Signs of the Times: Easily Delivering More Content with Commercial Displays

Video displays increasingly are becoming must-haves for content delivery in retail environments. Compared to paper posters, video content is brighter and livelier. Additionally, video displays are much easier to update and change, ensuring that store messaging remains current and the right fit for each day and each location.

Many of the most popular and most advanced digital signs in the world are made by Samsung Electronics. These signs operate on the Samsung Smart Signage Platform (SSSP), an integrated media player system, and use the MagicINFO software to manage the content. SSSP displays can be found around the world in locations where businesses need to communicate quickly and effectively with customers, including sports stadiums, restaurants and retail outlets.. In fact, Samsung has been the global market leader in digital signage for seven years.

Both systems recently have added new upgrades, making them more powerful, versatile and easier to use. Now,  retailers and commercial operators can create impactful, exciting content easily, giving them the tools they need to best engage with their customers.

New SSSP 3.0 expands possibilities

SSSP, the open-source, all-in-one platform for managing display hardware, eliminates the need for an external player with its system-on-chip media player, for a display system that’s intuitive, convenient and low-cost. The content management system is streamlined and easy to control, with content creation tools that are simple to understand and comprehensive.

With the third generation of SSSP, the system is now more useful than ever, thanks to a powerful Quad Core processor and 8GB of storage. The result is enhanced efficiency, higher-resolution content and lowered costs, all using the latest in display technology.

New effects mean better engagement with customers

Signage is only effective if it draws people’s attention, and these days there are more media sources vying to get noticed. This heavy competition makes it more important for signs to stand out and engage customers. The best way to do so is through dynamic, moving content.

The most noticeable change to the MagicINFO 3 platform is the addition of more than 20 dynamic transitions and effects, including 3D, Fade, Zoom, Reveal and Fly-on. These can turn a shop’s signage into a movement-filled, enticing media experience that captures the public’s attention. Thanks to an intuitive and convenient User Experience (UX), these dynamic effects are easy to add.

To highlight information and help content stand out, MagicINFO 3 also has introduced decorative stickers. Stamps and stickers offer a variety of eye-catching labels for advertising sales, highlighting content and maximizing effects. Users can select their desired sticker, then drag and drop it into their content.

An array of new fonts also has been added to MagicINFO 3. Instead of just one font, users can conveniently access six embedded fonts in 23 styles within the Author area. This structure also makes it easy to load more fonts from outside sources, and add them to the authoring tools.

In addition, MagicINFO 3 has added a weather widget that can be dragged and dropped into any sign. Customers frequently turn to signage for weather updates, and this widget allows a user to choose to display hourly, daily or weekly forecasts.

Change your perspective with Pivot PIP

Signs often are installed vertically in “portrait” mode so they can be read like a magazine or newspaper. However, sometimes a store has content that it wants to display horizontally, in “landscape” mode. In the past, this alignment would require users to reinstall the frames and turn them on their side.

With the SSSP’s Pivot PIP (picture-in-picture) functionality, the portrait screen can be divided into three smaller screens, each now in landscape mode. The new screens are still in excellent resolution (up to 1080×720 pixels), and each sub-screen supports videos, slideshows and text.

New DataModule links databases to screens, faster and easier

Even with simple, intuitive UX of MagicINFO 3, signage operators still have to supply a lot of data—images, prices, numbers, times and more. This requires detailed database management.  Fortunately, MagicINFO 3 can help here, too, with the introduction of DataModule.

DataModule is a simpler and free version of the DataLink platform, which used to be the main way to handle data and connect MagicINFO with the display data. It’s an easy-to-use way of converting MySQL data into text and images for a sign—for example, turning a restaurant’s database into a full, colorful menu or adding a “sold out” notice for any good that is out of stock.

Backup Play protects your displays

Backup Play is another useful new feature for networks running a variety of signage. In any network, certain displays take priority and must remain running at all times, whereas others are helpful but not as essential. For example, restaurants will likely say that keeping a menu visible is more important than having a promotional item visible.

With Backup Play, stores no longer have to worry about losing their most important display while less important signs continue to run. The Backup Play feature automatically moves the primary content to the secondary display should the initial screen become unavailable, ensuring key information continues to run without a hitch.

MagicINFO Server becomes more useful than ever

The MagicINFO Server conveniently connects all Samsung Smart Signage so businesses can control and monitor their displays remotely. Outdoor displays, e-Boards, SYNC, small signage and video walls all can be managed simply using a web browser and IP address, giving operators the ability to use it on the go.

A commitment to signage innovation

With all these improvements to SSSP and MagicINFO, Samsung has once again shown how it is differentiating itself from other companies through its focus on advancing the core software of signage. Together, these two signage systems give retailers and other businesses the unprecedented ability to engage dynamically with consumers, using easy-to-understand but powerful software. Samsung Electronics will continue to improve these solutions, adding more cutting-edge technologies and innovations to enrich the communications between consumers and retailers.