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Scala and NEC, leading providers of digital display solutions, announced today the addition of the NEC Display Open Pluggable Specification (OPS-DRD) Digital Player to the Scala-certified Android operating system player family.

The NEC OPS-DRD system is an all-in-one, system-ready solution for managing dynamic displays for cost-sensitive, heavy-volume segments where high-performance video and connectivity are paramount. Combined with Scala’s Player for Android, it is an ideal solution for digital signage applications across wide-ranging industries such as retail, quick-service restaurants, finance and more. Scala is announcing the certification of the new player in conjunction with the release of a major upgrade to its core software, Scala Enterprise Release 11.

The all-in-one system runs on a quad-core processor and produces seamless, crisp playback for resolution up to 1080p and – most importantly – for 24/7 usage due to fan-less and solid-state components. External connections are bypassed with HDMI video, stereo audio, RS232 control and power passed internally from the display to OPS device, allowing for easy setup, which also includes the option of a wireless network connection.

Peter Cherna, Scala chief product officer told us “Adding the NEC player is a great fit for Scala, as its potential for broad application aligns with Scala solutions powering digital displays across wide-ranging industries. The easy set up combined with powerful computing and high-quality, 24/7 playback are perfect for anything from kiosks and POS systems to menu boards”.

Chris Feldman, NEC product manager for solutions added “Teaming up with Scala has allowed us to deliver the ideal all-in-one solution for managing dynamic displays,” said “Coupling NEC’s OPS-DRD media player with Scala-certified Android devices provides a platform to easily create and centrally manage the deployment of content. The OPS-DRD, combined with Scala’s Player for Android, sets the industry standard for digital signage applications across multiple industries.”

The NEC OPS-DRD system is a sleek, energy-efficient system with an ergonomic, space-saving design that measures just 17.5 cm x 11.8 cm x 2.5 cm and connects directly into NEC’s E705, E805, E905, and all V, P, and X series displays, creating a seamless installation. It can also be connected externally using the OPS-DOCK docking station. The NEC Display OPS-DRD Digital Player system is backed by NEC’s worldwide software support and three-year hardware warranty.

Scala announced today the availability of Scala Enterprise Release 11, featuring powerful enhancements in speed and performance, focusing on the digital signage core product Scala Enterprise Content Manager. Functional as well as creative features contribute to the significant upgrade of control, power and ease-of-use for both network managers and designers. Scala users can tailor and refine messaging faster, optimizing interactive and engaging audience experiences with dynamically displayed content.

Highlights of this major release, which introduces 25 new features and 265 enhancements, include:

• Speed and performance: With a major refactoring of the core software engines of Content Manager, significant gains both in UI responsiveness and through the APIs can be expected. Content Manager now responds exclusively to the REST-based 2.0 API calls, and developers can request Web Application Description Language (WADL) for all services of the APIs. Peter Cherna, Chief Product Officer told us “Initial testing has shown upward of 3-4 times the gain in speed and performance compared to what we saw with sample customer databases using Release 10. This allows for quicker analysis and decision making, which ultimately leads to messaging refinement and targeting.”
• Ease of use and noise reduction: New controls reduce noise without compromising complete network control, and more stringent workgroup rules have added filters, mitigating the risk of asset misplacement. Pop-up alerts, extended error reporting and additional hyperlinks give at-a-glance views of content usage and conditional playback, and search functionality has improved. The end result is smarter and quicker content adjustment.
• Creative and functional enhancements: Major design elements boost aesthetics as well as increase functionality. Most notably, Scala Enterprise Designer has a new table element format, an easier layout for viewing and organizing data. Due to creative designers’ positive responses to more aesthetic power found in Release 10 and the ever-increasing need for eye-catching, clear messaging, designers are gaining even more creative control – corner styles, opacity gradients and alpha masks can now be applied to all major element types and page backgrounds. The Scala Script Exporter now supports 64-bit versions of Adobe Photoshop allowing page layouts to be developed in Photoshop and exported, including layer information, to be enhanced within Designer. Interactive scripts that combine Scala Script and HTML content (Webclips) are more flexible with enhanced data sharing and an added capability to overlay Scala Script buttons on top of Webclips. An update to the Chromium Embedded Framework enables CSS 3D animation support for HTML5-based content.
• Increased intelligence and control for network managers: Network managers can now optimize their bandwidth usage for Android playback devices with the extension of bandwidth-throttling for controlled data distribution. They will also have greater insight into playback activity with audit logs updated hourly, and playback logs that can accept errors reported from any integrated third-party applications.

Scala CEO Tom Nix told us “Scala Enterprise 11 addresses trends in audience engagement where scale and productivity are key,” said “Our enhanced REST-based APIs continue to allow our Enterprise customers to connect to adjacent solutions and enable our partners to create new businesses, with almost unlimited creativity and flexibility to develop powerful experiences for their target audiences.“

Additional notables in this release include compatibility with Windows 8.1 for playback devices and Windows Server 2012 R2 and Internet Explorer 11 browser support for using Content Manager. Firmware for many Android devices can now be remotely updated via maintenance jobs. Lastly, certification is announced for the NEC Display OPS-DRD digital player, a powerful Android device for 24/7 playback.

We don’t have a lot of details yet, but we’re hearing rumours about some program events at the November 3, 2015, DPAA Video Everywhere Summit that are shaping up to be a lot of fun as well as highly informative.

Sounds like some people putting the program together have been looking to the broadcast sector for some inspiration.

Are you familiar with ‘Ted Talks’? Think about ‘Ted Type Talks’! And you must know ‘Shark Tank’? So how about a ‘Tech Tank’!

And we hear (thank heavens!) that there will be less ‘panels’ per se, although we have to admit that the ‘Great Video Debate’ with two teams comprised of people from the advertiser-agency-media owner sectors – and to be moderated/judged by a real lawyer – will likely garner separate cheering sections.

Frankly, this is one DPAA Summit I’m rather looking forward to. With the program and speakers I’m hearing rumours about, this Summit could outdo last year’s 700 attendees.

The DPAA Video Everywhere Summit takes place in New York as part New York Digital Signage Week (November 2-6, 2015) which plays host to events for retail, employee communications, digital out of home and of course digital signage.

Amscreen has announced that it has signed a new partnership agreement that will see Tom Goddard‘s DigiCom take ownership of the media sales and marketing activities over its 3,500 strong UK digital roadside and healthcare networks with immediate effect.

Simon Sugar, Amscreen’s CEO told us “This move will allow us to concentrate on our core competencies of hardware and software development whilst the media operation will benefit from Tom Goddard’s considerable experience in the OOH environment. We are delighted that we shall continue to work in a truly symbiotic fashion with Tom and believe that the media team will benefit significantly from his guidance and leadership”

Amscreen’s media sales and marketing team, based out of their London office, will transfer to DigiCom under the terms of the deal. Amscreen will continue to provide the hardware and software solutions and will have full responsibility for the operation of the signage networks including monitoring, technical support and maintenance.

About DigiCom

DigiCom represents the UK’s largest, purely digital screen based advertising sales business.

DigiCom’s national network reaches over 10m adults every week via 3500 digital screens. The portfolio consists of a national healthcare network as well as the only truly national digital roadside proposition in the UK.

DigiCom’s core product is the Mini-Digital 6 Sheet, powered through a partnership with leading screen provider, Amscreen. These HD screens offer a full spectrum of creative possibilities including; live, full motion content on a national scale, as well as serving locally tailored content activated by environmental conditions or an array of other possible data sources.

DigiCom was launched in January 2009 with the objective of helping brands realise the full potential of one of the media landscape’s fastest growing advertising channels.

With a focus on providing scale, accountability and creative possibilities, DigiCom is committed to delivering the most flexible and efficient method of reaching UK consumers during their increasing time spent out of home.

Lietuvos Draudimas, one of the largest insurance providers in the Baltics, is the most recent company to implement Samsung’s Smart Signage Platform (SSSP), powered by Signagelive’s cloud based software, to run and manage a nationwide digital advertising campaign.

The digital signage network is being used by the insurance provider to display engaging, high resolution content on a series of ruggedized displays installed in strategic locations in busy shopping malls throughout Lithuania. The digital signage network is intended to stand out against billboards and printed posters by providing busy shoppers with a memorable and engaging experience. Digital signage offers significant advantages over printed advertising, which is labour intensive, time consuming and costly to maintain.

The Samsung Smart Signage Platform has been supplied and installed by Hansab, a leading provider of innovative technology solutions to financial, retail, public and private sector organisations in Lithuania and Signagelive’s strategic channel partner in the Baltic region. The installation comprises a combination of 48” and 55” Samsung displays, including the DB48D and DB55D models, installed in highly visible locations, such as the main concourse or busy escalators, to catch the attention of passers-by.

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It’s that time of year when things start to go quiet (DailyDOOH Towers packs up this Friday for a well deserved two week break after almost constant travelling throughout the summer) and we are now starting to slow down and will eventually stop our daily newsletters (emails) until early September.

Having said that, regular readers will want to know about the latest industry gossip. We’ve blitzed it below and may flesh it out if and when we hear more…

• What Industry Association is thinking about re-branding itself before its annual conference?
• London is not content with having one new Media Specialist (Agency) this year (CPUK) so expect another one – announced shortly.
• Adspace Mall Network has allegedly terminated its contract with CRI and switched to Diversified Media Group. We can’t think why (well we can but you will have to wait a few days for that juicy nugget of info.)
• What Industry Association is thinking about re-branding itself before the summer is out?
• With Google / Sidewalk mentioned at every turn with CityBridge / #LinkNYC you probably wouldn’t be surprised to hear that some of the consortium members are less than pleased about the ‘coverage’ they get.
• What forecourt TV network is about to be sold? (DONE August 12, 2015)
• Gimbal, we hear, is doing a series B fund raising round
• Dubai based, Scala VAR, Advanced Interactive Media Solutions (AIMS) is rumoured to be struggling. We know of several staff who have left, all amidst ‘claims’ of not being paid for several months
• Rumours of Primesight being sold will not go away. We still think that Platinum Equity will make a play and merge them with Exterion Media.
• Scala has allegedly hired Bugler Partners, which can mean only one thing. They are for sale again
• Watch out for ConeXus World to make some industry moves as they start to take this sector much more seriously (DONE August 12, 2015)
• Which display manufacturer was doing its investor roadshow in New York City recently, ahead of an imminent IPO?

As Oscar Wilde said “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.” !!!

Montreal-based iGotcha Media has launched a mobile-to-digital-signage interactive tennis application, in support of National Bank of Canada’s presentation of the Rogers Cup – Canada’s premiere ATP/WTA tennis tournament (August 7 – 16 in Montreal and August 8 – 16 in Toronto).

The concept is simple: Visitors at select branches may use any smartphone to connect and play a tennis game on large digital screens located in reception and behind tellers. Participants may scan a QR code or enter a URL into their Web browser, then enter a three-digit personalized code.

Using smartphone motion detection, the game allows users to experience a simulated tennis serve. Upon completing the game, users may enter a contest with the chance to win tickets to the Rogers Cup.

“This app is made possible using the latest technology,” says Greg Adelstein, president, iGotcha Media. “Leveraging motion detection and high-speed connectivity, we are able to replicate the experience of hitting a tennis ball. It is a fun way to illustrate the power and potential of such applications. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that a major financial institution anywhere in the world has deployed this type of technology. The simplicity of delivering network access via smartphone is incredibly powerful. We look forward to harnessing this innovative technology in numerous ways that further enable our clients to offer exceptional service and engaging experiences to their customers.”

The interactive tennis application will run through August 16, the closing day of the 2015 Rogers Cup.

ZetaDisplay Finland Oy (previously Marketmedia Oy) has signed a partnership agreement with a major store chain to deliver ZetaDisplay’s media platform for Digital Signage, various Video wall solutions and continuous content production.

The supply is for stores in Helsinki, Esbo, Vanda, Tampere, Åbo and Uleåborg but the retail chain was not named in the announcement. ZetaDisplay estimates the value of the project to be approximately MSEK 2.5 during 2015, and deliveries have commenced.

Leif Liljebrunn, CEO of ZetaDisplay AB told us “Over the years we have built up a strong position with our Digital Signage and Last Meter Marketing concepts. The client, who is a valuable reference, has by means of our co-operation, been assured of having a future-proofed media platform,”.

ZetaDisplay has over 50 employees, and sales offices located in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland, Estonia and the Netherlands.

A giant new NanoLumens screen in New York City will give the tens of millions of annual visitors to Times Square – ’the crossroads of the world’ – the chance to see inside Madame Tussauds.

The attention-grabbing 13‘. by 12’ NanoLumens screen, which was installed on June 19th, is visible from 42nd and is proving to be a big hit with visitors to Times Square, allowing them to enjoy a unique, behind-the-scenes look at the Madame Tussauds experience.

The project brief from Madame Tussauds (part of Merlin Entertainments Group) to Banner Managed Communication, its global marketing and communications agency, was to increase the attraction’s cut-through and audience share within the intensively competitive New York tourist scene. BMC brought in its digital experience design partner, OpenEye Global, noted for conceiving and delivering innovative visual technology projects, to create the experience from the eyes of the visitor. OpenEye also enlisted Scala and NanoLumens for content management and display installation, forming a solid team of expertise.

The Madame Tussauds and OpenEye teams developed a content strategy highlighting the brushes with fame (and infamy!) that could only happen inside Madame Tussauds. Using actors and a green screen to film reactions to their encounters with Madame Tussauds’ stars, crowds outside could get a real taste of the fun that awaits them inside.

The display will stay up indefinitely.

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Jennifer Arani, digital signage coordinator, Farmer’s Insurance Group, will present a two-part hands-on workshop session Wednesday, Sept. 30 seminar at 1-2 p.m. and 3-4 p.m. during CorpComm Expo’s inaugural educational conference taking place Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2015, at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.

Arani’s two-part hands-on workshop, entitled, ‘Building Corporate Messages for Digital Signage’, will take a comprehensive look at corporate digital signage, best practices for building content, and a back-to-basics training for message strategy, specifically a review of:

• Digital signage best practices;
• Graphic design best practices for digital signage on corporate campuses;
• Return on Objectives vs Return on Investment.

John Cione, director, executive amd employee communications, Microsoft, who serves on the CCE Advisory Board, says, “Engaging employees requires an active and robust employee communications strategy. CorpComm Expo’s ability to bring the newest technologies together with communications leaders at forums and events is a fantastic asset and one that everyone communications professional should leverage.”

For more information about CorpComm Expo or to register to attend this or any other educational session at the event, see here.http://www.corpcommexpo

CorpComm Expo 2015, to be co-located with EduComm Expo 2015, will take place Sept. 30-Oct. 1, 2015, with access to the Exhibit Hall both days at the Georgia World Congress Center in Atlanta.