Avalos will talk about trends and challenges facing those operating in this space as well as take a pragmatic look at the industry today and then project that picture 5, 10 and 20 years ahead using insights developed in Intel’s internal Digital Signage Futurecasting project — a process that combines social science, technical research, statistical data, global interviews and even a little science fiction to model a realistic, fact-based vision of where we are headed, and the technologies and capabilities we will need to be successful.

Avalos and his team have collaborated closely with leading brands on many of the breakthrough initiatives in digital signage pointing the way to the industry’s future — the Future of Retail with WPP, the Future of Play with the Lego Group, interactive in-store digital shopping with Adidas, and intelligent dispensing with Kraft and Costa Coffee, to mention a few — and in his keynote he will share his insights on what’s been learned from those engagements.

Richard Lebovitz, editorial and education director of ExpoNation LLC, which produces DSE said, “Attendees will appreciate that José Avalos is a highly respected digital signage veteran whose experience, anecdotal insights and long view of our industry’s future will ensure a rich learning experience.” He added, “Moreover, the Futurecasting research he’s in a position to share is unique to our industry and is sure to be thought-provoking and eye-opening.”

Here’s a complete wrap-up of our 2013 DSE coverage (including over 500 product videos).

You can register for the show and the keynote here.

“It makes the guest experience more consistent, even down to the numbering of menu options. The digital board looks nice. It’s crisp. We see a number of potential benefits,” says Shawn Eby, vice president for operations at Taco John’s. “The efficiencies would also extend to labor costs. Digital boards are easier and quicker to maintain. One person can remotely update multiple locations.”

The companies are also testing a digital menu board located inside a Taco John’s in Ft. Collins, Colo. Panasonic monitors the performance of both boards from a network operations center (NOC) located in Ohio. Technicians provide remote diagnostics and troubleshooting, along with remote rebooting and repair capabilities.

“The QSR market is fiercely competitive. For this reason, it’s critical that restaurants incorporate reliable, durable technology solutions that help operators provide the highest level of service while also driving repeat business, both in-store and in the drive thru,” said Rick Albert, VP retail & media solutions for Panasonic. “With its digital menu board pilot, Taco John’s demonstrates its dedication to creating greater operational efficiencies, boosting sales and enhancing the overall customer experience.”

To deliver on that promise, the digital boards, especially the one located in the drive-thru, will have to withstand rigorous testing — not just from customers and restaurant employees — but also from Wyoming’s weather.

“It has to withstand direct sunlight, strong winds, extreme temperatures, rain and snow,” says Eby. “Panasonic is monitoring all of these things. We want to see how well it can hold up.”

According to Panasonic, the test conditions at the Taco John’s in Cheyenne are made to order. The company says the 47-inch Professional LCD Display brings 1,000 cd/m2 of brightness, IP44-level dust and water resistance and a reputation for operating efficiently in harsh conditions.

Eby expects testing of the outdoor digital display will continue for several more months, providing plenty of opportunities to see if it performs as well in the winter months as it did during the summer.