• Additional RS-232 command support
• DDC/CI command support for brightness, contrast, RGB color, input sources and more
• Additional video mode support
• Additional panel timing support
• Improved video mode recognition
• Improved HDMI sync detection
• Support for custom panel timing programming by users
• Various bug fixes

The DV marketing team based in UK are hard at work preparing a major change to the website to reflect the two main Digital View operating divisions, namely signage and display system solutions. This is very much a marketing activity intended to make navigation easier for visitors to our website, there are no structural changes and we remain a closely integrated group.

We all know that in big cities in particular everyone is on the go and haven’t the time to pay attention to everything that is going on. As a result commuters and consumers have a natural tendency to block out what they perceive as unwanted noise. Of course digital signs that are well placed and display carefully planned content easily skip this hurdle, but how?

There are many applications for digital signs, and right now I want to look at the scenario where a shopper is browsing a retail environment. Signs are context specific, which is an important factor when rolling out a digital signage campaign however large or small. What do I mean by that? Well, simply that we must be sympathetic to what a viewer is doing at the time they see our messages.

In the process of deciding what content to show, first we have to consider what the viewer wants, how we can send a message that resonates with their desires and in so doing make sure that they are receptive to it. In the case of our retail environment we have a lot of context information available, and knowing that we are deploying shelf edge displays we can consider various options that might fit with predefined goals for in-store advertising and marketing activities.

If our shopper is looking to buy something, then we can use shelf edge digital displays to show them images and video of how good a particular product looks, or how good they will look with it on etc. Knowing that a shelf edge screen like the 10″ Display from Digital View is quite small and will sit on a shelf, we can be certain that the viewer will be quite close to both our screen and the products. This is a great opportunity to communicate brand messages and product benefits in a manner that will help the shopper appreciate the products better, understanding them more and being better informed to make a decision. Of course this is also an opportunity to make the sales pitch, and these decisions must be weighed with company guidelines on how to best look after customers.

To sum up, shelf edge displays can offer a personal and engaging experience for shoppers and certainly fulfill a niche part of the digital experience that marketing departments can offer. Considering both the company’s goals and the customer experience can lead to the design of campaigns that will greet the viewer with a message they are receptive to and in so doing improve the buying experience as well as sales objectives. Just don’t forget to put metrics in place to track how well you did!

Any display system project that is using high brightness displays is probably going to need to allow dimming of the backlight. A typical example of this would be a helicopter. The pilot needs to be able to see the display controls during the day, and for safety reasons this requires very high brightness displays. However, when he/she is flying by night the daylight settings may well be too bright, so being able to dim the backlight will reduce the brightness to more user friendly levels.

Digital View’s high end LCD Controllers support both analog and PWM (pulse width modulation) inverters, ensuring that your choice of display and inverter will be supported by the LCD controller you need. Also, in unusual scenarios where the inverter doesn’t have the correct cable for the LCD controller you want to use, Digital View can make one for you.

Another useful feature is that dimming can be controlled via RS-232, allowing extra control options and integration with your project goals. Dimming’s not so dim after all.

Digital posters (professional LCD displays in portrait format) are popping up everywhere, and they offer a great way to promote products and services, entertain as well as inform the public. There are several issues involved when making an investment in a digital poster including brightness, drive technology, ease of use, quality of build, accessories, on board features and capabilities amongst others. The issue I want to shed light on is one of management and what’s involved.

You might only be installing one digital poster, or it might be a hundred, but there are usually two options for updating content. Either physically with a USB stick, or over a network. If you know that your content doesn’t change often and that manually updating is easy to manage then you may not need to consider a network connection. However, you may need to be promoting different messages at different times of the day on different sets of posters. In this scenario it’s worth investigating management over a network connection. This will negate the need to go around updating individual players, so your staff or you can concentrate on other things.

Network update is fairly simple to set up. For Digital View products you can use our free DV Studio software. So as long as you have the IP address of the computer on the network that you want to use (local networks or connections over the internet can both be set up) inputting these details is easy. Now you’ll be able to create playlists and have your digital posters updated automatically with your newly scheduled content, saving time and money. Of course this feature of content management is important on any display solution that you consider for network digital message so remember to find out if it costs extra or, like Digital View, you can get a cost effective upgrade path in the future if you think you may need it later.

A perfect match. Custom Integre Chassis and 32" Samsung LCD Display

Integre Chassis are built for  developers who are designing display products for use in public spaces. They’re custom made (every one of them!) to drive and monitor anything from a 26″ to a 82″ Samsung display, and recently the AUO family of large format monitors as well. You may or may not see from the picture here, but in the flesh it’s smack in the face obvious why Integre is so good. We plugged a Samsung display  into the chassis (Integre is the red chassis part) in a matter of seconds, screwed it together and that was it! The hard casing not only provides ample protection and stability, but houses all the components so that the display runs perfectly.

Everything is accounted for. Power supplies are mounted and immediately put in place all the power failure and load balancing functions to ensure the safety of the panel (there’s a big emphasis on standards compliance). The chassis itself is designed for optimal temperature and airflow, including fans. All the electronics for controlling the unit are mounted and secure with no messy wiring anywhere. Then the monitoring – a board is fitted that uses minimal power to closely watch environmental and operating factors, and can immediately take steps or send warnings to administrators if anything is not right.

I’m not given to ranting about products, but this is a completely new line, and to be honest it’s very exciting to see how it all works. In my opinion this will give such a positive boost to display designers using these panels that it’s worth dropping a few inhibitions and spreading the word.

We are all well aware of the landscape format of movies and TV and it would appear that whenever we see this shape with motion content, it registers as that type of content. So, looking at a landscape screen makes us think of TV or movies. Simple really. The expectation is where it gets more complex. Because of the association if we see content in digital signs presented in landscape, most people’s reaction is to think of it as a film and classify it as such. The nature of the content however is usually quite different, and this can be slightly disappointing, unless the creative is purposefully entertaining.

If digital signage networks use portrait screens to present content, viewers perceive this as something different, essentially allowing the content owner a little extra attention time to communicate. This seems to be routed in the association of portrait style signs usually being more important messages or required information. Of course this may not be universally true, but it was significant enough to make a major signage network decide to exploit the fact.

Most display designers are aware of RS-232 and serial port commands. Essentially this is a very efficient command language that can be sent between different devices and paired with functions to perform. RS-232 has been around for a long time and is so widely supported that it is an obvious choice for building interfaces with.

A classic example of using serial port commands in LCD display systems is providing users with buttons that instantly access a feature of the system, rather than a user needing to navigate through the on-screen display (OSD) menu to find the options. This is common in broadcast equipment where there can be many more signal and display options than on standard systems.

Another consideration is for building display equipment that utilizes networks, specifically Wi-Fi. Although not as common this is a great feature essentially allowing equipment designers to extend the reach or reaction of their products. For example a desk could be used in the middle of a control room to control multiple screens mounted around the walls. The operator could press a button and send a command over a Wi-Fi network to switch a particular monitors’ source. It’s easy to see how you could build larger systems where all the components of that system interact easily.

A last point is that RS-232 can be used to upgrade firmware. So no need to worry about dismantling kit, just send an update command!

I hope you’re getting the idea that RS-232 is versatile and useful for application design, maintenance and usability.

Cost is a major factor for vending, but with the price of the technology and the power efficiencies gained from smart deployments this once again makes the digital media option attractive. LCD controllers can be used to power down the screens to conserve energy and cut operating costs. Coupled with motion detectors vending machines can react only when needed, powering up and playing attractor content when visitors are near.

Digital signs are useful for this reaching and engaging with consumers in a number of different settings. From retail spaces to dentist waiting rooms a digital sign can offer content that is completely relevant and of interest to the viewer. Of course there are more discussions about how you can build that content, but I will go into that another time.

When considering a digital signage package/purchase for your business there are a few things you should keep in mind. Remember that you are buying equipment that demands constant use, and you don’t want to splash out on something that will collapse in a couple of years. So consider the following and you should be OK.

• Check that any signage equipment you purchase gives you good brightness and power efficiency. These displays are on a lot so you want to make sure they can perform, don’t consume energy like a power hungry dictator, and have been tested for use in this context.
• Make sure that content is easy to update, whether locally or over a network. Better still, check that you have a clear upgrade path so that you can expand capabilities as your ROI increases.
• Don’t purchase what you don’t need. Remember if you’ve got a clear upgrade path you can add elements as you need them. There are some amazingly sophisticated offerings available on the market, but ask some soul searching questions to find out whether you really need them all to get started. Often you will be able to put together a rather sophisticated signage package with all sorts of interactivity and network capabilities without having to pay monthly costs, so do some research and you will definitely benefit.
• Think about a content strategy before you buy. If you are going to need to add news feeds and instant text updates then you may need to consider a software solution. If you have video marketing materials or interactive displays that don’t need to be changed often you may not need such software, and you will find there are vendors who supply content management software for their products for free, so check them out too and see if this works for your situation. Again, remember that if there is an upgrade path you can increase your capabilities later without having to go back to the drawing board.
• Lastly, look for data management. You need to know how your efforts are working. If you can’t see how it is working for your business then you can’t know if the investment was worth it. Data logging facilities on digital signage equipment and software are important so ask about them and what you can do. Reputable companies will offer you help and advice about strategies for measuring performance to help you make an informed decision.

These are just a few tips to help you make the purchase that will work for your business. Hopefully they will help you or your colleagues to choose the best digital signage solution. So good luck joining the fast growing world of digital signage.