Synchronising Digital Signage

One aspect of digital signage that is very rarely talked about is the need for synchronisation, especially amongst networked systems. If a network of signs, especially outdoor digital signage used to deploy time-critical information such as timetables, emergency warnings or other time crucial content, is not properly synchronised, delays of minutes, hours and even days, can occur between individual screens.

There is more to proper synchronisation than just ensuring that the media delivery systems are set to the same time, as different system clocks in media players and computers, can, and often do drift at different rates. This means that in the space of a week, screens could be as much as a minute apart and the problem will exacerbate over longer periods.

Upload time-critical content on one machine, and the information could be obsolete by the time it is displayed on all the screens on a network.

Many emergency electronic signs along highways and motorways are accurately synchronised for this very reason to ensure all information appears at the same time – but how is this achieved?

Commonly, the time protocol NTP (Network Time Protocol), is used in computer networks and is often deployed in synchronised sign networks. It works by using a master time that it then distributes amongst all devices along a network, but problems can arise, especially when selecting a master clock.

It is very common for NTP users to use a source of Internet time as a master time source. And while these sources of time are claimed to be UTC (Coordinated Universal Time), an atomic clock source, it seems a good idea; however, online sources can be unreliable, the servers can go down and can lead a network to become out of sync remarkably quickly.

A solution is to use your own NTP time server; relatively inexpensive time server devices use a source of GPS or radio signals as the time source. These are far more reliable and ensure that an accurate, and secure source of time is always available.

NTP time servers are deployed by many computer networks, including motorway signage and other digital signage networks where time crucial information is a necessity.

Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in the digital signage industry helping to develop outdoor digital signage and protection for plasmas. Please visit us for more information about LCD Enclosures or NTP server systems.

Smart Media Technologies Releases a Great New Tool for Home School Parents and Students

Henderson, Nevada (PRWEB) March 18, 2013

Smart Media Technologies releases new features to Home Page Pays that help those who choose Homeschooling over traditional schooling. While Homeschooling has its benefits it also has some negative aspects to it as well and SMT offers a no cost solution to each of them. According to NHERI National Home Education Research Institute “Homeschooling – home education or home-based education – has grown from nearly extinct in the United States in the 1970’s to now about 2 million school-age students.”

For parents looking to completely opt-out of the traditional education model finding a quality curriculum for students can normally be a very costly endeavor. With HPP parents now have access to over 2,200 video classes to offer to their children. Parents can find everything from basic educational classes to advanced university classes from Stanford and Yale. HPP also offers prep courses for college entrance exams as well as computer education classes and these are offered to students worldwide at absolutely no cost.

HPP offers different ways for parents and students to connect with others with common goals and interests from anywhere in the world. There are many benefits to this including the ability to unite for political reasons. They can also share educational ideas or even plan trips and offer student exchange programs. If they are not part of a community they can join one, and if there is not one for what they feel passionate about they can create one. Those who might be thinking of Homeschooling can connect with others who already do to learn more about it.

Through Home Page Pays parents have the opportunity to offer things to their children that they may feel their children are missing out on like social events or even sports teams and it is global so the possibilities are endless. There is even a special place to make a “call out” to the entire community where someone could say “I am looking for home school parents in Ohio” or “I am forming a softball league for Homeschooled students in Texas.” The possibilities are only limited by people’s imaginations.

Home Page Pays can even be used for fundraising for different projects. Anyone can choose to purchase and brand their own version of HPP and they can create special content if they choose to and by giving the special branded version away the owner earns a percentage of money whenever any of those people are online. And they also earn off of the people that any of those people give it to so the fundraising capability is actually unlimited. The money that they earn does not come from the students themselves but from the advertisers on HPP in the same way that actors are paid by advertisers when they do television shows. Everything on HPP is completely funded by advertisers from around the world.

Students can also socialize and play games with their friends and even hold competitions against others in their own community or other communities. They also have the ability to communicate in many different ways not available anywhere else through things like Smart Mail which unlike traditional email is 100% safe, secure, spam free and deliverable and communicate live as well through Smart Chat and socialize through Smart Chirp. Smart Chirp is a unique kind of social network where people can share thoughts, pictures and videos with all their contacts which is more like a social gathering rather than a social bulletin board which is common to most social networks.

About Smart Media Technologies

Smart Media Technologies is a world-class technology company that has developed proprietary technology called “Home Page Pays” (HPP) which is set to revolutionize the Internet world. HPP works on any computer or browser and no technical experience is required. This platform offers the user dynamic free services and products combined with the very best digital branding and advertising services that are available online.

Users have access to the HPP Social Community, which includes the latest Communication features, Social and Educational Games, Educational Video Libraries, Prizes, Giveaways, a Top Sites window to the Internet that puts the very best of the Internet at the users fingertips and the world’s only Reward Points System where users earn points for simply using the Internet that they can redeem in the HPP online rewards store.”

CEO David Martin says; “Through creativity and our amazing technical team, we can do almost anything that we can dream. Our goal is to offer the most valuable free member system ever created.”

To learn more about Smart Media Technologies visit their website at: http://smartmediacommunications.com

To learn more about the Home Page Pays Dynamic Bar go to: http://smartmediaplay.com







Digital Signage in the Washroom

Digital signage, it seems, is ubiquitous. From shopping centres to outdoor digital signage along the high street, advertising and information screens seem to be everywhere. And thanks in part to LCD enclosures, which protect LCD screens from weather, dust, hot, cold and other elements, digital screens are now venturing even into bathrooms, washrooms and other wet-rooms.

Placing a TV in a bathroom or washroom is not a new idea, bathroom TVs have been around for years but are very expensive due to them needing to be waterproof and isolated; as electricity and water do not mix.

A lot of businesses such as nightclubs and leisure areas have always embraced washroom advertising. There are two very good reasons for this: firstly, nearly everybody who spends more than a couple of hours at a location will eventually visit the washroom. Secondly, when people are in a washroom they are known as a captive audience as they have little choice but to see the advertisements.

And for home use, people who enjoy a good soak in the bath often consider a bathroom TV to make the experience even more pleasurable.

The problem, however, in employing a screen in this sort of area is that while the cost of LCD screens has fallen dramatically over the last few years, waterproof TVs don’t seem to be following suit and it can be a costly businesses placing a screen in a washroom or bathroom, but it doesn’t need to be:

A waterproof LCD enclosure is a cost effective and simple way of securing a flat-screen TV such as a modern LCD, plasma, or back-lit LED into a washroom or bathroom.

The great thing about LCD enclosures is that as they house standard devices the cost is far lower than specific bathroom TVs, and not only will these LCD cabinets protect the screen from water but for nightclubs, were rowdiness could be a concern; they provide impact and vandal protection too so the investment can be left protected.

Richard N Williams is a technical author and a specialist in the digital signage industry helping to develop outdoor digital signage and protection for plasmas. Please visit us for more information about LCD Enclosures or other digital signage solutions.

Complete Stewardship Communication Now Available from One Source for Catholic Parishes Nationwide

New Berlin, WI (PRWEB) March 20, 2013

Messner Publications Inc and Liturgical Publications Inc (LPi) announce the completion of the blending of their product lines and companies into a comprehensive stewardship communication source for Catholic parishes.

“My vision of bringing a complete stewardship communication product line to churches, helping them build stewardship-driven communities, came together even better than I imagined,” said Jeff Messner, President of Messner Publications.

Jeff continued, “Combining our stewardship communication services, directories, welcome packets, and calendars with LPi’s media resources and online products, including e-giving, websites, and private social networks, gives our customers a depth of product line that is unmatched. My biggest opportunity was leading LPi’s national sales meeting, educating reps on how to help churches with their stewardship efforts. This greatly accelerates the accomplishment of our mission to bring effective stewardship-building to all churches.”

Messner Publication’s success has been built by consulting with their customers on how to become stewardship communities, fully engaging their parishioners in their mission. The joining of Jeff’s vision and LPi’s investment and digital products combine to offer this complete package to any church nationwide.

“We are thrilled with the development of our relationship with Messner from a strategic marketing alliance to a merger of our two companies,” commented Paul Knaapen, CEO of LPi. “This is definitely a case where the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. With the Messner family on board for the long term, we have the leadership necessary to transform from a church bulletin provider to a complete stewardship communication provider.”

With Jeff as president, Scott in sales, and Jerry Messner in production, as well as the increased financial investment from LPi, customers in the southeast US now have the Messner brand of customer service and attention they have come to know, combined with the additional printing capabilities and online products they know they need.

Church leaders interested in learning how their community can benefit from this one source for complete stewardship can visit MessnerPublications.com if they are in the southeastern United States or 4LPi.com if they are anywhere else in the United States.

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Since its founding over ten years ago, Messner Publications’ goal has been to assist your church in creating unique methods of communication to foster stewardship in your community. They strive to keep your parishioners active, informed, and involved.

LPi has been offering churches customized communication products for over 40 years. Their years of experience, financial stability, and quality standards enable churches to rely on them to make their jobs easier and their communications more effective.







Start-up Explodes, Finds Audience through Social Media

Costa Mesa, CA (PRWEB) May 14, 2013

The fashion start-up Wizards of the West, a new company from Costa Mesa, in California (USA), is launching their new e-commerce store. They are a successful example of how a business born through social media can grow up and become a part of their clients’ daily life, by reaching out to customers where they are most comfortable: the social networks.

Jason West, Wizards of the West co-owner, can explain this success: “unlike our competitors, who had to integrate an existing business into social media, we were born from it. Essentially building a new business from within the platform and not supporting it externally. We have a completely different perspective on how to approach and enable social media”.

“Even in our short lifetime we have seen an enormous amount of brands trying to capitalize sales directly through social media. This is not a good approach. The worst mistakes we have seen happened when organizations used social media as a bulletin board. It’s an incredibly rich platform that’s so effective at rewarding your customers”, adds the Wizards of the West co-owner.

This innovative e-commerce store works according to the ideals of social rewarding and gamification, a new concept even for the savviest online retailers. Always choosing to be different, Wizards of the West took the concept and applied it to their technology infrastructure, “rewarding customers for loyalty before they even become customers”, says Jason West.

The term gamification is used to describe the techniques that increase people’s natural desires for competition, achievement, status or self-expression. One of its core strategies is to reward the “players” with points or other kind of compensation, such as digital currency, when they complete the desired tasks. Providing a reward encourages more and more people to compete and this is an approach that has been revealing to be successful in the e-commerce world.

Currently, one of gamification’s major applications is in the marketing field. Actually, over 70% of Forbes Global 2000 companies are using or intend to use gamification for marketing and customer retention purposes. This is why gamification is one of the paths followed by Wizards of the West. Until now, tenacity and proprietary technology have enabled the start-up to stay ahead of the curve.

“Our ecommerce platform is well integrated with social platforms like Facebook, Twitter and Instagram. We do a lot of R&D on social migration, getting to know how people react to likes, tweets and pins. Gamification is relatively a new buzzword around social media, but “we are already experimenting with it”, states Anil Gupta – Director of Technology.

Taking into account that e-commerce sales continue to grow worldwide in 2013, with sales projected for over $ 333 billion and an aggressive 13% growth rate, as stated by official data (emarketer.com), this bet doesn’t seem so strange or risky.

For now, the methodology is working, as the fashion start-up has been seeing its sales skyrocket month over month. Why? Because Wizards of the West uses proprietary technology to track, analyse and encourage social interactions among their clients and potential customers. Fashion is fickle, but not as fickle as social media. As brands spend millions trying to map out what makes a brand socially acceptable to their followers and fans on social media, this start-up has known that since the beginning.

To discover more about this project, you can visit wizardsofthewest.com or contact the company directly (info (at) wizardsofthewest (dot) com).







Making A Flashing Led Circuit Message Board

Recent trend for the advertisement of Entertainment industry has substantiated in its own uniqueness of hand-written messages. This allows the advertisers to freely write, draw, anything they want at different occasions. The hand-written LED message board is widely used to cope with various needs with creativities.

LED lights have a variety of uses. You can use them as a distress signal during an emergency, at a party to spruce up an event, or by using smaller bulbs you can even decorate a greeting card. However you choose to use the Flashing LED Board it is sure to catch someone’s attention.

Step 1: First, you will need a flashing LED bulb. These can be found at a hardware or electronics store. Choose one that can be hooked to a 9-volt battery system.

Step 2: The next step is to attach the bulb. Connect the longer lead of the LED to the positive end of the battery. Connect the shorter lead of the LED to the negative end of the battery.

Step 3: You should also have the circuit board ready. Using pliers, insert the leads connected to the battery to the circuit board plug. At this point you should see the bulb flashing

Step 4: Now make the connection permanent. Using about 4 inches of 20-gauge wire, remove about half an inch of copper conductor at the ends of the wire. Prepare your soldering iron. Once it is ready, solder the red wire to the switch. Let it cool down before you switch it on.

Step 5: Once the soldered part has cooled down, you can attach the positive lead, attached to the positive end of the battery, to the switch. Connect the negative lead, negative end of battery and the negative lead of the battery. Now you can test the connection by switching it on. The LED bulb you have installed should flash.

Step 6: You can add more bulbs to the circuit if you need. Just follow the same procedures stated above.

Most LED message board have a 200, 000 hour service time and are completely maintenance free. It is easy to clean, does not heat up, operates silently and it is safe to touch. Another advantage of the LED Signs fluorescent boards is that they are break and scratch resistant even after prolonged or continuous writing and usage.

LED message boards with neon effect is flamboyant, glamorous and an absolute catcher of eyeballs.

Lari Smith has been writing articles online for nearly 3 years now. Specialize in business signs articles. If you need more about Advertising signs and LED Message Board method, please reference http://www.flashingboards.com/.

ESP/SurgeX IP Module for Digital Signage

ESP/SurgeX IP Module for Digital Signage
ESP/SurgeX is announcing the Remote Portal, a new module that brings IP connectivity to SurgeX Defender Series Surge+Diagnostic and MultiPak smart energy management systems as well as the ESP Envision Power Conditioning System (PCS).
Read more on Audio Visual News Network

Dispelling digital signage myths
While the growth of digital signage continues unabated, according to market research from iSuppli, the maturity of understanding is not always universal. Take, for example, the school of thought suggesting companies buy cheap digital signage and not …
Read more on Digital Signage Today

Christie Expands Digital Signage Offerings, Acquires Arsenal Media
Christie has acquired Montreal-based Arsenal Media in a move that signals a focus on expanding its digital signage solution offerings. Arsenal Media specializes in experiential installations, interactive content, and strategic digital signage …
Read more on Audio Visual News Network

Flyte Systems Travel Information Service Goes Live at Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport Hotel

Chicago, IL (PRWEB) June 19, 2014

Flyte Systems announced that the Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport Hotel installed the FlyteBoard real-time airport flight information display solution. FlyteBoard at the Hyatt Place shows airline arrivals and departures for the JFK, LaGuardia, and Newark International Airports for greater guest convenience. Flyte Systems is the leading provider of cost effective airport travel information displays and digital signage content for the hospitality industry, digital signage, convention centers and related businesses. Click here to request information on Flyte Systems’ airport travel and guest information services.

Guests get reliable glance-and-go travel information without apps

“Guest love the travel convenience FlyteBoard provides. They trust their travel plans while they are on property because of the FlyteBoard’s familiar arrival and departure display,” said Tony Schatz, general manager of Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport Hotel. “Our guests can easily see real-time airline flight information for our three airports without using a third-party app. Plus, the three-airport capability is valuable since most of our guests travel by air.” Flyte Systems is the only full service flight information display solution that provides real-time departure information.

Schatz noted that the property’s parent company recommended the FlyteBoard implementation for his property. “Our biggest demand generator is LaGuardia Airport for our business travelers. When group meeting planners do site visits they are impressed we provide this service.”

With its opening on May 29, 2014, the property became the first Hyatt-branded hotel in Queens, New York. “Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport is centrally located in the heart of one of the most dynamic neighborhoods in New York City, and we’re looking forward to creating a positive experience for each and every guest that walks through our doors,” said Schatz.

Flyte Systems provides real-time flight information

Flyte Systems offers a suite of products that serve the traveling public: FlyteBoard, FlytePass, FlyteChannel, FlyteTouch, FlytePad with handheld mobile airline information, and EventBoard. The company’s latest innovation is InfoBoard, which combines airline flight information with total property way finding, weather, traffic, area attractions, and much more.


    FlyteBoard is a wall, floor, or ceiling mounted high-definition, flat panel screen for lobbies, restaurants, bars, and other public areas, displaying flight information for one or more airports.
    FlytePass combines FlyteTouch with free, secure boarding pass printing. It can be provided as a standalone unit, or neatly packaged in either an all-wood kiosk or an integrated metal kiosk to match your décor.
    FlyteChannel permits guests to view live airport flight information conveniently and comfortably from their in-room television.
    FlyteTouch enables individual guests to search flight information using an interactive touch screen that displays real-time flight arrivals and departures for one or more airports.
    FlytePad is a mobile-ready service that delivers real-time airline information via the iPad, enabling hotel staff to provide guests with airline information anywhere and anytime.
    EventBoard displays user-configurable meetings and events on screens shared with flight information or its own dedicated screen.
    InfoBoard is a cost effective touch screen display that saves labor, provides greater guest service, and generates revenue with flight information and so much more.

Many hotel properties also use Flyte Systems’ applications to increase revenue with innovative marketing approaches for distressed travelers. For tips on how to generate revenue by providing guests with Flyte Systems airline information, please log on to the Flyte Systems website at http://www.flytesystems.com.

About Flyte Systems

The Flyte Systems Division of Industrial Television Services (ITS), based in Chicago, Illinois, is the leading provider of subscription-based environmentally responsible airport flight information displays for the hospitality, convention center, and digital signage industries and related businesses. It delivers accurate, instant, airport-centric updates of flight information – not FAA-regulated scheduled departure times that may omit last minute changes. Properties are able to differentiate their products and boost customer loyalty and repeat business with ‘glance-and-go’ content critical to a traveler’s day. Flyte Systems’ product suite builds upon ITS’s 50-year history as the leading provider of live flight information to airports, airlines, government agencies, port authorities, and other travel-based businesses. Flyte Systems was formed in 2007 to offer new web-based travel technology and product lines. In addition to using Energy Star-compliant digital displays, Flyte products help significantly reduce energy consumption by eliminating unnecessary trips to the airport. Customers include Marriott, Hyatt, Westin, Embassy Suites, Holiday Inn, Days Inn, Hilton, Doubletree, Hotel Sofitel, Adam’s Mark, Renaissance and Crowne Plaza hotels, independent properties, convention centers, and transportation centers.

Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport Leadership

Hyatt Place Flushing/LaGuardia Airport is under the leadership of General Manager Tony Schatz and Director Of Sales Maria Maloney. Schatz is responsible for managing the day-to-day operations of the hotel, including overseeing the hotel’s 60 associates and ensuring guests encounter the authentic hospitality experience for which Hyatt Place is known. Maloney is responsible for providing sales service and support to guests and meeting planners frequenting the Queens and greater New York City area, as well as serving as liaison to the community and local organizations. Please click here for more information.







Bulletin Board Trimmers: Encourage Kids for More Activity

Teaching a child with the means of different fun activity reflects the creativity of the teacher. If teacher is dedicated to take out innovative ideas for their students, then each classroom becomes the fun place for the student. In order to make classroom a place for enjoyment, all teachers encourage students to make some paper crafts or origami works. And these items, in turn, can be used for the classroom decoration. This way, one of the most appealing items for classroom decoration is the bulletin board. These bulletin boards are one of the teacher’s best choices to make student engaged in classroom activity. If teachers are motivated to engage the child in craft activity, then they should teach their student to explore the idea of bulletin board trimmers. And these trimmers are nothing but the edges of the bulletin boards. These bulletin board trimmers are decorated in order to enhance the visual appeal of the board. This kind of trimmer is set in one surface of the bulletin board. If suitable color and texture is chosen for this trimmer, then the entire appeal of the bill board changes. This kind of bulletin board has huge contribution in simple letters, solid colors and numbers. These trimmers are meant for enhancing the aesthetic aspect of the board.

You can find different classroom supplies, where trimmers are found in sets. And these kinds of items are found at reasonable rate, if they are bought in bulk. Many online stores are there to proffer better quality of classroom supplies and that too within our price range. In case of trimmers for bulletin board, we can see variety in color and design. Many trimmers are also found in simple design. This particular education supply attracts child a lot. Thus, making it more appealing gives better result in imparting knowledge to the student.

So, we really need to be conscious about choosing any kind of tool to impart knowledge to the child. If we choose wrong item for any activity, then that might minimize the enthusiasm of the kid. So, it is very important to understand the utility of any education supply and then implement it wisely for any kind of school activity. This kind of engagement develops psychomotor skill of the kid. And thus, choosing supply for your kid should direct the activity of the class. One more thing that one should consider before buying any item for the kid is the safety of the product. If any item used in classroom activity is toxic in nature, then this item should immediately be discarded.

Jag Jenny shares knowledge on classroom supplies and bulletin board trimmers and that make you able to find the best school supplies.