< PreviousPOWER CONSUMPTION 20KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEDigital signage is way below heating, lighting and air conditioning in terms of energy consumption in most offices and retail outlets. Nevertheless, the displays are very visible, and the amount of energy they use can be significant. A display can draw 190W – add in the media player and you’re looking at $400 per year per display, which can scale up to thousands of dollars for even a small estate in a chain of regional stores. The good news is that there are simple measures that can be taken to reduce the energy used by signage with no impact on its effectiveness. Here are five ways to minimise the energy consumption of your digital signage network: Choose an energy-efficient display The display is likely to be the biggest consumer of power in your digital signage system. If you haven’t replaced your displays for some time, consider doing so now. Technology is advancing rapidly, and new LCD and LED displays are much more energy-efficient than those available even a few years ago. Before you select a display, compare the wattage of different models and look for energy-saving features. A single display using 10W more power can cost $30 a year more to run. POWER CONSUMPTION POWERING DOWN YOUR DIGITAL SIGNAGE - FIVE SIMPLE STEPS TO REDUCE THE POWER CONSUMPTION OF YOUR DISPLAYS AND PLAYERS With energy costs rising at 30% year over year, businesses are increasingly concerned about reducing consumption. The good news is that there are simple measures that can be taken to reduce the energy used by signage with no impact on its effectiveness. Here, Jeff Hastings at Brightsign highlights five ways to minimise the energy consumption of your digital signage network: JEFF HASTINGS CEO BRIGHTSIGN 21 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEPOWER CONSUMPTION 22KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE Reducing the brightness of the display can reduce energy consumption by as much as 20%. Turn it off when it’s not needed What can you do to reduce the amount of energy used by your existing displays? Scheduling displays to turn off while not in use is a big first step. Most offices now shut down signage outside working hours, but many retailers keep window displays running all night. With more and more customers concerned about climate change, having brightly lit windows with large displays playing to an empty street is not necessarily a good look anymore. Germany and Spain are two countries that have currently mandated that signage is switched off between 10pm and 6am. A well-designed digital signage media player offers many pathways to schedule on-off times. An HDMI port can use CEC commands to control the display allowing it to be powered down within the content programming. Additionally, UDP (network messages), serial, or even HTTP messaging can be used to control displays. Other options include using presence sensors to detect viewers, or touch controls to allow users to activate the displays. Manage the brightness When you review the specs of a display you will see that most manufacturers don’t give a POWER CONSUMPTION 23 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE single figure for power consumption – they offer a minimum and a maximum. What determines whether a display is operating at the lower or the higher end of its power range? One important factor is the brightness level. Clearly, the display needs to be bright enough to draw viewers in and allow them to access the content comfortably. However, the optimum brightness will vary during the day. Displays with automatic brightness controls adjust their brightness to different daylight hours and levels, improving viewer comfort and saving energy. Reducing the brightness of the display can reduce energy consumption by as much as 20%. Consider the content Another important factor is the content itself. Direct View LED displays can use less power if content is created in so-called “Dark Mode”, meaning it is of lower contrast and based primarily on dark colour palettes. A black pixel on a Direct View LED display uses less power than a white pixel. Also on the issue of content, signage can make a major contribution to other energy-saving measures in the business. With digital displays in the form of energy dashboards, you can inspire or encourage the kind of behaviour among your employees required to be more sustainable. These dashboards display energy consumption in real- time and will encourage your team to save more. Consider the player While the media playback device is certainly a smaller factor than the display in terms of power consumption, it is still important, and it is worth putting power consumption on your list of specifications when choosing a player. In all cases, a purpose-built player is the most power-efficient solution, as there will be no component in the player that is unnecessary and doesn’t contribute directly to the digital signage experience. CPU, memory, video, audio and image decoders, and IO ports are combined on the platform to draw exactly the power they need. Such a player will also be based on a purpose- built OS that directs the hardware specifically for digital signage experiences. The best purpose- built players are fanless. Consider this: a fan is using electricity to get rid of the heat that was generated by electricity in the first place. Conclusion By taking a few simple measures organisations can achieve significant cost savings while simultaneously battling the effects of climate change. Digital signage is very visible, and the amount of energy it uses can be significant. The good news is that there are simple measures that can be taken to reduce the energy used by signage with no impact on its effectiveness. W hen used well, digital signage helps companies wage a successful advertising campaign. Electronic billboards are a powerful medium that broadcast a company’s brand message anytime and anywhere. Brightly lit digital signage can engage an audience more effectively than other types of advertising. However, a poorly maintained digital billboard displaying outdated information will turn people off quickly. Not all digital displays are created equal—and these digital signage best practices can help electronic billboard companies display the most impactful messages possible. Digital Signage Best Practices Below are some tried-and-true ways to keep digital display devices functioning at their best. Whether renting out ad space or providing display signage for events, these digital signage best practices can ensure your clients get the most out of their investments. 1. Use Android TV as the Operating System Digital signs are classified as Corporate-Owned Single Use (COSU) devices. This means that despite having a powerful computer powering the unit, the device cannot perform any other purpose except displaying content. As it turns out, Google’s Android TV operating system is ideal for running digital displays. The operating system (OS) is an inexpensive solution that runs equally well on smart displays or non-smart TVs paired with a smart device. In addition, the Google Play store enjoys complete integration with Android TV and can provide any additional application needed to display digital content. Finally, upgrading the operating system becomes a worry-free process thanks to Google. The operating system regularly releases updates or patches to fix glaring software or security issues. BEST PRACTICES Nadav Avni, Chief Marketing Officer at Radix Technologies presents some tried-and-true ways to keep digital display devices functioning at their best. NADAV AVNI CHIEF MARKETING OFFICER RADIX TECHNOLOGIES 24KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE DIGITAL SIGNAGE BEST PRACTICESBEST PRACTICES 25 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE2. Choose a Reliable Device Management Software To complement Android TV, digital signage should have reliable device management software on hand to manage, maintain, and secure the entire fleet. This software allows cloud-based connectivity, giving IT administrators the remote capability to manage all devices. For additional security and stability, choose the solution that runs on Amazon Web Services (AWS). This guarantees reduced latency and redundancy, plus it provides end-to-end security and encryption. AWS also helps ensure the entire fleet’s devices remain compliant with the General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR), the California Consumer Privacy Act (CCPA), the International Organization for Standardization (ISO), and Service Organization Control 2 (SOC2). Having secure, wireless connectivity means remote teams can perform low-level device management more easily and efficiently. They can also update system software and firmware, install applications, and apply scripts effortlessly to the entire fleet or selected devices only. 3. Assign User Access Levels Using the device management software, administrators can assign access levels to accommodate different types of users. This includes the admin and IT team members, who get permission to access and adjust the device system software and all applications and extensions. Meanwhile, end-users can receive user-level access to the content display program and related files. However, while they can access content-related files, they cannot change system settings or view usage data generated by devices. Finally, salespeople, marketing teams and executives can have access to user-generated data. When collected and analysed, this data yields valuable insights. As a result, decision- makers can learn more about the devices and set future strategies and directions. BEST PRACTICES 26KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEBEST PRACTICES Not all digital displays are created equal – digital signage best practices can help electronic billboard companies display the most impactful messages possible. 27 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINE 4. Secure Digital Displays From Unwanted Users Digital signage is deployed where the action is, which means these devices often stand unguarded in public areas. Unscrupulous individuals might see this situation as an invitation to steal the device or its contents. Or, they may attempt unauthorised access to the device to deface the content or steal its data. A robust security system that’s part of the device management software can offer the best solution against malicious individuals. Through geolocation and tagging services, admins can remotely track stolen devices. A remote takeover by the admin can prevent further damage and protect data from those who managed to hack the system. If devices are in danger of falling into the wrong hands, admins can disable the device or wipe data to protect the content. 5. Monitor Devices to Prevent Error Displays and Redundant or Outdated Content Ensuring that each digital signage runs the right content at the right time is an essential best practice. Administrators should remotely monitor the content displayed by these devices and check to make sure they’re running authorised materials. At the very least, admins should be on the lookout for system software errors during display. Left unchecked, this can lead the device to display the dreaded blank blue screen or the host’s desktop contents. Constant monitoring also allows administrators to check for glaring errors or outdated information, which the client will appreciate. If an error occurs, the device management software’s remote access capability can repair system errors by running over-the-air (OTA) diagnostics to pinpoint the problem. It can then apply corrective measures remotely. The device management software can also overwrite error-filled content with corrected content supplied by the client. This can prove helpful in situations where a large fleet of devices display the same wrong content. In contrast, manually copying new files on each digital sign can be both time-consuming and labour-intensive. Follow the Digital Signage Best Practices and Get Reliable Device Management Software By following these digital signage best practices, companies can ensure their clients’ billboards display correctly and maximise their investment. Android TV remains the best, low-cost solution to serve as the operating system for smart displays or devices. Operators will benefit from companion device management software to help with the management, maintenance and security of the entire fleet. With this additional software investment, your digital signage users can be confident that their advertising and information campaigns are running optimally and securely.IMPROVE DIGITAL EXPERIENCES 28KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINEA s a business leader, you may wonder where to start. Here, we explore five ways to improve digital experiences in the workplace. Provide training on digital tools There are plenty of ways that digital additions can fit within your company, and there can be many purposes too. One benefit is that it can make your employees’ working processes quicker, whether it be through upgrading devices or even the installation of software. With technology constantly changing, workers often have to adapt to new tools. It can be tricky for employees to familiarise themselves with new concepts that they haven’t used before. It’s important to provide regular training for employees. Not only will it make the transition easier for them, but tasks that require new technology will be completed at a quicker pace and to a high standard. Digital signage can be used to great effect in staff training, as it can not only provide valuable information but also offers a sense of belonging. Keep up to date with digital trends The Covid-19 pandemic placed emphasis on the necessity for digital implementations in the workplace, with many businesses making adaptations in a time of need. But the demand remains, with the digital transformation market expected to reach $490 billion in 2025 compared to $300 billion in 2022. IMPROVE DIGITAL EXPERIENCES BECOME FAST-PACED AND ADAPTABLE: FIVE WAYS TO IMPROVE DIGITAL EXPERIENCES IN YOUR WORKPLACE Implementing digital transformation into your business is essential for success. But with technological advancements dominating the business world, it’s important to assess the digital additions within your company to discover if they are making the expected improvements. Rose Moody, Creative Director at Vitec explores five ways to improve digital experiences in the workplace. ROSE MOODY CREATIVE DIRECTOR VITEC 29 KIOSK AND DIGITAL SIGNAGE MAGAZINENext >