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Exciting New QSR Solutions from LG

by | May 25, 2023 | Digital Signage, Uncategorized

Exertis Almo’s Pro AV Podcast with LG Business Solutions

Hot or Cold? 🥵🥶 Enjoy this gamified Exertis Almo ProAV Podcast discussion with guests Michael Ha and David Boerlin (from LG) + Jennifer Fisher (BDM at Exertis Almo) on Quick Serve Restaurant (QSR) technologies including AI, automated POS, robots, and LG digital signage – including LG’s new Self-ordering Kiosk.
More LG

Contact Exertis Almo for product info, inventory availability, or to start a quote.

Enjoy this video content? Check out the Exertis Almo YouTube channel for more.

Jennifer Fisher

Jennifer Fisher

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: LG Business Solutions (SW, W, NW)

Staying in Touch

by | May 16, 2023 | Digital Signage, Uncategorized

January 27, 2010, the first-generation iPad is unveiled at an Apple press event, changing the way we interact with video display devices in a profound way. While becoming wildly popular amongst adults, the iPad has also become standard equipment for young children who now grow up with a touch device in their hands from adolescence. Touch screens have been around for a very long time. As a matter of fact, the first touchscreen operated by a finger was developed in the 1960’s. However, the introduction of consumer based hand-held touch devices, over the last decade and a half, have had a profound impact on the way humans expect to interact with video display devices.

MicroTouch HospitalityIt is almost strange now if you come across a public display or kiosk and it is not touch enabled. In fact, I recently attempted to interact with a display kiosk, in a hotel lobby, only to find it was not a touch screen. As younger people that were raised with a touch device in their hands come of age, the expectation for interactive devices is higher than ever. We’ve also seen a shift in many areas to a self-service model, for better or for worse, and each will have their own opinion about it, but it is the reality. For example, when was the last time you actually dealt with an agent to check into an airline flight? It is now commonplace to check-in, receive your boarding pass, and receive your luggage tag all without human interaction.

Practically all the major fast-food chains now offer the option of ordering your meal via a touch screen kiosk, instead of ordering from a human behind the counter. Many supermarkets now have more self-checkout lines than traditional cashier-based check-out lines. Large chain restaurants offer the ability to pay your check through a portable touch display on the table. Even when I go to have blood drawn at the lab or visit my doctor, the check-in process is via a touch screen. Let’s not forget the ATM, one of the earliest mainstream uses of touchscreen technology that I can remember.

Outside of self-service, touch-enabled displays can be and are being used in various applications, including classrooms for learning, interactive gaming and entertainment, digital wayfinding, lobby directories, control systems, POS systems, automotive, corporate boardrooms, and more. There are many brands and many sizes of touchscreens on the market today. So, what separates one from the other? To me, it is the accuracy and responsiveness of the touch, along with as the physical aesthetics of the device itself.

There are several different types of touch technology, such as Resistive, Surface Acoustic Wave (SAW), Infrared (IR), and Capacitive – to name a few. PCAP, or Projected Capacitive, has become more available in larger sizes, and provides superior accuracy and speed of touch – and uses a glass top layer allowing for that smooth edge-to-edge glass look and feel. I will not go into the individual descriptions of each of the above technologies, but note that PCAP has become one of the most widely adopted touch technologies now that it can be used on larger displays and provides both great performance and aesthetics.

MicroTouch HealthcareTo enhance our offering of touchscreen technology, Exertis Almo has recently partnered with MicroTouch, who has been providing touch solutions for the market for over 40 years with installations in 80 countries and over 100 patents. MicroTouch offers a wide range of touch solutions, including open-frame models designed to fit into kiosks, desktop, large format digital signage, all-in-one (with computer), and healthcare solutions ranging in size from 7” to 65”. Their new MACH family takes performance and aesthetics to the next level with an ultra slim design, radiused corners, and concealed ports and cable management, coupled with a sleek edge to edge glass finish with a scratch resistant anti-glare surface. Add to this the speed, accuracy, and responsiveness of PCAP touch technology and a three-year advance replacement warranty. This new partnership will further enable integrators to provide high quality innovative touch solutions to their clients. Please visit www.exertisalmo.com for more information.

Brian Rhatigan headshot
About the Author

Brian Rhatigan | CTS, DSCE

Director of Business Development

Supported Manufacturers: Epson (NE, SE, MW), Huddly, Kramer, Jabra

Breaking Down DVLED part 3 – Perfect Pitch

by | May 11, 2023 | Digital Signage, DVLED, Uncategorized, Video Walls

Part 3: Perfect Pitch

Topic: The importance of selecting the right pixel pitch the first time.

During my college years, I worked on a deck building crew during the summers. My boss was a battle-hardened old carpenter who often muttered, “Measure twice and cut once. We didn’t bring the board stretcher today.” This adage is as true in commissioning AV systems as it is in carpentry.

Let’s be honest, Indoor DVLED walls are expensive. And they should be!!! The visual experience is second to none, and it’s not close. Companies are concerned with getting their brand image and messaging across clearly and impactfully, and DVLED walls deliver. Assuming, of course, that the right product is selected.

If a client is dropping six figures on a DVLED display, it is critical that the integrator gets it right the first time. Putting up video walls is labor intensive enough. The notion of ever having to take a wall down because the customer was dissatisfied with the end result would be disastrous. And really, when it comes to DVLED, the only conceivable reason a client would be disappointed would be due to selecting a pixel pitch that was too large for the application.

customer communication

In the world of LCD displays or modern-day TV’s, most end users are primarily concerned with size and resolution. For example, a high definition (1080p) image will look the same—relatively speaking—regardless of image size, on a conventional LCD display from any reasonable viewing distance. The pixel density is so…um…dense…that any perceived “pixelization” will be negligible to the average human eye.

My friends, this is not so with DVLED. If you remember from my previous blog, Cabinets and Modules and Panels, Oh My, I described how DVLED pixels can be thought of as a grid of dots that make up an image. Think, Paint by Numbers. The more dots you jam into the same relative space, the clearer the image. Additionally, the closer you are to the display, the easier it will be to see the grid-lines. So, this would lead to reason that in order to produce a good DVLED image, you need the right amount of dots, in the right amount of physical space, that are viewed from the right distance.

pixel pitch vs resolution

Thus, I present to you the most important spec of all, when selecting a DVLED wall, the Pixel Pitch. Expressed in numerical values such as 0.7, 0.9, 1.2, 1.5, 1.9. 2.5, 3.7, 4.0 and so on, the pixel pitch indicates the center-to-center distance in millimeters of one pixel to the next. The smaller the number, the closer together the pixels are.

Now, I know we all love using handy math equations and standards in the AV industry, but unfortunately, selecting the right pixel pitch is a bit of an art. The most popular and generally accepted “standard” that is thrown around is Distance / 10. This means that to select the right pixel pitch, you need to take the distance in feet of the closest viewer and divide by 10. The quotient (aka. answer), should get you in the neighborhood of what an appropriate pixel pitch selection would be. For example, if the closest viewer is 10ft away from the display then the appropriate pixel pitch would be 1.0. Similarly, if the closest viewer was 25ft away the best pixel pitch would be 2.5.

viewing distance

Beyond this simple calculation, we need to go a little bit further and consider other factors like intended use, the type of content and the specific needs of the audience or viewer. In cases like retail or entertainment, where full motion video and large print will be the primary content and the average viewing distance and viewing range are very wide, pixelization is probably less of an issue. In an executive board room of a financial firm that will be using the wall to display smaller text, numbers and data or in critical medical imaging scenarios, it would be wise to opt for a pixel pitch that is perhaps a little smaller than the standard quotient.

Finally, let’s talk about cost. The smaller or “finer” the pixel pitch, the higher the cost. This means that a 220-inch video wall with a 2.5 pixel pitch could very easily end up costing more than twice that of a 3.7 pixel pitch of the same size. Similarly, depending on the type and quality of LED’s being used, a P1.0 could easily be two, three or even four times the cost of a P2.5 wall of the same relative size.

I’ve been around this game for a while, and I know we operate in a competitive landscape. It is sometimes tempting or even necessary to fit the solution into the budget. However, with DVLED walls, the repercussions of selecting a pixel pitch that is too large to fit into a customer’s budget could be dire. So, take heed. Or better yet, call me, and make sure you select the right pixel pitch the first time.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for my next installment of Breaking Down DVLED:

Part 4: The First Step in Installing a DVLED Video Wall is Admitting you Need Help
Topic: Commissioning Assistance and why it’s important

Part 5: First Things First
Topic: The importance of proper site prep and conducting a proper site survey

Check out my other installments if you haven’t already:

Part 1: Got Spares?
Topic: The importance of having spares when purchasing / commissioning a DVLED video wall.

Part 2: Cabinets and Modules and Panels, Oh My!!!
Topic: The anatomy of a DVLED video wall.

Tom Keefe BDM

About the Author

Tom Keefe

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Absen

Ingress Protection: the other IP of AV

by | May 4, 2023 | Digital Signage, Outdoor AV, Uncategorized

When you hear the letters “IP“, most people probably think of Internet Protocol, Intellectual Property, or maybe even Innings Pitched.  Here, we are going to be referring to Ingress Protection, or how well an electrical enclosure can protect from the penetration of dust and moisture. Even if you have never heard the term before, you have most certainly thought about ingress protection at some time. Have you ever spilled water on your phone, tablet, or laptop?  That instant panic (and possible profanities) is caused by your lack of trust in the ability of your device to keep out moisture.

Most new cellphones are marketed as waterproof or water-resistant. What do those terms mean? Are they marketing buzzwords, or are they meant to be taken at face value? This video by CNBC does a good job explaining them. I have personally taken the term waterproof too literally myself. On my oldest daughter’s 1st birthday, we took her swimming and I wanted to document as much as I could with my “waterproof” phone. We had a great time, but the documentation did not go as planned. In fact, I learned a new notification that day. A water droplet icon meant that moisture had made its way into my phone, and it was no longer functioning properly.

How did these standards come to be? In 1976, the International Electrotechnical Commission, or IEC, published IEC 60529, with the goal of standardizing the requirements regarding protection by enclosures. Prior to that time, there were separate standards for motors and low-voltage switchgear and controlgear.

The IP rating consists of two digits:

  1. The first rates protection against solid objects and works on a scale of 0-6.
  2. The second rates protection against liquids and works on a scale of 0-9.

The guide below lists details of what level of protection each number represents.

IP ratings chart

Source: https://www.iec.ch/ip-ratings

Outdoor displays should have a rating of no less than IP55, to be reasonably safe from both dust and water. Using the above guide tells us that the first numeral of 5 means that the enclosure is considered “dust-protected”. Since we are fully in pollen season in much of the country, strong protection against solid foreign objects is necessary. A first numeral rating of 4 would not supply the necessary protection against pollen grains as they are smaller than the 1.0mm size listed in the description. The second numeral of 5 means that the device is “protected against water jets”.  Who is going to be blasting an outdoor display with water jets?  Well, a landscaping sprinkler system or someone using a hose are both water jets you would want to be safe from.

Samsung Terrace Outdoor qn65lst7tafOutdoor installations have progressed from your run-of-the-mill bank clocks with time and temperature to complex direct view LED displays that are truly immersive.  Keeping the viewer immersed, and not the hardware, is a key to the success and longevity of any outdoor AV project.  When your electronics are exposed to the elements, you will always have some degree of risk involved.  Using the IP ratings, along with the manufacturer’s suggested usage and accessories, will allow you to minimize risk for your projects and customers.  Be certain to read the warranty as well to ensure you are not doing anything that might void or shorten your warranty period.

Samsung Terrace Outdoor SoundbarOutdoor displays can range from a standard TV in an enclosure designed to be outdoors, all the way up to massive dvLEDs that you might see in Las Vegas or Times Square. Whatever your needs, Exertis Almo can provide solutions that run the gamut, including multiple dvLED vendors. The Samsung Terrace Series (consumer) provides options for outdoor displays, a soundbar offering, as well as accessories that can help protect and prolong the life of the hardware.  These have become quite popular in commercial settings such as bars, restaurants, hotels, and even corporate patio areas. 

Visit ExertisAlmo.com today to learn more about our outdoor displays and other products.

Did you find this post helpful? Join the conversation over on LinkedIn.

Gerry Aubrey

About the Author

Gerry Aubrey | DSCE

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Samsung CE

Breaking Down DVLED part 2 – Cabinets & Modules & Panels, Oh My!!!

by | Apr 4, 2023 | Digital Signage, DVLED, Uncategorized

Part 2: Cabinets and Modules and Panels, Oh My!!!

Topic: The anatomy of a DVLED video wall.

I didn’t sell DVLED video walls for a long time because I didn’t understand how to talk to customers about it.

My first formal training on DVLED was well over 10 years ago. What I remember most is how utterly confused I was walking away. It was a brand-new technology that was very expensive and promised to be the next wave in display technology. My expertise up to that point rested squarely within the confines of projectors and large flat panel LCD displays (LFD). I was comfortable in that world. I felt safe there! I certainly didn’t have the time to learn about a new technology that had hardly gotten off the ground floor.

Fast-forward to 2023 and DVLED is now KING of large format. If I’m not offering DLVED, I’m going to be left in the dust by my competition, and so are you! The good news is that DVLED is quite simple once you grasp a few simple concepts.

Whether you are a grizzled industry vet or a bright green newbie to the AV industry, my goal is to attempt to simplify the anatomy of a DVLED video wall and, hopefully, have you walk away with enough knowledge and tools to be semi-dangerous. If not dangerous, you should at least be able to carry a conversation with a prospective customer that is in the market for one of these exciting new video walls.

So, what is DVLED and how is it different?

Let’s start with the name! DVLED stands for Direct View Light Emitting Diode. You can google light emitting diode for technical information if you wish. For the purposes of this discussion, an LED is a tiny dot that lights up red, green ,and blue. When you put hundreds of thousands or millions of them together, they make a great, big, bright, colorful image.

direct view LED illustation

What is a Pixel Pitch?

In the world of projectors and LFD’s, we talk a lot about resolution (720p, 1080p, 4K, UXGA, etc.). From 30,000 feet, this tells us a lot about how well defined our picture will be. Basically, the higher the resolution, the more dots or “pixels” that make up the image. The more dots you have in the same relative area, the better the picture.

Pixel Pitch indicates how close together the dots will be. For example, an LED wall with a pixel pitch of 10 means there will be 10mm from center-to-center from one dot to the next. A pixel pitch of 2.5 is 2.5mm between dots and so on. As of this moment in 2023, many DVLED manufacturers are offering pixel pitches as “fine” as 0.7mm. To give you a point of reference, a 100 inch, 4K traditional LCD TV will give you an approximate pixel pitch of .45mm.

But I digress. The title of this blog is Modules and Cabinets and Panels, Oh My!!! So, what are these three things? Here is a simple formula to help:

Modules + Cabinet = Panel

Modules are the square or rectangular sections of LED’s that make up the picture and are generally affixed to the face of the cabinet with magnets. The cabinet is the square or rectangular chassis that houses the electronics and provides structure to the wall. Each panel (modules + cabinet) is like a big, expensive Lego. The cabinet is the base-plate and the modules are the bricks. They can be linked together to form any size or shape. Just add your imagination and some modern video scaling technology.

I sincerely hope this has information has helped you to understand the basic makeup of a DVLED video wall. Exertis-Almo offers a wide range of DVLED brands and I am the Business Development Manager for Absen USA, a world-class, leading manufacturer of DVLED video walls that has solutions for virtually any application. Feel free to drop me a note on LinkedIn or come out to see us at one of our upcoming E4 shows.

That’s all for now. Stay tuned for my next installment of Breaking Down DVLED:

Part 3: Perfect Pitch
Topic: The importance of selecting the right pixel pitch the first time

Part 4: The First Step in Installing a DVLED Video Wall is Admitting you Need Help
Topic: Commissioning Assistance and why it’s important

Part 5: First Things First
Topic: The importance of proper site prep and conducting a proper site survey

Check out my first installment if you haven’t already:

Part 1: Got Spares?
Topic: The importance of having spares when purchasing / commissioning a DVLED video wall.

Tom Keefe BDM

About the Author

Tom Keefe

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Absen

5 Possible Benefits of an External Media Player

by | Mar 16, 2023 | Digital Signage

Digital Signage Players

I spend much of my day discussing digital signage projects with system integrators, consultants, and end users. I know, you are probably wondering how I got so lucky. You may even be thinking about a career change. Not so fast my friend, it’s not all rainbows and unicorns. Some of it can actually be confusing, or even frustrating.

Working in distribution affords me the advantage of having many choices when deciding on a game plan for a digital signage project. What I see as an advantage can be daunting to the average consumer. One decision that can appear to be easy on the surface, can often come back to be an important one.

With manufacturers including a signage player as part of the display (sometimes referred to as System on Chip, or SoC), it can be a challenge for consumers to see value of an external player. It is simple assume that when faced with adding the cost of an additional piece of hardware, it would be better to use the built-in player on a display.

In some circumstances, it makes sense to use the SoC. This is especially popular in retail applications. We’ve seen successful deployments, where simple video or image playback is all that is needed, and the budget was one of the largest deciding factors. However, the flexibility of an external media player can oftentimes be the key to a successful deployment.

There are a numerous manufacturers of digital signage media players. They come with operating systems, ranging from open source options like Android to the ubiquitous Windows OS. Some of the more popular manufacturers have created their own OS, specifically made for digital signage. These have been proven especially efficient, as well as secure.

There are different abilities for each SoC as well as each external player. However, the features listed below are typically included as part of the external player ecosystem.

1. Player Management

Content management is the prime focus of CMS providers…it’s literally in the name (CMS = Content Management Software). Player management is almost never a focus, especially since most CMS platforms work on a variety types of players and operating systems. Their agnostic approach allows them to be retrofit into previous deployments, as well as specified in current projects.

With the world’s most popular media player brand, the ability to manage remotely, including player setup, reboot, and even player reset if needed, is their main focus. A free software, specifically focused on allowing users to manage almost every aspect of their players, allows for separation of responsibilities. This allows the IT department to focus on managing the players, and their network, while the remaining team can focus on content management.

church audio solutions

2. Firmware

In consumer applications, firmware updates are typically done to take advantage of a new feature release. In commercial applications, the features take a back seat to security. Many displays with included software can provide an ingress for hackers, so updating the firmware helps maintain the security at the highest level.

Updating the firmware on your display can have an adverse effect on the digital signage content management software. There are times when the management software has not been updated at the time of the firmware release, which can cause the glitches due to a firmware mismatch.

An external media player remains separate from the display firmware, allowing your signage to remain functioning.

3. Horsepower

The ability to choose an external player with processing power and memory that matches your digital signage needs now, as well as into the future, may only be available if using an external player. The SoC provided in displays may be powerful enough to play images and videos but may lack performance when additional content comes into play.

External media players range from basic video and image playback to multi-output, 3D capable video engines capable of playing the most demanding content.

4. Triggers

External media players can have various IO ports, as well as methods for communicating with their players. USB ports allow for the connection to an overlay or button panel to trigger playback of content. Some even over a GPIO port (short for General-Purpose Input/Output), allowing one to integrate numerous connections. This is important if you want to trigger playback using something other than the Ethernet port.

Connecting a fire alarm, button push, or something else that can be used to trigger the playback of content is important.

5. Hot Swap

As reliable as displays have become, most are replaced every 3 years for one reason or another. This can be because of improvements in technology, product failure, or even a matter of aesthetics. The replacement of a display does not have to mean downtime on the digital signage. If an external media player is being used, it is only a matter of plugging it into the HDMI port of the new display.

Along with hot swapability (I know, it’s not a word), there are also additional benefits. When a power outage occurs, most external media players automatically restart playing media as soon as the power is back. There is no human interaction needed. Since the failure rate of the top external media players is so low, I’ve seen them running for 10 years straight without interruption.

Conclusion

The list above provides some of the more popular reasons people continue to use an external media player, but there are many more. I didn’t even touch on video walls, or other multi-display deployments. Just because a media player is included in the commercial display of your choice, there are still a number of good reasons that an external player should be considered. If you’d like to discuss your project, or wish to learn more, feel free to contact me at ExertisAlmo.com.

Todd Heberlein
About the Author

Todd Heberlein | CTS, DMC-D-4K, DSCE

Business Development Manager

Supported Manufacturers: Digital Signage Services, Technical (National), BrightSign

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