8K Displays… So What’s the Buzz?

You’ve heard the buzz about 8K display technology. But what is it about these displays that make them ideal for commercial settings?

According to research firm, IHS Markit, as the demand for super-large TV displays grow, the need for higher resolution is set to increase, with 8K displays expected to make up about nine percent of the 60-inch and larger display market by 2020.

So what’s the hype about 8K Ultra HD technology? If you stand close to a Full HD monitor, you can distinguish individual pixels. By comparison, the pixels on an 8K Ultra HD screen are not visible to the naked eye. 8K technology results in images that are so realistic and with such a sense of depth that it feels as if objects aren’t just on the screen but are actually real!

8K technology vividly reproduces every last detail beyond the perception of the human eye. In academic fields, it allows for the enlargement of fine art images, artifacts or architectural structures. In other words, viewers are able to see details that would normally be invisible.

Here are the top three benefits of 8K Ultra HD Technology in commercial environments:

  • Higher resolution. The 33 million pixels packed into the 7,680 x 4,320-resolution panel result in screen resolution that is 16 times higher than full HD. This allows you to actually feel the presence of stunningly realistic on-screen images.
  • Images come to life in vivid color. The color-processing technologies support a wide range of color expression along with faithful color mapping on the display. The rich color palette of an 8K monitor adds depth to the content and brings the entire screen to life.
  • Superb image quality via 8K upscaling. Using on-board processing technology allows both 4K Ultra HD and Full HD content to be upscaled to 8K resolution. This means slideshows, videos, images and text can now be rendered with a new level of detail and realism.

Professional AV uses for 8K displays are broad, however, here are some of the most ideal applications:

  • Government: Homeland security and other surveillance videos can be viewed in much greater detail due to the amount of color and pixels in an 8K image.
  • Retail: The amount of detail that can be shown on a particular item – be it the finest details of a diamond ring or the threading on that beautiful sweater – makes it easier for the consumer to get a clear view of their potential purchase. It also allows the retailer to promote the quality of a particular item.
  • Broadcast: Because 8K has such a high resolution, a football game or other sporting event can be shot with a wide-angle view in 8K, then the broadcaster can zoom into quadrants with each one in 4K.
  • Healthcare: Medical diagnostic imaging and endoscopic surgical procedures, for example, can now be viewed more clearly and in greater detail, which helps advance medical care and improve patient outcome.

The newest 8K display to hit the market is the Sharp 8K Ultra HD 70-inch LCD monitor, the 8M-B70AU, which is NOW AVAILABLE through Almo Professional A/V! Ask your Almo rep about a $200 reseller spiff on this display and visit https://www.almoproav.com/sharp for more information on Sharp solutions.

Samsung Goes All-In on Digital Signage

I learned something new this year at InfoComm: I have no future as a professional gambler. While true, that’s not really it. What I REALLY learned was that LED may soon take over the world of digital advertising. There were probably more digital signage displays at InfoComm than there are slot machines in Vegas.  However, of those displays, Samsung clearly hit the jackpot. After spending just a few minutes at Samsung’s booth, I am placing my bet on these three Samsung products.

THE WALL

By far the standout was Samsung’s THE WALL professional LED. This thing has it all. Samsung engineers were able to develop revolutionary technology, giving THE WALL top-of-the-line resolution. Not only that, but Samsung also found a way to get rid of those gaudy lines that disrupt your displays, allowing for more aesthetically-pleasing signage.

Still not convinced? Still not ready to go all in? What if I told you that on top of all this, Samsung has given THE WALL a diagonal canvas of 146 inches, the largest flat panel display on the market. With all of these enhancements to their already-stellar digital signage, THE WALL is the perfect combination of quality and quantity.

FLIP

Not only did Samsung up the ante on LED Digital Signage; it also showcased their Samsung Flip. An interactive display perfect for collaboration in meetings and on projects, Flip is essentially the whiteboard of the future. With Flip, you can import any project your team is working on or mirror your phone or computer screen to share with everyone working on it. Not only that, but Flip can easily switch between portrait and landscape views for any type of presentation. With these key features, Flip is looking to increase Samsung’s professional applications in all industries, including education, professional athletics, and of course professional businesses. Teachers can now import content directly onto the display to bolster their students’ learning.

Coaches can now easily switch from portrait to landscape view to show full-court and half-court plays to their team. Businesses can collaborate interactively on important assignments. The Flip is the whiteboard that will change the future, and Samsung will look to increase their market share in interactive digital displays with this innovative product.

Outdoor Signage

On top of their improvements in large-scale digital signage, Samsung upped their game in the outdoor signage department. Whether you are looking for displays to be placed in the snow of Maine or the sun of Miami, look no further than Samsung’s outdoor displays.

These displays are the ultimate sports bar viewing experience with eye-popping quality and unfailing durability to make them perfect for all outdoor venues, enclosed outdoor venues, and even window-facing displays. Samsung has used their cutting-edge techniques to enhance resolution and brightness, making these displays some of the crispest visuals one can find in digital signage. Not only that, but Samsung has increased durability to make their outdoor displays perfect to withstand any weather conditions. Add to that the SMART Signage Platform, which allows users to update their signage in real time from their mobile device and anyone can spend all the time they want in Vegas… learning how to better gamble.

Checking Boxes

A digital signage content management software

that ✓ all the boxes.

Clients looking for a digital signage solution often have very similar feature sets that they are seeking. In the past, there were some features that our solutions could not provide, so the client would need to make some sort of compromise instead of being able to check all the boxes on their list of needs. Since the addition of Zebrix to the Almo line card, compromises are now few and far between.

Let’s take a look at what Zebrix offers that allows us to check off some of commonly requested features that were previously out of reach.

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Hosted, web based CMS

Having a hosted, web based content management system (CMS) offers some advantages over an “on premise” solution.   It reduces the amount of time that IT professionals would spend evaluating security and managing a software installed on local servers, which allows them to focus on their day to day workload.

One of the other great advantages of a hosted CMS is the ability to manage the content from any device, anywhere internet access is available.  Since web browsers are ubiquitous there is no need for a specialized device to manage content or to provide access to players.

Also, because the software is in the cloud you can manage players located all over the world.

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No need for additional player hardware

With the introduction of powerful “system on a chip” processors in commercial displays, like Samsung’s Tizen processor*, Zebrix is able to offer PC-like performance without the cost of an external player.  Savings can be parlayed into larger displays, or additional displays for a project.

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Intuitive CMS interface

Ok, so this may not be exclusive to Zebrix (Almo Pro AV offers other solutions with this feature), but they take it to a whole new level.  Since Zebrix is web based, it offers the ease of use and functionality that people have come to associate with purpose made “apps” on mobile devices.  With drag and drop content upload, and WYSIWYG design features, creating professional looking signage becomes easier than ever.

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Display management and live view

Because Zebrix uses the internal player on the Samsung Tizen based displays, it becomes easy to manage the display as well as see a snapshot of exactly what is playing on the display at any time…all with the click of a button.

If you’d like more information on the features Zebrix offers, or to demo of the software, please feel free to contact me using the contact information below.

Todd Heberlein
888-420-2566 x6205  |  [email protected]

*Currently, only Samsung’s internal player and a Ubuntu external player work with Zebrix.

Happy National Coffee Day

I LOVE coffee!

 

Anyone who knows me knows that coffee is my life blood. Not sure what I would do without that first cup in the morning that gets my eyes to open all the way, and gets the blood pumping at high octane.

 

While driving six hours last week to our latest E4 in NJ (http://e4avtour.com/) I had to pull off the thruway to fill up…not just on gas but on coffee. As I pulled up to the drive thru, I was staring at the menu…like staring, staring.  Not in confusion of what I was going to order (duh, I know that by heart) but because I totally recognized the beautiful outdoor menu display that was super bright and sharp. It was the 46-inch Samsung OH series high-bright displays. I was sure of it!

After several more coffee and bathroom stops along the way I finally got to my hotel and jumped on line to do some digging. Come to find out there was an article written this past spring about Dunkin running a pilot program at some of their locations with Samsung Outdoor Displays.  Check out the article on Samsung’s blog here:  https://insights.samsung.com/2017/04/04/dunkin-donuts-serves-up-an-enhanced-customer-experience-with-outdoor-menu-displays/

When you’re amped up on coffee it’s hard to slow down…  and the deeper I dug the more fascinated I became at just how impactful outdoor menu boards are.  For example, over a five-year period, a QSR with a 10-store pilot can increase profit by almost $1.5 million and reduce costs by over $1 million!  That’s a LOT of lattes and donuts!

An in-depth study on ROI with Outdoor Displays in QSRs

Get yourself a cuppa joe and download the study by Forrester Consulting on the Total Economic ImpactTM (TEI) of Samsung Outdoor Digital Menu Boards that examined the ROI Quick Service Restaurants experienced when deploying outdoor digital menu-boards in their drive-thru locations.

What’s your go-to fast food fix, and do they have static posters or digital menu boards?

 

My Take on Samsung’s The Frame… The Most Beautiful TV You’ve Never Seen

Last week I was at CEDIA expo in San Diego and I got a firsthand look at the 2017 product of the year, The Frame.   Does it live up the hype? You bet it does.   Don’t worry if you missed it.  You can check it out for yourself at the www.e4avtour.com.

What impressed me was how difficult it was to tell which was The Frame and which was a work of art, even when standing inches away.

Here’s a video of me talking about some of my favorite features:

Samsung Art Tripod Stand

I have seen sleek wall mounted TVs, but never one that blends into wall décor like this.  The “No Gap” wall mount lives up to its name.  The mount actually counter sinks into the back of the display allowing it to sit flush against the wall.

Also on display at the booth was the art tripod stand with an ultra-thin fiber wire that runs to the one connect box that can be housed up to 15 meters away from the frame.

Samsung Booth at CEDIA

The Samsung Booth at CEDIA was so crowded with visitors all day it was nearly impossible to get this shot of the actual booth display.

It is truly no wonder that Samsung won the CEDIA 2017 New Product of the Year Award.

So where does this fit into the Pro AV market when it was obviously designed with the consumer in mind?  Think corporate lobbies, or the CEO’s boardroom, where many times interior designers are looking for less TV and more art.

Even better, to help integrators who are using these consumer products in Pro applications, there is this new portal for you!

The portal is ever evolving, but for now it is a one stop shop for custom installers with all the information that used to be scattered over main websites and portals.

Here’s a video of me explaining the portal:

San Diego Convention Center

Fish Market Restaurant

The San Diego Convention center was amazing!  You could walk just a couple blocks to the water.  As a new fan of seafood, I was not disappointed in my dinner at the Fish Market restaurant.  Right on the water and situated next to an air craft carrier, it was absolutely breath taking.

Jonathan Brawn of Brawn Consulting couldn’t have been nicer.  He knew the area and recommended the restaurant for dinner and filled us in on the history of the area.

The icing on the cake was a fireworks display launched from the bow of the USS Midway.

Thank you Samsung, for having me at CEDIA!

Share with us in the comments… In what Pro AV applications do you see The Frame?

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