Whether it’s direct-view LED, system on a chip, projection mapping, ultra-cool haptic-touch interactivity, or King Data, the overarching trend from Digital Signage Expo 2018—which was held March 26–29 in Las Vegas—is that these technologies and solutions are for real. Do you have a place for them—and a plan?

1. DIRECT-VIEW LED

From the likes of Absen, LG, NanoLumens, NEC, Leyard and Planar, Sharp, and Samsung, more than 20 exhibitors at DSE showcased direct-view LED solutions. The display technology that was once only known for massive Times Square or sports stadium boards is now making a play for the indoor video wall.

Reduction in cost, smaller pixel pitches, scalable sizes, and increased image quality have aligned to make direct-view LED a disrupter for indoor spaces such as corporate lobbies, boardrooms, and even the cinema.

The buzz at trade shows of the past had been which display manufacturer had the largest flat panel display. “That kind of died off,” said Garry Wicka, head of marketing, LG Displays. “What you’re starting to see now is still big displays, but you have different technologies that are enabling it.”

Advanced technologies are providing more options, not just from LG. “You’re starting to see others come out with technologies, and it’s great because it’s helping the overall industry think, ‘Okay, I can [provide] a better image, I can [provide] a better product. Higher resolution and different types of format give that wow experience,’” Wicka said.

Nevertheless, the price of direct-view LED display technology is still a barrier, compared to LCD. “The cost is still probably a 10-times multiplier or more in comparable size, but it once was maybe 50 to 100 times,” said Todd Fender, senior manager of product marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “It’s still expensive technology, but what you get out of it is incredible, because the life expectancy on LED is 100,000 hours.” The common refresh cycle on LCDs is three to five years; today’s LED technologies are still so new, one can only estimate their pracdtical working lifespan. “On a direct-view LED, it could be 10 years—you just don’t know.”

2. THE PLATFORM

Display manufacturers are taking a bite out of companies offering standalone media players with system-on-chip (SoC) architecture. This is an area in which Joe Giebel, sales director at Four Winds Interactive, feels display manufactures are becoming more relevant. “The technology behind SoC is getting to a place where we can cache content,” he said. “We can monitor and do the deployment that you’re used to on a more robust player. I think you’re going to start to see everyone with a digital signage deployment consider looking at the cost savings of the system on a chip, and not have the external player.”

Whether it’s LG’s webOS, Samsung’s Smart Signage Platform, or the myriad of other SoC solutions, this trend is going to resonate with AV/IT technology managers. “Leveraging the system chip eliminates the need for the single most failure-prone point in the system, which is a media player,” said Stephen Choi, vice president at Samsung.

DSE marked the first public showing of the Sharp Open Architecture Platform for SoC. “As of DSE 2018, there are globally 17 different CMS providers supporting the Sharp Open Architecture Platform,” said Gary Bailer, director of product planning and marketing, Pro AV Products, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America. It’s the combination of SoC and very high resolution that will begin to have an impact. “We’re going to start seeing that in a lot of vertical applications, such as command and control,” Bailer said. “We see it in medical imagery, teaching hospitals, and in surveillance.”

3. SKY IS THE LIMIT

Lest you think that projection is dead, meet Richard Ventura, vice president of NEC Display Solutions and chairman of the Digital Signage Federation. During DSE he had several conversations with end users asking, “How do I do projection mapping? Can we use your software? How do I do warping? Whom do I work with to do all that stuff?” Some of the most spectacular experiences are created using projection mapping.

Ventura sees spaces using a combination of display technologies, and pointed to the NEC booth, which showed a mixed-use technology wall with projection mapping illuminating graphics onto athletic shoes and an LCD wall delivering messaging. “I’ve been talking with experience design consultants,” he said. “They’re looking at how can they can use technology differently. It’s not a rectangle anymore, and it’s not even a circle. It’s just looking at the space and how we can change it.”

4. INTERACTIVE

No longer is interactivity limited to touch. In the back of the hall at DSE, newcomer Ultrahaptics unveiled its technology that projects sensations into the air using ultrasound. Users can “touch” and interact with digital content in free space with their bare hands, without the need for gloves or wearables.

As interactive technologies have matured, more manufacturers showed a wider range of options and compatibility with third-party software and devices. LG’s new IPS Interactive Digital Boards are compatible with and include Crestron Connected, Cisco, and Hoylu.

A prominent feature at Panasonic’s booth was its LinkRay technology. “It allows us to turn LED light sources into massive QR codes,” said Jared Darensbourg, territory account manager at Panasonic Media Entertainment Company. No longer do you have to walk up to a tiny QR code and fit the bar into the scanner on your phone. “You can stand in front of any LED light source—whether it be an LED light in the ceiling, an LED projector, or an LED panel—hold your phone up, and we can transmit content, we can transmit video, we can transmit any type of information to your phone via that LED light source,” Darensbourg said, going on to explain that LinkRay technology works by modulating light sources to interact with smartphones.

More products are combining intelligence and interactivity. “They have network capability and wireless ability built in, Bluetooth, near-field-communication (NFC)—and all of that creates a smart environment,” Bailer added.

5. DATA

How to create and manage content been a major focus within the digital signage industry for several years. As this area has matured, the emphasis is moving to gathering data from digital signage experiences. “You always hear everyone say, ‘Content is king,” Ventura said. “I can tell you right now, content is not king; data is king. Whoever owns it, whoever can parse it, whoever can map it out, that’s who’s actually going to own the space.”

Four Winds Interactive’s Giebel agreed. “We talk to clients about putting information in front of people.” Gathering data and having the ability to analyze it don’t always align. Some companies offer visualization dashboards. “You really only have 10 percent of your company that knows what to do with the data.” Dashboards can help this process. “How can those folks and analysts really boil it down to say, ‘This is what’s important. This is what you should take away from this giant report.’”

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absen.com
digitalsignageexpo.net
fourwindsinteractive.com
lg.com
nanolumens.com
necam.com
planar.com
na.panasonic.com
samsung.com
sharpusa.com
ultrahaptics.com

The Digital Signage Federation (DSF) awarded the first ever DSF Educator of the Year award to Alan C. Brawn, principal of Brawn Consulting, at the Digital Signage Expo APEX awards ceremony on March 28, in Las Vegas, Nevada. DSF Vice Chairman, Spencer Graham, who is Real Digital Media’s Business Development Manager for Higher Education, NA, presented the award. And the honors for Brawn did not stop there– as the DSF announced that going forward the award will be named the DSF Alan C. Brawn Educator of the Year Award.

“I am proud to announce that the inaugural Educator of the Year award will go to the person who has exemplified dedication to the craft of professional teaching and sharing of knowledge,” said Graham. “Through structured instruction to thoughtful whitepapers Alan exemplifies what it means to give of oneself to others.”

Graham also announced that the DSF Board of Directors has declared that hereafter the award will be referred to as the DSF Alan C. Brawn Educator of the Year award. “Hereafter the award will be named after Alan Brawn. It is my distinct pleasure to award the first, and hereafter eponymous award to Alan C. Brawn, 2018 Educator of the Year.”

Digital Signage Expo (DSE) has announced the independently judged winners of its APEX Awards for 2018 at the 14th Annual APEX Awards Ceremony, Wednesday, March 28 at the Renaissance Hotel.

McCann Systems and bluemedia took home the top honors of the night, winning the APEX Installation of the Year and APEX Content of the Year awards, respectively. The two overall winners were selected from the nine Gold award winners.

This year Gold, Silver, and Bronze DSE 2018 APEX Awards were presented to winners in nine categories from a field of 116 entrants:

Arts, Entertainment and Recreation (13 entries)

• Gold – McCann Systems for 150 Media Stream
• Silver – Potion Design for Cleveland Museum of Art/ArtLENS Exhibition
• Bronze – Christie for TCL Chinese Theatre "Hollywood Lights"

Business and Government Services (13 entries)

• Gold – Dreambox Visual Communications for 22nd World Petroleum Congress Official Opening Ceremony
• Silver – Four Winds Interactive for Daimler Trucks North America Headquarters
• Bronze – Cineplex Digital Media for Scotiabank Solutions Branch

Education and Healthcare (8 entries)

• Gold – Forge Media + Design for Holomodor Mobile Classroom
• Silver – Dimensional Innovations for University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital/ Nick’s Theater
• Bronze – Visix for Georgia State University - Enterprise Digital Signage

Event Venues and Hospitality (14 entries)

• Gold – Daktronics for Mercedes-Benz Stadium
• Silver – DCL for "As We Are" Interactive Digital Sculpture
• Bronze – StandardVison for "Convergence" at Metropolis Los Angeles

Food and Beverage (1 entry)

• Gold – Shikatani Lacroix Design for Boston Pizza Digital Experience

Immersive Environments (10 entries)

• Gold – bluemedia for Super Bowl LIVE Water and Building Projection Show
• Silver – Go2 Productions for Mirage at Metropolis
• Bronze – Colours and Shapes Design, Inc. for Uninterrupted: A Cinematic Spectacle

Public Spaces (29 entries)

• Gold – Colours and Shapes Design, Inc. for Uninterrupted: A Cinematic Spectacle
• Silver – Cineplex Digital Media for Cars 3, Digital Experiential Campaign
• Bronze – LG Electronics USA Business Solutions for LG OLED Video Wall at the Dubai Aquarium

Retail (18 entries)

• Gold – ICON Media for Fume Scent Lounge
• Silver – The Kroger Co. for EDGE (Enhanced Display for Grocery Environment)
• Bronze – Stingray Business for Sportes Experts - Downtown Montreal

Transportation (10 entries)

• Gold – NanoLumens for Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 4
• Silver – Eventscape for Pearson International Airport (GTAA Passenger Information Zone)
• Bronze – MTA Arts & Design for The Fluid

The What: Leyard and Planar debuted their new Planar VM Series Wednesday, the first day of the Digital Signage Expo. The Planar VM Series is the newest addition to the company’ lineup of tiled LCD video wall solutions.

The What Else: The Planar VM Series is available in 55-inch displays with an extreme narrow-tiled bezel width of 1.8 millimeters or ultra narrow-tiled bezel width of 3.5mm for near-seamless video walls with 4K60Hz connectivity and loop through. The extreme narrow bezel option is available in either 700- or 500-nit brightness.

“The Planar VM Series combines state-of-the-art video wall capabilities with a simple and affordable all-in-one design,” said Steve Seminario, vice president of product marketing at Leyard and Planar. “We are thrilled to bring this new offering to our market-leading video wall lineup.”

The Planar VM Series features:

• IPS technology for “outstanding viewing angles and contrast.”
• Enhanced brightness of up to 700 nits, producing vibrant images and messaging even in high ambient light conditions. It uses in-plane switching (IPS) panel technology for improved off-axis viewing and contrast ratio.
• Tiled bezel widths as small as 1.8mm or 3.5mm between adjacent LCD displays offer a nearly seamless video wall solution.
• Fan-less design allows for configuration in video wall arrays in landscape or portrait orientation.
• Standard, built-in video wall scaling for arrays up to 10x10, mullion compensation, configuration presets, and HDCP 2.2 loop through content protection.
• Support for the latest 4K input connectivity standards, including both HDMI 2.0, DisplayPort 1.2 and OPS, and the Open Pluggable Specification for add-in connectivity, compute and play-back devices.

The Bottom Line: Leyard and Planar developed the Planar VM Series as a feature-rich, LCD video wall solution option for customers who want the advantages of a high-impact LCD video wall at a budget-friendly price point. The Planar VM Series is available to order now.

The What: At DSE, Optoma unveiled the ZH420UST 1080p HD laser projector, which is designed to combine flexibility—including built-in edge blending and warping adjustments— with reliability and color performance for the pro AV market.

The What Else: The ZH420UST utilizes a light source for 4,000 ANSI lumens of brightness and 100,000:1 contrast and 0.25:1 throw ratios. The ZH420UST produces bright, 100-inch images from just 13 inches away from the surface. It is designed to deliver maximum projection flexibility and reliability with multiple installation features, including built-in warping adjustment, automatic edge-blending capabilities (using CS200T), color matching adjustment, HDBaseT, and two HDMI inputs.

“The ZH420UST is the industry’s first 1080p ultra short throw projector with built-in edge blending and warping adjustments, combining flexibility, reliability, and incredible performance,” said Brian Soto, head of product management, Optoma Technology. “By bringing high quality and innovation to the market at industry-leading prices, we continue to demonstrate our dedication to providing unique solutions with maximum flexibility to the pro AV market.”

The Bottom Line: Powered by a laser phosphor light engine and featuring an assortment of connectivity options, the ZH420UST has been engineered to deliver exceptional image quality for a variety of professional environments, including digital signage. The ZH420UST-B (Black) and ZH420UST-W (White) will be available for purchase in May through authorized dealers at an estimated price of $2,799.

At DSE 218, Optoma is also showcasing other new projection products in a variety of creative applications at its booth (1145). From a blending and warping demo featuring a Projected Capacitive Touch (PCT) screen, to a sphere displaying 360-degree virtual reality media in collaboration with Global Imagination, Optoma is working to bring content to life with projector applications and provide more digital signage possibilities, across a variety of use cases and professional environments.

Optoma is also demonstrating a laser projection demo that features an ultra-wide ambient light-rejection (ALR) screen, features the ZH420UST-B’s built-in edge blending and warping capabilities, and leverages the CS200T image processor. In addition, Optoma is exhibiting a rear-projection window display for the retail market, featuring the Optoma ZU850, screen material provided by Smart Film and a newly designed all-in-one interactive engine designed for retail flexibility from Interactive Projection USA.

LG announced at the Digital Signage Expo today a new narrow-bezel video wall solution with a combined 1.2mm bezel to bezel width. The ultra narrow bezel display is on view at LG’s booth at DSE at the Las Vegas Convention Center this week.

“With the largest selection of ultra-narrow bezel video walls in the market, LG is leading the industry with innovative solutions that are highly functional and maximize end users’ bottom lines by attracting more business,” said Clark Brown, vice president, digital signage, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions. “The versatile LG SVH7E ultra-narrow 0.6 mm bezel video wall solution allows businesses to display cohesive content in ways they never thought imaginable.”

The ultra-narrow 0.6 mm bezels of the 55-inch LG SVH7E combine to create, according to LG, “one powerful and impactful video wall display with an incredible 1.2 mm bezel to bezel width. Combined with LG’s proprietary In-Plane Switching (IPS) technology, which helps ensure uniform, accurate color saturation from virtually any viewing angle, the LG SVH7E video wall produces unparalleled viewing experiences sure to capture any viewer’s attention.”

“The brightness uniformity on this new display, is phenomenal,” said LG’s Dan Smith in a demo this morning at the LG booth. “The combination of having small bezels, and great brightness uniformity, you totally lose the bubble effect of many video walls where you have dark areas as you go to the edges.”

Smith also explained how, at 1.2mm bezel, for a video wall in a corporate environment, the lines of the bezel are not really bigger than the lines in an Excel spreadsheet.

The video wall display is also equipped with LG’s webOS 3.0+ Smart Signage platform, which uses the display’s system-on-a-chip (SoC) to deliver a variety of content options and web-based applications across multiple platforms, providing end users across a host of industries convenience and ease of use. Featuring Full HD (1920 x 1080) resolution and an eye-catching design, the new 700-nit video wall solution is perfect for the display of advertising and wayfinding information in retail, corporate, government and transportation installation environments.

The LG SVH7E video wall display joins LG’s portfolio other narrow bezel and ultra-bright video wall displays redefining the video wall category. The 49-inch model 49VM5C, 55-inch model 55VH7B and 55-inch model 55VM5B video wall displays all feature a narrow bezel to bezel width of 1.8mm allowing them to be easily connected. LG also offers a 55-inch ultra-bright video wall display (model 55VX1D), which offers users an innovative solution that is 1,500 nits—three times brighter than conventional video wall displays—in a 3.5 mm bezel-to-bezel width design. Each model in LG’s video wall portfolio is lightweight and designed for seamless installation and simple maintenance.

Visitors to LG’s booth at DSE 2018 in Las Vegas (March 28-29), Las Vegas Convention Center, Central Hall #1911) will be able to experience the new LG SVH7E ultra-narrow video wall display along with highly-acclaimed products from the industry’s broadest portfolio of commercial displays. For more information, please visit www.lgsolutions.com.

Casio America (booth 1131) is showcasing its latest projection technology along with other solutions at the Digital Signage Expo. Among these is its line of LampFree projectors, which are positioned as a versatile, eco-friendly, and durable product line for education and corporate clients.

Casio’s LampFree lineup combines a laser and LED light source to create a high-brightness, mercury-free tool that uses half the amount of power per unit than other lamp-based projectors, according to the company. The projectors reach maximum brightness in as fast as eight seconds from the time the power is switched on and can immediately power off, then be used again right away, without the need for a cool-down period.

“The innovation and technological progression of our products is the key to our continued growth and development,” said Joe Gillio, senior director strategic planning and marketing of Casio’s Business Projector Division. “At Casio, we strive to continue to be a leader in the LampFree projection space, giving consumers the quality, durability, and reliability they’ve come to know with our products.”

In addition to showcasing its projectors, Casio will also highlight use cases for its technology. Working with Glass-Media (booth 1936), Casio will demonstrate a projection-based digital storefront. Designed and developed for a range of uses including retail, convenience, QSR, hospitality services, and more, the new projection-based digital storefront helps brick-and-mortar retailers boost store traffic, build brand awareness, and increase both engagement and conversion. Glass-Media utilizes both the Casio XJ-V10X and the Casio XJ-V110W LampFree projectors that provide up to 20,000 hours of continuous use. These storefront solutions will be shown at both the Casio and Glass-Media booths.

Marrying a video projector and a smart effects/architectural lighting device is an idea that’s been explored in limited ways over the years– but never for the retail and/or digital signage market. At the Digital Signage Expo, Epson is announcing this morning its new LightScene, that the company is calling “a new category of accent lighting laser projectors for digital art and signage.” The laser (phosphor) projectors “blend in discreetly” according to Epson, i.e. they look more like elegant, discreet lighting fixtures than video projectors and offer “an array of configuration, mounting and programming options.”

In an interview with Remi Del Mar of Epson before the show, she told me that this new projector from Epson is more about “getting engaged with brands, products, and services.”

“Much of digital signage, is flat panels,” said Del Mar. “But now, with both behavioral changes on the part of retail customers, and also new projection tools like mapping, we think this new breed of projector can be a confluence of lighting and projection. In fact, we did interviews with top retail designers from NY, Tokyo, the UK, and asked them, ‘what would you do with this product?’ And the answer was all about new ways of using projection: new kinds of digital merchandising, changing background scenery, and using color washes, gobos, or other effects as well as video images And it’s not just about what it can project. It’s also about the form factor, that lets a designer do different things. You can put it on the floor, or on a side wall or panel, for example, and it does not look like a projector. It blends in better with the design of the space.”

Examples of those referenced retail designers’ ideas will be showcased in Epson’s booth at DSE, booth #2336.

The new unit has some interesting features: the projector can be wireless. And if don’t need to put on network, put content on DS card. It also comes with some CMS features, and for the lighting design aspect, preset filters and gobos.

Two models available in what Epson calls a “sleek, spotlight form “ – the LightScene EV-100 in white, and the LightScene EV-105 in black.

Some highlights of the new product’s specs include:

• Based on 3LCD laser phosphor, with sealed optical engine. 2,000 lumens of color brightness and 2,000 lumens of white brightness.

• Content management tools – Includes templates, effects, color filters, and customizable options; users can create playlists, control the projector and schedule functions remotely with an easy-to-use, web-based application or over the network with Crestron, Art-Net and more.

• Scalable for an array of applications – you an Daisy-chain multiple LightScene projectors and utilize Edge Blending technology.

• Expansive connectivity – HDMI, RJ-45, wired and wireless LAN, and SD card slot for direct content storage when needed.

According to Epson the new LightScene projectors will be available May 2018 for $2,499 (MSRP). The laser projectors come with a limited warranty of three years or 20,000 hours, whichever comes first, and next business day replacement, including free shipping both ways.

The What: Epson has launched LightScene, which it describes as a new category of accent lighting laser projectors for digital art and signage, at DSE 2018. They will be on display from March 28-29 at booth 2336.

The What Else: With two models available in a spotlight form factor—LightScene EV-100 in white and LightScene EV-105 in black—the laser projectors are designed to blend discreetly with surroundings and offer an array of configuration, mounting, and programming options.

“Consumers crave memorable and engaging experiences,” said Remi Del Mar, senior product manager, Epson America. “Display technology is changing the way consumers interact with brands and products, from the ease at which they are able to receive information to the way they digest an abundance of content. The new LightScene laser projector category will provide solutions to businesses creating captivating, immersive environments to engage customers with their product or brand, without impacting the overall atmosphere.

Both models feature 3LCD laser technology for up to 2,000 lumens of brightness and up to 20,000 hours of virtually maintenance-free operation, plus a sealed optical engine to help retain image quality and performance. Content management features include templates, effects, color filters, and customizable options; users can create playlists, control the projector, and schedule functions remotely with a web-based application or over the network with Crestron, Art-Net, and more.

The projectors can be scaled for an array of applications; users can daisy chain multiple LightScene projectors and utilize edge blending for large displays, and they can be rotated vertically and horizontally with 360-degree mounting on tracks, floors, walls, or ceilings. 1.58-times powered optical zoom and powered focus allows for installation in both large and small spaces.

Playlist and playback functions allow for improved content management for single or multiple LightScene projectors, and they feature a wide range of connectivity options, including HDMI, RJ45, wired and wireless LAN, and SD card slot for direct content storage when needed.

Epson teamed up with designers from London, New York, and Tokyo to showcase examples of how LightScene brings retail and hospitality exhibitions to life. These examples will be showcased in Epson’s booth at DSE, along with ideas and design concepts from U.S. design agencies such as All of It Now.

The Bottom Line: LightScene is designed to simultaneously illuminate and project content on virtually any surface or material to engage audiences and provide an immersive experience for commercial signage applications in markets such as retail, hospitality, showrooms, and museums. LightScene projectors will be available May for $2,499.

The What: Matrox Graphics and IBASE have collaborated on the SI-61S nine-monitor system. Designed specifically to drive 3x3 video walls for digital signage applications, this Matrox C900-powered bundle features nine HDMI ports and a dedicated graphics processor designed to power all displays as one contiguous desktop at the full 5,760x3,240 resolution. The solution is on display at IBASE’s DSE booth, 2849.

The What Else: In addition to I/O flexibility, resolution support, and GPU performance, the Matrox C900 card in the SI-61S supports video wall software expansion including compatibility with the Matrox MuraControl video wall management software, the Matrox NetAPI video wall development API, and a host of Matrox-compatible, third-party video wall control and management suites.

“Scaling HD or 4K content to fit across nine HD panels is a cheap and convenient way to power 3x3 video walls that are viewed from a distance,” said Samuel Recine, director of sales, Americas and Asia Pacific, Matrox Graphics. “But retailers, gaming houses and casinos, transport agencies, hospitality businesses, stadiums, and arenas are also putting video walls in windows that patrons pass only a few inches away from. At this distance, the effects of scaling are visible to viewers and powering each screen of a 3x3 video wall at its native resolution is unbeatable for visual acuity, fine text, very sharp lines, image clarity, and overall customer engagement.”

“Based on 7th Gen Intel Core desktop processors, the brand new IBASE SI-61S is an awesome digital signage hardware solution for video wall applications,” said Jackson Mao, product planning division vice president of IBASE. “Video walls with high resolution are now in high demand, especially 3x3 display configuration. We’re excited to showcase at DSE the IBASE SI-61S powered by a PCI Express x16 Matrox C900 graphics card that supports nine outputs with the best display density and performance.”

The Bottom Line: This 18.7-megapixel signage player maintains the popular Full HD aspect ratio of 1.78 while allowing nine times the pixel count for large digital signage applications.

At DSE 2018, Sharp Imaging and Information Company of America (booth 2618) is showcasing smart signage displays and new software alliances formed with the aim of creating a collaborative ecosystem.

“We are super excited about the products and alliances that we will be highlighting this year at DSE,” said Gary Bailer, director of product planning and marketing, Pro AV Products. “With the office becoming increasingly collaborative, we are proud to showcase our new products that demonstrate how we can efficiently work together.”

Sharp is showcasing collaborations with third-party software companies for the SHARP Open Architecture Platform technology found in upcoming smart signage displays, as well as alliances in Sharp’s sales channels, as integrators and channel partners work together to provide creative solutions. To date, Sharp has 17 global alliances for the SHARP Open Architecture Platform technology. Of these, Sharp is demonstrating solutions from six at its booth, including Revel Digital, Ping HD, Enplug, Navori Labs, Onsign TV, and Capital Networks Limited.

Smart Signage

The company is featuring a number of new products, including the recently launched 40-inch class PN-B401 and 50-inch class PN-B501 professional LCD displays, Sharp’s first standalone solutions to feature the SHARP Open Architecture Platform for digital signage. These displays offer users streamlined ways to download, store, and play content directly from the display, with the aim of making digital signage more affordable and accessible.

These smart signage solutions include a built-in, quad-core SoC controller, which eliminates the need for a separate media player or PC. The PN-B Series displays also offer increased mounting flexibility: whether in landscape or portrait orientation, the displays can be installed face up, face down, or tilting forward or backward at an angle of up to 90 degrees. They can also be suspended from four corners of the rear housing with wires. The PN-B Series is engineered for 16x7 commercial operation.

Sharp is also previewing two upcoming 40-inch class and 50-inch class Smart Signage displays that provide 50 percent greater brightness and are specifically engineered for 24/7 commercial operation. The new PN-M401 and PN-M501 Sharp Smart Signage products will launch over the next two months.

4K Ultra HD Monitors

In addition to the new Smart Signage displays, Sharp is showcasing its new PN-UH Series 4K Ultra HD Commercial displays, which are available as 70-inch class and 60-inch class sizes. These displays are built for 16/7 commercial usage and feature built-in tuner support and business-friendly features for DOOH and commercial environments.

Interactive Signage

Sharp is promoting the use of its AQUOS BOARD interactive display systems for engaging interactive signage applications, including the company’s first 4K Ultra HD interactive display, which was recently launched and joined the AQUOS BOARD system line. The new 70-inch class PN-L705H offers fast response times and Ultra HD resolution, alongside smooth writing that the company likens to “a real pen-on-paper” experience.

Sharp is also showcasing its new 50-inch class PN-L501C AQUOS BOARD interactive display that joins the 40-inch class PN-L401C model. They are engineered for flexible mounting alternatives including portrait or landscape orientation, as well as flush, face-up, tilt-forward, or tilt-backward mounting.

8K Preview

Sharp is holding a demonstration of its future 8K technology with its 70-inch display, which features more than 33 million pixels. This preview features Sharp’s 8K upscaling, wide-color gamut, Mega-Contrast (Dynamic Range Expansion), and HDR (HLG-PQ) technologies.

At the Society of Experiential Graphic Design (SEGD)’s Branded Environments during the Digital Signage Expo (DSE) in Las Vegas, NV, Justin Wood of Dimensional Innovations discussed extending the brand experience in sports.

Here’s quick recap of his thoughts, broken down into four different categories one should consider with the audiovisual user experience (UX).

1. Experiential

“The days of sponsors being okay with that [just a logo] as their brand recognition—those days are over,” Wood said. “They need to be experiential. Whatever we do in the space needs to support the brand, it needs to support the team, and ideally, they’re in really, really close alignment.” Experiences need to have a wow factor so people stop and spend time there, which brings values to the fans and the sponsoring company.

As an example, he pointed to the Pittsburgh Penguins hockey team, and credits the success of their sponsorship program to the alignment of the company’s sales team in putting the right brand sponsors with the right activation. For example, aligning the Blue Cross Blue Shield with the Kids’ Zone when the company had “really deep roots” with amateur hockey leagues in the area, or connecting their hall of fame with a media conglomerate that was able to help with hall of fame members.

“Everything was in alignment, everything made sense,” he said. “Nobody ever had a head-scratcher like ‘Why was that brand here in this space, or vice versa?’”

2. Physical

“We like to think that our stuff is the most important, but it’s absolutely not the most important,” Wood said. “The most important thing is the fans find their seats, they can find restroom, they can get to the concessions—the kinds of things that are the basic level of fan experience, and our stuff shouldn’t impede that.”

Wood advised attendees to ensure the AV UX is being additive and not a distraction. “We’ve all seen experiences out there that are a distraction. They become a visual noise along and on top of the signage, the wayfinding, the concessions, the other stuff that happens in the space, and all of the sudden it becomes this visual noise that we can’t get through.”

3. Visual

The goal of the project should be to make an entire area work together as one holistic system instead of a series of random sponsor activations. For Wood, the design process has to include a constant balance ensuring “the architecture, the design, and the sponsorship spaces all sing together.” For example, wayfinding, lighting, and artwork need to work in concert with the concession and retail design.

4. Sponsorship

Sponsorship can be the trickiest part of designing the experience. Some people have worked on similar projects and have a strong vision, while others haven’t done a major activation and don’t even know where to begin—and there’s often a steep learning curve, even with a brand-savvy company.

Wood frequently has to remind sponsors that “their space is not going to keep this stadium from opening, so you got to stay on path, got to stay on target.” Hitting those deadlines is crucial.

“The design process is a very iterative process to help them make sure we’re hitting all of the goals but also make sure we’re staying within budget, and can actually build what we’re going to build,” Wood said.

Starting with the premise that as much as 30 percent of our industry will be out of business in two to three years—because customer expectations are becoming astonishingly high, technology is becoming commoditized at a rapid rate, and those who don’t keep up with evolving trends will find themselves out of luck (and customers)—Laura Davis-Taylor and Ed King of HighStreet Collective brought some heavy hitters from the world of retail to the Digital Signage Expo to map a path forward to success. The Digital Experience Forum: Winning with DX – A Summit For Future Success, presented by High Street Collective, is taking place all day today, the eve of the show floor opening at DSE 2018 in Las Vegas.

Phillip Raub, president, b8ta kicked off the presentations at the Digital Experience Forum, with the message “Meet Your New Client: The CMO.” According to Raub, the days of pitching digital solutions to the IT team are dwindling, and the CMO is quickly becoming digital signage, DOOH, and experiential providers’ new client, as “experience is the new digital darling and the CMO is quickly becoming your new client.” And to speak in their language, companies will need to reframe their product stories, case studies focused on the customer experience, user engagement, and business outcomes.

Stephane Nasser, strategy and development manager, FΛBERNOVEL, followed with an explanation of the new GAFA’s Galaxy, (referring to Google/Apple/Facebook/Amazon) quickly changing culture, habits, and business “at mach speed.”

Probably the most science-based presentation as of midday, was An Emotional Breakdown: Deconstructing Dopamine for Dollars, presented by Neale Martin, CEO, Sublime Behavior Marketing, and was a crash course on “the neuroscience of the brain, and will clarify how sensory engagements drive dopamine, delight, digital opportunity, and dollars.” Bottom line for retail: recent advancements in neuroscience and technology mean that ‘place’ must be multisensory and digital should be seamlessly incorporated to provide a holistic experience. According to Martin, who works with some of the country’s top retailers and brands, companies like b8ta (see session above) are indeed deconstructing dopamine for dollars, i.e. learning how to better guide shoppers through a retail space, turning, for example, a shopper’s first visit to a store from a neuron-driven intimidating experience (based on survival mode instincts as they adapt to unknown stimuli) into a new but unconsciously mapped space with friendly edges, boundaries and relationships. When retail stores don’t do that well, that opens the door for Amazon with their controlled shopper path to step in and take market share.

The Digital Experience Forum continues all afternoon Tuesday, “to give you the insider tools to rise above commodity, to speak the language of the CMO, and to become a consultative partner that not only wins today’s pitch, but tomorrow’s as well.”

One of the highly anticipated sessions scheduled for later this afternoon is The Emerging Engagement Toolbox, to be presented by Nikki Baird, VP Retail Innovation, Aptos, who promises to help you sort through technology tools at your disposal to understand which ones should get your attention and which ones should get a pass.

22 Miles has released AR Plug-in, its feature release for mobile wayfinding applications, which it will demonstrate at DSE 2018 in booth 1543.

Visitors can now find any destination with a superimposed pathway app from their phone camera. 22 Miles designed this to make mobile wayfinding more intuitive and match the standards set out by the likes of Google Maps.

The 22 Miles mobile app capabilities support features such as 3D wayfinding for outdoor campus and interior floor maps; menus, product browsing, and search; smart search directory; meeting and event booking; emergency notifications; social media, surveys, forms and Google Maps for local amenities and offsite locations; indoor positioning support via Bluetooth beacons (BLE) and Wi-Fi access points; and of course, augmented reality route visualization (AR) plug-in.

To expand further on the AR Plug-in, users can get promotions in real time throughout their navigational experience, as notifications alert them of deals within their proximity. The plug-in can integrate with existing organizational apps, and 22 Miles offers app design services for end users.

Projectors can be used to create displays much larger than a typical digital screen as the canvas is virtually limitless. Being displayed on anything from an entire wall in a room to sides of buildings and mountains, projection technology allows for larger-than-life experiences.

DSE features all of the top manufacturers of projection technology. We spoke with Epson’s Remi Del Mar on the role Epson’s “laser” focus on digital signage (pun intended).

Q&A with Remi Del Mar, senior product manager, Epson.

Q: Why DSE?

Remi Del Mar: The global digital signage market is rapidly growing. With the technology advancements in projectors, we have a strong story to tell about the role of projection in the digital signage market. DSE provides a great launch pad for us to showcase our specialty laser projector solutions ideal for different signage applications—from retail and hospitality to museums and even restaurants and bars. In addition to showcasing our existing laser projectors, we are leveraging DSE to introduce a brand-new Epson product category designed to blend into nearly any environment and inspire creativity in visual merchandising and spatial design. Given the well-established, strong focus on innovative digital display and technology, DSE is the perfect venue to introduce this new solution.

Q: What will you focus on at the show?

RDM: Epson will be showcasing several of its latest laser projector solutions for the digital signage market, including the Pro L-Series and PowerLite L-Series.

We are leveraging the Pro L-Series large venue laser projectors, which provide 12,000-15,000 lumens of color/white brightness, to showcase an immersive lounge setting, as well as a large video wall around the outside of the booth.

The PowerLite L-Series, which provide up to 6,000 lumens of color/white brightness with manual lens shift and array of connectivity options in a compact design, will be used with an interactive software solution to project on glass.

Throughout the booth, Epson will be showing various examples of how our laser projectors can enhance and transform any space with high-quality imagery. From retailers, hospitality professionals, marketers, corporate AV professionals, and more, we will have something for everyone at our booth.

Q: What about your solutions is notable for integrators?

RDM: Weighing between 17 and 19 lbs., the PowerLite L-Series feature a compact and versatile form factor for convenient portability and flexible installation, delivering incredible value to integrators. With up to 6,000 lumens of color/white brightness and 20,000 hours of laser light source, these projectors offer both quality imagery as well as reliable technology integrators can count on.

The Pro L-Series deliver up to 15,000 lumens of color/white brightness, flexible connectivity, and high native contrast ratio for spectacular images. Simple setup options across devices, including 360-degree installation, and up to 20,000 hours of maintenance-free operation make these projectors easy-to-use, without compromising quality. With a variety of interchangeable lenses for the Pro L-Series models, integrators can benefit from flexible usage and the ability to achieve advanced display techniques, such as edge blending, portrait or landscape mode, and corner wall projections.

Q: What about your solutions is notable for technology managers?

RDM: From curved edge bending to portrait projection and 360-degree installation, Epson’s laser projectors offer the versatility needed to power any technology manager’s vision, enabling high-quality projection on nearly any surface or material, including corner walls.

Epson’s award-winning laser technology offers virtually maintenance-free operation with up to 20,000 hours of laser light source. The Pro L-Series and PowerLite L-Series both provide bright images for signage in spaces with high ambient lighting, making them ideal for technology managers with its remarkable color accuracy and flexibility.

For learn more, check out Epson in Booth 2336 at DSE 2018.

BONUS: DSE is giving SCN readers a special discount. Use code “SCNDSE” to receive 15 percent off educational courses. To register for the show or to learn more, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net

The Digital Signage Expo starts next Wednesday, and a lot of eyes will be on LED– not on the strip in vegas but in the booths on the show floor. As the industry looks for a better way of getting millions of pixels of content to all the fabulous direct view LED going up and in everywhere, D3 has made a name for itself. In the field, and at trade shows. At last summer’s InfoComm, they made an impressive showing (see that story here). At the DSE next week, you can look for more from them– including some new developments I was just briefed on today that should cause a whole new crop of AV integrators and high level LED end users to take notice. Because even for a company that’s caused a stir the past year, their new offerings at DSE next week will surprise.

The background, and the story to date from D3 is: large-palette LED video solutions represent a huge and growing opportunity for integrators who can provide turnkey and/or custom solutions. But out in the field, we are now seeing so many different LED pixel pitch configurations in so many different sizes, shapes and resolutions, it can be a puzzle to figure out the best way to get content to all those screens. Many integrators end up cobbling together a patchwork of scalers, media servers and other content delivery tools that create synchronization issues and increase cost. Enter D3, that does not just ship LED modules but also provides installation, commissioning and in-the-field backup and service; offers turnkey options that avoid assembling LED screens, mounts, video processors, switchers and media servers from different vendors; and does not leave you on your own to “get the content to the pixels” but instead offers a complete and integrated media solution that can efficiently deliver native resolution content to 100 million pixels from a single device.

If all that is not enough, next week D3 will be showing something intriguing: an extension of that device, D3’s powerful AEP IMS– the Advanced Element Processor and Integrated Media System, i.e. their industrial strength scalable digital media control system that provides massive processing capacity with gigabit per second data delivery. D3 will be showing in their booth (1351) their new controller, a “universal remote” or “master control” that is, according to D3, “an extension of the AEP, in your hand.” I’ve seen the AEP in action, and that is an ambitious feat. D3 says that they will have a iPad interface at their booth that lets the user control content– content at the highest pixel count level you can imagine– with an ease of use we’ve never seen (again, think tens of millions of pixels of content, over different pixel pitch/resolution screens).

“We will be showing, at DSE,” said Jason Barak of D3, “one simple interface, a customizable iPad interface, that does what no controller in this arena has ever done: act as a ‘universal remote’ so to speak, to manipulate and direct complex content to screens, play with transparency layers, choose backgrounds and foregrounds, and different feeds including live feeds.”

And it’s not a demo tool, it’s a real control tool. And can also be programmed to not just control content on the screens (any screen BTW, not just LED) but to display monitoring info like heat of the screens etc.

There’s more– but I’m looking forward to seeing it all work in real time in their booth at the DSE show next week.

For more on D3 click here.

A media player is a computer program for playing multimedia like movies, music, or digital signage content on any public digital display. They’re small devices that run digital signage software and plug in directly to your TV or other display via HDMI, VGA, or even DVI.

DSE is the best place to see and learn about the greatest player models from all of the major companies. We caught up with Ann Holland and she told us about the exciting demos we’ll see in the BrightSign booth.

Q&A with Ann Holland, Vice President of Marketing, BrightSign

Why DSE?

DSE provides exhibitors and attendees alike a great view of what lies ahead for the digital signage industry. It’s the perfect venue to connect with partners and colleagues, and to demonstrate some of the latest advancements we’ll begin to see in the digital signage space in the months ahead.

What will you focus on at the show?

This year BrightSign will have some great demos at our booth. In particular we’ll be showing a few different BrightSign Built-In Displays from partners using our HS123 Digital Signage Module, a conference room scheduling solution from partner Signagelive, some amazing synchronized video walls, live social media streaming, and much more. Make sure to swing by booth 1728 and say hello!

What about your solutions is notable for integrators?

Integrators will be especially interested to learn more about our BrightSign Built-In Digital Signage Module, which gives display manufacturers the option of integrating BrightSign media player capabilities into their displays. For integrators, this means they’ll be able to specify much cleaner installations without the need for external players.

What about your solutions is notable for technology managers?

Technology managers will be interested in the new firmware we’ll introduce at the show. While firmware updates often get overshadowed by new hardware introductions, IT folks will be interested to learn about new features the firmware enables, including full-resolution (4K) graphics, Javascript objects, advanced audio routing, and GenLock for perfect video wall synchronization and edge blending in projection mapping…just to name a few.

To learn more, check out BrightSign in Booth 1728 at DSE 2018.

BONUS: DSE is giving SCN readers a special discount. Use code “SCNDSE” to receive 15 percent off educational courses. To register for the show or to learn more, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net.

Peerless-AV will showcase its latest AV solutions at the 2018 Digital Signage Expo (DSE) in Las Vegas, NV. Exhibiting in Booth 1917, Peerless-AV plans to display a variety of digital signage solutions, including new kiosks, video wall mounts, outdoor displays, wireless AV solutions, and more. Earl Naegele, Peerless-AV’s managing director of commercial sales, will also conduct an On-Floor Workshop on “The 5 R’s for Optimizing Digital Signage.”

Kiosks

Being shown for the first time at DSE, Peerless-AV’s All-in-One Portrait Kiosk Powered by BrightSign (KIPICT555) features an elegant, sleek design with lean frames and a small footprint. Powered by a BrightSign Built-in Digital Signage Module, the KIPICT555 offers a digital signage solution for any indoor application, featuring Full HD 1080p60 video decoding, HTML support, networked content playback, and an abundance of other features, including interactivity. With an integrated 55-inch commercial LCD display offering six points of IR touch, the All-in-One Kiosk fully engages users, for a variety of uses, such as wayfinding, advertising, sharing news and entertainment, and more.

Offering a range in kiosk solutions, Peerless-AV will also showcase its Portrait Kiosks (KIPC2555 & KIPC3555), as well as custom kiosks offering various enhancements, such as interactivity, printers, cameras, scanners, and electric vehicle charging.

Mounts

Designed with the needs of integrators and end-users in mind, the SmartMount Supreme Full Service Video Wall Mount with Quick Release (DS-VW775-QR) offers innovative, time-saving installation and maintenance features, including tool-less micro adjustment, easy hang wall plate, quick release mechanism, and reusable spacers for both portrait and landscape applications.

Also on display, the Flat Video Wall Mount for Samsung Smart LED Signage (DS-LEDIF) is a lightweight, ADA-compliant solution that offers height and depth adjustments and a modular design for unlimited configurations.

Peerless-AV’s new LED Video Wall Configurator will be demonstrated at DSE, alongside these mounts. With the new LED Video Wall Configurator application, integrators are able to design a custom LED video wall and request a quote within minutes. This will streamline the process for customers, and speed development and delivery time.

Wireless Solutions

Peerless-AV’s DSE showcase will feature the next generation of its PeerAir Wireless HD Multimedia System (HDS-WHDI100). Upgraded with numerous features to enhance the user experience, the PeerAir also removes the need to run multimedia wires, allowing for an easy installation.

The enhanced PeerAir features a new metal case design in addition to 802.11n technology and external directional antennas, providing a reliable and robust signal that can penetrate multiple walls, floors, and ceilings to offer complete wireless coverage. The PeerAir also allows for plug-and-play installation as well as an IR extender for the receiver, ensuring a clean aesthetic where the receiver can be stored out of sight.

The PeerAir Pro Wireless AV Multi-Display System (HDS300) will also be present in Peerless-AV’s showcase. The PeerAir Pro offers 210 feet of full HD 1080p wireless streaming and can multicast to up to six HD displays.

Outdoor Solutions

Peerless-AV’s Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays offer full HD 1080p resolution for a bright, crisp picture. Featuring a fully sealed IP68-rated design and an operating temperature range of -31°F to 140°F, there is no need to change filters or service the display, creating a maintenance-free solution for year-round use

Other outdoor solutions on display include Outdoor Digital Signage Boards and Outdoor Digital Kiosks for both Xtreme and Samsung displays. The Xtreme™ Outdoor Digital Kiosk (KOPV2555-XTR) offers a touch-enabled Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Display with a 10-point IR touch overlay for interactive content.

In addition to showcasing new and award-winning solutions, Earl Naegele, Peerless-AV’s managing director of commercial sales, will lead an On-Floor Workshop on "The 5 R’s for Optimizing Digital Signage" on Wednesday, March 28 from 12:30 pm to 1:00 pm at the Best Practices Theater - Central Park (Booth 1741).

Crimson AV will demonstrate its new series of VW4600G3 Video Wall Mounts, an adjustable menu board mount, and an all-in-one kiosk solution at Digital Signage Expo (DSE) 2018.

Crimson AV's adjustable VW4600G3 Video Wall Mount will accommodate 37-inch to 75-inch displays weighing up to 200 lbs., and offer six points of fine adjustment for ease of alignment. A proprietary one-touch lock and key system makes secure installations quick and easy.

Crimson AV will also introduce its latest wall mounted menu board the WML2, which offers even more versatility for its menu boards. With post-installation leveling, tilt adjustments, and in-out fine alignment adjustments, these mounts allow for ease of installation.

Finally, Crimson AV will showcase its new KFP Commercial All-In-One Kiosk Displays, specifically designed and targeted for commercial markets. These ultra-slim, sleek-design kiosks offer everything needed in a kiosk, with a variety of options in media players, touch screens, and Windows/Android operating systems.

“Easy installation and maintenance make these kiosks an excellent solution for any application,” said Vlad Gleyzer, president, Crimson AV. “I encourage you to see these solutions, and more, for yourself in Booth 2429 at DSE 2018.”

AdMobilize will introduce its MATRIX Voice dev board to the digital signage industry at DSE 2018 in booth 2369 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“Put simply, the company that introduced AI-powered audience analytics to the digital signage industry is now bringing voice recognition functionality to both manufacturers and systems integrators alike through its MATRIX product line,” said AdMobilize co-founder and CEO Rodolfo Saccoman. “We believe that voice engagement technologies will make digital signage a more compelling and sticky communications solution for an even broader range of vertical markets. The combination of audience analytics and voice recognition functionality truly represents the next chapter in this constantly evolving industry and AdMobilize is at the forefront of making this chapter a reality.”

Available for $55.00, MATRIX Voice will integrate with any voice recognition service (Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, or any other third-party service) at any time. “MATRIX Voice puts the power of flexibility directly in the hands of the manufacturer and systems integrator, freeing them from being confined to any one of the currently available voice services,” Saccoman said. “This enables plug-and-play custom voice solutions to go mainstream.”

MATRIX Voice is also designed with security concerns in mind. For retailers who do not want Amazon listening to, recording, and storing all store information on its cloud, MATRIX Voice provides the capability to process voice recognition at the edge and not strictly in the cloud.

MATRIX Voice can be run on a Raspberry Pi or standalone, thanks to an optional module (ESP32) that equips it with a micro-controller as well as Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity. MATRIX Voice has an eight-microphone array, a 3.5mm audio output jack, two speaker outputs, a 3A audio amplifier, 24 expansion GPIO ports, 64MB of RAM, 64MB of Flash, and the second-tier Spartan 6 FPGA that allows manufacturers and integrators to customize the functions of the GPIO pins as well as implement one’s own audio and voice algorithms.

From a software perspective, the company has created three library layers to program the MATRIX Voice. The first layer, HAL, allows integrators to program it in C++, providing the closest access to the hardware. The second layer, MATRIX Core, contains protocol buffers and ZeroMQ that enable designers to program the MATRIX Voice in more than 40 languages for interoperability with any pre-existing code base. Finally, the third and highest layer, MOS (MATRIX Open System), empowers users to program the MATRIX Voice in JavaScript with as little as one line of code, as well as take advantage of the company’s remade infrastructure, which includes dashboard, remote deployment through its CLI tool, simple communication between devices (crosstalk), and much more.

“Let’s say you have 50 digital screen directories already installed within a mall,” Saccoman explained. “With MATRIX Voice you can now place it within the top or bottom of the directory (depending on space and optimal audio clarity for the microphones) and then use a third-party voice recognition service to create custom wake words and responses to enable the shopper to ask, ‘Directory, where is Macy’s?’ and have the directory respond with the route to Macy's from the shopper’s location. All sorts of voice activated cues and information can now be programmed into a digital signage network, opening up the door to a whole new series of applications.”

According to the company, AdMobilize’s aim is to bridge the gap between the digital revolution and disruptive computer vision analytics, infusing machine learning into formerly unintelligent displays.

The company’s plug-and-play Audience, Crowd, and Vehicle Analytics solutions convert digital signage solutions and physical-world installations into sophisticated audience intelligence devices and environments capable of capturing metrics such as dwell time, viewer age, gender, and emotion; people count, and much more. Its growing portfolio of global partners reflects the new reality that every vertical market can benefit from computer-vision enabled digital signage displays.

Zytronic, a manufacturer of projected capacitive technology (PCT and MPCT) touch sensors, will give show attendees an early look at the company’s new range of multitouch controllers at Digital Signage Expo (DSE) March 28–29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (booth 2050). The company’s forthcoming ZXY500 controllers aim to enhance the design, speed, accuracy, and performance of touchscreens ranging from 5 to 95 inches, enabling near-edgeless glass designs and facilitating the improved integration of contactless peripheral systems such as NFC payment.

The Zytronic touch controllers previewed at DSE will allow touch sensors to be designed with substantially reduced non-active borders, for example less than 10mm on a 55-inch screen, which is less than half of the current industry norm, according to the company. Interactive digital signage—and video walls in particular—are fueling demand for elegant, multi-display installations fronted by narrow touchscreen borders. Zytronic’s new controllers, combined with their durable and fully customizable touch sensors, improve design flexibility without minimum order quantities, making them well suited for a wide variety of self-service and public-facing touchscreen applications.

Based around Zytronic’s latest ASIC, the compact ZXY500 controllers benefit from a high signal to noise ratio, allowing greater noise immunity and enabling wireless technologies such as RFID, NFC, and Qi wireless battery charging to be integrated adjacent to the touch active area without impairing performance. These technologies emit signals that tend to interfere with the operation of conventional projected capacitive touchscreens—however, this interference is all but eliminated by the new controllers, according to the company.

“The ZXY500 controller range will significantly enhance the capabilities of our customers’ touchscreens, bringing a new level of touch performance to interactive self-service systems,” said Ian Crosby, Zytronic’s global VP of sales and marketing. “The new feature set delivered by these class-leading touch controllers will free designers to create interfaces that are more capable than ever before.”

BrightSign has detailed its plans for Digital Signage Expo 2018 (DSE), which takes place March 28 and 29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The company’s media players will power demonstrations not just in its own booth (1728), but across the show floor and all over the Las Vegas Strip. This year BrightSign will again host a cocktail party at Top Golf alongside partners Chief and Epson. BrightSign is also a diamond sponsor of the Peerless-AV party at Drai’s nightclub, a venue in which BrightSign players power every one of the venue’s many dynamic screens.

BrightSign and Bose: the Future of Experiential Engineering

CEO Jeff Hastings will co-present a seminar exploring “Experiential Engineering in the Age of Digital Signage.” Hastings will be joined by Matt Neutra, manager of prototype demonstration and 3D Specialist at Bose, who together will discuss how new digital signage technology makes it possible to create lasting impressions via the emerging craft of experiential engineering. The seminar (DSE Session S2) kicks off at 9 a.m. on March 28 in room S224 directly following the opening keynote.

Powering Signage Throughout the Show Floor

Show attendees will be greeted by an array of 15 displays at the DSE entrance, all of which will be powered by BrightSign’s players. This marks the seventh time BrightSign has been chosen by DSE show organizers to power the DSE entry signage. On the show floor itself, BrightSign players will drive demos in dozens of partner booths. Notable companies using BrightSign’s players in their booths include Peerless-AV, Christie, Signagelive, Four Winds Interactive, Reflect Systems, Global Display Solutions, and NEC.

Demonstrating the Latest BrightSign Hardware and Software

In booth 1728 BrightSign will demonstrate its latest firmware v7.0, which supports extensive new features including full-resolution (4K) graphics, JavaScript objects, advanced audio routing, and GenLock for video wall synchronization and edge blending in projection mapping. BrightSign’s booth will also feature a variety of displays using the BrightSign Built-In Digital Signage Module (HS123); conference room scheduling solutions by partners Signagelive, SCHOT, and Appspace; synchronized video walls; and live social media streaming.

As in past years, BrightSign’s players also power high-profile installations featured on the Digital Signage Guided Installation Tour, including Vegas EXP, a 32,000-square-foot retail store located in the Grand Bazaar Shops.

HighStreet Collective has added Retail TouchPoints, an online publishing network that offers content focused on optimizing the customer experience, as co-sponsor and media partner for “Digital Experience Forum: Winning with DX – A Summit For Future Success.” Retail TouchPoints joins HighStreet Collective in “bringing together”, according to HighStreet, “today’s brightest minds and most creative thinkers innovating for the customer experience for the day-long event, which takes place March 27 in Las Vegas—one day prior to the opening of the Digital Signage Expo.”

Andrew Gaffney, president and founder of Retail TouchPoints, joins the dynamic lineup of presenters and panelists for “Attribution: Advanced and Advantage for Innovation ROI” at 2:30 p.m. In this standalone presentation, Gaffney will explore today’s OmniChannel reality, and how Attribution Modeling—how touchpoints in shopper paths are credited for contribution to sales conversion—can be more effectively tracked with rarely-seen customer data to understand the correlation between customer experience and transactions.

HighStreet Collective Co-Founders Laura Davis-Taylor and Ed King jumped at the chance to build the DX Forum to create an elevated discussion track for DSE attendees. In addition, the two had a goal to spark a broader conversion that brings honesty, communication and healthy confrontation to the challenges that brick and mortar retail, and other vertical industries of the Digital Signage Expo, face when it comes to effective customer engagement. Bringing in Retail TouchPoints as a media partner and contributor strengthens these opportunities based on their reach and expertise, and their mission of being strategic partners versus an industry news portal.

“The DX Forum is a pure motive of finding a way forward with digital experiences, and bringing in Retail TouchPoints is a direct way to get executive-level leadership to listen,” said Davis-Taylor. “Our industry needs brave provocateurs, and Retail TouchPoints has always fit this persona with a spirit of positive projection. They are highly respected, deeply enlightened and tightly intertwined with some of the brightest minds in the business. We’re honored they will join us, and have full confidence that their presence will make our conversations richer, deeper and more actionable.”

Gaffney emphasized that the digital experience addresses all of the sales channels and media types where today’s consumers are interacting with brands in retail and beyond. In addition to supporting the full agenda of speakers and sessions, Retail TouchPoints views the DX Forum as an ongoing initiative and conversation that will stretch far beyond the physical event. The publication plans a special report follow-up to the event, as well a number of editorial features that will expand on the topics discussed.

“The agenda for the Digital Experience Forum is exciting for us because it brings together experts from the field of experience design from top brands, as well as consultancies, agencies and top consumer goods and entertainment brands,” said Gaffney. “We think the session will provide great perspectives on engagement tools and tactics, as well as new approaches to measurement and attribution for investments in experience, especially in-store. Collaborating with Laura, Ed and their HighStreet colleagues is a win for everyone: Not only do they provide a ton of experience in the retail space, but their perspectives always balance a future-forward outlook with the realities of what is going on in today’s retail world.”

HighStreet Collective’s approach to a traditionally technology-focused event has pivoted these sessions toward a more comprehensive focus on the customer experience, and the digital experiences that exist within. Other contributors include keynote speaker Phillip Raub, president of b8ta, a rising brick-and-mortar chain; Nikki Baird VP of Retail for Aptos Digital; Brett Snyder of Office Depot; Randy Dearborn of MGM Resorts, and Chris Justice, president of Global Payment Solutions. Dearborn and Justice will lead a workshop just before Gaffney’s presentation called “Realizing Your OmniChannel Potential: Your Digital Experience Design Roadmap,” which will offer guidance on creating holistic customer experiences that leverage digital signage alongside other technology and immersive strategies.

A complete list of sessions with confirmed participants can be found by clicking here.

tvONE will exhibit for the first time at the Digital Signage Expo in 2018. tvONE will showcase a range of products, including the new CORIOview 4K multi-window processor, CORIOmaster video wall processors, and the universal rack mounting system, ONErack.

tvONE’s new CORIOview will be unveiled for the first time in the United States on the DSE show floor. CORIOview is a 4K multi-window processor with up to eight sources. The 1/2RU unit allows for each of its eight inputs to be viewed in any of the eight video windows with ultra-low latency. This makes CORIOview well suited for IP streaming as well as AV, broadcast, and legacy inputs and embedded or S/PDIF audio outputs. CORIOview supports mixed input types, color borders, and source labeling. Additionally, it supports source and preset transitions, offers landscape and portrait output options for displays, and is LED wall capable with custom resolution management.

Additionally, tvONE will debut and simulate a creative signage application example using the CORIOmaster video wall processor. The CORIOmaster family (CORIOmaster (4RU), CORIOmaster mini (1RU), andCORIOmaster micro (1/2RU)) multi-window video processors' modular I/O system provides flexibility of any signal in, to any signal out, including 4K. CORIOmaster systems also feature a streaming media and 4K playback input module, allowing the processors to accept dual IP streams up to 1080p, 4K file playback, and 8K still images via USB3.0 and internal memory—all on one card, in one slot. tvONE will also demonstrate CORIOgrapher v2, designed to make the creation of custom video walls faster and easier to set up, and giving creatives full access to the features of the CORIOmaster family.

The tvONE ONErack, a universal racking mounting solution with power and cooling, is also featured on the booth. tvONE’s patent pending design converts randomly sized, externally powered devices from any manufacturer into slide-in modules that can be installed quickly, cleanly, and serviced easily. ONErack now features dual redundant power supply capability.

From non-touch to multitouch screens and LCD to LED to OLED, there is seemingly no limit to the number of choices of displays on the market. The type of display you ultimately choose will depend on the project—and space—it will be going into. For some installations, something as small as a tablet will suffice, while others might employ a 100-plus-inch curved display.

DSE features displays from all of the largest manufacturers. We spoke with NEC’s Rich Ventura and he told us how the company is striving to maintain growth by delivering solutions across all display technologies.

Q&A with Rich Ventura, Vice President of Strategy, NEC Display Solutions of America.

Why DSE?

Why not? DSE is the only show that is truly focused on the complete ecosystem of the digital signage space. By supporting the growth of the market through education, networking, ideation, and product showcasing, DSE is driving the industry forward. This is a core event that focuses across all vertical markets and bring all aspects of the market together under one roof.

What will you focus on at the show?

From an NEC standpoint, it is the continued growth and focus on delivering solutions across multiple vertical markets and applications. NEC delivers solutions across all display technologies. Personally, I will be focusing on how analytics, big data, technology convergence, and new innovation will drive the next generation of the industry as a whole. We’ll also focus on how the strategic direction of the market is driving technology, and how NEC can deliver to those new markets and solutions that are coming.

What about your solutions is notable for integrators?

NEC is able to deliver solutions across multiple display formats: LCD, LED, and projection. Further technologies like Open Pluggable Specification (OPS) allow for strong and more seamless integrations. Advancements in touch and interactive solutions will allow for integrators to bring these technologies together to drive new compelling conversations with their clients.

What about your solutions is notable for technology managers?

Having solutions that are robust, easy to manage, and designed with the enterprise in mind, NEC is able to supply technology managers’ platforms to exceed their goals and strategies. Further, we will be showcasing platforms that will empower technology managers to be smarter with their solutions and projects. Exciting times coming from NEC at DSE.

To learn more, check out NEC in Booth 1506 at DSE 2018.

BONUS: DSE is giving SCN readers a special discount. Use code “SCNDSE” to receive 15 percent off educational courses. To register for the show or to learn more, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net.

One year after the official release of QL 2.0, Navori’s most comprehensive software refresh in seven years, the digital signage software pioneer will emphasize new QL Player innovations at Digital Signage Expo. In addition to streamlining infrastructure, the new features and updates will help users more efficiently manage and prioritize content playing out across digital signage networks.

Navori has integrated special new remote content triggering and data feed management features specifically for QL Player Tizen, the industry’s first native system-on-a-chip (SoC) player for Samsung Tizen smart displays. Leveraging the combined intelligence of both software-defined platforms, the new remote content triggering feature – enabled through web sockets – automates delivery of high-priority content through direct communication between the server and browser.

To achieve this, QL Player forwards the list of triggerable content, from individual assets to complete playlists, to QL Server and the QL Remote Controller app. The app then sends commands to QL Server, which then trigger the corresponding content on QL Player. This innovation not only simplifies content updates, but also enables users to manually trigger special content from the field, as single or repeated events, before returning to normal programming.

“Our remote content triggering takes full advantage of the combined Samsung and Navori intelligence by offering complete control over real-time content playback on-demand,” said Jeffrey Weitzman, managing director at Navori. “It also offers our customers a simpler means for remote network operators and other staff in the field to seamlessly interact with their digital signage networks.”

Also new for Digital Signage Expo is the ability for Tizen customers to access and retrieve data and images, and synchronize that content for playback inside HTML5 animations.

• “With this special enhanced feature, Samsung Tizen customers can rely on QL Player to synchronize these data feeds for playback inside HTML5 animations,” said Moeri. “It offers an alternative to content creators and managers that want to create more sophisticated data feed layouts using HTML5 instead of standard template and ticker designers.”

Navori has additionally added web page authentication for password-protected page access on QL Players associated with Windows, Android or Tizen networks. The intuitive web page authentication process steps users through a process as simple as entering a URL, and managing a data grid with fields and buttons retrieved from the associated web page. This adds an important layer of security to the content delivery process for networks of any size.

“We have made the web page authentication process as simple as possible by allowing our customers to define values for each field, and immediately publish over QL Player,” said Moeri. “Alternatively, users can save that content with assurance that their signage is protected.”

In addition to its Samsung Tizen player, Navori will demonstrate its full range of SoC players that at once minimizes cabling and equipment costs, lowers theft and vandalism risks, and eliminates third-party hardware installation headaches. In addition to Samsung, Navori supports SoC-equipped Smart Displays from Panasonic (AF-1 Series), Philips (D Series and P and Q Series) and Elo (Touchscreen Signage). Other SoC developments in process include players for Sharp and BenQ displays.

As with any QL Player deployment, compatibility with SaaS/cloud and on-premise installations provide network operators and end users several deployment options to best suit their needs, with minimal maintenance and training requirements thanks to QL Player’s trademark reliability, ease of use and short learning curve.

Navori will exhibit at Booth 1929 at the Digital Signage Expo, which takes place March 28-29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

The What: KanexPro will showcase the HDMI 150m Extender over HDBaseT with loop-out at the upcoming Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas, March 27 to 29, in booth 2363.

The What Else: The EXT-HDBT150M is a transmitter-receiver set that extends 1080p60 HD signals up to 492 feet (150 meters) over single Cat-6 cable using HDBaseT technology. It supports HDCP 1.4 with EDID pass-through. The extender supports PoE (power over Ethernet) and requires power from either the sender or receiver side. Locking power supplies provide flexibility and secures HDMI cables in place to eliminate intermittent signal loss or disconnected HDMI cables. For control, the extender offers IR support and RS-232C for bi-directional control of devices to and from the extender.

The 150-meter extender also features a local HDMI loop-out on the sender for preview monitor or local display support enabling users to see what is being extended over Cat-x cable. This is especially beneficial for houses of worship, large lecture halls, conference rooms, or any environment where there is a need to extend high-resolution HDMI signals 150 meters from an HDMI device, like a computer, to a remote display located far away. AV signal transmission is optimized by the use of a

Cat-5e/6 cable with low impedance (shielded twisted pair is recommended with proper grounding).

“We are continually refining our technology to meet the evolving needs of both our integrators and end users in the most effective, affordable, and practical way,” said Kashyap Khetia, product marketing manager for KanexPro.

The Bottom Line: The EXT-HDBT150M is particularly suited for worship centers, conference rooms, lecture halls, or other large-scale settings where HDMI signals must be transmitted from computers to remote displays at a distance.

There are a multitude of considerations to make when it comes to selecting the right mount for your project. Will the display be mounted inside or outside? Do you need it to tilt up and down? Would you prefer full motion? It's also important to consider ADA compliance when it comes to a custom mounting project.

DSE is the best place to view your options from all of the major manufacturers. SCN chatted with Nick Belcore of Peerless-AV about discovering the company’s unique solutions for integrators and tech managers.

Q&A with Nick Belcore, executive vice president, Peerless-AV.

Why DSE?

The Digital Signage Expo is the leading show for digital signage providers. If digital signage is an important part of your business, DSE should be a top priority as it is the best place to discover unique solutions that enhance communication in a variety of verticals. The expo offers tremendous value, providing the opportunity to meet with partners and customers looking for the best options in the space. As a leader in this industry, attending and exhibiting at DSE is part of our core strategy.

What will you focus on at the show?

Peerless-AV will showcase a wide variety of products, with a focus on kiosk solutions and video wall mounts, including our award-winning SmartMount Supreme line of video wall mounts. Stop by the Peerless-AV booth to demo our new LED Video Wall Configurator where you can submit an RFQ and receive a quote within 24 hours.

Digital signage is all about partnerships and we’ll be demonstrating that with our All-in-One Kiosk powered by BrightSign and the new Outdoor Street Furniture Kiosk, which supports both Peerless-AV Xtreme High Bright and Samsung OHF displays.

What about your solutions is notable for integrators?

Peerless-AV mounts and kiosks provide numerous benefits to integrators including: tool-less micro-adjustments to make it faster and easier for integrators to align displays; easy-hang wall plates and reusable mount spacers that allow for expedited installs; and we offer preassembled kiosks that provide quick and easy setup via micro SD cards, simplifying installation.

What about your solutions is notable for technology managers?

At Peerless-AV, we offer a variety of universal solutions for technology managers, making it possible to keep costs low. In addition, many of our solutions are customizable to best meet the needs of a project.

Key advantages for technology managers and end users include: slim mounts that do not sacrifice functionality, meet ADA compliance, and offer a low-profile aesthetic to fit into any décor or application; mounting solutions with quick-release, pop-out levers ease serviceability and minimize display damage, particularly in recessed wall applications, giving end users confidence in selecting our solutions; kiosks that are highly customizable, offering end users the ability to design a solution that meets their specific aesthetic and business goals through multiple colors and vinyl wraps, to match any branding strategy; and kiosks that allow information to be current and readily updatable.

To learn more, check out Peerless-AV in Booth 1917 at DSE 2018.

BONUS: DSE is giving SCN readers a special discount. Use code “SCNDSE” to receive 15 percent off educational courses. To register for the show or to learn more, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net.

Broadsign International has reached an agreement with Westfield Corporation, one of the world’s largest shopping center owners and managers, to power Westfield’s existing digital media network of 500 screens located at 18 flagship shopping centers across the U.S.

The full Broadsign platform will be used to power the Westfield Network, which is designed and managed by Esprit Digital, a full-service digital signage installation, maintenance, and support provider. This includes Broadsign Control to automate the delivery of targeted and contextual messaging and advertisements to Westfield’s network of digital screens, as well as Broadsign Direct to help Westfield’s brand ventures team more efficiently manage and sell ad space. Westfield will also be integrating its inventory with Broadsign Reach to make its network available programmatically to global media buyers.

“When the right content is displayed to the right audience, advertising and messaging is complementary to the shopper experience,” said Charley DeLana, EVP of brand ventures at Westfield. “We want to provide advertisers with every opportunity to reach consumers in interesting and exciting ways, and Broadsign allows us to execute on this forward-thinking vision.”

The partnership includes integration with Quividi’s audience analytics software to detect Westfield’s audience demographics. The network also integrates behavioral and environmental triggers such as weather and location data to add further context to campaigns, and TINT software to stream user-generated social media content to screens in real time.

The ability to optimize content to be relevant to Westfield’s hundreds of millions of annual visitors—regardless of the location, the time of day, and the screen in question—helps deliver efficient ad content for brands and enables Westfield to better connect with consumers.

“Successful shopping malls are those that go beyond a simple retail destination to create a unique and exciting experience,” said Maarten Dollevoet, SVP of global sales at Broadsign. “Through our partnership, Westfield is able to merge retail and media to create an environment that is beneficial to visitors, retailers, and advertisers alike.”

All involved parties will be part of a panel at DSE, with the aim of sharing the experience of this integration and discussing how digital media screens at shopping malls are impressing viewers with aesthetics, functionality, and experiences:

Premium DOOH - The components of a thriving network

Digital out-of-home strategy summit, room S231

Tuesday, March 27, 2:30 p.m.

Moderator:

· Stephanie Gutnik, Broadsign, vice president of business development

Panelists:

· Dave Taylor, Westfield Brand Ventures, senior director of digital operations

· Brett Warner, Quividi, head of business, Americas

· James Brenner, Esprit Digital, owner

· Quinn Cox, TINT, head of business development/partnerships

For more information on the partnership, join Broadsign at DSE at booth 1731.

Control systems provide software for tying data, video, graphics, and animations together from the backend. The content can then be sent to your digital display system for digital signage or live event presentations.

DSE is the best place to learn about all of the top systems. We spoke with Hall Research’s AJ Shelat about useful control products for digital signage installations.

Q&A with AJ Shelat, vice president of sales, Hall Research.

Why DSE?

DSE allows us to tap into a focused market in the AV space and reach that customer group in a more exclusive manner. This is also true for our product offering; we are able to concentrate on only one segment of products we offer, and have more application-specific conversations with attendees.

What will you focus on at the show?

Hall Research will emphasize those products that are most useful for today’s successful digital signage installation: web-enabled controllers, AV over IP, HDBaseT, and other video distribution products.

What about your solutions is notable for integrators?

We provide intuitive software and hardware designed for easy installation as a hallmark of our brand. Our goal is to provide advanced features that will empower the end user’s satisfaction with the overall package. We also design diagnostic troubleshooting tools into the product—for example, power and connection indicators on the front LED panel of our latest AV-over-IP product, the FHD-264.

What about your solutions is notable for technology managers?

The ability to remotely manage our hardware utilizing our web-enabled controller with AV-over-IP products will support the remote helpdesk. Our high degree of quality, reliability, and excellent customer service make it easy to sustain and support. The system is scalable for easy expansion and features “failsafe design” technology. This means that you can expand a system instead of upgrading in future years as the technology will still be relevant.

To learn more, check out Hall Research in Booth 2533 at DSE 2018.

BONUS: DSE is giving SCN readers a special discount. Use code “SCNDSE” to receive 15 percent off educational courses. To register for the show or to learn more, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net.

• ClearOne will demonstrate its new ClearOne VIEW Pro software upgrade at Digital Signage Expo (DSE) 2018 on March 28-29 at Booth #2017 in the Las Vegas Convention Center. First introduced at ISE 2018, the new and powerful software upgrade to its VIEW Pro solution makes it easier than ever to configure AV over IP streaming platforms that can unleash the full power of any enterprise digital signage system. A convenient web-based GUI is now available for installers to access from a web browser. Also, the configuration tools on CONSOLE software have been organized and redesigned for intuitive and simplified set-ups. This VIEW Pro system upgrade makes any installation a breeze from start to finish.
• “The ClearOne VIEW Pro solution is the key to unleashing the full power of any digital signage system,” said ClearOne Sales Director for Network Video & Audio Distribution Lewis Eig. “In fact, VIEW Pro delivers the highest quality multimedia streaming on any existing IP network and our new software upgrade makes it easier than ever to configure a system design that enables users to experience the ultimate in 4:4:4, true-color media distribution that is unmatched in scalability and ease of deployment.”
• With the VIEW Pro system’s new web-based GUI, simple tasks, such as assigning IP addresses, configuring streams, and even signal routing across a large installation can be done just by entering one device’s URL into the web browser. In addition to that, the VIEW Pro CONSOLE upgrade gives integrators the easiest interface to configure the encoders and decoders, and to create and manage AV streams for projects of any scale.
• ClearOne’s award-winning VIEW Pro product line offers the industry a comprehensive and powerful suite of AV over IP components, now with enhanced installer-friendly configuration software. Along with its low bandwidth, highest quality video, flexible scalability, and budget-friendly optional software licenses for video wall, video composition, and local playback, the VIEW Pro system will meet the needs of any network media streaming project.

DSE’s New Product Showcase, at the Digital Signage Expo March 28-29, 2018 at the Las Vegas Convention Center, will feature dozens of new and innovative products that attendees will have the opportunity to see first-hand. Included in the showcase are new interior and exterior displays with touch and multi-touch functionality, full and all-in-one solutions, voice-activated and AI-based technologies, media players, software suites, routers, mounts, mobile app-enabled solutions and more.

DSE’s 2018 New Product Showcase will include new CMS and Media Player technology from:

• Bitvu Ltd: Spark, Digital Signage Anywhere Media Player

• BrightSign: BrightSign Series 4 Media Player

• ComQi: OnSite

• Industry Weapon: MenuBoards.com

• Logic Supply: CL210 Media Player

• Now Mir DMPN-7i5 Media Player

• Userful: Userful Cloud

• XOGO: XOGO Decision Signage

DSE’s New Product Showcase will be located on the trade show floor, but the new products are available to review ahead of time on the DSE 2018 website’s New Product Showcase.

Digital Signage Expo (DSE) has been named as Trade Show Executive magazine’s 2017 Fastest 50 award winners. This award is DSE’s seventh Fastest 50 award, having won in 2007, 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, and now 2017.

The award recognizes the 50 fastest-growing trade shows in North America based on total net square feet of exhibit space, number of exhibitors, and/or attendance growth between 2016 and 2017.

Exponation, which produces the event—as well as LightShow West, another 2017 Fastest 50 show—announced that Digital Signage Expo was recognized both for its substantial attendance growth and increase in exhibiting companies; LightShow West was recognized for its growth in net square feet of exhibit space, exhibiting companies, and attendance.

“We are honored to have again won a Fastest 50 Award,” said Andrea Varrone, DSE’s show director. “We are extremely proud to have won this award seven times in 11 years, which is as much a testimony to our industry’s growth as it is to DSE’s leading position in this marketplace.”

• The global digital signage market, valued at $16.88 billion in 2015, is expected to reach $27.34 billion by 2022, according to the Digital Signage Expo (DSE). That’s a stunning number and a compelling reason for you to attend DSE March 27–30, in Las Vegas, NV.
• From now until the show, we’ll share exclusive interviews with some of DSE’s top exhibitors. In this edition, Brandy Alvarado discusses the value of DSE to rp Visuals, and what attendees can expect from the company at this year’s show.

Brandy Alvarado Why DSE?
rp Visuals (RPV) does the show for a number of reasons. One, our customers are there, and it’s great to catch up and show them what’s new. Two, we’ve been doing the show for a number of years, and having our brand represented in the digital signage space is very important. And lastly, a number of our manufacturer partners exhibit, so it’s a great way to collaborate and see what innovations they are bringing to the marketplace.

What will you focus on at the show?
Our focus is #CreativeVisualStructures. We’re not just a mount manufacturer. We’ve actually taken that word out of our vocabulary, because it does not convey what we truly do. The nature of our business is 100-percent custom visual structures. These solutions take the building out of the equation and become a part of the architecture and customer experience. Regardless of the technology, our team of engineers and solutions specialists works with AV consultants, display manufacturers, architects, and integrators to bring their concepts into reality. We’re also very excited to be in Vegas, where we are the mount of choice for all of the major race and sports books in town.

What about your solutions is notable for integrators?
We bring a few notable things to the table. One, custom solutions for all types of display technology—LED, flat panels, OLED, and projection. Secondly, we’re known for taking on challenging projects and exceeding expectations. Projects that are large, curved, tiled, or architecturally integrated are some of the challenges we’re accustomed to. And lastly, rp Visuals also offers installation services for our products to integrators—which integrators can use or not use depending on their work load. In today’s busy times this is a real benefit.

The global digital signage market, valued at $16.88 billion in 2015, is expected to reach $27.34 billion by 2022, according to the Digital Signage Expo (DSE). That’s a stunning number and a compelling reason for you to attend DSE March 27 – 30, in Las Vegas, NV.

Over the next month, we’ll share exclusive interviews with some of DSE’s top exhibitors. First up: Garry Wicka as he discusses LG’s commitment to deliver new innovations designed for seamless experiences.

Q&A with Garry Wicka, Head of Marketing, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions

Q: Why DSE?

Garry Wicka: LG has exhibited at DSE for many years. We’re always thrilled to demonstrate our newest technologies for the first time to attendees—new and old from across the globe; the diversity and growing number of attendees at the show is incredible. The variety of content and educational opportunities for attendees at the show make it a must for manufacturers, integrators, end users and partners alike.

Q: What will you focus on at the show?

GW: As a sneak peek, LG has some exciting technologies in store for DSE and while we can’t reveal them just yet, we can guarantee you won’t want to miss the LG booth. In a highly innovative and rapidly changing commercial display industry, LG continues to set the standard for new, advanced, and creative solutions.

Q: What about your solutions is notable for integrators?

GW: As an industry leader, LG Electronics is dedicated to delivering new innovations that are specifically designed to create a seamless and efficient digital signage experience. Aside from LG’s products alone, LG Electronics USA Business Solutions offers unique loyalty programs, like LG PRO and LG PRO Design, designed to give professionals in the integration decision-making process an array of resources created to enrich integrators’, partners’, and influencers’ understanding of and access to LG’s commercial display products and technologies. These programs provide access to industry trend insights, dedicated technical and sales support, unique product training programs, and research that will enhance participants’ ability to successfully execute their visions. Integrators will be able to learn more and sign up for the programs at LG’s DSE 2018 booth.

Q: What about your solutions is notable for technology managers?

GW: LG’s digital solutions drive businesses’ bottom line and enhance end-user experiences through its expansive portfolio for businesses across industries such as retail, restaurants, hotels and hospitality, airports, schools, arenas and more. LG will showcase a few brand-new technologies this year at DSE that deliver on the innovation end users and buyers across verticals have come to expect from the global display leader with the broadest portfolio in the industry.

For learn more, check out LG in Booth 1911 at DSE 2018.

BONUS: DSE is giving SCN readers a special discount. Use code “SCNDSE” to receive 15 percent off educational courses. To register for the show or to learn more, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net

Continuing a long relationship with the Digital Signage Federation, based on getting the best digital signage market training and certification to DSE attendees, the Digital Signage Experts Group (DSEG) is set to bring their comprehensive live certifications to DSE 2018 in Las Vegas, March 27-30. The courses are designed to educate attendees thoroughly, from the fundamentals to in-depth technical training, covering critical areas of digital signage.

Registration is still open to industry professionals seeking a path to certification, or re-certification, under the auspices of the Digital Signage Experts Group (DSEG).

“Newly updated courses for 2018 will be delivered at DSE,” said Alan Brawn, co-founder of DSEG. “ Whether you are new to digital signage or a veteran, these courses will be valuable to your professional experience. DSEG is served by a board of advisors made up of leading members of the digital signage community, including consultants, trade associations and end users. And nothing takes the place of the live presentations and training sessions as we do them at DSE. It is the interaction with the attendees and Q&A segments that sets it apart. This year each of the certifications have been updated with current information.“

Courses to be offered at DSE include:

• Digital Signage Certified Expert (DSCE)

• Digital Signage Display Expert (DSDE)

• Digital Signage Content & Media Expert (DCME)

• Digital Signage Network Expert (DSNE)

Instructors for the courses include Alan C. Brawn, Jonathan Brawn, Ryan Cahoy, Jim Nista, Tom Jones, and Dave Haar.

• “ The DCME course,” explained Alan Brawn, “is particularly interesting for this DSE, it has not only been updated but a significant amount of great content examples with explanations have been added. This will be taught this year by myself plus Ryan Cahoy of Risevison and also a DSF Board member. In addition, Jim Nista of Insteo, a well-regarded content creation firm, will present. Tom Jones will also be taking part in the DCME.”
• For more information, contact
• Alan Brawn, Principal
• PH: 760-659-4311
• alan@brawnconsulting.com
• or visit:

Digital Signage Experts Group (DSEG)

http://www.dseg.org/

Digital Signage Expo (DSE) will host an all-new, full-day, nine-part Digital Out-of-Home Strategy Summit on Tuesday, March 27, at DSE 2018, to be presented by the Digital Signage Federation.

With a welcoming address by Richard Ventura, 2018 Chairman of the DSF, the Digital Out-of-Home Strategy Summit will feature:

Opening Keynote entitled, “The Importance of Measurement for DOOH”
To be presented by Kym Frank, President of Geopath, who will discuss the DOOH measurement ecosystem, including the strengths and weaknesses of available data sources and methodologies.

Panel: The Future Trends that Will Impact DOOH in Terms of New Technologies, Regulations, Opportunities and Strategies
To be moderated by DSF Board member David Haynes, panelists will include Christie Rice, Marketing Manager of Digital Signage for Intel, and Dina Townsend, Vice President and Retail Practice Leader of RMG Networks, Manolo Almagro, Managing Partner of Q Division, and Stephen Freitas, Chief Marketing Officer for Outdoor Advertising Association of America.

Panel: What Defines a Smart City and How is Technology Being Deployed Throughout Them
To be moderated by Paul Fleuranges, Director of Corporate Initiatives for the New York Transit Authority, panelists will include George Burciaga, Managing Director of Global Government Development & Innovation for CIVIQ Smartscapes, Jeff Frazier, Chief Strategy Officer, Smart City Media, and Romulus Stoian, Senior Manager, DOOH Marketing Solution Leader for Samsung SDS America.

Panel: Blending of DOOH with Mobile and Its Impact on the Market
To be moderated by Chris Lydle, Global Lead, Digital Signage nd Kisosk for Google, panelists will include Doug Pittman, Founder and CEO for BoardActive, Ian Dallimore, Director of Digital Innovation and Sales Strategy for Lamar Advertising, Chuck Billups, Senior Vice President of Brand Advertising and Retail Partnerships for PRN – a STRATACACHE Company, and Mikhail Damiani, CEO of Blue Bite.

Lunch and Learn: Just Because We Can, Should We? How Safe is the Data and Our Privacy?
To be moderated by Laura Davis-Taylor, Co-Founder of the High Street Collective, panelists will include Kym Frank, President of Geopath, Jeffrey Martin, President and CEO of Right Media Solutions and Gerardo Garcia Stackpoole, Founder and CEO of Wunder.

Federation of Internet Alerts
Today, FIA uses Internet advertising to display official child abduction alerts and tornado warnings across devices throughout the United States to those in the alerting area. FIA can extend its online distribution of life-critical alerts to help authorities reach people in the alerting area through improved availability and use of Common Alerting Protocol (CAP) for imminent threat alerts all over the world. This will be presented by Jason Bier, President of Federation for Internet Alerts.

Discussion on Trends Within the DOOH Community
To be moderated by Sheldon Silverman, CEO and Founder of SmartBomb Media Group, the panel will include Susan Danaher, Founder & CEO of the Danaher Group, Chris Ferranti, Senior Vice President, Managing Director, U.S. of Rapport Worldwide, and Travis Macionsky, Vice President and Director OOH for Horizon Media.

A 360 View of a DOOH Solution
To be moderated by Stephanie Gutnik, Vice President of Business Development for Broadsign, the panel will include speakers from TINT, Esprit Digital, Quividi and the end user.

Panel: Generating Revenue with Programmatic Buying
To be moderated by Philip M. Cohen, President and CEO of CMN Holdings, panelists will include Eric Lamb, Director of Publisher Solutions for Vistar Media, Dan Levi, Executive Vice President and Chief Marketing Officer for ClearChannel Outdoor, Stephanie Gutnik, Vice President of Business Development for Broadsign, and Ian Mirmelstein, Senior Vice President of Digital Innovation for Adspace Networks.

• HighStreet Collective built this year’s Digital Experience Forum at the Digital Signage Expo, a day-long program, titled “Digital Experience Forum: Winning with DX – A Summit For Future Success.” The program is built around a curated set of speakers and topics from some of seasoned digital experience practitioners.

Laura Davis-Taylor
HighStreet Collective’s approach turns this year’s Forum to a comprehensive focus on the customer experience and the digital experiences that exist within. Attendees will walk away with insider knowledge and ideas to drive innovation through digital experiences, as well as a fresh perspective on how to speak the language of the chief marketing officers that have become the true decision makers.

As HighStreet Collective Co-Founder Laura Davis-Taylor explains, the customer experience represents a very broad ecosystem of design and innovation to drive consumer engagement. While digital experiences such as digital signage are an integral part of that ecosystem, she notes the time has long passed to look beyond hardware and software, and toward a grander vision that will drive consumer engagement — and new business.

“Location-based experiences as we have grown accustomed to have been fully disrupted, and as an industry we need to evolve our understanding of how to thrive in this new world order,” said Davis-Taylor. “This year’s Forum will arm attendees with the insights they need to win business, and truly elevate the digital experiences that live inside that broader customer experience.”

The Forum, which takes place March 27 at the Las Vegas Convention Center (Room S225), kicks off at 8am with a keynote presentation from Phillip Raub, President of b8ta. Phillip’s presentation, “Meet Your New Client: The CMO,” will address what senior brand leadership is seeking when screening new customer-facing technologies; and how to pivot your pitch to win with marketing language versus technology talk.

Ed King
According to HighStreet Co-Founder King, the diverse lineup of sessions offers something for everyone coming to Digital Signage Expo. For example, he notes that systems integrators will find value in learning how to design experiences for omni-channel, while technology managers and end users will gain insight into emerging technologies that are sure to make a difference in digital experiences.“These sessions are all tributaries to this main high level topic of the customer experience, and how to create experiences that will get people off the couch and into the store,” said King. “It’s about understanding cultures and people, navigating the realities of our industry, and ensuring that experiences lead to positive emotional experiences. This year’s Forum is a truly holistic approach, and we are thankful to partner with the Digital Signage Expo to bring this vision and opportunity to life.”

• Digital Signage Expo announced that its Digital Signage Integrators Seminar Program at DSE 2018, designed specifically for Pro AV/IT System Integrators, will feature an hour-long session titled, “Amplifying the Fan Experience in Live Sports and Event Venues.”

On Thursday, March 29 at 11 a.m., the panel, consisting of Marielle Crisanti, Product Manager of Communications Technologies for Matrix Video Communications, Sean Hopkins, Content Director and Editor for Game Changer, and Tim Griffin, Chief Technology Officer for Userful, will discuss how digital signage can help sports venues make the transition into the more engaging sports/event venue, with the use of digital displays.

The panel discussion will also shed light on how vendors could leverage the use of digital displays to create jaw-dropping experiences that will bring in more fans to the venues. New technologies (network-based solutions, projection mapping, artful use of displays and video walls) as well as approaches to content that help sports and live event venues offer a more exciting, engaging, one-of-a-kind event or game day experience will also be discussed.

“Whether a retrofit or new-build, modern digital displays are completely transforming the fan experience and expectations at live event venues,” said Griffin. “At sporting events, concerts and other live performances, the visual spectacle provided by dazzling displays starts from the moment one walks through the venue doors, and continues even after the event is over.”

Registration for the DSE Wednesday, March 29 session, "Amplifying the Fan Experience in Live Sports and Event Venues,” or any of the DSE 2018 educational conference seminars, which are sponsored by Broadsign and are eligible for Digital Signage Expert Group (DSEG) certification renewal credits, is available online.

• Digital Signage Expo announced that Michelle Collins, president and executive creative director for A Non-Agency, will present an Emerging Tech Talks topic at DSE 2018 entitled, “Facial Recognition Technology: Does it Have a Place in Luxury Beauty Experiences?”

This 45-minute session will take place in the Emerging Tech Talks Theater on Wednesday, March 28 at 1 p.m. and will deliver insights, lessons learned and perspectives on the use of facial recognition technology for a millennial audience. Collins will review and share lessons learned from A Non-Agency’s 2017 traveling Lancome Pop-Up, which leveraged various technologies to include facial recognition.

Registration for “Facial Recognition Technology: Does it Have a Place in Luxury Beauty Experiences?” or any of the DSE 2018 educational conference seminars, which are sponsored by Broadsign and are eligible for Digital Signage Expert Group (DSEG) certification renewal credits, is available online.

• Digital Signage Expo announced that Richard Ventura, Vice President of Strategy for NEC Display Solutions, will present a session at DSE 2018 titled, “How to Accurately Measure Digital Signage ROI.”

This general conference session is part the Digital Signage Fundamentals Seminar Program at DSE 2018 designed specifically for End Users, AV Professionals, Systems Integrators or anyone considering creating a digital communications network.

To be presented by Richard Ventura, Vice President of Strategy for NEC Display Solutions on Thursday, March 29 at 9 a.m., this session will look at the stages in creating a financial analysis of a digital signage solution as well as what tools will be needed in order to best understand and analyze the findings. In the end, the goal will be to arm attendees with the tools needed to make their solutions successful.

Attendees will learn how to formulate an understanding of the tools needed to create an ROI/ROO of your digital signage system, how to develop a step-by-step process to create an ROI/ROO understanding within an organization and what to do when an ROI/ROO does not support a project.

“It depends on what your objective is regarding the digital signage installation,” said Mark Geiger, Advertising Sales Manager of Products and Services for the Georgia World Congress Center. “We use our digital signage network to inform customers and guests. Additionally, we use the same signage to sell advertising and sponsorship.”

“ROI versus ROO depends on your situation,” said Daniel Orme-Doutre, Media Solution Architect for Microsoft. “ROI is not a factor in internal communications here or with our deployments. We can’t easily show that a display worth x dollars will get x dollars of usage out of it since our usage isn’t driven monetarily.”

Registration for DSE’s Thursday, March 29 Fundamentals session, “How to Accurately Measure Digital Signage ROI, or any of the DSE 2018 educational conference seminars, which are sponsored by Broadsign and are eligible for Digital Signage Expert Group (DSEG) certification renewal credits, is available online at www.dse2018.com

DSE 2018 is scheduled for March 27-30, 2018, with access to the Exhibit Hall March 28-29 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas. To reserve exhibit space, contact Andrea Varrone at (770) 817-5905. For more information, visit www.dse2018.com.

• Fifteen years ago, Digital Signage Expo (DSE) was born. It started as a “little itty-bitty retail digital signage show,” according to Andrea Varrone, DSCE, the show’s director. Since then, the show has experienced tremendous growth, and now covers a wide variety of digital signage verticals, still including retail but also adding hospitality, quick serve restaurants and more. The 2018 show and conference will be held in Las Vegas, NV, March 27-30.
• To date, there’s almost 250 exhibitors already signed up for the show—ranging from the “huge screen manufacturers whose booths will wow you as you walk in the door, all the way back to smaller emerging technology companies that you’ll find sprinkled throughout the floor plan,” Varrone told SCN.
• What does that mean for integrators, installers and consultants? You’ll have the opportunity to see “every facet of digital signage in action,” said Varrone.
• DSE has also created special educational tracks just for systems integrators. “If you’re an AV integrator wondering ‘What’s this digital signage all about? How do it get in on this action?’ we’ve created a program to teach you how to get a piece of this pie.”
• For those new to the show, there will be a First Timer’s Tour on Tuesday, March 27, before the show opens. They’re also offering up advice from Tara Grooms, DSCE, the show’s attendee relationship manager. Varrone said those looking for advice should “give her a call; she’ll tell you what you should not miss.”
• Next year’s show is shaping up to be its best yet—with new courses to discover, networking to be had, and mesmerizing technology to see. DSE 2018 should not be missed.

BONUS: DSE is giving SCN readers a special discount. Use code “SCNDSE” to receive 15 percent off educational courses. To register for the show or to learn more, visit www.digitalsignageexpo.net

• Digital Signage Expo announced that its Digital Signage DOOH Operators Seminar Program at DSE 2018, designed specifically for Digital Out-of-Home Network Operators, will feature an hour-long session titled, “Location Data – Making DOOH Smarter.”

On Wednesday, March 28 at 9 a.m., Barry Frey, President and CEO of the Digital Place-Based Advertising Association (DPAA), will present a session that will speak to why mobile and location data are changing how and where brands place advertising dollars with the ability to follow the consumer, and how location data and digital out-of-home deliver target audiences most effectively.

“Mobile and location data are changing how and where brands place advertising and advertising dollars,” said Frey. “With the ability to follow the consumer, create cohorts, and in many cases knowing where she will go next, location has been a game changer, especially when combined with Digital Out of Home. Learn from experts how location data and digital out of home deliver a one-two punch!”

Registration for the DSE Wednesday, March 28 session, “Location Data – Making DOH Smarter,” or any of the DSE 2018 educational conference seminars, which are sponsored by BroadSign International and are eligible for Digital Signage Expert Group (DSEG) certification renewal credits, is available online.