Dayparting in digital signage terms, means scheduling messages or content based on the time of the day to target different types of audiences. This is very similar to how TV advertisers reach their audiences. For example, on Saturday morning they schedule to play cartoon for the kids, sports on the afternoon and news or movies at night.

Now this is possible with digital signage when your software application allows you to schedule different types of content based on date and time of the day.

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Post tags: Cartoon, Cl, digital signage, Digital Software, Kids Sports, Saturday Morning, Scheduling, Software Application, Time Of The Day, Tv Advertisers, Types Of Audiences, What This Means

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Post tags: Audio Video, Bose, Clips Video, Digital Music System, digital signage, Interactive Marketing, iphone, Ipod, klip, lcd screen, Marketing System, Sounddock, speakers, Video Clip, Video Clips

• They use a Vertical Full HD 65″ Transparent display. We don’t know the brand of the display. Does anyone know?
• The products behind the display can be seen through the glass. It would be cool if the screen will display information or content relating to the product that was purchased i.e Did you know…
• When the system is not being used it will display a large digital clock with animations to attract the attention of people passing by. If the animations are cool and has some humour I think it will definitely attract attention.
• You can also simultaneously see high definition text pictures and animation. It appears that the screen images/text are just in black.
• The system is driven by Intel Sandy bridge core. For more information about this processor see this link: http://software.intel.com/en-us/articles/sandy-bridge/
• It also uses the Intel (they purchased the company Cognovision) Audience Impression Metric or otherwise known as AIM which is used to determine Anonymous facial recognition. The system will be able to determine the person’s gender (male or female), age and then display ads that is relevant to that person by using a camera attached at the top of the vending machine. I think it would have made more sense enclosing the camera as part of the vending machine rather than just having a webcam stuck at the top.
• In the demo, the company is suggesting that the vending machines can be used to purchase luxury items such as cosmetics and wine. I can just see the high insurance bill for this.
• The machine also has a public safety mode which can be used in times of emergency, which will show information such as the emergency routes. What would be cool and exciting to see is if the vending machine turn into a robot and usher you to a safe spot.
• There are many possibilities and opportunities with this solution. It’s all up to our imagination.

Now here’s the video:

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2012. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: Animations, Clever Concept, Digital Clock, Emergency Routes, Facial Recognition, Gender Male, Hd, High Definition, Humour, Insurance Bill, Intel, Japanese Company, Luxury Items, Public Safety, Robot, Safe Spot, Screen Images, Software Intel, Vending Machine, Vending Machines

One of our Sydney readers sent us a photo of a mobile phone charging station with a digital screen.

The company that developed this innovative system is actually from Australia and they are called ChargedMedia. Their idea is to provide a means of charging your mobile phone power for free but there’s a twist, you will be exposed to ads whilst you wait for the phone to charge. Now that’s quite a clever idea.

If you have klips you would like to share with the rest of our readers let us know by sending an email to info@digitalsignageblog.com

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Post tags: australia, Charging Station, Clever Idea, digital signage, Display Advertising, email, Free Mobile, Free Mobile Phone, Innovative System, klip, Photo Station, Sydney

We hardly hear about the smaller companies launching their unique and innovative digital signage solutions and this year we want to recognise the quiet achievers. So if you’re a small business, let us know about your digital signage project so we can share this with the rest of the digital signage industry.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: Developers, digital signage network, Digital Signage Solutions, Digital Solutions, Quiet Achievers, Signage Industry, Signage Project, Small Business, Smaller Companies

According to a-smil.org they describe SMIL as:

SMIL (pronounced “smile”) stands for “Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language” and defines scheduling (“Synchronized”), video, audio, images, text (“Multimedia”), multi-zone screen layout (“Integration”) in an XML-based text file format (“Language”). It is an open specification (royalty-free to use) created by the World-Wide Web Consortium, the same organization responsible for defining the HTML language, an open standard for the Internet. Products that utilize SMIL are available from leading companies such as Adobe, Apple, Microsoft, and Real Networks.

Digital signage deals with scheduling multimedia files for playback on digital displays connected on an IP network. The industry has roots tracing back for a few decades, but has recently expanded rapidly due to the proliferation of low-cost flat panel displays that are easy to install and maintain in public space. As the market expands out of the “emerging” status, mainstream customers demand compatibility and interoperability among products from different vendors. SMIL appears to be an ideal technology to answer the needs of the industry.

So basically, SLIM digital signage players are small form factor PCs that use this open standard. The purpose of using SLIM is compatability and the ability to reuse playlists and information across digital signage networks with different brands/model.

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Post tags: Adobe Apple, Apple Microsoft, Audio Images, Compatability, digital signage networks, Flat Panel Displays, Html Language, Internet Products, Ip Network, Leading Companies, Mainstream Customers, Multi Zone, Multimedia Files, Multimedia Integration Language, Public Space, Real Networks, Screen Layout, Smil, Synchronized Multimedia Integration, Synchronized Multimedia Integration Language, Wide Web Consortium, World Wide Web Consortium

Net Display Systems BV (NDS), manufacturer of digital signage software have closed a loan of approximately 1 million euro (1.33 million dollar) for financing its growth plans of 2012 and beyond. The loan will be provided by ABN Amro Bank. Jasper Verriet of ABN Amro Bank comments: “NDS showed a very strong and clean balance sheet and proved it was and still is beating the market.”

“We are very pleased with this agreement as it will enable us to accelerate our current market expansion plan.” – says Louis van Geldrop, founder and CEO of NDS. Use of proceeds will be to penetrate the Western-European market even further, while also opening branch offices in the United States and Middle East.

NDS also plans to hire additional executives, tighten strategic partnerships with some of its current channel partners. Peter de Jong, business partner manager for North America: “We explored the US market in 2011. Our next priority is to find sales executives for the United States branch office”. NDS considers local representation to be a requirement for accomplishing growth in new geographical markets.

NDS will broadcast a webinar on December 21st in which it will provide further details on the growth plan. If you’re interested to join this webinar please sign up here.

advertise me is one of NDS channel partners in Australia and have rolled out and installed PADS for several companies. They look forward to further tighten their strategic partnerships.

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Post tags: Abn Amro Bank, Balance Sheet, Business Partner, Bv, Channel Partners, Current Market, Digital Signage Software, Euro 1, Exciting News, Expansion Plan, Geldrop, Geographical Markets, Jasper, Market Expansion, Partner Manager, Peter De Jong, Sales Executives, Software Company, Strategic Partnerships, Use Of Proceeds, webinar

Although they do come with a price, they are so much easier to install and configure.

Here’s some information of the screens: (source: http://www.samsung.com/hk_en/consumer/computer-peripherals/monitors/consumer/LS23A300BS/XK/index.idx?pagetype=prd_detail&tab=specification&subsubtype=series-3-led):

Display

• Screen Size: 23″(16:9)
• Resolution: 1920 x 1080
• 250cd/? Brightness
• Contrast Ratio: Mega DCR (Static 3000:1)
• 5ms Response time
• Viewing Angle(Horizontal/Vertical): 170?/160?
• 16.7 Million Color Supported

Features

• Support Eco Saving, Multi Screen S/W, MagicAngle, MagicBright3, MagicColor, Off Timer, Magic Tune, Customized Key, Image Size, DVI with HDCP
• Compatible with Mac
• Cabinet Color: Black

Stand

• Use Simple stand

Monitor equipped with Samsung’s unique color engine and White LED-backlight (WLED), has higher color accuracy requirements, color temperature and brightness. The new monitors’ highest response time is 5ms and also features MEGA DCR technology, which enhances dynamic contrast 5,000,000:1 in textural images. Diversified “Magic” functions allow you to extend its viewing angle so the screen always appears as if viewed face-on.

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Post tags: 5kg, Accuracy Requirements, Color Accuracy, Color Temperature, Computer Peripherals, Consumer Computer, Dimension Product, Dvi, Dynamic Contrast Ratio, Image Size, Input Video Signal, lcd screens, Magic Tune, Power Adaptor, power consumption, Series 3, Shipment Weight, Signal Input, Sync Signal, Wled

Here’s a picture of a small screen located in a lift showing live TV:

If you have klips you would like to share with the rest of our readers let us know by sending an email to info@digitalsignageblog.com

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Post tags: Bathrooms, digital signage, email, Hotels, Klips, live tv, Public Venues, Reception Areas, restaurants, retail stores, Shopping Centres, Toilets, Train Stations

Here’s the image in the Darling Harbour Shopping Centre in Sydney Australia:

If you have klips you would like to share with the rest of our readers let us know by sending an email to info@digitalsignageblog.com

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Post tags: Darling Harbour, digital signage, email, Image, Klips, led screen, Led Screens, Shopping Australia, Shopping Centre, Shopping Centres, Sydney Australia

Microsoft Remote Desktop

The first tool is the built in Microsoft Remote Desktop. This needs to be enabled in your Operating System by going to Control Panel – System – Remote Tab and click “Allow Connections from Computers running any version of Remote Desktop” for less secure connections or “Allow Connections only from computer running Remote Desktop with Network Level Authentication” for more secure connections.

We generally use this tool on the server. The advantages of using this is that it’s slightly faster than the second tool. There is also an option to connect your local drives to your remote pc which is great for transferring files.

VNC

There are several flavours of VNC (http://www.realvnc.com/) This software tool provides remote control of your digital signage player and basically allows you to see and interact with your digital signage software across any network. The one we use is called tightvnc (http://www.tightvnc.com/) and it is free for personal and commercial use. For managing the players, we recommend using this tool rather than remote desktop since it does not lock the remote PC.

For both tools, you’ll need to make sure you have the relevant ports enabled on your firewall.

With VNC there seems to be a limit to 8 characters for the password but either way both tools are highly recommended.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: Authentication, Basic Tools, Control Digital, Control Panel, Control System, digital signage player, Digital Signage Software, Firewall, Flavours, Free Tools, microsoft, Microsoft Player, Microsoft Remote Desktop, Microsoft Windows Operating System, Nbsp, Pc Tools, Playes, ports, Pros And Cons, Remote Control, Remote Desktop, Signage Solution, Software Tool, Tool, Transferring Files, Two Tools, Vnc, Windows Operating System, Windows Player

2. Repetition – Make sure to repeat your key message at the beginning and end of a segment. You may also want to consider using more than one segment to deliver the same message in different ways.

3. Call to Action – A call to action will tell your audience exactly what you want them to do and how you want them to do it. Start with a verb and keep the subject close to it, such as in the phrase “Ask a salesperson for details.” Then let your audience know when and where the action will take place, if applicable. You should also give information that allows them to act, such as a telephone number or Web URL.

4. Use Images Wisely – Complicated visual elements can easily draw attention away from an important message. On the other hand, simple, relevant images can be pleasing to the eye and help viewers remember the message.

5. Aesthetics Matter – Pay attention to aesthetic details such as font and color contrast. You should always use sans-serif fonts because they are the easiest to read. Likewise, high contrast between the foreground and background on a screen can make the content easy on the eyes.

7. Timing – The amount of time it takes to convey your message must be the same as the amount of time it takes a viewer to read it. If it takes a viewer 6 seconds to pass a screen, then he or she will probably only be able to read the screen for 4 seconds, which means that you have 4 seconds to convey your message.6. Text Size Over Screen Size – While it may seem that a big screen will be able to grab more attention, the message is ultimately the most important element of a digital sign. As you can see in the picture below, larger text on the same screen is more noticeable.

8. Display – It’s important to consider the field of viewing your audience will have. You should make sure that you position digital signs in places where they will be seen by as many people as possible, but that depends on the space you display them in. A screen placed higher up will be visible in a large area with lots of foot traffic, such as an airport. However, in narrow spaces like the aisles of a grocery store, screens tend to work better at eye level.

9. Know the Support Format – Due to the wide variety of formats available for images and video, you need to make sure that you presentation will work on all of your devices. The universal formats for images are JPEG and PNG. For videos, it’s generally easiest to stream a video you upload on YouTube, or to download a video from a cloud storage server and save it on your local display.

10. Test the Final Product – This may be the most important thing you do before officially putting your presentation on display to the public. First, you need to ensure that what you see on your computer screen is still effective and readable on the actual screen you will use, both in terms of the size of the screen and the distance from which people will read it. You should also consider the aspect ratio – perhaps the screen that will display your message is proportionally much wider than your computer screen. Most presentation software will have settings to help you easily change the aspect ratio. Finally, it is essential that you check spelling and grammar, because any errors could compromise the integrity of your message.

About the Guest Blogger:

Chuck Lorrell is a construction management enthusiast who writes about various topics including everything related to construction and is the owner of the site Construction Management>.

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Post tags: Aesthetic Details, Aesthetics, Amount Of Time, Color Contrast, Different Ways, digital signage, Easy On The Eyes, Foreground And Background, Headline Style, High Contrast, Pay Attention, Phrases, Relevant Images, Repetition, Salesperson, Sans Serif, Scre, Sentences, Single Word, Visual Elements, Web Url

• Hardware rental of the LCD Screen, Stand and Digital Signage player
• Transportation of the goods to and from the exhibition hall
• Installation of the system and removal at the end of the event
• Template Design
• Management and Monitoring of the digital signage solution – we were able to monitor the system remotely and make the relevant changes if required

During this exhibition, we introduced an innovative way for the exhibitor to manually switch content with a push of a button. The idea was that on quiet periods, the exhibitor will push a button and the screen will display specials to draw more attention to their booth.

In addition, we also integrated Social Media (Facebook) with digital signage. The company’s Facebook page with the number of Fans was displayed.

We know how stressful attending and participating in exhibitions are, so let us take care of your digital signage needs whilst you take care of more the important taks.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 2 comments |
Post tags: Design Management, Digital Integration, digital signage, digital signage player, Exhibition Booth, Exhibition Booths, Exhibition Hall, Exhibition Halls, exhibitions, Exhibitor, Facebook, Hardware Rental, lcd screen, Nbsp, Quiet Periods, Relevant Changes, Signage Solution, Solution Integration, Taks, Template Design

Now if you had the Wake On LAN feature enabled on your players you may be able to switch them back on using this feature but what happens if your using wireless? Wireless doesn’t have this feature. One alternative is to use the PowerOn Function Feature “Restore on AC Power Loss” in the BIOS. This feature basically turns on the player when it detects there is power.

Obviously your digital signage player needs to support this feature in the BIOS. If it does, follow these instructions to turn the feature on:

1. Turn on the player and press the DELETE button (or the relevant button to get into the BIOS) and go to the Advanced Tab.

2. Select Power Management Configuration

3. Enable the PowerOn Function

4. Select Retore on AC Power Loss

5. Make sure the Restore on AC Power Loss is selected to Power On

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Post tags: Ac Power Loss, Bios, digital signage player, Management Features, Network Feature, Power Management, Power Outage, Power Player, Relevant Button, Running, screens, Wake On Lan, Waste Of Time

1. You’ve installed a digital signage player and want to remotely manage the unit

2. You don’t want to install a telephone or ADSL line because the costs are too high

3. You only need the Internet connection for a short perid of time i.e. 1-2 months

4. You don’t care about the speeds and bandwidth

5. You need the player to connect to the Internet

After months of researching I have found the solution in Australia….. (drum roll) Virgin 3G prepaid modem  – YES can you believe it Virgin!!! is the only provider that allows Internet inbound connections. Most other providers only allow you to do this if you’re on a contract (post pay). There are several items or checklists to consider before purchasing any 3G modem and these are:

1. Is your digital signage hardware compatible and be able to support the 3G modem?

2. Is there coverage in the location where you intend to use the 3G modem?

3. Does your player have the ability to automatically connect to the Internet in the event of coverage dropouts? If not, we would recommend you use a 3G Modem router that has the ability to automatically connect to the Internet.

The APN information that you will need to use is Virgin.Internet

Good luck and let us know if you find any other prepaid providers that uses a Public IP Address and allows inbound connections from the Internet.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags: 3g, australia, Bandwidth, Checklists, digital signage, digital signage player, Dropouts, Drum Roll, good luck, hardware, Inbound Connection, Inbound Connections, Internet 2, Internet 6, Internet Connection, Internet Connections, Internet Providers, Ip Address, Isp Providers, Modem, Modem Router, Nbsp, Perid, Period Of Time, Public Ip, Purchasing, Short Period, Virgin

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Post tags: Capital Cities, Contact, Digital Displays, Digital Signage Software, Digital Signage Solutions, Enterprise, hardware, Melbourne, Menu Board, Perth, plasma, Servers, Signage Solution, Solutions Provider, States In Australia, Sydney, That Meets Your Needs, Tool, Touch Screens, Video Walls

• There were two 47″ LG screens hanging from the ceiling.
• There was an LG player the back of the first screen
• Connected to the player there was a Telstra USB 3G modem – I’m assuming this was needed for Internet connectivity
• There was also a VGA splitter that connected the Video output to the second screen

Now, in terms of content and what was displayed on the screen seemed quite disappointing. There was only two ads displayed on the screen. One was the company’s own advertisement and the other was just an image.

My initial thoughts were, “How is the company making money?” and “Are the network owners already struggling to find advertisers?”

I believe this is a common issue for digital signage network startups. Most believe that having a network means that they can easily generate advertising revenue but that’s not always the case. Finding advertisers is the biggest challange easpecially if the network only has a handful of screens. Its a numbers game -most of the advertisers want exposure and they are willing to pay for it if the exposure is high.

So before jumping at the chance of setting up a digital signage network make sure you have advertisers ready to buy your advertising space…. and good luck.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags: Advertisement, advertisers, Advertising Revenue, Challange, digital signage network, digital signage networks, good luck, Handful, Initial Thoughts, Making Money, Modem, Numbers Game, screens, Shopping Centre, Startups, telstra, Vga Splitter, Video Output

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 4 comments |
Post tags: 3d Glasses, 3d Screen, 3d Screens, blog, digital signage, Guess, Public Environment

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Post tags: 3d Screen, 3d Screens, Bars And Clubs, digital signage, Extra Cash

Already, it is a bit strange to think back just a few years to when digital signage was a far smaller industry. Billboards used to always be solid, painted, and unchanging, and television screens in public areas (such as airports or the hallways at large stadiums) could sometimes only display one message. Now, it is extremely common to see billboards that can change their messages several times per minute (vastly expanding the number of advertisements they can display in a given amount of time), or screens scrolling messages that used to have to be posted one at a time, or one per screen. This is how far the digital signage industry has come just in the last few years, and, again, with the spread of wireless Internet, the industry will continue to grow.

Just like anything else that can use a wireless connection, the absence of cables and physical connections essentially signals a massive increase in speed and convenience. Not so long ago, you had to connect your computer by a cable reaching to a phone jack in the wall in order to access the Internet; now, you need only connect wirelessly to the nearest available network to enjoy high-speed, reliable Internet access. It is the same with the digital signage industry. Advertisers and entertainers are now able to mount television screens and other media display mechanisms just about anywhere they want, and can remotely, wirelessly cause messages to run across them. This is just another way that wireless Internet has improved the clarity, scope, and efficiency with which we do things – and the networks and speeds involved are only getting bigger and faster.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: Advertisements, Airports, Amount Of Time, Ballgames, Balmat, billboard, Billboards, Cables, digital signage, Ginger, Hallways, Heather, Internet Digital, Massive Increase, Mcdaniels, Physical Connections, Public Areas, Scoreboards, Several Times, Signage Industry, Stadiums, Television Screens, Video Advertisement, Wireless Internet

Let me preface this post with the fact that I absolutely love Do-It-Yourself (DIY) hobbies and projects. There is nothing like building or accomplishing something yourself, having it look great and exactly the way you want it, and paying less for it too. I love DIY activities as much as the next industrious, frugal individual, but when it comes to digital signage, there may be some things you just want left to the pros.

Finding Your Limitations

Depending on your needs (and your skills of course), digital signage can just about be a complete DIY project. But your digital sign setup probably won’t be without some limitations. For instance, you can go out and buy your own LCD screens, design a Powerpoint or some sort of slideshow, and transmit your display through some type of computer or vod player that’s close enough to connect through wire to your monitor.

But what if you don’t want to tether a computer only a few feet away from your display monitor? What if you want to leave your sign somewhere outside your business where people could easily walk by and take your computer or even your whole monitor system for that matter? What if you don’t want to constantly create new content for your sign or have the same content repeating for months?

The more you actually try to make use of your digital signage, the more you’ll probably realize that you will need the help of at least some professionals. Perhaps you can mount the equipment yourself, or maybe you can design and create the content, but there’s likely no chance that you can do all of that in addition to network troubleshooting and everything else, even if you do have a fairly large and bright staff with even slightly appropriate skills.

How Professionals Can Help

One of the largest benefits to hiring professionals for digital signage is that you have multiple avenues you can take. You can go to a one-stop shop that will take care of all ends of your digital signage needs, but you can also select specific services from specific professionals.

And once you’ve received adequate service from a professional for one aspect of digital signage, they can refer you to other professionals that can help you out in other areas of digital signage. Having access to a network like this is valuable enough on its own.

Of course you can try out certain areas of digital signage on your own. Perhaps you have a knack for design and content strategy and would like to handle that whole aspect of digital signage. Why not at least give it a shot right? Just remember that, after all your own work, if you end up needing a professional, you have wasted some of your own resources that could have been spent elsewhere. You run this risk when you take on any DIY project rather than consorting with professionals.

About the Guest Blogger:

This guest post is contributed by Barbara Jolie, who writes for online classes.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | One comment |
Post tags: Avenues, Design Content, digital signage, Diy Activities, Diy Project, Hobbies, lcd screens, Love, Monitor System, Nbsp, Network Troubleshooting, Pitfalls, Preface This Post, Slideshow

Every sign has a purpose. Of course, some have more than others. The trend of using digital signage has become so rampant these days that many businesses and institutions, in my opinion, are getting them before even considering why they need them. Digital signs are awesome. But there’s nothing more cringe-inducing or face-palming than seeing a digital sign that offers no more variation or usability than a sign composed of a piece of paper and a Sharpee.

Schedules, Updates, and More Schedules

This should go without saying, but any sign or outpost that contains many schedules that are updated daily would be a perfect use of digital signage. Buildings with good numbers of conferences and institutions that hold a lot of meetings (such as universities) are prime candidates for digital signage. For conferences and lectures in particular, these digital signs can be helpful not only in updating time and locations of events, but also in providing descriptions and advertising for these types of events.

Of course any public transportation company or service should and probably is using digital signs; not using this technology in a field or situation that relies on relaying constant updates to customers is simply inexcusable. Maybe five years ago that sort of thing would be ok, but not this decade.

Pretty Pictures, Even videos!

If you feel like your signs could have a lot of digital media to offer, be them pictures or especially video, digital signage would work absolutely perfectly for your needs. For pictures and graphics, digital signage works great because it gives you an excellent quality image that you can then reuse or change without having to pay extra printing fees like you would for physical prints. Dollar for dollar, when you take into account long term costs of high quality prints, digital signage will always be cheaper and usually look better too.

For video, the need for digital signage is obvious. Frankly put, there is simply no other way to convey video through a sign without digital signage. Now, audio can get a bit more complicated, but it all depends on what you’re using to host the media for the sign.

Touch Media, Oh My!

While this technology is still pretty new and therefore expensive, touch signs can be a godsend for your digital signage needs. Particularly if you intend the sign to be used for information-getting and navigational purposes, having a touch-screen sign makes it so that you can offer a lot of information in one place without having it all cluttered and bunched together. Touch screen is definitely the future of digital signage.

About the Guest Blogger:

This is a guest post by Nadia Jones who blogs at online college about education, college, student, teacher, money saving, movie related topics.

© AdvertiseMe.com.au for Digital Signage Blog, 2011. | Permalink | 6 comments |
Post tags: Conferences, Decade, digital signage, Digital Signs, High Quality, Institutions, Nadia, Outpost, Physical Prints, Piece Of Paper, Pretty Pictures, Prime Candidates, Printing Fees, Public Transportation, Quality Image, Quality Prints, Transportation Company, usability, Variation, Video Digital

Advertise Me was one of the many exhibitors at the event which included large companies such as Sharp, Fujitsu and Netcomm. During this exhibition, Advertise Me stood out from their competitors by demonstrating the use of Social Networking tools such as Twitter and Foursquare to communicate real time information on the screen. The setup of their stand was also unique which incorporated the use of a video wall(2×2 47″ FULL High Definition LCD Panasonic screens) to demonstate different applications for digital signage. Here’s the setup:

The digital signage software that was used for delivering and distributing the content to the screens was PADS Professional developed  by a Netherlands based company called Net Display Systems. Net Display Systems has thousands of installations in multiple market sectors from transportation, corporate and government to hospitality and retail.

The PADS Professional software was installed on the Shuttle XS35 – one of the smallest and powerful PC we’ve seen on the market. The unit has an atom processor with an NVIDIA ION graphics chip set and is able to play Full HD videos without any issues. In actual fact,  we played a number of Full HD Videos at the same time and didn’t notice any lag. For convenience, the unit can be mounted on the back of a screen with a Shuttle VESA mounting kit.

The top left hand screen demonstrated the use of Twitter, Foursquare, News and Weather feeds, and the ability to show real time video (USB Camera) as an input source.

The top right hand screen demonstrated the use of Advertise Me’s custom built SMS solution. This digital signage solution enabled visitors to select a music video clip from a list by texting a code to a mobile number. According to the company, this application can be used with any digital signage software that can be connected to the Internet and it’s use can be applied in any industry. Advertise Me also used this solution to distribute the PADS demo key via SMS.

The bottom left hand screen played marketing videos and was also used to demonstrate the PADS software. This allowed Advertise Me to answer and show the user how easy the system is to use.

The bottom right hand screen played an image slideshow demonstrating the use of digital signage in different industries such as hospitality, education, retail and the corporate sector.

Facial recognition, hand and SMS interactivity were some of the innovative technologies being showcase at the exhibition and it is anticipated that businesses will soon adapt to these new technologies in Australia.

Advertise Me would like to thank their sponsors for their help and assistance:

• Net Display Systems
• Shuttle/Altech
• Panasonic
• Visual Sounds
• Squeak.com.au

Here’s a few more photos of the expo:

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Post tags: Chip Set, Darling Harbour Exhibition Center, Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre, Definition Lcd, Digital Signage Software, Digital Signage Solutions, Exhibition Centre Sydney, Exhibitors, Facial Recognition, Fujitsu, Input Source, Interactive Solution, Interactivity, Ion Graphics, Key Technologies, Market Sectors, Mobile Number, Music Video Clip, Netcomm, Networking Tools, Nvidia, Pc Hardware, Possibilities, Professional Software, Signage Industry, Signage Solution, social networking, Social Networks, Sydney Australia, Tradeshow, twitter, Video Usb, video wall, weather

Here’s the picture:

If it is real, here’s a list of my concerns:

• theft – now it gives thieves more of a reason to steal your bike… they now will get a free screen
• what happens if it rain? is it a waterproof screen?
• what happens if there’s a strong wind? will the bike fall?
• will pedalling generate more electricity for the battery to run the screens?
• safety – if the screens draw too much attention to drivers will it cause accidents?

I must give it to the company or engineers that came up with this idea… but to be honest this digital signage implementation is not my cup of tea.

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Post tags: Accidents, Bikes, Cup Of Tea, digital signage, Electricity, Fun, Images, Img, Lt, Ly, Photos, Rain, screens, Signage Implementation, Strong Wind, Thieves

In this particular example, we’re upgrading the Cayin player model WEB4 from version 1.0 to 1.5 (U11436). This new firmware version introduces several new features such as the ability to disable the annoying scroll bars for html templates, abitility to add HTML/flash regions in the skin editor templates, upgrades some of the built in software packages and also the support of 3G and GPS.

However, with any major upgrade sometimes it does introduce new problems and we’ve already experienced this. This patch has an issue with image transitions and some of the backend logic which causes the background to appear during the transitions (1-2 seconds). Cayin are currently working on a fix. But in any case this tutorial was created before we discovered the issue and it’s just meant to demonstrate how to upgrade the player and here’s the link:

http://www.digitalsignageblog.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/cayin web4 firmware update.htm

We’ll provide an update when we hear from the manufacturer.

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Post tags: 05 Swf, 3g, Background, Cayin, digital signage player, Firmware, Firmware Update, Firmware Version, Html Templates, Image Transitions, Logic, New Features, Player Model, Scroll Bars, Skin Editor, Software Packages, Swfobject, Web4

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Post tags: Digital Business, digital signage, Reason

With DVRs giving us the ability to skip TV commercials, newspaper readership declining and a feeling of bombardment from online ads, advertisers are getting creative. Communities around the country are finding a fresh, new way to target potential customers through digital signage network advertising. This medium is more targeted, effective and cheaper than many traditional forms of advertisement. It targets consumers when they are out and about and in some cases, at the point of sale.

The digital signage network connects communities with screens in key locations and ads from non-competing businesses. Independent marketing companies choose key community locations where large amounts of people gather to eat, shop or play. Some marketing companies will even offer to set up a screen in a business for free if the business owner will allow other businesses to advertise on their screen.

The perk for the screen-hosting business is that they can advertise their own products and services at the point of sale. While people are waiting to be seated at a restaurant, they see advertisements for new menu items or specials. Stores in the mall can advertise current sales to shoppers who are already in the mall, ready to shop. In addition to the screen-hosting business’ advertisements, other community businesses’ advertisements are also displayed. The great part is that most network hosts will be careful not to allow competitors to advertise.

Joining a community’s digital signage network has boosted many companies’ sales because it targets the right people and is effective and affordable. Advertisers can choose at which locations they want their ads to appear and where their potential customers might be shopping or hanging out. Network host companies make it extremely easy for advertising businesses because they take care of everything for them such as contacting host businesses, designing ads and changing ads so they are up-to-date. These ads can be seen by thousands of community members each week.

As today’s potential customer is less inclined to pick up a paper, turn on the radio or watch television or internet advertisements, digital signage has become a great way to effectively grab their attention. Dynamic graphics capture people’s attention as they are walking through the mall, waiting at a restaurant or relaxing in a coffee shop. Research shows that people are 5 to 10 times more likely to pay attention to dynamic marketing on digital screens than traditional printed signs. If the screens were only used as a marketing tool, consumers would likely tune it out, but because trivia, local news, community event calendars, weather and entertainment messages are interspersed between ads, viewers are entertained while they are marketed to.

Unlike print advertisements, digital signage ads can be easily changed as often as the network host will allow, keeping content up-to-date and relevant. This is a cost-effective alternative for small businesses because newspaper, TV, and radio advertising can be costly, untargeted and can quickly go out of date. Even if businesses choose not to use traditional marketing channels and print their own flyers and posters, it can be expensive and wasteful.

Digital signage networks are invaluable to any size community because they connect advertisers with consumers in a unique and effective way. When visiting high traffic areas, community members receive information on community events and news while advertisers share current deals and promotions.

About the Author: Kelly Johnson is a freelance writer for Allstate Sign and Plaque. Their company has been selling parking, traffic and street signs for more than 50 years. On their site you can order anything from property signs to custom signs.

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Post tags: Bombardment, Business Advertisements, Business Owner, Community Businesses, Creative Communities, Current Sales, digital signage network, digital signage networks, Dvrs, Host Businesses, Host Companies, Independent Marketing, Kelly Johnson, Marketing Companies, Network Advertising, Network Host, Network Hosts, New Menu, Newspaper Readership, Point Of Sale, Tv Commercials

Based on the qualifications required, the position doesn’t look like it’s that difficult to get if you have the right skills:

• Minimum 2 years relationship sales and Federal experience

• ISR-AE class completion or field experience equivalent

• Strong organizational/time management skills

• Highly energetic

• Support of your manager and RSM

If you’re looking at applying for this job here’s the link: https://dell.taleo.net/careersection/2/jobdetail.ftl?job=11000UD9&src=JB-10007

Good luck to those that are applying.

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Post tags: Account Management, Amp, Class Completion, Dell Net, Digital Signage Solutions, Existing Customers, Federal Experience, Field Experience, good luck, Job Management, Management Position, North America, Organizational Time, Printer Projector, Relationship Sales, Rsm, Sales Management, Scope, screens, Time Management Skills

One of the terminologies that we were unfamiliar with was  DOOH – to date we still don’t use this term that often since it has been replaced by Digital Signage. Now to me, the two terms DOOH and Digital Signage can be used interchaneably and I don’t care if there is a difference. One might say that DOOH (since it’s not at home) is a screen network in a public area and that digital signage can be located in a corporate building to display internal communications. To me, both are the same but Digital Signage sounds shorter and easier to say so we’ll stick with this.

If you have a different opinion let us know.

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Post tags: Advertisements, Clue, digital signage, Google, Google Trends, Graphs, Image, Images, Infancy, Internal Communications, lcd screens, Menus, Perspective, plasma screens, Search Volume, Sounds, Terminologies, weather

Communication is crucial to any type of business, but choosing the right way to communicate can be challenging. digital signage — a term for publicly displaying important information and announcements on a large plasma, LED, or LCD screen — is a cutting-edge method for businesses or organizations to get their message out to their consumers in an economical and flexible way. Catching up to all the advantages of this method can be an easy and very lucrative improvement. So if you are looking for new methods to increase the exposure of your company or organization, it may be worthwhile to check out the benefits of using digital signage.

In the last few years, there has been a remarkably healthy growth in the digital signage market. More and more companies are beginning to use this tool as they become aware of how it can benefit their businesses. According to ABI Research, a company examining trends in emerging technology, the market for digital signage has grown in recent years at a staggering rate. In March 2009, ABI reported that the use of digital signage was expected to grow by 33 percent for the year 2009.

With market growth like this, it makes sense to take a look at how properly utilizing this technology can help your company. Digital signage is easy to get started with. It’s flexible and fits all types of environments. It’s also inexpensive and practical. For these reasons, digital signage is moving forward as one of the newest and most popular state-of-the-art forms of public communication.

Components of Digital Signage

There are two main components to digital signage: hardware and content. Each of them has a drastic effect on the success or failure of the digital signage venture. A good first step to properly manage these two aspects might be to enlist the service of a marketing or advertising firm.

Basically, all that you need in order to set up the hardware of a great digital signage are three things; a personal computer, some sort of external Content Management System (CMS), and proprietary software for inputting the message you want to display. The display screen that you have chosen to use will typically be a 40-inch to 60-inch plasma screen.

With the click of a mouse, you can change the whole message — text, photos, or animation. The mechanism that controls the content being displayed is known as a “data feed.” This feed of content (running from your fingertips at the computer, sometimes through a Content Management System, and finally to the display screen) can sometimes even be updated via a web browser. Most displays cost several thousand dollars. Content Management Systems can cost less than $100.

As for the content, that will depend on what’s being sold, although the most effective digital signage is always closely connected to a precise target. Some specific ideas include:

- Advertising

- Video feeds

- Customizable RSS feeds for news, weather, sports, etc.

Applications for Digital Signage

One environment in which digital signage can be applied quite effectively is in university-level education and specifically in their libraries. This type of non-profit and informational use of digital signage can be transitioned quite easily into a commercial use just by adjusting the content on the display.

Another effective environment for digital signage is within the public space of transportation. When you think about it, combining a discrete space (train or bus station, etc.), a limited target (any travelers who are right there), and a focused amount of time (right then, eg., before a plane takes off) can be a perfect fit. These digital signs can display important schedules, announcements, weather, as well as extra information like the latest news and sports headlines.

Digital Signage for Your Business

As the above examples indicate, digital signage is a very modern, powerful, and effective form of communication. It’s dynamic, easy to adapt, and simple to re-shape to a wide variety of purposes. These benefits are a major reason why digital signage has become one of the fastest growing business marketing tools available. If you’re looking for a way to give your business the tools to communicate effectively in a certain place at a certain time, digital signage may your solution.

About the Author: Bryan Cochand is a freelance writer for Adobe. Adobe offers a variety of design software such as Photoshop which is a digital picture editor.

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Post tags: Advertising Firm, Art Forms, Communication Components, Consumers, Cutting Edge, digital signage, Drastic Effect, Emerging Technology, Environments, Failure, Gt Communication, H3, Hardwar, hardware, Important Information, Lt, marketing, Moving, Organization, plasma, Public Communication, Signage Companies, Staggering Rate, State Of The Art, Tool