IT + AV = Digital Signage
Video Narrowcasting: Effective & Affordable
| Television: The Power Tool of Communications
Television is the most powerful method of mass communication. The combination of sight, sound, color and motion captures the attention, holds the interest and can create lasting memory with emotional impact. |
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Digital Signage combines television and computer technology in a way that can produce objective, measurable results; results in sales patterns, decision patterns and consumer response patterns.
Digital Signage combines media that is easily created on a computer (text documents, image files, animated graphics, movie files, database input) and with live (or recorded) television programs. This means that any business, church, school or government agency can have a "live" video display that captures the look and credibility of contemporary broadcast television.
Television is THE powerful, effective and contemporary communication tool. This explains why digital signage is the second fastest growing marketing tool (after the Internet). Digital Signage is working today in clothing stores, church lobbies, company cafeterias, airports, cable systems, drug stores, college campuses, hospital lobbies and school districts. Digital Signage is working where organizations want to communicate with the maximum impact, effectiveness and flexibility.
Affordable Digital Signage System Components
Digital signage is taking off because the components have become affordable.
A high-function signage server can have a list price of $4,900. This price can include the basic computer, editing & scheduling software, Composite video and VGA video outputs, video scaler (to take VGA up to hi-res), built-in television tuner, composite video inputs, Character Generation software. Previously this type of functionality was only available to the television broadcast industry. Before digital signage moved into the PC realm the price was $10,000+.
Flat panel video displays have become affordable. LCD and Plasma manufacturers are falling over themselves to drive down the prices on dramatic, bright display panels. 42" displays can cost under $1,400 and 47" displays can cost under $1,600.
The cabling for a system can be as inexpensive as a twisted pair cable, or can be more involved like a closed-circuit TV system. But the cable delivery is NOT the place to scrimp on quality.
The Front, The Middle, The Back – The Total System
The FRONT of a Digital Signage is the part that everyone sees: the video display (or a video projector) is the most visible component in a digital signage system.
The 'display' can be a plasma or LCD flat panel monitor. It can be a rear-screen projection system. It can be an old-fashioned CRT. The display is the point where the 'program' meets the 'audience'. Think of the 'display' as the front end of a digital signage system.
If the program content also includes audio, the "Front" will need to include speakers. These can be included with the video display or a ceiling/wall mounted sound system.
The MIDDLE
The 'middle' of a digital signage system is the signal infrastructure. The signal can be an NTSC video signal, traveling through a video distribution system over co-axial cable.
Or the signal can be a VGA video signal. The VGA signal can be distributed to numerous displays. For distances over 75 feet from the player signal amplification will be required.
Issues that will drive the signal distribution will include:
- The quality of the displayed image;
- The output of the digital signage player (VGA or Composite video);
- The distance from the player to the display;
- The number of displays that are being driven by one player.
The BACK
The 'back end' of a digital signage system is the content, the player and the scheduler.
In a digital signage system, content can come from a wide variety of sources in a wide variety of formats. Content can be still images, text slides, computer generated animation, recorded video files or live video transmission.
A high-function video play can handle all of these content types and blend them together in a seamless appearance. A built-in video scaler is a key component to convert composite video to a computer-video resolution that matches the native resolution of a plasma or LCD monitor or multi-media projector.
The player can be Windows-based software loaded on a PC or a dedicated appliance. The player is the point where the program is created.
Different players have different techniques for composing the presentation. Some players have 'picture-in-picture' ability to integrate video signals. High-function players work with a broad spectrum of text files, graphics files, motion files and sound files.
Every good digital signage player can be accessed by an Ethernet/IP connection. The user should not need to sit in front of the player to load the content or the schedule. With Ethernet/IP access the content can be updated quickly. Digital signage is about delivering flexible content. Organizations are even using digital signage as part of an emergency alert system!
Another distinguishing quality of a good digital signage player is the ability to utilize content that is NOT on-board the player's hard drive. Some players can trigger external DVDs or tape machines.
The Conclusion: RESULTS
Even in its infancy, this powerful medium has already proven its worthiness as a marketing and communicating tool. Many organizations have attributed positive, quantifiable revenue gains to digital signage, including:
- A doctor's office improved the customer experience by reducing perceived wait time by 35 percent.
- An auto parts franchise increased motor oil sales by 8 percent with digital signage.
- An international fast food franchise increased sales by 13 percent with digital signage.
- A national movie rental franchise credited digital signage with a 16 percent increase in rentals.
- A retailer discovered digital signage can increase brand awareness and revenue by 30 percent during promotion period.
- A large church reduced its printing budget by 30 percent after installing a digital signage system.
If you would like to know more about Digital Signage technology or how Digital Signage can improve your organization, please contact Preferred Technology Solutions at 972-331-5638.
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