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Video distribution continuing to evolve in digital signage

IP streaming is enabling integrators and end-users to utilize video in new and compelling ways, digital signage expert says.

April 1, 2015 by Jeff Hastings — CEO, BrightSign

Many of us recently returned from the Digital Signage Expo in Las Vegas. As always it was a great show that presented endless opportunities to rub shoulders with friends and colleagues in the digital signage industry. Each year I leave DSE with a renewed enthusiasm about where our industry is headed, and with some great insights about the technical innovations catalyzing that growth.

In particular, I was struck by the evolution of video delivery — specifically how IP streaming is enabling integrators and end-users to utilize video in new and compelling ways. To be clear, IP streaming is nothing new — IP cameras have been standard for a few years now — but what IS new is how it's beginning to displace traditional means of distribution. Modulators that were once the driver behind traditional video distribution are being replaced by lighter-weight (and less expensive) solutions driven by IP. When digital signage players support delivery of HD content over IP, or even make it possible to deliver multiple video streams simultaneously, this makes it easy to distribute a growing universe of content, including full-HD and even 4K video, MJPEG and audio streaming.

Case in point, at DSE our recent installation at Boulder Station Casino was featured in DSE's 10th Annual Digital Signage Guided Installation Tour. IP streaming was instrumental in this deployment. In particular, our BrightSign Network management software and the injection of IP streaming over existing coax enabled management of 150-plus players and displays. Utilizing the hotel's existing coax infrastructure was key, as the cost and downtime of re-cabling would have rendered the project financially impossible. But thanks to the many benefits of IP streaming, the casino now boasts an impressive array of displays and the ability to push virtually any content feed to any screen.

IP streaming is yet another benefit of purpose-built players making it easier than ever to distribute high-quality video with greater reliability and lower cost than ever before. And I believe we've just begun to see what's possible with IP, especially in a time when the ability to generate and deliver 4K content is becoming much more commonplace.

About Jeff Hastings

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BrightSign

BrightSign is the global market leader in digital signage media players, offering the most reliable, secure and sophisticated solid-state media players on the market today.

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