Digital Signage Magazine - June 2019

www.avnetwork.com

JUNE 2019

Next-Generation Digital Signage Displays Emerging Technologies Influencing How New Displays are Manufactured Sponsored by

Optoma • Peerless-AV • Stampede

June 2019

EMERGING TECH Llanor Alleyne

avnetwork.com

As InfoComm approaches, we felt it

CONTENT

that will define the next generation of

appropriate to take a look at technologies

VP/Content Creation Anthony Savona

displays for the digital signage market.

Content Director Megan A. Dutta, megan.dutta@futurenet.com Content Director Llanor Alleyne, pllanor@gmail.com

Highlighting the technological challenges

Managing Design Director Nicole Cobban

and emerging trends in next-gen displays is our guest feature

Design Director Walter Makarucha, Jr.

writer, Andy McRae of Dot2Dot Communications, who takes

Production Manager Heather Tatrow ADVERTISING SALES VP/Market Expert, AV/Consumer wwwElectronics, Education & Pro Audio Adam Goldstein, adam.goldstein@futurenet.com, 212-378-0465 LICENSING/REPRINTS/PERMISSIONS

particular care to address the evolving environments influencing next-gen display manufacturing as well as networking developments and emerging cellular factors that can prove impactful in the near future.

We also highlight three case studies that underscore the redefining power of digital signage, including New York’s 28 Liberty with

This magazine is available for licensing.

its 24/7 digital signage platform, Carhartt’s retail makeover that

Contact the Licensing team to discuss partnership opportunities.

moves the company from print-driven in-store signage to bespoke,

Head of Print Licensing: Rachel Shaw, licensing@futurenet.com

dynamic screens, and Trueform’s transformation of New York’s

MANAGEMENT

subways’ wayfinding with their totem kiosks.

Finally, with so many new digital signage products to make

Managing Director/Senior Vice President Christine Shaw Chief Revenue Officer Luke Edson Chief Marketing Officer Wendy Lissau Head of Production US & UK Mark Constance Future US, Inc. 11 West 42nd Street, 15th Floor, New York, NY 10036

All contents © 2019 Future US, Inc. or published under licence. All rights reserved.

No part of this magazine may be used, stored, transmitted or reproduced in any way without the prior written permission of the publisher. Future Publishing Limited (company number 2008885) is registered in England and Wales. Registered office: Quay House, The Ambury, Bath BA1 1UA. All information contained in this publication is for information only and is, as far as we are aware, correct at the time of going to press. Future cannot accept any responsibility for errors or inaccuracies in such information. You are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.

If you submit material to us, you warrant that you own the material and/or have the necessary rights/permissions to supply the material and you automatically grant Future and its licensees a licence to publish your submission in whole or in part in any/all issues and/or editions of publications, in any format published worldwide and on associated websites, social media channels and associated products. Any material you submit is sent at your own risk and, although every care is taken, neither Future nor its employees, agents, subcontractors or licensees shall be liable for loss or damage. We assume all unsolicited material is for publication unless otherwise stated, and reserve the right to edit, amend, adapt all submissions.

their debut in Orlando in the coming weeks, we take a look at some of the newest innovations to hit the channel this summer.

contents 4

NEXT-GENERATION DIGITAL SIGNAGE DISPLAYS Emerging Technologies Influencing How New Displays are Manufactured

By Andy McRae

8

28 LIBERTY Float4 Creates LED Lobby Display in Landmark Tower

10

CARHARTT RETAIL Omnivex Solution Powers In-Store Interactive Kiosks and Touch Screens

12

TRUEFORM IN NEW YORK Digital Kiosks in Subway Signal New Era

14

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE New hardware and software solutions for digital signage

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

[3]

NEXT-GENERATION DIGITAL SIGNAGE DISPLAYS Emerging Technologies Influencing How New Displays are Manufactured

By Andy McRae

[4]

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

As cellular networks are slowly migrating from 4G to 5G networks the door is opening to new opportunities for digital signage.

D

igital signage has been around for more than 40 years, but it really didn’t flourish until large, commercial grade TFT-LCDs hit the market in early 2000s.

Before that, digital signage consisted of dot-matrix LED displays, CRT monitors, or RGB projectors connected to a VHS/ DVD players. None of these solutions were reliable nor simple to install, manage or maintain. LCDs simplified installation and allowed for wider adoption, but cost was prohibitive. Today, there are no shortage of beautiful visual options, including micro LED, SMD LED, OLED, QLED, Crystal LED, laser projection, e-ink, just to name a few. Commercial display technology has come a long way in the past 20 years, and has been driven largely by the requirements of the digital signage markets as it becomes more and more established.

TECHNOLOGICAL OBSTACLES Despite the dizzying pace of display development, there are still some shortfalls when it comes to deploying, managing and maintaining display hardware either remotely or onsite. This does make sense when you consider how feature advancements in commercial digital displays are introduced. It starts with the consumer market and as the technology stabilizes and is “tried, trusted and true,” it is then introduced into the commercial market, then is enhanced as commercial use cases are refined.

The consumer market is the testing ground for cool new features. If it is well accepted, then it can be repackaged to become

CHIN LEONG TEOH/EYEEM/GETTY IMAGES

BIGGER is better.

Digital signage solutions from Optoma.

Introducing digital signage solutions from Optoma, the world’s leader in 4K UHD projection technology.

Designed to deliver stunning colors and brightness, impressive image performance and the ultimate installation flexibility for larger-than life displays via projection, interactive flat panels and direct viewing LED, Optoma offers the perfect digital signage solution for your visual needs.

Laser

IFP

LED

Laser phosphor light source projectors • Up to 10,000 lumens • 20,000+ hours of maintenance-free operation • Integrated edge blending, warping and projection mapping

Creative Touch interactive flat panel • 4K UHD resolution • Up to 20-point multi-touch • 65, 75 and 86-inch sizes

Direct viewing LED display • All-in-one 130-inch solution • 1080p native resolution • 1.5mm pixel pitch

Learn more about Optoma’s robust digital signage solutions at Optoma.com

a mainstay feature in the commercial market.

Not every new feature is driven by a consumer advance though.

As more and more communication networks transition to digital, more and more design challenges arise. Screens are now being placed in locations that were previous thought to be impractical or even impossible. This has led to manufacturers rethinking size, power, weight, brightness, connectivity, flexibility and more.

Interactivity is an all-encompassing trend that has dramatically impacted the manufacture of displays. We have moved through touch and gesture to mobile connectivity and now sensors and triggers anticipating what the audience wants to see.

• Enhanced mobile broadband (eMBB) for better multimedia experiences through higher capacity, enhanced connectivity and higher user mobility.

• Ultra-reliable, low-latency communication (URLLC) mission critical device control for latency sensitive devices.

• Massive machine-type communication (mMTC) for low latency and more reliable connections to IoT devices.

Autonomously communicating machines that require little to no human intervention.

eMBB will simply provide a more reliable connection, especially in densely populated areas; where digital signage tends to be. eMBB will also support mobile broadband services on moving NETWORK CONSIDERATIONS vehicles such as trains and buses, enabling digital signage impleAs the number of screens deployed continues to grow, networks are mentations on public transit and temporary installations. becoming more mission critical adding importance to stability and URLLC and mMTC will open the door for an array of IoT up time. Monitoring is no longer a nice to have, but is a must and is devices such as display control and watch dog tools, monitoring not getting the attention it needs yet. Network operation up to this cameras, display calibrators, real-time audience tracking, etc. point has typically been an afterthought. Today, you can log into This is already being done well within the consumer market with your remote desktop app to see that the media player is playing as technologies such as Zigbee (i.e., Philips Hue Lighting.) Anyone expected, but you have no idea if the display is even ON, or on who uses devices in their home with the the right source input for that matter. You Zigbee technology knows how reliable it may not even be able to connect to your As the number of is; it just works. media player at all because you are rely5G networks alone won’t solve all our ing on the local wi-fi and your access is screens deployed problems. However, the technology planlimited and unreliable. In a perfect world, continues to grow, ets are aligning. Samsung with Tizen and you would have full time access to all your networks are becoming LG with WebOS are enabling a standardend points, players, displays and periphization for operating system platforms and erals ensuring that everything is operating more mission critical development environments for onboard as it should. Screens are being deployed adding importance to systems on the display chip (SoC,) that outdoors in locations previous thought to stability and up time. will allow for easier integration of 5G be impractical leading to a requirement SIM cards into displays for better connecfor an embedded data connection. tivity and device management onsite. There would not be a need to install your own modem or use a local internet connection. You EMERGING TECHNOLOGIES would simply pop in your SIM card and ship to site, ready to go.

5G is an emerging technology that could simplify and solve these Furthermore, Samsung and LG are expanding their developissues. Cellular has not been the most reliable for digital signage ment in the LED market. Samsung has already integrated Tizen installations, especially in busy environments, because as traffic and MagicInfo in their LED displays. This will push other LED fluctuates, 4G LTE towers get congested, and the reliability of manufacturers to focus more on software, particularly monitora persistent connection suffers. Mobile phone users are watching ing and diagnosis tools. Huge mobile device companies, such as more and more videos of a higher quality content increasing the Foxconn and Huawei are already discussing developing large demand for faster, more reliable connections. New broadcast and format displays, 75in. to 100in. 8K resolution with and integrated multicast technologies are required to alleviate that demand. As 5G modem. This is a good indicator that we will be seeing 5G cellular networks are slowly migrating from 4G to 5G networks connected displays in the consumer market in the near future. the door is opening to new opportunities for digital signage.

Huawei and Samsung are in serious competition these days.

5G uses a new radio millimeter band in the 30 GHz to 300 Recently, Huawei’s Mate X foldable smartphone clearly beat GHz band; current 4G networks operate on frequencies below out Samsung’s Galaxy Fold, by price and functionality, in fact 6GHz. Low latency is one of the most important features 5G will Samsung has pulled back the release and recalled devices and went bring. Capable of latency rates under a millisecond. 4G LTE varback to the drawing board. It is exciting to see new competition ies from tower to tower, and device to device and even though at in the display space, especially a mobile device and infrastructure times you experience fast speeds, we have all experienced rolling company. This will push for new ideas and advancements in the dead spots or lagging speeds. The best example of this would be at digital signage space. an arena or airport where there are many people. 5G will be faster, but that is not the reason why it will be a more viable solution for Andy McRae is general manager of Dot2Dot Communications “mission-critical” applications such as digital signage. based in Ontario, Canada. Digital signage expert Shawn O’Brien In addition to increase speed, 5G offers three other major also contributed to this article. abilities:

[6]

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

Case Study: LED Displays

28 LIBERTY

Float4 Creates LED Lobby Display in Landmark Tower

The building is equipped with a 24/7 platform that informs, entertains, and engages building occupants and guests.

W

hen One Chase Manhattan Plaza, a landmark 60-story tower in New York City, was sold in 2013, the new owners renamed the property 28 Liberty and began a multi-million dollar renovation to change the former bank headquarters into a metropolitan centerpiece.

The upgrades included 200,000 feet of retail space, a 350,000 square-foot food court, and a 10-screen movie theatre as well as a 34-foot by 25-foot LED lobby display and LED ribbons in the retail area that showcase eye-catching visuals. The latter two enhancements, powered by a customizable content management system developed on the ISAAC platform by Miami-based Smart Monkeys, were designed and developed by digital content creation studio, Float4.

[8]

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

THE BRIEF The project team included Gensler’s New York office, who did the architectural design; Pentagram, who lead graphic design; and Technomedia, who designed, engineered, procured, and installed the entire LED system.

“The digital aesthetics at 28 Liberty reinvigorate the nearly 60-year old space. We produced an attraction in the building’s common areas, indirectly driving crowds and revenue to the owners and tenants,” said Float4 Founder and Creative Director Alexandre Simionescu. “By combining data-driven content, refined visuals, and a turnkey technological solution, the building is equipped with a 24/7 platform that informs, entertains, and engages building occupants and guests.”

The “Plaza” LED system is installed over a five-story escalator bay, requiring the creative engineering and construction skills of Big Show Construction Management, who managed the installation for Technomedia.

THE SYSTEM The renovation decisions at the building were centered around its reinvention from a corporate entity to a modern hub. The multi-purpose displays and captivating digital content act as a tool for distributing information about the building itself, local events, and internal announcements. Regarding its aesthetic allure, the ground floor lobby display attracts attention from people on the sidewalk. These additions, along with other upgrades, make 28 Liberty an attractive base for tenants and passersby alike.

“The content capsules were created for three very different displays that share different portions of the space: the main lobby screen, the retail display, which is on the floor right beneath the lobby, and, finally, the adjacent ceiling ribbons that provide elegant accents,” Simionescu said. “One of my favorite capsules is data driven and displays visuals depicting lower Manhattan and weather conditions that are sourced in real time. It’s a great way to convey information elegantly. Interstitials, which we use as transitions between content capsules, were also created to echo

the property’s iconic art pieces such as the Dubuffet Sculpture and Isamu Noguchi’s Rock Garden.”

A pair of RealMotion servers are responsible for delivering the content, which interfaces with Smart Monkey’s ISAAC system to provide an extremely easy-to-use content management solution.

Through this combination, the property managers can arrange daily schedules, add new content, and use templates to update content in real time.

“We developed the content management solution so the owners can benefit from a solution that combines performance with flexibility and reliability. Ultimately, the goal was to maximize the impact of the expansive lobby and retail space,” Simionescu said. “And we succeeded! People were immediately intrigued by the displays and the content. We even saw a few photos and videos of the lobby on social media from passersby. By presenting Float4’s creative content on large, bright digital displays, 28 Liberty has found a future-forward solution for enhancing its space, supporting its tenants, and creating a magnetic energy for people passing through.”

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

[9]

Case Study: Retail Analytics

CARHARTT RETAIL

Omnivex Solution Powers In-Store Interactive Kiosks and Touch Screens

In the center of each store there are a pair of 42in. touch screens in landscape mode, providing the full catalog of Carhartt merchandise.

E

stablished in 1889, Carhartt is a global premium work wear brand with a rich heritage of developing durable products for workers on and off the job. Headquartered in Dearborn, MI, with approximately 5,400 associates worldwide, Carhartt is privately owned and managed by the descendants of the company‘s founder, Hamilton Carhartt. Within the past several years, Carhartt has opened a number of company-owned retail stores nationwide, to bring their products directly to the consumers.

THE BRIEF Historically, Carhartt has relied on print signage and catalogs to communicate detailed information about the products carried in the stores. They were looking for a more dynamic way to replace traditional print signage, and showcase the features and details about merchandise available in the stores. They also wanted to provide access to look up and view items not physically stocked in the stores such as alternative options or colors. Other consider-

[10]

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

ations included finding a solution that could be run locally at the kiosk, which would limit internet bandwidth usage in the stores versus just sending customers to surf the web looking for information. Finally, Carhartt wanted a solution where content could be controlled and scheduled from one central place and reflected across all systems, allowing content to be updated in real-time if necessary.

THE INSTALLATION Carhartt uses Omnivex solution to power its in-store interactive kiosks and touchscreens. They started with a pilot in three stores and have now rolled out to more than 100 kiosks across 18 locations nationwide. When customers aren’t actively engaged with the kiosks, a series of digital signage panels rotate across the screens, showing season-appropriate images, unique products in certain departments, as well as active sales or promotions.

In the center of each store there are a pair of 42in. touch screens in landscape mode, providing the full catalog of Carhartt merchan-

Above: The footwear department and high-visibility areas feature two Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablets with content specific to each area.

Right: Throughout the store there are three additional 22in. touch screens with content that rotates based on the current promotion or featured products in those areas.

dise. These screens provide customers with an interactive catalog experience where they can view product details, alternative options, styles, or colors including items that may not be available at that store.

The footwear department and high-visibility areas feature two Microsoft Surface Pro 3 tablets with content specific to each area.

In other various departments throughout the store, there are three additional 22in. touch screens in portrait mode, with content that rotates based on the current promotion or featured products in those areas.

The screens are all centrally managed from the head office in Dearborn, however, localized content and information can be pushed out to individual stores such as special events like local festivals, concerts, or sidewalk sales. Unique regional or seasonal promotions and imagery can also be controlled per store, such as hunting versus fishing content or warm versus cold weather content.

THE RESULTS The pilot in the first three stores was completed within a very tight timeline and was very successful for Carhartt. The Omnivex solution has provided a way to easily manage content across the stores from a central location. It has also provided a drastic increase in the functionality available to Carhartt on their interactive screens, including providing the ability to monitor how many people are interacting with the screens and what content viewers are most interested in. The ability to showcase all colors, sizes, and options available without having the items physically in the store provides a number of benefits including the ability to find exactly what the customer needs. As Carhartt moves forward with their rollout to additional stores, there are sure to be lots of new ideas about further extending the use of digital communications.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

[11]

Case Study: DOOH

TRUEFORM IN NEW YORK Digital Kiosks in Subway Signal New Era

W

ith a population now nearing nine million, more than 200,000 businesses and a destination for a record-breaking 65 million tourists last year, New York’s reputation as one of the most popular and powerful cities on the planet, continues to grow.

But with great power, comes great responsibility. With more than 6,000 miles of roads crammed inside just 783 square kilometres, ease of navigation around the city and having access to local information is crucial for residents (New Yorkers) and tourists alike.

THE CHALLENGE The New York Subway, first installed in 1904, is the city’s most popular go-to mode of transport, with almost six million people boarding trains from its 472 stations each day. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA), a corporation responsible for public transportation in New York state, is in the middle of a $19 billion station and signal upgrade program.

Traditionally, static signs have been used to provide standard timetabled information and a basic map of the local area at the entrances to subway stations.

However, as part of the upgrade program, the MTA wanted to adopt a more digital approach, providing a broader, more versatile and more enhanced public service and experience.

London-based Trueform Digital has a strong presence in New York, having designed, built and installed more than 1,000 bespoke signage products throughout the city over the past eight years (including Times Square) and was a natural choice for the upgrade.

Trueform created a range of purpose-built digital totem kiosks that incorporate an outdoor digital screen and the flexibility to display a range of different content and messaging, including advertising.

[12]

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

The kiosks are designed using materials to withstand aggressive acts of vandalism and can be monitored and managed entirely remotely, ensuring minimal downtime should something ever go wrong.

“Our relationship with the City of New York was established some eight years ago and over this time Trueform have secured long-term contracts and have provided significant infrastructure throughout the city,” said Jonathan Morley, CEO, Trueform Digital. “This latest project is another extension of this great relationship.”

The kiosks are fully ingress protected, specifically designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and temperatures.

THE SOLUTION Taking just four months to complete, Trueform’s U.S.based team created a range of purpose-built digital totem kiosks. Each incorporates an outdoor digital screen, providing live travel information (train times/status), local maps, plus the flexibility to display a range of different content and messaging, including advertising.

The kiosks are fully ingress protected (IP), specifically designed to withstand extreme weather conditions and temperatures (hot and cold), as well as being viewable in direct sunlight. They have also been designed using materials to withstand aggressive acts of vandalism and can be monitored and managed entirely remotely, ensuring minimal downtime should something ever go wrong.

As part of the station upgrade program, 10 kiosks

(called ‘digital customer information totems’) have so far been successfully installed across the city. The installations have been an instant hit with the public, providing greater levels of information and engagement, while helping people get to where they want to go. More Trueform built kiosks will be added as the upgrade program continues.

“Trueform had a proven track record of successful delivery of products into transportation environments over many trading years,” added Morley. “We know what we are doing, and this experience makes the decision to choose Trueform over less experienced competitors a clear one.

“We are incredibly proud to have provided such an important piece of public transport technology to one of the world’s most iconic transit agencies in one of the world’s most iconic cities.”

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

[13]

NEW PRODUCT SHOWCASE MATROX’S QUADHEAD2GO MULTI-MONITOR CONTROLLER  Matrox QuadHead2Go Series, a range of multi-monitor controllers designed to deliver an easier, more convenient way to deploy next-generation video walls, are capable of driving four full HD 1920x1200 displays from one 4Kp60 video signal. Controller appliances and PCI Express cards provide complete video wall scalability and flexibility powering video walls of any type and size while input content could be from any source, including professional graphics cards and integrated GPUs, digital signage players, laptops and more. Displays can be arranged in classic rectangular 2x2, 2x1, 3x1, 4x1, 1x2, 1x3, or 1x4 setups, or a variety of other artistic configurations. Multiple QuadHead2Go units can be used together to easily build ultra-large video walls under any operating system, including Microsoft Windows 10 and Linux. QuadHead2Go guarantees out-of-the-box plug and play when using the default 2x2 landscape configuration, without having to install software or connect to a video source. On-device buttons on the appliance enable users to cycle through pre-set configurations to select and set the display layout, as well as access pre-saved images to set up display positions and fine-tune bezel-displaced pixels.

 VISIX’S NEW AXISTV SIGNAL SUITE SOFTWARE RELEASE

The latest release of the AxisTV Signage Suite digital signage software from Visix, version 1.21, refines CMS administrative tools with expanded hierarchy policies for user accounts and permissions. Administrators can now limit the message types assigned to individuals to streamline workflows and ensure design integrity. They can also create new user accounts through a copy function either manually or using Active Directory workflows. New security policy options include password rules, intrusion rules, and auto-logout settings. The new release also includes heightened sort and filter intelligence for more refined data mapping to external sources, such as calendars, XML or JSON, and easier configuration of data-triggered content using conditional logic.

DRAPER’S MULTI-DISPLAY WALL 

A modular solution designed to make exact alignment of displays easy, Draper’s MultiDisplay Wall is touted as a cost-effective and simple way of building a video wall or mounting several screens in a row. Each mount is supplied as a complete package with all of the necessary components and be set up in three steps. Draper says its new mounting solution allows integrators to build an LED video wall of any dimension and shape.

CAROUSEL’S MERSIVE SOLSTICE MEDIA PLAYER SUPPORT

Carousel Digital Signage has added media player support for Mersive Solstice, allowing users to simplify the management of digital signage content in meeting spaces and other corporate AV environments. This new integration brings the Carousel CMS to the Mersive platform, and amplifies the presence of digital signage within collaborative environments.

[14]

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

 Carousel provides Solstice users a reliable toolset to output HTML-based signage content to Solstice-enabled displays in huddle rooms, conference rooms, lecture halls, and larger, divisible meeting spaces. Solstice users can efficiently manage displays and end points by leveraging screen-sharing capabilities to switch between Carousel signage and other visual materials. This allows presenters to quickly incorporate company values, business wins, customer testimonials, and mission statements into important presentations.

The solution also enables huddle rooms and other meeting spaces to present compelling visual communications when displays are not in use. This eliminates the “black rectangle” problem of idle displays, and creates a consistent user experience throughout the enterprise.

 CABLETIME’S MEDIASTAR LOW LATENCY SYSTEM

Cabletime is now shipping its Low Latency System, a combination of products designed to deliver dynamic IPTV distribution at optimum latency to suit the user’s particular network configurations. Bringing together three components — the MediaStar 798 HDMI encoder, the MediaStar Media Portal Player and version 10.1 of the MediaStar Media Manager solution — to create the MediaStar Low Latency System, Cabletime says it is responding to the growing business-critical considerations of corporate users who are demanding low latency products to support high quality streaming applications. The launch of the MediaStar 798 encoder earlier this year allowed users to deliver lower latency and re-casting across virtual private networks and the Internet to offices or other locations. However, to ensure a full low-latency solution for IPTV, the addition of the Media Portal Player and Media Manager software will deliver significantly greater latency enhancements.

HALL RESEARCH’S HDMI 2.0 AUDIO INSERTER AND EXTRACTOR 

Hall Research’s HD-AUD-IO is an all-in-one HDMI audio manager capable of extracting audio from (de-embedding) and/or inserting audio into (embedding) an HDMI video signal. The HD-AUD-IO provides one HDMI input with a corresponding output. The audio embedded in the HDMI input is extracted and available as both stereo analog or multichannel digital SPDIF (TOSLINK).

The product provides two audio inputs (analog and digital). Users can select which audio to embed in the HDMI output. It can be the same as the original HDMI audio (pass-thru), SPDIF digital, or 3.5mm L/R analog. The audio in the HDMI output can be muted using discrete (contact closure) input or RS-232 commands. The HD-AUD-IO is capable of generating an HDMI output even with no HDMI input. This can be used to distribute HDMI with only audio (black screen) to TVs. Advanced EDID management allows users to control the video portion as well as the audio part of the EDID. The EDID presented to the video source can pass from the downstream device or emulated from internal memory. The device can also learn the EDID connected to its HDMI output. The product has a video bandwidth of 18Gbps and supports resolutions up to 4K60, 4:4:4, with HDR. It supports HDCP 2.2 as well as HDCP 1.4.

The HD-AUD-IO is well suited for environments where the audio needs to follow a different path than the video—places such as sports bars, houses of worship, retail stores, and the like.

 USERFUL’S COMMAND AND CONTROL MODULE Userful has released a real-time interactive drag-and-drop control tool to the visual networking platform. The command and control module includes an entirely browser-based tool that runs on any platform. No additional software is needed to install or manage and integrate seamlessly with current client software. There is an unlimited number of sources and user licenses for increased flexibility. Multiple operators can work simultaneously on the same display. The module can work entirely on LAN. A WAN or internet connection is not required for increased security. The easy and intuitive interface that does not require additional training.

DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE

[15]