by ROBERT MELKONYAN

As the name suggests, Digital Signage enables Screens (LCD, Plasma, TV, and Projector) to be installed within locations where the target audience can view the screens and the information that is being played on them.

Digital Signage can replace or enhance traditional printed signage and posters with the advantage of being updated from a central location at the press of a button. The ease and immediacy of updating Digital Signage content removes the numerous processes involved with printing, distributing and installing traditional printed material.

The ability to create date and time specific playlists of numerous types of media content including still images, animation, video and web pages make Digital Signage the perfect marketing tool for advertising products, promoting offers or distribution information to the viewers when you require and in an attractive and enticing way.

Digital Signage is being adopted by thousands of companies across many business sectors with each company benefiting from one or several of the advantages it offers, including:

* Brand reinforcement * The promotion of products and special offers * Corporate communication * Staff training * Generation of income from media advertising sales

With dozens of digital Signage software packages available today, making the decision which one to choose can seem impossible; what features do I require? What media does it support? What are the upfront costs? What are the ongoing fees? And most importantly, what are the hidden costs?

Find a company that keeps it simple and makes it extremely easy for anyone to upload, create multi-zone layouts, build playlists and distribute new content to one or a thousand screens and ensure that the new content is running where and when you specified. Technical Overview

* Compatible with a comprehensive range of Digital Signage hardware from 4” Shelf-Edge screens through to the latest 84” Digital Poster. * Multiple methods of communication from each location to the software servers including; standard phone line, ISDN, ADSL, GPRS/3G mobile telecommunications and satellite. * Up load and store your media content on the software servers ready for scheduling and distribution to your connected screens across thousands of sites. * Auto-archiving of media to ensure old content is separated from media currently in use. * Create and store multi-zone layouts incorporating, live streaming, stored media content and RSS/XML news feeds * Create and store playlists containing multiple media content ready for scheduling and distribution to your connected screens. * Set individual media files to expire at a specific date and time enabling automated playlist management. * Group your sites and screens as you require to enable quick and easy update to multiple screens or individual screen as and when you require. * Distribute your playlists and media content in advance with date and time specific instructions ready to commence playback when and where you require. * Every time a piece of media is played the date and time is stored in the software and is available in a range of reports for internal use or to prove to third parties that their advertisements have been played. * Comprehensive live diagnostics displayed in a graphical format showing the status of every screen connected to the software including automatic notification of screens that cannot be reached by the software. * Extensive security enabling the set-up and management of users with total control of access rights. Detailed audit trials for all software activity by individual user are stored and available for reporting by administrators. * This unique software has been developed to enable seamless integration with media planning and account systems proving a fully automated Digital Signage solution tailored to individual requirements of our customers.

Robert M endorses Chris Tyrrell who writes for James Hogg Display, experts in digital signage and audio visual equipment. Visit the website to learn more about this subject.

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