Innovation in digital display technology begins with out-of-the-box simplicity

by carly_mchugh | 22 July 2022 3:55 pm

By Jeff Muto

An exciting new chapter is unfolding in the digital display industry when it comes to delivering communication solutions.

For enterprise customers, the focus is on deploying interactive collaboration to a workforce that is hybrid, flexible, and more distributed than ever before. For commercial organizations in sectors such as retail, tourism, hospitality, transportation, and healthcare, the acceleration of digital transformation and lifting of pandemic-era restrictions has given rise to demand for digital displays that are easy to deploy and manage, with a low cost of ownership. In the education space, the priority is to optimize the digital classroom, support teacher training, and create future-proof distance learning models.

The common thread running across the digital display industry is universal demand for affordable visual solutions that can be deployed with out-of-the-box simplicity, seamless IT integration, and easy maintenance. 

For savvy sign shop owners, such as our partner, SignCast Media, a full-service digital signage company based in Toronto, providing customers with value-added services, including dynamic content management, has been key to capturing growth markets. Owner and manager Sam Hanna says easy-to-deploy display solutions that help customers manage and distribute critical information in real-time, such as new pricing or contact information, reduces errors, and maximizes efficiencies. The display technology available today is helping make digital content distribution easier and more centralized for his customers.

“If done correctly, digital signage can increase your sales. With the right display technology, you can support dynamic content distribution across the board,” adds Hanna.

The good news for our partners and the industry is the market is expanding. According to AVIXA, the digital signage market is positioned for strong revenue growth this year with a forecast of US$35 billion, increasing to $44.7 billion in 2026—making it one of the largest solution areas in the pro AV industry. ¹

Today’s digital signage solutions encompass a variety of different technologies, features, and price points designed for a wide range of visual applications. From video walls with 4K ultra high-definition (HD) resolutions, wide viewing angles, and multimedia performance, to interactive self-serve kiosks for up-close messaging in busy, high-traffic areas, to all-in-one direct view LED displays featuring full HD resolution and screen sizes up to 5486 mm (216 in.), there is no shortage of choice when it comes to delivering high-impact messaging.

One of the fastest-growing digital display categories we are seeing is all-in-one direct view LED. These displays eliminate the LCD panel and instead deploy a surface array of LED panels. This not only allows for energy cost savings, but also delivers seamless images in full HD resolution with vibrant colour accuracy. These displays are increasingly being used in higher education (student auditoriums, e-sports arenas, theatres), corporate conference rooms, retail environments, Houses of Worship, and any indoor venue where people congregate.

Given direct view LED displays are an all-in-one design, they are easy to deploy and maintain. They feature multiple pre-assembled and pre-calibrated panels for hassle-free installation which significantly reduces the cost of ownership. Their modular design includes audio-visual (AV) hardware and software, power supplies, and cables that work seamlessly together for a truly turnkey solution.

Sign shops can take advantage of new software and cloud services for dynamic content delivery and distributed content management. As some customers are increasingly choosing to outsource content management, this is also creating more opportunities for sign shops to drive margin and value-added services.

Many all-in-one direct view LED display solutions come preassembled for easy transportation and set up, which can be an ideal solution for museums, art galleries, or any exhibit that requires the highest visual quality and flexibility to transport and showcase artwork.

Recently, ViewSonic’s all-in-one direct view LED displays were utilized at the “Taiwan Acts!” Architectural Exhibition in Architekturmuseum der TUM in Munich, Germany. This international exhibition showcased multiple architectural initiatives created after the devastating earthquake in Taiwan in September 1999. The show was designed to raise awareness about the role of architecture through social dialogue.

With the continued advancement of display technology, we can expect to see even more solutions come to market with out-of-the-box simplicity, higher resolutions, and innovative features that deliver stunning visual images which engage and inspire audiences. As AV and IT technologies continue to converge in business, commercial, and education sectors, the future is bright for innovation within the display industry. Not only are exciting new applications emerging for the users of digital display technology, but there are limitless opportunities for those of us who manufacture, configure, install, and maintain it.

Notes

¹AVIXA, Industry Outlook and Trends Analysis (IOTA), February 17, 2022.

Jeff Muto is product and business line director for ViewSonic, a provider of interactive and collaborative visual engagement solutions for enterprise, education, consumer and commercial markets.

Source URL: https://www.signmedia.ca/innovation-digital-display-technology-begins-with-simplicity/

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