All screens great and small
Small-format was originally called information kiosks, but with large-format displays driving an all-new ecosystem of content, software and applications, small-format displays are breaking free from the metal box and adopting more of a digital signage architecture. Typical applications include smaller end-cap displays in store, elevator and lobby signage, where large-format displays are not suitable.
“We are seeing more and more of our <32" monitors being used in signage applications with large roll-outs,” explains Neeraj Pendse, product manager for interactive digital signage at Elo TouchSystems, adding: “Customers are seeking more stylish looks and putting more emphasis on design. We are seeing higher demand for 19" and 22" desktop displays with stands removed for wall mount applications.”
We are seeing more and more of our <32" monitors being used in signage applications with large roll-outs”
The company’s 2201L touch display desktop monitor provides a very slim and stylish form factor for offering bezel-less, multi-touch signage at the 22" size. The space-saving design has HD wide-aspect ratio and Windows 7 multi-touch interactivity. This monitor offers versatility by meeting aesthetic requirements for front-of-store, back office, kiosk and even out-of-store applications. “We have also recently launched 0700L—a 7" display typically mounted behind a POS stand. We have seen excellent traction for this product so far,” adds Pendse.
Elo’s 0700L touch monitor can be applied as a second customer-facing display in retail environments and can also be installed as the main display for applications requiring a small screen. End-cap shelf displays in retail settings or as personal gaming screens as part of a larger interactive gaming table benefit from its features. The 0700L uses DisplayLink technology that allows for power, video and touch signal through a USB cable, and can function as a stand-alone or secondary unit attached to a primary point-of-sale (POS) display.
Preferred choice
The space-saving 22 inch 220L by Elo TouchSystems has
been designed with versatility in mind
“Wide-screen format displays allow more content on the screen than standard aspect ratio and are quickly becoming the preferred choice where a larger touch activated surface area is desired,” says Pendse.
Elo TouchSystems’ 1541L 15" LCD wide-screen open frame touch monitor is described as easier to use and incorporate into commercial and industrial environments than traditional open-frame touch monitors, and has a multiple mounting options for easy integration.
In the short term, we expect LCD with LED backlight to be the predominant display technology”
Small-format is a niche of the wider digital signage market and follows very similar dynamics. Digital signage is a comparatively low cost form of promotion, which provides a direct and measurable impact on sales, so the last few years of economic turmoil have had no significant negative impact on the market. In fact, such is the interest and demand, that new products are emerging at a remarkably fast pace, as are trends in the market.
“In the short term, we expect LCD with LED backlight to be the predominant display technology.” Neeraj explains, adding: “Electrophoretic displays, of the type used in eBook readers such as the Kindle, are starting to make a play in the shelf-signage space. As the response time and ability to show colours on EPDs improves, these displays will start to take share as they have a significant cost and power consumption promise.”
Top of the table
Also making its way into the wider market is the tabletop player, appealing to businesses large and small because of their ease-of-use. The BrightSign TD1012 is ready to use right out of the box; users simply add their content for an instant digital sign that fits neatly on a table, counter or desktop anywhere in the store. No cabling is necessary for playback, making the tower portable, versatile and flexible for placement virtually anywhere. The steel enclosure helps to protect the unit, and it will run power-free for approximately twelve hours. To help keep the display current, content updates can be made remotely with the built-in wireless networking and can be updated live in real time if necessary using the BrightAuthor PC software included.
“We couldn’t have built the TD1012 with a PC inside. Customers want the flexibility of being able to upload and configure content quickly and easily without specialist training. They also want a product that just works 24-7, and doesn’t crash or stall—ever,” explains Pierre Gillet, vice president of European sales for BrightSign.
Integration
BrightSign's TD1012 tabletop player is celebrated for
its quick set up and ease-of-use
A compact digital signage station is often used within the retail sector, due to its quick set-up, ease-of-use and flexibility. Now, the integration with mobile technology is sparking wider interest with a variety of industries.
Live Text applications are currently in high demand. The latest version of BrightAuthor enables TD1012 users to display real-time data from RSS feeds and databases as live texts. BrightAuthor supports simple data integration to connect Twitter feeds, stock tickers and other public or private live data feeds to POS displays, menu boards, manufacturing displays, and so on. This capability means users have all the tools they need to make their automated displays more relevant and targeted, with up-to-the-minute live content zones, but without having to update the entire presentation.
“Looped advertising in reception gets little more than a cursory glance these days, but add a live element and let them control the presentation in some way through interactivity, and you’ve got them hooked,” explains Gillet.
Mobile integration will be a re-occuring and developing area in the months ahead. This is according to Mark Pigou, organiser of Screenmedia Expo.
“Integration with smartphones, and to a slightly lesser extent with social media, is undoubtedly the big digital signage story of the early 2010s. Over the next couple of years we can expect to see this integration more and more, often forming an essential part of a digital signage business model,” comments Pigou.
He says the phone ‘talking with’ the screen won’t just be a gimmicky add-on, it will be core to the way that communication with the customer works, adding: “Other important trends include an increasing interest in breaking out of the 16:9 model and exploring other screen shapes.”
Perfect proportions
The polytouch 22 can be used as a self-checkout
system
Most digital small-format signage currently on the market is below the 22" mark. Polytouch Solutions, all-in-one multi-touch systems by Pyramid Computer, range between 21" and 32", and so would most likely be considered medium-sized solutions in ‘arm’s length’ sizes.
“We think that interactive digital signage needs to orientate at human proportions. Smaller than 21" is just made for retail shelves and you probably have to be very precise when touching, instead very big solutions like 70" or more are just made for show purposes to attract other customers by the new visual effects. If you combine digital signage and business transaction, the solution needs to be not too small and not too large,” explains Pyramid’s Frieder Hansen.
The polytouch 22 operates with daylight insensitive capacitive touch-technology known from smartphones and tablets, and has a completely plain surface with no frame. It is suited for the integration at the POS, or can be used as a self-checkout system. The monitor has more than 3,000 sensor points and a solid glass surface for fast and accurate gesture control, and the 22" full HD LCD—1920 x 1080—with high contrast and wide viewing angle has a non-reflective glass surface. The integrated Intel hardware—Core i7-2600—offers plenty of power, even for demanding applications.
The next step
Small-format digital signage has real potential when
put to creative use, the unit pictured here has
pre-loaded content
The next phase in wide-adoption of small-format is gender recognition and age estimation of digital signage users, according to Pyramid’s Frieder Hansen. This is to provide better product planning, better target recognition and better advertising.
“We deploy Intel´s AIM technology for several projects in retail, with the scope to know more about the customer in front of the screen. Even if the customer does not register, it is even more important to know who left the kiosk without buying,” counsels Hansen.
Unstable global economies do not seem to have put too firm a brake on digital signage rollouts, but undoubtedly users are looking for value for money and a clear return on investment. Clear future trends are emerging this year; the next stops are 3D, live text and interactivity, especially mobile app integration.
Businesses, and in particular retailers, are looking for something that sets them apart from the competition—table top players look the part, and add the interactive element and self-checkout systems that could provide invaluable information about current and future customers. These solid investments are helping to cement the future of small-format, and advancing technology in mobile will ensure its place in the market for years to come.
