Sneakernet gets easier with auto-USB uploads

A development from Digital View means that users of the company's stand-alone media players can enjoy some of the benefits of their networked counterparts

London, (12 Sept 2006) The content of cost effective stand-alone digital media players can now be changed with a speed and reliability that was previously unobtainable, thanks to a significant development from Digital View. By introducing a way of updating player content which is not only easier and more cost-effective than ever before, but which and tracks the update process, users of non-networked media players can now reflect in-store needs as and when they want to, without downtime or reliance on skilled personnel.

Today, the marketing benefits of digital signage are undisputed, and there is an increasing trend towards the use of remotely updatable networks. However, there is also a large and growing demand for screen media players which are non-networked - which means that they must be updated on an individual basis, via "sneakernet". Typically, the updating process has either involved the physical replacement of the player's CompactFlash (CF) card (which holds the video content), or the use of a laptop to update the CF card in situ. Although these processes are straightforward for an experienced person, they still require time, cost and significant expertise. Now, however, DV has taken a major step forward by allowing the CF card to be updated using a simple and standard USB memory stick.

This new process does away with the relatively complex and delicate operations which involve changing, or connecting to, the CF card. By adding intelligence to the player itself, DV has enabled its widely used ViewStream media player to be updated via the simple process of inserting a USB memory stick and following straightforward software-based instructions. The memory stick is pre-loaded with content in an office environment.

The development has several implications for the digital signage market. The speed, ease and reliability with which the DV ViewStream can now be updated, for example, means that users can change content across multiple locations much more frequently and cost-effectively, so that in-store (and other) messages can be made to reflect marketing needs in a more timely manner. But this is far from the only benefit. One aspect of stand-alone media players which, historically, has sometimes caused concern is the fact that users have found it hard to check whether players in multiple sites have been correctly updated. The new DV system means that this is no longer an issue, as, during the update process, the media player writes an update log back to the memory stick. This, in effect, means that managers have an accurate audit trail of each device's playlist history - they know precisely what is currently being played, and what has been played in the past.

"There’s little doubt that the ability to change content easily and frequently is a major benefit," commented Ian Larkman, Digital View's UK sales manager, "and, until now, this has really only been practical in a networked environment. This development, though, changes the digital signage landscape quite dramatically, by allowing clusters of stand-alone media players to enjoy the benefits of more frequently updated content. Essentially, the ViewStream is now about as close to being a networked device as a stand-alone player can get."

Digital View

Established in 1995, Digital View Group www.digitalview.com is one of the world's foremost suppliers of advanced connectivity solutions for the flat panel digital display market, and a world leader in the implementation of out-of-home advertising and digital signage networks. The company develops display electronics products and services used in mission-critical applications, with expertise in delivering digital media networks in retail and other commercial environments. Current brands and retailers using Digital View solutions include Toys 'r Us, P&G, Nine West, Hasbro, Viacom, Circuit City, Kraft, Starbucks, Swatch Group, L'Oreal, Nokia, TAG Heuer, Bose and Tempur-Pedic. Based in London, Digital View also has offices in Hong Kong, Toronto, Chicago, New York and Morgan Hill, Calif.

For more information

Contact:
James Henry
+44 (0) 207 631 2150
james.henry@digitalview.com

Peter Hayward
+44 (0) 1442 878 005
peter.hayward@vector.co.uk