Before the 2013 Digital Signage Expo wrapped up in Las Vegas, companies from across the world in attendance unveiled their new products to customers who are looking to add extra depth to their advertorial and information-sharing signage.
From a new stand unveiled by Armodilo Display Solutions, which turns a tablet into an information stand, to new audio solutions to reach customers, companies at DSE said they have the products to help transit agencies direct customers and make it simpler to install digital signage.
Eric Wickberg, director of sales for Chief, which makes hardware to install digital signs, said video walls are a hot item for transit agencies, but hanging multiple monitors and aligning them can be difficult. The company now has a hanging device for video walls he said can make it easier to align the monitors by allowing the installer to tweak the gap between the screens.
“In transit, bigger is better, so it’s all about enabling bigger displays,” Wickberg said. So being able to hand three rows and making it simple to make adjustments makes it easier to mount and fine tune.”
Charlie Martin Noell, audio consultant for Brown Innovations, said his company has developed audio systems for public environments like train stations where people can only hear the sound when standing directly in front of a sign so it doesn’t distract others while informing users. He said signs with the technology are getting deployed in Chicago for visitors to use.
“In addition it has a mic built into so when you install it so it’s quiet in the morning, but the volume will begin to rise above the decibel level,” he said.
Peerless-AV unveiled its newest product at DSE, which eliminates the need to run cable to digital signs at a station where there may be multiple signs.
Nicholas Celcore, vice president of North American sales for Peerless-AV, said the new Pico broadcaster is the first of its kind in the digital signage space because it allows for the ability to broadcast over open white space channels and therefore negate the need to pull cable to signs. By eliminating the need to pull cable, Celcore said it makes digital signage mobile and allows to easily add more to an area.
“In fact, one of the biggest expenditures in digital signage is pulling cable hundreds and thousands of feet,” he said. “With the Pico Broadcast System, you have the ability to transmit HD content to either one TV 350 feet away or 150 TV’s 350 feet away. It’s fully scaleable.”
Christie unveiled its new 55-inch outdoor display, which could be used in a transit concourse area, which is very durable, while also flexible enough to be placed in areas that are exposed to more elements.
“Everything is built into what you see here,” said Richard Heslett, senior product manager for Christie. “You have one product and you don’t have to build an extra enclosure.”
Joe Petrie | Associate Editor
I came to Mass Transit in 2013 after spending seven years on the daily newsbeat in southeastern Wisconsin.
Based in Milwaukee, I worked as a daily newspaper reporter with the Waukesha Freeman from 2006-2011, where I covered education, county and state government. I went on to cover courts for Patch.com, where I was the main courts reporter in the Metro Milwaukee cluster of websites.
I’ve won multiple awards during the course of my career and have covered some of the biggest political events in the past decade and have appeared on national programs.
Having covered local government and social issues, I discovered the importance of transit and the impact it can have on communities when implemented, supported and funded.
