Guide to Digital Signage

Digital Signage Handbook

This handbook has been written as an attempt to remove some of the mystery and confusion that can exist around Digital Signage. It is aimed at customers, otherwise known by the rather odd term, ‘end-users’. It tries to offer simple explanations and advice whilst avoiding jargon.

There are a wide variety of Digital Signage systems on the market, and each has its own feature set and properties. We have tried to generalise as much as possible in this handbook, but do refer to some features that are specific to ONELAN’s product range.

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What is Digital Signage?

Digital Signage is a phrase coined to describe the use of a Display Device driven by a Media Player to present a variety of information, entertainment or advertising (called collectively Media) to an audience who are in a position to view such a display - normally for a relatively short time. The Media Player is generally updated with new media via digital file transfer - either manually using portable memory modules or via a computer network such as the Internet or a network owner's Intranet.

Display Devices can be:

• A large format Plasma or LCD screen
• A Projector.
• A computer-like device with varying media rendering and storage capability.

Note that Plasma displays are not generally recommended for digital signage because of the tendency for static images to 'burn' into the screen.

What is a Digital Signage Network

A Digital Signage Network is a collection of Digital Signage Media Players controlled from some central location via a Local Area Network (LAN) or a Wide area Network (WAN). Provision is generally made for a Media Scheduler which allows the collection of Media Players to be controlled from a central location. Some solutions also make provision for local operators to customise the Media displayed. A network of Players will generally require a Network Management System to allow the health status of the entire network to be observed from a central point.

Digital Signage Networks deployed in the retail sector for the purposes of advertising may also require a means to provide an Audit Trail of the media played.

Sizing up a Digital Signage Installation.

The key factors when surveying a requirement for a Digital Signage Network are:

1. Number of Displays. An installation factor.
2. Number of Players. One Net-Top-Box provides one output (audio and video). The Net-Top-Box can drive any number of Displays using Video Distribution Amplifiers (VDAs). VDAs can be sourced from a variety of third party vendors. They occur in two types.
   * VGA+Audio-in to VGA+Audio-out. This type of device requires VGA+Audio cables to be installed to all Displays. These cables can be very difficult to install and field terminate.
   * VGA-over-CAT5. In this scenario, the VGA+Audio signals are converted in order to be able to travel over low cost (and easy to terminate) CAT5/5e/6 structured cabling at a transmitter device. A Receiver at each remote Display is then used at the far end to convert back to VGA+Audio.
3. Distance between Players and Displays. A judgment has to be made as to the most cost effective deployment of Players (Net-Top-Boxes) and VDA type. Both VDA methods have distance limitations in the 100M to 300M range. However, the Ethernet network connectivity required for the Net-Top-Boxes' control is not generally limited.
4. Geographic location of the Players. If all the Players are located in the same campus, there is generally not a problem. If the Players are located around a Wide Area Network, there will be Bandwidth and access permission factors to consider.
5. User requirement for Media Display:
   * Show the same Media on all Displays - Use VDAs if distance limitations allow - see above. If more than one Net-Top-Box is required, make use of the Net-Top-Box's built-in 'Channel Manager' facility to replicate the media on one site to a number of other sites.
   * Show the same look-and-feel on a set of Net-Top-Boxes but allow local customisation - e.g. a receptionist's message. Use Channel Manager and the Net-Top-Box's built-in 'Ad-Hoc' facilities.
   * Show different media on 'sub-Channels' with a collection of Net-Top-Boxes but controlled from a single central location. Use the Net-Top-Box's Channel Manager facility with its in-built 'Advanced Ad-Hoc' facilities.
6. Network Management. Any collection of networked devices requires a Network Management solution in order to expose the operational status of the network appliances and links. The Net-Top-Box is no exception. ONELAN provide the Digital Signage manager (DSM) - an application specific Network Management solution for use with Net-Top-Boxes. It is recommended for any network of 5 or more Net-Top-Boxes.