News

ClearOne launches digital signage server, adds hardware to SaaS-heavy lineup

October 25, 2012

ClearOne today announced the release of the MagicBox on-premises Entry-Level Server to extend its Web-based digital signage offering. The ELS runs MagicBox WebSuite software applications for digital signage, the company said, including content creation and asset management inside a browser for a comprehensive content management experience — from design to verification. The ELS is available with upgradable licensing options to support 5, 15 or 25 media players.

Some of the Applications featured in the ELS include the following:

• Composer – a flexible application to manage multimedia assets, custom-build layout, schedule and publish projects.
• Ad Logger – for network verification of impression analytics.
• Audio Manager – for audio playlist creation and management software.

Additionally, the ELS offers enterprise-class user access controls for efficient planning and added security, the company said, including the following administrative applications:

• Library – to upload content and manage content repository
• User Manager – for administering user roles and security levels
• Player Manager – to set up and organize signage players on the network
• Remote Update – for media player firmware updates

In addition to releasing the ELS, the company also has enhanced the existing software-as-a-service, or SaaS, cloud-based MagicBox WebSuite with some new features:

• The MagicBox media players can now be configured either to pull or push content and schedule information from the server, allowing customers to manage and publish content from anywhere with an Internet connection. Media players can be placed in multiple locations, behind firewalls with private IP addresses, and managed both centrally and locally. The media players are not required to have public IP addresses.
• The MagicBox WebSuite software now also supports workgroup and playlist capabilities. Administration of national and local content is simplified by allowing a central administrator to control a common set of playlist content for multiple locations. Users can add unique, local content without impacting other locations.

"With the ELS, customers will greatly benefit from the ability to control and administer full digital signage solutions on their own private and secured networks," said Tom Searcy, vice president of the ClearOne digital signage business. "New features in the MagicBox WebSuite software improve the control of multiple media players at one or many locations and also provide flexibility and access for multiple users with different management rights in the system. By offering both the ELS and SaaS models, our digital signage customers now have the option of hosting with either an on-premise server or a cloud-based solution, according to their digital signage requirements and business models."

The new ELS and the enhancements of MagicBox WebSuite SaaS will be available in November.

Read more about digital signage hardware and software.