Roku Adds SignChannel to BrightSign Digital Signage Players

Posted on Apr 10, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

April 07, 2009

(M2 PRESSWIRE via COMTEX) — Stand C45, Screenmedia Expo Europe, 7-8th April 09, National Hall, Olympia, London, UK — Today at Screenmedia Expo Europe, Europe’s biggest digital signage and DOOH media event, Roku announced the availability of Frame Media’s SignChannel content service with its networked high-definition BrightSign digital signage solutions. The newly available combination of BrightSign digital signage control solutions with SignChannel’s content service deliver flexible digital messaging capabilities with streaming content such as news, weather and more.

Workforce Management: At the Heart of the Contact Center Learn more, download free white paper.

The Modern Contact Center and Workforce Management’s Vital Role Learn more, download free white paper.

Realizing the Full Promise of Workforce Management Technology: Avoiding Mistakes That Short-Change Your Investment Learn more, download free white paper.

Convergence in Telecommunication Learn more, download free white paper.

Convergence in Telecommunication Learn more, download free white paper.

SIP Conferencing/Collaboration Learn more, download free white paper.

“We are thrilled to be working with Roku and the BrightSign team,” commented Alan Phillips, Frame Media’s CEO. Mr. Phillips commented further, “the feature-rich BrightSign HD players coupled with SignChannel content service delivers a complete, ready to implement digital signage solution. Users simply select relevant content channels to playback over the networked BrightSign unit and complement it with their own messaging content to reach their audience in a meaningful way.”

According to Anthony Wood, CEO and founder of Roku, “SignChannel provides Roku with an even stronger value proposition for our users who are seeking cost effective digital signage content.”  Mr. Wood also said, “By pairing a ready-made content solution with BrightSign networked digital sign controllers, we’re able to provide users a way to easily implement an affordable, rich media display without the complications of a PC-based solution.”

Streaming Content Resource for Meaningful Digital Signage, SignChannel is a low cost content service that allows a business to display timely messages, products, and services at any Internet-enabled location around the world. The SignChannel user can take advantage of Frame Media’s vast array of timely up-to-the-minute content including weather, news, traffic, finance, and RSS feeds, as well as thousands of other available Internet sources. A user can also develop custom content using simple templates and other standard business software tools. SignChannel is available world-wide in four major languages with content from virtually every country. Users can manage their content for any and all globally located displays from any other Internet location. SignChannel is Frame Media’s commercial version of FrameChannel, its Internet platform for the selection and delivery of personalised content to wireless digital photo frames.

The BrightSign HD2000, HD1010 and HD210 are fully integrated; high-definition digital sign controllers that offer plug-and-play networking to streamline content management for robust, high-impact digital sign and kiosk applications. When combined with SignChannel content service these units allow the user to create powerful and affordable digital signage across a wide range of display platforms, from 22 to over 60 inches. Roku is demonstrating its BrightSign networking solution with SignChannel in Stand C45 at Screen Media Expo Europe in London’s Olympia National Hall, April 7-8th.

Find Solutions for Enterprises, SMBs & Service Providers at the INTERNET TELEPHONY Conference and EXPO West, September 1-3, 2009. Los Angeles, CA.

About Roku: Roku develops products and software for digital media delivery including digital signage in Saratoga, CA. BrightSign solid-state digital sign controllers set new standards for both individual and networked digital signage applications with its superior HD video quality, reliability, price, ease of use and interactivity.

Online information of BrightSign units is available at www.brightsign.biz.

For sales inquiries, please contact sales@brightsign.biz or +44.
For information about our BrightSign partner program, please visit www.brightsign.biz/partners.php.

About Frame Media, Inc.

Frame Media is the leader in content and tools for wireless digital picture frames and connected devices. Both its flagship product, FrameChannel and its new commercial product, SignChannel, can be branded and customized to work with any Wi-Fi enabled photo frame or connected device, transforming them into dynamic information appliances. With SignChannel or FrameChannel, a frame owner can program a unique stream of content that is updated dynamically. The owner can couple their own photos or product/service information with advertising and fresh content from a library of hundreds of channels including news, sports, weather, traffic, stock quotes, horoscopes and imagery from leading photographic collections. The owner selects the channels they are interested in, sets the rules for each channel and the frame updates continually with entertaining and informative content fed directly to their wireless or wired Internet connected media player or wireless picture frame. For more information please visit www.framemedia.com.

CONTACT: Emily Logan, Frame Media Inc.

Tel: +1 781 235 3006 ext: 105Peter van der Sluijs, Neesham Public RelationsTel: +44 (0)1296 628180e-mail: peterv@neesham.co.ukM2 Communications Ltd disclaims all liability for information provided within M2 PressWIRE. Data supplied by named party/parties. Further information on M2 PressWIRE can be obtained at http://www.presswire.net on the world wide web. Inquiries to info@m2.com.

For more information please visit www.framemedia.com or visit any of the Frame Media blogs www.wirelesspictureframe.com, www.informationappliance.com and www.wirelessdigitalsigns.com.

Viking Line Takes Scala Digital Signage On Board

Posted on Apr 8, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

From PRWeb comes this press release about Scala Digital Signage and Viking Line: Scala-powered screens used on ferries to inform passengers and promote tax-free shopping

Mariehamn, Finland (PRWEB) March 31, 2009 — Viking Line, a Finnish operator of ferries and cruise ferries, has partnered with digital signage software provider Scala to implement digital signs on board its seven vessels. The digital signage features both informational and ad-based programming, and reaches passengers at various points on its ships.

The ad-based network shows tax-free promotions in the most trafficked areas of the boat near the shops, restaurant and casinos. The information network shows content on large touch screens, including opening hours, restaurant menus, weather, news, entertainment programming, conference information and possible delays.

Viking Line started to look into digital signage for two main reasons. It was printing about 2,000 sheets of paper every day for the cruise program, and screens that could show this information would reduce printing costs dramatically. Viking Line also wanted to use digital and dynamic posters to increase tax-free sales. It felt a digital network would also raise the professional profile and brand image of the ferries.

Viking Line was looking for a supplier with experience. It wanted an established software solution that had been thoroughly tested and developed over time. Viking also needed a system that could grow with its business and handle new areas of usage in the future.

Scala was first chosen to do a pilot in one of its ferries, Mariella. When Viking Line saw that Scala could meet all of its requirements, it chose Scala for all seven ferries. Currently, Mariella runs 15 screens and six channels. By Summer 2009, all of its ferries will have digital signage networks installed.

“Viking Line is impressed with the potential in the software, and so far we have not discovered any limitations. We are very satisfied with the user interface, and I also want to emphasize the latest Photoshop plug-in that has been added to convert Photoshop-layered elements to Scala script,” said Kenneth Kronström, Technical Project Manager of Viking Line.

Viking Line has reduced its printing costs dramatically, and the company now feels much more environmentally friendly.

“Sales of promotional products have increased remarkably since the screens were installed. We clearly see that the customers perceive the message, and they more frequently purchase the promoted products,” said René Engman, Viking Line’s Deputy Director of IT.

Viking Line has already started to think about new digital signage projects. Its next plan is installing screens at the terminals. This is an area where people are typically waiting and would be receptive to information such as the cruise program and promotional products.

Viking Line also wants to develop a new script together with Scala that could show passengers exactly where the boat is at sea. A screen with a sea map and coordinates showing the boat’s position would be continuously updated along the trip.

For more information on Viking Line or other Scala-powered digital signage systems, please contact Lorena Crowley at 610-269-2100, ext.237.

About Viking Line

Viking Line commenced service in 1959, when the S/S Viking began sailing between the Finnish mainland, the Åland Islands and Sweden. Today Viking Line has seven vessels, which sail between the Finnish mainland, Åland and Sweden, as well as between Finland and the Baltic states. With Viking Line, a Baltic cruise from one city to another takes less than a day. Viking Line has a wide entertainment offering: casinos, restaurants, discos and live artists. Operations include passenger services, recreation and cargo carrier services.

About Scala

Driving more than 200,000 screens worldwide, Scala is a leading global provider of digital signage and advertising management solutions. Scala is the world’s first connected signage company, offering the leading platform for content creation, management and distribution in digital signage networks and the first unified platform for advertising management of both traditional and digital signage networks. The company’s digital signage customers include Rabobank, IKEA, Burger King, T-Mobile, Virgin MegaStore, Warner Brothers, The Life Channel, Rikstoto, Repsol, NorgesGruppen and thousands more. Advertising management customers include CBS Outdoor, Clear Channel Outdoor and Magic Media, among others. Scala is headquartered near Philadelphia, USA, and has subsidiaries in Canada, The Netherlands, France, Norway and Japan, as well as more than 450 partners in more than 60 countries. More information is available at www.scala.com.

# # #

Contact Information
Lorena Crowley
Scala

http://www.scala.com

610-269-2100

Interactive Digital Display: Carnival Cruise Lines!

Posted on Apr 1, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

Check out this fantastic street-level interactive display that Monster Media, in partnership with Havas’ Arnold MPG, designed and installed for Carnival Cruise Lines!

Carnival Cruise Lines has introduced a street-level interactive display called the Carnival Aquarium, designed and installed by Monster Media in partnership with Arnold MPG.  If you live in or near Houston, Dallas, Baltimore, Washington D.C., Los Angeles, or New York, you’ve got easy access to these HUGE interactive animated aquariums.  The aquariums are all located in high traffic pedestrian areas, and are there so passersby can have fun!

Here is what Digital Signage Today has to say about it:

Carnival’s multi-market media campaign features body responsive interaction, oversized vinyl graphics and voice controlled mobile integration. Consumers can dial in a six-digit provided code to create a fish based on the tones of their voice and then see their customized fish appear in the interactive display area. By using their cell phone as a remote control users are able to guide their fish to discover all the program has to offer.

Smart move, Carnival!  People will tell their friends about your digital signage, and those friends will tell THEIR friends, and people will have good things to say about Carnival Cruise Lines.  I would also predict that while people have their cell phones out, interacting with the signage, they will also be much more inclined to use that cell phone to spend some serious money with Carnival Cruise Lines.

Digital Signage Expo: Buzzword Is “Small to Medium Businesses”

Posted on Feb 27, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

The Digital Signage Expo started yesterday, and according to Digital Signage Today.com, , “Economy makes the big players take the low–cost route.”

The article, edited by Bill Yackey, follows:

LAS VEGAS — The buzzphrase of the first day of Digital Signage Expo seemed to be “small-to-medium businesses,” or customers that have only a small number of screens or deployments. There has always been a segment of the digital signage industry focused on this long-tail market, but the economy has no doubt lead even the big players in the digital signage industry to reconsider their target customers.

That was highly evident when Scala issued a press release this morning, announcing six new initiatives to “lower the barrier to entry to digital signage.” Most notable of the six is a partnership with FASTSIGNS, a traditional signage provider that announced in January that it is offering a packaged digital signage solution using NEC hardware and Scala software. FASTSIGNS CEO Catherine Monson said that in the six weeks since the product announcement, the company has received $2 million in quotes for the system.

Scala’s other initiatives consists of:

• A partnership with Frame Media to launch SignChannel, a new low-cost, self-service, easy to use, entry-level digital signage service based on wireless photo frame technology.

• Scala as a Service, a hosted version of Scala Content Manager that provides an online digital signage network for a monthly fee.

• The “Ultra Low Cost PC” (ULCPC), at approximately half the cost of traditional PCs.

• Support for several all-in-one devices that include a “PC built into the Screen” form factor.

• An initiative to support cost-effective video appliances (aka “MPEG Players”) reducing the total cost of ownership of both the hardware and software per Player.

Although NEC Display Solutions was highlighting its impressive 82-inch LCD and its ultra-thin bezel MultiSync X461UN for video walls, Mike Zmuda, director of business development, made a point to emphasize the release of NEC’s MultiSync 15 Series and the 46-inch LCD4615, designed for entry-level digital signage applications.

“You have to give up the thin bezel for the 15-series, and there is less firmware, but the 15-series easily allows the addition of touch overlays and protective panels at a cheap price,” Zmuda said.

In the sense that time is money, Omnivex’s next release of its Moxie software (due March 1) is engineered to save users time scheduling content using a system similar to iTunes’ Genius, where songs are given attributes and tags and play when those attributes are selected. Here digital signage content is given meta-tags and assigned to play based on the user selecting relevant tags.

Black Box Network Services has had the SMB customer in its mind all along, offering a complete digital signage solution and emphasizing its 24/7 tech support specific to digital signage. Although the company has more than 180,000 SKUs in its catalog, it showed the iCompel, a player designed for small deployments which comes with software already installed in the player. Brian Kutchma, director of marketing, also said that although the software is licensed, customers aren’t charged for future upgrades.

Check back to Digital Signage Today all this week for constant coverage of Digital Signage Expo. For live updates from the show floor, follow us on Twitter.

Datacasting For Digital Signage

Posted on Feb 23, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 12:05 am

The following article, from Digital Signage Today.com, is by Lyle Bunn, principal and Strategy Architect for BUNN Co.  Bunn is highly regarded as an advisor and educator in North America’s digital signage industry.

Datacasting is emerging as an attractive alternative to DSL, satellite and cellular connectivity for digital signage/DOOH network operators because it combines the cost-effectiveness of multicasting with the addressable media transport associated with DSL/Internet. Datacasting offers the rapid, low-cost deployment that makes cellular attractive, but can provide much higher connectivity capacity and speeds.

One of the major players in this area of the digital signage industry is National Datacast, a commercial, wireless data broadcasting subsidiary of the Public Broadcasting Service (PBS). NDI has acted as a content delivery provider since 1988, but is turning its capabilities in connectivity service and media management to the digital signage and digital out-of-home sectors. National Datacast provides regional or national connectivity through partnerships with PBS member stations and their satellite networks.

While digital signage software from firms such as BroadSign, EnQii, Harris, Scala, STRATACACHE and others can provide flexibility and ease of use in designating display groups and specifying content spots for playout on even individual displays, I believe past connectivity options have not offered a cost-effective combination of network-wide media fueled with fast, player-targeted download.

Today’s connectivity model is a fundamental element of digital signage, in-store TV and DOOH dynamic displays since centrally-controlled networks are “media-fueled” to present information or ads according to pre-defined, often day-parted playlists.

The typical architecture is to forward media spots and a playlist file from a network operations center to media players at display locations, and then to add live inputs from databases or external feeds such as weather, news, sports scores or financial information.

Internet connectivity, such as DSL, and cellular treats each media transfer as a separate connectivity transaction, and as such requires large connection capacities to process network traffic.

Multicasting, the transmission of the same files to multiple locations at the same time, can offer media transfer value, but can add an overhead to media management at each location.

The datacasting model NDI’s datacasting network (short for “data broadcasting”) uses digital file transfer techniques that are similar to delivery of content via other means – that means a digital signage player can readily utilize content files delivered by datacasting. Datacasting applications are numerous and include transfer of video and audio files, corporate digital file transfer, updating of software, gaming and information, training and education, alert notification, safety and security and information services.

Datacasting empowers the capabilities of available software tools and offers operational cost-effectiveness that can allow digital signage/DOOH network operators to expand networks and better apply their day-parting capabilities.

This reliable, national infrastructure of commercial-grade digital connectivity has been used by a long list of clients such as Movie Gallery, Update Logic, TV Guide, Microsoft, Disney, VISA, IBM and others.

The receiving equipment is also very simple in nature. A standard antenna is connected using coaxial cable to a specialized digital television receiver which is then connected by USB to a media server or on some other type of content processing computer/ display. The antenna and receiver typically costs under $200 retail.

Other datacasting service features important to digital signage/DOOH network operators include:

Nationwide coverage that allows network operations in multiple regions to be provided by a single connectivity operator.

Transmission reliability is not affected by user volume, cable breaks or environmental conditions such as rain, snow, smog and dust.

Multicasting allows satellite transmission to deliver value to a large network deployment.

Multiple file formats can be transported, reducing the need for transcoding or file re-formatting, which increases overheads and can degrade playout quality.

Security at the highest level associated with an enterprise application.

The NDI Network Operations Center (NOC) can manage media distribution in any predefined display architecture.

Scala Kicks Off the New Year with a New Look

Posted on Jan 6, 2009 by Jane Goodwin at 9:24 am

From PRWeb.com comes a press release about SCALA’s new look, and that new look, looks mighty impressive!

“2009 is shaping up to be a great year for Scala and we’re excited to see our new look, our website, and Release 4 of Scala5 coming together all at once. We’re certainly putting our best foot forward in 2009,” commented Andrea Waldin, Vice President of Marketing.

Exactly what IS digital signage?  Scala tells us that, too: “Simply put, digital signage is a network of customizable displays that you can control electronically using a computer, allowing you to change your content remotely for the most targeted messaging possible.

Digital signage allows you to create and deliver targeted messages that inform, educate and motivate your audiences without your budget taking a painful hit.”

Scala makes software for digital signage, and is one of the very best.  Read Scala’s entire press release right here on PRWeb.