Honoring the Right Tool for the Job
Best New Display Device
Samsung SyncMaster EX-Series (400EX, 400EXn, 460EX, 460EXn, 550EX and 550EXn) LED-backlit LCD panels.
■ WINNER Samsung SyncMaster EX-Series (400EX, 400EXn, 460EX, 460EXn, 550EX and 550EXn) LED-backlit LCD panels. LED is also more energy-efficient, consuming 30–50 percent less energy than a similarly sized CCFL backlight display. These are the first LFD displays to incorporate LED Backlight Unit (BLU) technology, providing a significant savings on energy consumption in a lighter, thinner, and easier to install and set up.
• IAdea Corporation, Digital Signboard XDS-104. The XDS-104 is a 10-inch interactive display for digital signage applications that is suitable as a counter-top or shelf-edge display.
Best New Generation Display Device, Large Screen
■ WINNER Panasonic, PT-DZ570 Series projectors. The PT-DZ570 Series projectors, which include the PT-DZ570U, PT-DW530U, and PT-DX500U, all deliver high performance and reliable operation and simple installation, as well as low maintenance and acquisition costs. The projectors are ideal for a number of environments, including education, healthcare, government, and corporate settings. The Eco Management function of the PT-DZ570 Series projectors significantly lowers power consumption by adjusting the status of the projector to ambient light conditions and absence of input signals automatically.
• STRATACACHE enVu. In September 2010, STRATACACHE launched enVu, an interactive media company, into the digital out-of-home space to meet the ever-changing needs of advertisers. From enVu, a new interactive mall advertising platform, enSpire, was developed. enSpire’s gestural-based technology is programmed to respond when consumers come in contact with the projection, thus enhancing ad recall rates and maximizing potential mall traffic within key locations.
Best New Display Device
STRATACACHE enVu.
Best New Content Management Software/ Web-based (SaaS, or Software as a Service)
• Scala and HP have joined forces to offer two new HP SignagePlayers that feature Scala QuickStart. The new SignagePlayers from HP are preloaded exclusively with Scala’s software, and offer a new and innovative “zero-configuration” scheme for easy set up. No server software installation and maintenance; no server hardware management and maintenance. Simple monthly fee, no contract, super easy setup, three-year on-site hardware warranty from HP.
• Nanonation FrameWorks DS. Simpleto- use yet sophisticated digital signage software targeted for single location deployments
• UCView Inc. UCView Portal. Full package digital signage, content management, content creation system. Features GPS integration, online content creation and animation, build kiosk in minutes, vast scheduling, reporting, video wall, and 3D integration.
■ WINNER Remote Media Limited signagelive Virtual Player/Message Manager. signagelive is a true web based Software-as-a- Service (SaaS) application that enables users to quickly and easily update content on remotely located screens using their web browser. At the end point where the screens are installed, the signagelive client application (or virtual player feed) simply needs to run on any suitable hardware that has access to the Internet. Because signagelive works on a pull rather than push process, the platform is IT friendly and doesn’t cause firewall and network security conflicts.
Best New Content Management Software/Premise-based
• Cisco Systems Digital Media Player 4310. The Cisco Digital Media Player 4310 serves as a way to significantly improve the delivery and playback of interactive digital media, including highdefinition live and on-demand video, motion graphics, Flash, and dynamic content on digital signs. This digital media player is the first of its kind in that it contains built-in capabilities to automatically configure to the IP network, making it simple to deploy in both large and small digital signage deployments. This built-in, “network-aware” intelligence is the first manifestation in the market of Cisco’s larger initiatives to rebuild the current architectural framework and infrastructure around digital signage so that it more effectively supports the pervasive use of video for communication and collaboration in all types of industries.
■ WINNER AMX Inspired Xpress. Inspired XPress is tailored for organizations that desire to manage all aspects of their digital signage, including content creation. Inspired XPress features a simple, intuitive software interface that allows staff to quickly create templates and content, and then publish content to SPX-1000 players, which are small enough to mount behind any display. Content design is fluid, similar to a web page. Ideal for digital signage applications where the player must be mounted behind the display or in a confined space like a kiosk or video wall, Inspired XPress has the power to deliver dynamic information to customers of retailers, hotels, banks, event venues, and other public spaces in multiple languages.
• Scala 5.1 Content Manager. Content Manager is a serverbased application that lets you schedule and manage the transmissions of multimedia content to hundreds — even thousands — of digital signage displays, from any Internet-connected computer. Advertising, news, training, or virtually any other visual communication can be easily distributed to Scala Players via any standard Windows-based network. Content created using Designer, Template Composer, or industry-standard applications can either be routed to the intended players automatically or per your plan.
Best New Technology Innovation
• Black Box Network Services SpaceGAIN 90° CAT5e/CAT6 Cables. These cables enable copper data cable connections to LCDs, plasmas, and other display and communications equipment in tight spaces, such as inside digital signage enclosures, PoS/PoP kiosks or end-cap displays, and at the rear of wall-mounted screens.
• Gefen Digital Signage Creator. Based on SVG (Scalable Vector Graphics) with this Media player, the intuitive layout program works with all Windows programs and enables users to record or upload video, select music, pull RSS feeds or live video streams off the Internet, and layer all content to build a totally customized theme. Users can select from a host of pre-loaded templates for an immediate solution or spend time building a totally unique visual program as they see fit.
■ WINNER LG SuperSign Premier-s. SuperSign Premier-s is a customizable hardware and software digital signage platform designed for system integrators that address the needs of the small- and medium-business market in the United States. It is designed for system integrators who need the flexibility of choosing specific components to build a customized solution for their end-users. This digital signage solution works with designated LG displays combined with either the LG NC1000 stand alone or NC2000 integrated media players.
• VIA Technologies, Inc. VIA AMOS-5110 Embedded System. The VIA AMOS-5110 embedded system is designed for digital signage, POI, and multi-display applications. The VIA AMOS-5110 system contains an IO module with an S3 Graphics 4300E GPU that provides powerful graphics performance. This S3 4300E incorporates a video engine with media acceleration for H.264, VC-1, AVS, and MPEG-2, plus the latest in display connectivity, including HDMI with HDCP, dual channel LVDS, and dual-link DVI.
• OmniMount PROHDCART. PROHDCART is a fully loaded cart offering unmatched convenience and flexibility for mobile video and digital signage applications. The PROHDCART is designed for 37- to 55-inch flat panels and can safely support a combined weight of up to 125 lbs, including the sum of all shelves, components, and flat panel.
• Minicom Digital Signage DS Vision Digital. DS Vision Digital is for media distribution, as well as control and monitoring of multiple remote display assets, from a single location using proof-ofperformance technology
OmniMount PROHDCART.
• Noventri Eco-Series SF-100e Media Player.
• IBASE Technology Inc. SI-28 Signature Book. The SI-28’s ultra slim (35mm) chassis is designed for digital signage applications. It features an onboard ATi Radeon E4690 graphic processor with 512MB of GDDR3 video memory and an onboard ATi Radeon HD3200 graphics engine with 128MB of DDR3 Sideport buffer.
• Magenta Research Voyager Fibre Optic Signal Distribution Platform. The Voyager is an interoperable set of transmitters, receivers, distribution amplifiers, and matrix switchers that enables any endto- end configuration for extension and switching of uncompressed multi-format video and audio, RS-232, IR, and 480 Mbps USB 2.0 signals over fiber at distances up to 6600 feet/2 km (multimode) and 18.75 miles/30 km (singlemode).
• Chief FUSION Pull-Out Mounts. Inspired by installer feedback, the new FUSION Series Pull-Out mounts (LSMVU/MSMVU) extend 7 inches (178 mm) for easy cable access and servicing in hard-to-reach installations, even on the centermost screen of a video wall matrix.
