The new digital signage TV-like screens in malls and other retail location are a new form of advertising that can be more eye catching than traditional poster-like ads. Digital Signage brings a new form of messaging that harnesses the visual power of the digital age and consumer message perception patterns.
Digital signage brings distinct advantages and new design opportunities for embedded engineers. It is a fast growing market which industry tracker Digital Signage Resource estimates will grow to be a US$3.5 billion market by 2011. Research firm Multimedia Intelligence estimates the market consumed 1.1 million displays in 2008 and that by 2012 the market will consume nearly 2.3 million displays.
Digital signage is capable of delivering messages (such as advertising and information) that are relevant to both the product and the audience at any particular location. This display system is used to present a dynamic computer generated message to the target audience. It includes a combination of full motion video, graphics, sound and text. The display devices can be Plasma or LCD displays or Multiple Monitors. Some of the markets digital signage finds use in are retail, hospitality, health clubs, airports, corporate, etc.
Fig. 1: Digital signage systems provide a multimedia interactive experience to deliver more compelling messages to target audiences
The complexity of digital signage systems varies and depends on the need. Following are few common elements used in these systems:
- Digital Signage Player
- Display (LCD/Plasma)
- Digital Signage Server / Remote console
- The Network (Wired/Wireless)
Fig. 2: A typical digital signage system comprises a network element for remote control and dissemination of messaging.
A networked digital signage system offers additional features like remote configuration and management, as well as allowing for time based voice, video and data synchronization and upload. A typical digital signage system (Fig. 2) consists of a digital signage server communicating with a digital signage player/s, which then displays the content on an LCD, Plasma or regular VGA monitor or multiple screens.
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