If you’re not aware that the ISE show in Amsterdam that wrapped last week not only broke its own previous attendance records but is now simply put the biggest AV show period– then you’ve been living under a rock (and out of sight of even digital signage). The show– joint venture of InfoComm and CEDIA– had 59,350 registered attendees February 10-12 at the Amsterdam RAI (an increase of 8,347 registered attendees, 16.4%, over ISE 2014).
More simply put– wow. Hard to describe the vibe of the show– and (a European phenomenon in general) it’s a place where, compared to the more conservative U.S. trade shows– more product is bought and sold, more deals done on the spot (and some very impressive spots on the show floor indeed, not to mention they have real i.e. great restaurants just steps away from the exhibit hall).
New to this year’s ISE: NewBay Media gave out its first ISE Best of Show Awards, for the brands AV Technology, Residential Systems, and Digital Signage. The Best of Show Awards recognize new and outstanding products exhibited at the recent ISE 2015. The winners were selected by panels of professional users and editors, based on information provided by the nominated companies as well as booth visits during the show. The complete winners list is at the end of this article.
The winners in the Digital Signage category:
• SpinetiX’s cloud-based monitoring service, Cockpit.
- Cockpit licenses can only be sold through SpinetiX’s indirect sales
- channels, thus protecting the dealer.
- Judges’ take: great entry– allows the AV Integrator, or the end user, to easily
- monitor performance of the digital signage content after the system is up and running.
The Milestone video wall mounting system.
• Milestone AV Technologies, LVS1U, ConnexSys Video Wall Mounting
System. Solves common problems faced by installers when mounting video
walls – speed of install, ease of alignment, access for serviceability
and rigidity to maintain adjustments. Matrox C-Series Multi-Display
Graphics Cards– for AV/IT departments rolling out multi-display
workstations and video walls. A good addition to the IT/AV/Digital
Signage market, as more and video is being used in digital signage
Judges’ take: Mounting is not sexy stuff, but this was a good, solid entry. This product helps AV integrators do their job.
• VuWall Technology Inc., VuWall2 Digital Signage. Video wall image processing–
Transparency, translation, marquees, rotation and alpha blending are
seamlessly integrated allowing for effects between views on any size
video wall.
Judges’ take: nice addition to the video processing category. And remember, more and video (as opposed to just animated graphics) is being used in digital signage, so more and better video processing is needed. Seamless switching, meet digital signage.
• JBL Control HST, loudspeakers.
Incorporating HST Hemispherical Soundfield Technology, this speaker covers an extremely wide 180 degrees (a hemisphere of coverage), reducing the number of speakers needed to cover a space and thus reducing overall installation and system cost.
Judges’ take: audio is not often used in digital signage, because repeating audio loops can drive employees/staff crazy. There is a trend toward using more audio (this is done by using loudspeakers that have less coverage, not more– using almost all treble frequencies, that are aim-able, and cutting out bass frequencies that
tend to bleed). But this JBL product is more about wide coverage– and it’s really a testament that the largest audio manufacturer in the world now sees digital signage markets that a lot of us don’t see yet. They’re saying don’t be obsessed with retail store digital signage– there are thousands of other digital signage applications where robust full coverage audio is needed. Bravo JBL– we need more audio in digital signage.
All ISE 2015 Best of Show winners and nominees will be featured in a special Best of Show Awards Program Guide, to be distributed in digital edition form to readers of those publications a few weeks after the convention.
The full list of AV Technology, Residential Systems, and Digital Signage ISE 2015 Best of Show winners is:
