Charlotte, NC - The Retail Solution Providers Association (RSPA) has selected 11Giraffes as the exclusive digital signage provider for RetailNOW 2015. In this capacity, 11Giraffes will provide digital signage services for the exhibit hall, schedule and announcement boards surrounding the educational session spaces, and information and welcome screens near registration.

As the exclusive digital signage provider, the 11Giraffes software platform will be used for digital signage and interactive content management and presentation throughout the show. The company is also creating custom video content for RSPA. 11Giraffes coordinated with distribution and hardware partners SYNNEX and Samsung to complete the solution for RSPA. 

11Giraffes Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Operations, Jim Marascio, will present "Delivering Modern In-Store Experiences" as one of the event's educational sessions. 

"We are so grateful to have smart, generous members like 11Giraffes.  With their partnership, we are able to offer, for the second year in a row, digital signage at RetailNOW 2015 to help enhance the attendee experience" said Kelly Funk, RSPA President and CEO.

"By incorporating scheduling information, wayfinding, news and announcements, along with the RSPA's branding and custom videos into the RetailNOW environment via digital signage, 11Giraffes is demonstrating how our signage platform is perfect for trade show and corporate communications applications," said Jim Marascio, 11Giraffes Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Operations. "We're all used to seeing digital signage in retail, hospitality and restaurant environments. Working with RSPA allows us to demonstrate ancillary applications to resellers and others attending RetailNOW."

Billed as "where the industry meets", RetailNOW 2015 is expected to draw over 2,000 attendees, representing a dozen countries and all markets of the retail technology industry. The trade show runs August 2-5 at the Gaylord Palms Resort and Convention Center in Orlando, Florida. 

About 11Giraffes

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, 11Giraffes provides innovative, scalable, reliable and easy-to-use digital signage and in-store audio solutions to companies worldwide. The company's software and hardware products are distributed through a large network of value added resellers who place its products in a wide range of industries including retail, hospitality, QSR/restaurant, assisted living, automotive, financial institutions, medical and dental offices, country clubs, and c-stores. 11Giraffes is committed to creating products that extend brands, deliver messages, and speak to customers. 

www.11giraffes.com 

About RSPA

The RSPA is the only association dedicated to the Point of Sale and retail technology industry.   Our members include resellers, software developers, hardware manufacturers, distributors and other service providers that bring technology products and services to the marketplace.

RSPA accelerates the success of its members in the point of sale ecosystem by providing knowledge and connections.   RSPA provides live, face to face education and networking annually at its two signature events, RetailNOW® (www.GoRSPA.org/RetailNOW) and INSPIRE® (www.GoRSPA.org/INSPIRE).  Other member benefits include a legal hotline, webinars, industry advocacy, a bi-monthly magazine and discounted shipping and event access.   Learn more by going to www.GoRSPA.org.

Last week we had the honor to take part at Globes' (one of the major economic newspapers in Israel) annual business conference with our interactive screens. Our goal was to raise the discourse and the experiences from the conference on the screen. In practice, the noise and traffic were larger than we imagined, when hundreds of tweets and photos from the conference were displayed on the screens through the day and the exposure of the content from the conference on social networks was enormous.

https://youtu.be/pygYLc2I0HU

'Mad' (digital marketing and advertising) is an annual business conference attended by influence people in the advertising industry, business people and reporters in order to take part in discussions related to the Israeli economy and to promote themselves and their business. This year, by using NoviSign live social walls we offered the attendees to publish content from the sessions and personal insights on the big screen in front of thousands of people who took part at this event. In fact, the screens allowed to have a practical dialogue about topical issues evoked various panels and it presented a current and dynamic slideshow of the people who took part in different places and on different activities of this day.

Preparations for the social activity were very simple and required no maintenance during the event. The screen itself was designed by NoviSign online Studio and included a ticker for the Twitter tweets, Instagram photos slideshow and RSS feed from Globes website. In terms of hardware, all we had to do was to connect a Minix Neo X7 (Android TV box) to one of the screens at the event using NoviSign's live social walls software. In order to invite people to participate in the activity. The conference organizers published few days before the event and through it that the hash tag word for this event was to be #GlobesMad2015.

The results were amazing! The event took place for more than seven hours and the screen was updating all the time with the most recent content from every panel and location of the conference. In addition for the dynamic screen, the conference social traffic was increased and there were over 50,000 people who viewed the content from the conference by social networks. Beyond the exposure, the guests of the conference got a unique and special experience when they were given the opportunity to take an active factor of the conference by taking part in a debate around the conference on the screen and share their personal experiences from the event. 

Want to hear more?

http://goo.gl/FkZSff 

Intuitive device software supports digital display content for a broad range of markets - now available on Userful video walls

Calgary, AB and Seattle, WA - Userful Corporation, an industry-leading software appliance for display infrastructure company, and UIEvolution, a global leader in highly scalable connected device software solutions, have teamed to provide flexible, integrated content solutions offering for Hospitality, Cruise and Retail customers. Customers can now utilize UIEvolution’s powerful UIE ExperienceManager to deploy and manage content on any display connected to a Userful appliance including the stunning Userful Network Video Wall.

Userful’s Network Video Wall is the first video wall solution to deliver 4k and higher content in real-time over the network. It supports multiple video walls from a single, standard PC and is entirely managed through a browser. With the UIE ExperienceManager platform, now integrated as a plugin into the Userful solution, Hospitality, Cruise and Retail customers can easily deploy content onto Userful’s high-performance, cost-effective video walls.

“Video walls are rapidly growing in hospitality and retail, and cruise ships greatly benefit from the reduced power consumption and easy AV-over-IP distribution built into the Userful appliance and zero-client devices,” said Tim Griffin, founder and CTO of Userful. “UIE ExperienceManager is a powerful solution for companies to engage with their customers while offering great content. Userful now makes it easy to deploy that same content on any display or video wall within the network.”

UIE ExperienceManager is a platform for managing a range of content such as video-on-demand, live TV, music, and over-the-top (OTT) apps. It is designed to deliver rich and highly personalized guest experiences. The software is used for a variety of markets, including hospitality, to provide next-generation guest entertainment and digital signage experiences across brands and establishments.

“We are delighted to have been selected by Userful and look forward to working with them,” said Travis Beaven, CPO and GM of Consumer Engagement at UIEvolution. “UIEvolution has been leading the display technology and digital signage industries with our powerful UIE ExperienceManager platform, now live globally on thousands of endpoints. The combination of Userful’s Network Video Wall with UIE ExperienceManager provides us with another exciting way to deliver engaging, memorable visual experiences for our Cruise, Hotel and Retail customers.”

The new partnership creates many opportunities in the hospitality, retail, and cruise ship sectors to enhance customer and guest experience with easy distribution of compelling content to endpoints including onto high impact 4k video walls. UIEvolution and Userful combined provide simple, flexible and cost-effective digital display solutions for everyone.

About Userful

Userful Corporation is a leading infrastructure software company that makes it simple and affordable for organizations to drive and centrally manage intelligent displays. Userful supports centrally powered displays from desktops to touch-screens to video walls and beyond, with exceptional performance, unique flexibility and at the lowest cost on the market. Userful is the trusted provider of over 1 million displays in over 100 countries and works with zero- and thin-client devices from world-class partners such as ViewSonic, Thinglobal, Atrust, Centerm and HP. userful.com

About UIEvolution

UIEvolution is a vertical cloud Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) provider specializing in highly scalable connected device software and solutions across a broad range of markets, including automotive, cruise, hotel, retail, and more. We believe that technology and connectivity should enhance and never distract from life experiences. From our inception in 2000, we have said, “The user’s experience matters.” And, now for nearly 15 years we have made software and provided services that deliver this vision. Headquartered in Seattle with offices in Tokyo and Detroit, UIEvolution has a proven track record with clients like Toyota, Lexus, Carnival Cruise Lines, Samsung, AT&T, Microsoft, Disney, Mitsubishi and Panasonic. http://www.uievolution.com

Media Contact

Daniel Griffin

Vice President, Userful

daniel@userful.com

250-381-5335

Cami Zimmer

Corporate Communications, UIEvolution

czimmer@uievolution.com

952-239-9822

Los Angeles, CA -  Eye-catching is an understatement for Haas Brothers' edgy designs that lean primarily toward furniture and sculpture. The designers’ creations are practically unmistakable, and their style has earned a position in Artsy’s top nine designers for 2015. Now, the duo has stated that they will use the Videotel VP70 industrial digital signage media player for their marketing efforts. “Videotel makes the simplest, most reliable video looper I've ever used,” declares Nikolai Haas. “Our business is one of very high dollar and high stakes. I know I can count on Videotel to deliver.”

The Haas Brothers are in a high-dollar business. Big ideas and big-name clients require proven interactive solutions for marketing. The Haas Brothers may be best known for their collaboration with Versace and their association with Lady Gaga, for whom they crafted masks, wings and other costuming pieces, but not all Haas Brothers patrons are celebrities. At design and art shows, Haas Brothers’ enthusiasts find that they can combine form with function and art with design that tends toward zoomorphic creations.

The Videotel HD looping digital signage media player is perfect for this high-end clientele. The VP70 requires very little human interaction, allowing the brothers to focus on demonstrating how their ideas influence emerging trends in artistic furniture and sculpture design. The VP70 is a plug-and-play solution with auto-on, auto-start and auto-repeat functions. Never does the player present an awkward black or green screen that draws attention to itself rather than the Haas Brother’s designs.

The Haas Brothers are quick to suggest that their pieces, should be viewed through a humorous lens. Humor is an essential part of humanity, but there’s nothing funny about a technological glitch in the middle of an important presentation. Perhaps avoiding such gaffs is why the duo chose the Videotel VP70 as the centerpiece of their digital signage.

About Videotel Inc.

Videotel Inc. is the only company manufacturing industrial looping DVD players. Videotel’s players smoothly handle video content, digital signage and industrial media for multiple industries. Videotel, headquartered in San Diego, California, has been the industry leader in providing dependable industrial digital solutions and products for more than 34 years.

Videotel’s players run continuously for years without failure, and the company is the only provider of the auto start, auto play and auto repeat features. The auto features work flawlessly even during power failures, with no user intervention required.

For more information about Videotel Digital’s line of top-quality industrial digital signage media players and interactive digital signage solutions, please visit http://www.videoteldigital.com or call (800) 878-4056. You can also visit Videotel on Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+ or Twitter.

The Queen's Medical Center, in the Honolulu, Hawaii area, has recently purchased new digital signage media players for its hospital rooms. The solution that the hospital chose to buy were Videotel's VP71 Industrial Media Players. Prior to purchasing this high-quality media player from Videotel, The Queen's Hospital frequently experienced challenges with getting their signage players to power on. They experienced many power glitches, which directly impacted patient care. The hospital administrator has informed Videotel Inc. that the hospital is very grateful to have chosen this solution above all others. The hospital especially likes the auto power switch, which prevents the need to worry about the troublesome power glitches affecting the function of important equipment. This dependable product manufactured by Videotel Inc. allows The Queen's Hospital to provide its patients with the highest quality of care and make news, information, and other important data readily available to patients, visitors, employees, and family members of patients.

Videotel prides itself on providing top-notch industrial digital equipment and exceptional customer support. The Videotel's VP71 is an industrial-grade digital media player that has the ability to auto-power-on, auto-loop and auto-repeat content seamlessly. This is done without the necessity for menus, remotes, or manual interaction. The VP71 supports RS232 with a communication-ready port, which enables users to play content at designated times of the day. The media player’s durable design enables the VP71 to run for more than six years without failure. The VP71 can also be used to create an interactive experience for patients by connecting LED push buttons or motion sensors.

About Videotel Inc.

Videotel Inc. is an award winning manufacture of industrial digital signage media players, industrial looping dvd players and interactive technology. Based in San Diego, CA, Videotel's 34 years of market experience in developing reliable industrial digital signage solutions has propelled it to industry leader status. To learn more about Videotel Inc., visit http://www.videoteldigital.com.

11Giraffes puts the power of cost efficiency, remote management, and scalable deployment in the hands of end-users and IT managers through their new digital signage software application for Google's Chrome OS.

Charlotte, NC - Digital signage software company, 11Giraffes, now supports Google's Chrome operating system with its digital content management platform. The company worked closely with Google to build an application for use with the Google for Work platform. A Google Android version of 11Giraffes digital signage media player has been available since 2012. A variant of this Android version of 11Giraffes Digital Signage player now runs on Chrome OS. 

Using the 11Giraffes Digital Signage Chrome app, users may remotely manage the presentation of video and audio through the 11Girafffes web-based content management system. The 11Giraffes Digital Signage app allows users to upload and schedule media, create touchscreen interactive applications and video walls, monitor playback, and traffic content to individual or groups of displays worldwide. 

As a Google for Work Partner application, the 11Giraffes Digital Signage app may be deployed and managed on Google Chromebox devices using Google's Chrome Management Console. The web-based Chrome Management Console allows IT departments to easily configure and manage Chrome OS devices across enterprise networks in corporate, education and non-profit environments.

"Based on our success with Google Android digital signage, adding support for Google Chrome made good business sense", said Jim Marascio, 11Giraffes Chief Technology Officer and Vice President of Operations. "Chrome OS devices provide a powerful, yet low-cost, PC hardware platform for digital signage. And Google's ARC project made migrating from Android to Chrome, then maintaining a single code base for both platforms, very efficient."

11Giraffes Digital Signage media player app is immediately available with Chromebox devices sold through Seneca. The 11Giraffes Digital Signage app is also available through the Google Chrome Web Store to be deployed via Chrome Management Console. The app may also be run without Chrome Management Console and on Chrome OS devices sourced through other distribution channels.

About 11Giraffes

Headquartered in Charlotte, North Carolina, 11Giraffes provides innovative, scalable, reliable and easy-to-use digital signage and in-store audio solutions to companies worldwide. The company's software and hardware products are distributed through a large network of value added resellers who place its products in a wide range of industries including retail, hospitality, QSR/restaurant, assisted living, automotive, financial institutions, medical and dental offices, country clubs, and c-stores. 11Giraffes is committed to creating products that extend brands, deliver messages, and speak to customers. 

www.11giraffes.com 

Just before the school year begins, NoviSign launches a new digital signage service suits especially for all types of educational institutions: Elementary schools, High schools, Colleges and Universities. This new service includes a unique, easy to use and operate digital signage system designed especially for educational institutions, in order to upgrade the learning experience by adding informative and interactive screens, allowing you to publish and convey information quickly, efficiently and effortlessly with any Android, Chrome or Windows device.

The purpose of this new service is to provide an information mechanism that would allow to publish and update easily and effectively information throughout the educational institution and even in a number of     institutions at the same time. Upcoming events, campus news, welcome notices, scheduling changes and more - all of those can be published on screens around the campus and be updated from any computer, without a direct access to the screen. Also, the innovative system of NoviSign is so easy to operate that you can turn it into an educational activity for the students and make them responsible of the content on the screen.

But beyond the ability of the system to publish information around the campus and raise the awareness of the students about different topics, NoviSign offers an innovative system that allows to create an interaction with the students. Who should be your next student council president? What activity would you like to take place on the last day of school? NoviSign polling system allows to ask question on the big screen and let the students answer directly from their smartphones while watching the results updating automatically on the bid screen.

NoviSign company aims to develop the field of digital signage at educational institutions and offers special terms to support and help those institutions, such as unique templates, free trainings and special price.

Want to hear more? http://goo.gl/8FfB7k

Minneapolis, MN.  - CastNET announced today that it has hired Tom McInerney as Director of Operations and Jim Oehler as Product Manager.

Prior to joining CastNET, Tom McInerney managed the hosting and operations team at CPA Global. Prior to that, he was at Dow Jones as the Director of Systems Engineering and Operations.

Jim Oehler comes to CastNET with more than last 14 years of digital signage experience. He was most recently at Imagine Communications in various roles including Program Manager and Product Manager for their digital signage division.
 
Commenting on the new additions to CastNET, Lance Hutchinson, CastNET Vice President, said, “To manage the rapid growth that we are experiencing at CastNET, we are determined to hire individuals with outstanding qualifications and a track record of success. We’ve reached that goal with the hiring of Tom and Jim to these strategically important positions.”
 
About CastNET
CastNET is a leader in providing large-scale digital signage solutions for a variety of markets around the world. For over 20 years, CastNET has been a one-stop resource for content management software, hardware integration, and content creation. CastNET’s award winning software is an easy-to-use yet powerful content management software solution for digital signage systems.

CastNET, 7690 Golden Triangle Drive, Eden Prairie Minnesota 55344
(800) 388-0008 or (952) 896-9898.

Website: www.castnet.com. Contact: info@castnet.com

Deland, FL -  Stetson University recently chose Videotel's VP71 industrial digital signage media players to showcase student video work in the Hand Art Center, the campus art gallery.

The VP71 industrial digital signage player is known for its rugged durability and hands-off functionality. The digital media player can be used in a variety of ways to display any media content from photos to videos, with or without sound, seamlessly. Even in a power failure, the VP71 will automatically resume playback when power is restored.

Associate Professor Nathan Wolleck, Chair of the Department of Creative Arts, was dissatisfied with the department's previous method of displaying student video work. The department would use computers and play videos on a long continuous loop. Visitors to the gallery had no control over the presentation of content. The computer played on, whether any guests were there to watch or not. Wolleck knew there had to be a better way.

Working with his Creative Arts department, Wolleck paired Videotel's VP71 industrial media player with Videotel's IPM Interplay Module and with LED buttons to create a sleek, interactive display of student work. According to Wolleck, "the VP71 just sat neatly behind the flat screen on the wall. The resulting video theater felt right at home in the gallery. Now, visitors control the flow of content and the player sits quietly during the idle moments when there are no visitors."

Wolleck believes that the VP71 industrial media player was the right choice for not only the current display, but future gallery events as well. "We look forward to using it whenever we need to showcase video projects in our art gallery and, should we need multiple video screens, we will certainly be buying another Videotel unit," he said.

About Videotel Inc.
Videotel Inc. is an award-winning manufacturer of industrial digital signage media players, industrial looping DVD players and interactive technology. Based in San Diego, CA, Videotel has 34 years of market experience in developing reliable industrial digital signage solutions has propelled it to industry leader status. To learn more about Videotel Inc., visit http://www.videoteldigital.com.

A giant new LED screen in New York City will give the tens of millions of annual visitors to Times Square – ‘The Crossroads Of The World’ - a chance to see inside Madame Tussauds.

New York, NY - A giant new LED screen in New York City will give the tens of millions of annual visitors to Times Square – ‘The Crossroads Of The World’ - a chance to see inside Madame Tussauds.

The attention-grabbing 13 ft. by 12 ft. LED screen, which was installed on 19 June, is visible from 42nd Street. It is already proving a big hit with visitors to Times Square, who get to benefit from 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 (BMC), 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 deployed its digital experience design partner, OpenEye Global, a world leader in conceiving and delivering innovative visual technology projects, to help create the experience from the eyes of the visitor.

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.

In order to drive interactions beyond the ticket booth, another key tactic was to showcase the opportunity for ‘dynamic selfies’ inside Madame Tussauds.

The team also created a video, which showcases the visual impact of the installation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PiEdrrL-cEk

Davey Barrett, Head of Product Development, Midway Attractions, North America at Merlin Entertainments plc said:

"BMC and OpenEye have helped us find a truly innovative way of communicating and visualizing the experience of visiting Madame Tussauds to a vast, untapped audience. We’re undoubtedly achieving our primary objective of grabbing the attention of many more visitors to Times Square.”

Catherine Burke, CEO of Banner Managed Communication, said:
“Creative thinking and leading-edge technology have combined here to inject new life and contemporary relevance into an attraction with a heritage stretching back almost 250 years. This project is a perfect example of why we've partnered with OpenEye. They provide precisely the blend of digital innovation and execution expertise which BMC clients are looking for.”

Bryan Meszaros, CEO & Founder of OpenEye commented:
“It was clear to us that many people’s perception of Madame Tussauds lags way behind the modern-day reality. So our focus was on creating content and using technology to visualize and bring to life the Madame Tussauds experience, emphasizing what an incredibly dynamic and interactive attraction it is for visitors.”


About Banner Managed Communication
Our unique approach to digital visual communications delivers solutions that bring transformational improvements to consumer and corporate clients – helping them to enhance engagement with their customers or employees, to get amazing results.

Our award-winning team stands apart with expertise to integrate digital visual communications within client’s omni-channel strategies. By blending technological expertise with a holistic approach to designing, deploying and managing complex programmes, our solutions achieve exceptional returns.

Our unified, managed service, guides clients through everything they need from strategy and agnostic technology consultancy to content creation, deployment and maintenance management.

For more information visit: http://www.banner-managedcommunication.com

About OpenEye Global
Formed in 2002, OpenEye Global is an award-winning digital experience design agency, which looks to combine consumer insight, technology and creativity to redefine how brands engage with their audiences through multi-channel experiences. With studios in New York, San Diego, and London, OpenEye works with such high profile brands including Santander Bank, Westfield, and Nordstrom.

For more information visit: http://www.openeyeglobal.com

Innovative zones feature allows customers to display multiple content streams within one video wall with simplicity and affordability

Calgary, AB — Userful Corporation, an industry-leading centralized display software company, has expanded its innovative video wall solution to solve some of the key challenges in control room and public display markets. With the addition of the ability to support multiple preset zones within a video wall, Userful is bringing its unique solution to markets that have traditionally been held back by costly and complex alternatives.

Video walls have been experiencing record growth in recent years and customers are demanding more advanced functionality. A highly-sought after feature is the ability to play multiple, simultaneous content streams on different sections of a video wall. These types of deployments often require expensive and complicated video wall controllers, but now Userful is offering the same preset zones functionality from a standard Core i7 PC.

The zones feature is a part of the latest release of the Userful’s platform - Userful Network Video Wall 8.0.
 
The Userful Network Video Wall delivers real-time content – 4k and higher - to the video wall via a standard gigabit Ethernet network using a single standard PC. This eliminates the need for expensive AV hardware and complicated software. Userful’s new preset zones feature adds to the versatility of the platform, making it the perfect solution for businesses looking for flexible and cost-effective video wall solutions for control rooms and high-end public displays.

“This powerful new zones feature opens up a new world of use case possibilities,” said Tim Griffin, CTO of Userful. “For us, video walls are about a lot more than just putting video onto synchronized displays.  They’re powerful tools that deliver strong ROI, but for a long time now it’s been clear the market needed a simpler and more cost-effective way to deploy multiple content sources simultaneously on different parts of a video wall. We are now doing just that, and ensuring it’s easy and affordable.”

The new zones feature is ideal for control rooms allowing administrators to monitor multiple desktops, dashboards or video sources at the same time at a high resolution. It can also be used for team collaboration and meeting areas to display multiple presentations, web content, videos at the same time for more efficient communication. Additionally, zones support is perfect for high-end public video walls to show multiple content sources at once.

Click here to watch a video on how the zones feature works.  Userful makes trial kits and demo software available for those that wish to test the solution.  For information, visit www.userful.com/videowall, email getstarted@userful.com, or call 403-289-2177 opt 1.

About Userful
Userful Corporation is a leading infrastructure software company that makes it simple and affordable for organizations to drive and centrally manage intelligent displays. Userful supports centrally powered displays from desktops to touch-screens to video walls and beyond with exceptional performance, unique flexibility and the lowest cost on the market. Userful is the trusted provider of over 1 million displays in over 100 countries and works with zero- and thin-client devices from world-class partners such as ViewSonic, Thinglobal, Atrust, Centerm and HP. http://www.userful.com

Media Contact
Daniel Griffin
Vice President, Userful
daniel@userful.com
250.381.5335

Keywest Technology expands the video processing capabilities of its MediaZone Pro digital signage system by adding an optional HD video capture card.

LENEXA, Kan.  – MediaZone Pro®, Keywest Technology’s PC-based digital signage system, gets a high-definition input option that captures live video content from multiple sources. The input option processes both digital and analog video formats, enabling users to capture and insert live video feeds into a digital signage playlist from HDMI, DVI, VGA and YUV sources.

Keywest Tech engineered the integration of the AVerMedia® full HD 1080P capture card into the MediaZone Pro platform for seamless use and no-hassle operation. According to the company, the option gives MediaZone Pro users the ability to stream live video directly into the digital signage playlist with absolutely stunning quality. The video input option also supports live stream switching between analog and digital inputs.

Koytt Nichols, Director of R&D for Keywest Technology, commented that this option gives digital signage viewers what they want. He said, “Adding live media to a digital signage zone is one of the best ways to keep content fresh and interesting for viewers. This tactic [a.k.a. sticky content] gives viewers a reason to come back for more.”

“The card can capture the video easily and requires minimal configuration. We are satisfied with the hardware combination and look forward to years of use,” said Lance Ha, Shell IT A/V Coordinator. Mr. Ha’s department manages a multi-channel IPTV distribution system that is used to provide staff local and world news channels combined with other pertinent employee information. “We use the input cards to capture cable television channels from our satellite tuners via the component to serial adapters, and we wrap the channels with zones of relevant information,” Ha added.

The MediaZone Pro video input option was released in the 3rd quarter of 2015, and it’s available from authorized AV system and architectural integrators throughout North America. Interested parties and resellers are encouraged to visit the MediaZone Pro website for more information: http://www.mediazonepro.com/   

About Keywest Technology
Keywest Technology is an authentic developer of digital signage technology and a full-service provider offering solutions from simple playback to large multi-sign and interactive networks. Keywest builds systems with a holistic approach that includes key software technologies, creative design, system design, and comprehensive network-managed services. Based in Lenexa, Kansas, the company is dedicated to making business communication as enjoyable as a day at the beach. For more information, visit www.KeywestTechnology.com.

MediaZone Pro is a registered trademark of Keywest Technology, Inc.
AVerMedia is a registered trademark of AVerMedia Technologies, Inc.

K-Touch 3.1 Enhances User Experience and Reduces Configuration Time with New Drag-and-Drop Room-Control Modules and more

Kramer releases K-Touch 3.1 to further enhance the company’s award-winning Cloud-based solution for designing advanced, user-friendly room-control systems for lights, screens, sound, any AV equipment, HVAC, thermostats, and more.

K-Touch 3.1 expands the platform’s ease of use and reduces configuration time with features such as sliders and new drag-and-drop programming modules for Apple TV, cameras, Vera™ Smarter Home Control products, Centralite Lighting, and Kramer’s FC-26 I/O connectivity product. K-Touch 3.1 also introduces Apple TV IP control, immersive full-screen mode and support for iPhone 6 and iPhone 6+, further improving the integrator’s user experience.

“I believe this new release sends a strong message to both our integrators and end-users: K-Touch is and will continue to be the most innovative, cost-effective and easiest-to-use room control solution on the market,” said Aviv Ron, VP Business Development & Strategy at Kramer.

K-Touch is ideal for any AV environment, e.g., Corporate, Education, Entertainment, and Houses of Worship.

With K-Touch, end-users can control any device in the room over Ethernet. The solution is scalable to over 100 devices, all controllable from any iOS or Android touch screen.

Non-Ethernet-based devices with RS-232, GPIO, relays, or IR can be controlled over Ethernet using Kramer FC-series I/O connectivity products or third-party devices. Kramer RC-series button controllers can also be incorporated into any project to provide tactile operation. 

The platform lets integrators provide remote Cloud-based support and updates to customers without having to be on-site. This offers significant cost savings and higher ROI.

K-Touch is easy and quick to learn. Kramer offers a simple online training course that can be completed in just a few hours. An extensive support database is available online and includes tutorials, articles, videos, and sample project files with additional instructions on performing both simple and complex tasks.

Markham, ON– Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLG) employed their Audience™ driven digital signage network to promote and carry out their first ever, live and guaranteed one million dollar prize draw.

Executed across all 19 OLG Slots & Casinos the $1,000,000 Swipe-Stakes was promoted to Winner’s Circle Rewards (WCR) members across the network using a series of digital messages including a countdown to the live grand prize event held July 16.

For the first time ever, the grand prize event and draw was conducted using the OLG digital screens at each venue where for one night each screen displayed a digital interactive show leading up to the grand prize draws. 88 qualifiers who were previously assigned a random number, watched the live show with their guests; waiting in anticipation to see if their number would pop up for the ultimate one million dollar prize.

Grand prize winner Helen Vermeeren was one of 224,000 people who entered the June contest that gave eligible WCR members across Ontario a chance to win.

“This was an incredibly complex undertaking,” said Michael Tutton, Manager, Digital Signage at OLG. “We needed to be able communicate 88 potential winners across 45 draws - that's almost 4,000 combinations! This required the production of over 400 videos to ensure each draw result was unique. Our team worked closely with Capital Networks to ensure the content was triggered and distributed, live across the province. Audience™ provided the ability to manage all the locations from one central point which allowed us to use digital signage to give away over a million dollars”.

Since 2004, Capital Networks has provided Audience™ digital signage solutions and services to OLG’s digital signage network which consists of approximately 1,200 screens.


 About OLG
OLG is a provincial agency responsible for province-wide lottery games and gaming facilities. Since 1975, OLG has provided nearly $40 billion to the Province and the people of Ontario. OLG’s annual payments to the Province have helped support health care; education, research, prevention and treatment of problem gambling; amateur sport through the Quest for Gold program; and local and provincial charities.

About Capital Networks Limited
Capital Networks Limited is a privately held company based in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1991, Capital Networks is a respected leader in the supply and support of advanced multimedia systems to communications companies engaged in cable television, broadcasting, digital signage and place-based media. Capital Networks has sold Audience™ software into a variety of market segments including Education, Corporate, Municipal and Retail applications in more than 40 countries. Clients include: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), BBC, Peel Regional Police - Ontario, Plan Group, Cablevision – New York, Rogers Communications, Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, and many others.

Manhattan Award Program Honors Achievement in Digital Signage

NEW YORK -- YCD Multimedia has been selected for the 2015 Best of Manhattan Award in the Digital Signage Software category by the Manhattan Award Program.

Each year, the Manhattan Award Program identifies companies that they believe have achieved exceptional marketing success in their local community and business category. These are local companies that enhance the positive image of small business through service to their customers and community. These exceptional companies help make the Manhattan area a great place to live, work and play.

Various sources of information are gathered and analyzed to choose the winners in each category. The 2015 Manhattan Award Program focuses on quality, not quantity. Winners are determined based on the information gathered both internally by the Manhattan Award Program and data provided by third parties.

YCD has called Manhattan home for over a decade, servicing customers from Times Square to Wall St with digital signage solutions that make a statement, gets brands recognized and engage audiences.

“We are pleased YCD has been recognized in the digital signage software category. The entire YCD team is passionate about delivering the best possible solution and level of service to our customers both in Manhattan and around the globe.  We proudly accept the Manhattan Award and are honored to have been selected,” said Sam Losar CEO YCD Multimedia.

About Manhattan Award Program

The Manhattan Award Program is an annual awards program honoring the achievements and accomplishments of local businesses throughout the Manhattan area. Recognition is given to those companies that have shown the ability to use their best practices and implemented programs to generate competitive advantages and long-term value.

The Manhattan Award Program was established to recognize the best of local businesses in our community. Our organization works exclusively with local business owners, trade groups, professional associations and other business advertising and marketing groups. Our mission is to recognize the small business community's contributions to the U.S. economy.

About YCD Multimedia

YCD Multimedia is a leading global provider of advanced digital signage software solutions, serving the retail, telecom, banking, gaming, entertainment, hospitality, educational, transportation and corporate markets. Founded in 1999 (and having acquired C-nario, a leading digital signage company, in 2011), YCD provides businesses and organizations with a fully-scalable platform to attract and engage customers, while communicating their brand. YCD’s software offers unmatched capabilities in driving digital signage networks including high-impact video and mosaic walls in a native, pixel-perfect resolution. To date, the company has partnered with industry leading customers, including Fortune 500 corporations and some of the world’s most recognized brands. YCD operates worldwide with offices in the United States, the United Kingdom and Israel, as well as an international network of partners serving clients around the globe. For more information, visit www.ycdmultimedia.com

PR Contacts:

Lou Carulli

Marketing Manager

YCD Multimedia

646.237.8115

lcarulli@ycdmultimedia.com

Markham, ON. Canada– Capital Networks Limited, a respected leader in the digital signage solutions industry, has announced the signing of a reseller partnership agreement with OPTiFi Inc., a leading provider of anonymized metrics solutions to the digital media market. Through this agreement, Capital Networks Limited will be the exclusive OPTiFi Inc. global media reseller.

OPTiFi provides real time location data and media validation by reporting actual conversion for retail advertisers, strategists, advertising agencies, media planners and buyers of targeted location-based digital media across multiple channels.

Established in 1991, Capital Networks has supplied and supported advanced multimedia systems into the cable television, broadcasting and digital signage industries. Capital Networks has sold Audience™ software into a variety of market segments including Education, Corporate, Municipal and Retail applications in more than 40 countries.

“OPTiFi was originally developed to bring accountability via location analytics to out-of-home advertising without jeopardizing the privacy of truly anonymous visitor activity via their cell phones,” said Robert Morton, President of OPTiFi, Inc. “OPTiFi's core patents-pending with its uniquely anonymized arrays do not include any intrusion or push to a user.  OPTiFi sets a new industry standard in tokenizing mobile devices—an anonymized finger print that cannot be reverse engineered.   This simple, digital token is designed to protect a user's ID and MAC address.”

"This exclusive reseller partnership with OPTiFi further positions Capital Networks as a leading provider of digital signage solutions for a wide variety of applications," said Jim Vair, VP Business Development at Capital Networks. "We see OPTiFi having huge implications in the retail digital signage space, and we’re very excited to be able to add OPTiFI to the stable of solutions available to all of our clients.”

About Capital Networks Limited

Capital Networks Limited is a privately held company based in Markham, Ontario, Canada. Established in 1991, Capital Networks is a respected leader in the supply and support of advanced multimedia systems to communications companies engaged in cable television, broadcasting, digital signage and place-based media. Capital Networks has sold Audience™ software into a variety of market segments including Education, Corporate, Municipal and Retail applications in more than 40 countries. Clients include: Ontario Lottery and Gaming Corporation (OLGC), Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC), BBC, Peel Regional Police - Ontario, Plan Group, Cablevision – New York, Rogers Communications, Sheridan Institute of Technology & Advanced Learning, and many others.

About OTiFi Inc.

OPTiFi Inc is a privately held corporation with head office in Peterborough, Ontario, with clients in Canada, the U.S. & Jamaica. OPTiFi brings affordable, agile, real-time, customized analytics for actionable insights at both the Micro and Macro level.  OPTiFi’s open platforms are modular and integrate with proximity marketing campaigns, NFC, and both out-of-home (OOH) and digital-out-of-home (DOOH) media.  Its unique algorithms allow qualified querying of the data across dynamic, geographical footprints by advertisers, retailers and brands for optimizing location-based advertising in response to on-the-go visitor traffic, as well as offering a superior methodology for determining ideal site locations for businesses, brands and marketing. 

2015 marks an epic 35th year anniversary of Videotel in business

This major milestone is a direct reflection of its innovation in commercial digital signage products and its simplistic creative genius in digital signage solutions. For 35 years, Videotel has been the leader in developing audio video products and next generation digital signage solutions.

As a pioneer in the industry, Videotel has been the developer of many firsts. It was the first manufacturer in the digital signage arena to introduce a new interplay module to the industry. The IPM allowed the user to trigger specific video content with the touch of an LED button, use of a motion sensor and wave-to-play technology. Enhancing the interactive experience, the IPM was a major hit in many vertical markets, including retail, hospitality, healthcare.

Videotel has been a shining exhibitor at many industry shows and expos. Rave Publications named its winners of the Digital Signage Champs at the Digital Signage Expo 2015, and Videotel was awarded best new interactive digital signage solution for its revolutionary product – Elevate. With it stylish design and unique technology, the Elevate solution stood out from the pack. Customers can display a product on top of the elevate box and once the product is lifted, content is triggered to the screen within the display. Multiple video files may be launched with each lift off the sensor.

Videotel unveiled its VP70 XD industrial media player at the InfoComm Show. This industrial grade digital media player seamlessly loops files for a smooth, visual appealing viewing experience. It also features HDMI resolution, multi-function remote control, video cables, multiple transition options and a USB card. Impressed with its design and function, Triple E Recreational Vehicles selected it for its digital signage purposes and its annual trade show.

Other Videotel flagship products include the HD2600 industrial and medical grade looping DVD player and the VP71 industrial grade interactive digital media player. The HD2600 is designed to automatically power on, auto loop, auto repeat and auto play without any manual interaction. It’s been proven to operate continuously 24/7 for 4+ years and is the most durable DVD player on the market. The VP71 interactive digital signage media player can become an interactive experience by adding LED push buttons, motion sensors, proximity sensors or weight sensors. The VP71 be controlled by a computer with one-way communication with Videotel's TTL adapter.

Since its onset, Videotel has brought cutting-edge digital signage products and solutions to the table. Without a doubt, there will be many more major anniversaries to celebrate. For more information, please visit http://www.videoteldigital.com.

Delivers industry's first cost-competitive projected capacitive multi-touch solution for ultra responsive large format touch screens

TAIPEI, Taiwan--Cima NanoTech, a developer and manufacturer of transparent conductive film solutions, announced today that it has entered into a joint venture with Foxconn, the world’s largest ICT technology provider and vertically integrated device manufacturer, to deliver the industry’s first cost-competitive, projected capacitive (pro-cap) solution for large format touch screens. Both companies will sell SANTE® ProTouch™ modules through Cima Touch, the company formed under this joint venture.

“Having a full, in-house supply chain for large format projected capacitive touch solutions is an industry first, and ensures that we have full control over the quality and reliability of SANTE® ProTouch™ modules.”

Foxconn’s expertise in the mass production of reliable, high-quality products, coupled with Cima NanoTech’s proprietary SANTE® self-assembling nanoparticle technology, delivers a cost-competitive solution for customers looking to shift from infrared (IR) touch technology to pro-cap multi-touch solutions and systems.

“SANTE® ProTouch™ modules will be manufactured at our newly established, state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities,” said Jon Brodd, CEO of Cima NanoTech. “Having a full, in-house supply chain for large format projected capacitive touch solutions is an industry first, and ensures that we have full control over the quality and reliability of SANTE® ProTouch™ modules.”

SANTE® ProTouch™ modules provide users with ultra fast response for an intuitive multi-user, multi-touch experience, making it an ideal solution for interactive digital signage, interactive kiosks, interactive tabletops and interactive whiteboards. The overall design and product appeal of the touch system is also enhanced with edge-to-edge cover lens and narrow bezel.

“Cima NanoTech has a cutting-edge, disruptive technology which puts them at the forefront of high performance innovations.” said Kevin Chen, Director of Foxconn Technology Group. “Our partnership with Cima NanoTech enables us to break new ground and address the rapidly growing large format touch market.”

SANTE® ProTouch™ modules are available in sizes ranging from 40” to 85”. The non-moiré characteristic of SANTE® self-assembling nanoparticle technology makes it compatible with all LCD display models in the market; the highly customizable nature of SANTE® ProTouch™ modules also provides manufacturers and system integrators with the freedom to design features such as cover lens thickness, glass type and bezel width.

About Cima NanoTech

Cima NanoTech develops and manufactures high performance, next-generation transparent conductive film solutions based on its proprietary SANTE® self-assembling nanoparticle technology. This unique technology is rapidly being commercialized with key partners to enable new products for a multitude of markets and applications, including ultra responsive large format touch screens, transparent antennas, EMI shielding, OLED lighting, transparent heating and more. Cima Touch is a subsidiary of Cima NanoTech, formed through a joint venture with Foxconn, that focuses on selling, marketing and supporting solutions for large format projected capacitive touch screens with screen sizes from 40” to over 100”. For more information, visit www.cimananotech.com.

“Cima NanoTech” and “SANTE” are registered trademarks of Cima NanoTech, Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries.

About Foxconn Technology Group

Established in 1974 by Founder and CEO Terry Gou, Foxconn Technology Group, is the world’s largest information & communication technology ((ICT) provider and vertically integrated device manufacturer. Foxconn is also the global industry leader for design, development, manufacturing, assembly, logistics and after-sales services for global computer, communication and consumer electronics (3C) leaders. With its award-winning proprietary business model, eCMMS, the group is a trusted name for design and manufacturing services (including CEM, EMS, ODM and CMMS), and offers top multi-national companies the most comprehensive integrated and innovative design and manufacturing solutions. Foxconn has also been transforming itself into a significant e-commerce player and a cloud & IoT-based total solution and service provider for industry 4.0, e-car, clean energy and smart X (X: town, office, hospital, home, etc.). For more information, visit www.foxconn.com.

Contacts

Cima NanoTech

Felicia Chia, +65-6570-2018

Marketing Manager

pr@cimananotech.com

Fax: +65-6570-2038 

Lake Elsinore, CA- You need special equipment to be special. That’s why Audio Video Specialists sought out Videotel when they discovered the need for reliable equipment to keep up with their business needs and those of their clients. With some of their clients needing eight to 12 hours of constant looping content seven days a week, a reliable system is needed to meet their looping content demands. As the business can't continue replacing DVD players, Audio Video Specialists relies on Videotel's HD2600 DVD player to keep clients happy.

The Videotel HD2600 DVD player is an industrial-grade DVD player strictly designed for auto looping playback. With the ability to automatically power on, play, and repeat, the content can seamlessly play without interaction, even in the event of a power loss. In addition to this, the offering of high-definition quality for signage solutions puts the Videotel HD2600 DVD player in high demand for many businesses, no matter how large or small they may be.

Casey Elliott of Audio Video Specialists states, "Our client also has a proprietary DVD-burning format that many other DVD players won't read. We also integrate Videotel into new HDMI systems and older composite or component video systems, and Videotel has all the connections we need."

With Videotel's HD2600 DVD player providing Audio Video Specialists the reliability and formatting its clients demand, the company no longer has to worry about replacing DVD players that are unable to keep up with its business. "When we call with a question or concern, there's always someone there to answer," states Casey in regard to customer service for his Videotel player.

About Videotel Inc.

Videotel Inc. is an award-winning manufacturer of industrial digital signage media players, industrial looping DVD players and interactive technology. Based in San Diego, California, Videotel has 34 years of market experience in developing reliable industrial digital signage solutions, which has propelled it to industry-leader status. To learn more about Videotel Inc., visit http://www.videoteldigital.com.

Pigeon Forge, TN- Fee Hedrick Entertainment Group specializes in providing a great customer experience with its many comedy shows. No detail is too small, so when the group recently chose Tanked to install a beautiful aquarium, it turned to Videotel to provide a streaming media player to complete the effect.

According to Fee Hedrick's technical director, Marshall Whaley, the company was previously using a computer with a GOM player for playback of the impressive tank's fire display. "I had to pretty up the fire effect for my boss," said Whaley. "After a little help from Videotel, I was able to get the right unit and the right format."

People often think of digital signage as an informational display with rolling text or interactive solutions as a kiosk where customers manipulate a computer display. As Fee Hedrick's technical team learned, digital signage and interactive solutions have a multitude of applications in the field.

For the realistic fire display, Videotel's VP71 Industrial Digital Media Player fit the entertainment company's requirements for a high-quality display coupled with consistent reliability. The VP71 is more than a digital signage player. It offers the ability to seamlessly loop video around the clock from a USB port or an SD card. The player has a proven lifespan of more than four years. It's truly a hands-off, worry-free video player. Even in the event of a power outage, the VP71 will resume playback automatically when power returns to the player, without any manual interaction.

Impressed with what you see? Videotel has a digital signage solution for any challenge you are facing. Our top-of-the-line products will give you the highest quality displays coupled with the peace of mind that your content will play on whether you are there or not. For more information on any of our high-quality industrial digital media players or interactive technology, visit the Videotel Inc. website at http://www.videoteldigital.com or call us at (800) 878-4056.

About Videotel Inc.

Videotel is an award-winning manufacturer of industrial digital signage media players, industrial looping DVD players, and interactive technology. Based in San Diego, California, Videotel's 35 years of market experience in developing reliable industrial digital signage solutions has propelled it to industry leader status.