# Digital Signage Solution



## btalbott (Oct 6, 2008)

Hello all!! I'm looking for a Digital Signage solution for a Cafe. The idea is to use an LCD TV to provide a menu and other "announcement" type content. I'm looking for a front end application for content without having to pay for a service and extra hardware. Any suggestion?

Thanks


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## Ric (Oct 7, 2008)

btalbott said:


> Hello all!! I'm looking for a Digital Signage solution for a Cafe. The idea is to use an LCD TV to provide a menu and other "announcement" type content. I'm looking for a front end application for content without having to pay for a service and extra hardware. Any suggestion?
> 
> Thanks



Cheap & easy, an old PC with an old version of Power point.
You can edit & create slide shows with the content that you want.


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## mj101 (Oct 7, 2008)

You may want to take a look at HerculesNetworks.com they have a solution with digital signage that also charges phones at the same time for consumers.


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## lieperjp (Oct 7, 2008)

Ric said:


> Cheap & easy, an old PC with an old version of Power point.
> You can edit & create slide shows with the content that you want.



+1 for this idea. They even sell cheap LCD HDTVs at your local big-box store with VGA ins on them. Don't even need a converter, and there aren't a lot of people who don't know the basics of PowerPoint. Also, if they have a computer already with PowerPoint on it, you could just put PowerPoint Viewer on the computer for free, then just transfer it over from the first computer via a flash drive or CDRW.


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## ruinexplorer (Oct 8, 2008)

Sony provides models like this that are specifically made for digital signage. Looking in the accessory options, they have a flash media storage option to be built in to the monitor allowing it to work without being connected to a PC at all times. If you look around their site some more, you will find many more monitors with this option.


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## museav (Oct 8, 2008)

btalbott said:


> Hello all!! I'm looking for a Digital Signage solution for a Cafe. The idea is to use an LCD TV to provide a menu and other "announcement" type content. I'm looking for a front end application for content without having to pay for a service and extra hardware. Any suggestion?


You are going to have to have some other hardware as something needs to generate the video. Here is one packaged system option, Symon LobbyView, for which the content and design services are an option. There are a number of software applications for generating and scheduling content, but I agree that for a single display with content that likely does not need to change that often, a simple PowerPoint type approach likely makes the most sense.


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## kwotipka (Nov 26, 2008)

check out Tightrope Media Systems Tightrope Media Systems: Digital Signage and Broadcast From Your Web Browser. They are in the digital signage game. Also, you will get some great features for your money. The biggest drawback for digital signage is that SOMEONE has to keep it updated. With a true digital signage package, you can pull in streaming media, RSS feeds, HTML scrapes and interface with various databases. So basically you could set up the system so that it automatically updates itself once you provide some basic content.


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## jaightaylor (Feb 21, 2009)

We recently deployed a digital signage solution at the school where I'm employed. After some debate about software we finally decided to go with powerpoint on a machine with a dual-head graphics card.

Why?

1) Everyone can use powerpoint. It's fairly easy, flexible, and gets the job done.

2) It was cheap. We have a MS Office site license.

3) The dual-head graphics card was so they could run the presentation and still use the machine for a few other limited tasks. (Show runs in "show-notes" or "presenter tools" mode.)

There are other software/hardware packages that do neat things like weather tickers and pull content from the web, but that's just not what we wanted so powerpoint works great for us. =) 

p.s. Hi. I'm new here.


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## bwhiteford (Feb 25, 2009)

We're using a system called Navori, which is relatively cheap and works pretty well. It supports as many different screens as you have licenses for, and can play flash, powerpoint, videos, rss feeds, and more.


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## frankc (Mar 3, 2009)

My church just began using a 37" LCD display and a Roku "Brightsign" media server as a standalone package, no PC required except to get the graphics/video/sound on a CF card and write/edit a simple script of commands.

Roku just expanded the Brightsign product line and some of the older HD600 and HD2000 units are showing up on ebay. We used an HD600 and it's perfect for our needs, bought two (both <$100).


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## Thefoxygranpa (Mar 12, 2009)

I also suggest the powerpoint method if you are going to be displaying static info...as for inserting video you may have to look at other solutions.


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## pacman (Apr 3, 2009)

I've used PowerPoint for several years. As mentioned, most people have access to it & it is relatively easy to use. The biggest downside is updating PP to remove obsolete content & replace with new. Most of my content is upcoming events, so at least one slide goes out of date nearly every day. You can use Windows task manager to schedule PP, but it's pretty basic. There are some PP add-ons that allow scheduling, but they are expensive; you might as well buy signage software.

I've also looked into the video issue and all the solutions I found from the digital signage end were expensive and/or did not yield the quality I wanted. My application involved switching from signage to live stage video for display in the lobby (people who have taken out crying babies, etc.) and backstage/dressing room areas (so actors can keep up with when they are to be on stage). What I finally decided to do was route the PC output into my video switcher. Digital signage content is displayed as another source from the switcher. When it's time for the show, I switch to live video.


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