HOW DOES DIGITAL SIGNAGE TECHNOLOGY WORK?  
# Tuesday, September 30, 2008

Digital signs may be scrolling message boards, LCD or plasma display panels, elictronic billboards, projection screens, or other emerging display types like living surfaces or Organic LED screens (OLEDs) that can be controlled electronically using a computer or other devices, allowing individuals or groups to remotely change and control their content (usually via the Internet).



Content scheduling and playback can be controlled by a number of technologies ranging from simple, non-networked media players that can output basic loops of MPEG-2, N-tier player networks that offer control over many displays in many venues from a single location. The former is ideal for small groups of displays that can be updated via sneaker net (the practice of physically transporting data to each location on a disc or CD-Rom, usually by walking), while the latter allows Digital Signage Network Operators to either push content to many players at once or have each player pull content from a server as needed.

Rapidly-dropping prices for large plasma and LCD screens and wide availability of Internet connectivity have caused digital signage deployments to gain in popularity, and displays can now be found in such diverse locations as retail outlets, transit hubs (like airports or bus stations), doctor's offices, fast food restaurants and even gas stations.

Another price related benefit that is allowing a larger group of businesses to install digital signage is the increasing availability of newer LCD and plasma display brands in the market. Many locations have opted to forgo more expensive brand name displays for more affordable non name brand displays. A recent study shows that there is a statistically significant relationship between price and the display size. The same study also shows that there is a significant relationship between whether or not the display is a name brand. These two variables actually account for 77% of the price in displays.

The recent introduction of free digital signage software may further expand the "pool" of potential users of this technology. It will now be attractive to smaller businesses (that may have otherwise found this technology too expensive), as well as to "non-profits" such as schools, universities and churches.

A further development is the use of mobile media, mobile or wireless phones. By combining mobile media with out of home advertising, print or digital, either the mobile phone becomes the digital signage display or the media becomes interactive. By various means, messaging, scanning a barcode or taking an image with a phone cam, a user can interact with a print advert or digital signage media. This enables a user to obtain further or even local information about an advertised product or subject on the go.

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