AV Technology - Technology Manager's Guide to Immersive, Interactive, Innovative - August 2022 by Future PLC

Welcome to the THE TECHNOLOGY MANAGER’S GUIDE AUGUST 2022 PLUS: THEINNOVATIVEINTERACTIVE,IMMERSIVE,TECHNOLOGYMANAGER’SGUIDEAUGUST2022 8 CASE STUDIES SHOWCASE ENGAGING VISUAL EXPERIENCES PLUS: INNOVATIVEINTERACTIVE,IMMERSIVE,THETECHNOLOGYMANAGER’SGUIDE AUGUST 2022 8 CASE STUDIES SHOWCASE ENGAGING VISUAL EXPERIENCES AV/IT TEAM MIGRATES CHURCH SERVICES TO HYBRID 32 THOUGHT LEADERS IDENTIFY VISUALIZATION TRENDS 37 PRODUCTS THAT HELP ENSURE THE BEST IMAGE PLUS: INNOVATIVEINTERACTIVE,IMMERSIVE,

AUGUST 2022 | avnetwork.com2 IN THIS ISSUE Editor’s Note 04 Cindy Davis goes on nit patrol. AV/IT Team .................................................................................06 Learn how Oak Creek Assembly of God’s migration to hybrid services has showcased the value of blending brick and mortar with digital offerings, delighting its congregants with enhanced 4K video, and increasing viewership with 1080p streaming. Thought Leaders 10 Visualization technologies have become part of an overall ecosystem that includes content creation, displays, mounting, signal distribution, and manage ment. We asked 32 industry thought leaders what trends AV/IT decision-makers should consider when planning their next visualization project. Case-in-Point 28 Eight case studies: Control room video wall for a 219-square-mile spaceport | Video monument to Hollywood’s veneration of glamor | Broadcast Operations Command Center | Inspirational showroom takes customers on a journey of imagination | Large-scale data visualization | IPTV system enhances the patient experience | Expansive art galleries with a future vision | Digital signage alleviates stress at a busy airport Products That Matter 38 37 products to help ensure the best image. 06 38 28 DatapathPhoto: LGPhoto:ConnectPanasonicPhoto:

I WOULD LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU

Davis, cindy.davis@futurenet.com Contributing Writer, Macy

It was during my first Digital Signage Expo around ten years ago when I first learned about pixel pitch, or nits (candelas). This was around the time that digital signage billboards were replacing paper billboards along highways, and it wasn’t a pleasant viewing experience. I found myself on nit patrol, pointing out to my husband when a display was too bright for even the brightest environment. A few years ago, my home airport—Boston Logan International— replaced its static outdoor terminal and direction signs with high-pixel-pitch displays that rivaled the 1.6 billion nits output by the sun. I literally couldn’t read the signs without slowing down and squinting. I sincerely hope that these displays are on a three-year refresh cycle (or, better yet—just rip and replace themToday,now).with the advancement of varied display technologies, robust signal distribution, easier mounting options, and a larger field of content producers—digital signage has entered a new era, delivering a veritable smorgasbord of visual delights. Whether an immersive, projection-mapped art exhibit; a tunnel of dvLEDs; or a meeting space with wall-to-wall interactive panels that merge in-person and remote participants to collaborate as if they were in the same room—it’s hard to not get excited and imagine the possibilities. This guide is filled with inspirational and aspirational case studies, trends, and insights from industry thought leaders, and it shines a spotlight on the myriad products that comprise the visualization ecosystem.

By illuminating the stories of AV/IT managers and technology stakeholders, as well as exploring the innovations of our industry’s manufacturers and solution providers, we hope the AV Technology Manager’s Guides become your go-to resource throughout the year. AV Technology is your forum. Please drop me a line at cindy.davis@futurenet.com and tell me about your latest AV/IT project. Nominate a tech manager for a profile. Let’s share best practices and keep the momentum going. Cindy O’Hearn 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.

by Cindy Davis AS A CONTENT CREATOR with a background in graphic design and more than a dozen years of consumer electronics writing under my belt—the display category has always been a favorite of mine. I view displays with a critical eye toward a wide color gamut, a broad range of gray scale, deep blacks, fast refresh rates, and the finest resolutions.

EDITOR’S NOTE NIT PICKING

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6 VisualizationThroughInspiration By AV AV/ITTechnologyTEAMAgrowingtrendtowardhybridreligiousservices—“blendingbrickandmortarwithdigitalofferings”—leavesthedooropenforwidespreadfutureadoptionofaudiovisualtechnologies. AUGUST 2022 | avnetwork.com

T he Oak Creek Assembly of God is one of the largest churches in the Milwaukee, Wisconsin area, and is the largest Spanish-language church in the city. The team at Oak Creek had already been making use of live streaming technology for several years by the time COVID-19 hit, and had already built a wide reach of followers spread across the U.S. and the world. They were leveraging Panasonic visual equipment, including the PT-RZ21K projector, to produce engaging visuals for worshippers, and the CQ1 professional displays across their campus as overflow viewing.

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“Upon the failure of its old camera equipment, the church realized the poor quality of live streams was creating a distracting experience for congregants, which is why we proposed a wide range of Panasonic cameras that better immerse the viewer into the screen,” Thorell said.

QUALITY, SIMPLICITY, AFFORDABILITY

But, like many other churches during the pandemic, Oak Creek quickly discovered that its existing 17-year-old AV setup was insufficient to keep all of its nearly 3,000 congregants connected virtually. The church reached out to Josh Thorell, systems design engineer at Sven Pro, an audio-visual consulting firm focused on shaping experiences, to find the right streaming solutions for its unique needs.

“Like all projects, our goal was to create the most dynamic, engaging experience possible using audiovisual solutions,” explained Thorell.

“From the beginning, Oak Creek understood that streaming would be its primary mode of interacting with congregants for some time, and that they would need to enhance video quality from 480p to 4K internal video. We agreed that 1080p streaming would be key in creating a worship experience that could rival that of an in-person service.”

While Oak Creek wanted to enhance the overall quality of its streamed productions, they also needed a solution that was simple to use. Rather than a designated technical production crew to produce each service, Oak Creek relies on a team of rotating volunteers that take turns producing three to four weekly services. Thus, any solution the church deployed would need to not only produce high-quality content, but do so in a way that’s easy to teach, learn, and ultimatelyPanasoniccourtesyPhotography

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The Sven team chose to deploy two UC4000 studio cameras to the left and right of the center auditorium stage to capture a wide angle on the large venue. These cameras ensure high picture quality despite the various degrees of lighting used during the worship service. Two UE150 PTZ cameras situated at opposite balconies help cover the remaining distance of the stage, enabling production volunteers to easily capture different angles and shot widths. The handheld CX350 professional camcorder allows onstage camera operation to conduct close-up shots, transmitting a signal from the main sanctuary to the youth room on the opposite side of the campus. Meanwhile, two UE4 cameras enable a drum camera view and wide room view to capture the full audience during meet and greet sessions.

Deploying the right combination of cameras from Panasonic—including the UC4000 studio camera, UE150 PTZ camera, CX350 professional camcorder, and UE4 camera—now enables production volunteers to capture dynamic shots of their expansive main sanctuary in a simple, streamlined way. Meanwhile, the UHS500 production switcher lets them easily combine footage from different cameras to create dynamic content.

VIDEO TOOLS THAT CONNECT

“The combination of the cameras, displays, projectors, lighting, and switchers allowed us to create an experience that engages the viewers’ senses, evoking emotional responses and connections to the sermon and other churchgoers,” Thorell said. “Engaging members helps further build the church community, both in-person and online, as they feel a stronger sense of connection through captivating experiences. By capturing footage from a wide range of angles, the church is given the creative ability to package the content how they see fit and deliver it via streaming to audiences inperson and virtually.”

8 operate without supervision.

According to Thorell, the success of the installation at Oak Creek fits squarely within a broader post-pandemic movement toward hybrid religious services. Going forward, he sees a great deal of possibility for adoption of AV technology within large-scale venues; smaller, more intimate settings; and every congregation

Josh Thorell is a systems design engineer at Sven Pro.

THE FUTURE OF WORSHIP

“Not only do volunteers have an incredible selection of shots to choose from, but they also have great control over how the footage goes out,” said Sean Anderson, customer relationship manager at Sven. “We set up the system in a way that introductory users can switch between cameras and provide a great viewing experience, while technical directors can still play around with the more complicated settings to set up various transitions and shot macros for the UE150 and UE4Incameras.”additionto the limitations posed by an all-volunteer tech crew, the Oak Creek team was also constrained by a fixed budget for their technology upgrade, and, therefore, needed an affordable solution that would offer longevity and reliability.“Toensure that volunteers are able to operate the technologies, we were tasked with finding easy-to-use, reliable solutions that could support the church for years to come without breaking the bank,” Thorell said. “Because the church was already leveraging Panasonic Connect technology, our team looked within the Panasonic family for camera solutions that could create a cohesive, easy-to-use workflow while capturing high-quality videos.”

An all-volunteer video production crew helps Oak Creek broadcast multiple weekly services to its nearly 3,000 congregants.

According to Tanto Husain of Oak Creek Assembly of God, congregants immediately noticed the difference in quality between the church’s original 480p content and its enhanced 4K video and 1080p streaming.

“The trend for worship digital signage is moving into the same model you would see in conference centers, malls, and the hotel industry. They utilize these not just in signage applications but for interactive wayfinding, store and coffee shop menus, and as classroom teaching displays.” He added, “Interactive signage in larger churches is very helpful for two reasons. The first is because it provides a non-intimidating way for new visitors to engage with the church without having to start a conversation, and also ensures congregants can access information when volunteers are busy.”

A POSITIVE RECEPTION

Thorell continued, “The other is using a donation station where a user can access the display for entering account information to provide a virtual donation. As COVID started there was obviously a decline in physical attendance and many churches had no way to engage with those that we're unable to come. This resulted in a drop in donation. As the pandemic wore on a switch happened, and now churches need to invest in technology to be able to engage congregants, allowing for soliciting donations to then continue in their supportive missions.”

“The newly installed UHS500 switcher lets volunteers output multiple previews to the CQ1 displays to select the best shots and double check the quality on large monitors before streaming,” he said. “The CQ1 displays feature high picture quality with 4K resolution and support 4K60p signals (HDMI). Panasonic’s displays also include a Q-Sys control system which makes integrating controls extremely simple. This allows Oak Creek staff to easily control the displays around the building without relying on a remote.”

In the same way that retail, corporate, and education markets have made extensive use of digital signage as a tool for advertising, wayfinding, data gathering, and more—Thorell emphasized that digital signage is also well suited to helping houses of worship communicate effectively with their audiences:

9 size in “Webetween.seeOak Creek’s experience with integrating full scope audiovisual technologies as an example of what’s to come for other houses of worship,” Thorell said. “The industry-wide switch to hybrid services has showcased the value of blending brick and mortar with digital offerings. Panasonic solutions make it possible for us to offer churches affordable, small-scale to full live studio options that allow for simple operation and high-quality, engaging content.”

And for houses of worship with legacy systems already in place, there is also a potential for growth without the expense of an entirely new suite of AV products. Thorell and his team were eager to improve Oak Creek’s experience of their existing Panasonic Connect CQ1 professional displays, which were being used for overflow viewing across the building.

“We’ve seen increased viewership, as congregants praise the high-quality, realistic imagery,” he said. “Making the switch to remote worshiping was challenging for congregants accustomed to the interactive nature of our in-person services. We’re happy to be able to deliver engaging visuals that can help immerse them into the virtual worship experience.”

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POTENTIAL FOR DIGITAL SIGNAGE

THOUGHT LEADERS TRENDSVISUALIZATION

By Cindy Davis and Macy O’Hearn Creating a visually immersive experience is finally within reach for nearly anyone wanting to deliver content that engages an audience. The price of direct-view LED display products has decreased, and more content creators are embracing a larger canvas. These high brightness dvLEDs are scalable and flexible, making them a contender in the board room. LCD panels are also evolving, ensuring their rightful place in the big impact department. Jupiter is the first to launch a 21:9 ultra-wide display, but we have it on good authority that others will follow. Projection technologies continue to spread a footprint beyond and wrapped around what most physical displays are able to achieve and at a lower cost ensuring their spot in the visual landscape. One of the biggest trends is that disparate visualization technologies have been codified as a part of an overall ecosystem that includes content creation, displays, mounting, connectivity, signal distribution, andTomanagement.shedmorelight on the topic, we asked 32 industry thought leaders what trends AV/IT decisionmakers should consider when planning for their next visualization project.

More businesses are starting to see the value of capturing the audience at every point of the experience to enhance the brand story with design-centric messaging.

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JEREMY HALL Key Accounts Manager Absen When you think about the technologies.forgetenvironment,interactivelet’snotaboutimmersiveWiththe wide adoption of direct-view LED display products, you are no longer limited to a physical space using a standard format. DvLED can be far more customized than typical LCD displays, allowing for you to be able to cover exact spaces and corners with ease. With this cutting-edge technology, you are able to cover floors and ceilings as well. You can surround your users in video without the shadows and odd angles projectors bring. Some applications of such technologies include training experience centers, corporate museums, studio spaces, simulation labs, and experiential learning centers.

As AV/IT trends evolve, two key features that have been gaining popularity are touchless digital signage solutions and direct-view LED (dvLED) video wall systems. Digital signage solutions are more adaptable and captivating than static displays, creating a more immersive experience for the viewers, and saving time and money while increasing attention to the signage. Where a static display fades and requires reprinting, costing both time and money, digital signage is easily adjustable in real-time and will always remain clear and fade free.

In the era of COVID-19, adapting to new processes and solutions that minimize the risk of infection is something many companies keep in mind when purchasing AV solutions.

Touchless solutions such as digital displays help reduce the spread of germs while still serving their intended purpose. It’s likely we will see more innovations in how this technology will be used as this trend continues to be favored. Some features gaining popularity specific to touchless digital displays are personal device control, voice control, and facial recognition. In addition to this, dvLED video wall systems have been becoming increasingly popular.

MICHELLE MONTAZERI Manager, Digital Signage Legrand | AV As we move into more “normal” times, there are a few trends to consider in the digital signage space. The first consideration is an opportunity to convert hardware into a service, as in dedicating some time to garnering advertising dollars to offset costs. Big data is also helping with effectiveness and efficiency. Cameras and sensors can analyze audiences for more targeted marketing or even managing energy consumption based on audience size in off hours. You may even pick up new insights into your audience by learning who is dwelling the most.

When considering touch enabled, we need to think about the entire experience. Everyone interacts differently, whether based on ability or comfort. In that case, phone, gesture, and audio interactions should be part of the discussion.

Quick service restaurants are adopting self-service kiosks to own the experience and catch more data points.

Even in the board room environment we are finding that panoramic and curved displays are becoming the norm. With dvLED’s design, you can create extra-wide displays. These displays can even be curved to mimic the extra-wide curved monitors that are being used in the home. Not being bound to one format also allows you to use more wall real estate to display content and participants. With certain software and hardware, you can construct a fully immersive video conference ecosystem by adding tracking audio and camera systems.

For years, the dvLED market has been driven in the digital signage space—wall tickers, message boards, and corporate advertising. The newest trend in the corporate space is the experiential lobby. Lobbies have always been the place where the public meets the business. What better place for corporate messaging or a unique experience? You can cover the floors, walls, and ceilings with dvLED to create an environment that will leave a lasting impression on your visitors and teams.

MEGAN ZELLER Senior Peerless-AVBusinessDirector,Development

With high brightness, beautiful color space, and high definition, dvLED is the number one choice for these unique applications. Every LED wall added in the corporate and executive space helps make the world shine brighter!

While many commercial spaces opted for a projection screen over large displays due to cost-saving efforts, dvLED video walls can perform significantly better than projection solutions at the same affordable price. dvLED displays offer more clarity and are less affected by lighting when compared with projected displays, providing a higher resolution and overall more immersive experiences for viewers. Keeping both the benefits and increasing favor of both touchless digital signage solutions and dvLED video wall displays in mind can allow decision makers to create a more desirable experience for users while keeping up with the times.

For another example: As the workforce shifts, many companies are onboarding large numbers of staffers, or welcoming hybrid (or predominantly remote) employees who may be less familiar with the facilities. How much of an impact would directional wayfinding have for those new hires on day one? This personalization of signage should extend to every aspect of the installation, from the biggest screen to the smallest touch panel. The days of one-way, unilateral signage in the office are ending; these displays have to do more than just deliver HR and branding messaging (although those functions are important, too). Ultimately, technology that can make your digital signage as flexible as possible is the goal.

Signage solutions should allow users the freedom to design beautiful 4K content that is both robust and scalable, regardless of the application. Immersive, interactive, and touch-enabled platforms are ever evolving, so the selected solution must also be able to adapt as these trends continue to grow. Whether it’s a static display, a video wall, or an interactive panel, digital signage takes many forms, and no two systems are alike. Creating a dynamic, high-resolution video distribution system that can be easily expanded and reconfigured to suit any need ensures the system will not be made obsolete by future requirements. For flexibility, look for bidirectional IR and RS-232 capabilities to remotely control sources and displays. Super-low video latency and USB extension options will deliver further flexibility to create responsive and interactive displays or give full remote KVM access to IT departments where required. The ability to remotely control a large volume of displays is an important trend to be aware of. For scalability, users will want to consider senders and receivers that come together to create a dynamic virtual matrix capable of delivering HDMI video up to 4K anywhere across the network. The trend for larger and sharper displays needs a platform that can scale.

KEN EAGLE Vice President of Technology Hall Technologies Digital signage attracts, informs, and engages its audience. The types of signage required in a single environment can be varied, and the needs and trends will evolve. Digital signage decision makers should always look first at flexibility and scalability when making their platform decisions.

JUSTIN SHONG Vice President of Sales and Marketing Jupiter Interactive and touchenabled displays are trending now with a major focus on the experience. Experiences can be categorized in a few ways, including physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, social, virtual, and transactional. We see a trend of creating that physical experience with interactive and touch screen technology, such as our line of Pana digital signage displays. By utilizing touch interaction, patrons are more likely to have an unforgettable experience. Jupiter boasts a 40-year history of technology breakthroughs and is a pioneer in collaborative visualization and video processing. Our passion has always been finding new ways to deliver content, and never settling for “good enough.” Jupiter’s expansion into the new 21:9 ultra-wide display market further emphasizes our dedication to following a different path, and strengthens our position as the market leader in innovation. Jupiter’s Pana line includes 105- and 81-inch ultra-wide 5K displays, available in touch and non-touch models. This panoramic 21:9 aspect ratio is especially advantageous in applications like corporate lobbies and executive briefing centers, as it allows users to consume more data panoramically—and does so beautifully with 11 million-plus pixels. The 178-degree viewing angle is amongst the widest on the market and brings your content alive.

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The entire product portfolio of Pana displays can be mounted in portrait or landscape for maximum impact. We recognize that one size does not fit all, which is why our Pana ultra-wide LCD line up offers displays in 105, 81, and 34 inches. They are ideal for applications like executive briefing centers, innovation spaces, and lobbies—high-touch areas that require digital signage, interactive touch experiences, and data visualizations with vibrant content. The Pana series provides a perfect canvas for anything you can imagine and delivers a quality, unique, and immersive experience with larger-than-life visuals.

DELIX ALEX Group Product Manager, DigitalMedia AVoIP Crestron It’s important to look at digital signage holistically. Our typical customers are using these products for a variety of applications—from education to government and enterprise installations—and in each case, that signage needs to be able to adapt to their needs. Here’s an example: We’ve seen a rise in work café spaces for in-person staff—a place where, in addition to work, they can dine, get coffee, and perhaps take a break. Now, let’s say the signage is delivering a newscast or a music channel. When a coworker comes in or calls and asks to collaborate on a project, can the display handle a Zoom or Microsoft Teams meeting at that moment? This scenario mimics an experience that workers are getting remotely—a space that can adapt quickly and easily. I have a second monitor in my home. I can shift from one content stream to another very easily. Can digital signage in the office provide the same experience as staff moves about— from conference room to work café, for example? As more and more workers return to the office, management has to make the commute worth it.

—Rob Moodey, EMEA Business Development Manager, Matrox Video

KYLE ROSENBLOOM

“What fuels the real growth in digital signage is the use of LED, where bezels are not only thin but practicallyexistent.”non-

—Kyle Rosenbloom, National Sales Director, Aurora Multimedia

National Sales Director Aurora Multimedia interoperability,Flexibility, and expandability are all key whenconsiderationsdesigningand implementing interactive, touch-enabled, and immersive solutions. Integrators are serving their clients well when considering the entire environment and the client’s long-term objectives; and then building an infrastructure that can support everything desired—today and well into the future. A system—any system—is only as good as the infrastructure upon which it is built. Utilizing non-proprietary technology solutions is a great place to start. This enables system designs that can be tailored to exactly what the client wants today, and modified for changes in requirements tomorrow. There is nothing worse than wanting to add the newest, coolest product to your system, only to find out it isn’t compatible with some other part of your system. Many technology manufacturers develop their products with exactly that in mind, forcing the uninformed to become enslaved by a single brand. In today’s supply chain climate of instability, that self-serving methodology has left many folks in a quandary and has forced the industry to do some incredibly necessary rethinking on potential partnerships, as well as what solutions are least restrictive. Interoperability is the name of theAnothergame. key consideration is bandwidth and network utilization. When transporting video, audio, and control on the network—which all of these systems entail—integrators must be mindful of continuously expanding bandwidth requirements, and properly partitioning the network for optimal performance. Separately transporting the individual aspects of a system is a wise practice, and remembering not to overload uplink capacity is crucial. So when 10Gbps seems sufficient, specify 40Gbps if the budget will support it.

Providing solutions with the greatest potential for expandability, interoperability, and the flexibility to adapt to future innovation requires detailed planning and a rock solid infrastructure. Then, creativity has no bounds.

AUGUST 2022 | avnetwork.com14 ROB MOODEY EMEA MatroxDevelopmentBusinessManagerVideo

When I joined Matrox 18 years ago, many people were referring to digital signage as “narrowcasting”—a term distinguishing itself from the wider audience implicit in “broadcasting.” Nowadays, “canvas” distinguishes itself, too, by including multiple large screens, some of which are not even rectangular.Ioftenhear the question, “Why don’t we just use a single, big 4K screen?” A 2x2 array with 55-inch panels achieves a diagonal of 100 inches, but the same number of pixels on a single UHD screen of that size would come with a much heftier price tag and repair costs to boot. Our solution? Combine a compact player with a lower-cost display. A big trend in digital signage is building upon existing infrastructure to get the most bang for your buck. What fuels the real growth in digital signage is the use of LED, where bezels are not only thin but practically non-existent. That said, LED presents a separate challenge when handling arrays that are not 16:9 shaped and are either without recognized pixel numbers or timing characteristics that comply with VESA definitions. It’s a challenge we are well equipped to meet using our PowerWall software to create custom EDIDs, allowing for end-to-end display management for any type of screen. Yet another trend is the changing shape of the canvas. “Tall and thin” or “short and wide” used to be criticisms of TV companies’ efforts to scale a widescreen cinema presentation to a home television. A ubiquitous form of display we see today is the ribbon, which may run the length of an airport walkway, or vertically along a stairwell in a retail setting. Digital signage has always pushed the envelope. Many of the trends mentioned above are arriving in the same place at the same time. Fortunately, readily available solutions mean that these trends can be easily adopted and implemented to stay ahead of the curve.

interoperability,expandability,solutions“Providingwiththegreatestpotentialforandthe flexibility to adapt to requiresinnovationfuturedetailedplanning.”

AARON LEIKER Vice President, Operation Centers Haivision MCS When your organization has decided it needs a video wall to tell its story or collaborate visually with a wide array of video content, it can be difficult to know which display technology is right for the project. The project’s budget, requirements, and end users need to be aligned. Due to the increase in popularity of video walls in recent years, the industry has responded with a wide selection of video wall display options and complementary technologies to drive them. The two most popular display options are liquid crystal display (LCD) and directview light-emitting diode (dvLED). While both technologies offer highly configurable arrays and supportability, dvLED technology offers a seamless visual canvas, great brightness, improved contrast, and clearer color uniformity than LCD. DvLED is great for exceptionally large video walls, colorcritical applications, or when a visible seam may have an adverse effect on viewers understanding the content. LCD panels are more affordable when the users require higher resolutions to understand the content. You would find these especially useful in various operation center use cases when multiple high-resolution video sources need to be viewed simultaneously. When comparing LCD versus LED, neither option is unequivocally better than the other. It will depend on the organization’s specific use case and what they want to get from their video wall system. Organizations looking to upgrade their display system should consider budget, visibility requirements, ambient light in the space, and install location.

Within a university’s new gaming arena, the Black Box system makes it possible to handle video walls and video extension (point-to-point and point-to-multipoint) on an IT network, with intuitive control over how content displays on everyBecausescreen.MCX is a software-controlled system that can be deployed without the need for a matrix switcher in an equipment closet, it’s easy to bring into existing AV environments along with digital signage. With straightforward setup and configuration, customizable control interfaces, and exceptional scalability, these systems deliver robust content creation, management, and distribution capabilities with none of the technical barriers typical of advancedEnablingsolutions.AVanddata payloads to exist on the same IT network, MCX reduces network management time and costs. Supported by that network, Black Box digital signage products offer an array of options, from creation tools to players, to ensure users can display compelling content when, where, and how it best serves their audience.

NATALIA HERERRA Senior PolyAllianceDirectorPartners

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ERIC FARKAS Product Manager AV Black Box Across virtually every industry, next-gen AVover-IP technology is making it easier than ever to implement advanced solutions, including digital signage, with little time, creative skill, or technical knowhow. It’s a game changer for the way that visual information is shared with customers and employees.BlackBox has customer stories across numerous industries, including hospitality and esports, that illustrate the immense benefits that come from uniting flexible, IP-based signal distribution and management with a uniquely intuitive digital signage solution.

As employees around the world return to the office (RTO), businesses need to equip workspaces with advanced video conferencing tools and engaging screen content to deliver a unified, turnkey experience. Of paramount importance is workplace communications. It has become more vital than ever to provide an informational and immersive experience for on-site and remote employees. A large part of the RTO is centered on redesigning and repurposing workspaces for the hybrid era. This demonstrates that the traditional office no longer fits the demands of a more flexible workforce. Employees have now come to expect not only better amenities and more opportunities for face-to-face interaction, but also video conferencing equipment that creates an equitable and engaging experience regardless of where participants are calling in from.As a result of the ever-changing workplace needs, digital signage has become an important element of the equation. Top visualization ecosystem recommendations for today’s AV/IT decision makers need to include utilizing a unified platform that aims to solve modern-day office challenges. Examples of integrated platforms that provide these capabilities include Appspace and Raydiant. The use of these digital signage platforms not only enables employee communications, but adds value with centralized management. It also provides the ability to deploy at scale by integrating with software applications like Poly Lens, which delivers additional remote management and insights. Some platforms allow you to go beyond digital signage, offering features like the ability to reserve hotel desks and meeting spaces; as well as an employee app that offers support, and helps keep workers engaged and informed. With dynamic digital signage you can create an immersive experience for employees and visitors, and bring even more value to your meetings. AV/IT decision makers have a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to modernize workplace communications and improve corporate culture as employees return to the office.

To support flexible visualization in a Texas taproom, for example, the Black Box MCX network AV distribution and management system pairs with the company’s iCompel digital signage system to allow staff to display sports and entertainment on the big screens, along with visual information about the beer on tap, pub grub on the menu, upcoming events, advertising, education, and more.

To ensure cloud-based infrastructure security, the vendors you evaluate should always have technologies, policies, and procedures in place to secure your data. For Carousel Cloud, we implement several safeguards within the application, infrastructure, and our organization to protect application itself, which is critical for security. We also ensure that data is encrypted both in transit and at rest using industry best practices. We recommend considering services that are hosted on a cloud platform such as Amazon Web Services to inherit some of the most comprehensive compliance controls. Security-focused code review, ongoing penetration testing, and vulnerability monitoring are other areas to consider to ensure secure operations for any digital signage deployment, from simple corporate

—Carolyn Korchik, Director of Information Security and Compliance, Carousel Digital Signage

accordingly. A mission-critical service typically does not require the same level of requirements or due diligence as a low-risk one and can often be a waste of valuable resources.

CAROLYN KORCHIK Director of Information Security and Compliance Carousel Digital Signage While the AV-oriented digital signage end user is typically applicationfocused, the IT departments they work with have other top-ofmind concerns. They want to know that the AV systems they bring onto their networks are easy to use, reliable in operation, and require minimal maintenance, while adhering to IT security standards. They prefer AV products that are designed similar to IT products, with streamlined feature sets and connectivity points. Both AV and IT professionals have security in mind when evaluating digital signage systems. No business that uses the internet to support operations is immune from a cyber attack. It is most important for AV and IT professionals to understand the impact and level of risk that comes with a potential new purchase. Companies should have a framework in place so that decision makers can right-size risks and make decisions

“To ensure security, the vendors you evaluate should always have technologies, policies, and procedures in place to secure your data.”

REMI DEL MAR Senior Product Manager, Digital Experiences Epson America

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theangle,whenstand“Brandsouttheyarecreative,haveanemotionalandstayrelevantwithspeedoftechinnovation.”

In an age where access to information is instant, consumers are oversaturated in transparency, and content creation tools and a multitude of sharing platforms are readily available, consumers are craving a new generation of storytelling. Ease of learning about products and purchasing requires interactivity and interoperability of merging personal devices to physical attractions. Digital immersion has taken immense leaps forward in recent years, followed by interactivity and lastly touch. Immersive entertainment continues to be a popular trend—visually and aurally immersing people in content can help keep them engaged. The physical aspect has always been there, but now we are seeing more elements of digital immersion coming into play. And there is an opportunity for generating revenue with digital immersion as businesses look to leverage technology to make locations a destination. Combining retail, design, and performance art creates destinations where people may choose to go to a physical location as opposed to ordering online. Interactivity is on the move from personal devices to public domains so quickly that consumers may not even notice. Whether programmatic or activation required, one’s personal device is now an interactive tool in public locations, such as approaching a restaurant and being greeted with a QR code to view the menu, place your order, and close out tabs. These and other consumer experiences are shifting towards the digital world, where personal devices are the new solution for transaction and informational needs. Brands stand out when they are creative, have an emotional angle, and stay relevant with the speed of tech innovation. Laser projectors are a driving force behind digital experiences as they become smaller, brighter, and smarter to meet AV/IT professionals’ ever-changing technology needs. Multi-functional and adaptable, while also delivering powerful illumination that elevates experiences, projection is a powerful tool for interactive and eye-catching moments that heighten experiences and drive sales.

—Christian Young, Pro AV Product Manager, ATEN Technology

Finally, it is important to consider a strong and local support network for the initial phase of the project, throughout implementation, and after the project is completed.

CHRISTIAN YOUNG Pro AV Product Manager ATEN Technology Visual technology has made great strides in recent years. We all want to see images that connect with us in one way or another. The demand is there, but it’s up to content creators and audiovisual equipment manufacturers to achieve the realism the market wants to experience. Content creators need to work with technology that can give the illusion of being in front of your eyes. Such technology may include artificial intelligence, augmented reality, or virtual reality—alone or in combination. Nowadays, it’s not just a matter of filming content and hoping the quality is high enough to make it believable. Computer-generated graphics and material are included more than ever. Therefore, AV/IT decision makers must find a way to obtain content that achieves the ultimate purpose of realism, interactivity, and immersion.Fromthe hardware side, the solution must be flexible, scalable, seamless, affordable, and, above all, tailored to meet the needs of the market. To have a successful digital signage ecosystem, the seamless distribution of the AV source content to multiple displays is very important. Whether the content is from media players or computers, or for information or entertainment purposes, the distribution system must enable administrators to quickly and easily control the content displayed from a convenient central location. Reliable video matrix switches can offer a seamless transition of content with the highest resolution in true nature, synchronized throughout the different displays. Other devices, such as video extenders, can send heavy video and audio signals over long distances without any deterioration or delay, and can respond to the end user’s interaction immediately. Control systems allow users to operate and manage every piece of the ecosystem along with other different peripherals remotely.

—Remi Del Mar, Senior Product Manager, DigitalEpsonExperiences,America

“The centraladministratorsmustsystemdistributionenabletoquicklyandeasilycontrolthecontentdisplayedfromaconvenientlocation.”

andsoftwareimportant;vitallythemustbeaccessibleeasytouse,regardlessofcomputerskilllevel.”

We are also seeing a rise in popularity with Microsoft Power BI integration, which is a very popular KPI dashboarding tool that leverages your existing business data and metrics, “This is

Another consideration is interoperability. Because project requirements can differ, you’ll want to support all digital signage media player devices and system-on-chip displays. This provides a choice about which hardware is the best fit for your needs versus being locked into a closed ecosystem.

A last piece of advice is to think about whether your employees will be able to learn and use the system—especially those “wow factor” functionalities that may have caught your attention in a demo or sales presentation. This is vitally important; the software must be accessible and easy to use, regardless of computer skill level. Design your visualization system with software that makes integration easy and you’ll be ready to catch and accommodate whatever requirements come your way.

—Jordan Feil, Marketing Director, Navori Labs then automatically formats them into easily digestible graphics, graphs and charts. You will want a digital signage system that can integrate with these systems and data sets out of the box, but also easily displays other media assets for events and presentations.

JORDAN FEIL Marketing Director Navori Labs Digital signage software is one piece of the broader thatecosystem,visualizationwhichmeanscleanintegration with other business systems is paramount. You already have valuable data stored in many different platforms, so make sure to pick a digital signage software that makes it easy to ingest and present it, either with simple or built-in integrations. When leadership asks to display sales statistics or meeting room bookings, you will have a solution in place to quickly find and present what you need. The most common platforms to integrate with are Microsoft Exchange and Microsoft Office 365. Their data is typically used for meeting room booking and calendars, meeting event software, and conference room signage.

Communication has always been an indispensable part of our industry and society, but the last few years have proven just how critical digital signage can be for sharing engaging content, as well as vital information. During the pandemic and return to the office, digital signage was an important part of keeping people informed of health and safety information and protocols, and wayfinding helped keep things orderly and distanced.

Commercial real estate and office space is at a premium, from the basic cost per square foot to the amount it costs to manage those spaces. Decision makers are taking a hard look at what kind of physical space they will need to have in the long term and looking to invest in the most prudent tools for visualization.

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Digital signage continues to be an opportunity and an area of growth for the professional AV industry. Prices have decreased over the last few years, making it a much more accessible, viable, and in-demand option. Digital signage rapidly transitioned from a “nice to have” to an essential part of business operations. With a proper understanding of a customer’s needs, budget, and infrastructure, we can seamlessly tailor and deploy thoughtful and impactful digital signage solutions.

Investing in displays that can tick multiple boxes, such as interactive whiteboarding, video collaboration, and digital signage, makes sense. When the board is not in use for group ideation, it can automatically switch to display the latest company news, systems updates, or wayfinding information. You can also share interactive content if the software and display are both touch enabled. As a solution, the interactive display/ digital signage combination only works as a cost-saving solution within spaces that would usually be used for group ideation or meeting rooms. As part of a wider visualization ecosystem, however, it’s a viable option. At Avocor, all of our displays support standard HID drivers, so if your digital signage content supports touch, then you’re ready to get started.

BRIAN SIMMONS

RYAN STRAYER Senior Director of Sales, B2B Chanel Chief ViewSonic The pandemic drove the need for messaging from offices to gathering spots. Digital signage and large-format displays were the mediums with which communications were distributed. Though shared spaces and touch technologies were sidelined, products that could be used to share and communicate were a big part of the continued growth in the pro AV market. Fast forward to 2022, and neither standard nor interactive digital signage show signs of slowing down in the industry. There is continued growth in all sectors— interactive, touch, and immersive displays.

AVIXA forecasts digital signage to produce $35 billion in global revenue this year and achieve a 7 percent compound annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2021 to 2026. The return to in-person work and learning are driving the growth of interactive and touch displays. As much as contactless interaction exploded during the start of COVID-19, its influence is still visible at QSR restaurants, transportation hubs, shopping destinations, and in office wayfinding. Despite the ongoing increase in sales for interactive and touch displays, the immersive experience that direct-view LED displays offer has the potential for enormous growth. We believe dvLED displays create an impactful wow factor in many markets—especially large public venues, higher education, and office spaces. This also benefits installers and resellers within the pro AV industry, as there are no longer size limitations; costs are starting to come down compared to traditional video wall displays; and they’re easier to install, manage, and maintain.

DANA COREY Senior Vice President Avocor One of the key considerations that many AV/IT decision makers will have is return on investment. With global economic factors being a concern, the question for many verticals is, “How can I make this technology work harder and perform on multiple levels?”

Senior SonyAccountsStrategicManager,NationalElectronics

As digital signage evolves and becomes more robust and dynamic, there are new trends that are being adopted. Customers want scalable solutions that are easier to set up, manage, and deploy, and are looking to system on a chip (SoC), cloud, and infrared (IR) to help create more powerful and streamlined offerings. SoC presents an all-in-one option that combines the necessary computing components into a single integrated circuit without the need for external hardware. It also enables the use of mobile applications while consuming less power. Using cloud-based digital signage options also eliminates external hardware while providing secure, reliable, and ubiquitous access. IR touch solutions provide more precision with enhanced responsiveness and interactivity. Together, these technologies are helping to redefine digital signage and its necessity.

Digital signage is now being used in a more purposeful and effective way that’s allowing use cases to expand and content to be more strategic, relevant, and meaningful to its audience.

“Look for a CMS with automation that goes beyond simple APIs and RSS feeds.”

—Tomer Mann, Chief Revenue Officer, 22Miles beyond simple APIs and RSS feeds. With current advances in AI, there is no reason for organizations to rebrand a template when creating content. Your CMS should do that for you—applying logos, fonts and colors to a robust assortment of available templates automatically. It should also be able to auto-populate API data for rapid content creation. You may have a limited set of visual communications genres now—perhaps just a building directory or wayfinding app—but you want the ability to expand the system capabilities from a single unified backend. If ever you decide to add new use cases, like meeting room booking, hot desking, business intelligence dashboards, or infotainment, the same system should scale to your needs. Likewise, demand a CMS that can target any screen, from a video wall to a mobile phone, with tiered administrative control. A CMS with that level of flexibility will leave you free to evolve.

TOMER MANN Chief Revenue Officer 22Miles If your communicationvisual system isn’t built for ease of ownership, it’s doomed to disuse. If it’s not designed to evolve, it’s born to die. Many organizations don’t have the resources to keep up with laborious, timeconsuming, or expensive content creation. As a result, content goes stale and information falls out of date, misleading the very people the system is intended to inform. Content must be easy to create and update—automatic, in fact, whenever possible. It should be equally simple to deliver content to the right locations, whether that’s every screen in a global enterprise; a subset of screens at a given campus or location; remote and in-person employee desktops; or visitors’ personal devices. And of course, there must be safeguards to prevent content from appearing anywhere without proper approval.

PAUL VuWallCEO

SIRA’s premise is simple and straightforward: It provides KVM extension over an IP network by extending keyboard, mouse, USB, and video signals in the same manner that IHSE’s traditional KVM extenders transfer signals. As a result, a remote operator can access any desired computer using a keyboard and mouse as though they were physically located alongside that computer.

Systems with facial and retina recognition, when combined with a robust AI platform, can provide a unique and engaging experience for end users as well as an effective way to present messaging, influence decision making, and collect market data. If your team is exploring cuttingedge tech for better impact reaching your market, be sure to consult with AV professionals who specialize in the field of interactivity and immersive experiences.

However, IP-based client/server solutions have limitations that affect their usability, which are predominantly in dynamic performance and security, and serious considerations in professional applications. The majority of these solutions require additional hardware and complex software. This requires decision makers to look deeper into what products and interconnections are needed to allow full-scale performance while maintaining a high level of security.Inbasic terms, users require a system that is simple to install and set up, flexible in operation, compatible with all existing equipment, and offers high performance and maximum security. It also provides direct access to a remote computer without the delays and inconsistent performance experienced in most client-server setups.

VANDER PLAETSE

visualization systems such as LED video walls, not only in command-and-control centers but also corporate lobbies, meeting rooms, auditoriums, and other places where people gather or collaborate. While determining the right display technology, size, and pixel density for the application will take priority, a critical yet often overlooked consideration for operators and AV tech managers is how to organize, control, and share content throughout their organization. With the onslaught of display types, sources, source formats, and applications comes the demand to build a comprehensive and interoperable ecosystem with a central control system, making it easy to bring content from any source to any display or video wall. AV-over-IP technology provides extreme flexibility in the design of such AV projects, where sources can be routed to any display or video wall on the network. It is important for AV managers to seek out a platform that allows them to remain autonomous—to be able to design new video routing presets even after the system has been deployed—without any programming, and, ideally, with an intuitive drag-and-drop interface. As their AV-over-IP infrastructure expands, different brands of encoders, decoders, or video wall controllers may be installed, so the control software will also need to support an AV network with a multi-brand environment and automatically recognize signal compatibility between sources and displays. Interoperability is probably the most vital aspect for deploying the most efficient AV-over-IP infrastructure!

DAN HOLLAND Marketing Manager

One solution is IHSE’s IP module, Draco vario Secure IP Remote Access (SIRA) Gateway, which overcomes problems associated with security, accessibility, immediacy, and image quality of traditional packetized remote IP connection to distant computers using client-server models.

KEVIN BARLOW CTS-D, Director of Business Development Draper Designing interactivity in a postpandemic world involves rethinking traditional approaches for wider audience acceptance. Many people are and will remain uncomfortable touching screens in public, so gesture and other tracking technologies may yield better results.

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There’s no doubt that today’s organizations are making basedinvestmentsincredibleinIP-immersive

Undoubtedly, IP technology enables incredible operational benefits, including improved efficiency, lower costs, and greater flexibility. People can connect simply and easily to remote computers. This allows organizations around the globe to access applications to communicate with staff, customers, and external agencies; manage complex data; and control distant operations.

IHSE USA The AV/IT ofencompassesindustryaplethorainteractivesolutions to achieve efficient visualization. Rather than buying basic components to support digital computer management and distribution, decision makers need to adopt an end-to-end ecosystem with security, stability, and standardized configurations in mind for both IP and non-IP connectivity equipment.

A few trends and products to invest in for the future include touch technology to enable customer engagement, computer vision to provide deeper insights into customer lifestyles, and, finally, LED. Now a much more accessible option, computer vision is a trend that has been gaining traction for a couple of years but has been costly and challenging to deploy until recently. Deploying computer vision at the edge—utilizing a RPi, for example— provides a secure, low-latency, costeffective, straightforward way to collect key data points. Computer vision use cases have gone beyond traffic counting and identifying age and gender—instead now keying in on objects in an environment such as cars, clothing, and brand logos. These use cases provide a deeper set of insights into a customer’s lifestyle. For example, by understanding what brands a customer is wearing, a retailer could inform their product selection by location. Or, by understanding the types of cars people are driving in a bank parking lot—luxury, utility, et cetera—that bank could gain an understanding of their customers’ lifestyles and make decisions regarding potential loan needs.

—Kelly Harlin, Director, Solutions Marketing and Commercialization, Sharp NEC Display Solutions of America

Another investment-worthy trend is LED, which has continued to gain ground in creating immersive experiences. As prices for tighter pixel pitches continue to decline, creating a seamless video wall can really help create that wow factor decision makers are looking for. Plus, the modular design means limitless sizes and possibilities.

A business’ need to understand customer behavior to effectively inform services, product selection, and marketing, whether in a professional, retail, or transportation environment, is more important than ever. AV and IT play a critical role in providing digital communication; immersive, relevant experiences; and strong data collection tools.

KELLY HARLIN Director, SolutionsSharpCommercialization,MarketingSolutionsandNECDisplayofAmerica

“As prices for tighter pixel pitches continue tocreatingdecline, a seamless video wall can really help create that wow factor.”

Second, durability must be considered. Rain or shine, outdoor digital signage needs to withstand environmental elements such as dust, heat, and cold. It’s imperative that quality stays at its maximum. Third, panels that are flexible, compact and easy to maneuver are perfect for smaller locations, meaning venues of all sizes can embrace digital solutions. And finally, displays that are compatible with other devices simplify data and image transmission across venues. Displays that can be easily controlled and customized both locally and remotely are also useful, especially for those working in hybrid or remote environments.

WUDECK

Large displays with high quality imagery provide visitors a front row experience, allowing them to view performances or services from any angle with up-close visualization.

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Digital signage has undergone an incredible evolution, with advanced displays that have established an ecosystem that address a variety of content, monitoring, and visualization needs. However, where interactive touchscreens are concerned, decision makers now need to consider the safety of their use. No doubt putting a display out in public for people to touch is helpful and engaging, but, with a multitude of users, touching those displays could spread germs. San Diego State University has been using antimicrobial displays for years. Beyond displays, the other element of visualization is the ability to use projectors to create an immersive environment. Rather than traditional lamp projectors that require expensive lamp replacements and filter maintenance that can drive up the cost, these applications will depend on high-brightness, color-accurate, and maintenance-free projectors. One trend that we’re seeing in homes, schools, retail stores, entertainment venues, bars, and restaurants are the addition of golf simulators. In fact, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) reports a record number of people participating in off-course rounds in the last two years. While the “COVID effect” played a big part, NGF credits the growth primarily to golf simulators. The driving factor for making it an enjoyable experience is leveraging highbrightness, color-accurate projectors that replicate computer graphics to such a degree that it looks like you’re truly on the green. Likewise, contemporary art galleries, museums, and simulations are relying on these projectors as a cost-effective way to deliver the immersion that was previously only available using large, extremely expensive cinematic projectors. The brand new mixed-use venue POST Houston is utilizing 10 BenQ LU9715 projectors for its massive video installations within its 4,000- and 10,000-square-foot art galleries. The high brightness and color accuracy were non-negotiable for their artists, and helped to anchor the art to the walls.

Deploying digital signage that harnesses all these qualities will meet the demands for immersive customer experiences across various environments.

BOB Senior Director of Business Development BenQ America

JASON SHELTON Senior PanasonicDevelopmentSolutionsManagerConnect Whether it’s campus,education/corporateentertainmentanvenue,orretailspace, the need for digital signage is expanding across various environments. This emphasis on enhancing digital signage—interactive, touch-enabled, or immersive—comes down to providing the best customer experience possible.

TAFT STRICKLIN Sales Team Manager Just Add Power No matter the application—interactive, touch enabled, or immersive—the focus should be on future-ready video distribution solutions that are capable of sending the latest UHD source feeds cost effectively and efficiently over the network.

The future of video is nothing less than 4K; however, supporting and distributing UHD video signals across a network has been a costly and labor-intensive undertaking. AV/IT decision makers can now find options that will natively support 4K60 in and out while eliminating any need to rip and replace existing Cat5/ Cat6 cable networks or network switches for more expensive fiber-optic networks. These modular, IP-based solutions offer an affordable upgrade path and integrate with existing drivers and control systems out of the box. In addition, look for builtin features such as 4K upscaling and downscaling, which allow organizations to retain their standard-definition or HD displays alongside their new UHD models. Other features that will improve the operational and user experience include instant, seamless switching; 4K up and downscaling; image pop, push, and pull; 90-degree image rotation for landscape and portrait modes; seamless HDR management; integrated control; and support for KVM and all audio formats.

Unfortunately, 54 percent of consumers aren’t satisfied with the customer experience of most companies. To keep consumers interested, especially in locations like physical retail destinations, retailers are embracing digital signage to create an amazing customer experience, whether it’s through enticing them inside store doors or creating smoother checkout experiences. Environments like houses of worship and entertainment venues also benefit from digital signage for creating equal viewing opportunities.

To keep consumers engaged, AV/IT integrators must first prioritize high visibility and high resolution. Whether the technology sits at the front or back of the room, crisp imagery is key to immersing viewers. Anti-glare panels make sure your signage isn’t impacted by lighting or shadows.

All these features can vastly improve ROI, management, and control for the growing trend in UHD visualization applications.

DORSEY

“Exceed contentofexpectationsthetraditionalsignageandcreateimmersive,unifyingforyourcustomers.”

The biggest hindrance to effective content distribution is a platform that is too cumbersome and too complex to use. Search for a solution that offers these trends with little to no training. Simple and intuitive software that allows you to upload and deploy your own content will save loads of time when setting up your displays. Finding free design platforms for custom content will also limit expenses and give you the freedom to make designs your own.

AV/IT decision makers should learn to leverage their displays for more than just simple ad rotations and static menus. When planning for your next visual communication purchase, compile a list of ways that display devices could be utilized beyond traditional methods such as safety announcements, upcoming events, daily schedules, wayfinding, welcome announcements, tailored experiences, and mood setting. Exceed the expectations of traditional signage and create immersive, unifying content for your customers. Display daily schedules to inform customers of store hours. Present safety rules and procedures to ensure the wellbeing of customers and staff. Tailor guest experiences with personalized signage such as happy birthday signs or life milestone announcements.

—John Dorsey, CEO, SAVI Controls

Recognize employees with slideshows and custom graphics. Direct guests through your building by displaying way-finding tactics on multiple screens. Once you’ve fleshed out your vision, it’s time to find the right solution and manufacturer to bring that vision to life.

JOHN SAVICEO Controls Historically, digital signage has been geared towards advertising for two obvious reasons: to impact your audience with visual communication and to boost brand awareness, both of which will ultimately increase sales. While digital signage is the perfect way to keep your business on your customer’s radar, you will exceed competitors by applying the latest trends to your signage. However, visual communication is incredibly impactful in several other areas and many companies under utilize their AV system, including their content distribution or digital signage solution.

AUGUST 2022 | avnetwork.com26 CHRIS NORTHRUP

Interactive digital signage continues to attract digital signage end users. We see activity in nearly every vertical, from retail centers, to healthcare facilities, to university campuses. It seemed that a shift toward touchless interaction, typically driven by hand gestures, was catching fire at the height of the pandemic. While interest remains and the technology adds value, we see touchless interaction waning and a redirection toward traditional touch-enabled interaction. Whether touchless or traditional, we now see a “take it with you” trend catching on with consumers. People simply want to find the content they need and take it with them, rather than linger at kiosks when they could be shopping, eating, or visiting. Society is inundated by QR codes today, and this is where we see more viable consumer interest on the touchless side for gathering information off a kiosk. People are now accustomed to scanning a code and being redirected to a menu or a map on their smartphones. To draw people in, work closely with your content creators to ensure your content entices. Where possible, make it specific to your audience by using software from companies like AdMobilize that can trigger content by demographics, and provide analytics on audience engagement so that you can tailor content in smarter ways moving forward. Work with your IT department to ensure that triggered content is seamlessly driven through different inputs, including video cameras and the appropriate software licenses. There are differences in how you deploy by vertical and application. Perhaps a standard interactive wayfinding map on a hospital campus doesn’t require detailed analytics and dynamic advertising. When perusing a retail campus or scanning a digital menu board, however, there are endless opportunities to better understand and engage with your audience across varied demographics. There is where interactive and immersive signage intersect.

CHUCK LEWIS Vice President, Business Development and Sales Palmer Digital Group

We continue to see an acceleration of digital kiosk and deploymentsdisplayoutdoors, especially as consumers grow accustomed to interactive experiences such as wayfinding and on-demand ordering. Making the transition from indoor to outdoor raises a new set of design hurdles that the buyer should be aware of to ensure clear visualization and a positive customer experience. High-brightness commercial displays cannot be used outdoors without first understanding what environment this display can live in and what needs to be done in order to maintain the life of these displays. Understanding how hot the inside of the kiosk or display housing will get under direct solar load versus the highest operating temperature of that display is one important design point that the buyer must understand. Heat will quickly cause degradation to the LEDs and wiring, causing them to fail. Extreme cold is another factor. Consider a QSR with an outdoor digital menu board that is turned off at closing. The ability to survive harsh conditions will ensure that liquid crystals will not freeze, and that your digital signage software will shine come morning. If the outdoor application is installed in warmer locations, consider installing a canopy system to take some of the solar stress off of the digitalAnotherdisplays.factor to test is glass bonding versus air gaps between the display and the back of the glass. Many designers prefer to create an air gap between the back of the glass front and the display face, allowing airflow to cool the front of the display. This design will work in dryer climates but it won’t work very well in high-humidity environments when using heat exhaust fans. In these conditions glass bonding is recommended. Following the proper design methods and being cognizant of potential heat issues will ensure a longer life span on the display in your specific application.

USSIDigitalBusinessPresident,Development,SignageSolutionsGlobal

Additionally, since almost everything is now IP based, the network used to power a business’ visualization ecosystem must be designed and implemented correctly, and with the user experience in mind. That means selecting the proper switches with enough horsepower to handle all the endpoints, along with things like a non-blocking architecture and uplink ports to ensure a seamless experience. For the healthcare industry, visualization technology is becoming an innovative and crucial element of research and diagnostics. For example, Norwich’s Quadram Institute features the UK’s largest endoscopic and bowel cancer screening suites, capable of handling more than 40,000 procedures a year. The Institute uses SDVoE technology to distribute uncompressed 4K video over a NETGEAR 10GB Ethernet network, allowing for live visual and voice interaction between clinicians performing procedures in the four interconnected endoscopy suites and those viewing from other locations in the facility and beyond its walls with near zero latency.

Vice

For any interactive, touch-enabled, and/ or immersive application, the key element is latency. When it comes down to the users, any perceptible latency will lead to disengagement and overall product dissatisfaction.

JOHN HENKEL Director of SMB Product Marketing NETGEAR

Today’s muchandvariedsystemsvisualizationareextremelyinshape,size,environment.Whileofthefocuswill undoubtedly be on hardware and software purchases, a power control and distribution solution is a necessity for building a solid visualization system that is easy to operate and maintain, and that will last for years to come. A power distribution and control solution designed specifically for video systems addresses many of their demanding maintenance and operational requirements and adds enumerable benefits. For example, many video walls are so large it can be hard to turn them off or on. Many organizations leave displays on standby when not in use, leading to fast deterioration and premature replacement. Complete shutdown ensures optimal video wall operation and longevity. A well-designed power control system can not only turn these displays off, but can also automate this function with proper start-up and shut-down sequencing. This helps to save money by reducing electrical draws and protecting the video wall from overheating, electrical surges, voltage sags (brownouts), and other various anomalies. In addition, they help reduce maintenance costs for video walls that are hung or flown high. Organizations no longer have to lower video walls or climb up behind them; they can perform hard resets remotely.

Chief Sales Officer Visix

HICKS

“The key trends and we’retractionseeingonthistopicaretiedtointeractive wayfinding and workspaces.”managing

—Mark President,Bishop,LynTec

—Trey Hicks, Chief Sales Officer, Visix “Aonlysystempowerwell-designedcontrolcannotturnthese displays off, but can properautomatealsothisfunctionwithstart-upandshut-downsequencing.”

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It’s a cost-effective and smart addition for any visualization design plan.

TREY

The key trends and traction we’re seeing on this topic are tied to interactive wayfinding and managing workspaces. Consumers increasingly expect to take content with them from the touch screen. For example, they could be at an interactive wayfinder and look up a restaurant. Up pops the map drawing a line on how to get there, but also a QR tag that mirrors the view on their phone in their preferred language. Turn-byturn directions in hand, they look up another location in the directory and find the floor and location. There could also be floor maps they see on their phone walk to assist the journey. This trend is particularly compelling for higher education, and they are adopting it quickly. Campuses are sprawling and often overwhelming. They must accommodate students, guests, parents, and vendors, and it’s a headache to support the daily litany of lost bodies. Interactive wayfinding, especially when connected with mobile, solves it beautifully. Regarding workspaces, we still feel the pandemic’s after effects. People expect to see and book available meeting rooms, but they now want the same for workspaces, collaboration rooms, and even tiny meeting enclaves. These spaces were previously afterthoughts, but now with fewer dedicated offices, people need to find and book additional options. This provides peace of mind for a worker headed into the office who needs a meeting room for four hours. It is seamless to look down the hall on arrival, spot rooms with green LED lights outside, and simply book the desired time. Alternatively, walk up to a kiosk; view the floor maps with green highlighted workstations, rooms, or collaboration spaces; pick the perfect one; touch the screen; select the time; and book. The next person can do the same thing. No more fighting over premium spots— first come, first serve.

MARK BISHOP LynTecPresident

CASE POINTIN

Johannes A. Csonka, solution specialist at AV-Worx recalled when everything took shape. “After 9 months of planning and testing the hardware systems to be installed in the launch control center, it was all systems go for the installation to commence. In conjunction with Datapath, and Primate Technologies, our execution plan went flawlessly, and the system installation was completed successfully as planned.” Csonka was keen to praise Datapath for its vital role. “Due to the complexity of this system and the need for reliability, AV-Worx selected Datapath for the video wall processing. Datapath’s knowledge and experience in working with complex hardware for video wall processing is the reason they were chosen for our project.

From start to finish it was a pleasure working with the entire team at Datapath.”

Since the VSN range has been developed to support Image graphics and decoding cards, both physical and IP video sources can be displayed on medium- and large-scale video walls. As a result, operators can view any source on single or multi-screen layouts. This was to be a unique control room video wall controller deployment, making maximum use of Primate Technologies’ real-time control room data visualization software. This technology gives control room operatives the real-time information they need to keep abreast of emerging conditions and act appropriately and immediately. As a low-CPU overhead application, Primate’s software runs natively on the Datapath controller, creating a single window of content across the entire video wall.

AV-Worx selected Datapath’s VSN1182-RPSU video controller along with multiple Datapath Image graphics cards. This video controller is part of Datapath’s VSN11 series, which was designed for environments where high performance and reliability are crucial; think mission control rooms, military installations, logistic operations, and virtually any other command and control application. Besides increased memory, the latest processors, and enhanced performance, VSN systems are renowned for their cool and quiet running.

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The spaceport is home to a host of research and development facilities. It is in such installations where the government and commercial space ventures look for innovative solutions for working and living on the surfaces of the Moon and other bodies in our solar system.Thecomplex activities of the 219-square-mile spaceport and its vast array of campus utilities are monitored from the control room, a major feature of which is the 10x4 LCD video wall from Christie Digital. AV-Worx is responsible for the slick and efficient running of the video wall as well as a myriad of other systems. Datapath was chosen to provide the operating system. In line with government demands, this would be far superior to previous equipment and would come with more robust credentials and a warranty to ensure reliability, flexibility, and security.

It’s not every day that you get the opportunity to work with a world-renowned US spaceport, so when AV-Worx of West Palm Beach, Florida asked Datapath to help them with a video wall project, well it doesn’t take a rocket scientist to guess their response.

SPACEPORT LOOKS TO THE HEAVENS

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The project was finished without a hiccup in March 2021. Upon completion, the control room had a sparkling new video processor, and the latest graphics cards installed om the Datapath VSN chassis. The control room now enjoys an unsurpassed visualization experience with the added benefits of flexibility, security, and incredible reliability.

“Having used LG display products for previous installations, we knew this exhibition would perform flawlessly with consistent color and clarity,” Billings added. “Blackdove is designed to enable the delivery of digital art to any display, but LG’s unique webOS platform allows us to create especially elegant installations. It’s essentially a computer running inside the display that can be loaded with any number of proprietary apps or content, eliminating the need for separate content devices and wiring.”

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Brambilla’s exhibition is presented in the museum’s Bank of America Gallery where the seven-minute video enthralls visitors on a floor-to ceiling video wall comprising seven class-leading digital displays from LG Business Solutions USA. Working with Marc Billings of Blackdove, developers of the category-defining digital art platform for residential and commercial use, as well as museums and art galleries, Brambilla leveraged LG’s display technology to ensure that every visitor experiences the colors and movement of “Heaven’s Gate” precisely as the artistBillingsintended.explained, “As digital artwork has grown from a niche pursuit to a major global force over the last several years, artists developing algorithmic visuals and video pieces have recognized that this is one art form where the appearance and viewing experience can change dramatically depending on the specific digital display used for presentation.”

“The history of art is deeply intertwined with technological progress, and LG is proud to deliver next generation tools that enable new modes for creative expression,” said Dan Smith, vice president, business development, LG Business Solutions. “Marco Brambilla’s work is a sign of what’s to come, and services such as Blackdove are breaking the mold with innovative ways to obtain and display artwork using LG technologies.”

The video art piece is vertically oriented at a roughly 5:1 ratio, giving viewers a literal top-tobottom view of Hollywood’s stylistic evolution.

A GROUNDBREAKING DIGITAL ART SHOW

Comprising seven of LG’s high-end 55-inch full-HD digital displays (model SVM5H) that feature a nearly invisible 0.44mm bezel, the unique video wall canvas appears as a single cohesive screen, allowing viewers to become enrapt in the artwork with no glare or image separation.

The Pérez Art Museum Miami (PAMM) recently hosted a digital art exhibition wherein guests can experience Marco Brambilla’s “Heaven’s Gate,” which he describes as a “video monument to Hollywood’s veneration of glamor while retelling the history of the world in seven distinct phases.”

For museums and artists, this natural evolution toward digital media presentation may spark interest in a new, younger generation of art enthusiasts who have only experienced a world dominated by screens. As Blackdove expands to support art installations in more museums, galleries, public spaces, and private homes, Billings is relying on LG to push the envelope of technology and offer incredible displays that enable simple content control and industryleading visual performance.

“He [Brambilla] has consistently probed the world of cinema through video art with versatility, careful to mark the distinctions of both,” said PAMM director Franklin Sirmans. “While his work has always pushed the boundaries of new technology to visually engage with the screen, his recent work in virtual reality will literally create new ways of seeing.”

31AUGUST 2022 | avnetwork.com LGofcourtesyPhotography

Having faced multiple issues and limitations with the previous video wall software, users on both the BOCC and NOCC side now have greater flexibility and control with their content thanks to CineNet, which streamlines daily activities and product demonstrations. Operators can customize layouts, content types, automatic behaviors, and presentation materials quickly, easily, and without in-depth training or technical experience. Between the easy-to-use interface, built-in system redundancies and backups, and brand new CineAgent servers, Akamai’s new BOCC and NOCC control room gives them a dynamic edge over the competition, whether they’re monitoring broadcast integrity or managing network security tools.

CONTENT DELIVERY AND

Akamai wanted a solution that could not only serve the needs of the NOCC and streamline the customer tour experience, but could also help streamline the BOCC side by allowing direct user interface (UI) access to device controls for all operators in the room. Knowing that Akamai wanted new video processing capabilities, Constant Technologies recognized that Haivision had the unique ability to quickly develop a secure and reliable solution to address the company’s needs. Following a consultation, a new visualization solution that gave users greater flexibility at their workstations on either side of the control room was established. However, it was the introduction of a new piece of Haivision hardware, CineAgent, that provided Akamai with the added functionality they desired.

CYBERSECURITY

The company already had a history of working with Constant Technologies, a command center systems integrator for 24/7 control room spaces, which they brought in to help develop and equip this new control room space. Realizing Akamai’s vision, Constant Tech knew that Haivision MCS would be the right partner to deliver the necessary products and solutions.Operators needed to access streaming devices such as Apple TVs and Roku boxes to guarantee that real-time broadcasts performed as intended. To interface with these devices directly, operators had to use a physical touch screen at the back of the room that governed the functionality of each input to their video wall.

AUGUST 2022 | avnetwork.com HaivisionofcourtesyPhotography

CineAgent makes it easier for users to stream, interact with, and share any web-based or locally installed application across their control room network. Implementing CineAgent servers across Akamai’s NOCC lets operators continuously run the broad suite of web applications and tools they wanted to showcase without relying on workstations that are in use by other operators. As users hold demonstrations, they can bring up the applications hosted on the CineAgent servers from any hand-held device, anywhere in the room, presenting the type of dynamic presentation they aimed to deliver to their customers. With two teams of operators, both BOCC and NOCC, utilizing the space simultaneously, a 25x3 panel video wall was installed at the front of the control room. Two Alpha FX Elite Processors, two Site Managers, CineAgent servers, and a series of CineLink 4k encoders and decoders were installed to power both sides of the control room and manage all incoming and outgoing content through each workstation with Haivision’s CineNet software.

STREAMLINING32

Akamai Technologies is a global content delivery network, cloud services, and cybersecurity provider. Hosting one of the world’s largest distributed computing platforms, Akamai is responsible for serving 15 to 30 percent of world wide web traffic. With a large presence and massive stake in worldwide content delivery and cybersecurity, Akamai relies on state-of-the-art Network Operations Command Centers (NOCCs) to monitor network and server health across their entire domain. At their headquarters in Cambridge, MA, Akamai’s professionals have built a massive control room designed to house two different operator environments: a Broadcast Operations Command Center (BOCC), designed for Akamai’s broadcast professionals, and an NOCC.

Bart Donkersloot, sales director at BIS|Econocom commented, “Philips LED is really cost effective and you can be very creative with its integration. It was a flawless installation and we couldn’t find any dead pixels. The Philips 7000 series from PPDS is one of the best in its kind.”

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As an inspirational space where customers are taken on a journey of imagination, advice, and development planning, their central hall needed a progressive display setup to truly showcase their innovative capabilities and progressive vision. With recent renovations to the showroom, the display also needed to be bright enough to make an impact in the abundance of natural light. To bring their vision to life, Heijmans teamed up with PPDS and BIS|Econocom for an eyecatching AV solution. Harnessing the creative design of the main hall, a custom Philips 7000 Series LED display was installed across a central corner wall. This oversized display was made for impact, with a unique 45-degree cabinet design that delivers a versatile visual feast capable of input from single and multiple content channels. Featuring high brightness and fine pixel pitch, Heijmans can now ensure that its branded content and news, as well as company and project information, is prominent, sharp, and clear. As a result of this spectacular dvLED wall, the innovative nature of Heijmans is always on display, forming a lasting impression for all visitors and staff.

A publicly-listed company focused on quality improvements, innovation, and integrated solutions for both the public and professional sectors, and for government bodies, it was of great importance for Heijmans to exude creative thinking within their own showroom.

CRYSTAL CLEAR VISUAL COMMUNICATIONS

PPDS’s Philips 7000 series high-brightness LED panels were selected and installed to provide a stunning centerpiece inside the recently refurbished Heijmans head office in Rosmalen, Netherlands. Heijmans are creators of better, smarter, and more sustainable living environments. This Dutch construction group was founded in 1923 and is regarded as one of the most prolific leaders in property development. Their future-centric thinking has shaped the way we live, work, and connect with environmentally conscious designs and inspiring innovations.

To meet their display needs, AVI-SPL audiovisual and acoustics specialist Adam Babb recommended Planar’s recent expansion to its Clarity Matrix G3 LCD video wall family, which included a near-seamless, 65-inch screen in native 4K resolution. AVI-SPL installed a nearly 24-footlong, 7-foot-high Clarity Matrix G3 (MX65U) video wall in a 6x3 configuration. In addition to Clarity Matrix, the Visualization Lab solution includes a Crestron DM NVX network AV backbone for video transport.

The full pixel map of the Clarity Matrix G3 video wall is 24K wide by 6K tall (23,040 by 6,480 pixels).

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The UNM team quickly became interested in the potential of using a networked AV solution with 4K video wall technology. But that presented a challenge: how to move 18 4K streams of video from a massive, third-floor server down to the Visualization Lab, on the first floor. To address this, the UNM team engaged audio-visual integrator AVI-SPL, which supplied a Crestonnetworked AV solution and began working with UNM’s IT team to design a network for video transport.

With Clarity Matrix G3, the researchers’ impressions have been nothing short of spectacular, according to Sean Smock, information technology officer at the Robert O. Anderson School of Management. “The display is crystal clear, and it works very well with the Crestron NVX gear,” he said. “We’re able to easily switch between layout modes and reconfigure the space as needed to display a single massive image or numerous smaller ones.”

A ONE-OF-A-KIND DATA VISUALIZATION TOOL

The University of New Mexico (UNM) completed construction on its new Physics & Astronomy and Interdisciplinary Science (PAÍS) building, a $67 million project that will change the way research is done on campus. A project over 20 years in the making, the PAÍS facility houses the Department of Physics & Astronomy, along with the new Interdisciplinary Science Cooperative (IS Coop). Every detail within the 137,000-square-foot facility is dedicated to encouraging interdisciplinary education and research. To that end, the Visualization Lab was built in the PAÍS building to provide a new cutting-edge resource for large-scale data visualizations. In creating the lab, the underlying objective was to allow researchers to achieve never-before-seen levels of detail corresponding to the increasing droves of data they work with (think DNA sequencing, molecular and atomic structures, or social media activity).

“The server has been configured to leverage that density,” Babb said. “With the horsepower of the server generating 18 4K data streams and sending them to the video wall on a one-to-one, pixel-forpixel basis, one image can map the entirety of the video wall,” he said. That creates one of the largest displays in the world in terms of pixel size. “I’ve never had access to a screen that can display this many pixels simultaneously, and neither has anyone else I know,” said Christopher Lippitt, PhD, faculty coordinator for the IS Co-op, director of ASPIRE and associate chair and graduate program director for the Department of Geography and Environmental Studies. “We view it as a worldclass visualization resource and a new capability that will be very important for research and discovery going forward. As we seek to use artificial intelligence and computing to understand or optimize aspects of our world, visualization will play a critical role in our ability to leverage the vast, untapped knowledge contained within the zettabytes of data that are available.”

Hollywood movies are also available for patient entertainment, with Pro:Idiom encrypted videos streamed directly to healthcare-grade SmartTVs. The system also incorporates ATSC and QAM Gateways to capture cable TV and OTA (over-the-air) channels to complement VoD and utilize, when required, the hospital’s existing RF system. In addition, an AvediaStream m9605 Media Player powers the video wall in the lobby and provides the ability to seamlessly display 4K video and graphics up to 4K60, creating a captivating visual experience on arrival.

As Jeni Connelly noted, “The Overlake neighborhood includes many of the biggest names in technology and we are delighted that our new IPTV system delivers an experience that is as slick and convenient as the latest consumer device.”

Overlake Medical Center, a 350-bed, non-profit regional hospital in Bellevue, Washington, has installed a state-of-the-art VITEC IPTV system.

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The VITEC IPTV solution has made it simple for Overlake to provide patients and staff with managed access to different categories of content—whether VoD, in-house videos, proprietary programming or OTA broadcasts— via a streamlined system that is robust, reliable and simple to use. The hospital has significantly improved the patient experience and delivers increased value for all of its stakeholders.

Neurilink, based in Boise, Idaho was chosen as the AV systems integrator for the project. The company worked with VITEC to design an IPTV system that would satisfy the varying demands of the hospital staff and patients alike.

With a budget of $250 million, the five-year project will ensure Overlake continues to set the standard for overall healthcare excellence in theTheregion.cornerstone of Project FutureCare is a newly built, 240,000 square-foot tower which opened in February 2021. This new facility has a new concourse-style drop off and improved wayfinding, while also offering larger, single-patient rooms that combine the space for family zones as well as state-of-the-art technology.

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During the design phase, Jeni Connelly, IT senior project manager at Overlake, and technology lead for the new building, realized that a new IPTV system could act as a catalyst for improving patient experience at the Medical Center.TheIPTV system needed to consolidate 350 patient rooms—as well as common areas and a video wall in the entrance lobby—onto a single network which is centrally managed and supervised. The hospital also hoped to upgrade the existing cable TV system to include videoon-demand (VoD) services, while giving patients swift access to information and educational videos as well as other internal content.

The system comprises a 4TB management server that hosts all applications and devices on the system, including VoD services and recordings, and in-house custom channels, including a patient education VoD library.

35 TRANSFORMING THE PATIENT EXPERIENCE

Each of the new patient rooms contains a hospital-grade display complete with a simple, intuitive user interface custom designed by the team. For convenience, the menu is navigated with the nurse call pillow-speaker remote so that a single device is all that is needed for the patient to be in full control.

“It’s a very different kind of space,” said Starkman. “It’s not just about art and white cube space. POST is a future vision—postcontemporary, a post-curatorial practice.”

In Texas, POST Houston has reclaimed the building of what was once the city’s USPS headquarters and central US mail system hub, which closed in 2015. Rather than leaving it to succumb to dereliction, the historic building was bought and intentionally transformed by Lovett Commercial into a multi-purpose space.

Throughout the space are three monumental staircases that divide the building and beckon visitors in to enjoy all the variety held within. These include a rooftop Skylawn, theater promenade, market hall, collaboration venue, and media art space, which is where visitors will find two immense 4,000- and 10,000-square-foot art opening of POST, contemporary art curator Christine Starkman brought in artists Drew Bacon and Charles Lim—both of whom worked deeply with technology in the creation process, and so brightness, color accuracy, and size were top priorities.

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For POST Houston, BenQ supplied 10 8,000-lumen LU9715 laser projectors. Bacon used six BenQ projectors to produce a massive two-channel video installation that filled the wall. Lim used four projectors, also used in a twochannel setup. But the real proof of the laser projector quality was the comparison between them and Bacon’s smaller installations, where he had set up small gallery projectors.

“There was a stark difference,” said Starkman. “Comparatively, the laser projectors were brighter, more impactful. The images are strong, but the equipment replicated that.”

A HISTORIC SPACE

The singular vision of making POST Houston into a microcosm of the city’s diversity is reflected in the seriousness with which the building’s design and technology were pursued.

Since the opening, Starkman has busily pursued additional art and film installations. Leveraging the projectors’ installation versatility and brightness, Starkman is able to continuously adapt the raw gallery spaces as needed.

At the design hands of architect Jason Long and OMA New York, it’s an adaptive space that both preserves its history as well as welcomes ongoing change to suit the needs of the city.

REPURPOSING36

Traditionally, finding a high-brightness projector to deliver the quality and features needed have only been found in cinematic projectors that carry a steep $100K to $200K price tag. That cost isn’t feasible for contemporary art museums that can have multiple film-based installations that take multiple projectors to produce. Starkman, wanting to deliver the quality that reflected the high caliber of the building, the artists, and even her own process, approached Kirby Liu, the executive director of POST and an architect, for his recommendation. He immediately suggested BenQ.

The company is one of the leading laser projector manufacturers, putting its decadeslong legacy and expertise to use to tamp down on costs while ramping up brightness, color accuracy, and zero-maintenance quality that museums and large venue installations need.

Forgalleries.thegrand

LU Series large-venue BlueCore laser projectors deliver affordable models with more than 8,000 lumens of brightness. Its latest additions, the 8,500-lumen LU9750 and 10,000-lumen LU9800, broke new territory in pro AV projectors for producing high lumen count and precise image accuracy for less than $15,000.

A DTP receiver is mounted with each display, and the media servers and DTP T DP 4K 330 transmitters are rack mounted within the 108 communications rooms strategically located throughout the terminal. Transmitters are powered locally using the Extron Everlast power supply that ships with them. The remote receiver is powered over the shielded twisted pair cable infrastructure by the same power supply, which further streamlined installation as well as reduced the number of outlets required at each of the 1,200Everlastdisplays.power supplies were designed inhouse by Extron engineers to provide extreme reliability and energy efficient operation. Based on accelerated operational life testing, Everlast power supplies achieved MTBF ratings from 280,000 hours up to an incredible 1,000,000 hours, or the equivalent of over 114 years, depending on the model.Alison Weber, marketing manager at Synect said, “Any time a screen is off, or a passenger doesn’t get the intended experience, we are missing the mark. This is why we make our 99.9 percent uptime guarantee a top priority and partner with only the best AV manufacturers such as Extron for ecosystem components.”

HELPING INFORM AND ENGAGE PASSENGERS

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As one of the busiest airports in the nation, Orlando International Airport (MCO) prides itself on being a leader in customer satisfaction, providing just as much of a welcoming and vibrant environment as the city it supports.

Synect’s next-generation digital signage platform Passenger360 delivers essential travel information and engaging content designed to move passengers easily through the airport. Synect also provides MCO with custom, highresolution graphics, video content, and integrated dynamic data-like flight information and wait times on an on-going basis. To ensure rock-solid delivery of their content, Synect integrated Extron DTP signal extension products.

The data and extremely high-resolution content is made available using a series of media servers located in communication equipment rooms throughout the terminal. Each server has multiple video cards and each output is dedicated to drive one display unit within the immersive digital signage canvasses. Extron DTP transmitters and receivers deliver the high-resolution signals from the media servers to the displays over twisted pair cables. To distribute the many types of video content in this mission-critical, 24/7 environment, Synect installed Extron DTP T DP 4K 330 transmitters with the media servers. Each transmitter provides signal extension of video at 1080p/60 over one shielded CATx cable. Transmission distances range from a few feet to over 320 feet, which is well within the capability of the transmitter. Paired with each transmitter is an Extron DTP R DP 4K 330 receiver. Its low-profile metal enclosure fits easily in the space behind the display. The selected DTP transmitter and receiver models support resolutions up to 4K, enabling the distribution system to remain in place when the displays are replaced or upgraded.

Extron technologies built into the DTP extenders ensure that whatever the content, it is available for display. EDID Minder maintains continuous EDID communication with the connected devices to ensure that the custom content is up and running at all times. It, along with the HDCP management capabilities and easyto-use setup features, streamlined integration and simplified operation from the first use. The technologies also facilitate autonomous operation.

The Greater Orlando Aviation Authority (GOAA) had three objectives for remodeling the North Terminal at MCO: upgrading internal technologies, streamlining processes, and enhancing the passenger experience. The digital signage system for the passenger areas had to provide autonomous operations, support continuously evolving content, and be scalable. To accomplish all of this, GOAA turned to Synect, a full-service agency that transforms airport communications. GOAA recognized that passengers can become anxious at each stage of air travel, from checking in and obtaining their boarding passes to getting through security screening. They wanted to reduce this apprehension by delivering a less stressful experience using the visual communication system and family-friendly content such as a virtual aquarium. The scalable ecosystem currently consists of more than 1,200 displays, including LCD, LED, indoor, outdoor, individual displays, and immense video walls, and it is currently being extended.

1 NX Series

THATPRODUCTSVISUALIZATIONSHINE PRODUCTS THAT MATTER

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Absen’s NX Series includes the Nebula X or NX direct-view LED panel. This 43-inch diagonal panel is 16x9 formatted for easy matching of 2K, 4K, and 8K applications. This panel features the new A5c+ color calibration, making colors more uniform and vibrant. These panels can be wall mounted, flown, or ground supported, and are available in 1.5mm, 1.8mm, 2.5mm, and 3.7mm. This series also features a small transitional panel with pre-cut 45 degrees in the side channel, allowing for beautiful curves and seamless corners. With 800 nits standard, a high-brightness 1,500-nit version, and 4,000:1 contrast ratio, this is the go-to choice for the corporate digital signage absen.comspace.

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Aetria Datapath’s Aetria represents groundbreaking advances in video distribution— allowing anything, anywhere to be displayed, regardless of high resolution or network Cameraissues. feed, web page, satellite feed, news, and data software information needs to be shared effortlessly between suitable users not only within the control room, but also to other rooms, buildings, or even external locations. Aetria not only allows these systems to be designed, controlled, managed, and monitored from a single interface, but also has the technology to cope with near zero-latency demands, seamless and secure KVM control, and the ultimate in user flexibility for those operating in multi-source, multi-end-point video datapath.co.ukenvironments.

Hall Technologies’ VERSA-4K extenders deliver stunning digital signage in any configuration. Using an economical Gigabit LAN, VERSA’s built-in video wall processor allows for customizable video wall displays, from 2x2 up to 16x16. Versa4K supports web-based control over signal routing from any web-enabled halltechav.comdevice. Web Tool VERSA 4K

2 4TiLED Video Wall

Chief’s TiLED Video Wall Tool for directview LED mounting systems helps end users visualize, configure, and customize creative video walls—supporting standard content resolutions and unique, free-form designs. The tool generates necessary information for successful planning of video wall installations: design drawings, specification data, bill of materials, pricing, CAD files, and suggested accessories. Downloads are available in various file types including, PDF and 2D DWG files for easy specification, ordering and legrandav.cominstallation.

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5 SEAMLESS dvLED Mounting Systems

Panasonic’s EF2 Professional Display enables effective information sharing among retail, hospitality, digital arts, and many entertainment environments. Signage must be welcoming and easy to read to capture attention quickly, while flexible and compact for installation in a limited space. The 32-inch display offers up to 16 hours of daily operation, and can be installed vertically, horizontally, or even tilted up to a 20-degree angle, accommodating a variety of installation plans. For situations needing to dynamically distribute information across multiple screens throughout a venue, the EF2 display’s USB memory stick eliminates the need to configure settings when deploying signage on multiple displays.

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ATEN’s VM3250 Modular Matrix Switch and its line of hot-swappable I/O boards offer advanced access and real-time control of multiple local and remote AV input devices and displays from a single chassis. A built-in scaler encodes video format for a seamless and real-time switching with zero latency. Its award-winning GUI allows access from anywhere over a network or the internet for input and content management. Equipped with automatic signal conversion, it allows various combinations of digital and analog video interfaces (fiber optic, HDBaseT, DisplayPort, HDMI, DVI, 3G-SDI, and VGA). The flexibility and expandability make it ideal for large-scale AV applications. aten.com

Peerless-AV’s SEAMLESS dvLED Mounting Systems are an ideal solution for even the most complex design and technology integration challenges. With Kitted and Bespoke options, SEAMLESS offers slim, space-saving mounts that are easily adaptable to support various dvLED display sizes and brands. The dedicated Kitted Series solutions are precisely engineered to fit major panel manufacturers’ specs and adapt to standard flat video walls. When a standard solution is unsuitable, Peerless-AV provides custom, Bespoke solutions, bringing unique flat, corner, or curved configurations to peerless-av.comlife.

7 VM3250 Modular Matrix Switch

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9 10Pana 81T

8 ControllersMulti-MonitorQuadHead2Go

Jupiter’s Pana 81T is a 21:9 ultra-wide 5K-resolution LCD touch display that brings the future of form factor to the conventional touch display market. Pana provides 33 percent more pixels with the 5K resolution, giving the user more real estate in which to work. The Pana 81T features an advanced, metal-mesh-capacitive 20 points with a discreet, bezel-less glass-to-edge design. Perfect for c-suites and modern meeting rooms, we believe our first-to-market, large-form-factor display will deliver that impact across expanding use cases and workflows, including collaboration and datavisualization-focused environments.

jupiter.com

Samsung’s The Wall (IWB) is an innovative modular display that delivers an immersive viewing experience. With a micro LED version new for 2022, The Wall IWB has the slimmest ever pixel pitch in Samsung’s lineup. This iteration demonstrates the most detailed picture and dynamic range yet, with a 120Hz frame rate and variety of screen sizes, accommodating 4K movies for 110-inch and up to an incredible 8K quality for 220-inch. The improved cabinet design elevates the mechanical quality, while reducing overall installation time. The Wall IWB is packed with Multi View, enabling simultaneous multi-source playback, and Black Seal technology creates a seamless canvas for purer black levels. samsung.com The Wall (IWB)

9 |

8 Matrox QuadHead2Go Multi-Monitor Controllers are purpose-built to power digital signage configurations of any size, making building a digital signage system easier than ever. Controllers capture and display a video signal up to 4Kp60 and 8Kx8K at full RGB 8:8:8 and YUV 4:4:4 color support—across up to four full-HD displays. Displays can also be arranged in a variety of classic rectangular or artistic configurations of 4x1, 1x4, 2x2, 2x1, 1x2, 3x1, or 1x3. In addition, the complementary PowerWall software allows you to customize configurations or control display outputs independently, in either offline or online mode. The QuadHead2Go REST API is available for integrators and developers interested in creating custom functions and matrox.comapplications.

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pro.sony 12 BRAVIA 4K ProfessionalHDRDisplays 13 42 AUGUST 2022 | avnetwork.com

11 ExtremeHyperDeck4K

11 12 BrightSign’s XC5 Media Players are the digital signage industry’s newest and most powerful solid-state media players. The lineup consists of two models: XC2055 and XC4055. Both offer the company’s most powerful HTML5/graphics engine to date, with graphics performance improvement up to 10x compared to their predecessors. Both models support 8K output—one model offering dual HDMI-out (up to two 4K or one 8K) and the other offering quad HDMI-out (up to four 4K or one 8K). brightsign.biz 13 XC5 Media Players

Blackmagic Design’s HyperDeck Extreme 4K HDR broadcast deck features innovations such as space-saving H.265 files, optional internal cache, 3D LUTs, and HDR support. The large touch screen ensures a perfect view of the recording and control over all deck settings. Customers can add HyperDeck Extreme Control to transform it into a traditional broadcast deck. Digital signage is easy with HyperDeck Extreme as it has 10G Ethernet for fast media uploads, plus it features a simple remote control protocol. blackmagicdesign.com HDR Sony’s BRAVIA 4K HDR Professional Displays, including the BZ30J, BZ35J, and BZ40H Series, range in size from 32 inches to 100 inches. The versatile and reliable models feature an Android system on a chip (SoC) platform and boast superior image quality, including incredible color, contrast, and realism; ease of use; extensive integration options; a business-friendly design; and low ownership costs. IP control allows easy installation with support from key control systems, with integrated screen mirroring supporting both Chromecast built in and AirPlay 2 for a seamless mobile connection. The displays are compatible with many of the industry’s top providers to enable more functionality.

Just Add Power’s MaxColor 4K60 natively supports 4K60 input and output, distributing 4K video from a growing number of sources with no downscaling or subsampling. With MaxColor, 4K60/4:4:4/36-bit video can be distributed over a 1Gb managed network using existing cabling, eliminating the expense of upgrading to fiber and buying costly network switches. justaddpower.com

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Paired with advanced installation features and bright, detailed imagery, the long-throw PowerLite L730U offers a discreet design that fits in virtually any environment. From lecture halls to gallery walls, the PowerLite L730U projects astounding full-HD WUXGA resolution for sharp, true-to-life images and features built-in tools to support multiprojector setups. epson.com 14 PowerLite L730U

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14 Epson’s PowerLite L730U long-throw combines advanced installation features with high-performance laser projection, delivering the next generation in display technology.

Christie’s MicroTiles LED continues the award-winning legacy of innovation set by the original MicroTiles platform, delivering P3 color space, fully compliant HDR-10, and patented software that keeps the wall calibrated at 97 percent or greater uniformity. Christie MicroTiles LED are suitable for broadcast sets, corporate venues, museums, retail, stadiums, arenas, and higher education, and include a lowprofile, ADA-compliant QuickMount system. As a result, displays can be created in any shape and size, including 90-degree inside/ outside corners, and both concave and convex christiedigital.comcurves

Primed for nearly any application—big or small—the PowerLite L730U offers 7,000 lumens of equal color/white brightness with flexible placement and stunning images up to 500 inches for signage, presentations, wayfinding, and more.

17 SLD Series Epidaur Digital’s FX Series Modular LED Solution is a durable LED display system ideal for permanent installations—offering a unique, adaptable solution for retail, hospitality, themed entertainment, and commercial projects. Lending itself to eyecatching displays, a flexible design allows for the quick and easy creation of video walls of any size, shape, or configuration. Designers can truly think out of the 16/9 box, indoors or out, with impact-resilient and weatherand water-resistant features. Also offering an easy-install magnetic mounting system and 6,000 nits of dimmable light, the FX Series modular LED solution is lightweight, high-bright, and epidaurdigital.comU.S.-assembled.

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Daktronics’ SLD Series is an all-in-one smart LED display product line to bring a plug-andplay option to direct-view LED technology. This solution eliminates the installation and operational complexities associated with the purchase of a traditional LED display system, thereby leaving a clean, quick option for bringing the technology into any given space. This LED product comes bezel free in standard aspect ratios from 110- to 220-inch diagonal sizes with pixel-perfect HD resolution. In modern office interiors with big windows and sunny conditions, the Daktronics SLD Series is a great fit with its superior brightness and image quality. daktronics.com

18 Vanguard LED Displays’ P1.9 Tungsten Series Rental Cabinet for the XR Studio has added the Brompton Control System. Brompton, in conjunction with MBI IC Drivers, creates the perfect display for the XR studio and broadcast markets. Unique features include Shuttersync, 3D color management, and frame remapping. The flexibility and performance of the Brompton control system, when combined with the incredibly stout and durable Tungsten series, makes this product the right solution for any event, production, tradeshow, or conference, in addition to the aforementioned broadcast applications. Tungsten, combined with Brompton, is the perfect combination to make your next event or broadcast vanguardled.comunforgettable.

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Haivision’s Command 360 is a revolutionary, next-generation visual collaboration platform for operation and command centers that enables real-time critical decision-making and collaboration for defense, government, enterprise, and public safety organizations. Designed to effortlessly scale from a central operations center to support remote or portable systems, the platform centralizes all video, data, communication, and visualization sources into a secure multi-site video wall solution, with no impact on performance. Once operational, Command 360 delivers the advanced functionality needed to coordinate and manage an entire operations center through its easy-to-use, secure, browser-based user interface.

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Neoti’s UHD89 LED Series has an 8:9 cabinet size which provides more flexibility in sizing. It allows for both 16:9 designs as well as other creative layouts. Panels have been designed with a larger cabinet to reduce the amount of seams and overall quantity of cabinets needed for the display. Fewer cabinets result in a quicker installation and less downtime for the client. The UHD89’s larger, yet lightweight, cabinet design may require less wall reinforcing than other typical dvLED displays. LED Series

neoti.com UHD89

cinemassive.com 20 Command 360 The Philips B-Line range from PPDS combines the best of digital signage and professional TVs. It supports a wide range of environments, with extensive entertainment, collaboration, and content scheduling features. With an all-new sleek design, B-Line harnesses the power of the latest Android software, while Crestron Connected, Extron, and Neets IP control compatibility continue to deliver on the display’s flexibility. In corporate environments, Philips B-Line provides simplified collaboration between teams, with the ability to share and communicate content with the touch of a button. Meanwhile, food and beverage establishments have the ability to create, display, and schedule digital content with ease, allowing them to effectively communicate with customers.

Avocor’s G Series enhances every workspace with its spectacularly sleek, 4-inch-thin, bezel-free design and USB-C cable, connecting 4K video, audio, USB touch, Ethernet, and power through a single cable. Built-in sensors turn off the display when users are not in the room, making the G series a sustainable environmental solution. Our G series also features Avocor UiQ, our smart, touch-enabled user interface that delivers source preview and menu settings for remote-control-free usage. avocor.com Avocor G Series

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ViewSonic’s ID2456 Touch Display is a multifunctional 24-inch monitor with projected capacitive [PCAP] touch and palm rejection technologies. It works with an MPP2.0 active pen to deliver pinpoint accuracy when writing or drawing. The ID2456 can be used as a podium display to control presentations from a projector or large format display. It features native 1080p full-HD resolution, and is Pantone validated with a 120 percent sRGB color gamut for stunning color and image reproduction. The USB-C connectivity offers a single-cable solution to connect to other devices, as well as delivering 90W of power. viewsonic.com ID2456

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LynTec’s RPC Series Panels deliver easy, web-enabled setup, control, and monitoring. They allow remote operation of up to 168 motorized circuit breakers and up to 12 zones using a single controller. Their browser interface ensures simple control and monitoring remotely while the programmable software platform customizes scheduling, sequencing, and voltage protection. Further, it grants flexible lighting and AV control across multiple control zones, including HTTP, Telnet, sACN, DMX, RS-232, or contact closure. The system also can send alert notifications via text or email to warn of panel anomalies. lyntec.com RPC Series Panels

Visix’s AxisTV Signage Suite Events Support has expanded API integrations with scheduling apps in the digital signage platform. New updates support room booking from any interactive display for Office 365 via Microsoft Graph and 25Live by CollegeNET. The software also now offers a configurable widget to display room schedule data from Mazevo’s campusfocused scheduling platform. Direct integration with these calendar apps expands available options for clients wanting to show events on their meeting room signs and large displays. Two-way booking capabilities can be employed on any touch screen including Visix Touch10 room signs. AxisTV Signage Suite users can set up simple schedule displays or offer room booking options at the digital sign. Suite Events Support

Crestron’s AirMedia provides the flexibility required to reconfigure the digital workplace for hybrid-first meetings and collaboration. Whether in a huddle-room, auditorium, boardroom, in one location, or distributed— AirMedia devices efficiently integrate for effortless collaboration and digital signage across any enterprise. With digital signage and a local display, employees can stay informed on company-wide news. Simply connect to the network or plug the adaptor into your device to present content instantly.

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crestron.com Crestron AirMedia

Navori’s QL 2.7 Digital Signage Software with Aquaji Integration introduces an expansive suite of new features that cross all core software elements. They include a completely rewritten content management interface, expanded native file support, data feed filtering, direct integration with Navori’s Aquaji marketing analytics software, and Innes PlugNCast media player support. Aquaji analytics software leverages AI and computer vision technology to help businesses and DOOH advertisers precisely measure in-store performance and improve customer experiences. Native integration between Aquaji and Navori’s QL DSS helps users create and apply logic statements to automate content playback decisions in realtime, and enables Aquaji to directly share detailed performance analytics. navori.com 2.7

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poly.com 31 Poly Studio X Series BenQ’s LU9800 Laser Projector for large venue, simulation, and museum applications is the first affordable high-brightness, color-accurate laser projector. It provides 95 percent Rec.709 color coverage and accuracy with no yellowing and WUXGA (1920x1200) resolution that exceeds full HD at 10,000 ANSI lumens. The result is greater detail and stunning clarity at the brightness that has only been available from the most expensive digital cinema projectors on the market—all for less than $15,000. LU9800 ProjectorLaser

30 Poly’s Studio X Series consists of beautifully engineered, premium video conferencing solutions that combine razor-sharp 4K video with boardroom-filling stereo sound so meeting participants can look and sound their best. With a sleek all-in-one, plugand-play design, the Poly Studio X Series is radically simple to use and can be purchased with a TC8 controller, which means no PC needed. Enjoy native support from your choice of video-as-a-service platforms.

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Palmer Digital Group’s ODPK55 Outdoor Portrait Kiosk is built for digital signage presentation using Samsung’s OH55A or LG’s 55-inch XE4F display. Relevant applications include casinos, hotels, shopping centers, QSRs, and street kiosks. The company’s careful design strategy takes outdoor environments into account. Built with high-impact steel for longevity, its specifications address environmental concerns such as solar loads and extreme temperatures. Display brightness of 3,500 nits ensures clear visualization in direct sunlight. Its operating temperature of -40 to 122 degrees Fahrenheit provides consistent reliability in virtually any location. Options include support for cameras, media players, routers, and speakers, inviting integration with analytics, audio, and streaming palmerdigitalgroup.comapplications.

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The Poly Studio X Series comes with Poly DirectorAI capabilities, featuring innovative technologies such as Poly NoiseBlockAI and Acoustic Fence technology which enable the Poly Studio X Series to turn any largeroom video conference call into a broadcast quality production experience.

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IHSE USA’s Draco MV42-H2DH DualHead HDMI 2.0 Multiviewer offers unique visualization features for control rooms and other environments needing to monitor and manage multiple active computers from a dual-head workstation, or where a local and remote display need to be managed from a single source. Compatible with 4K/UHD 60Hz displays, it offers four dual inputs and two dual outputs for simultaneous playout.

VigilLink’s Video Wall Processors include our stand-alone processor VL-VW24-1 for simple applications, and the extended version VL-VW29-1 for larger installations. Processors support 4K/2K at 60 Hz, 2x9 up to 16x16, PIP, bezel compensation, and 180-degree rotation. They also feature Rs232 and TCP/IP control. In addition, we offer several alternative solutions, including matrix switching and video wall extensions: VL-MX44VW-1 for 4x4 applications, as well as solutions for 8x8. We also offer solutions to create larger walls, utilizing JPEG2000 and SDVOE to allow one to many and create an IP-based video wall. These models are VL-JP4KT for up to 9x9, and paired with a robust controller. Our SDVOE version is VL-IPS4KCFT-1 and offers up to 256 vigillink.comendpoints.

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The system’s individual screens can be arranged freely and displayed in different modes: fullscreen, quadscreen, picture-inpicture, preview, 2+2, and free mode. Other features include audio de-embedding, instant previews, and more, providing powerful tools for streamlined workflows.

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32 Draco MV42-H2DH 4K Dual-Head HDMI 2.0 Multiviewer

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VuWall’s PAK Video Wall Node Series is an innovative, networked, multi-decode solution for deploying and managing modular video walls in AV-over-IP environments. It can operate as a standalone device or be stitched with other nodes with infinite scalability to build any size video wall. Available in three models, it features up to one 4K or four HD outputs, along with multi-format decoding of up to 32 HD streams, including H.264, NDI and remote desktops or VNC. The costeffective, compact appliances reduce the number of connections, eliminate a single point of failure, and are managed by VuWall’s TRx centralized management platform. vuwall.com PAK Video Wall Node Series 2022 |

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50 Extron’s ShareLink Pro 1100 and ShareLink Pro 500 wired and wireless presentation systems, in conjunction with our popular LinkLicense for digital signage enhancement, can turn your ShareLink Pro installations into dynamic digital signage solutions. Leverage time when your ShareLink Pro system isn’t in use to display tailor-made, web-based HTML content about current events, weather, traffic, and more using top digital signage providers such as Appspace, Carousel, and Seenspire. This LinkLicense also supports Expo Mode to temporarily replace welcome screens or BYOD content with H.264 streams, videos, or images for special events or unique signage needs.

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22Miles’ Content Manager V7 enables users to design, control, and deploy content for video walls, digital signage, kiosks, wayfinding, and mobile devices from an upgraded, unified portal. The new AIassisted Smart Template Center features over 1,000 templates, all auto-populated with the customer’s own logos, branding, andCreatingcontent.rich interactive experiences with Content Manager V7 is simple. Users can add dynamic features, including room reservation, meeting invitation, and BI360 dashboard integration, with a “pick-and-click” interface. These one-click widgets include the proprietary 22Miles Carry2Mobile solution, which duplicates sign content on the viewer’s mobile device via a QR code 22miles.comscan.

Carousel Digital Signage’s Carousel Cloud is a subscription-based SaaS platform that leverages a lightweight, software-defined architecture centralized within an offsite IT infrastructure. The highly scalable, enterprise-wide digital signage platform keeps the focus on content development and audience engagement, and eliminates the expense and maintenance of traditional hardware servers. As part of an IT infrastructure, Carousel Cloud also makes security of your digital signage network and content a priority. Adopting a private versus shared server philosophy, each customer’s data is physically isolated and highly secure. Separate databases, storage volumes, and servers provide the confidence that your data will remain yours carouselsignage.comalone.

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