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Scala Digital Signage Web
Friday, March 31, 2006
Dynamic Digital Signage - why "Dynamic" is important
Everywhere we turn nowadays, "digital signs" are more and more prevalent. The advent of more affordable large format flat screen displays (plasma,LCD, LED, etc) are even allowing the typical printed "portrait mode" posters to be replaced by these so-called new "digital signs". We see them in banks, airports, retail stores, cruise ships, casinos, factories, call centers and even churches!
However to the casual observer all digital signs are created equal and the importance of the underlying enabling technology platform, or digital signage software, is not always understood or considered.
Many of these new digital signs are simply "powered by" a stand alone DVD player, playing the same DVD-based video over and over again. This may be good enough for digital signs where no central control over playback is desired or where the message seldom needs to change and/or where no "proof of playback" affidavits are required. However, the real power of digital signs is unleashed when the message being displayed can dynamically (and automatically!) be changed depending on the real-time conditions detected at the actual "point of playback". That is where choosing the optimal digital signage software platform becomes important.
For example, why continue playing the "today's Coke promotion" clip on the screens at the local supermarket when they run out of Coke!? Obviously if the underlying software platform supported conditional playback of content on any Digital Sign it was controlling, a dynamic check could be made on the inventory level of Coke, immediately (= milliseconds!) before the Coke ad was displayed. If the software controlling such a digital sign found that the local inventory level of Coke fell below a specified level, it could then automatically decide NOT to play the Coke ad and another dynamically created advertisement could automatically be played in its place (or it could simply be skipped and play the next ad in a predefined playlist/loop). This would be a simple example of so-called "dynamic digital signage".
Another interesting example of dynamic digital signage is the case where the bananas at the local supermarket are getting a bit over-ripe and the local manager decides to lower the price of bananas in his local POS (point-of-sale) system. If the underlying digital signage software platform is clever (and flexible!) enough, it should automatically pick up the price of bananas (or any other sku or inventory item) from the local POS system at the point of playback and always use the current price directly from the local POS system's database, the next time the "banana promotion" advertisement is played back. Again a nice example of so-called dynamic digital signage made possible by choosing the correct underlying digital signage software to drive your digital signage network.
Actually this highlights another problem inherent in many digital signage platforms which are often nothing more than "MPEG distribution" networks or a network of inter-connected "MPEG players". In other words if the price of bananas in the above example was embedded in a pre-produced video (generally referred to as an "MPEG" file or video) that was sent to each location, the price could never be changed based on local "dynamic"conditions as the MPEG video file would first have to be edited (a long and/or costly process!) and then retransmitted to the remote location where the price needs to be changed. Besides the fact that the bananas would probably have changed from deep yellow to black by the time all this is done, this approach is obviously very inflexible and requires a lot of communications bandwidth and manual intervention when compared to the correct "dynamic" approach, which would be to simply treat the price "element" as a separate dynamically generated media element which is generated "on the fly" at the time of playback (e.g: immediately after looking up the price in the local or centralized POS database). These dynamically generated elements can of course still be combined with MPEG media elements, for example the dynamically generated price element could be overlaid on top of a graphics background or even on top of a MPEG video. Yet another very important characteristic to watch out for when choosing your digital signage software platform.
For more information on these and other important issues related to creating more dynamic digital signage content, see our whitepaper entitled "5.2 million MPEGs... is that any way to run a digital signage network?"
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
However to the casual observer all digital signs are created equal and the importance of the underlying enabling technology platform, or digital signage software, is not always understood or considered.
Many of these new digital signs are simply "powered by" a stand alone DVD player, playing the same DVD-based video over and over again. This may be good enough for digital signs where no central control over playback is desired or where the message seldom needs to change and/or where no "proof of playback" affidavits are required. However, the real power of digital signs is unleashed when the message being displayed can dynamically (and automatically!) be changed depending on the real-time conditions detected at the actual "point of playback". That is where choosing the optimal digital signage software platform becomes important.
For example, why continue playing the "today's Coke promotion" clip on the screens at the local supermarket when they run out of Coke!? Obviously if the underlying software platform supported conditional playback of content on any Digital Sign it was controlling, a dynamic check could be made on the inventory level of Coke, immediately (= milliseconds!) before the Coke ad was displayed. If the software controlling such a digital sign found that the local inventory level of Coke fell below a specified level, it could then automatically decide NOT to play the Coke ad and another dynamically created advertisement could automatically be played in its place (or it could simply be skipped and play the next ad in a predefined playlist/loop). This would be a simple example of so-called "dynamic digital signage".
Another interesting example of dynamic digital signage is the case where the bananas at the local supermarket are getting a bit over-ripe and the local manager decides to lower the price of bananas in his local POS (point-of-sale) system. If the underlying digital signage software platform is clever (and flexible!) enough, it should automatically pick up the price of bananas (or any other sku or inventory item) from the local POS system at the point of playback and always use the current price directly from the local POS system's database, the next time the "banana promotion" advertisement is played back. Again a nice example of so-called dynamic digital signage made possible by choosing the correct underlying digital signage software to drive your digital signage network.
Actually this highlights another problem inherent in many digital signage platforms which are often nothing more than "MPEG distribution" networks or a network of inter-connected "MPEG players". In other words if the price of bananas in the above example was embedded in a pre-produced video (generally referred to as an "MPEG" file or video) that was sent to each location, the price could never be changed based on local "dynamic"conditions as the MPEG video file would first have to be edited (a long and/or costly process!) and then retransmitted to the remote location where the price needs to be changed. Besides the fact that the bananas would probably have changed from deep yellow to black by the time all this is done, this approach is obviously very inflexible and requires a lot of communications bandwidth and manual intervention when compared to the correct "dynamic" approach, which would be to simply treat the price "element" as a separate dynamically generated media element which is generated "on the fly" at the time of playback (e.g: immediately after looking up the price in the local or centralized POS database). These dynamically generated elements can of course still be combined with MPEG media elements, for example the dynamically generated price element could be overlaid on top of a graphics background or even on top of a MPEG video. Yet another very important characteristic to watch out for when choosing your digital signage software platform.
For more information on these and other important issues related to creating more dynamic digital signage content, see our whitepaper entitled "5.2 million MPEGs... is that any way to run a digital signage network?"
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
New Digital Signage Whitepaper: InfoChannel 3 Implementation Guide
Scala's Director of Training and Services, Marc Rifkin, has written a great piece on implementing a digital signage network with Scala InfoChannel 3. It's primarily intended for a technical audience, chock full of excellent advice and bets practice.
We have an excellent collection of high-quality information in our whitepapers, so I figure it's a good time to feature them here:
- 5.2 Million MPEGs... is that any way to run a digital signage network?
- Scalable Network Agnostic Digital Signage Solutions
- Learn From Our Experience and Industry Partners
- Update Hundreds or Thousands of Remote Sites in One Transmission
- Targeting Retail Audiences with Digital Signage
- Designing Intelligently for Broadcast and Narrowcast
- InfoChannel 3 Implementation Guide
For more information, visit Whitepapers on the Emerging Digital Signage Industry.
Technorati Tags: digital signage, narrowcasting, advertising, kiosks
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Thursday, March 30, 2006
Scala InfoChannel Deployed at Istanbul's Ataturk Airport
Scala reseller Digiboard has built an impressive digital signage network at Istanbul's Ataturk International Airport.
Digiboard's 58 plasma screens are positioned at strategic locations
throughout the airport, mainly at the Duty free shops, gateways,
boarding areas, passport control and baggage collection areas. The
airport has a variety of 42" and 60" screens deployed.
Technorati Tags: digital signage, istanbul, multimedia, narrowcasting
Digiboard's 58 plasma screens are positioned at strategic locations
throughout the airport, mainly at the Duty free shops, gateways,
boarding areas, passport control and baggage collection areas. The
airport has a variety of 42" and 60" screens deployed.
To influence the purchasing power of travelers throughout the airport,
the dynamic digital signage network displays 144 world-class advertising
spots at each location. Located at the heavily visited duty free area,
a Philips 120" LED screen allows Digiboard to enhance their
communications and deliver focused messages directly to international
travelers.
Technorati Tags: digital signage, istanbul, multimedia, narrowcasting
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Wednesday, March 22, 2006
"Employee TV" - there's more to Digital Signage than "Retail TV"..!
Digital Signs and digital signage are often associated with so-called "In-Store media" screens (aka "Retail TV") that are used to promote and re-enforce branding and advertise specific products and/or promote special offers in a retail store environment. Within the industry these type of digital signs are generally referred to as "customer facing" digital signs.
Although the potential for "Retail TV" digital signage is huge and generally regarded as the "holy grail" of Digital Signage, today there are probably as many (if not more!) digital signs deployed in so-called "employee facing" applications. These type of digital signage networks are also known as "Employee TV" or "Corporate Communications" networks. This is an important medium used by large corporations to communicate with their employees, especially to those employees who are not working in front of a computer all day, for example employees working on a factory assembly line, etc. As corporations expand (especially through M&A) or even streamline (through restructuring), there is an ever increasing need to better communicate with their employees so that the "mission statement" and "corporate culture" can be re-enforced and the company's employee-friendly benefits and initiatives can be continuously communicated to all employees. In other words these networks are used to give all employees a more "warm and fuzzy" feeling about the company they work for. Even things like a regular (e.g: quarterly) "state of the union" address by the CEO are possible when a company-wide Corporate Communications or Employee TV network of Digital Signs is employed throughout a corporation.
Digital Signs (large, flat screen displays) for these Employee TV or Corporate Communications networks are generally mounted in cafeterias (canteens), in assembly areas like around coffee machines or water coolers, elevator hallways and even inside elevators. In other words anywhere where employees are likely to socialize and spend a few minutes of their day. In addition the same network can be used for lobby signage (welcome and what's on today) as well as conference room signage, clearly indicating which meetings are taking place where, etc. Of course such "Employee TV" or Corporate Communications networks can also be used for training of employees and this is often another reason why they are so widely deployed today.
Another side benefit of these Corporate Communications networks is the increasingly important security and emergency evacuation requirements in large buildings or campuses. For example in case of an emergency, all screens can instantly show messages like "evacuate building" (with directions that can be tailored for evert screen location) or other emergency and/or security messages. This may in fact be a primary reason for ensuring that all screens are equipped with audio capability, so that attention grabbing audio can in fact be generated in such emergency situations.
Selecting the right digital signage software platform is once again critical here as many of these emergency/trigger messages may need to be automatically triggered by existing systems such as smoke detectors or fire alarms or a even a "bight red button", etc. So it is essential that the underlying digital signage platform that is chosen is able to instantly react to external systems and devices independently at each and every location (or "point of playback" as it is called in the industry).
So there is more to Digital Signage than simply advertising and/or brand reinforcing in retail environments!
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Although the potential for "Retail TV" digital signage is huge and generally regarded as the "holy grail" of Digital Signage, today there are probably as many (if not more!) digital signs deployed in so-called "employee facing" applications. These type of digital signage networks are also known as "Employee TV" or "Corporate Communications" networks. This is an important medium used by large corporations to communicate with their employees, especially to those employees who are not working in front of a computer all day, for example employees working on a factory assembly line, etc. As corporations expand (especially through M&A) or even streamline (through restructuring), there is an ever increasing need to better communicate with their employees so that the "mission statement" and "corporate culture" can be re-enforced and the company's employee-friendly benefits and initiatives can be continuously communicated to all employees. In other words these networks are used to give all employees a more "warm and fuzzy" feeling about the company they work for. Even things like a regular (e.g: quarterly) "state of the union" address by the CEO are possible when a company-wide Corporate Communications or Employee TV network of Digital Signs is employed throughout a corporation.
Digital Signs (large, flat screen displays) for these Employee TV or Corporate Communications networks are generally mounted in cafeterias (canteens), in assembly areas like around coffee machines or water coolers, elevator hallways and even inside elevators. In other words anywhere where employees are likely to socialize and spend a few minutes of their day. In addition the same network can be used for lobby signage (welcome and what's on today) as well as conference room signage, clearly indicating which meetings are taking place where, etc. Of course such "Employee TV" or Corporate Communications networks can also be used for training of employees and this is often another reason why they are so widely deployed today.
Another side benefit of these Corporate Communications networks is the increasingly important security and emergency evacuation requirements in large buildings or campuses. For example in case of an emergency, all screens can instantly show messages like "evacuate building" (with directions that can be tailored for evert screen location) or other emergency and/or security messages. This may in fact be a primary reason for ensuring that all screens are equipped with audio capability, so that attention grabbing audio can in fact be generated in such emergency situations.
Selecting the right digital signage software platform is once again critical here as many of these emergency/trigger messages may need to be automatically triggered by existing systems such as smoke detectors or fire alarms or a even a "bight red button", etc. So it is essential that the underlying digital signage platform that is chosen is able to instantly react to external systems and devices independently at each and every location (or "point of playback" as it is called in the industry).
So there is more to Digital Signage than simply advertising and/or brand reinforcing in retail environments!
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Tuesday, March 21, 2006
Press Release: HSBC Banks on Technology to Advance Communication
Scala's latest release, HSBC Banks on Technology to Advance Communication, reports on Scala reseller Specialized Software Services, LLC
and their digital signage project with HSBC, the largest and most widely represented international bank in the Middle East.
Interestingly, HSBC notes that once the project is implemented, they have little need for further assistance from SSS. How can this be? Isn't the maintenance of a network of digital signs a tremendous undertaking? Doesn't content production and upkeep require constant care from your dynamic signage solution provider?
With Scala, part of the value proposition that goes so far beyond scheduling MPEG videos and Flash animations is the functionality of the InfoChannel Designer product. InfoChannel Designer takes into account the need for keeping content fresh and up to date, and provides an easy-to-learn interface in which a graphic artist can do any of a wide range of activities, including simple things like scheduling premade MPEG videos in a playlist approach, but also extending as far as implementing advanced text and graphic effects.
Scala even supports external scripting with Windows Script Host, allowing custom data entry workflows to be created. There are already examples of this scripting being built to have dynamic RSS content displayed, and with the current trend in using RSS enclosures for podcasting, I wouldn't be surprised to see digital sign deployments where a non-technical user, say a CEO could literally do a video podcast straight into their digital signage network via RSS.
That your Scala reseller could implement something like this, or something even better (due to the openness of the InfoChannel platform), inspires my optimism in the future of digital signage, though it's important to keep in mind that InfoChannel Designer's elegance allows for such power within simplicity that these scriptable addons may not even be necessary in many cases.
Technorati Tags: hsbc, banking, digitalsignage, plasma, uae, dubai
and their digital signage project with HSBC, the largest and most widely represented international bank in the Middle East.
Interestingly, HSBC notes that once the project is implemented, they have little need for further assistance from SSS. How can this be? Isn't the maintenance of a network of digital signs a tremendous undertaking? Doesn't content production and upkeep require constant care from your dynamic signage solution provider?
With Scala, part of the value proposition that goes so far beyond scheduling MPEG videos and Flash animations is the functionality of the InfoChannel Designer product. InfoChannel Designer takes into account the need for keeping content fresh and up to date, and provides an easy-to-learn interface in which a graphic artist can do any of a wide range of activities, including simple things like scheduling premade MPEG videos in a playlist approach, but also extending as far as implementing advanced text and graphic effects.
Scala even supports external scripting with Windows Script Host, allowing custom data entry workflows to be created. There are already examples of this scripting being built to have dynamic RSS content displayed, and with the current trend in using RSS enclosures for podcasting, I wouldn't be surprised to see digital sign deployments where a non-technical user, say a CEO could literally do a video podcast straight into their digital signage network via RSS.
That your Scala reseller could implement something like this, or something even better (due to the openness of the InfoChannel platform), inspires my optimism in the future of digital signage, though it's important to keep in mind that InfoChannel Designer's elegance allows for such power within simplicity that these scriptable addons may not even be necessary in many cases.
Technorati Tags: hsbc, banking, digitalsignage, plasma, uae, dubai
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Wednesday, March 15, 2006
Internationalization of Scala Site Begins
You may have noticed the flag icons at the bottom of every page; one linking to the English language home page (and therefore the entire Scala site) and one linking to a small set of documents in German.
I'm proud to state now that we're moving forward in this direction! Our very own Helge Haarig (Business Development Central Europe), from the Kerkrade office, is providing content for the German subsite and is quite active in contributing. In conjunction with this new level of activity, I've moved the flag icons up to the top of our pages, starting with the home page. All other pages on the site will follow the new design convention in short order.
Scala's worldwide presence in the digital signage software market necessitates this development, as we desire to provide the highest quality information possible to support the growing industry and to reflect Scala's global reach.
I expect to be developing subsites in several additional languages to support Scala's expanding worldwide reach, and I'll keep you all informed as they are added. I'm a believer in using human translations instead of machine translations due to the higher quality information you'll get, despite the time constraints limiting the amount of content that can be translated.
Technorati Tags: digitalsignage, scala, multimedia
I'm proud to state now that we're moving forward in this direction! Our very own Helge Haarig (Business Development Central Europe), from the Kerkrade office, is providing content for the German subsite and is quite active in contributing. In conjunction with this new level of activity, I've moved the flag icons up to the top of our pages, starting with the home page. All other pages on the site will follow the new design convention in short order.
Scala's worldwide presence in the digital signage software market necessitates this development, as we desire to provide the highest quality information possible to support the growing industry and to reflect Scala's global reach.
I expect to be developing subsites in several additional languages to support Scala's expanding worldwide reach, and I'll keep you all informed as they are added. I'm a believer in using human translations instead of machine translations due to the higher quality information you'll get, despite the time constraints limiting the amount of content that can be translated.
Technorati Tags: digitalsignage, scala, multimedia
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Friday, March 10, 2006
Home page updated for accessibility
Those of you who view our new home page with Shockwave/Flash installed are treated to a nice interactive selector which drops you into our market-specific "portal" pages for digital signage applications, and which displays streaming videos about digital signage in general along with how Scala InfoChannel really fills every need in that space.
If you don't have the requisite plugins installed on your browser, however, you've had to do some clicking around to access the same content. This is no longer the case.
I've updated the site with an image map displaying pretty much the same kind of information as you'd get through the interactive component. Key differences, however, are that there's no animation so the layout accomodates that. And since a JPG image doesn't play streaming video, there's now a link directly to our video page with the bonus of a link straight to our 30-day trial version.
If you have the plugins, you need not worry about seeing the image map, but for those of you who either cannot or prefer not to have those plugins installed and don't want a link to Macromedia to display (like so many other sites that insist you see their interactive content), I've opened up the site quite a bit. Additional use of ALT text helps ensure that text-only browsers or screen reader software can give accurate descriptions of what you're clicking upon.
Technorati Tags: scala, digital signage
If you don't have the requisite plugins installed on your browser, however, you've had to do some clicking around to access the same content. This is no longer the case.
I've updated the site with an image map displaying pretty much the same kind of information as you'd get through the interactive component. Key differences, however, are that there's no animation so the layout accomodates that. And since a JPG image doesn't play streaming video, there's now a link directly to our video page with the bonus of a link straight to our 30-day trial version.
If you have the plugins, you need not worry about seeing the image map, but for those of you who either cannot or prefer not to have those plugins installed and don't want a link to Macromedia to display (like so many other sites that insist you see their interactive content), I've opened up the site quite a bit. Additional use of ALT text helps ensure that text-only browsers or screen reader software can give accurate descriptions of what you're clicking upon.
Technorati Tags: scala, digital signage
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Wednesday, March 08, 2006
ASVideo/Madrid Polytechnic University Press Release and Case Study
Scala reseller ASVideo has launched "Campus TV" for Madrid Polytechnic University as a way to stimulate enrollment and student involvement via a campuswide digital signage network.
Excerpt:
Technorati Tags: digitalsignage scala infochannel
Excerpt:
AS Video, in a network manager role provides a turnkey solution, creating content, controlling scheduling, maintaining hardware and software and administering the system for the university. AS Video collaborates with the University Magazine to produce news and covered events and publishes it to the TV Channel.The press release and case study are both available, in HTML and printable PDF format, on the Scala web site.
"We tried to join two ideas with Campus TV", says Javier Menendez AS Video Sales Director. "The first goal is to promote the University by showing related information about events, news, and releases happening at the Campus. Secondly we tried to make the information as interactive as possible by using an IST Infrared frame for the plasma touch screen. In a single touch of the screen a student can be informed about the University Departments, careers, services etc."
Technorati Tags: digitalsignage scala infochannel
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Inaugural Post
Welcome to the Scala Web Blog. It may appear to be a strange, almost redundant name, but really it's very accurate for now. The purpose of this blog is to inform users of updates to www.scala.com, the ultimate resource for digital signage software, and as a "think out loud" approach to site development. For now, comments will even be enabled so as to elicit feedback from our userbase.
Obviously, the first post is about the blog itself, the blog being the latest addition to our site.
In the future, the scope of this effort may expand to include valuable content about digital signage in general, and spscific information about Scala InfoChannel.
Why blog the site changes? Don't you have a news and announcements RSS feed?
The news and announcements feed was great, but its topically narrow scope kept it from really reflecting the huge amount of activity that occurs on the site as a whole. And the only way to access those updates was to either check the site or to have an RSS reader! The aim of this blog is to achieve far more than topical RSS alone can: encompass nearly all site activity, elicit good and useful feedback, be readable both via RSS readers AND in HTML format, and put a human face to the changes going on.
Thanks for visiting Scala. I will be checking back very soon with some changes already in the works.
-Steve Elsner
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
Obviously, the first post is about the blog itself, the blog being the latest addition to our site.
In the future, the scope of this effort may expand to include valuable content about digital signage in general, and spscific information about Scala InfoChannel.
Why blog the site changes? Don't you have a news and announcements RSS feed?
The news and announcements feed was great, but its topically narrow scope kept it from really reflecting the huge amount of activity that occurs on the site as a whole. And the only way to access those updates was to either check the site or to have an RSS reader! The aim of this blog is to achieve far more than topical RSS alone can: encompass nearly all site activity, elicit good and useful feedback, be readable both via RSS readers AND in HTML format, and put a human face to the changes going on.
Thanks for visiting Scala. I will be checking back very soon with some changes already in the works.
-Steve Elsner
Tags: digital signage | narrowcasting | Scala
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Content on the Scala Digital Signage Blog consists entirely of the opinions of the authors and does not reflect the official stance of Scala, Inc. Contact Scala about your end-to-end software solutions for creating and controlling Electronic Display Networks, whether you call it Dynamic digital signage, Narrowcasting, Captive Audience Networks, Kiosks, Point-of-Purchase Displays, Digital In-Store Merchandising, Out-of-Home Media Networks, Place-based Advertising, Display Marketing, Retail Digital Media Networks, Datacasting, Electronic Billboards, The Outernet or any of the other terms in use today. Scala conducts business through a worldwide network of Value Added Resellers. For more information on what this emerging industry is coming to be named, you can see how other people found this page. ©1993-2006 Scala, Inc. Scala, InfoChannel, and the Exclamation Point Logo are registered trademarks of Scala, Inc. All other trademarks are the property of their respective organizations. To see all the content on our Website, click Sitemap or check our blog for the latest updates. Read our Privacy Policy.