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34 AV/IT THOUGHT LEADERS ON VISUAL TRENDS
AV/IT TEAM AND DIGITAL ART DUO DAZZLE CASINO VISITORS
32 VISUAL TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU SHINE
8 CASE STUDIES THAT VISUALLY TRANSFORMED SPACES
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34 AV/IT THOUGHT LEADERS ON VISUAL TRENDS
AV/IT TEAM AND DIGITAL ART DUO DAZZLE CASINO VISITORS
32 VISUAL TECHNOLOGY PRODUCTS TO HELP YOU SHINE
8 CASE STUDIES THAT VISUALLY TRANSFORMED SPACES
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Cindy Davis waxes poetic about how the planners of new buildings in her home city of Boston have embraced digital visualization.
With the help of an elite digital art duo, a Florida casino uses laser projectors to dazzle both visitors and passers-by year-round.
Thirty-four thought leaders from across the AV industry–from mounting, to panels, to projection—share their thoughts on the current state of the visualization ecosystem, where it’s going, and what decision makers should bear in mind when planning for their next purchases.
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Digital art imitates life | Standardizing on displays transforms university campus | A fail-safe emergency operations solution | Wave of the future crests | The inspiration lab | Video wall drives vehicle design | Mounting a tavern TV takeover | A contemporary conference room display makeover |
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Thirty-two AV/IT enterprise and campus-worthy visualization solutions will make you shine.
CONTENT
VP/Content Creation, Anthony Savona
Brand and Content Director, Cindy Davis, cindy.davis@futurenet.com
Contributing Writer, Macy O’Hearn
Managing Design Director, Nicole Cobban
Design Director, Sam Richwood
Production Managers Heather Tatrow, Nicole Schilling
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of Design, Rodney Dive
I live 10 miles north of Boston, where I grew up, and like all cities, some areas are unrecognizable from 15 years ago. During the past decade and accelerating in the past five years, there has been an unrelenting building boom in the greater Boston area, including office and retail space, condos, museums, and university buildings.
The projects have been massive and bold. In December 2022, Boston University (BU) opened the doors to its Center of Computing & Data Science. It’s an architectural masterpiece overlooking the Charles River, which some liken to Jenga on steroids.
signage allows departments to display rich, engaging content to various audiences. By displaying content digitally, departments can reduce the time, cost, and environmental impact associated with traditional print media.”
At the Boston Seaport, massive outdoor video walls display art and events, and there’s hardly a store that doesn’t have a digital display to entice and engage.
are advised to contact manufacturers and retailers directly with regard to the price of products/services referred to in this publication. Apps and websites mentioned in this publication are not under our control. We are not responsible for their contents or any other changes or updates to them. This magazine is fully independent and not affiliated in any way with the companies mentioned herein.
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In the planning stages since 2010, with a rolling opening since 2017, the Boston Seaport district has become one of the city’s most vibrant neighborhoods with hotels, bars and restaurants, retail stores, and condominiums. It is home to the Institute of Contemporary Art. In 2017, one of the AV industry’s workplace transformation consultants, Red Thread, opened its spectacular 13,000-square-foot WorkLife space at 101 Seaport Boulevard.
It’s wonderful to finally see that digital visualization is incorporated when new spaces are designed. BU’s TechWeb site explains, “Digital signage provides a modern, manageable way to deliver news, information, emergency alerts, and media to displays in common areas, entryways, lobbies, and more.” The site states the benefits, “Digital
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“With increasing resolutions, brightness, and flexibility in management, digital signage is reaching new standards,” said Datapath’s director of sales, Mark Bohs. “Content can now be sent seamlessly across multiple displays, allowing for some truly spectacular and creative projects. We’ve seen examples of this with virtual ceilings and waterfalls in universities, offices, and shopping centers.”
“Integrators and end users are able to fine tune the systems to be more purposeful, flexible, and efficient based on use case, environment, or needs,” said Mark Bonifacio, director of Business Management, Professional Display Solutions at Sony Electronics. “If a corporation, school, or church has displays in conference rooms, classrooms, auditoriums, or collaboration spaces that are only used for limited sharing of content, they can re-activate those same displays to share digital signage materials promoting internal messaging and events or socializing important news.
Read the full interviews from these industry experts, plus 32 more, starting on page 10.
Planar® Luminate™ Ultra Series LED video wall displays are designed to bring to outdoor environments the same level of image detail historically reserved for indoor spaces. With the nest pixel pitches in the industry, they support comfortable viewing from as close as 7 feet, and high brightness ensures visibility even in direct sunlight, easily facilitating any outdoor application from transportation and retail signage to company picnics and poolside cinema.
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With the help of an elite digital art duo, a Florida casino uses Epson laser projectors to dazzle both visitors and passersby year-round.
By AV Technology Staff
On a mission to drive excitement and reinvigorate space at the Seminole Casino in Coconut Creek, Florida after the industry-wide slowdown in 2020, Adam MacDonald, the casino’s entertainment and productions manager, and his team started searching for new ways to turn ordinary spaces into magical moments, while keeping the need to adapt to various events and occasions in mind.
After building a massive, 20,000-square-foot outdoor venue, the highly anticipated Fourth of July event was coming up and MacDonald wanted to “make a big splash” with people coming back to the casino. He needed something fresh that would raise the bar and set a new standard for attractions and events at the Seminole Casino Coconut Creek.
Digital artist Jasper Mosher and his creative partner and wife, Shelby Mosher, came onboard with a fleet of Epson laser projectors to help light up the casino with dazzling images and colors.
“What better way to draw attention to a building than with a massive display that could be seen from miles away,” said MacDonald. “To pull this off, I needed technology that could produce very large images with flexible placement and easy content changes, and of course I needed to factor in cost. Projection checked all the boxes and through research I came across several examples of projection mapping with Jasper Mosher’s name attached to them. After seeing his work, I trusted him and knew he was the right person for the job.”
The Mosher team had been working with production company Native Event Services (NES) who specialize in artistic installations and special event productions for the Seminole Tribe casinos. NES introduced the Moshers to MacDonald to projection map a large section of the casino using custom visual effects for the July Fourth celebration. This area included 280 feet of the exterior and a 360-degree projected environment inside the attached Porte-cochere structure for a live band performance.
“I remember standing in front of the casino trying to wrap my head around the scope of this project,” said Mosher. “And just when the reality started to set in, Adam invited me to check out the other sections of the casino that he wanted to map.” By the end of the tour, Mosher and
MacDonald planned to map over 300 feet of the casino’s exterior; the Porte-cochere stage area, which included six video screens; a separate twostory entrance; and a VIP rooftop party.
The team did have a slight hiccup with a few Florida royal palms standing in the way of the exterior projection. To avoid removing the trees, Mosher got creative with projector placement and leveraged the versatility of Epson lenses to eliminate most of the tree shadows. Mosher noted, “This first project came together flawlessly and after that, the productions just kept getting bigger and better.” MacDonald added, “Everyone was blown away by the projection mapping, including property leaders and executives.”
Fast forward to 2022. As the July Fourth production drew near, MacDonald’s visions expanded and the talented Mosher duo delivered, using 34 Epson laser projectors to bring various sections of the casino to life, including a new water screen installation. “It was my first chance to play with the new Epson EB-PU2220B 20,000-lumen projector,” noted Mosher. “This projector is a marvel of modern science—impressively small and lightweight for the power it pumps out.”
For the water screen installation, the EBPU2220B was positioned on the opposite side of the lake and focused on a huge 70-foot-by30-foot water screen pump that Mosher and MacDonald placed in the center of the lake. “The results were just awesome. The incredibly bright and colorful images looked like massive holograms floating above the water. It was cool listening to hundreds of people making awe-inspired noises in unison every time the visuals transitioned,” Mosher added. “It felt like an embodiment of the elusive ‘wow factor’ that everyone in the special events industry tries so hard to create.”
The results of the July Fourth celebrations have inspired MacDonald to use projection mapping throughout the casino—taking over any and all space that allows for it. New to the 2022 holiday season, MacDonald wanted to create something that all ages could enjoy. Holiday décor was projection mapped on the exterior of the casino and went along with a custom playlist for people to drive or walk by during the season. MacDonald said, “The projection was so big, bright, and colorful that it was visible from miles away, so it was truly something that everyone in
the community could enjoy.”
The main exterior mapping typically runs for six to eight weeks at a time around the Fourth of July and holiday seasons. Each projector has its own custom weatherproof case and the Epson Projector Professional Tool Software (EPPT) makes it easy to setup and manage the installed projectors. Mosher notes, “Throughout the last three years of using the same Epson projectors for extended installations, we have not had any issues.”
For MacDonald, there is no copy and paste projection template. “My goal is to have every event deliver a new experience,” he said. “Jasper’s inspirational ideas and mapping skills, coupled with reliable Epson projection technology—so far, we’ve been able to do just that.” Focused on increasing the number of casino guests, as well as driving awareness, social engagement, and community outreach, MacDonald emphasized the impressive results from each production; more folks are attending casino activities and awareness has grown exponentially.
“Not being bound by any frames or restricted by space, projection technology has made these projects limitless,” said MacDonald. “I keep throwing outrageous ‘Hail Mary’ ideas at Jasper and Shelby, and they keep delivering. I’ve worked with many of the best in show business and event entertainment, and the Mosher team sits at the very top of this list.”
For content creation and management, the Mosher team relies on Resolume projection mapping software. It is the main tool used to manipulate custom content to fit into real world environments, and the included autopilot features allow them to leave the projectors running for months at a time.
As a big part of these installations, Mosher noted his appreciation for NES and their associated company Event Service Group (ESG). “Using their resources to do the heavy lifting involved in these massive productions makes it possible for Shelby and me to focus our energy on the artistic aspects of the trade.”
“Jasper’s artistic capabilities and innovative projection mapping skills continue to amaze us,” said Ramzi Shakra, product manager for large venue projectors at Epson America, Inc. “His work is the definition of pushing projection beyond limits, and we always eagerly await the next big project.”
“I didn’t know what to expect when we started this projector mapping project, but now it just keeps getting better,” said MacDonald. “Last year’s water projection experience was a gamechanger and now the hardest part of my job is trying to do outdo the last project. Luckily, creative possibilities seem to be infinite with the Mosher team and Epson projectors.”
When discussing growing trends within the digital signage space, words you will hear repeated often include “intelligent”, “interactive”, and “interoperable.” Organizations want display solutions that will not only entice viewers to engage with content, but also gather valuable demographic information about those viewers—all while communicating seamlessly with existing AV infrastructure.
A sterile, endlessly looping PowerPoint presentation doesn’t cut it.
We asked 34 thought leaders from across the AV industry–from mounting, to panels, to projection—to share their thoughts on the current state of the visualization ecosystem, where it’s going, and what decision makers should bear in mind when planning for their next purchases.
With increasing resolutions, brightness, and flexibility in management, digital signage is reaching new standards. Content can now be sent seamlessly across multiple displays, allowing for some truly spectacular and creative projects. We’ve seen examples of this with virtual ceilings and waterfalls in universities, offices, and shopping centers.
Certain triggers can now change content automatically with AI applications, such as gender-related advertising due to footfall in a shopping center. The same displays can also have the potential to be used for security messaging, wayfinding, or bespoke promotions. This flexibility supports a safer environment, improves foot traffic, and provides additional revenue streams.
Video walls are becoming more interactive, but this does not necessarily mean they are touch screens. Instead, areas are reserved for users to share content on the wall. Or, a trigger can be used to display content on a certain region of the video wall.
Versatility and ease of use is also an important trend. Our latest Aetria solution, for example, is purpose built for control room video management, but is just as comfortable running multi-source/multi-end-point content on a University campus. This content can be managed from a centralized location, as well as on a mobile device. Security is, of course, paramount, with user encryption determining user permission and access.
Many platforms have emerged to work digital signage. Each has its strengths and weaknesses and as such its place in the market. Datapath aims to be agnostic, and can work with pixels generated by any external source and then crop, scale, rotate, and feed the display as required. This allows our products to be involved with multiple content management systems and allows the customer the choice of what is best for them. This flexible approach keeps us involved with many projects, whether large or small.
MICHAEL BERNHARDT Director of Product Management
Christie Digital Systems
Choosing the right technology for your project is paramount.
The biggest and brightest LED video wall won’t always be the best fit, and determining the technology depends on a few factors, including viewing distance, the location and surrounding environment, and budget.
LCD video walls remain the best solution for projects where guests will view the display up close and when the budget is a major factor. LED is available in a range of pixel pitches— from 0.75mm to 2.5mm—to accommodate a range of viewing distances. LED also creates a truly seamless look—where no bezels are visible between tiles—and the cost for LED displays continues to trend downwards.
How content is delivered to your display, whether through a computer or media server, requires some consideration. Look for LCD and LED displays that provide flexible and highperformance image processing built into the display, which will allow you to visualize and manage content directly on the display. For large video walls, or for content with different resolutions or formats, choose a content management system or image processing solution that is flexible, integrated into the display, and has a broad feature set to ensure the content looks impeccable.
Networking is another key aspect to consider. Digital signage and its infrastructure can become very complex quickly, especially in venues that have multiple displays or video walls that show synchronized content. Whether the displays support software for installation and servicing or are compatible with a control system, being able to adapt your displays to a wide variety of applications will ensure a userfriendly experience.
DAVID COLAS Product Manager, Digital Signage Solutions
Professional Imaging and Visual Systems
Panasonic Connect
North America
Where was the last place you saw a digital sign? It’s likely we all have a different answer, as digital signs reach 135 million people each week. That means retailers, universities, museums, and other venues leveraging digital signage will need to work harder to captivate their audiences’ attention. What’s the secret to making sure content stands out amongst the noise? Here are two key trends that will come to dominate the industry:
First, more organizations will need to implement a cohesive audiovisual ecosystem to create captivating signage. The average consumer digests visuals 60,000 times faster than text, so when stores, museums, restaurants, and universities incorporate unique visual elements, such as real-time video feeds, they can more easily capture the attention of their audiences and effectively share messages. Displays that connect with other audiovisual equipment, such as PTZ cameras, let operators overlay live streams and video feeds via their digital signs for more interactive content.
Second, organizations will turn to touchenabled displays for better engagement and productivity. For example, touch-enabled signage speeds up the checkout process and reduces wait times by more than 35 percent. There are similar benefits in industries like education, where 73 percent of institutions believe digital signage is critical to operations. In the classroom, touch-enabled displays act as a smart whiteboard, allowing instructors to seamlessly change slides or alter content without having to move back and forth between the board and their computer. Educators will also leverage displays more frequently to better engage students inperson, as they can more easily draw, highlight, and collaborate with content in real time. Plus, they don’t need to worry about losing whiteboard notes to an eraser. Instead, the content drawn on the display can be saved and sent to students after class.
The trends to keep in mind depend on the space we’re considering. If we look at the spaces that are expanding today— museums, amusement parks, and other environments where people are expecting an experience—immersive technology has all but taken over. It’s also not technology centric, since if you are at a Disneyland, it should feel like a Disneyland.
A successful deployment uses hidden or “quiet” technology that feels like part of the space; it looks and feels like it fits.
The other important consideration is putting the experience back into users’ hands. QSRs and even higher ed facilities are empowering the user to navigate as they wish. Consider an airport and how diverse the audience is—how different travelers prefer the experience of navigating to their flight. One person may want to use an app to order their Starbucks ahead to be ready by the time they get through security; another may go to the gate first, then head to the Starbucks and order in person at the kiosk. Successful integrations make it a smooth experience regardless of the way a customer wants to interact.
For higher ed campuses, standardization helps to bridge fragmented campuses. Those that have deployed successful digital signage applications recognize that having a single software platform makes a world of difference—not only to streamlining important tools like emergency messaging, but to simplifying the experience for internal users like marketing and IT.
BRICE MCPHEETERS Vice President, Product and Planning Nanolumens
We understand that the ever-evolving digital signage ecosystem requires considering trends that will shape the future of an organization. With the advent of interactive, touch-enabled, and immersive solutions, the potential for transforming user experiences has never been greater. We believe several areas need to be considered when planning your digital signage projects.
First, the AV/IT industry is witnessing a surge in demand for bespoke solutions that cater to specific needs and spaces. Decision makers should prioritize vendors that offer customizable display options. An AV partner’s expertise lies in creating tailored, flexible LED display solutions that fit unique environments and enhance engagement, making them a frontrunner in this aspect.
Second, the integration of interactivity into displays is revolutionizing user engagement in various sectors, such as education, retail, and corporate settings. Touch-enabled screens, interactive displays, and gesture recognition technologies are on the rise. AV/IT decision makers should explore how touch capabilities integrate into their solutions, fostering a more intuitive and immersive user experience.
Third, in an age where visual experiences are paramount, investing in immersive displays can significantly impact user perception. Partner with a manufacturer that offers cutting-edge display technology that provides stunning, high-resolution visuals—captivating audiences with breathtaking imagery and seamless content delivery.
And finally, to ensure that investments remain relevant and adaptable, decision makers must evaluate the scalability and future-proofing capabilities of their chosen display solutions. Manufacturers should focus on providing scalable display options, coupled with upgradable hardware and software. This ensures their offerings are an ideal choice for AV/IT decision makers looking to stay competitive.
ROB MOODEY Manager, Strategic Partnerships Matrox Video
It comes as no surprise that more and more of what we watch— wherever we watch it—is being streamed, rather than being a file that is saved and played locally. Even the content we are recording in the field is increasingly being stored and processed in the cloud. And what goes up, as the saying goes, must come down.
The lesson is clear: We need to look for AV/IT solutions that have a clear direction in decoding, and possibly in encoding too.
There are some who say that codec functionality should be in software, run on a CPU, and essentially be part of a browser. Others will say that local hardware can provide decoding much faster than software. They typically use GPUs or other ASICs to provide the processing resource. And a third group follows the FPGA approach: still local hardware but not ASIC based. (ASICs are typically more power efficient than FPGA-based products but need a substantial capital investment in the first place, and that means vendors need guaranteed high sales volume to recover their investment.)
H.264 is the most widespread codec globally, and has been for many years. In some industries, like CCTV, other codecs, like HEVC, are changing the market. In digital signage, H.264 has been more resilient but, whilst still the leader, declining nonetheless. That is our second lesson: We can’t safely nail our colors to the mast of a single codec.
Putting the two ideas together—buyers should be looking for solutions that have a roadmap that they identify with. If they are currently using H.264, are they thinking about HEVC, VP9, AV1 or some other in the future? Do the AV/IT products that they are thinking about—software or hardware—give them the flexibility to change their mind?
Sony Electronics
There are many trends that we’re seeing AV/ IT professionals consider as they upgrade or install new digital signage technologies. The first is the smarter and more strategic use of data. Stakeholders are extrapolating data and analytics from their technology—from its usage statistics, patterns, productivity trends, and collaboration results—to better inform their operations moving forward. Integrators and end users are able to fine tune the systems to be more purposeful, flexible, and efficient based on use case, environment, or needs.
Next is “always on” AV, which is repurposing technology not actively in use. For example, if a corporation, school, or church has displays in conference rooms, classrooms, auditoriums, or collaboration spaces that are only used for limited sharing of content, they can re-activate those same displays to share digital signage
materials promoting internal messaging and events or socializing important news. This better utilization of resources also helps promote sustainability, another significant topic. From selection to integration to implementation, sustainability is a relevant consideration. We are seeing that customers really value a company and product that understands and regards mindful usage and energy efficiency to help address ongoing environmental concerns. At Sony, sustainability is top of mind company wide and we have several transparent initiatives and roadmaps to help our customers understand our commitment and objectives.
Finally, stakeholders are realizing the value of aligning with companies whose products are flexible, compatible with the tools they’ve already implemented, and work closely with other industry leaders. Through offerings like Sony’s Alliance Partner program, businesses are bringing together multiple vendors to deliver a complete AV ecosystem with enhanced productivity and workflow efficiencies. Designed for users who want to go beyond simply sourcing disparate products, partnerships empower customers with a more efficient and frictionless AV ecosystem, leverage the strengths of each provider, and add more value while minimizing frustration.
“Partnerships empower customers with a more efficient and frictionless AV ecosystem, leverage the strengths of each provider, and add more value while minimizing frustration.”
—Mark Bonifacio Director, Business Management, Professional Display Solutions Sony ElectronicsCAMILLE BURCH Marketing Director Neoti
Innovation is foundational to the ever-evolving technology powering large-format LED digital signage. We are seeing four key areas driving exciting dvLED evolution: cost, creativity, customer engagement, and coaching.
Decreasing costs are driving innovative applications and broader accessibility across industries. In applications where digital space is sold to advertisers, users can leverage larger and brighter displays to realize significant increase to ROI. Whether inside or outside, digital canvases are now leveraged to communicate information ranging from entertainment to data, such as a stadium scoreboard. Now, LED displays frequently run double duty as active work spaces, as well as digital signage between uses.
Boundary-pushing designers love large format LED displays! As a result, manufacturers are delivering more creative panel options that allow LED designers to flex their creativity with both original designs and retrofit. Neoti’s new half-width and half-height panel options, for example, were designed with content creators in mind, allowing for more creative designs and tighter curves. For signage content creators, these creative differences mean their content will garner attention just because it’s different.
Customer experience is the primary driver for all digital signage, so enhancing the user experience is paramount. Digital signage is now used for employee communications across corporate campuses, and even in classrooms as it replaces aging projection. It’s become a way of conveying important information to a host of end customers, so features like touch-enabled systems and the ability for multiple presenters become key drivers for LED solutions.
Integrators and end-users alike are eager to learn more about selecting, installing, and troubleshooting digital signage LED installations. A hands-on mentoring relationship with the manufacturer helps to form a partnership of trust and support that provides integrators and end-users a level of confidence when deploying new digital signage solutions. As solutions become more sophisticated, this relationship is essential.
AV/IT decision makers stand at the crossroads of technological evolution, facing an array of choices that will shape their organizations’ communication and presentation capabilities. Whether considering interactive, touch-enabled, or immersive solutions, several key trends should be foremost in their minds when charting the course for their next AV/IT purchases.
First, user experience emerges as paramount consideration. In an era where seamless interaction is expected, touch-enabled and interactive technologies offer intuitive interfaces that foster engagement. These tools not only facilitate collaboration but also enhance presentations by enabling dynamic content manipulation. AV/IT choices should focus on empowering users, encouraging active participation and knowledge sharing.
Another critical consideration is flexibility. The modern workspace demands adaptable tools that seamlessly integrate with existing systems and accommodate evolving needs. Interoperability between different devices and platforms ensures smoother communication and enhances productivity.
Additionally, the trend towards immersive experiences cannot be ignored. Virtual and augmented reality are transforming how information is presented and absorbed. Forwardthinking decision makers should explore the potential of immersive technologies to create captivating and memorable experiences.
Security must remain a steadfast concern. As AV/IT landscapes become increasingly connected, the risk of breaches and data leaks heightens. Decision makers should seek solutions with robust cybersecurity features, safeguarding sensitive information and ensuring the integrity of their systems.
The AV/IT landscape is undergoing rapid transformation, with interactive, touch-enabled, and immersive technologies leading the way. As decision makers plan for their next purchases, they must keep in mind the user experience, trends of flexibility, immersion, and security. By embracing these trends, organizations can position themselves at the forefront of innovation, fostering collaboration, communication, and success in an ever-evolving digital landscape.
ROBERT
In today’s dynamic digital landscape, LED displays stand out as an influential platform for delivering engaging, informative, and inspirational content to captivate audiences. Understanding the technical aspects of LED displays, such as pixel pitch, resolution, and aspect ratio, however, is paramount in crafting compelling content in native resolutions. This helps ensure that content creators leverage the full potential of the technology’s wider color gamut and better gamma to take advantage of HDR capabilities.
Don’t forget, effective content creation for LED displays also goes beyond dazzling graphics; it now centers on the art of storytelling. Brands must be mindful of context, considering factors like location, audience demographics, and the purpose of the display if they are to successfully craft tailored content that leaves a lasting impact on viewers.
What’s more, creating dynamic content increasingly relies on embracing AI integration and regenerative content that adapts to real-time events, trends, or user behavior. And by utilizing data-driven insights, brands can personalize content to cater to individual preferences and create a sense of relevance, further enhancing the audience’s engagement.
LED displays also present a unique opportunity for fostering interactive engagement. Content creators should explore interactive elements such as touchscreens, motion sensors, and augmented reality to invite viewers to actively participate. By transforming passive observers into engaged participants, brands can amplify brand awareness, facilitate customer interaction, and elevate the overall customer experience.
Given the range of exciting opportunities, the convergence of content creation and technology calls for strong collaboration between creative minds and technical experts. Content creators must work closely with LED display manufacturers and software developers to optimize content performance and ensure seamless integration. By leveraging the latest technological advancements, brands can push the boundaries of what’s possible on LED displays to create truly unforgettable experiences.
Sennheiser
The landscape of AV solutions for collaboration in meeting rooms is constantly evolving, driven by the demands of modern businesses and their remote workforce. Organizations are embracing innovative AV solutions to foster productive, engaging, and seamless communication, while encouraging content sharing and interactive experiences. As AV technology advances, decision makers must stay informed on the latest trends to ensure they make the right investments to enhance communication and collaboration experiences.
When making purchases, AV/IT managers should consider adaptable AV solutions for varying room sizes and configurations that offer cost effectiveness and future proofing; bring-your-owndevice (BYOD) AV solutions that accommodate a wide range of devices and operating systems, empowering participants to share content effortlessly; AI-powered audio solutions that can
identify and eliminate background noise and echoes, enabling participants to focus on the conversation; AI-driven audio calibration that optimizes sound settings based on the room’s acoustics, ensuring consistent audio quality in different environments; and AI-powered video features such as auto-framing, person tiling, gesture recognition, and capturing room data. These components are growing needs in facilitating effective communication and collaboration in modern meeting environments.
One additional growing trend is seamless content sharing. Cable-free content sharing solutions are gaining popularity due to their ease of use and enhanced flexibility. Wireless
presentation systems enable seamless sharing of content from laptops, smartphones, and tablets to meeting room displays without the need for cables or adapters.
Real-time collaboration tools, such as interactive whiteboards, annotation features, and digital notes that enhance engagement during meetings are also a growing trend. These tools allow participants to actively contribute, brainstorm, and collaborate on shared content. And finally, spatial audio and 3D sound creates a realistic soundscape, making it feel as if the voices and audio cues are coming from specific directions in the meeting room, and enhancing participant immersion.
“AI-powered audio solutions can identify and eliminate background noise and echoes, enabling participants to focus on the conversation.”
—Sonia Ochani Business Insights Manager, Business Communications Sennheiser
When AV decision makers are planning for their next purchase, they need to keep in mind the power of using digital signage to create immersive experiences and increase ROI.
For example, in the case of advertising, the average American is usually exposed to 4,000 to 10,000 advertisements a day. A captivating visual presentation—possible with high-quality digital signage—can be the key to creating a memorable experience and standing out amongst the noise. Static signage is no longer enough when it comes to public, out-of-home advertising. We can expect to see an even steeper rise in digitized out-of-home advertising with upgraded digital signage solutions, which save brands both time and money compared to static signage that needs frequent, manual updating and is less eye catching.
Outdoor-certified displays, kiosks in shopping centers, dvLED video walls in public transportation, and digital billboards are just a few spaces where digital signage can be used to catch the attention of passersby and communicate immersive messages in just a few moments. In fact, recall jumps to 55 percent when viewing outdoor digital billboards in particular, proving both the effectiveness and importance of digital signage when it comes to advertising. Having high brightness, high-resolution imagery, and a durable solution built to withstand elements can ensure digital signage maintains its quality and aesthetic appeal for long-term, effective usage. We can expect to see businesses upgrading displays which prioritize high power efficiency, lightweight solutions, and interactive capabilities.
SDVoE Alliance
Interactive, touchenabled or immersive technologies are all viable solutions for various applications, including corporate, higher education, retail, hospitality, and others. The trends of immersive technologies are constantly changing and evolving; they will continue to adapt to provide the user with an engaging experience. As decision-makers are planning for their next purchase of interactive technologies, it’s increasingly important that latency is one of the highest priorities.
With an interactive, touch-enabled or immersive display, milliseconds matter and there is zero room for latency. Once the user selects an on-screen button, the display should immediately react. Minor latency issues can be the difference between a positive, engaging experience and a confusing, disjointed experience. High latency can break the illusion of direct manipulation. If there is a delay between the user’s initial engagement with the screen and the action, it can make the user feel like they are not in control of the device, making it difficult for users to utilize the device effectively.
Fortunately, there is a professional AV solution that is perfectly suited for interactive, touch-enabled and immersive displays. SDVoE technology provides an end-to-end hardware and software platform for AV extension, switching, processing, and control through advanced chipset technology, common control APIs, and interoperability.
SDVoE is the only AV-over-IP solution that can match the performance of a matrix switch. It boasts a powerful processing engine capable of video manipulations such as scaling, cropping, and stretching. SDVoE enables end-to-end transport latency under 100 microseconds and fully uncompressed image quality for all HD, 4K60, and HDR signals with frame-rate conversion, colorspace conversation, chroma conversion, scaling, and compositing. With 8K on the horizon, SDVoE has standardized the first 8K AV-over-IP transport solution. HDMI 2.1 defines many 8K formats with varying bit depth, chroma subsampling, frame rate, and color space. SDVoE’s 8K technology supports these formats without adding compression or latency.
PAUL HARRIS Chief Executive Officer
Aurora Multimedia Trends come and go but artificial intelligence (AI) is here to stay. The future of digital signage will be utilizing AI technology to target viewers’ potential needs more accurately. Currently, when signage is displayed, it is generalized with the hope it is received by a certain percentage of people that can relate to the content. With AI, a camera can be used to help determine the number of people, age ranges, genders, ethnicities, and emotions in order to select the proper content to display at that moment. This will deliver a new experience with a higher probability of accurately displaying the individual’s needs, and deliver valuable data for the reactions to the content.
AI can be used to change the way we gesture to interact with the display—and not just hand gestures, but body language itself. Picture walking by a display and it knows you are sad or crying. AI could see this and react with something visually or audibly to make the person smile. Maybe there is a couple holding hands, and so something more romantic could be applied. It is all how the system is programmed and continues to learn from its own success of responses— visually and audibly. Even in this example, hand holding is not enough to make a proper determination. There are other aspects to consider, such as age range, in order to distinguish a parentchild pair from an actual couple, as well as the possibility the pair is not even a couple. Regardless, it will never be perfect, as even humans can misidentify situations without formally questioning the individuals. What it does do, though, is increase the odds of a successful presentation, and therefore an appropriate reaction to the presentation.
A key trend is for multifunctional all-inone solutions that work harder and make longterm sense for the initial outlay investment. Corporate and education decision-makers want to invest in solutions that can provide high performance but also deliver value.
An essential for every breakout area, meeting space, and classroom is the largeformat display—our specialist subject here at Avocor. During downtime, however, a display is often asleep and forgotten about until the next meeting or presentation. How can displays be working harder to earn their prime position in real estate?
At Avocor, we have forged an alliance with Rise Vision. Every Avocor display will now include Rise Vision digital signage software as standard, providing an out-of-the box multipurpose tool for collaboration and digital signage use.
These solutions resonate with IT managers and executives looking for efficiency, but also align perfectly with market trends that are increasingly favoring integrated solutions. By turning displays into digital signage tools, it gives displays greater purpose and helps to reinforce a positive culture and informed workplace.
This integration also creates a powerful security tool, providing instant emergency alerts across the entire network of Avocor displays on a campus. For example, if there is an intruder on a school campus, every classroom can be instantly alerted and given consistent safety instructions.
Rise Vision remote management simplifies the maintenance and updating across campuswide display networks. What’s more, users can design and update digital signage content from more than 500 templates and relay this across the network, instantly.
SAM KENNEDY Senior Director of Product Marketing Crestron
I’d urge specifiers to really think about the potential for multiple functions when it comes to these deployments: Can wayfinding double as interactive messaging, for example? Can an advertisement also become an interactive menu? The growth of interactive screens took off in the strive for contactless interactions at fast-food restaurants and hotels during the pandemic, and those possibilities continue to develop. From wayfinding to access control, the examples are limitless. Suppose you’re in a shopping center or a hotel: Tap the map, and you can find out what’s happening in that space.
That’s mainly accomplished by advancements in software rather than hardware. The next steps in this technology will be about simplifying the entire system— having fewer boxes to deal with. Less hardware means ease of installation, ease of management, and products that can be easily adapted and applied to both commercial and residential installations.
I think it’s also tremendously important that organizations keep in mind what’s coming next: signage that delivers content to a specific audience.
One way to automate this content delivery might be density and occupancy sensors. Let’s use Crestron HQ as an example: If I know that on certain days of the week, the marketing section of Crestron sees a large number of in-person workers, but on other days most of my colleagues are working remotely, then perhaps I can change my content to deliver the right info for that larger group. I might choose to display information like benefits changes or agendas for team meetings when the screens are likely to be viewed by the most people. If I know that we have many in-person customer meetings on Tuesdays, then that’s when I’ll display content informed by my company’s branding, or a video that’s showing off our latest products.
“By turning displays into digital signage tools, it gives displays greater purpose and helps to reinforce a positive culture and informed workplace.”
—Dana Corey Senior Vice President Avocor
“I think it’s tremendously important that organizations keep in mind what’s coming next: signage that delivers content to a specific audience.”
—Sam Kennedy Senior Director of Product Marketing CrestronDANIEL PRAX Global Director, Digital Marketing Black Box
AV customers and integrators realize the growing importance of data analytics. The ability to capture and interpret vast amounts of data is increasingly crucial for businesses and institutions. Data-driven insights can enhance user engagement, optimize operations, and influence strategic planning. Therefore, decision-makers should prioritize AV/IT solutions with robust analytical capabilities.
Cybersecurity is also a trend that can’t be overstated, since the risk of data breaches and cyber attacks escalates with the growth of digital connectivity. Therefore, secure AV/ IT systems need to be an essential component of every organization’s strategic plan in order to protect valuable information and maintain users’ trust.
In addition, Artificial Intelligence (AI) and Machine Learning (ML) are making their mark in the AV/IT landscape. AI and ML can learn from user behavior and create highly customized interactions, making these advancements highly attractive for future investment. These technologies can assist with automation, personalization, and improved user experiences.
Furthermore, the importance of sustainability in the AV/IT industry is growing. More organizations are prioritizing ecofriendly options, focusing on energy-efficient equipment and seeking vendors who share their commitment to sustainability.
AV/IT decision-makers need to consider all of these trends when planning future projects. Although interactive, touch-enabled, and immersive technologies are important, it is also crucial to consider data analytics, cybersecurity, AI/ML, and sustainability. Considering all of these pillars of an emerging digital paradigm can drive both growth and resilience. Ignoring these trends, however, could result in missed opportunities and potential vulnerabilities.
AV/IT experts need to think about unification, compatibility, and simplicity across all devices. The right foundation is essential to designing digital signage networks that boast these traits without compromising the wow factor.
Visual communications solutions should integrate with the organization’s existing technologies to share information and improve workflows without adding complexity. In addition, many organizations lack the resources to produce and maintain content on a regular basis, resulting in outdated and incorrect information. Decision-makers can avoid this trap by selecting a content management system (CMS) that supports automated content generation. In larger deployments, they can further ensure relevance by deploying content to specific locations; with the right CMS, it’s possible to set up discrete approval workflows by department or location.
Choosing a CMS with a strong portfolio of API integrations is the key to success. Integrations can provide customers with easy access to important data, customizable visual experiences, and easy content deployment to support stakeholders throughout their journey. Partner with a CMS provider that streamlines the organization’s technology tools into a central access point for deployment and control throughout their digital signage system. Experts should ensure their CMS is equipped with a range of APIs to suit existing and future technology requirements. Customization should also be easy to incorporate, with an AI-driven approach to brand and content unification to make the deployment seamless.
No two organizations have the same technology requirements, but everyone should demand that their visual communications experiences not only support but enhance their business’ technology and operations. To ensure adaptability and scalability for all projects, begin the digital signage discovery process supported by a broad range of APIs and operability across all digital devices. Then, future-proof your solutions with a dynamic back end and constantly growing API library for expansion without limitations.
JEFF HASTINGS Co-Chief Executive Officer BrightSign
One of the most prevalent trends we’re seeing is the expansion of digital signage well beyond traditional visual elements to create immersive experiences that capture the audience’s attention in new and innovative ways. We’re talking about multi-sensory experiences that connect with audiences more deeply than ever before.
At a practical level, this means that networks need to be capable of much more than simply delivering content to video endpoints. Instead, we’re helping our customers create robust networks that bring together video, audio, and other sensory elements to deliver experiences that connect with customers on a multitude of levels—deepening those connections and creating impact that lasts well beyond the moment they engage with the brand.
A key driver of this evolution is the rise of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML), and a whole host of technologies that build on these platforms. Visual sensors, for example, can detect and interpret visual cues about the viewer and then tailor the content appropriately. While this technology itself isn’t new, what we’re able to do with it is evolving quickly thanks to AI and ML. Now those same sensors that detect demographic information about the audience can also measure dwell time and other important metrics to understand which content does the best job of holding the viewer’s attention. Taking this example one step further, it won’t be long until generative AI is layered on top of those analytics to automatically create better iterations of existing content to do an even better job of capturing and keeping the viewer’s attention.
We’re in the early stages of understanding how generative AI will impact our market, but it’s reasonable to expect that it will streamline (and in some cases automate) the delivery of content that is continuously refined to attract and engage audiences in a wide range of business applications more effectively than ever.
Digital signage has increasingly become the primary method of internal communications for public and private organizations, largely for its ability to efficiently reach large audiences with engaging visual content. We see a stronger emphasis on immersive and interactive experiences in consumer-facing environments, where businesses use digital signage to heighten the customer experience. Within private organizations, the focus shifts to ensuring that key messages are promptly delivered, clearly communicated, and quick to update.
Today, there is a common desire to modernize digital signage networks in ways that improve network operations and evolve communication strategies. Much is built around the goals of network operators responsible for maintaining the infrastructure and managing content distribution.
To perform their tasks easier, IT departments are leading the charge to migrate from on-premise architectures to cloud-based platforms. Cloud-based digital signage software solutions enable a more secure, accessible, and streamlined digital signage operation for everyone who touches the network. For content contributors, it’s about having a highly accessible network infrastructure that makes it easy to upload, publish, and update content from anywhere. For IT managers, it’s about enabling modernized communications strategies where important announcements reach all intended audiences, while ensuring that content is protected.
The government vertical offers a unique perspective on the benefits that cloud signage networks enable. Cloud software makes it simpler to immediately reach entire communities. In addition to pushing content to digital displays inside local municipal and public safety facilities, cloud infrastructures simplify integrations with emergency systems to keep citizens physically safe and aware.
Ensuring safety inside the organization is also critical, and cloud signage providers are pushing to ensure IT security compliance. SOC 2 compliance is a recent emphasis, which outlines requirements for safeguarding data. Choosing a cloud signage vendor that follows best practices will ensure that the entire organization has a digital signage solution that modernizes infrastructure, improves internal collaboration, and strengthens content delivery.
We are seeing a surge of interest in creating immersive spaces and experiences, and with that comes the demand for flexible technology to power them. Whether art installations, entertainment, or practical use cases like collaborative classrooms or ultra-wide displays in meeting rooms, highresolution and large-scale display applications are on the rise, and there are a couple AV trends that are worth keeping an eye on.
Display technology expectations in everyday life have risen significantly in recent years as retailers look for unique ways to attract consumers. Corporate spaces and classrooms are being designed to see and do more with their displays, and immersive entertainment is becoming more prevalent. As a result, there is a much higher demand for accessible and flexible display technology that can deliver immersive or ultra-wide displays across a wide range of environments.
In addition, popular collaboration tools, such as Microsoft Teams Front Row, are optimized for a larger display size and ultra-wide 21:9 aspect ratio. With a wider screen you can have multiple windows side by side, such as chat windows, presentation slides, and documents. Having advantages over flat panels—projectors are a cost-effective solution that provide a lot of installation flexibility for wider aspect ratios like 21:9.
Epson continues to introduce new projector technology and tools that enable immersive environments for entertainment, schools, and collaboration. Offering flexible aspect ratios and smaller form factors, convenient installation, blending and stacking tools, and high-quality image and brightness, Epson packs impressive features into its extensive 3-chip 3LCD projector lineup. This simplifies decision making for AV/IT professionals—no matter what task is at hand.
Nowadays, digital signage has experienced a huge leap of technological advances that are not only mind blowing, but beautiful to admire. Corporations are trying to stand out from the competition by incorporating interactive or immersive elements to reach the consumer. Some examples of this are the 3D anamorphic installations in New York’s Times Square and Tokyo’s Shinjuku area for Louis Vuitton, Nike, and other global brands.
However, even smaller companies can be part of the digital signage revolution. Some trends AV/IT decision makers should consider include interactivity and touch-enabled displays to provide a more personalized and engaging experience to consumers; immersive and large-format displays that create impressive visual experiences and captivate audiences in various settings, such as retail, events, and museums; dynamic content that can be updated in real time based on audience demographics, time of day, or other relevant factors; integration with mobile devices to extend the reach of campaigns and offer more effective experiences with technologies, such as QR codes, NFC, or Bluetooth; cloud-based content management to offer scalability, flexibility, and remote management capabilities for more effective content distribution; AI-powered content optimization to offer the right content to the right audience at the right time; sustainability and energy efficiency; and security and privacy to prevent cyber threats and ensure user privacy.
THOMAS TANG Founder and President Apantac
When working with the design of an interactive or immersive AV project, there are several key and interrelated factors that should be closely considered. With compression, we’re trying to reduce the file size and keep the picture quality as close to the high-quality original source as possible. Choosing the optimal compression algorithm and correct transport protocols influences the end-to-end latency. Latency and compression go hand in hand, and should be considered together when working on an interactive application. Depending on each use case, image quality or low latency will be more important. The optimal combination of compression, image quality, and latency will result in a great project. In an immersive AV project, however, compression methods should not be sacrificed to lower the latency and thus the image quality. There are several compression schemes that do sacrifice image quality to achieve lower bandwidth and latency, which shouldn’t be considered for these types of high-quality projects. An immersive experience often demands high-dynamic-range (HDR) video, and exceptional quality audio, such as Dolby Digital. In addition, integrated USB 2.0 and transparent USB support for touch screens, tablets, microphones, and webcams—as well as other peripherals—are all key for interactive and immersive applications. That’s why we work with HDBaseT 3.0, as it is a core standard that supports all these requirements.
When it comes to digital display purchases, perhaps the primary factor AV/ IT managers should take into consideration is the quality and performance of the visual content that’s planning to be presented. Of these, one of the most important aspects is resolution, especially as displays continue to get bigger in screen size. Furthermore, as DOOH becomes more immersive, higher resolutions without compression are needed to avoid pixelation or other artifacts that can diminish the viewing experience. However, with these higher resolutions also comes greater bandwidth and data transfer rate requirements, which can pose significant challenges for long-distance extension of the media from its originating source. In such cases, HDBaseT 3.0’s ability to transmit fully uncompressed 4K@60Hz 4:4:4 up to 328 feet (100m) over Category cable provides the ideal solution, and one that can even be daisy chained over and over without sacrificing signal quality.
Additionally, with standards and formats evolving so rapidly, AV/IT managers should also seek to implement solutions for future proofing their digital display installations with flexibility. One such way is through modular interface cards, such as those based on Intel’s Smart Display Module (SDM) platform. These cards are easily interchanged to provide displays with various functionalities and interfaces, including HDBaseT 3.0, and their small form factors make them compatible with even modern slim-profile screens. As a result, existing hardware can continue to be leveraged over time rather than be replaced as the system is continually upgraded. Not only does this translate into financial savings due to potential longer equipment lifespans, but also less e-waste finding its way into our landfills. In other words, green benefits on multiple fronts!
JOEL CARROLL Executive Vice President of Sales Mersive Technologies
Collaboration
components and software are moving beyond their original intent to interoperate holistically as part of a larger solution to supercharge both the display and the in-room experience. If the result is seamless, it can create deep engagement and increase return on objective—not just investment. Collaboration platforms like Mersive Solstice that integrate with thirdparty digital signage providers and allow customization of the signage experience are a great example of this amplified experience in both corporate and higher-education facilities.
We have one large higher education customer that uses Solstice in lecture halls, huddle spaces, and open spaces campus wide. Rather than those displays remaining dormant when not in use, Solstice’s digital signage capabilities enable them to deliver valuable information and consistent messaging via what is essentially a customizable web page. News, advertisements, events, and other kinds of information appear as a scroll at the top of each display all over campus. Then, when it’s time to collaborate in a huddle space or learn from a professor in a lecture hall, the display becomes part of the collaboration ecosystem. Additionally, deep analytics inform the staff on how each room is being used and inform decision-making around how to deploy collaboration technology in additional rooms or adjust current spaces to make more efficient use of the space.
Pushing the capabilities of digital signage even further, facilities can make spaces responsive to in-room sensors, leveraging digital signage in completely new ways with pages that are deployed when someone enters the room. This opens up huge possibilities for users to brand their displays and customize experiences for their audience. Repurposing a display to show interactive content isn’t about reallocating resources, it’s about using sensory-aware technology to serve up the exact message you want to give.
There are several trends to consider that reflect changing consumer expectations and technological advancements, ensuring investments remain relevant and impactful.
Content personalization continues to be a significant factor in most interactive experiences. Consumers are influenced in their personal lives by online shopping experiences and social media content curation that caters to their desires and interests. That curation is created by cataloging prior activity on the platform: What did they look at, like, or buy? What was their dwell time on the page? Did they leave a comment or review? Decision makers should pursue solutions that leverage AI to optimize content delivery and measure audience engagement.
More digital applications are being used to display dynamic, real-time video content that requires low-latency audio. To support this trend, particularly in digital signage applications, Audinate partnered with ASPEED to develop Dante AV-A. Dante AV-A extends the Dante AV portfolio to hardware based on ASPEED’s popular AST1530/1535 systemon-chip (SoC). It delivers high-quality video and two channels of Dante audio that are instantly compatible with Dante-enabled audio products, simplifying distributed AV system design.
Platform management and security are increasingly crucial for any digital solution. As these solutions become more interconnected, security measures must be prioritized to protect against potential cyber threats and ensure data privacy compliance. Adding oversight of interactive projects to an already taxed IT organization means that managing the platforms must be easy and intuitive. Remote management capabilities and cloud-based solutions for centralized control and ease of content distribution are must-haves for any solution.
By keeping these trends top of mind, decision makers can make informed choices that align with their organization’s goals, engage their target audience effectively, and create memorable digital experiences that drive results.
We continue to see the digital signage ecosystem evolve in new and exciting ways. Across every vertical, adopters have embraced the knowledge that digital signage is no longer confined to traditional displays. Every screen can now be an end point for a digital signage network.
Digital signage software suppliers have stepped up their innovation cycles to help organizations reach people across these many platforms. Hybrid workplace models have fundamentally changed employee engagement, and businesses have increasingly adopted digital signage to provide consistent messaging—over company intranet websites, smartphones, and even conferencing software solutions—to build a better employee experience.
The employee experience also ties into a critical new piece of the digital signage ecosystem: space booking and management solutions. While meeting room signs have existed for decades, the focus has shifted to bookable spaces. We now see interactive solutions that allow people to book any shareable asset or space, with the ability to integrate with existing calendar systems. These solutions should be considered part of the overall employee experience.
The success of any digital signage strategy ultimately correlates with its effect on the audience experience. Whether it is the employee experience, the university visitor experience, or the customer experience, audiences today expect screens to be lively and interactive. Without strong audience engagement, the digital signage strategy will fall short.
Digital signage software innovators are helping their customers rise to the occasion, providing easyto-use content creation tools and managed services to develop compelling interactive experiences. While “interactive” brings visions of touchscreens, there are other ways to create memorable interactive experiences. Consider adding QR tags to digital signage displays, meeting room signs, and wayfinding kiosks that allow people to take the information they need with them on their mobile phones.
Moving forward, we’ll see more integration of AI tools into the digital signage ecosystem—notably for content creation and data analytics that help organizations measure the success of their digital signage strategies.
JEFF
As witnessed at InfoComm, the biggest trend in AV/IT right now are massive direct-view LED displays. These displays provide AV/ IT teams expanded choices for immersive, impactful, big-screen messaging. Direct-view LED displays ensure that office workers, students, and customers can view content with complete clarity. Most of today’s directview LED displays come with exceptional audio and video features, ultra-slim bezels, and detachable system control boxes. These minimalist designs make these displays perfect for corporate lobbies and boardrooms, school auditoriums, retail spaces, and other environments where an impact needs to be made without the cumbersome size and weight of traditional LED video walls.
A traditional LED video wall takes time and is complex to set up, from configuration and calibration to image stitching and setting up control systems, which often must be purchased separately—not to mention there are long hours and technical barriers for IT teams. Then, there is the issue of maintenance, as well as hardware and software availability. Finally, these traditional video walls are more complex for users and require a specialized technician to operate.
Direct-view LED solutions boast seamless image quality with an all-in-one modular design that simplifies delivery, installation, and maintenance. Imagine the time and manpower saved when it only takes two AV/IT people a few hours to set up a display anywhere from 135- to 200-plus inches. Plug-and-play design eliminates additional components and accessories, with everything included. Maintenance is easier with front-serviceable modules that do not require moving or turning the display off. Direct-view LED displays also have about twice the lifespan of traditional LCD video walls, without the noticeable drop off in quality after long-term use.
All things considered, direct-view LED displays offer lower TCO and better ROI in the long run.
AV and IT are closely intertwined, and decision makers must be attuned to various trends that can impact their purchasing decisions. Whether it’s interactive displays, touch-enabled devices, or immersive technologies, there are some key trends to keep in mind.
First, as AV/IT systems continue to converge, seamless integration and interoperability become paramount. Decision makers should prioritize solutions that can seamlessly communicate and integrate with existing infrastructure.
Second, touch-enabled displays and gesture control have become a big part of digital signage solutions. Buyers should look for touch technology that is accurate, responsive, and supports multitouch gestures. Incorporating intuitive touch controls enhances the UX and provides a more interactive and collaborative experience.
Third, immersive technologies like virtual reality (VR) and augmented reality (AR) are transforming the way people interact with content. Tech managers should consider how these technologies can be leveraged to enhance presentations, training sessions, and customer interactions. Immersive experiences can captivate audiences and provide a competitive edge.
Fourth, user-centric design principles should guide AV/IT purchasing decisions. Solutions should be intuitive, easy to use, and accessible to individuals with varying levels of technical proficiency. A well-designed user interface can significantly impact user adoption and productivity.
And finally, rapid technological advancements mean that AV/IT solutions can quickly become obsolete. Decision makers should seek scalable and future-proof solutions that can accommodate evolving needs and technologies. Investing in upgradable systems and modular designs can extend the lifespan of AV equipment.
Tech Managers should consider a holistic approach that encompasses integration, user experience, innovation, sustainability, and security. By staying informed about these trends and selecting solutions that align with their organization’s objectives, decision makers can create immersive and impactful AV environments that enhance communication, collaboration, and overall business success.
CARRIE GARCIA
It’s important to recognize the significance of staying ahead of the curve when planning for future purchases. Decision-makers must carefully consider trends to make informed choices that align with their organization’s goals and target audience.
We see a major shift towards interactivity. Traditional static displays are becoming less effective in engaging audiences. Interactive displays, such as touchscreens and gesture-based interfaces, enable more personalized experiences. These interactive solutions encourage user participation, leading to increased brand engagement and improved information retention. As such, AV/IT decisionmakers should prioritize investments in interactive technologies that cater to their specific use-cases and enhance customer experiences.
Another vital consideration is touch-enabled solutions and BYOD. With the proliferation of smartphones and tablets, people have grown accustomed to touch-based interactions. Touchenabled displays offer intuitive user experiences, enabling visitors to navigate content easily and independently. Incorporating touch-enabled displays can streamline processes, boost sales, and foster better communication with customers or students. Immersive experiences represent yet another trend to keep in mind. Virtual and augmented reality technologies have gained significant traction across various industries. Decision makers should assess the potential of these technologies to create captivating and memorable experiences for their audiences. Whether it’s showcasing products in 3D, providing virtual tours, or gamifying learning experiences, immersive solutions can elevate engagement levels and differentiate a brand from its competitors.
Lastly, AV/IT decision-makers must factor in the importance of content management systems (CMS). A reliable CMS is essential for remotely controlling and updating content across multiple displays and locations. It streamlines content distribution, ensures consistency, and allows for real-time adjustments, maximizing the impact of the displays. By partnering with innovative providers like YCD Multimedia, businesses can unlock the full potential of these trends and deliver captivating and impactful experiences to delight their audiences.
JORDAN FEILAV/IT decision makers must realize that technology is changing and advancing more rapidly than ever. That means keeping one eye on the now and the other on the future when planning their next purchases. By selecting software providers that are forward thinking and constantly innovating, they will always have a digital signage software platform that can address the latest industry trends and technologies.
This goal is more easily achieved through a single, unified software platform that can handle many projects, from standard digital signage and interactive kiosks to immersive and gesture-powered experiences. AV/IT decision makers must find a way to execute on any project or use case that comes up, without needing to deploy multiple different platforms.
The first hurdle to overcome is confirming that the software is reliable and that it works. Purchasers often get distracted by technology trends they see at tradeshows or in software demos, and rush to buy and implement without the necessary QA and testing. This often results in futuristic experiences that are unreliable and don’t work perfectly 100 percent of the time. Consumers expect snappy, responsive experiences—same as with our personal devices—making functional reliability paramount. Work with vendors that develop and actively support their software in-house to maintain consistency with the digital signage experiences you provide.
While interactive and immersive experiences are designed to impress and excite customers and visitors, never forget to include CTAs and conversion steps along with that wow factor. That may be as simple as gathering contact information from interested customers or offering coupons or other incentives to try out the interactive experience you have made an investment in for your organization. Finding ways to monetize your new experience can take the pressure off, because no matter what, their new project will bring in revenue and potentially pay for itself in the future.
The request for outdoor digital kiosks and enclosures has increased twofold in the last year. The need for advertising to the outdoor crowd seems to have grown. We are seeing evidence of this through more diverse applications of dynamic digital-out-ofhome (DOOH) media, from storefront indoor window displays that face exterior audiences to EV charging kiosks that provide content to electric vehicle owners as they charge their cars. Outdoor kiosks that were once primarily used for informational purposes are also now blossoming into something richer and ripe for monetization through targeted media content and advertising.
One of the first design choices to confirm is where the kiosk for your application will truly interactive. The application where this will be installed will dictate these two choices. Outdoor wayfinding will necessitate touchscreen displays similar to the touch kiosks inside malls, while an outdoor kiosk that just loops advertising will not need a touchenabled display. Knowing your customers’ requirements and the purpose of the kiosk or display will help you gain an educated decision on what solution works best for each application.
Palmer Digital Group specializes in the design, construction, and installation of kiosks and enclosures for these and other purposes. That process includes the integration of displays inside various structures. One recent trend we have noticed is that display manufacturers have caught up to the requests of their partners to make displays that can survive brutal outdoor environments. That has increased the consistency of screen operation in harsh environmental climates, and reduced or eliminated the need for display enclosure manufacturers to install AC units and multiple fans, which can lead to more failure points. This translates to ongoing reliability and performance of the end user’s visual content; reduced tech support calls, expensive site visits, and repairs; and a better overall consumer experience for those that interact with the technology.
JUSTIN LACHOVSKY Director, Sales and Marketing Telecine
Embarking on an AV/IT journey is like setting sail on a tech expedition, complete with interactive treasures, touch-enabled quests, and immersive adventures. As you gear up for this exciting escapade of n-AVigating the high seas of digital signage, uncover trends that savvy decision makers need to steer towards:
First, prioritize the user. Imagine a world where every touch sparks magic. Make the UX your North Star. Opt for intuitive interfaces that turn complexity into child’s play, elevating productivity and igniting curiosity. No one wants to see a complicated user interface that does not call to action where someone should interact!
Second, tech is a symphony of components. Harmonize them seamlessly. Choose solutions that sync gracefully with existing tech orchestras, playing well with various software, hardware, and protocols. Stop building silos, as they only lead to disparate and unused signage systems that too often require a reboot.
Third, choose solutions that scale as you ascend, embracing upgrades and outpacing obsolescence. Reach the summit while others are still climbing. By that we mean, plan for success and over prepare the tools needed to achieve success. Needs for signage are constantly evolving, and so by staying prepared for any technological expedition, you can always meet users’ new requirements.
Fourth, safeguard your digital treasure. Fortify your ship with cybersecurity measures that keep data pirates at bay. Encrypt, defend, and update to ensure your loot stays safe. It is important to pick robust commercial grade technologies that can fulfill these security checks.
Fifth, new tech horizons require capable sailors. Budget for training to transform your crew into tech maestros. Bolster them with reliable support to brave any storm.
And lastly, every journey seeks treasure. Define your tech quest with measurable landmarks—key performance indicators that guide you to the ROI chest. Celebrate victory as you unearth tech riches.
In the grand sea of AV/IT decision making, these trends weave a vibrant narrative. Fellow tech adventurers: Plot your course, embrace the voyage, and dare to dream as you navigate the world of interactive, touch-enabled, and immersive possibilities. Bon voyage!
AMANDA FLYNN Vice President of Customer Relations
USSI Global
Digital signage takes many forms in the business community, which means that conversations always start with understanding how we can guide and support an organization’s digital signage journey. That journey naturally includes compelling content that will engage audiences. However, the digital signage journey no longer ends with content presentation. Today, digital signage users have access to a much broader spectrum of tools and services that help them get the most out of their digital signage deployments.
High on the list is access to data analytics that tell the story of how an organization’s digital signage network is performing. A high-performance analytics software brings exceptional clarity to performance, without requiring internal staff members to endlessly parse raw data.
That visualized data gives digital signage users the key to measuring performance and understanding how their metrics align with success. These metrics can be easily tailored to visualize the information that is most meaningful to the organization’s goals, and often they vary across different business verticals.
For example, the ability to tailor marketing and advertising content by demographic is especially valuable in the retail space, where analytics can help users understand how content and ads are performing with men, women, and various age groups. Length of engagement will communicate how appealing an immersive attraction is when measuring the customer experience. Outside the retail space, we see interesting applications for analytics in the corporate vertical, where data can help executives understand how audiences engage with presentations.
Organizations with even the most comprehensible analytics software will still often lack the time and resources to manage these systems full time. Service providers like USSI Global take the extra step of interpreting and packaging data and performance metrics for organizations. By extension, organizations working with outside service providers should be able to count on them to remotely monitor and troubleshoot their network, ensure uninterrupted content delivery, and provide 24/7 availability to ensure consistent performance and enduring success.
In Somerville, Massachusetts, Boynton Yards is a life science and innovation community near Cambridge’s Kendall Square and a hub where science and culture mix. The first purpose-built lab building in the mixed-use development is a 289,000-square-foot, nine-story facility developed by Leggat McCall Properties that features state-of-the-art research and development lab space, offices, and amenities.
In the elevator lobby of the building, a digital art installation combining physical and digital media invites tenants and visitors to explore a series of ever-changing animations representing various patterns found in nature. Created by experiential design firm SOSO, the multimedia piece named “Observer Effect” was constructed using five vertically mounted Planar MGP Series 1.5mm pixel pitch LED video walls with custom fabricated acrylic lenses positioned over parts of the displays. As viewers move and look at the artwork from different angles, the lenses work to amplify, distort, and deconstruct the visuals.
According to SOSO, the acrylic lenses are meant to resemble the optical instruments that scientists use to observe the natural world and the artwork itself is a reflection of the act of scientific observation. The piece also thematically ties in with the work occurring in the building, according to SOSO founding partner John Rothenberg. “These are scientists who look closely at small things and make observations that lead to all kinds of exciting discoveries,” he said. “But then they’re zooming out and seeing how it affects things at a more global scale. We took that as a metaphor and dived into the process of ‘observing the act of observing.’ The underlying theme of the artwork is a simulation of natural phenomena discovered through close observation.”
The artwork’s animation is driven by a simulation algorithm
called reaction diffusion—a mathematical model corresponding to a wide variety of patterns that occur in the natural world. “It’s a well-published algorithm that can be used to mimic patterns like you would see with sand dunes, cuttlefish skin, sea coral, or zebra stripes,” Rothenberg explained.
Contrary to most LED display applications, where the intent is to minimize pixelation, SOSO designed the artwork to embrace the materiality of the display. “In our case, we wanted to play with the pixelation as part of the layers of observation,” SOSO designer and creative technologist Dalma Földesi said. “That was our playful approach with the displays and the use of the lenses—as you look at the artwork from different angles, you can see the pixels split into their individual components.”
Rothenberg noted that the lensing is very kinetic and responsive to human movement. “Even subtle shifts in your position, like a tilt of the head, will produce a dramatic ripple with what you see in the graphics,” he said.
Planar MGP Series LED displays were very effective for SOSO’s purposes and offered the perfect scale for the vertical columns they used. “We had unique mounting requirements for this project; instead of a sixteen by nine screen, we wanted thin bands, high resolution, great visual characteristics, and also a reasonable price,” Rothenberg said. “The Planar MGP Series was great on all those fronts. It made for a really fun canvas for artwork, especially when you get to play with it outside of the typical form factor.”
Leggat McCall project manager Rola Idris said, “We wanted to create an experience that inspires and energizes our tenants who pass through the lobby every day. The artwork is never the same at any two moments. The patterns and colors of the piece perpetually change and recombine to make new visuals.”
For the University of Rhode Island (URI), both the COVID-19 pandemic and frequent lamp projector failures prompted a campus-wide technology upgrade. With feedback from lead information technologist Jeffrey Levesque, the university decided to implement Sony laser projectors—a move that would ultimately turn out to be practical and cost effective, with the added benefit of a reduction in resource usage.
URI now has close to 120 Sony laser projectors, with one in nearly every classroom. The university started off with the VPL-PHZ10 and VPL-PHZ12 installation projector models, and have now expanded their use to include the ultra-compact VPLPHZ60 and VPL-PHZ61s as their main models, which offer 6,500 and 7,000 center lumens of brightness, respectively. These laser models also feature a fast start up and shutdown for saving time and energy.
“We tend to just put the VPL-PHZ61 in now because the brightness is great,” Levesque said. “If it’s too bright, I can decrease the brightness and make the projector last longer.
I also like the size because they’re light for when I have to install them. It’s really easy to go up and put them in. It takes me no time to put one of these up compared to other projectors I’ve worked with, and I don’t need assistance because I can basically install them myself.”
In addition to projectors, URI has also installed Sony’s pro BRAVIA displays across their campus. Prior to the pro BRAVIA installation, there was no campus standard for displays, making it diffi cult to keep track of which ones were being serviced, whether they had the right equipment to be maintained, or how they operated.
“We’re a small department that kind of does everything on campus at this point, and we couldn’t keep it up anymore,” Levesque explained. “When we saw the displays, we were blown away by the image quality that we were getting compared to what had been installed.”
URI now has more than three dozen pro BRAVIA displays, ranging from 65 to 85 inches, primarily utilized for reinforcement in
classrooms. Certain classrooms have a secondary display in the back of the room, and extended displays in the front. Pro BRAVIA displays are also being installed for digital signage across campus to provide information to students and the public. URI is also currently utilizing pro BRAVIA displays and audio reinforcements to make their conference rooms more modern—especially when it comes to hybrid meetings.
Since updating their equipment, Levesque and others have noticed positive results such as saving time and money on repairs.
“One thing we’ve noticed is when we put the Sony ecosystem on campus, it just works,” Levesque said. “We get them in, we put them up, and we really don’t have to think about them. I don’t have to visit the displays or projectors all the time and change their lamps or filters—they just work. We set the displays on an internal schedule to power them on and off for us, utilizing the Pro Mode (BRAVIA preloaded functionality), and they work great.”
URI’s students and staff have also taken notice. Faculty members have continuously told Levesque and the rest of the AV team how great the projectors’ image quality is, and how their reality creation feature is very helpful when presenting lessons because everything looks clearer and brighter. Students also report being more engaged with the content due to the brighter imagery.
“We have amazing service and reps with Sony,” Levesque maintained. “Sony has been great when it comes to any issues that I have, or even doing future design work. We are incredibly happy here.”
with 2-by-1 displays mounted along the side walls of the center. Four 2-by-2 displays are in the 911 operations center. Additional displays are installed in the director and assistant director’s offices, as well as the conference room.
“We can disseminate information throughout the building to different locations. One of the most important things is versatility; we can bring in different types of information. We have a CAD (computer aided dispatch) system through 911, and we can show through this system where all the police, fire, and first responders’ units are on a map on our video wall,” said Stanbury.
A key consideration for the Communications Center was the usability of the system. “We were looking for the most advanced equipment, but the ease of use was very important. Many of the people using it won’t necessarily be tech savvy, but it’s easy to use and set up. It’s probably one of the easiest systems to use,” said Stanbury.
The new Lafayette Parish Communications District provides emergency services for the citizens of Lafayette Parish, Louisiana, including a 911 communications center, and is the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness for the Parish. Completed in 2020, it is a multi-million-dollar, state-of-the-art center spanning 23,000 square feet.
“We house the emergency operations center here. Any time we have an incident, officials come to the building and get the information they need to make informed decisions for the people of Lafayette Parish,” said Craig Stansbury, Homeland Security/911 director for Lafayette Parish. “After an incident, like a hurricane, this is where we would meet and assess the damage and respond to that.”
Accessing and sharing information is critical to the operations of the Communications District, and careful consideration was given to the selection and installation of an AV system for the new center. “We went around the country and looked at as many facilities as we could and brought back information we liked about each facility. We generally knew what we wanted in
our system,” said Stanbury. Integrator Interstate Electronic Systems (IES) was selected to specify and install the AV system.
With a proven track record of integrating emergency operations centers, including the Real Time Crime Center in New Orleans, IES selected 60 Christie Extreme Series 55-inch LCD panels, with a narrow 1.7mm combined bezel width, Christie Phoenix processing node, and Phoenix Quad-T for additional 4K inputs.
“We chose Christie Phoenix because of its distributed architecture, which allowed us to build in redundancy with multiple processing nodes. Redundancy is essential in any missioncritical facility,” said Lloyd Francioni, managing partner at IES. “With other systems, if there’s a catastrophic failure, everything goes down. With the Phoenix, we can have a back-up node to take over processing. If it goes down, the worst you can lose is two displays, not the entire wall. We stress very highly with 911 and EOCs—you have to have fail-safe levels of redundancy.”
Christie Extreme Series displays are installed throughout the facility, including a 4-by-4 video wall in the main Emergency Operation Center,
“We’re thrilled that IES and Lafayette Parish Communications District has selected Christie solutions for its AV system,” said Maz Maeefjou, director of sales and business development at Christie. “We strive to deliver best-in-class solutions for emergency operations centers and are pleased that our technology is helping Lafayette Parish Communications District deliver critical services.”
Stansbury concluded, “The AV system is the key to bringing information to officials, before, during, and after an incident; it helps us to take care of the citizens of Lafayette Parish. It’s probably one of the most important systems we have to be able to do our jobs.”
Situated on a 27-acre wooded lot abutting the Hudson River in Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey, LG Electronics’ North American headquarters presents a futuristic vision of work campuses. The meticulously designed 350,000-squarefoot headquarters building offers staff and visitors a visionary environment that combines sustainable building design with copious LG technologies, including hundreds of commercial displays in various use cases.
It’s immediately evident to anyone visiting the site that this corporate headquarters is just as much an LG product showcase as it is a bustling den of productivity. Featuring dedicated showrooms for home appliances and home entertainment products, in addition to the education-focused LG Inspiration Lab available to local schools, the building offers customers and local communities real-world experience with bleeding-edge technologies.
Perhaps the most visible product integration is the vast number of LG commercial digital displays installed throughout every corner of the headquarters. The largest models are found in a 5,000-square-foot dividable, multipurpose room, with each side housing one of LG’s 173-inch direct-view LED displays. The same model is also utilized in the CEO boardroom as an oversized conferencing and presentation canvas that can operate under virtually any lighting conditions with phenomenal clarity and ease of use.
AVI-SPL, a globally respected integration firm and longtime LG partner, was responsible for integrating many of the displays throughout the employee-facing areas of the headquarters.
Robert Martzloff, regional general manager, AVI-SPL said, “When LG contacted us for electronic systems design and installation assistance at its North American headquarters, we recognized it as an opportunity to help create a new kind of corporate space that marries modern aesthetics and needs with LG’s leading technologies.”
The campus consists of two main buildings, connected by an 18,000 square-foot glass “cube” atrium. Several hundred LG Business Solutions commercial displays are installed
throughout the interior spaces—from ultrawide LG desktop monitors in offices and at workstations to the nearly four dozen 49inch LG digital displays providing menu boards and an L-shaped video wall in The Servery cafeteria.
Each wing contains multiple meeting and conference rooms of varying sizes that offer BYOD connectivity to digital displays and remote collaboration equipment. The largest spaces are outfitted with 98-inch 4K models, while medium-sized and huddle rooms offer 86- and 55-inch models, respectively. Each floor also includes an open-plan work café space that houses 75-inch digital signage displays for messaging. Large-screen displays are integrated into the newly opened LG Academy HVAC training center and Skyline Showroom demonstration kitchen.
“We have displays installed throughout the wings that provide an always-on messaging platform that allows us to communicate consistent brand messages and company information to employees as needed,” Steven Yu, director of building operations for the LG North American headquarters explained. “By utilizing so many different LG products and displays, we’ve created a work environment that represents our ingenuity and achievements while deepening employee appreciation for the products themselves.”
A 5,000-square-foot LG Inspiration Lab on the third floor of the atrium presents sustainability-related experiences and STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art, and math) education through cutting-edge displays. The interactive exhibition space features transparent OLED displays, ultrawide Stretch displays, touch-sensitive displays, and more.
The showpiece of the LG Inspiration Lab is a towering, wave-shaped video screen, which comprises 32 curved open-frame LG OLED displays and surrounds them with life-like underwater videos of aquatic creatures.
“LG’s first science hall-style installation in North America offers local children an edu-tainment experience that rivals major museums,” said Yu. “From top to bottom, we’ve worked to maximize the value of this space to
the local community and economy, whether it’s interactive videos about climate science, sustainable technologies, and beyond.”
One sustainability benefit to the campus comes from LG’s displays themselves, which are designed to minimize power draw and can be controlled remotely through multiple protocols, including LG’s on-board webOSTM software platform. This allows the entire digital display network to be turned on or off all at once, and even be scheduled for automatic operation, enabling precise control of electricity usage. In addition to benefiting from ENERGY STAR-certified LG digital displays, appliances, and HVAC equipment, workers can directly contribute to sustainability efforts by utilizing LG electric vehicle charging stations in the parking garage.
This unique headquarters campus is now a business-focused product showcase and experience center, offering U.S. customers, employees, and community stakeholders a stunning example of what can be achieved through innovative thinking and technological breakthroughs.”
Hyundai America Technical Center, Inc. (HATCI) continually seeks ways to improve its design process. From the first sketch—produced digitally or translated from a hand-drawn sketch—to the design freeze, its designers want tools that render high-resolution, lifelike images.
HATCI designers require extremely high-quality displays to accurately depict a vehicle’s surfaces and form during the design and styling process. The design team must thoroughly review the vehicle’s development and accurately assess the impact of subtle changes over several revisions.
HATCI’s new display would need to render a full-size side view of a large passenger vehicle in true color and high resolution. Any new display solution would also need to integrate with their existing computer-aided styling (CAS) and computer-aided design (CAD) tools and support future software updates—while taking up minimal physical space in the studio. And because HATCI is part of a global company with design studios worldwide, the team also needed a display that would support real-time remote collaboration with
comparable graphics across all locations and installations.
An industry-leading provider of large-scale, ultra-high-resolution audiovisual systems for advanced visualization applications, IGI arranged for David Nikel, manager of Design Operations for HATCI, to experience Samsung’s microLED display, The Wall. It checked all of HATCI’s boxes: It could create a bright, colorful viewing experience, while its Black Seal, HDR10+ and Ultra Chroma Technology provided pure blacks and true-tolife color and contrast in a seamless design.
The Wall has empowered HATCI designers to view and review their designs in true-to-life color at a 1:1 scale. To view designs accurately across multiple devices, HATCI is considering building an even better color calibration system to render true-to-life colors on all of the team’s devices, as is the norm in modern film production.
“The translation because of software and the reality of the viewing tools we’re using— between VR headsets and screens—allows us to see designs as they ought to be,” Nikel explained. “We’re seeing it in 1:1, the volumes
and the form and the textures of the materials as you expect to see them.”
Before HATCI digitized its design process, it wasn’t uncommon for each studio to work on up to three full-size clay models simultaneously before coming together for a final design workshop. Compared to the traditional process, HATCI’s digital workflow saves time and money and allows the team to move their design freeze closer to the actual fabrication of the prototype.
The Wall’s integration with HATCI’s videoconferencing and 3D VR visualization software has also made it easy for the team to collaborate with global colleagues in real time.
Beyond meeting all the display technology requirements, The Wall’s easy, modular installation process was equally impressive to Aytug Yildirim, HATCI’s Business Operation manager. “There’s no need to leave any space behind the display for projection,” he said. “That allows it to be installed directly on the wall, meaning that the studio gained 25 feet of real estate over the old projection-based system—another reason Hyundai wanted the LED Wall.”
The flexibility of The Wall’s modular design also means that the display can expand to accommodate future design work on larger vehicles. When it’s time to make another display upgrade, The Wall can be deconstructed, allowing HATCI to repurpose the individual panels for other applications, such as conference room displays.
“Just about everyone who sees The Wall is pretty much blown away with the system. And we’re just getting started,” Nikel said.”
The Lakewood Tavern, an American food and sports bar in Lake Elmo, Minnesota, opened in March 2023 and has become known as a hub for gathering to watch live sports of all kinds. Working with sales agency and consulting brand Innovative Sales Solutions, as well as control solutions designer and manufacturer Key Digital Systems, Peerless-AV was able to provide a custom support solution for this truly unique installation.
The goal of the installation was to maximize the viewing experience for all customers by installing multiple TVs around the venue. The solution not only needed to be easy to install with a high level of adjustability, but it had to provide easy access for servicing and maintenance.
LG 65-, 75-, and 86-inch displays were chosen for the project and used throughout the dining areas and corner cubby holes, supported by a combination of 15 Peerless-AV SmartMount Universal Tilt Wall Mounts (ST650 and ST680) and Articulating Wall Mounts (SA771PU). Key to this installation was the large mounting plate and easy-glide display adaptors included with the tilt wall mount, which simplified the installation of the large flat-panel displays. Another important feature was the mount’s horizontal display adjustment, which provided enough left-to-right movement to achieve the ideal viewing position.
For the displays located above the central bar, Peerless-AV’s SmartMount Digital Menu Board Mounts (DS-MBZ647L) with Ceiling Menu Board Connectors (ACC-MBCR1) and Menu Board Wall Plate Accessory (ACC-MB0800) were used to create the perfect back-to-back digital menu board. This section consists of 10-by65-inch displays in two 4-by-1 configurations with two at each end. The install team chose this combination of mounts and accessories because they allow for a wider, seamless, and more impactful digital menu board surface and the displays can be tilted at the same angle with ease. This is exactly what the project called for, enabling customers to see sporting action from anywhere in the venue.
“It was a complex project simply because of the number of TVs to be installed,” John
Peterson, vice president of Technology Sales at Innovative Sales Solutions commented. “To get as close to back-to-back as possible at the bar, we designed a customized solution that reduced the number of poles needed from the ceiling to make the digital menu board stable and give it a tighter looking finish. We also had to work with strict building inspection criteria. For example, the mount adaptor plate had to be raised all the way up to the building girder and be attached to Unistrut metal framing system for load-bearing purposes.”
Live sports channels stream to all the TVs thanks to Key Digital Systems who provided an AV-over-IP solution via Cat6 cabling. Eight streaming sources are controlled using the KD-App on an iPad. The end result is a highly impressive sports bar that customers will enjoy for years to come, and the feedback from the Lakewood Tavern owners has been overwhelmingly positive.
“As soon as you walk into the space, you get the feeling that you are in a unique sports bar,” Lakewood Tavern owners Tom, Lou, and
Chris said. “Now that we’ve been open a few months, the response has been fantastic, and there is a definite sports vibe. Using the iPad, we’re in full control. Customers can let us know what sports they want to watch. And we can select an individual TV or all TVs to display by hitting a button, whether it’s local, on cable, or a streaming platform. We are offering the ultimate in sports bar entertainment!”
Photos Courtesy of Peerless-AV
Located in Ellisville, Mississippi, the Ellisville State School is a state-operated regional program providing comprehensive services to persons with intellectual and developmental disabilities. It is the goal of Ellisville State School to provide each person with the appropriate services so that each will develop to the maximum of his or her potential.
During the COVID-19 pandemic, when Ellisville State School (ESS) closed its doors to protect residents and staff, director Rinsey McSwain found herself conducting daily video calls in the conference room. She quickly became frustrated by the limited capabilities of the aging projector and conference phone. This frustration was the springboard for change, as McSwain envisioned the development of a fully interactive environment powered by the most current technology.
“She wanted top-notch video conferencing equipment that could be used in multiple, flexible ways,” IT director Bobby Sterling said. “The room was already equipped with a divider, and she wanted to be able to leverage it for simultaneous smaller meetings as well as ones that used the full space.”
Along with network administrator Dean Yelverton, Sterling reached out to reseller partner RJ Young for assistance. Together they looked at potential solutions from various manufacturers, and settled on the direct-view LED display as their technology of choice for the room’s main display. This would be supplemented with an interactive flat panel display on the other side of the room. Next, Sterling and Yelverton visited the reseller’s installer, who favored ViewSonic among the suppliers under consideration.
“He showed us photos of ViewSonic direct-view LED display installations he had done,” Yelverton said. “Seeing those, along with the great bang for the buck offered by ViewSonic, took us quickly in that direction. We knew that our director would be pleased with the seamless display.”
The team took their proposal to McSwain, who was impressed by the display’s size and features. RJ Young presented the best pricing, and received the purchase order for a ViewSonic 135-inch all-in-one LD135-151 direct-view LED display and a 75-inch ViewBoard IFP7552-1C-E1 display with VPC25-W53-01-1B slot-in PC, along with Logitech control panel, webcams, a controller, and Shure speakers to round out the solution.
The IT department further ordered a ViewSonic LD-MK-001 vacuum maintenance tool, which would enable them to easily remove and replace LED panels without having to bring in third-party support.
The final challenge would be installing the new equipment in time for the annual Department of Mental Health Board of Directors meeting that the school would be hosting just three weeks after placing the purchase order. Fortunately, one of the key features of the ViewSonic direct-view LED display system is streamlined installation that makes it faster and easier to deploy than a traditional LED wall. And so what was once a standard-issue conference room with basic and outdated equipment has now become a state-of-the art facility that provides flexibility and ease of use.
For groups like the board of directors meeting, the full room supports a range of needs, from a larger-than-life video display and immersive video calls on the direct-view LED display, to interactive presentations using the arm-mounted ViewSonic ViewBoard interactive display, which can be height adjusted and angled to meet user needs arrangements.
“During the board meeting, we had several attendees present who were accustomed to using whiteboards,” Yelverton said. “They were able to use the ViewBoard interactive display while looking at the audience, and everything they did was mirrored on the big direct-view LED display, which made it highly visible to everyone in the room no matter where they were seated. The two displays are a great pairing.”
When the full room isn’t needed, the school can book dual meetings in the divided space. The collaborative capabilities of the ViewBoard display have been particularly useful for conducting remote and hybrid training, Yelverton commented, and the room has become an in-demand hub for trainings as much as for meetings.
The Ellisville State School director who requested the conference room makeover has been more than pleased with the results, the IT duo said. “She still gets a big smile every time she sees the beautiful direct-view LED display,” Sterling said. “When visitors come from our central office, it’s the first thing that she shows them.”
INFiLED’s WP Digital Wallpaper Series is an ultra-thin, lightweight, high-definition 16:9 tile LED display that delivers impressive visual experiences by combining a slim design with extremely easy installation. Front installation, front maintenance, and optional built-in media player offers easy operation for a simple and neat environment. With its 16:9 panel ratio and availability from 0.9mm up to 3.1mm pixel pitch, it is designed to support native Full HD, 4K, and 8K resolutions. This product can be utilized in a wide range of vertical markets such as command and control centers, broadcast, conference rooms, retail, education, and more.
infiled.com
The Planar Luminate Ultra Series line of award-winning outdoor LED video wall displays is designed to bring to outdoor environments the same level of image detail historically reserved for indoor spaces. The solution features coated LEDs to deliver ruggedness and exceptional image detail for high-ambient-light environments. Featuring models in 1.2mm, 1.5mm, and 1.9mm pixel pitches and up to 3,500-nit brightness, the Planar Luminate Ultra Series supports comfortable viewing from as close as 7 feet and ensures visibility even in direct sunlight for an array of applications. Featuring an IP65 Ingress Protection Rating, the displays incorporate protective treatments designed to withstand weather conditions, dust, and water. planar.com
Nanolumens’ NanoSuite, created in partnership with Smart Monkeys, elevates your visual experience with unmatched brilliance and versatility, powered by ISAAC. NanoSuite offers seamless content management and control of your dvLED displays to ensure your message captivates any audience. It is designed to operate as an on-premise solution, both databasing and operating within the local unit. Effortlessly curate and update content across multiple displays, harnessing the power of real-time communication. From dynamic retail displays to engaging corporate presentations, NanoSuite helps you manage your dvLED display from one single interface. Embrace the future of visual communication with NanoSuite.
nanolumens.com
Ross Video’s D3 Advanced Element Processor (AEP) allows content producers to tap into the Ross universe of solutions— graphics, switching, automation, asset management, and more—to drive content to D3 displays. The core of the Ross LED solution is the Advanced Element Processor. The AEP allows you to create immersive experiences with the power to control the parameters and position of every pixel via proprietary signal and image processing algorithms, resulting in noticeably better imagery. Go ahead and stretch the limits of your creativity; we will ensure every aspect of your ideas comes to life via LED technology that captivates your audience’s imagination.
rossvideo.com
Sony’s BRAVIA 4K HDR Displays for commercial environments, including the BZ50L, BZ40L, BZ35L, and BZ30L series, range from 43 to 98 inches and accommodate high-end, mid-range, and standard needs where reliability, picture quality, and broad compatibility are required. They incorporate Pro BRAVIA users’ favorite features such as unparalleled image quality, a wider viewing angle, thoughtful professional features, and a smart System on a Chip (SoC) platform. The standout bright BZ40L series uses a state-of-the-art panel treatment, with a Deep Black NonGlare Coating that offers high haze and low reflection while maintaining deep blacks and high contrast.
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Legrand | AV’s C2G HDMI-Over-IP Solutions stream up to 4K HDMI audio and video over networks—supporting digital signage, video walls, and point-to-point extensions with multi-view capabilities. Low-bandwidth H.264/H.265 technology enables content streaming over LAN, Wi-Fi, and the Internet. The Legrand C2G HDMI-over-IP suite includes an encoder and decoder, handling HDMI input/output resolutions up to 4K@30Hz and 4K@60Hz (4:4:4), respectively. The Network Controller centralizes setup, configuration, and control of the system, including autodiscovery of devices.
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Panasonic’s TH-SQE2W 4K Professional Display Series is designed for 24-hour continuous operation and crystal-clear viewing. The display provides a brightness of 500 candelas per square meter, an antiglare panel, and a minimum haze treatment of 25 percent, reducing the reflection of ambient light and improving visibility in various environments. The series is also equipped with a slot for the Intel SDM specification supporting applications, such as digital signage and broadcast. It uses a built-in PC, terminal board, or wireless presentation system to boost flexibility across venues.
panasonic.com
Neoti’s UHD89 Series LED Panels have an 8:9 aspect ratio, with superior functionality that performs in both indoor and outdoor environments. With full-size, half-size, and new quarter-size cabinet options, UHD89 is the most versatile product line available and can work in a wide range of applications. With a wide range of pixel pitches and superior performance in low light, our flagship product is the choice of hundreds of large-scale signage projects, lobbies, mission-critical displays, corporate applications, and more. For unmatched design versatility and performance, UHD89 is the logical choice.
neoti.com
Samsung’s EV Charger Displays (model OH24B) provide electric vehicle drivers with an engaging charging experience while enabling upselling opportunities for businesses. The 24-inch outdoor signage displays excel in durability and outdoor visibility, with a peak brightness of 1,500 nits; a slim metal design; water, dust, and liquid resistance; and IK10-level glass protection. A high-temperature, rigid liquid crystal panel ensures durability under intense sunlight. The smart signage boasts unparalleled energy efficiency with the industry’s lowest power consumption—a maximum of 90W— perfect for a charging station that requires 24/7 operation and information delivery.
samsung.com
Matrox Video’s LUMA Series Graphics Cards, featuring Intel Arc GPUs, meet the demand for driving multiple screens in the mainstream and pro AV graphics markets through a balance of size, reliability, and performance. Each LUMA card has four outputs, supporting four 5K60 monitors. They are compatible with DirectX 12 Ultimate, OpenGL 4.6, Vulkan 1.3, OpenCL 3.0, oneAPI, and the Intel Distribution of OpenVINO toolkit for AI development. The mainstream LUMA Series includes three general-purpose, single-slot cards (LUMA A310, A310F, and A380). The LUMA Pro Series features two single-slot cards (A310FP and A380P) with advanced video wall features and hardware-assisted GPU decoding.
video.matrox.com
Creative Touch
5-Series Interactive Flat Panel Displays
Optoma’s Creative Touch 5-Series Interactive Flat Panel Displays (IFPDs) are versatile display solutions, providing enhanced interactivity for a variety of digital signage use cases. Built with antiglare and anti-scratch glass, the 5-Series IFPDs elevate wayfinding applications by creating a seamless, interactive experience so consumers can easily access information and directions on demand. Additionally, businesses can display dynamic and targeted content below the main visual map to increase engagement and enhance branding. Combining seamless interactivity and extensive connectivity, Optoma’s 5-Series IFPDs are an ideal solution for creating high-impact visual messaging and immersive digital signage experiences.
optomausa.com
BrightSign’s XC5 Digital Signage Player stands in a league of its own, surpassing the capabilities of PC-based digital signage with ease. Presenting two models, each varying in HTML5 performance, the BrightSign XC5 delivers impeccable 8K video quality alongside a comprehensive range of connectivity choices. Whether you’re orchestrating a four-screen video wall or running high-speed 3D Web GL applications, the XC5 effortlessly handles it all. Boasting multiple HDMI outputs, exceptional HTML5 performance and breathtaking 8K video resolution, the XC5 represents BrightSign’s most formidable player creation to date. brightsign.biz
Carousel Cloud by Carousel Digital Signage 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. That means completely separate databases, storage volumes, and servers, providing the confidence that your data remains yours alone.
carouselsignage.com
Chief’s TiLED Web Tool is a new video wall configuration tool for TiLED direct-view LED mounting systems. The TiLED Web Tool is designed to help visualize and customize creative video walls, supporting standard content resolutions and unique, free-form designs. The interactive web tool gives users the freedom to enter room dimensions, add room backgrounds, or upload images of specific spaces to personalize virtual environments—outputting necessary information for successful planning of video wall installations.
legrandav.com
15
Christie’s Extreme Series High-Performance LCD Panels have an extremely narrow combined bezel width—as small as 0.88mm—to create impressive, nearseamless video walls. Featuring advanced panel matching, the brightness and color of each panel come calibrated, eliminating much of the image adjustment typically required when installing video walls. The Smart Light Control feature automatically adjusts the brightness of each panel for uniformity across the entire video wall and for consistent performance throughout its lifetime. Featuring an advanced electronics platform and OPS slot, these panels accept a variety of embedded processing modules for a complete video wall solution.
christiedigital.com
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Crimson AV’s KFP Series Kiosks are an all-in-one digital solution. They include everything required in a kiosk, with a variety of media players, display, and size options available. Designed specifically for the commercial market, these kiosks are available with high-luminance LED panels, vivid color adjustment technology, your choice of built-in media player, and optional touchscreen displays. Simple installation and maintenance make these kiosks a perfect all-in-one solution for digital marketing anywhere. The KFP Series comes with either a 49- or 55-inch display, as well as optional touchscreen. An integrated locking system keeps the display secure from tampering.
crimsonav.com
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Epidaur Digital’s FX Series Modular LED Solution is a unique, adaptable solution for retail, hospitality, themed entertainment, and commercial projects—a durable LED display system ideal for permanent installations. Lending itself to eye-catching 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 impactresilient and weather- and water-resistant features. Also offering an easy-install magnetic mounting system and 6,000 nits of dimmable light, the FX Series Flexible LED Solution is lightweight, high bright, and U.S. assembled.
epidaurdigital.com
22Miles’ Content Manager offers streamlined design, control and deployment across an entire visual communications ecosystem, regardless of whether a project has five screens or 5,000. It is easy to create personalized and interactive experiences with Content Manager. The Smart Template Center features over 1,000 customizable templates, along with AIdriven design recommendations and rapid editing. The platform includes drag-anddrop widgets and features the industry’s deepest stack of third-party APIs, with native integrations for collaboration, space management, and more. Content Manager is compatible with a wide range of new and existing hardware, making it an ideal solution for new builds and retrofits alike.
22miles.com
Epson’s PowerLite L775U 3LCD Laser Projector offers native WUXGA with 4K Enhancement that doubles HD video resolution on screen and an incredible 7,000 lumens of brightness, delivering ultra-bright, clear images virtually anywhere. For larger, higher-resolution displays, the PowerLite L775U can project images up to 500 inches and can switch between various aspect ratios, from standard 16:10 to ultra-wide 21:9. With its sleek and compact design, this lightweight and compact projector is easily adaptable across a range of infrastructures, and it is compatible with Epson’s optional PixAlign camera, providing access to advanced projection capabilities that help simplify complex multi-projector installations.
epson.com
Haivision’s Command 360 enables enterprise, defense, government, and public safety organizations to make real-time, critical decisions fast by centralizing multiple communication sources into a secure, intuitive video wall display that can span any size network and multiple locations. Command 360 can be set up and fully operational quickly, minimizing disruption to mission-critical environments. Upon setup, the next-generation solution—with its secure, browser-based user interface—delivers the advanced functionality needed to coordinate and manage an entire operation or command center. Key features include easy-to-use, intuitive control; enhanced security; multisite and remote scalability; fast, easy deployment; and real-time visibility.
haivision.com
The Korbyt Anywhere by Korbyt is now available in the Zoom App Marketplace, further expanding Korbyt’s platform beyond traditional digital signage to any networkconnected screen within the Zoom platform. Now meeting room screens—even those not connected to media players—have powerful content management capabilities to seamlessly share employee communications content throughout the organization. No new hardware is required; users simply download and install the Korbyt app from the Zoom App Marketplace to broadcast content via Zoom. Extending digital signage content to additional screens while keeping within a single CMS gives businesses a hassle-free way to expand their internal communications solution at no additional cost.
korbyt.com
Mersive Technologies’ Solstice Dynamic Digital Signage transforms digital signage through a completely customizable page that can be both interactive and dynamically responsive to in-room sensors, calendar events, API calls, and more. Want a display to play a branded video when a room isn’t being used, but then have it show a custom welcome screen right before a scheduled meeting or class? You can do that now with dynamic digital signage. Using Mersive dynamic digital signage with touchscreens creates an even richer experience, allowing end users to easily book an available room, submit an IT ticket, play a video, display important information, and more.
mersive.com
Extreme 4K HDR
Blackmagic Design’s HyperDeck Extreme
4K HDR features the trusted reliability of HyperDeck combined with new innovations such as space saving H.265 files, optional internal cache, 3D LUTs, and HDR support. With the ability to record up to native 4K in H.265, users get reduced storage costs and amazing image quality. The large touchscreen ensures a perfect view of the recording as well as control over all deck settings. Digital signage is easy with HyperDeck Extreme as it has 10G Ethernet for fast media uploads, plus it features a simple remote control protocol.
43 AUGUST 2023 | avnetwork.com
Navori Labs’ StiX 3700 Media Player is the company’s ultra-compact secondgeneration Android digital signage media player dongle. The StiX 3700 offers exceptional performance for its size, with internal components focused on fast and sophisticated rendering of high-resolution content. The StiX 3700 delivers the power required for continuous, professional-grade usage, adds power-saving display control functions, and offers a common set of features for a harmonized experience across all network screens. The StiX 3700 also supports broadcast-quality 4K rendering at 60 frames per second, which is required for optimum 4K viewing experiences, and further enhances viewing experiences with flawless media transitions across all screens.
navori.com
Palmer Digital Group’s Level 2 Charging Kiosk, developed in partnership with Samsung and IoTecha, is an all-in-one EV charging solution. The Level 2 80-amp EV kiosk supports dynamic DOOH content, energy-efficient electrification, cloud-based performance monitoring, mobile payment solutions, and more. The charging kiosk delivers fast, reliable charging and offers new opportunities for businesses to visually engage with customers and generate revenue. PDG’s structural options allow customers to build out Level 2 charging infrastructure in flexible configurations that meet business and charging needs, including one or two Samsung OH55A displays, and one or two 80-amp charging ports. Built-in cable retractors, card readers, cameras, and speakers let site hosts design unique user experiences.
palmerdigitalgroup.com
Peerless-AV’s Xtreme High Bright Outdoor Displays are the perfect digital signage solution for a wide variety of uses. Equipped with 2,500 nits (55 and 65 inches) and 3,000 nits (75 inches) of light output, a clear picture is guaranteed no matter the lighting. The ambient light sensor automatically adjusts display brightness, optimizing power consumption and providing high-quality viewing. Each display is optically bonded, eliminating glare. With an IP66 rating and a patented thermal exhaust system, these displays are fully protected against environmental elements such as water, dirt, moisture, and insects. The operating temperature ranges from minus-31 to 140 degrees Fahrenheit, providing durability for any climate.
peerless-av.com
ppds.com
ViewSonic’s LDS135-151 Mobile Display Solution Kit is a direct-view LED display that delivers a large screen in a pre-assembled design. The 135-inch display features a foldable design that can be fully assembled in minutes, then packed into its custom flight case, making it easy to set up and share. No calibration is required and there are no additional installation costs; simply unbox and turn it on. It has a built-in motorized height adjustment stand, push-button lock for stability, and 360-degree wheels for easy transport. The LDS135-151 provides all the functionality of a giant video wall, but without the cost or restrictions of a permanent installation.
viewsonic.com
Visix’s Choros BYOD Space Booking lets people book spaces using the camera on their smartphones without an app. Simply scan a QR code mounted near a shared space to see if a room is available, see the room schedule, book the room, find other available rooms, and more. Choros integrates with Office 365, and bookings can be extended, ended, or cancelled from the phone. Users can also see room capacity, AV/IT resources, amenities, accessibility, 3D renderings and more. Calendar integration, user groups, and spaces are managed in a cloud-based platform with options for meeting rooms, workspaces, and other shared assets.
AUGUST 2023 | avnetwork.com
ATEN Technology’s Video-Over-IP Solution was designed with the user in mind. It delivers visually lossless 1080p/4K AV signals with low latency over long distance via a standard Gigabit network. With large, clear ID displays and simple push buttons for ID setting and switching, the units also feature I/O printing on the housing for easy port recognition, built-in brackets for convenient mounting, and LED lights for quick diagnosis. It is designed to address the challenges that system integrators encounter when implementing AV-overIP applications and provides an effective, easy-to-use, and economical digital signage solution.
aten.com
YCD Multimedia’s Cnario Digital Signage Platform is leading the “any K” revolution. With Cnario, you can drive content to any screen, in any resolution, and for any application. Cnario offers content management ranging from a full send-itand-forget-it, to a partial client-involved process that provides maximum uptime for your system. Control, distribute, and deploy your content seamlessly with pixel-perfect playback, and choose when and where your content is broadcast—even if it means different content plays in multiple locations at the same time. This powerful platform can do it all!
ycdmultimedia.com
Telecine’s DSR Content Subscription Service is a content library that offers a branded way to further engage and delight your audience. Whether you’ve got one screen or more than 50, DSR offers a branded channel of news to extend your reach and connect with patrons on a deeper level. This new menu of content subscription services allows you to feed the content beast, while also homogenizing your content with similar design aesthetics and strategies that keep your screens feeling fresh, familiar, and on brand.
content.telecine.com
